Alternative News

Pepe Escobar: Bandar Bush, ‘liberator’ of Syria

"Bandar Bush's visit to Moscow simply could not have happened without a green light from Washington. So what's the (muddled) master plan? The Obama administration seems to believe in a remixed Sykes-Picot - almost a century after the original. The problem is they are clueless on how to configure the new zones of influence. Meanwhile, they're letting the Saudis do the heavy lifting. The first step was to eliminate Qatar from the picture. It's astonishing how fast the emirate, up to two months ago a prospective mini-superpower, now has been reduced to less than an afterthought." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPepe Escobar: Bandar Bush, ‘liberator’ of Syria

Feinstein wants to limit who can be a journalist

"The most recent congressional threat to the free press in the United States comes from California Democrat U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. In a proposed amendment to a media shield law being considered by Congress, Feinstein writes that only paid journalists should be given protections from prosecution for what they say or write. The language in her proposal is raising concerns from First Amendment advocates because it seems to leave out bloggers and other nontraditional forms of journalism that have proliferated in recent years thanks to the Internet. At a congressional hearing on the matter last week, Feinstein said shield laws should only apply to 'real reporters.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFeinstein wants to limit who can be a journalist

Saudi prince defects: ‘Brutality, oppression as govt scared of Arab revolts’

"Saudi Arabia, a major supporter of opposition forces in Syria, has increased crackdown on its own dissenters, with 30,000 activists reportedly in jail. Political parties are banned in Saudi Arabia and human rights groups willing to function legally have to go no further than investigating things like corruption or inadequate services. Saudi Prince Khaled Bin Farhan Al-Saud confirmed reports of increased prosecution of anti-government activists and said that it’s exactly what forced him to defect from his family. He accused the monarchy of corruption and silencing all voices of dissent and explained how the Saudi mechanism for suppression functioned." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSaudi prince defects: ‘Brutality, oppression as govt scared of Arab revolts’

Open season: MN legislator targets handgun permit class for fundraiser

"Ready, aim, contribute! It’s open season for legislators with a 2014 re-election campaign in their sights. State Rep. Cindy Pugh thinks she’s hit a bull’s-eye with her 'Get Your Carry Permit With Cindy!' fundraiser next weekend, which provides residents a change to train with firearms and contribute to her political coffer. Pugh’s supporters will contribute to her campaign by paying a $125 fee ($100 for permit renewals) to take a one-day training class alongside the freshman legislator Saturday. The session in the Twin Cities suburb of Chanhassen covers the state-required training needed to apply for a permit to carry a handgun in Minnesota." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOpen season: MN legislator targets handgun permit class for fundraiser

18 Little-Known Gun Facts That Prove That Guns Make Us Safer

"The reality is that criminals really, really, really don’t want to get shot. When you pass strict gun control laws, you take the fear of getting shot away and criminals tend to flourish. Just look at what is going on in America today. The places with the highest crime rates are the major cities where strict gun control laws have been passed. In some of those cities the police are so overwhelmed that they have announced that they simply won’t even bother responding to certain kinds of crime anymore. The truth is that the government cannot protect us adequately. The following are 18 little-known gun facts that prove that guns make us safer…" Continue reading →

Continue Reading18 Little-Known Gun Facts That Prove That Guns Make Us Safer

Obamacare: “Let’s Just Make Sure It’s Not A Third World Experience”

"We begin today by checking our premises: In order to imagine something working forever, it must begin to work in the first place. When asked last Friday about what the future holds for the Affordable Care Act, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, 'What we’ve done with Obamacare is a step in the right direction, but we’re far from having something that’s going to work forever.' The law takes full effect Jan. 1, 2014, and the online exchanges launch on Oct. 1, 2013. But lofty expectations are being played down as logistical problems become worse and worse." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObamacare: “Let’s Just Make Sure It’s Not A Third World Experience”

‘Affordable’ Care: $1 Pay Hike Costs Middle-Class Family $9,355 Hike in Premiums

"When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare) is fully enforced on individuals and families next year, a middle-aged, middle-class couple with three children could be hit with a $9,355 hike in their annual health-insurance premiums if their annual household income happens to increase by just $1. According to the IRS, which responded to a CNSNews.com inquiry on the issue, a household earning an annual income that is just $1 more than 400 percent of the FPL is ineligible for an Obamacare subsidy, period. A family of four, in which both parents were 56 years old, would hit the 400-percent of FPL threshold at $94,200." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Affordable’ Care: $1 Pay Hike Costs Middle-Class Family $9,355 Hike in Premiums

Illinois illegally seizes bees resistant to Roundup; kills remaining queens [2012]

"The Illinois Ag Dept. illegally seized privately owned bees from renowned naturalist, Terrence Ingram, without providing him with a search warrant and before the court hearing on the matter. Behind the obvious violations of his Constitutional rights is Monsanto. Ingram was researching Roundup’s effects on bees, which he’s raised for 58 years. 'They ruined 15 years of my research,' he told Prairie Advocate, by stealing most of his stock. Of note, Illinois beekeepers are going underground after Ingram’s experience and refuse to register their hives, in case the state tries to steal their private property on phony claims." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIllinois illegally seizes bees resistant to Roundup; kills remaining queens [2012]

Former Mexican President Launches Global Partnership With Pot Advocates

"Former Mexican President Vicente Fox met with cannabis advocates in San Francisco to announce the formation of an international partnership dedicated to decriminalizing and regulating pot. Fox has emerged as one of the most prominent voices pushing for marijuana legalization, publicly stating that he would grow the plant himself if he could. 'The cost of the war is becoming unbearable,' Fox said during a press conference announcing the alliance, noting that each day, 40 young people are killed in Mexico due to drug-related violence." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFormer Mexican President Launches Global Partnership With Pot Advocates

Texas cops raid farm commune when mistaking tomato plants for marijuana

"Police in Arlington, Texas are being criticized for their tactics during a drug raid on a local farm that came up empty while allegedly damaging both the property and the crops. Several residents at the 'Garden of Eden' sustainability garden were handcuffed at gunpoint by officers during the Aug. 2 raid, which also involved a SWAT team, after an undercover officer and helicopter surveillance allegedly gave authorities probable cause to believe there was marijuana being grown on the premises. 'They came here under the guise that we were doing a drug trafficking, marijuana-growing operation,' owner Shellie Smith told WFAA-TV. 'They destroyed everything.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas cops raid farm commune when mistaking tomato plants for marijuana