TABLE of CONTENTS
Commentary
Articles
of Michael Hammerschlag
by SUBJECTS from 
.com
RUSSIA-
89-93 '94-2008 UKRAINE 2008-13 PutInvasions 2013-14
-'19 IRAQ
BUSH
IRAN
PAKISTAN+INDIA
ISRAEL-EGYPT
9-11+SECURITY ECONOMY
POLITICS
TRUMP SPACE+SCIENCE NUCLEAR THREAT
ELECTION 2000 N. KOREA CHINA
MEDIA CRITIQUE MOVIES+TV FUNNY TRAVEL QUOTES
LUMINARY LETTERS
BLOG
MENU
ACCURATE
FORECASTS
AUDIO /VIDEO
EXCERPTS PHOTOS
TRAVEL
PHOTOS
(this line is on separate pages)
updated Dec 2012;
Many Surfbest links don't seem to work- use
http://hammernews.com/
and add file
name
"WHOOPS"- HOW THE NETWORKS GOT IT WRONG- PROBLEM POLLING POLICY - Nat. Scoop- Intellectual Capita1- 11/25/00 - Inside story on the screw-ups (3-4) at the VNS and Florida counties that caused the networks to blow the election call in a strong article/analysis/commentary against the networks projection policy and the squirrelly polls w interviews w TV news execs, Walter Cronkite, Florida officials, pollsters, Sen. Gorton and VNS people, voting machine reps.- MediaChannel- 12/26/00 Anchor of largest media related network. Issue Cover Talk Show
Media Tenor Book w Whoops Article MEDIOCRACY - 234 pgs Table of Contents
SAMPLE BALLOT DECEPTIVE, DIFFERENT - Dems denied hand count in Duval Co. - Nat. scoop Capital Times - Madison WI - Nov 25, 2000 HTML longer vers. Duval Sample Ballot Duval Actual Ballot FLORIDA ELECTION DOCS
COMET PHOTO ALTERED, UH SCIENTIST SAYS- Honolulu Advertiser - Sun Front Page-April 20,'97- Nat. scoop
Faking of Univ of Hawaii telescope photo to "show" a "spaceship" following Hale-Bopp comet by psychic "remote viewing" institute; Publicized on Art Bell national radio show + website, may have been incitement for San Diego Heavens Gate cult suicide
. Original Article before lame editing- CLICK HERE AP RELEASE of article - (small)
PUTIN'S CHILDREN (Orig.) - exclusive NY Times/ International Herald Tribune - SCAN July 6, 07 - from Moscow ONLINE NYT vers. The Putin Youth groups: Nashi, Young Guard, Young Russia; badger and terrorize anyone who even differs with Kremlin positions; By propagandizing the vulnerable, is the Kremlin poisoning the seed corn of young minds? On June 12th, Russian Independence Day, Red Sq. was reserved for the Party faithful po Ryccki
RI NIGHTCLUB FIRE - exclusive - Worst US fire in quarter century rips through smallest state- w photos, interviews, radio reports MIRROR
Inferno horror at The Station nightclub, R.I.- March 03
DUNNING DEAN- nat. scoop - DID the DOCTOR GET GORED - Mediachannel HTML COLUMNIZED Did the media try to destroy Howard Dean by harping on his liberalness and inexperience (both untrue), and electability until it became a self-fulfilling prophecy with Dems desperate to defeat Bush? Analysis of coverage of campaign fm Wash. Post, Newsweek, New Republic, US News, TV debates; + my NH reporting- Jan 26,04
THE INFINITE PUTIN - Capital Times ORIGINAL Moscow: Putin is supposed to leave office in March 2008, but that was impossible to believe. Appointing unknown crony Viktor Zubkov PM (told only the day before and rammed through rubber stamp Congress 2 days later) ends the doubt. Zubkov will be anointed President (+ win), Putin will become Prime Minister, and Zubkov will resign in 6-12 months to let Vladimir Vladimirovich return as Prez. [he did his with Medvedev & stayed effec Prez] Massive conflicts of interests in the Kremlin, where mini oligarch ministers control the biggest corporations in the world and can't separate their interests from those of the state, crushing and absorbing competitors.- October 10, 2007
GETTING GOOD NEWS: The Government vs. the Press in Times of War (realaudio) windowsmedia- Mike's BROWN U. Lecture (listing)- History of Press restrictions in War since WW2; How Vietnam changed everything and made the media the enemy; 30 min., Salomon Hall, Brown Univ., Dec 13, 2004 POSTER
10th Anniversary of Moscow Oct '93 Revolt - (Exclusive AUDIO) - VIOLENT COMMUNIST ATTACK that ALMOST DEPOSED YELTSIN --200 killed in 2 days of battles at WHITE HOUSE and OSTANKINO TV CENTER ; w article 24 Hours in October Revolt + Photos AUDIO ONLY - 7:20 min
STOPPING the NEXT BOSNIA- comn. scoop Capital Times -Dec 13, 03 FULL version. - It seems obvious we will be forced out of Iraq, which will explode into Civil War between the 63% Shiites and 17% Sunni former rulers (and the 19% Kurds?); Bosnia across California; Beirut in the third biggest oil country- Maybe partitioning Iraq could mitigate or prevent the coming bloodbath - Nov 4, 03 ; TALK SHOW (audio) on subj.- 40min w Barry Farber- Dec 4 Brown U. Conf. on Kurds (audio) 4:03 min- Oct 1
HUNTING TRUTH - The Trouble with Harry- MediaChannel Exclusive Is the Veep's hunting accident story as honest as the Iraqi WMD's?, Accident report shows much closer distance than 90 ft claimed- smaller pellet spread, too many pellets + too much penetration; Cheney + Willeford abandon him and go 100 yards farther, Cheney shoots him behind him in the safe zone in a line towards the car, "Witness" sees everything from inside car 100 yards away; with Interviews of Corpus Christi reporters; investigative shotgun pattern comparisons; Whittington blasted by 2/3 of shot in shell!- March 24
CRIME STORY -(gif) Dec 94 - UNTOLD STORY of REASONS Behind 1st CHECHEN WAR - Exclusive; Hijackings of Buses with Children, Raids + Stripping of Trains, Hundreds of Billions of Counterfeiting, Vicious Chechen Mafia; Historical Genocides and Hatreds; STORY Western Media repeated was simplistic "Soviet Bear Rising" HTML vers (hear '94 NPR talk show on Chechen War + rise of Russian Mafia) NPR Comments on Moscow theater storming- slider to 25:30
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION AlterNet Scoop Sept 2005 ALT ALT2 Against every rule of occupation, almost no effort was made to secure the vast munitions stores of Iraq after the invasion; 250,000 tons, 39% of the ordinance was looted by insurgents and is killing our soldiers every day. IED deaths have more than doubled in the last year- now 71% of US hostile fatalities, and there's enough looted armaments to make ten 500 lb IED's a day for the next 274 years. Interview of Military Intelligence agent who reveals how even an ammo dump next to huge US base was negligently allowed to be looted.
NSA Director Gen. William Odom (news article) - exclusive (REALAUDIO)- 52 min Dissects strategic blunder of Iraq, escape strategies, geopolitical consequences, Iran attack, Korea- April 7 -Watson Institute Brown Univ.- OpedNews, Scoop + 69,000 venues- My Questions 7m (wma)
MUTUALLY
ASSURED DESTRUCTION Alt
Pyrrhic Victories of Putin and the West - updated Apr 28,2015
BUSINESS INSIDER
(short) GLOBAL POST (short) SCOOP
EUROMAIDANPRESS
KYIV: Russia's economy + currency
are collapsing from oil price drop and sanctions, but Ukraine's is
dropping faster: 67% drop in hryvna. Russia can survive it, but
Ukraine is tottering on collapse and default. Russia destroyed
Ukraine's economy, and the West has destroyed Russia's, utterly useless
Pyrrhic "victories." Without Donbas, coal is running out so
Ukraine
may go cold + dark. Putin, his great rep as a stabilizing
force immolated, isolated + humiliated, could double down + do
something
truly reckless. Predicted mass Russian offensive in Donbass takes
place w wipeout at Donetsk Airport and encirclement and disaster
in
Dbaltseve
MINSK 2 Agreement "Peace in our
Time?"; New
IMF + World Bank give $7.1 bil
more for Ukr; ~4000
Massacred/Captive @Dbaltseve?, Hrv stablizes @ 23/$- Dec 21-2014- Apr 28-2015
The 6 reasons Trump LOST the Election by +7.5 mil votes and the 6 Crimes He Committed - Incredible news has come out from a respected Brit MI-5 agent doing Oppo research on Trump that he was a Kremlin tool for 5 years and had been successfully blackmailed and funded! Not surprising he "believes" a KGB thug dictator rather than all our intelligence agencies!! Congress should delay the Inauguration 20 weeks to get Trump's taxes, conclude investigation, and maybe block EC result, instead of sleepwalking into allowing a likely traitor to become President.
THE LAST DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC?
What Will the Vindictive Donald Do to His "ENEMIES" with the Powers of
the Presidency?
The pathological Trump carries slights for for 20 years- will he bend
the entire force of the Fed Gov against his critics and activate his 40
mil robotic zombie supporters to attack them?
IMPERIAL STRETCH: A
Bridge Too Far - Yahoo LOCAL
(updated 4/19)
KYIV: With his reckless Crimea Invasion Putin has unleashed
titanic forces that may sweep him from power in 4-8
years: inspiration to 6 separatist
regions of Russia, economic devastation from
sanctions and Euro resource diversification,
reinvigorated NATO + EU, EU pushed into Ukraine's
arms, EUAA signed, $36 billion of loans + grants;
outraged Russian liberals, desperate oligarchs, world
economy closed, UKR lost forever in Ukrainian
COUNTDOWN: LAST CHANCE FOR
UKRAINE - Yahoo Nov 2-Dec 1, 2013 LOCAL (w pics) Predicts EuroMaidan Protests 3 weeks before
they happen! KIEV: Ukraine at
crossroads between
East and West: join the Russian Eurasian
Customs Union or
sign the EU Association
Agreement and Free
Trade Agreement in
Lithuania Nov 28-9.
Incredibly, after 15 years of negotiation, Pres.
Yanukovich scotched the deal a week
before. Huge demonstrations
have broken out across Ukraine - most
people prefer the EU. The choice is stark: whether
Ukraine will be locked in a
neo-Soviet ghetto of dependency and
corruption, or join the Western world in greater transparency, freedom, and
rule of law.
THE GOLDEN RING- Quest for the Presidency - Yahoo Network LOCAL Republican contenders + pretenders - all too extreme? Blow by blow flips in states; Profile of Romney and his Mormon exoticism (can he ever win Repub hearts?); and Obama's problems, and supposed betrayal of the base in various suppressive acts; w long interview of fmr DNC chair + Pres. candidate Howard Dean - April-May 2012 - Scoop in Ukrainian
ECONOMY
THE BUSH BATTERED DOLLAR - Scoop, OpedNews -April '08 In the News Malaga, Spain: With 4-6 trillion dollars of tax cuts to the rich + his wanton war, Bush has rung up more deficits than all Presidents combined. Since he took office, the dollar has dropped 47%, 8% in just a recent 5 weeks- halving the value of trillions of dollars of foreign investments. For Americans living abroad the slow sickening slide of the dollar is devastating- every week less Rubles or Euros or Crowns. The now worthless Republican-deregulated junk mortgage derivative bonds are supposedly more than all the real stocks and bonds put together... and world markets are hanging by a thread. Swiss UBS Bank just wrote off $37 billion, and Japan could have $300 billion of losses. A collapse by any major player could create a chain reaction that would cause a worldwide collapse. Desperate to prevent that, the Fed injected $500 bil just to stabilize things. Lehman Bros collapses, Merril sold, AIG, WashMutual tottering
THE SOCIAL SECURITY SCAM + DEBT BOMB - SS trust fund has no cash, so Bush's privatization plan would need to borrow $200-300 bil a year but Deficit is real threat to SSS; Dollar has dropped 38% since mid 2001- disaster if foreigners stop buying our bonds that fund deficit, let alone sell them- Mar 10, 05 Energy Bulletin, Los Angeles Herald, SCOOP -NZ, Smkg Chp
IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID- (Don't Wreck It) - onlinejournal.com- Greenspan endorses a tax cut; Danger of George Bush's $1.6 tril one- Jan 26, 2001
CALIFORNIA ENERGY RIPOFF WASN'T JUST CRIME- 6 power companies, led by Enron, by manipulating power production, raised rates up to 90 fold; CAL paid in one day what it had been paying in 3 months; Used this vast scam to punish Gore voting state (+12%) and depose Dem governor; secret Cheney Energy Task Force likely plotted Iraq war - May '06 Bartcop, Buzzflash
SPACE + SCIENCE
WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED IN MAX-8 CRASHES- A Scenario - Analysis of all the news by pvt pilot - w pics - HammerBlog March 2019
My LECTURE (wma) @MOHYLA U, KIEV Are We Cooked? Global Warming Worse Than You Think
VOYAGES to NEW WORLDS: though the end of the Shuttle means we are dependent on Russian launches, a plethora of unmanned missions are happening: the Dawn orbited the second biggest asteroid Vesta July 16th (330mi. diam. and will go on to the biggest Ceres in a year (arrive 2015) - 590mi diam. with significant water ice); the $1.1 bil JUNO spacecraft blasted off Aug 5th for a 5-6 year trip to a a polar orbit of Jupiter, the Mini Cooper-size Curiosity rover takes off for Mars on Thanksgiving; and the Sun has had the longest period of quiet + cool in shenkrecorded history: from 2006-2009, 800 days without a sunspot, yet we still had the hottest years in history (now maybe back 4 million years) in 2005 + 2010, when the cool sun was negating some of the Global Warming! But, the 11 year-cycle warmer solar maximum is in 2013-2014, when the coming Great Drought may hit- Texas everywhere. July 2011 Dawn leaves Vesta for Ceres 9/5/2012
ARE WE COOKED?- Global Warming Worse Than You Think new 8 Latest Scientific Findings each show warming will be much worse than worst case estimate; 850,000 yr old 4 km Antarctic ice cores prove radical temperature changes 5-12C happened as fast as 3 years; CO2 generation exploding from Chinese (+ Indian) coal power plants; Methane's threat from melting tundra and gigantic ocean bottom methane hydrate deposits (twice all other fossil fuels combined!); High altitude sulfur from commercial jets have cooled the whole earth 1 C- so real global warming is over double what we see, and airline collapses could instantly raise worldwide temps; 1/3 of Gulf Stream not flowing North; 1/3 of warming from black atmospheric soot from soaring coal burning; Catastrophic ice sheet collapse into deep ocean could make worldwide killer tsunamis; 8 Feedback loops multiply effects many fold, inc. ice pack going from 90% reflecting to 80% absorbing; CO2 in oceans released as it gets warmer; increased CO2 in ocean dissolving limestone shells, deforesting a WA state every year; Interviews w 5 top GW scientists fm Nasa Goddard, UAlaska, USGS, UCLA - coming; - Novaya Gazeta
CLOUD WORLD: MISSION to TITAN- Jan 14,2005 - the 11 year $3 billion Cassini mission to Saturn, successfully dropped a landing probe into the most earthlike atmosphere in the Solar System, the heavy clouds of Titan, the largest moon in the solar system- at 3200 mi. diameter, bigger than planet Mercury, and with an atmosphere- (94 % nitrogen, 6% methane) 1.5 X Earth’s pressure and 4½X as dense. But it is a bitter -178C (-290F), leading to speculation of lakes, oceans, and volcanoes of liquid methane- photos seem to show that (inc.)-With interview of Huygens scientist European Space Agency, Germany- SCOOP (NZ), MSN-UK
LUNAR ECLIPSE - total lunar eclipse May 15, 2003- PHOTOS- 20 to 40 power from video stills
FAIRWELL COLUMBIA- The nightmare of manned spacecraft- an immolating reentry- finally has struck after being staved off for 42 years. What should NASA have done to prevent it? Personal wonders of space. - Liberal Slant 2/3
A WARM + BRIGHT FUTURE part 1+2 gif-(Maui Time- Sept 1+15, 98)- Evidence and results of worldwide unprecedented warming- hottest ten years in last 2000 all since 1981. 1998 hottest year ever, 1997 hottest before that, each month a new world's record. Discusses Nitrogen oxide, methane, + water vapor's huge contributions (3-5 TIMES what we've been computing). Part 1 - Evidence for worldwide global warming-
PART 2 What we can do + what we will do; Weather extremes + resulting deaths.. Letter from VP Gore about article HTML FULL Article
US NEWS + World Report cover article on Global Warming 2/28/00 - Antarctic Meltdown, WEST ANTARCTIC ICESLIDE 4800 Cu. Mi. ARCTIC ICE MELTED- 2-17-05 new
The STATE of SPACE Oct'97 Likelihood of space disaster in Russian space program and Mir (from 2 years in Russia); America's mistakes (predicts cost cutting would lead to lost missions- subsequently 3 Mars and several launches met disaster) + needs in space and latest wonders from Galileo spacecraft around Jupiter: massive water ocean on Europa; and Cassini launch to Saturn and Titan.
IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT - Science + history behind meteor, asteroid, + cometary impacts (rel. to Armageddon + Deep Impact movies- 8/98)
STORMING LIONS -- Nov 18th, 2001+ Nov '98 Leonid Meteor Showers w End of World article above
FOLLY OF CUTTING SPACE SPENDING- (Providence Journal) Miracles of Voyager revelations- Jupiter + Saturn Moons; Madness of Reagan plan to cut funding for receipt of data from Uranus + Neptune
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
THE NEWS, ALL THE NEWS + NOTHING BUT THE NEWS -- (scroll right) Columbia Journalism Review (page 1 of 4) ...
911 + SECURITY
WHO'S SAYIN HUSSEIN NOW? - Scoop Bin Laden's death is good news, but his quick disposal will fuel conspiracy theories: monsters must be displayed to prove they are gone- PolPot, Ceaseacu, Mussolini; Better he rotted in a US prison- now he become myth and martyr; But America was changed and damaged forever, by it's own overreaction and Bush's Oedipal criminal invasion of Iraq; $3 trillion of endless war + 400,000 dead
9-11 NARCISSISM - The Oliver Stone movie World Trade Center is another moving hagiopic to the terrible sacrifice of 9-11. But we've been celebrating ourselves for being victims for 5 years now, and it's too much. It's time to stop congratulating ourselves for something we didn't do. And we didn't do many things.- Aug 2006 Scoop, Worldnews
UNPATRIOTIC SPYING - OpedNews, Scoop, Online Journal The FBI is doing full spectrum warrantless monitoring of 30,000 people a year, but are there even 3000 legitimate terrorism suspects a year? Now the Pentagon, CIA, NSA have also been spying on Americans- all illegally or illegitimately. No judge, no magistrate, no control, no limits; Records are open to state, local, and corporate "authorities" and are never destroyed. Thousands can rip through anyone's life, and could this vindictive administration avoid persecuting critics? With stunning revelation from Joe Wilson. Jan 5, 06
COULD AMERICA GO BAD? - What would America do if we were hit with a terrorist nuclear attack ... with this President, Congress, and a packed Supreme Court? Hyperbolic nightmare scenario- Nov 23- Op-Ed News, USA Editorial, Tokyo Hello, North American Media, Chinese American News, Saudi Post, Hiroshima Post, Scoop, Liberia Sport, Turkmen Post, Tunesia Cup, World News Network
MIXED SIGNALS- President Bush has promised to punish states that shelter terrorists while soliciting Pakistan + Iran's help, 2 of the leading supporters of terrorism// Now he claims we won't overthrow the Taliban, but then whom is this war against?- Sept 22,2001- Liberal Slant Interview w Commander Massoud (saying Paki army were fighting w Taliban- reporter killed in Israel in April) WTC Ruins 12/6 More PHOTOS
A BRUTAL WAKE-UP CALL - We have been heedless and careless in failing to dispatch bin Laden, protect our airliners w skymarshals or an air cap over our cities; blind in our ignorance of the growing Palestinian rage; stupid in our cruel embargo of a crushed foe; arrogant in our imagined invulnerability// Our enemies noticed...but will reap the whirlwind- Liberal Slant-Sept 12,01 WTC Summit PHOTO'S More
AIRLINE INSECURITY-5 months after 9-11 gaping security holes exist in the airline system. "Screening" now means "passenger bag matching", but they can't even manage that for the connecting flight; Skymarshals are nowhere to be found, even by pilots; and up to 50,000 Al Qaeda members lust for revenge; 2200 bag scanning machines are needed by Dec- new orders since 911?- ten until March 5- March 12,02 ALT Radio Comments
STEPHEN FLYNN (audio) Radio News Report - author + director of HART-RUDMAN Report on America's continued huge vulnerability to terrorism -4:52, Watson Institute, Brown U. 2/10/2003 Council on Foreign Relations Sn. Fellow - Oct 2002 Task Force inc. Gary Hart, Warren Rudman, William Webster, Warren Christopher, George Shultz, 2 Joint Chiefs; Flynn's Senate Testimony on containers
GARY HART (full audio) 5:10 min Mar 18,03- Senator, Pres. candidate and Chairman of Nat. Security Commission - Brown U lecture on US security on eve of Iraq War
IRAQ WAR
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION Sept 2005 AlterNet Scoop ALT ALT2 Against every rule of occupation, almost no effort was made to secure the vast munitions stores of Iraq after the invasion; 250,000 tons, 39% of the ordinance was looted by insurgents and is killing our soldiers every day. IED deaths have more than doubled in the last year- now 71% of US hostile fatalities, and there's enough looted armaments to make ten 500 lb IED's a day for the next 274 years. Interview of Military Intelligence agent who reveals how even an ammo dump next to huge US base was negligently allowed to be looted.
OVER THERE - Capital Times Feb 26 HTML Bush claims we are fighting them there so they won't come here, and that seems logical, even to some liberals; After all there haven't been more attacks in America- Feb 15
NO RESPONSIBILITY IN BUSH'S FANTASY WORLD ALT Bush steamed straight ahead in a speech that penalized no one for the systematic brutalization of our Army prisoner policy and ignored the insanity of dumping entire Iraq mess on a government in 5 weeks that doesn't exist -May 25 SmrkCp
STOPPING the NEXT BOSNIA- comn. scoop Capital Times (online)-Dec 13, FULL version. - It seems obvious we will be forced out of Iraq, which will explode into Civil War between the 63% Shiites and 17% Sunni former rulers (and the 19% Kurds?); Bosnia across California; Beirut in the third biggest oil country- Maybe partitioning Iraq could mitigate or prevent the coming bloodbath - Nov 4; TALK SHOW (audio) on subj.- 40min w Barry Farber- Dec 4 Brown U. Conf. on Kurds (audio) 4:03 min- Oct 1
BUSH's BIG BETRAYAL -comn. scoop First Cheney + Co. tried to bully the CIA into claiming Iraq was an imminent threat; then they created their own “intelligence” outfit, which incorporated every wild rumor to fuel Bush's War. Now that the Iraq Niger uranium purchase was proved a cheap forgery Bush knew about for a year, Cowards betray CIA second time by trying to blame them. Worse, they punish Ambassador that reported on Niger forgery by outing his wife as a CIA agent; The CIA has many ways to hurt him; imperial lies, stupidities, and distortions carefully filed and indexed. - Smirking Chimp , Liberal Slant , Buzzflash , Bartcop- July 23
FIRM of MIND, SOFT on FACTS - 3-18 Bush has, with a steady stream of lies, deceptions, and propaganda, has managed to convince half the country that Saddam supports Al Qaida or even was behind 9-11. Iraq invasion historic blunder that may echo through the decades- Liberal Slant, Bartcop ALT WARBLOG
BUSH's WANTON WAR- Saddam is a monster, but Bush's militancy is due to the '93 plot to kill his father and upcoming elections, not any imminent danger or 9-11 guilt. Punishing enemies is a family tradition, where he started his career- Liberal Slant, Bartcop 10/12/02 LOCAL ALTER
SANCTIONS ON SANCTIONS- (Moscow Guardian- Aug 20, 93)- Uselessness + immorality of endless sanctions- In Iraq, Cuba, Serbia, South Africa; Hurting the innocents rather than the leaders
IRAN + BIG BIDNESS
BOMBING IRAN - Action against the nuclear facilities of Iran is said to be impossible, but this is a real urgent security concern; Iran has consistently been the most murderous terroristic nation + has a perverse obsession with martyrdom; Extremist leader Ahmadinejad still sees America as the Great Satan; For quarter century the world has known- Iran must never possess nuclear weapons- what's changed now? Reckless dishonest Iraq invasion paralyzes all options- 4/'06
NEW HOPE for IRAN html- (scroll right below) NPR TOTN comments on Iran- 1/22/03 Move slider to 21:45-24:40
Overwhelming election of Khatami; likelihood of overthrow of Islamic dictators. A country of children: 70% under 25 years, 40% under 14- tired of sexual and cultural repression: strict segregation of sexes, no dances, Western videos, movies, handholding. Corruption of ruling mullahs and perversion of Islamic values: 98% of clergy NOT in leadership. Origin of Shiite's obsession with death and sacrifice. America's options- (forecasts lifting of Rushdie Fatwa) - June '97
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH ARTICLES
MONSTER MERGER MANIA - July '97 Bishop Estate Firestorm - Hon. Advertiser Aug 17, '97
$800 billion of mergers a year. Good for the economy, improve efficiency, good for stockholders? Untold is brutal downsizing of target company workers, crushing load of debt, monopolist concentration of power, and obscene amount of executive profits. Criticizes crooked management of Bishop Estate, largest charity in US: 2 weeks later Governor ordered massive investigation- West Hawaii Today html
OUR FAILURE OF WILL IN IRAN - (East Side/West Side-also in Providence Journal)-Dec '79-Jan '80 Outrage of Iran Hostage Crisis + our weakness in dealing with it
NORTH KOREA + NUCLEAR THREAT
SPEAKING LOUDLY WITHOUT ANY STICK - Nightmare of North Korean nukes: the most dangerous country in the world has started to mass produce a nuclear arsenal; Administration response?- no negotiations, no problem; But Saddam needs crushing; History of NK terrorism- Liberal Slant 1/4/03 ALTER
TREMBLING ON THE BRINK-- Pakistan + India have mobilized almost all their forces and are marching towards a war that neither can control; Both countries have 30-100 nuclear bombs and the missiles to deliver them; With such tiny numbers, paranoia and pressure for a first strike could be irresistible- a threat that will last a decade- Online Journal 1/16/02 Cover ALT HTML
VULNERABLE WINDOW of OPPORTUNITY (2 panel gif- pan right) NEXT STAR of BETHLEHEM – meaning of Israeli nuclear arsenal
Chance to buy + destroy Soviet missiles and bombs- Moscow Tribune ‘93 Seattle Times '87
MAD FANTASY OF LIMITED NUCLEAR WAR-2 panel gif- scroll right (Prov.Journal) Dangerous lunacy and impossibility of limited nuclear warfighting strategies
A WARM + BRIGHT FUTURE (orig .-1/2 pending OCR) - Threat of nuclear war w visit to FEMA defense center, and detailed effects of 20 meg blast on NYC (long mag. art.)
CHINA
RISING DRAGON Feb '97 Dangers of China burgeoning wealth and power. Aggressive actions in firing missiles 22 miles from Taipei, huge amphibious landing "training", occupying Spratley Is., murdering Tibetans and their culture, rage + paranoia over world acknowledging Taiwan.1.23 billion people- if they all run east at noon, they could change the rotation of the earth, and 20 mil added every year- 2 people every 3 seconds. LETTER fm US Sen JACK REED (D-RI) about article
PAKISTAN + INDIA
MIXED SIGNALS- President Bush has promised to punish states that shelter terrorists while soliciting Pakistan + Iran's help, 2 of the leading supporters of terrorism// Now he claims we won't overthrow the Taliban, but then whom is this war against?- Sept 22,2001- Liberal Slant Interview w Commander Massoud (saying Paki army were fighting w Taliban- reporter killed in Israel in April) WTC Ruins 12/6 More PHOTOS
TREMBLING ON THE BRINK-- Pakistan + India have mobilized almost all their forces and are marching towards a war that neither can control; Both countries have 30-100 nuclear bombs and the missiles to deliver them; With such tiny numbers, paranoia and pressure for a first strike could be irresistible- a threat that will last a decade- Online Journal 1/16/02 Cover ALT HTML
ISRAEL
WHY THEY HATE US - Israel's savage assault on Lebanon is shattering the rebuilt country and threatening the tenuous government, all with GB2's blessing; Hezbollah are bad guys, but destroying the only Western-style free Middle East country will have long term poisonous effects, creating thousands of Hezbollah/Hamas recruits and perhaps reigniting the hideous civil war- July 24, 2006 - Scoop, Smrk Chp
BLIND FAITH- War Without End- Bush, who received only 47% of the vote, has demanded the removal of Arafat (whom he's never met), who received 88%, though the most likely successor is Hamas. Our extreme tilt towards Israeli hard liners risks our position as an honest broker of peace, increases potential US terrorists from a few thousand to millions, and perhaps extended our war a decade. The real problem in the Middle East- Liberal Slant- July 15,02 ALTERN
NEXT STAR of BETHLEHEM – Seattle Times '87 meaning of Israeli nuclear arsenal
AVNER COHEN (aud) - Israeli historian of their nuclear program; Author- Israel and the Bomb, The Last Taboo Question when America knew about Israeli bomb + if Israel has missile silos and IRBMs- Brown U Watson Institute- Feb 10, 05 5:50 min
DENNIS ROSS (aud)- Ambassador + Mideast Negotiator - 1:36 min April 29, 03 Brown U. - about difference between US Camp David proposal + Arafat claims; whether Abu Mazen will be endangered by plan to confiscate arms
RAYMOND COHEN- (aud- threat of Shiite control in Iraq 3:14) Israeli terrorism expert 4-23-03- Palestinian Peace prospects (3:36), Brown U., Watson Institute, Rabin Assasination,
CAIRO CALM - new CAIRO: Obama makes a historic speech in the heart of the Arab World June 4th. A Feb 22nd terrorist bombing in Cairo sounded like business as usual... but Cairo is really one of safest cities in world, where one can walk anywhere at 3am; and never hear an anti-Western sentiment in 2 months; partly due to the civilizing effect of Islam, which punishes rude, criminal,or violent behavior, but Egyptians are really special-a warm blend of world peoples- Scoop, OpEdNews
MEDIA CRITIQUE
LIVING in the DANGER ZONE - new COA News, MediaChannel Reporters risk themselves in war zones for far more than glory, Vulnerability of freelancers, Tales of personal terror in the dissolving Russian Empire; A prayer for Jill Caroll- Jan 20, 2006
THE COPYCAT EFFECT- proves sensational media coverage of deadly mayhem causes people to copy it; Loren Coleman's important new book; Media + journalistic response; Ethics and better approaches; Analysis of newsmags coverage of murder; Imminent risks: CLEAR and PRESENT DANGERS - Columbine + Waco/OKC bombing anniversaries and apocalyptic cults re. miniseries Revelations; w interviews of cult members + experts
GETTING GOOD NEWS: The Government vs. the Press in Times of War (audio) - Mike's BROWN U. Lecture - History of Press restrictions in War since WW2; How Vietnam changed everything and made the media the enemy; 30 min., Salomon Hall, Brown Univ., Dec 13 POSTER
"WHOOPS"- How the Networks Got it Wrong- PROBLEM POLLING POLICY - Nat. Scoop- Intellectual Capita1- 11/25/00 - Inside story on the screw-ups (3-4) at the VNS and Florida counties that caused the networks to blow the election call in a strong article/analysis/commentary against the networks and projection policy and the squirrelly polls w interviews w TV news execs, Walter Cronkite, Florida officials, pollsters, Sen. Gorton and VNS people, voting machine reps.- MediaChannel.org- 12/26/00 Anchor of largest media related network. IF DOESN'T LOAD Issue Cover Talk Show
DUNNING DEAN- nat. scoop - DID the DOCTOR GET GORED - mediachannel HTML COLUMNIZED Did the media try to destroy Howard Dean by harping on his liberalness and inexperience (both untrue), and electability until it became a self-fulfilling prophecy with Dems desperate to defeat Bush? Analysis of coverage of campaign fm Wash. Post, Newsweek, New Republic, US News, TV debates; + my NH reporting- Jan 26
NETWORK NEWS HEADS IN THE DOCK - Tauzin Hearings Confused by Red Herrings, Election Woes- Exclusive
Comprehensive Jigsaw Narrative of Tauzin Hearings testimony + Network Reports (CNN,CBS,ABC,RTI) + Our analysis- with TABLES + TIMELINE- Relative Times of Network Calls, Minute x minute CBS/CNN Election Nt Miscall Timeline- March 13, 2001- MediaChannel.org - Issue Cover
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TAKES CONTROL of TELEVISION- War of the Vladimirs.. Return to the Bad Old Days?- Putin Has Taken Control of 2 Other Networks; Strengthened Press Ministry; Prosecuted and Persecuted Gusinsky's (+ Berezovsky's) Media Empire- History of, Reasons for, + Meaning of Conflict- with timeline - mediachannel.org- April 9,01 3000 or 1500 wd Issue Cover TALK SHOW Comments on Reporter Attacks - (move slider to 44:40)
THE NEWS, ALL THE NEWS, AND NOTHING BUT THE NEWS- (Columbia Journalism Review)- more complete version from Isthmus, Madison WI
Analysis + examination of plethora of late late night news programs; Distilled from 22 page art.; CBS Nightwatch, NBC Overnight, ABC Last Word, America Tonight, + others;
1st page of 4 Columbia Journalism Review version- scroll right
PRIVATE WARS - Feb '84 Analyzed media's ability to cover wars in Vietnam, + Predicted new restrictive policies in Grenada, Lebanon, Falklands was ominous trend that could cripple Press ability to cover conflicts Jan '91 Press is rigidly controlled in Gulf War, not allowed free movement or to talk to soldiers without officers present; Reporters set out on their own + are captured + tortured by Iraqis
1989 RUSSIA - SOVIET UNION
WINDS OF CHANGE - Predicts collapse of the Warsaw Pact + possible end of the Cold War in June '89... 5 months before the Berlin Wall fell
1993-94 >>> from Russia chronological
SANCTIONS ON SANCTIONS- (Moscow Guardian- Aug 20, 93)- Uselessness + immorality of endless sanctions- In Iraq, Cuba, Serbia, South Africa; Hurting the innocents rather than the leaders
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
A VULNERABLE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY-scroll right (Moscow Tribune- Mar 5, 93) Chance to buy + decommission Ukrainian, Kazakh, Byelorussian Nuclear bombs and Plutonium; Cheap at any price....
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE- (Mos News- April 23,93) Supreme Court Justice Valerie Zorkin plotting perilous middle road in power struggle between Yeltsin and Parliament + allies Veep Rutskoi and Speaker of Congress; Rule of law new concept in Russia
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVILS- scr. down (Moscow Guardian- Jun 11,93) Dismissal of prosecutors in '91 Coup plotters case; Perversion of law in typical Soviet style; Prosecutors go on trial for libel while plotters go free-
WELCOME TO DODGE- VIOLENCE TAKING ROOT IN MOSCOW- scroll right (Moscow News-English- most respected liberal paper in Russia)-Aug 27,93-
Epidemic of Gangland shootouts, contract murders, government willful ignorance of organized crime. Dangerous effects of violence + death; What can + must be done HTML 1st
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
UP, UP, AND AWAY- (Moscow News- Sept 24, 93) Effects and dangers of rampant inflation (2600%)
NOT SO DANDY LITTLE WAR -(Moscow Tribune- Oct 15,93) reflections on Oct '93 revolt; ~200 killed in attempted Yeltsin overthrow; Yeltsin's possible culpability; 25 Government soldiers that defended television center from 3000 Communists
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
THE CULT OF THE WARRIOR -scroll right (MosNews-) Wry commentary on Russians' penchant for ritualistic abuse and casual violence; Rude, sullen, offensive service possibly cured by Mafia murders...
24 Hours in an October Revolt - Moscow OCTOBER REVOLT - Oct 1-2, 1993 - Communist Revolt that almost Overthrew Yeltsin - 200-500 died; Speaker of Parliament + Vice President urged violent attack on Mayors Skyscraper + Ostankino TV Studios with live AUDIO Reports + 10 year anniv. report
A MORE PERFECT UNION - scroll right (MosNews- Nov 26,93) Russia's cynical effort to cripple CIS states Georgia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Estonia; Territory lust + yearning for reunifying Soviet Union vs. new morality and poverty HTML vers.
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
FORTIFYING THE CASTLE- (MosNews- Jan 10,94) Yeltsin's move to strengthen the presidency + weaken other political groups could lead to disaster when he's gone; Dec '93 elections results- loss of Russia's Choice, Zhirinovsky, crimes of KGB ... HTLM vers.
THE BLUES CALLING- (Moscow News Nov 5,93) Funny take on diseased Moscow phone system and a listing of it's many ailments
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
AROUND THE WORLD IN 63 DAYS- scroll down (We/Mui- Feb 7,94 weekly- Moscow/Wash DC -Hearst/Izvestia)- (Full Front Page-2nd sec) story of round the world Russia aircraft expedition, hitting 50 odd countries, 7 continents, in antique planes.. inc. Soviet DC-3.. In Russian + English editions
1994
MOVIE REVIEW- Tombstone-- Moscow Radisson Slavjansky Hotel- Moscow News-Jan 94 HTML vers.
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
A BOY NAMED SUE - (Mos News- Feb 94) -scroll right- Funny reflection on Russian penchants + redundancy of names: 60% of country are Sergei, Oleg, Lena, + Natasha; COMMUNIST names- Tractor, Vladlen; Persecution of "unsafe" names so better stick w old stalwarts HTML Vers.
RUMBLES in the SOUTH (Pt 1)-html 7/93 Article about the Moslem wars of the South (Armenia/Azerbaijan,Georgia,Abkhazia,Tadjikistan) that morphs into an argument for Russia to not sell submarines and advanced arms to Iran (rel. to Gore/Iran deal) - ROUGH DRAFT (rumbles.gif); Page 2- (rumbles2.gif)
QUÉ SERA SERA- html Rumination on the vagaries of fate, fatalism, and the line between life + death: in the Russian Oct. revolt, Mt. St. Helens explosion, + the Moscow metro- Nov '93
from RUSSIA (AUDIO) RADIO TALK SHOWS - KING-am Seattle, Radio South Africa Reports, Press Conference Questions
1994-95
TV TALK SHOW on RUSSIA (Audio)- 13th State, WSBE -Ch 36, Providence RI - VIDEO (real)- 2:25 min
Only Guest - 1/2 Hour - RealPlayer streaming G2 File fm Realproducer 8
CRIME STORY -(gif) Dec 94 - UNTOLD STORY of REASONS Behind 1st CHECHEN WAR - Exclusive; Hijackings of Buses with Children, Raids + Stripping of Trains, Hundreds of Billions of Counterfeiting, Vicious Chechen Mafia; Historical Genocides and Hatreds; STORY Western Media repeated was simplistic "Soviet Bear Rising" HTML vers (hear '94 NPR talk show on Chechen War + rise of Russian Mafia) NPR Comments on Moscow theater storming- slider to 25:30
RUSSIAN MAFIA + CHECHEN WAR (audio)- KUOW-FM Seattle- NPR- Weekday Talk Show - Dec 94 - 20 min REALPLAYER
SPEAKER ABOUT "RUSSIA on the EDGE"- Ad for my lecture on Russia and its myriad problems PRESS HERE
THE NEW EVIL EMPIRE - The Mafiya in Russia- details the rise of the vicious Russian Mafia and full-scale '93 gang war intercut with my kidnapping at gunpoint in St. Petersburg 3 days after Soviet Union collapsed (avail only on special request) -5700 wds
1996-98
THE SWAN HAS FLOW AWAY - West Hawaii Today Oct '96 Firing of Russian Gen. Lebed from Security Council-
- The most popular and toughest politician in Russia driven from Yeltsin's government; Litany of his offenses;
NON-WAGE SLAVES - Johnson Russia List - Sept 10, '98 (Center for Defense Information + Carnegie Corp) Abusive Russian habit of not paying workers or creditors, employees for months- including submarine captains and nuclear workers; Makes business ex. difficult and semi-criminalized; Security concerns
BACK TO THE FUTURE -Johnson Russia List - Sept 29, '98 Disastrous reappointment of Victor Gerashchenko as Russian Central Bank Chrmn, whose reckless policies caused 40,000% hyperinflation before- regarded as worst central banker in the world
2000-2001
SEASON of PLAGUES - Russian Kursk Submarine + Ostankino TV tower disasters- Aug 29, 2000
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TAKES CONTROL of TELEVISION- War of the Vladimirs.. Return to the Bad Old Days?-mediachannel.org- April 9,01 - Putin Has Taken Control of 2 Other Networks; Strengthened Press Ministry; Prosecuted and Persecuted Gusinsky's (+ Berezovsky's) Media Empire- History of, Reasons for, + Meaning of Conflict- with timeline - 3000 or 1500 wd Issue Cover TALK SHOW Comments on Reporter Attacks - (move slider to 44:40)
2003
10th Anniversary of Moscow Oct '93 Revolt - 2003 (EXCLUSIVE AUDIO) - VIOLENT COMMUNIST ATTACK that ALMOST DEPOSED YELTSIN --200 killed in 2 days of battles at WHITE HOUSE and OSTANKINO TV CENTER ; w article 24 Hours in October Revolt + Photos AUDIO ONLY - 7:20 min
2006
LIVING in the DANGER ZONE - new COA News, MediaChannel Reporters risk themselves in war zones for far more than glory, Vulnerability of freelancers, Tales of personal terror in the dissolving Russian Empire; A prayer for Jill Caroll- Jan 20, 2006
2007>>> from Russia
FADING FREEDOMS- Capital Times (almost NYT)- from Moscow March 24, 2007 (must view in IE) Step by step democracy has become a fading photograph of the nineties, as Putin restricts, harrasses and crushes political independence, the free press, and concentrates all power in the Kremlin; Giant state industries reconstituting as the state forces out foreign oilcos LONG with Pics
RATTLING RUSTING SABERS- Scoop from Moscow April 2007- The US's proposed "missile shield" in Eastern Europe has provoked a reaction by Russia; Encircled by NATO against promises, facing renewed US nuclear development and bases in FSU, the US cancelling ABM treaty + non-proliferation regimes; Have the Russians been betrayed? Heavy handed cutoffs of gas + oil supplies to neighbors have led them to seek shelter with the West, no matter how destabilizing. Can Russia glean respect without threats? OpedNews, Scoop
DEATH OF A BEAR - from Moscow Boris Yeltsin, despite his faults, was a courageous decent leader and a historical giant; Tagged with much that wasn't his fault, the early Boris broke up the largest empire on earth without bloodshed + ended the Cold War that could have killed 500 million- Scoop, Johnson Russia List, OpedNews- April 22, 2007
PUTIN'S CHILDREN (Orig.) - NYT /International Herald Tribune - SCAN July 6, 2007 - from Moscow The Putin Youth groups: Nashi, Young Guard, Young Russia; badger and terrorize anyone who even differs with Kremlin positions; By propagandizing the vulnerable, is the Kremlin poisoning the seed corn of young minds? On June 12th, Russian Independence Day, Red Sq. was reserved for the Party faithful po Ryccki ONLINE IHT vers.
THE INFINITE PUTIN - Capital Times ORIGINAL new Moscow: Putin is supposed to leave office in March, but that was impossible to believe. Appointing unknown crony Viktor Zubkov PM (told only the day before and rammed through rubber stamp Congress 2 days later) ends the doubt. Zubkov will be anointed President (+ win), Putin will become Prime Minister, and Zubkov will resign in 6-12 months to let Vladimir Vladimirovich return as Prez. Massive conflicts of interests in the Kremlin, where mini oligarch ministers control the biggest corporations in the world and can't separate their interests from those of the state, crushing and absorbing competitors.- October 10, 2007 (On May 7, 2008 Putin became PM; In 2012 he will return for 12 years as Prez, the "tandem" decided)
NO SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL- Moscow: Putin visited the NKVD killing fields of Butovo and expressed sympathy for the tens of millions of victims of the purges and murders, for the first time; Before he had exalted the security agencies and diminished the crimes of his agency; Many places have had genocidal monsters, but only Russia still has fans of them; supposedly 35% would vote for Stalin now if he were running- Oped News ; Nov 07
2008-19>>> from Ukraine
GEORGIA'S FOLLY & the RAGE OF THE BEAR - Kiev: Saakashvili's reckless invasion of S. Ossetia was bound to provoke a virulent Russian reaction, but it has disappeared in the news as the world's condemnation falls entirely on Russia; McCain's foreign policy advisor is a paid lobbyist for Georgia- did he or Administration encourage this to create a new bugaboo enemy to intimidate voters, since terrorism wasn't working anymore?; Georgia isn't Budapest or Prague, but the Russians can't resist grinding their face in the dirt as an object lesson for Ukraine, Estonia, or Poland- Scoop, OpedNews Aug 19, 2008
NO NATO NOW - PIK (Russian, Ukrainian), Scoop- KIEV: The invasion of Georgia scared FSU states, esp. Ukraine who lobbied fervently for NATO membership, but that would provoke the exact crisis it was designed to prevent, which the callous gas cutoff is showing. Nobody really wants Ukraine in NATO, the people (61% against vs 24%), the Rada, and NATO itself, for whom Ukr instability and Russian military presence would be destabilizing.- Dec 2008
TALE OF THREE WORLDS - Skullduggery in the Sugar Business- KIEV: What is going on at the Ukrainian Sugar Company, a Mykolayev project of the commodities giant ED&F Man with a 25% Ukrainian investor UPK/TEKT. TEKT claims that the coal bought for the renovated plant by the Polish managers is "dead rock" and the new factory is a sweetheart deal used one; Man and USC say the plant was in such poor shape they had to replace it, and that original assets were diverted. After over 2 years it still hasn't started production - Aug 2009
"DEADLY" EPIDEMIC in UKRAINE - KIEV: Ukraine panics over swine flu epidemic but the numbers don't support anything out of the ordinary- less deaths or sickness from flu than last year - Nov 2009
2010
Radio Report (MP3 audio) - KIEV: Realplayer - 6:06 min, Jan 17-18, 2010 Ukrainian voters are exhausted and disillusioned by the endless vicious battles between the big 3 candidates: President Yushchenko, PM Tymoshenko, and former PM Yanukovich, but after Presidential elections Jan17, one will soon be gone.- Yushchenko's support has plummeted to 5%. The top 2 will participate in the second round runoff in 3 weeks with Yanukovich (35% -results) leading Timoshenko (25%) by 10%. Early fresh face former Speaker Yatseniuk (7%) faded with an atrocious advertising campaign, but newcomer Sergei Tigipko has surged to third (13%). Interviews of a dozen voters in Kiev + Mohyla Academy Political Science Professor Olexiy Haran.
BLUE STEEL - Billionaire's Boy's Club; Ukraine Pres Election - Business Ukraine KIEV: Mar 25, 2010, Ex-convict ex-PM Yanukovich has won the Presidential election by 3.47% points over Tymoshenko in a 69% turnout. She claimed fraud and challenged the result in a friendly Appeals Court (which was threatened in an occupation by POR MP's weeks ago), but liberals were dispirited. 4.4% voted "against all". All election observer groups have declared the result fair. Yanukovich was inaugurated Feb 25th. With blinding speed, her coalition collapsed and enough of her BYuT delegates and orphaned Our Ukraine MOP's defected to Yanukovich's Party of Regions to give them a majority and end her reign as PM on March 3. Yanukovich immediately packed his Cabinet with the billionaire bosses of the POR, without a single Orange face, and has moved to control the Court system and attain absolute control.Yushchenko's reckless constant undercutting of Tymoshenko, no matter what the damage to the country, has given Ukraine back to the oligarchs, and to a lesser extent Russia, as dreams of European integration recede and Soviet-style corruption returns.
ENDLESS GAS - Kyiv Weekly - April 30, 2010 Ukraine got some breathing space on gas prices- 30% discount in exchange for 25 years longer stay of Black Sea Fleet, but at what cost; Tymoshenko's deal was horrible, Ukr paid among the highest prices in Europe, but gas is plentiful due to exploding US (and soon Polish/Ukr) shale gas production and Ukraine has negligible transportation costs, so the 30% "discount" was maybe 4%; Is the next part of this deal turning over Ukraine's pipelines to Russia, it's last bargaining chip? With Russia buying Industrial Union of Donbass, (probably) stage-managing the Kyrgyz revolt, helping Ukraine with billions of loans for nuclear power plants- Russia is rising, and looking to extend it's web of influence throughout Ukraine
TAKEOVER - Kyiv Weekly May 20,2010 Can Ukraine Remain Independent - FULL Putin's suggestion that Gazprom and Naftogaz merge hit with a thunderclap; At 6% value, Naftogaz would be devoured by Gazprom and Ukraine would be under Moscow's thumb; Oligarchs maybe last guarantors of Ukr independence- they would lose immense powers being vassals of Moscow; Yanukovich resists proposal- Ukrainians have been managing Russian overlordship for centuries
THE BEAR'S EMBRACE - Kyiv Weekly May 27, 2010 FULL Pres. Medvedev comes to Kiev- signs deals on nuclear loans and plant-building; joint aviation projects; controversial border "resolution" and joint Rukrainian textbook production to howls from marginalized opposition; Answers questions at Taras Shevchenko U; Linguistic war against Russian is over- deep sense of comfort among Russian speakers; Yanukovich attacked by Mother Nature
DON'T BE SAD, BE BOTANICAL - Botanical gardens of Kiev - Kyiv Weekly- May 27
The beauty of Kiev's 2 Botanichsky Sads- the central one by Universitet Metro, and the huge Vydubichy one south
ABSOLUTE POWER - Scoop , OpEdNews, KIEV: In seizing full control of the Courts, City of Kiev, changing the Constitution to the old powerful-President one, prosecuting the impotent opposition (imprisoning 25!), and restricting who can run in local elections; Yanukovich and his Party of Regions have managed to do in 7 months what took Putin 7 years- achieve an absolute monopoly of control in Ukraine. The Supreme Court was demoted and bowdlerized, as the High Court of Justice and Constitutional Court were packed with majority POR judges.- Oct 2010
2011-2013
BACK IN THE USSR - Kyiv Post
Nov
2011
ORIGINAL
After
a
teaser of decriminalizing the ridiculous charges against
Tymoshenko,
the Yanukovich government decided to crucify
her- with a dozen new
investigations inc. contract killing. In the financial
charges
there may be a glimmer of truth, but the 7 year treason sentence
for
her normal duties was preposterous. Examples
of treason, betraying
one's state, were the Oedipal Bush-neocon
invasion of Iraq, which
benefited no one but war profiteer Dick Cheney and killed
300-400,000... or the throwing of the RosUkrEnergo
case in the
Stockholm Arbitration Tribunal, which
bankrupted state co. Naftogaz and could lose Ukraine its
sovereignty
SAFE
HAVEN - June 12, 2012 - Is Ukraine racist?
Sometimes it
is endlessly surprising. Story
of
a beloved Angolan Ukrainian - Kyiv
Post LOCAL
Oct
28, 2012
Ukraine Parliamentary
Elections: new Great
Clean Hope?-
Heavy weight champion
Vitaly
Klitschko's
political party UDAR
(PUNCH) underperforms but beats Communists;
Could Dr.
Iron Fist
have reduced the Africa-level corruption of the richest
resource FSU
country?
Photos Audio
WITH
98% reporting: Party of Regions
wins sweeping
but tainted
victory 30.2%, 25.4% Batkivshchina
(Tymoshenko), 13.8%
Udar, 13.3% Communist, 10.3% Svobody
(Ukr nationalists) in party
list vote; though fully allied opposition would outmatch
POR-Com 49.5%
v 43.5%; but real determinant- individual precincts in the
bizarre
50/50 party list/individual split system, POR coalition could
get 56%
of final seats- at least 250 of 450 Rada seats
(assuming they "per$uade" 60% of
50 "independent" and smaller party victors to join); leaving
them w
commanding majority;
-----according
to the Central Election Commission, Party of Regions will
get a total
of 188 seats in the new parliament, Batkivshchyna - 104,
independents -
43, UDAR - 40, Communist Party - 32, Svoboda - 36, others -
7 ----
Opera's parallel vote
count
indicates official count accurate. "Many problems but unclear if it's systemic,"
says a US election observer
in Sevastopol. "Incompetence is not a crime"
(unless it
is) .... including
massive DOS hacker
attack on opposition and observer websites.
Molodist
Film Festival Opening - Review: Walesa: Man of Hope - Kyiv Post LOCAL
The 43rd Molodist Film
Festival, one of oldest and biggest (42yr, 250-300
movies) in Europe, opened on Saturday with
a premier of Walesa, the inspirational tale
of the indomitable man who helped bring down an empire.
- Oct 19, 3013
ICELANDIC
TRIALS-- In the News
- Kurmakur
made EVEREST5 Kyiv Post
Two Icelandic films by cinematographer
Bergsteinn Bjorgulfsson and director Batasar
Kurmakur made as splash at Molodist: The Deep, an incredible true tale
of shipwreck survival in the Arctic, and XL, a kaleidoscopic 60-ish
story of the vast excesses of a Parliament Deputy.
LOCAL - Oct
21, 2013 5 - I met
expedition leaders + fatalities
Scott Fischer + Rob Hall climbing Mt Rainier
in '87 (huge volcano on
Windows 8 that looms over Seattle), where they
were Mtn guides/rangers
2013-2014 MAIDAN REVOLUTION
COUNTDOWN: LAST CHANCE FOR
UKRAINE - Yahoo Nov 2-Dec 1, 2013 LOCAL (w pics) Predicts EuroMaidan Protests 3 weeks before
they happen! KIEV: Ukraine at
crossroads between
East and West: join the Russian Eurasian
Customs Union or
sign the EU Association
Agreement and Free
Trade Agreement in
Lithuania Nov 28-9.
Incredibly, after 15 years of negotiation, Pres.
Yanukovich scotched the deal a week
before. Huge demonstrations
have broken out across Ukraine - most
people prefer the EU. The choice is stark: whether
Ukraine will be locked in a
neo-Soviet ghetto of dependency and
corruption, or join the Western world in greater transparency, freedom, and
rule of law
SECOND
TRY AT DEPOSING YANUKOVICH GOVERNMENT - Scoop Kiev: Dec 18,2013 According to Arseniy
Yatseniuk, Opposition forces arrayed against
President Victor Yanukovich may be poised for
another attempt to remove his Prime Minister,
and Government in a No Confidence vote in the
Rada, the Ukrainian Parliament. The last time
on Dec. 3rd, they received only 189 votes, far
short of the 226 needed to succeed. UTUBE VIDEO BBC/my YATSENIUK
Interview- Dec 13, 2013
VICTORY
FOR MAIDAN PROTESTS? - THE
TAKING of UKRAINIAN HOUSE - Scoop the frigid
(-18C) seige and taking of Ukrainian House; Klitschko
saves day; Yanu cracks- offer PM, DPM,
concessions to Opposition; Ode to courage + endurance
of Ukrs Jan 29, 2014
DANGEROUS TIMES: YANUKOVICH
LIKE A CORNERED RAT - Interview of Mike by Bulgarian journo-
Yanukovich dangerous + unpredictable because all
efforts to break up Maidan failed + his power was
slipping away; Bloodbath 2 wks later was his
demise -Economics (Bulg Mag) Feb 5
2014 PUTINVASIONS UKRAINE/RUSSIA
March-Sept
2014: HAMMERBLOG-
PUTINVASION in UKRAINE, EUAA SIGNED!,
BORDER OPEN- EAST IS LOST,
IT'S A PORONATION,
EASTERN SUBVERSION FRIEND
KILLED, DONETSK ARPT BTL., HEAVY FIGHTING
SLOVYANSK; 6th HELO DOWNED; KRAMATORSK
SBU, TV FREED (5D UKRs),
46 DEAD in
FIREBOMBED ODESSA TRADE CEN after 5
ULTRAS KILLED, BLDG TAKEOVERS, 5
WESTERN SHIPS BLACK SEA, 40K RUSSIAN
SOLDIERS ON BORDER; CRIMEAN INVASION- SEIZE ISTHMUS,
AIRPORTS, PARLIAMENT, BALACLAVA BASE;
YANU, Zakar,
Pshonk FLEE to RUSSIA;
NEW GOV PRESENTED TO MAIDAN WED,
YANU REMOVED 328-0
IMPERIAL STRETCH: A
Bridge Too Far - Yahoo LOCAL
(updated 4/19)
KYIV: With his reckless Crimea Invasion Putin has unleashed
titanic forces that may sweep him from power in 4-5
years: inspiration to 6 separatist
regions of Russia, economic devastation from
sanctions and Euro resource diversification,
reinvigorated NATO + EU, EU pushed into Ukraine's
arms, EUAA signed, $36 billion of loans + grants;
outraged Russian liberals, desperate oligarchs, world
economy closed, UKR lost forever in Ukrainian
IS PUTIN CRACKING?
Russian President Acting Erratic EuroMaidanPress
- Putin was weird at Minsk press conference; Extraordinary
pressures on
Putin from all sides- caged in by
imperialist monster he has unleashed;
Rattles nuclear sabres over
Ukraine addressing
Putin Youth camp (Nashi), pitiful, like a
pimp getting approval from his stable -
Sept 2, 2014
WHAT'S PUTINS GAME:
5 Scenarios - EuroMaidanPress
ALT
Is Putin coming or going? Are the
half-empty Potemkin relief trucks a false flag op to be attacked
and spur a full PutINVASION or are they supposed to REMOVE the
Seps and all their gear cause Putin is pulling the plug on the
whole foul adventure? Not since 1938-9 has the world so
obsessed over the psycho-pathology of one potentate. WITHDRAW, INVADE, PUTIN's SNAPPED,
BLEEDING UKR- the latest events, assessments,
probabilities, and ramifications. Strelkov, Borodai,
Bolotov, Gubarov all wounded/retired + removed. 2-4000 Russians
regulars flood Ukraine w 400 tanks + APCs. American-Ukr
millionaire diaspora pvt. killed- Aug 31, 2014
heated
UKR ROLLING: THE BATTLE FOR LYSYCHANSK
SCOOP
Kiev: With
ELECTION 2000
FLORIDA'S SLANTED SECRETARY- Online Journal- Katherine Harris may face the music for violating oath of office- Dec 4, 2000 Jan 14: 40 suits filed against Sec St + $2/3 million spent defending her already Longer HTML vers. FL Div. Elections Letter ordering Supervisors to NOT do Hand-Count P. 1
RELATIVITY- OnlineJournal + Bartcop A rumination on the changing firmament of truth + the nature of integrity as it pertains to vote-counting and the election- Jan 4, 2001 ALTERNATE
SOME SOLUTIONS - semi-funny ideas on Presidential election resolution- Nov 26, 2000
SUPREME ARROGANCE - Online Journal- Supreme Court trashes separation of powers + destroys its legitimacy in Presidential race decision- Dec 13, 2000
IT'S ONLY WORDS - (onlinejournal.com) - the Inauguration + how George Bush's words have no connection with his actions - Jan 22, 2001 ISSUE Cover
BUSH (+ see 4 above)
My LECTURE (RealAudio) MP3 @CHEKHOV CENTER, MOSCOW- The Rise + End of the Bush Era 6-20-07, 33min of 50
THE PRESIDENT'S CONTEMPT - After 7 years of lies, corruption, national security failures, and a disastrous unjustified war, the new Dem Congress is asking questions; Heedless of the Constitution, Bush is giving no answers + with unprecedented arrogance, directed staffers to not testify; Time for inherent contempt charges? Tally of Bush's cost in human lives- OpedNews, Online Journal- Aug 2007
END of BUSH's ROHYPNOL HONEYMOON?- Bush's Blunders in Foreign Policy, the Environment, the Economy, + Corporate Payoffs have won him dislike throughout world + awakened a blindly non-critical press- onlinejournal.com- April 12, 01
POLITICS see BLOG also
DID DEMS BLOW A FLORIDA SWEEP - Jan 2019 HammerBlog NEGLECTING PUERTO RICANS?- 300K Puerto Ricans fled Maria to FL + could fully vote
BLUEWAVE ELECTION!!? HYSTERICAL IMMIGRANT HATE, MAGA SYNAGOGUE SHOOTER / MAIL BOMBER, VOTER SUPPRESSION IN GA, KS, ND- HammerBlog Nov 2018
WHY TRUMP LOST THE ELECTION! - Medium - Jan 8, 2017 Was The Donald a Longtime Russian Asset?
The 6 reasons Trump LOST the Election by +7.5 mil votes and the 6 Crimes He Committed - Incredible news has come out from a respected Brit MI-5 agent doing Oppo research on Trump that he was a Kremlin tool for 5 years and had been successfully blackmailed and funded! Not surprising he "believes" a KGB thug dictator rather than all our intelligence agencies!! Congress should delay the Inauguration 5 weeks to get Trump's taxes, conclude investigation, and maybe block EC result, instead of sleepwalking into allowing a likely traitor to become President.
THE LAST DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC?
OBAMA's STRENGTHS TRUMP
ROMNEY
- new
Kyiv Post Oct 2012
Obama's
calm
tough
leadership
in
foreign
policy
has
decimated Al Qaida,
ended US involvement in Iraq, saved the Benghazans, won America
world
respect; whereas hothead Romney has promised new conflicts in
Iran,
Syria, and with Russia and China.. and wants to unleash Wall St.
hucksters and punish the poor; the FSU is sadly not a priority
with the
West [written before BO's pitiful performance
in 1st
debate]
HALLELUAH... HEALTH CARE- Obama Gets his Mojo Back - Scoop LOCAL On the cusp of a "failed Presidency", Obama settles down, gives up on bipartisanship, and wins the strange half-a-loaf health care bill. Like a magician, he then achieves a historic START arms control agreement with the Russians, cuts out banks from the student loan business, and makes 15 recess appointments. This President has depths of resilience and smarts unseen before.- April 1, 2010
THE MORAL VOTERS - Nov 5, 08 For decades harsh evangelicals have controlled and distorted the Republican party, drowning out other voices and imposing their narrow views on the country; But a new morality has emerged in Obama's historic election from the vast bulk of voters who are sick of war, of corruption, of lies, and stupidity... who believe in Obama's phrase that we are our brother's keepers
A QUESTION OF JUDGMENT - Oct '08 Despite his "maverick" image, John McCain's judgment has been abysmal, starting with his decision to remain in a brutal NV prison for 4 1/2 years rather than go home (which we questioned him on). His economic advisor, friend, and so-called "genius" Phil Gramm wrote the bills that tore down Depression protections and exempted these junk bond derivatives from any regulation- creating this economic meltdown; McCain was a fervent backer of the catastrophic Iraq invasion + has never had any qualms; Cynical choice of the woefully unqualified Palin for Veep endangers nation; Rash reckless decisions the norm- Scoop, OpedNews
COULD AMERICA GO BAD? - Op-Ed News - What would America do if we were hit with a terrorist nuclear attack ... with this President, Congress, and a packed Supreme Court? Hyperbolic nightmare scenario- Nov 23
HOW KERRY LOST - The first Catholic candidate in 44 years lost the Catholic vote, almost lost the Hispanic vote, lost ground with women; and neglected to talk about the immorality of Bush's "values"... If he actually did lose- Nov 4-20- Crisis Papers
KERRY's
COMEBACK - Washington
Dispatch - Kerry
outmatched the accidental President
in the first debate but he could have put
him away had he concentrated on Bush's greatest
weakness- his pathological dishonesty; With
evaluation of all debates, and strategy-
Oct 2-16
HOWARD
DEAN and the WORLD - (columnized
doc) MIRROR
Dems are asking who can stop Dean,
but they should ask, should we even try? Dean's world
view is
solidly in the mainstream,
inc. Iraq- increasingly strident attacks on him are
sign of desperation, but may doom Party candidate;
With analysis of Dean's foreign policy; inc.
questioning him and reporting from NH; AUDIO of NH
Town Meeting
TALK SHOW
(audio) on subject w Barry Farber- 38min- Jan 6
JFK- LINGERING SHADOWS - 40 years ago the greatest murder
mystery
of our time occured and the echos still reverberate;
The conspiracy theories defeat themselves,
multiplying like mutant strains, till the
truth itself is just another aberation, another
chip in a pile of chips; With interview
of
historical
conspiracist - Nov 17
JACKSON DESERVES
A SEAT
AT THE TABLE - Seattle Times- Jackson's
energy,
eloquence, careful reasoned
arguments, + superb performance in 1988 debates
has earned him a shot at Sec. State
MOVIES + TV
Molodist Film Festival Opening - Review: Walesa: Man of Hope - Kyiv Post LOCAL
The 43rd Molodist Film Festival, one of oldest and biggest (42yr, 250-300 movies) in Europe, opened on Saturday with a premier of Walesa, the inspirational tale of the indomitable man who helped bring down an empire. - Oct 19, 3013
ICELANDIC TRIALS-- In the News - Kurmakur made EVEREST5 Kyiv Post Two Icelandic films by cinematographer Bergsteinn Bjorgulfsson and director Batasar Kurmakur made as splash at Molodist: The Deep, an incredible true tale of shipwreck survival in the Arctic, and XL, a kaleidoscopic 60-ish story of the vast excesses of a Parliament Deputy. LOCAL - Oct 21, 2013 5 - I met expedition leaders + fatalities Scott Fischer + Rob Hall climbing Mt Rainier in '87 (huge volcano on Windows 8 that looms over Seattle), where they were Mtn guides/rangers
MOVIE REVIEW- Tombstone-- Moscow Radisson Slavjansky Hotel- Moscow News-Jan 94 HTML vers.
PLUS GRAPHIC of BOTH
A BOY NAMED SUE - (Mos News- Feb 94) -scroll right- Funny reflection on Russian penchants + redundancy of names: 60% of country are Sergei, Oleg, Lena, + Natasha; COMMUNIST names- Tractor, Vladlen; Persecution of "unsafe" names so better stick w old stalwarts HTML Vers.
MOVIE REVIEWS- Internet Movie Database- City of God (2002), Badlands (1973) , The Bear (1990), Dolores Claiborne (1995), The Jackal (1997), Magnolia (1999), The Omen (1976), Summer Lovers (1982), Zulu (1964), Life of David Gale (2003), Mission to Mars (2000), The Invisibles (1999), Max Headroom (1987), The Anderson Tapes (1971)
Altered States - RI Times
SNOW ON THE TUBE - scroll right (Jackson Hole News- Weekly column on television- funny, hip, snide reflections on trends, shows, movies, + actors
FUNNY (see boy named sue + snow on tube above)
THE BLUES CALLING- (Moscow News Nov 5,93) Funny take on diseased Moscow phone system and a listing of it's many ailments
