Portside

The reality of anthropogenic climate change is hardly an issue among climate scientists any more, but the spinmeisters on the payroll of the oil industry keep it alive in the "national conversation." One of their standard gambits is to point to record cold weather, as occurred this winter in much of the United States, and chortle, "What warming?"

What's needed in Syria is not military intervention, but a global peace offensive.

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The government has everything to lose from violence in the demonstrations, and the opposition has something to gain. Protests are initiated by ultra-right factions of the opposition in the hope of an eventual systemic overhaul. When is it considered legitimate to try and overthrow a democratically-elected government? In Washington, the answer has always been simple: when the U.S. government says it is.

Nuns, landowners and environmentalists take on the union-backed Bluegrass Pipeline.

Protests and violence between government and opposition reveal weaknesses and opportunities on both sides.

Even if Walker emerges from the e-mail release unscathed, he faces an additional inquiry from state prosecutors, who are believed to be looking into whether his successful campaign in a 2012 recall election illegally coordinated with independent conservative groups that poured millions of dollars into Wisconsin. That inquiry could create political challenges if it hobbles key campaign aides as Walker gears up for an expected vigorous reelection challenge in November.

This is not a retributionist fantasy. This is simply following a pattern of action and reaction through to its logical endpoint.

“Would I be standing here if it wasn't for my professors? How come my professors are getting paid less than McDonald's managers? I'm sure you all know the university has been making $250 million in profit every year for the past four years. Why can't just five percent of that go to our professors?”

Women in the image machine; Arab idol gets the boot; French cultural workers throw down; Civil rights heroes digitized; AIPAC takes a blow