Brother Larry/Attorney Scott archives

sent 8/31/2013 KEEP IT UP Re: RISE UP TO OPPOSE WW III (and please help take this viral)

Subject: KEEP IT UP Re: RISE UP TO OPPOSE WW III (and please help take this viral)

As you have probably seen or will see--it's big news--President Obama today succumbed to pressure from about 80 percent of the American people and now says that while he still wants to attack Syria, he has decided to get Congressional approval first. He's still stupid for wanting to attack Syria, but that is a bit of progress at least.

Now we have to keep up, even increase, the pressure on our Congress to say NO, as did the people of England and the English Parliament to United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron.

So please keep at it, or please start if you haven't started. Congress returns from recess on September 9th.
http://fcnl.org/issues/middle_east/take_action_syria/
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/president-obama-dont-18
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8463

I don't have a lot of money, but, ye Gods, I felt I had to donate some money toward the effort of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), the 70 year old Quaker lobbying group in Washington, D.C. I did that today. You don't have to, but they are at the first of the above three links. They have a huge amount of information that can help us be effective. Signing a petition somewhere is something, but there are actually more effective means of communication with "our" government officials. Let's see whether we may be able to make them sweat, a little bit perhaps, over the concept of starting World War III, remembering that they also are under great pressure from lobbyists from the military business corporations.

From what I read, the actual military leadership is quite divided over this. They may have some influence, but they are not the ones in charge. It's the immense military business corporations--including but not limited to weapons manufacturers--that have the biggest influence. They mainly want to make money for their shareholders. They can of course be expected to say anything at all toward that end. Their CEO's can certainly expect to be able to find beautiful holes to hop into in relatively safer parts of the world for quite some time on into whatever future affects the rest of us.

Please act. Go see your representatives in person if you can, or make a few phone calls. Again, there's help with addresses and phone numbers at the FCNL site among other places. Don't memorize. What you have to say to get started is probably easy, like, "I do not think another Iraq or another World War would be good for me, my family, or my country as a whole, and I want you to vote NO." I'm sure you can expand on that without notes.

Larry

On 8/30/2013 6:05 PM, Larry Scott wrote:

Subject: RISE UP TO OPPOSE WW III

Below there are links that you may want to use to help. I recommend the FCNL link in particular.

It appears that President Obama wants to be known as another U.S. President who actually started his own war, this time a war to spread out of Syria. It appears that he cares nothing for international law or U.S. law--that he is ready to go rogue, become a scofflaw in other words.

Below (name in bold), Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich (Wikipedia link) ( explains why the possible use of chemicals by the Syrian government would be no special excuse.

I remember the time of the Korean war somewhat and the time of the Vietnam war very well. In 1973, after the Vietnam war experience, Congress passed what is known as the War Powers Resolution with the direct purpose of preventing U.S. presidents from starting wars on their own.

Since presidents do not seem to enjoy having their powers limited, and especially since those in the war business do not seem to like having their business limited,* President Obama is not the first president to have gone rogue and started wars against the will of the people. Of course he will pretend that what he is doing is for our own good. Well it would not be for my good. You can decide for yourself whether another big war would be for your good. Think about how the wars you've lived through have affected you and people you know. Ok, so maybe some guys had jobs for awhile. Then what happened? Please think.

There appears to be a high likelihood that a U.S. attack on Syria would draw in Russia, Iran, and possibly even China against the U.S. That would be most excellent for the U.S. and global corporations involved in the war business. But would it be most excellent for you.

A new poll says that 80 percent of the American people want no war started against Syria without an act of Congress. There is an effort going on to get Congress to get involved in in this public, not just in behind the scenes secret and unaccountable "consultations."

Please do whatever you can to further that effort. Here are some links that may help. I like the top one:

http://fcnl.org/issues/middle_east/take_action_syria/

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/president-obama-dont-18

http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8463

------------------------------

Andrew J. Bacevich

Professor of international relations at Boston University

From a moral perspective, it appears that observers see killing civilians with chemical weapons as somehow different from killing civilians with conventional weapons. I don’t know why there would be any distinction. Egyptians who are killed are just as dead as the Syrians who were killed, and though it appears that dying of a chemical weapons attack is an awful experience, frankly bleeding to death from a gunshot wound to your chest or stepping on a mine that blows off your leg is equally awful. So anyone who makes an argument that there’s a moral obligation to act has to address that question: Why here and not there?

The second aspect it seems to me is: What do we expect to achieve? Even if there is a moral case for intervention, how does the use of force remedy the situation? It appears to me that this is going to be a very limited attack with a very limited target set. There’s no intention of overthrowing the regime and no intention of limiting the chemical weapons capability of the Syrian Army.

So beyond allowing ourselves to feel virtuous because we have done something in response to a reprehensible act, what has been gained? If indeed the episode in Syria rises to the level where it is different from Egypt and we really are morally obligated to do something, then it ought to be something more than just a gesture. And of course as a practical matter, nobody’s got the appetite to do anything more than make gestures.

from http://sojo.net/blogs/2013/08/30/ethics-syrian-military-intervention-experts-respond

-----------------------

See also this excellent piece from today August 30, 2013 by Norman Solomon:
"While Cameron Defers to Parliament, Obama Locks into Warfare State of Mind"
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/30

See also:
"Why America Cannot Live without Wars"
by Chidanand Rajghatta
Times of India, August 29, 2013
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-29/us/41580072_1_chemical-weapons-war-veterans-syria-government
easier to read:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/29-4?print

Larry

* Perhaps you will remember that President Eisenhower made a very big point of warning that we were coming to the point where U.S. presidents would no longer be able to keep the military under control. That has happened, as I have discussed many times in more recent years. This case seems to be yet another case of the tail wagging the dog, which is to say the war business wagging the President.

sent 8/30/2013 RISE UP TO OPPOSE WW III

Subject: RISE UP TO OPPOSE WW III

Below there are links that you may want to use to help. I recommend the FCNL link in particular.

It appears that President Obama wants to be known as another U.S. President who actually started his own war, this time a war to spread out of Syria. It appears that he cares nothing for international law or U.S. law--that he is ready to go rogue, become a scofflaw in other words.

Below (name in bold), Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich (Wikipedia link) ( explains why the possible use of chemicals by the Syrian government would be no special excuse.

I remember the time of the Korean war somewhat and the time of the Vietnam war very well. In 1973, after the Vietnam war experience, Congress passed what is known as the War Powers Resolution with the direct purpose of preventing U.S. presidents from starting wars on their own.

Since presidents do not seem to enjoy having their powers limited, and especially since those in the war business do not seem to like having their business limited,* President Obama is not the first president to have gone rogue and started wars against the will of the people. Of course he will pretend that what he is doing is for our own good. Well it would not be for my good. You can decide for yourself whether another big war would be for your good. Think about how the wars you've lived through have affected you and people you know. Ok, so maybe some guys had jobs for awhile. Then what happened? Please think.

There appears to be a high likelihood that a U.S. attack on Syria would draw in Russia, Iran, and possibly even China against the U.S. That would be most excellent for the U.S. and global corporations involved in the war business. But would it be most excellent for you.

A new poll says that 80 percent of the American people want no war started against Syria without an act of Congress. There is an effort going on to get Congress to get involved in in this public, not just in behind the scenes secret and unaccountable "consultations."

Please do whatever you can to further that effort. Here are some links that may help. I like the top one:

http://fcnl.org/issues/middle_east/take_action_syria/

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/president-obama-dont-18

http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8463

------------------------------

Andrew J. Bacevich

Professor of international relations at Boston University

From a moral perspective, it appears that observers see killing civilians with chemical weapons as somehow different from killing civilians with conventional weapons. I don’t know why there would be any distinction. Egyptians who are killed are just as dead as the Syrians who were killed, and though it appears that dying of a chemical weapons attack is an awful experience, frankly bleeding to death from a gunshot wound to your chest or stepping on a mine that blows off your leg is equally awful. So anyone who makes an argument that there’s a moral obligation to act has to address that question: Why here and not there?

The second aspect it seems to me is: What do we expect to achieve? Even if there is a moral case for intervention, how does the use of force remedy the situation? It appears to me that this is going to be a very limited attack with a very limited target set. There’s no intention of overthrowing the regime and no intention of limiting the chemical weapons capability of the Syrian Army.

So beyond allowing ourselves to feel virtuous because we have done something in response to a reprehensible act, what has been gained? If indeed the episode in Syria rises to the level where it is different from Egypt and we really are morally obligated to do something, then it ought to be something more than just a gesture. And of course as a practical matter, nobody’s got the appetite to do anything more than make gestures.

from http://sojo.net/blogs/2013/08/30/ethics-syrian-military-intervention-experts-respond

-----------------------

See also this excellent piece from today August 30, 2013 by Norman Solomon:
"While Cameron Defers to Parliament, Obama Locks into Warfare State of Mind"
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/30

See also:
"Why America Cannot Live without Wars"
by Chidanand Rajghatta
Times of India, August 29, 2013
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-29/us/41580072_1_chemical-weapons-war-veterans-syria-government
easier to read:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/29-4?print

Larry

* Perhaps you will remember that President Eisenhower made a very big point of warning that we were coming to the point where U.S. presidents would no longer be able to keep the military under control. That has happened, as I have discussed many times in more recent years. This case seems to be yet another case of the tail wagging the dog, which is to say the war business wagging the President.

sent 8/29/2013 Joan Didion: ON SELF-RESPECT

Subject: Joan Didion: ON SELF-RESPECT

I've just been reading a book of essays by the famous writer Joan Didion, who according to Wikipedia is now 78 years old. She wrote the essay at "On Self-Respect" when she was 27. I have to say, that was clearly a peak time, the writing of that essay. The name of the book this essay is from is Slouching Towards Bethlehem. She has written many other books since then. All her books have great reviews, but that early one, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, seems to be regarded by many as her best book.

"On Self-Respect" reinforces what I know. I just don't recall having seen the concepts written better, not even close. I hope you will slow down and take a few moments to focus on these seven small pages.

It is in PDF format readable at http://ge.tt/1ZBWWZq/v/0?c . There are zoom controls that can make it easier to read. You can find them by hovering your mouse over the lower right of the image. Or you can download the PDF file using http://ge.tt/api/1/files/1ZBWWZq/0/blob?download and read it with your PDF reader.

Larry

Note: This is an exception under the copyright law: educational purpose, not for profit.

sent 8/27/2013 videos: Nature's Machine to Draw Down Carbon--Bamboo, Pyrolysis, Bio-Char & Mycorrhizal Fungi

Subject: videos: Nature's Machine to Draw Down Carbon--Bamboo, Pyrolysis, Bio-Char & Mycorrhizal Fungi

This YouTube video about bamboo is most interesting, I think. It was made in Hawaii if that's any attraction. :-) You may note that I've rearranged the title here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Czs3kI8Rk4

That led me to another promising activist site, ClimateState Video Streaming and Research, with much information about things that are going on in the world that we may not see on television.
http://climatestate.com/
http://climatestate.com/category/climate-action/energy/clean-tech/
http://climatestate.com/2013/08/27/the-ocean-is-going-to-start-confusing-fish-and-dissolving-seashells/

Larry

sent 8/27/2013 61 Reasons This Is the Most Anti-Environment House of Representatives in History

Subject: 61 Reasons This Is the Most Anti-Environment House of Representatives in History

http://ecowatch.com/2013/the-most-anti-environment-house-of-representatives-in-history/

I received the bottom paragraph below--the one in quotes--from a friend. The EcoWatch.com site is new to me and seems good. The above-linked article is seriously worthwhile if you are involved with party politics and can help others to work hard on showing just how un-American these rich, selfish, and short-term thinking ("short-sighted") House Republicans really are--with all due respect, of course, for their very different point of view. Clearly they live in a different reality.

My idea is to slow down the destruction. That my own personal focus is mainly on my own extended family's descendents being able to have lives doesn't hurt anything I think. It's ok with me if your focus is on your family's descendents.

"NRDC - Natural Resources Defense Counsel, more good people, has done research and listed 61 damaging environmental bills that House Republicans are trying to ram thru the Senate if they can. Very good research done on this and you can read the 61 article among other fine articles written by NRDC and listed at ECOWATCH. here http://ecowatch.com/?x=13&y=12&s=nrdc all of these article and the great photos are very good and the specific one listing the 61 items done by the current House of Representatives is here :http://ecowatch.com/2013/the-most-anti-environment-house-of-representatives-in-history/ "

Larry

sent 8/25/2013 THANK YOU to a Unitarian/Universalist church that is leading the fight against government surveillance

Subject: THANK YOU to a Unitarian/Universalist church that is leading the fight against government surveillance

This church is, in a real sense, fighting for survival against the seriously evil influence on our society of government surveillance. It's not fighting alone, but it's fighting. THANK YOU.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/22-2

Larry

sent 8/22/13 PLEASE, YOU CAN HELP Fight back against the Koch brothers

Subject: PLEASE, YOU CAN HELP Fight back against the Koch brothers

This came to me today in my email from the Union of Concerned Scientists, of which I am a member. http://www.ucsusa.org/
Please, help support their effort.
https://secure3.convio.net/ucs/site/SPageNavigator/main_donate_lbox.html?s_src=tasknavD

I used "paste without formatting" to remove the original links that are in the email I received. Then I added some links directly from the website. If you click them they will not associate you with me. But it's fine if you should want to tell them I sent you. As far as I know there's no prize for that. :-)

PLEASE GIVE SOMETHING, WHATEVER YOU CAN GIVE. This is a major and deadly serious war to preserve what we can for as long as we can. Please don't find yourself on the wrong side.
https://secure3.convio.net/ucs/site/SPageNavigator/main_donate_lbox.html?s_src=tasknavD

You might be interested in the knowledge resources linked in the footnotes below. That's what the numbers at the end of certain sentences in the text are, footnotes.

Larry

----text from the Union of Concerned Scientists August 22, 2013-----------

Union of Concerned Scientists

Fight back against the Koch brothers

Dear Larry,

What do you do when you're a billionaire and scientific facts about climate change can hurt your bottom line? You fund a massive network of disinformation. And if that doesn't work, you try to buy some newspapers.

Oil tycoons Charles and David Koch are behind nearly every major effort to stall climate progress in the United States. They bankroll anti-science "think tanks", pay "experts" to publish faulty reports—and now they're trying to buy a chain of eight major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times.1

UCS members are fighting back—exposing Koch-funded "authorities" and sending thousands of letters to newspaper owners asking them not to sell to these ideologues. Our campaign has reached a fever pitch. Will you help?

Stand up for science and fight the Koch machine—donate today >>

It's tough to even track all the ways Koch money permeates America's dialogue on clean energy and climate change. But no one out there is doing a better job than UCS. And we're not just tracking it. We're doing something about it:

The Koch Brothers stop at nothing to undermine climate science and clean energy...     UCS members stop at nothing to defend them...

Koch-funded campaigns attack progress on renewable energy in state after state—opposing solar development in Georgia and wind power in Ohio through misinformation campaigns, citing inaccurate statistics.2
UCS members give lawmakers the facts. Just this year, you've sent tens of thousands of letters that make the case for renewable energy—and we're winning in state after state, including the Kochs' home state of Kansas.3

The Koch Brothers bankroll anti-science "think tanks" like the Heartland Institute, infamous for its billboard campaign equating climate scientists with Osama bin Laden and the Unabomber.4
UCS exposes the money behind these groups—and publishes science-based reports, trusted by policymakers, that answer tough questions on global warming, extreme weather, nuclear safety, and agriculture.

They hire "experts" to distort science to protect their bottom line. A Koch-owned company was just taken to task for planting misinformation in scientific journals to hide a product's cancer-causing risk.5
Our experts stand up for science in the media, in statehouses, and on Capitol Hill, correcting distorted science through interviews and testimony.

They go after big media. The Kochs are looking to buy eight trusted papers, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, where their influence could distort the truth about climate change and energy policy.6
UCS members hold a spotlight up to disinformation in the media. Together, we've exposed Fox News and The Wall Street Journal for their distorted coverage of climate science, and uncovered media outlets that fail to warn readers about conflicts of interest.7

The Koch Brothers will keep fighting until there's no fight left. That's how they operate.
There's only one way to respond. When they distort the facts, we say so and tell the truth. When they lobby lawmakers, we flood offices with constituent calls and letters. When they try to hide their trail of influence and money, we shine a spotlight. When others duck, UCS members stand up, stand together, and fight back—with science on our side.

This fight needs your support right now. Make a special gift today.

There's no time to waste.


Sincerely,
Kathleen Rest
Kathleen Rest, PhD, MPA
Executive Director

FIGHT BACK. DONATE NOW.

1. http://blog.ucsusa.org/corporate-counterfeit-sciene-both-wrong-and-dangerous-152; http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/business/media/koch-brothers-making-play-for-tribunes-newspapers.html
2. http://blog.ucsusa.org/ohio-experts-endorse-states-renewable-energy-and-energy-efficiency-standards-161
3. http://cjonline.com/news/2013-02-28/norquist-pitch-renewable-energy-mandate-rejected
4. http://blog.ucsusa.org/whos-the-crazy-one-here
5. http://blog.ucsusa.org/corporate-counterfeit-sciene-both-wrong-and-dangerous-152
6. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/business/media/koch-brothers-making-play-for-tribunes-newspapers.html
7. http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science_and_impacts/global_warming_contrarians/news-corporation-climate-science-coverage.html; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elliott-negin/unreliable-sources-how-th_b_3255192.html

The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.

UCS is a 501(c)(3) organization. All gifts are tax deductible. You can be confident your donations to UCS are spent wisely.
Union of Concerned Scientists
2 Brattle Square
Cambridge, MA 02138-3780
www.ucsusa.org

© Union of Concerned Scientists. All rights reserved.
----------------end text from UCS-----------------

sent 8/20/13 Zinn: 'People Behaving Magnificently'

Subject: Zinn: 'People Behaving Magnificently'

You probably know that one of the news sites I read regularly is CommonDreams.org.
They are reader supported, need donations, and they send me appeals. But that is not what this is about.

This is about the words of the famous Howard Zinn, quoted below For your possible recollection, one of the things Howard Zinn is best known for is his book, A People's History of the United States (1980), which has been gaining new popularity of late due to schools in certain states banning it. :-7

If you want to donate to Common Dreams--and I plan to--just go there and click the donate button. But, again, this message is to send you the words of Howard Zinn, quoted below, for whatever inspiration they may have for you personally. I've left in other words from the CommonDreams email for context. love to all, Larry

----from Common Dreams email of August 19, 2013------------
The Common Dreams news team works hard every day bringing the you the news that matters. The good news—and the bad news.

It often seems like it is all bad news. And yet, we forge ahead and remain ever hopeful. We refuse to give up and give in.

Howard Zinn, the late, great author, activist and friend of Common Dreams, explained the phenomenon in words better than we ever could...

The Common Dreams news team works hard every day bringing the you the news that matters. The good news—and the bad news.

It often seems like it is all bad news. And yet, we forge ahead and remain ever hopeful. We refuse to give up and give in.

Howard Zinn, the late, great author, activist and friend of Common Dreams, explained the phenomenon in words better than we ever could...

“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction."

"And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”

We get a lot of feedback from our readers and what we hear most often is that we are helping to give them hope. That we help show the world that there are millions who haven't given up in the fight for a just and sustainable future—millions who are “behaving magnificently” helping to send “this spinning top of a world in a different direction.”

We hear over and over that we help inspire people to keep working for social change when they see that they are not acting alone. And many readers say we helped them get up from behind their computer screens and take action—either for the very first time or after years of sitting on the sidelines.
--------end of Common Dreams email of August 19, 2013----------

Larry

sent 8/19/13 On opting into religion

Subject: On opting into religion

I offer you this for your interest in and consideration of the possible benefit of going back and forth between "reality" and a "religion." I've never before heard anyone talk the way this radio talk show caller talks. It's not the caller's particular beliefs to the extent that she describes them that are important here, it's her being able to talk about her beliefs the way she does to the atheistic radio show hosts. You can listen by clicking the play button in the middle of the big grey area on the page. 3 min 28 sec.

http://ge.tt/1KUCNNp/v/0

Larry

sent 8/15/13 fascinating story: How Laura Poitras Helped Snowden Spill His Secrets

Subject: fascinating story: How Laura Poitras Helped Snowden Spill His Secrets

This New York Times article is longer than average but engrossing. I remember reading about Laura Poitras as a filmmaker who got famous for filming in the wrong place at the wrong time according to some people. She has gotten awards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Poitras

"How Laura Poitras Helped Snowden Spill His Secrets" August 13, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/magazine/laura-poitras-snowden.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Larry

sent 8/8/2013 we need anti-authoritarians; why life in America can literally drive one insane

Subject: we *need* anti-authoritarians; why life in America can literally drive one insane

This is to share two excellent articles.
As background to the articles--see bottom--think of the famous psychiatrist and academic Thomas Szasz, who has passed away at 92 since I last wrote of him. Basically Dr. Szasz argued for many years that mental illness is a myth created as a means of social control. He got respect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Szasz
His thinking is at least peripherally relevant here.

My first purpose in sharing these articles is for you to be more confident of yourself, in case this finds you in any doubt about your sanity, and to read everything you can find about any particular psychotropic drug before deciding for yourself to take it even as an experiment. Certain drugs require that they be taken for a certain amount of time before one can know the full outcome of the experiment, so if you're ever thinking of trying one be aware of that also.

My second purpose is to suggest that you try to hold back from suggesting to anyone else that they might need drug treatment and/or that you do a lot of studying before agreeing to have your children treated with drugs.

Be your own doctor. Of course you need a doctor for physicals and otherwise when you need a doctor. But if your doctor doesn't want to cooperate with you, you can find one who will.

---------------------
1. "Would We Have Drugged Up Einstein? How Anti-Authoritarianism Is Deemed a Mental Health Problem" by Bruce Levine February 20, 2012
http://www.alternet.org/print/story/154225/would_we_have_drugged_up_einstein_how_anti-authoritarianism_is_deemed_a_mental_health_problem
or
http://tinyurl.com/mepnuwm

2. "Why Life in America Can Literally Drive You Insane" by Bruce Levine July 30, 2013
http://www.alternet.org/print/personal-health/whats-behind-dramatic-rise-mental-illness
or
http://tinyurl.com/m6upzdm

Bruce E. Levine, a practicing clinical psychologist, writes and speaks about how society, culture, politics and psychology intersect. His latest book is Get Up, Stand Up: Uniting Populists, Energizing the Defeated, and Battling the Corporate Elite. His Web site is www.brucelevine.net

Larry

sent 8/7/2013 It's not a lie, and it's not an opinion: new--Earth Scientists Pin Climate Change Squarely On "Humanity"

Subject: It's not a lie, and it's not an opinion: Earth Scientists Pin Climate Change Squarely On "Humanity"

1. "Earth Scientists Pin Climate Change Squarely On 'Humanity'" August 06, 2013
New from 1) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 2) the American Geophysical Union
http://www.npr.org/2013/08/06/209462713/earth-scientists-pin-climate-change-squarely-on-humanity

2. "Alternative Energy Challenges"
Basically, conversion to alternative energy sources is problematic. This has the technical details.
View at http://ge.tt/63OX2Vr/v/0?c
or skip online viewing and just download (no web page):
http://ge.tt/api/1/files/63OX2Vr/0/blob?download
(originally from energy-reality.org, copyright exception educational, non-profit

3. BONUS:
"5 Ways Right-Wing Media Make Their Fans Fear Science" August 6, 2013
A new study shows five ways conservative media decrease trust in scientists, leading their audience to doubt climate change.
http://www.alternet.org/5-ways-right-wing-media-make-their-fans-fear-science

Larry

sent 8/7/2013 10 Reasons Lawyers Say Florida's Law Enforcement Threw Away George Zimmerman's Case

Subject: 10 Reasons Lawyers Say Florida's Law Enforcement Threw Away George Zimmerman's Case

On July 17th I sent you one missive about George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. Why would I send you another one? Well, just to reinforce your knowledge that "justice" doesn't always work properly and because I have one black friend, a very interesting fellow I met in college when I started almost 51 years ago. He still lives in the poor city neighborhood in another state where he grew up. He is having a very hard time. In fact he's old and homeless. I hear from him by phone from time to time. I can talk to people for him by phone, but otherwise there's not really a lot I can do for him given my own life circumstances--comfortable but with little to spare. Being extremely aware of things like this he would probably appreciate my letting you [other white] people know about it. Besides, it's very interesting.

"10 Reasons Lawyers Say Florida's Law Enforcement Threw Away George Zimmerman's Case" August 6, 2013
A growing chorus of attorneys and analysts say Zimmerman didn't face anything like a serious trial.
http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/10-reasons-lawyers-say-floridas-law-enforcement-threw-ryan-zimmermans-case-away

Larry

sent 8/5/2013 How You Can Train Your Mind To Do The Impossible

Subject: How You Can Train Your Mind To Do The Impossible

Wow, who knew!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/05/how-you-can-train-your-mi_n_3688660.html

sent 8/5/2013 introverts

Subject: introverts

Many years ago when I was trying to figure out what profession to head into, I took some tests at a job counseling place. One test I remember found that I measured just off center toward the introvert end, between the extreme introvert and extreme extrovert personality types.

Just in the past day or so I've discovered some fascinating recent reading materials on the topic of introverts. As it turns out, being an introvert isn't all bad.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain (January 29, 2013)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307352153/
This book has, as I write, 1,379 customer reviews, many of them interesting!

"Caring for Your Introvert" by Jonathan Rauch, March 1, 2003
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/03/caring-for-your-introvert/302696/

"6 Things You Thought Wrong About Introverts" by Carolyn Gregoire July 29, 2013
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/introvert-myths_n_3569058.html

Enjoy!

Larry

--
Attorney Scott archives
http://larryatblogspot.blogspot.com/2013/05/sent-12212-major-i-like-myself.html

sent 8/2/2013 trying to hide on the Internet; Anna Chapman proposes marriage to Edward Snowden

Subject: trying to hide on the Internet; Anna Chapman proposes marriage to Edward Snowden

On July 3rd, Anna Chapman twittered a marriage proposal to Edward Snowden. That is SO funny in a very weird kind of way. ROFL

You have to know something about Anna Chapman.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Chapman I've only just heard of her, or at least I did not remember her. She is so memorable that I think I would have remembered.

I guess everyone knows by now that American hero Edward Snowden http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_snowden has been granted refugee asylum in Russia, with all or most of the rights of Russian citizenship except the right to travel outside the country--limited to a period of one (1) year. I say Edward Snowden is an American hero because he stood up for what is right under the United States Constitution, which is superior to any government. That was Edward Snowden's duty as a citizen. Good for him for finding a place to escape to, at least for now.

--------------------------
I wrote some time ago about the value of a virtual private network ("VPN"). VPN's are becoming more and more popular at an increasing rate since our hero Edward Snowden made known the current extent of government surveillance of private telephone and written correspondence. This article has tips for adding even more security to the basic concept of using a VPN. For one thing, the choice of what VPN service to use is significant. There is a link at the bottom of this article to help with that.

How To Make VPNs Even More Secure
April 15, 2012
http://torrentfreak.com/how-to-make-vpns-even-more-secure-120419/

NOTE: Despite the context of the publisher of that article, illegal activity or even using P2P technology at all does NOT go hand in hand with using a VPN. For years businesses of all kinds and sizes have used VPNs to keep their business private. You can use it just for the sake of avoiding having people you don't know build a profile on you based on what web pages you access, where you go, what you read, and who some of your friends might be. There may be little likelihood that any human will ever get around to reading it, but you don't know. VPN's may not help much with email or telephones, though. Those are a different topic.

Larry

sent 7/22/2013 new refined study on upward mobility In Climbing Income Ladder, Location Matters

Subject: new refined study on upward mobility In Climbing Income Ladder, Location Matters

Sometime back not too long ago the wisdom was that if if your family's income was less than $95,000 then upward social mobility was not likely to happen. This new study affects that wisdom. Location matters.

There is a quantity of detailed information in this. Note the interactive graphics among other things.

"In Climbing Income Ladder, Location Matters"
By David Leonhardt, July 22, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/22/business/in-climbing-income-ladder-location-matters.html

Especially intriguing is the fact that children who moved at a young age from a low-mobility area to a high-mobility area did almost as well as those who spent their entire childhoods in a higher-mobility area. But children who moved as teenagers did less well.

Larry

sent 7/20/13 the importance of family; my Bruce Scott memorial

My cousin Bruce Scott was the youngest son of my father's brother, who was the oldest son and therefore inherited the farm in rural New York state where my father was born and raised. There will be a memorial service for Bruce Scott at the home and on the land of one of his older brothers and his wife on August 10th. I plan to be there. I am hoping to get someone else there to read the words below for me at that service, as I don't think I can do it without breaking down in the same tears that overcame me as I wrote them a bit earlier today. love, Larry

------------ for Bruce Scott July 20, 2013 ------------------

Bruce was a great admirer of my father, Lewis H. Scott, as was I and as were many others during his lifetime and among those who remember him.

One of the first and foremost things that my father taught was that keeping connected with family is the main thing, above just about anything else.

Bruce also believed that keeping connected with family is the main thing above all else other than perhaps God and telling the truth.

I and the rest of us here today loved and admired him for that belief and for his connections to all of us. Keeping in mind that your family is the main thing that is important above most anything else is not always easy. Sometimes compromise is called for, for the sake of maintaining family relationships. My beloved cousin Bruce Scott knew that.

sent 7/20/13 The Scythe

Subject: The Scythe

Below is the link to a wonderful little article. I remember the scythe my father had when I was little, age five, in 1950. I remember him teaching me how to swing it. He cut hay with it by hand, for the beautiful white goats from which we got the milk that our family drank. That may have overlapped with the time when he was riding a bicycle to work a few miles away. For that couple of years I think the only thing we owned that had any sort of motor in it was an old wringer washer. We had an ice box, not a refrigerator. We did have electric lights and an AM radio.

The Rural Life
The Scythe
By VERLYN KLINKENBORG
Published: July 19, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/20/opinion/the-scythe.html

love,
Larry

sent 7/17/13 Playthell Benjamin on George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin

Subject: Playthell Benjamin on George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin

Playthell Benjamin is a black intellectual radio and print commentator. He lives in an apartment building in Manhattan that is strictly for artists and has since 1820 or so (don't quote me on that date.) His apartment was last occupied by Paul Robeson, who as you may recall is known dually as one of our fabulous singers--I myself have 28 songs of his--and as an American hero known for his activism during the McCarthy era. That is one serious story!

Playthell Benjamin is from a family of teachers going back generations in an all black area of the South.

Put all that together and you see that as a serious and responsible teacher Playthell Benjamin is following some tough acts.

I do not myself talk much about race relations. For one thing, I live now in the type of all-white area in which I spent my childhood. But I do nonetheless pay some attention if only to have a better idea what all goes on in the world. There is no question but that many black people could use a bit of help, including better protection from outright injustice. I know many stories, keeping in mind that I am a white guy.

I have paid some serious attention to Playthell Benjamin. He is a brilliant 71 or so year old man who has been going at high speed non-stop since he was--well, very young, and he's still at it.

Some feel that Trayvon Martin assaulted George Zimmerman and that George Zimmerman was justified in shooting Trayvon Martin. I hear that's basically what the jury said. There is another story, seriously, which I do not care to debate. But whatever, I am on Trayvon Martin's side. I absolutely despise the very idea of a neighborhood vigilante like George Zimmerman going around pretending he's a [rogue] cop, not even guarding his own property. I know being a vigilante is an old American tradition in some places, one that has been done away with again and again. I certainly would not want one of them in my neighborhood.

BUT WHICHEVER SIDE OF THAT YOU'RE ON, Playthell Benjamin's piece is a brilliant read. He is a far smarter man than I am, let me be the first to point out. There are social consequences to the outcome of the George Zimmerman trial, and that is much of what he talks about here. You may think you know all about that, but I don't think you do, or that I do even having had the benefit of Mr. Benjamin's article.

http://commentariesonthetimes.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/

love,
Larry

cc: Mr. Playthell Benjamin

sent 7/11/13 I have a different conclusion "6 Ways to Survive an ‘Internet Drubbing’"

Subject: I have a different conclusion "6 Ways to Survive an ‘Internet Drubbing’"

I suggest a different conclusion: Do not post anywhere that provides for public comments unless someone is paying you for it. Private comments, that's something else. love, Larry

"6 Ways to Survive an ‘Internet Drubbing’"
by Dan Reimold, June 5, 2013
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/06/how-to-avoid-survive-fight-back-against-an-internet-drubbing

sent 7/11/13 huh! "The Decline of Black Power in the South"

Subject: huh! "The Decline of Black Power in the South"

Huh! I mean, how interesting! Again we learn something new whether we want to or not. It occurs to me that I am probably better off taking people just one at a time. love, Larry

"The Decline of Black Power in the South"
by Thomas B. Edsall July 10, 2013
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/10/the-decline-of-black-power-in-the-south/

sent 7/11/2013 Young and Isolated

Subject: Young and Isolated

Note: This article is not necessarily about you or your family. For example, contrary to the words of one interviewee, in our family we do have trust, and the way we used to love is not gone. Even though some of us might be considered "poor," young men and women are somehow navigating the road to adulthood and self-respect. I don't think we have any milquetoasts.

Even so, sharing the view of the world in this article seems like the right thing to do if only for you to know something more about what to look out for in other people whose attitudes you may not wish to share. What? Don't we have enough to deal with already? Whatever. Not that this is entirely new, but we learn something new every day whether we want to or not, right? There have been other times when life was tough for many people, and it wasn't all their own fault then either. And, as I have written about rather extensively in the past, education matters for life even if one can't make money with it. Larry

"Young and Isolated"
by Jennifer M. Silva June 22, 2013
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/22/young-and-isolated/

"Jennifer M. Silva is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and the author of the forthcoming book Coming Up Short: Working-Class Adulthood in an Age of Uncertainty."

sent 7/11/2013 Privacy and the Threat to the Self

Subject: Privacy and the Threat to the Self

"Privacy and the Threat to the Self"
by Michael P. Lynch June 22, 2013
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/22/privacy-and-the-threat-to-the-self/

Michael P. Lynch is a professor of philosophy at the University of Connecticut and the author of In Praise of Reason and Truth as One and Many. He is at work on a new book, Prisoners of Babel: Knowledge in the Datasphere. Twitter @Plural_truth.

sent 7/6/13 Why the Western media are getting Egypt wrong

Subject: Why the Western media are getting Egypt wrong

http://www.madamasr.com/content/why-western-media-are-getting-egypt-wrong
I had to look up the "Orientalist worldview" concept to understand anything about the significance of this article. I found it here:
http://sjeas.skku.edu/upload/200605/7.pdf

Larry

updates sent 6/30/13 & 7/7/13 sent 6/29/13 I have a character deficiency? go away!

Subject: I have a character deficiency? go away!(update below)

I have just sent this to one of my oldest friends, an old friend who has been trying my patience severely of late.

-----------------------------------------------
What you think I should do and what I think I should do or feel like doing are rarely in synchronization. You are most welcome to think of any and all of that as one or more deficiencies on my part. But if you want to keep on suggesting that out loud with me then, I reiterate, GO AWAY.
-----------------------------------------------

Was I, am I serious? I have never been more serious.

So what business is this of yours? None at all. It's not about you--except you might find the above concept useful in your own personal life, most especially when a person who might be drawing your character into question claims to be well-intended. In this situation I actually do have the power to prevent Anon9549 from bothering me any further in the future. That of course is important.

love,
Larry

June 30, 2013 update:

LS: I have developed the idea just a bit after feedback indicated mystification. It was not intended to be funny, not the least little bit funny. It says: "If and when you are exposed to someone expressing a theory that you have a [character] deficiency, the best thing for you to do might be to walk right away without even bothering to argue, and to keep that person entirely out of your life ongoing, with or without perhaps one and only one advance warning to the person."

July 7, 2013 update sent:

There was also confusion as to what I meant by "deficiency," or "character deficiency" (below).

I was referring mainly either to the use of psychological terms or pseudo-psychological terms about personal problems I might have or to synonyms for "You're stupid" that might be addressed to me in the course of a discussion. Basically the use of those terms is a classical logical fallacy known as the ad hominem argument, which basically goes "You're wrong (or you might be wrong) because you're [crazy or] stupid." I discussed that some years back. 1) It's an argument that educated people see right through; 2) it makes the speaker look stupid; and 3) it risks doing psychological damage to the victim of it, depending on tone and depending on the psychic strength of the victim. Basically not only do I not want to spend much of my time talking about it, I mainly won't waste my time putting up with that form of craziness going on around me, scattergun assaults against me or other people. May I respectfully suggest that you adopt my point of view on this. I think you too will have a better life.

No, for the sake of avoiding embarrassment to anyone I am not going to tell you anything about what this was about. I do hope that you can make complete sense of it in the abstract now such as to be able to apply it to your life if you have not already been doing so. :-)

Larry

sent 6/28/13 Andrew Bard (Andy) Schmookler: Climate change and Republicans vs Democrats

Subject: Andrew Bard (Andy) Schmookler: Climate change and Republicans vs Democrats

I had a wonderful surprise yesterday seeing the name Andrew Schmookler in my Inbox. Wow, I hadn't heard from him in too long.

What he sent me yesterday was this link to an article he just got published June 27th. It's entitled "Think Horses, not Unicorns."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/27/1219385/-Think-Horses-Not-Unicorns

Dr. Schmookler has other articles listed on another Daily Kos page:
http://www.dailykos.com/blog/AndySchmookler

I need to say, for the sake of full disclosure, that I personally have doubts as to the the relative effectiveness of involvement in party politics, especially at the national level. The truth is, I don't know about you but for me it's very painful to watch. I am fairly convinced that Dr. Schmookler is tougher than I am. But for some very respectable friends of mine working in party politics part time or full time seems worthwhile, and I love them anyway--not that there was ever a question.

Dr. Schmookler and I have had this discussion. I have great respect for his work and am happy to offer a bit of support.

If YOU are a person who could possibly be talked into working in politics in a crucial area, or if you are working in politics, I commend you unto Andrew Bard Schmookler--well maybe not completely but to make an understatement, he's not bad!

I am personally very happy to see that Dr. Schmookler's site http://www.nonesoblind.org/blog/ is back up.
I have not said anything there yet, but I might. I have not yet taken time to read any of the recent articles other than "Think Horses, not Unicorns." I can say for sure, as you may or may not remember, I consistently found NoneSoBlind entertaining for a long time. It has been gone for a painfully long while. I'm glad it's back.

Larry

sent 6/27/13 no, we do not all live in the same world!

Subject: no, we do not all live in the same world!

The ideas in this writing of mine do not originate with me by any means. But I do believe that I have set them forth rather clearly. It's in the form of a discussion I was having with a friend, which in fact is what it was. And this was my effort to convey a concept that to me seems rather complex, people being so very interesting. :-)

----------------------------------
Anon: "[a string of big words from the abstract of a scholarly article]" Professor XXXXX, stop speaking to other scholars and learn to speak to working class people.

LS: On his behalf I suggest the thought that a particular person's not having that vocabulary makes it probable that understanding is not possible. Not only that, but people who do have that vocabulary would be bored stiff by the effort. I guess most of us prefer to hope that at least some will understand our words and not be bored.

Anon: What you are saying would be true if he wasn't describing the same world he, you and I are all living in.

LS: Sorry, that is not really true much at all. The fact is, we are all living in different illusions. For the sake of argument, at least, I include myself in that. We fit what other people do and say into our own illusions. Part of the way we do that is by avoiding a lot of people altogether. After that much is said, we can spend time arguing over whose illusions are more "realistic." I do my best, is all I can say.

The fact is I rarely if ever decide for sure that understanding is not possible in any particular case. But I accept the possibility that understanding is in fact not possible between and among people of sufficiently different backgrounds and familiarity with the English language, or some common native language. As one determinant, for most people it gets much worse between people of different native languages. One language has words for concepts that do not exist in other languages. There may be non-native speakers whose linguistic ability is truly exceptional and very highly developed who can understand each other better, and then I still have my doubts. Anyway, subculture/culture being shared or not shared matters, sometimes immensely, in attempts at communication, even between and among people of the same native official language. More to the point, it is sometimes or frequently accurate to say that people of different subcultures are not living in the same world in a very real sense, but rather in different illusions.
--------------------------------

And as Tiny Tim said, "God bless us every one."

Larry
--
Please try to think of everything I send as intended to contribute toward a whole, a general picture of reality, with pieces that may need some putting together.
http://larryatblogspot.blogspot.com/2013/05/sent-51813-not-necessarily-what-i-say.html

sent 6/27/13 350.org; a start for you?

Subject: 350.org; a start for you?

A friend has been giving me a hard time over my having had the gall even to inform anyone, or at least the gall to inform him, that some leading climate scientists have concluded that climate change is beyond control as far as concerns preventing misery and early death for large numbers of people on the planet and that huge disaster along those lines is likely to overtake us within 100 years or so if not sooner. I say "us," but of course I'll probably be gone by then, and he will probably be gone also. This is a short excerpt from our conversation:

Anon: I would prefer something like "When faced with an insurmountable problem, start by attending to what is necessary, proceed to attacking the improbable. Then, you will look back at some point and realize you have done the impossible."

LS: I've written about 350.org several times. It might be a place for you to get started with your [new] mission to save a lot of the people of the earth from having miserable and shorter lives. It's clearly a vibrant organization. I'm not suggesting it as the only idea, of course. But it might be a reasonable approach if you really want to take on this problem.

It occurs to me that it might be time to remind you also about 350.org. Who knows, you might be looking for something to do right now, these people might be good company for you, and you might actually do some good in helping to ameliorate the problem somewhat. As Prof. Jensen's said (see title below), ".... Feeling anxious about life in a broken economy on a strained planet? Turn despair into action."

The antecedent for this is something I sent on June 2 and 3, 2013 concerning the lead article in the summer 2013 issue of the major magazine Yes!. The article is by Professor Robert Jensen and is entitled, ""Get Apocalyptic: Why Radical is the New Normal: Feeling anxious about life in a broken economy on a strained planet? Turn despair into action." You can review that at http://larryatblogspot.blogspot.com/2013/06/sent-6213-get-apocalyptic-why-radical.html

Larry

sent 6/25/13 WOW, such laughter!

Subject: WOW, such laughter!

It has been awhile since I mentioned our friend Richard Wicka's wonderful work with his ThinkTwiceRadio.com and HOTFTV sites.

I learned today that Richard and some of his artist friends recently had a party to celebrate the 50th radio show on ThinkTwiceRadio.com.

HERE is the page that I am pointing you to primarily this time, a page at ThinkTwiceRadio.com:
The Burnham And Dodge Art Hour.
I just listened to the show of 5/29/2013, the entire show. I would bet that you have NEVER IN YOUR LIFE heard so much laughter packed into 59 minutes, 59 seconds.
Kenn Morgan and Carl Thiel are two artists, photographers, who do the show regularly and have a guest. The introduction this time is:

5/29/13 Whistling, Shirley Temple, Yowzah gatherings, barbaric yawps, and howling at the moon
Join us as itinerant painter/writer/go-go dancer/English teacher Susie Kelly Flatau, a devout Texan, her books include Counter Culture Texas and From My Mother’s Hands, her work as a typist for NASA, a purveyor of hand-painted wine glasses, skirting around and talks about achieving a Zen state of mind and recipes for story telling. Mr. Answer Man addresses the question: “Is the government making us into a nanny state?”

You know what? You can correct me if you think I'm mistaken, but I doubt that it is possible to laugh like this and be afraid both at the same time. That's good in case you happened to be thinking that living without being afraid is good. :-) This is very smart, very interesting, and very fun, very definitely well worth the hour. It's the show currently at the top of the list at The Burnham And Dodge Art Hour.

Now on to the next previous episode of Kenn Morgan and Carl Thiel and their guest on The Burnham And Dodge Art Hour. :-)

love,

Larry

sent 6/19/13 Where you live--The Making of a Global Security State: The Five Uncontrollable Urges of a Secrecy-Surveillance World

Subject: Where you live--"The Making of a Global Security State:
The Five Uncontrollable Urges of a Secrecy-Surveillance World" by Tom Englehardt, June 16, 2013

This is along the lines of you knowing about where you live, like another message I sent June 7th. This is a major analysis by one of our brightest minds, something I know from having read much that he has written.

"The Making of a Global Security State:
The Five Uncontrollable Urges of a Secrecy-Surveillance World," by Tom Englehardt, June 16, 2013
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175713/tomgram%3A_engelhardt%2C_you_are_our_secret/
easier to read:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/06/17-5?print

By the way, I've been reading a novel that I'd like to recommend here. It's weird just how real this far-out science fiction novel seems:
Freedom (TM) by Daniel Suarez (2011)
http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-TM-Daniel-Suarez/dp/0451231899/
kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-TM-ebook/dp/B002VUFKDY/
Just the description will give you an idea. I'm only a quarter way into it. Hey, it's a bestseller that I got cheap. :-)

Larry

sent 6/18/13 the morning after pill without a prescription--finally!

Subject: the morning after pill without a prescription--finally!

The morning after pill without a prescription is coming soon, finally. Now we need to get the word out to all the relevant parties, such as to females who are having menstrual cycles for example. No I am not advocating for this as a main method of birth control. It's a tool to help save us from our own carelessness--not that I was ever careless about anything myself of course. :-7
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/11/us/in-reversal-obama-to-end-effort-to-restrict-morning-after-pill.html?_r=0

So please help get the word out, especially to people whom you know who do not read.

Larry

sent 6/18/13 coming changes in health insurance rules and premiums

Subject: coming changes in health insurance rules and premiums

I suggest you read this seemingly thorough and detailed article and find your own situation and the situations of those you love so that you and they can start planning for the coming year even though no one yet knows exactly what is going to happen. If you live in New York state note this one paragraph. You may have less to worry about:

"But in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and, to a lesser extent, Maine, Washington and Oregon, those same individual-plan premiums might see little or no change and may even decline, O’Connor said. Coverage requirements and consumer protections in those states are already similar to what the new law requires."

"Obamacare’s big question: What’s it going to cost me?"
this one has a summary and links to relevant articles:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/06/17/193993/obamacares-big-question-whats.html

easier reading (press cancel on the print dialog box):
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/06/17/v-print/193993/obamacares-big-question-whats.html

Larry

sent 6/13/13 so sorry about France

Subject: so sorry about France

France may not be doing that much better than we are here in America it seems. I am sorry about that. France is and has been one of the greatest societies in the world in my estimation and in the estimation of many others over the centuries. And just as a by the way, it says here that France is Europe's second largest economy--after Germany I think that would be.

"Special Report: French homeless seek refuge in offices"
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/11/us-france-squat-specialreport-idUSBRE95A05I20130611

Thanks to my news feeds, probably McClatchy Newspapers, Sojourners Daily Digest, or the weekly digest from CommonDreams.org.

Larry

--
Please try to think of everything I send as intended to contribute toward a whole, a general picture of reality, with pieces that may need some putting together.
http://larryatblogspot.blogspot.com/2013/05/sent-51813-not-necessarily-what-i-say.html

sent 6/12/13 photo--Allentown Art Festival 2013

Subject: photo--Allentown Art Festival 2013

During the years when I lived in Buffalo I usually visited the Allentown Art Festival. It has been held in the old artsy section of Buffalo for a couple of days or so each summer for many years. It was always a great event, lots of fun, with some bad art, like the dirty sneaker resting on a plate on a card table once, but with lots of excellent art too.

Once or twice or a few times I saw a few adventuresome young females wandering around the Art Festival topless. That added to the fun. I wonder whether any young females did that this year. Oh by the way, the police tower squatting in the middle of it was brand new this year. I wonder whose idea that was.

Photo credit: Glenn Murray

Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Larry

sent 6/12/13 another great article for you Re: which side are you on?

Subject: another great article for you Re: which side are you on?

"The Truth of Bradley Manning and the Mythical Cover-Up of America"
http://sojo.net/print/blogs/2013/06/12/truth-bradley-manning-and-mythical-cover-america
About Sojourners:
http://sojo.net/about-us/history
love, Larry

On 6/12/2013 12:20 PM, Larry Scott wrote:

Subject: which side are you on?
[See previous post with Washington Post article at http://larryatblogspot.blogspot.com/2013/06/sent-61213-which-side-are-you-on.html ]

sent 6/12/13 which side are you on?

Subject: which side are you on?

"Edward Snowden, Bradley Manning and the risk of the low-level, tech-savvy leaker"
By Greg Miller, Published: June 11
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/edward-snowden-bradley-manning-and-the-risk-of-the-low-level-tech-savvy-leaker/2013/06/11/f5e3ad72-d2c7-11e2-a73e-826d299ff459_print.html
The full text is below following some comments from me. This is a fair use exception to the copyright law, non-profit and educational.

Are you on the side of the United States Government? Or are you on the side of America?

That's what it comes down to I think. Or perhaps you don't have to take sides. Are you going to talk with anyone about this? To me it's about citizens having serious decision-making power in what is not a democracy any more but was supposed to be a democracy. One cannot make reasonable decisions without the relevant knowledge, obviously. I particularly hate it when I learn that my government has not just been keeping deep secrets but has been lying to me outright and not just about little things.

To me these guys, these guys who take personal risks to give us information that we really do need to know, are true heroes, right up there with Paul Revere and the midnight ride fer sher. This is a fascinating article whichever side you're on.

Again, this is about where where you live, and there's a lot in here. Don't miss the last line.

love,
Larry
---------full text-------------

In the span of three years, the United States has developed two gaping holes in its national security hull, punctures caused by leakers who worked at the lowest levels of the nation’s intelligence ranks but gained access to large caches of classified material.

The parallels between Edward Snowden, who has declared himself the source of leaks on National Security Agency surveillance programs, and Bradley Manning, a U.S. Army private on trial for sending hundreds of thousands of secret files to the WikiLeaks Web site, go beyond generational ties.

Both enlisted in the Army during the war in Iraq only to later say they were disillusioned by that conflict. Neither has a college degree or extensive academic training in computer science. And yet both were technically savvy, able to navigate sensitive computer networks and smuggle classified files.

The back-to-back breaches — seen by many as the most significant in decades — have forced U.S. intelligence officials to examine whether the cases are isolated in scope or part of a new category of exposure emerging at the edges of classified U.S. networks.

U.S. officials said counterintelligence teams are already looking beyond the details of the Snowden case at any vulnerabilities it has exposed.

“At this point, we’re still looking at this as an anomaly,” a senior U.S. intelligence official said. But he said a damage assessment ordered by Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. is broad in scope, focused largely on the implications of a case in which highly sensitive materials were somehow within the grasp of a contractor who moved through a series of low-ranking jobs for the CIA and the NSA.

Snowden and Manning both took advantage of access to computer systems that expanded exponentially in the aftermath of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, partly in an effort to make critical information available across agencies.

Since the disclosures by WikiLeaks in 2010, the Pentagon has taken steps to better protect its classified networks. It has banned the use of thumb drives unless special permission is given, mandated that users have special smart cards that authenticate their identities and required analysts to review computer logs to identify suspicious behavior on the network.

Despite such measures, it remains impossible to guarantee security on any classified network. Since going public, Snowden has attributed his extensive access to his role as an ordinary systems administrator for the NSA, although he offered few specific details about where he found or how he removed such sensitive files.

In an e-mail to a Washington Post reporter last month, he said he wanted “to embolden others to step forward,” suggesting that he hoped his leak would trigger follow-up disclosures.

Among the files he obtained were a secret order issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and 41 briefing slides on a highly classified program, called PRISM, in which mainstream technology companies including Microsoft, Google and Facebook have given the NSA extensive access to e-mails, videos and other content.

The records released by Snowden are fewer in number but more sensitive and of higher levels of classification than the U.S. diplomatic cables and military reports Manning sent to WikiLeaks after he downloaded them while serving in Iraq.

Snowden has praised Manning but also sought to differentiate himself from his predecessor. In particular, Snowden has indicated that he sought to be more responsible, withholding records he had that might put U.S. intelligence operatives in jeopardy, unlike Manning, who is accused of turning over thousands of pages, some of which contained the names of informants.

But their motivations and backgrounds have extensive overlaps. Both entered the military or government jobs during an era of massive hiring binges, controversial wars and repeated disclosures of alleged abuses by the U.S. military, the CIA and the NSA.

Both have said they wanted to call attention to abuses by the U.S. government, although critics have called them traitors who acted out of an exaggerated sense of self-importance.

Manning was gifted with computers and had begun learning the C++ programming language by the time he was 8. He never found a path to college and instead enlisted in the Army, where he was groomed for a career as an intelligence analyst.

Snowden’s plans to pursue a Special Forces career were derailed, he said, by leg injuries he sustained during training that ended his military stint after just three months.

It is less clear how Snowden came by his computer skills. But, as with Manning, his technology savvy appears to have helped him obtain a string of jobs that enabled him to snoop on and eventually steal sensitive files.

Their actions and motivations bear little resemblance to high-profile security breaches of the 1980s and ’90s. The best-known cases involved mid-career officials such as the CIA’s Aldrich Ames and the FBI’s Robert Hanssen, who were convicted of selling secrets to the Soviet and Russian governments for financial gain.

The closest parallel for Snowden and Manning may be Daniel Ellsberg, who in 1971 was the New York Times’ and The Washington Post’s source for the Pentagon Papers, a secret assessment of the Vietnam War that eroded the credibility of U.S. government’s more-optimistic public claims about the conflict. Ellsberg in recent days has praised Snowden and described the material Snowden disclosed as more significant than the documents he leaked four decades ago.

There are differences, however. Ellsberg was a senior military analyst working at the Pentagon who had a direct role in drafting the Pentagon Papers. The document was largely a record of U.S. decision-making rather than a blueprint of ongoing operations. Drafts were undoubtedly stored in safes, not on networks where they might be read by low-level employees at distant military or intelligence outposts.

A former senior NSA official recalled procedures in the 1970s that were archaic but secure. “When hot documents would go around they’d be in a double-sealed envelope, and some person would wait while you read it, re-
envelope it and leave,” the former official said. “By contrast, now you bring it up on your computer screen.”

Some U.S. officials question whether there is a generational gap in views on privacy and government transparency. Manning and Snowden, who are in their 20s, grew up with technology and the Internet as fixtures in their lives.

“We are recruiting Americans from a culture that has a deeper desire for absolute transparency than any previous cohort of people entering the service,” said Michael V. Hayden, former CIA and NSA director. “They are coming from a culture in which, for many, transparency is an absolute good, and it appears that in these two cases it influenced these people.”

Snowden appears to have left fewer online footprints than many of his generation, with no evidence of Facebook or Twitter accounts. In his comments to The Post, he indicated that was in part because of what he had learned.

The Internet “is a TV that watches you,” he said, a technology “governments are abusing . . . to extend their powers beyond what is necessary and appropriate.”

Ellen Nakashima contributed to this report.

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