Liu Dali is a Chinese citizen who bravely sought to petition the government over rampant corruption. The Chinese government responded by throwing him into a corrupt prison system where he did manual labor for 12 hours of day and then was forced to play online games to build up credits that were sold by prison officials for cash. If he failed to make his quota of game credits, he was beaten. This may seem like a Monty Python skit but it is deadly serious.
Continue reading “Gold Farming in The Worker’s Paradise: Chinese Prisons Forcing Prisoners To Play Online Games To Sell Credits”
Category: Politics
There is a fascinating disconnect in this week after Israeli Prime Minister received 29 standing ovations in Congress in defying Obama’s recent Middle East initiative but, according to a poll this week, 57 percent of Israeli voters supported Obama’s initiative.
Continue reading “Poll-ar Opposites: Majority of Israelis Support Obama While Majority of Congress Supports Netanyahu”
The attempt by Texans to resist the controversial TSA security measures, including groping adults and children, has resulted in an astonishing threat by U.S. Attorney John E. Murphy who is threatening to turn the entire Lone Star state into a no-fly zone if a bill passes the legislature. HB 1937 allows for “prosecution and punishment for the offense of official oppression by the intrusive touching of persons seeking access to public buildings and transportation; providing penalties.” With the return of stagecoaches to Texas, you may want to book now — seats are scarce and there are a lot of blackout dates.
Continue reading “Obama Administration Threatens To Turn Texas Into No-Fly Zone”
We have been following the ban imposed on conservative radio host Michael Savage by England — barring him from entry into the country. England now appears to have reaffirmed the decision and accuses Savage of promising to retract some of his statements and failing to do so. While I strongly disagree with many of Savage’s statements, I view the ban as part of a disturbing trend limiting free speech in the West and particularly in England.
Continue reading “England Reaffirms Ban on Radio Host Michael Savage”
Kansas state GOP Rep. Pete DeGraaf (Mulvane) has either a perverse view of rape or roadside repairs. I am not sure which but I would not recommend either a long trip or a rape counseling session with him. DeGraaf recently opposed a rape exception to a legislative ban on insurance for abortions. He explained that rape is really like a flat tire. He appears to have misunderstood Goodyear’s slogan: “Should a Woman Have to Worry About Tires? Goodyear Says No!
When Snow Say No, Goodyear says Go!..”
Continue reading “Roadside Rape Kit? Kansas Legislator Compares Rape To Flat Tire”
Minnesota has seen the best and worst of its society in the debate of a constitutional amendment to limit marriage to heterosexual couples. The best was Sen. John Kiesel, who was a profile of courage. The worst was the pastor invited to give the opening prayer, Bradlee Dean, a profile of perfidy (as in a deliberate breach of faith when you agree to give a nondenominational prayer and then give a sectarian diatribe). Dean’s record of hateful and bigoted statements was well-known before he was invited to the legislature to start off the day of debate on the rights of homosexual citizens to marry.
Continue reading “Meet Bradlee Dean: Profile of Perfidy”
Politicians in Texas are addressing what appears to be a pressing threat to public order: tall fish tales. Texas Sen. Glenn Hegar has introduced a bill to make it a crime to misrepresent the size or weight of a fish caught in a tournament. It is the latest example of the criminalization of American society.
Continue reading “Liar Law: Texas Makes Tall Fish Tales A Felony”
At a time of intense intolerance and homophobia in American politics, Minnesota GOP Rep. John Kriesel took the floor to beg his colleagues not to vote for a constitutional amendment that would ban same sex marriage. Kriesel’s simple words and humanity offer a true profile of courage to politicians across the country.
Continue reading “Meet Rep. John Kriesel: A Profile of Courage”
While the United States and its allies continue to pour billions into Afghanistan, the widespread corruption continues unabated and unashamedly. The most recent such report is coming from the Department for International Development in England where it has found that hundreds of “nation-building” projects were completely fraudulent loans to conceal thefts.
Continue reading “Kabul Bank Officials Cited In Secret Report For Stealing A Billion Dollars in Aid”
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may have been blocked in his effort to become oil minister, but he is still angling for national meteorologist. In a speech this weekend, Ahmadinejad accused Europe of emptying clouds and depriving Iran of rain.
Continue reading “Cloudy With A Chance Of Jihad: Ahmadinejad Accuses Europe of “Emptying Clouds””
The Dutch Catholic Church and the Salesian order are under fire this week after it was disclosed that a priest not only served on the board of a pro-pedophilia organization but defended adult-child sex. To make matters worse, high ranking officials were apparently aware of the 73-year-old priest’s activities. The priest is known only as “Father Van B.” Moreover, Superior Jos Claes says that he does not believe that such activities would present a serious problem for the priest.
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
President Obama’s middle east speech contained this exact quote: “The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.”
So started the insanity. The fact that this has been the U.S. policy over several administrations seems to be lost on the outraged.
Continue reading “The Right’s Nutty Reaction to Obama’s Middle East Speech”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
Republicans have decided that their talking points should be about the national debt instead of, say, job creation. To that end, Rep. Paul Ryan, on one of those Sunday morning talk shows, said “We need to address the drivers of our debt.”
That’s a great idea.
Continue reading “Rep. Paul Ryan Wants to Address the Drivers of Our Debt”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is the subject of much speculation as a potential contender for the GOP presidential nomination. The former Eli Lilly executive turned politician has taken the conservative state to even lower lows of right-wing foolishness by sponsoring legislation to deny children of undocumented workers in-state tuition rates and increasing fines on Indiana employers who hired their parents. Daniels is also no foe of big business as he famously leased the Indiana Toll Road for 75 years to a Spanish conglomerate for $3.85 Billion dollars.
Continue reading “Republican Presidential Hopeful Loses Bout To Gym Door”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Former President George W. Bush has a strange way of keeping a low profile. Following his reported sore ego for not being afforded enough credit in the demise of Bin Laden, Bush declined an invitation to go to New York and appear with President Obama at “ground zero.” The ex-President, it was said, wanted to keep a “low profile.” That desire didn’t stop him though from traveling to New York the following week and giving three speeches to hedge fund managers for a cool $450,000.00.