Peacenik drove Peacenik's son, Peacenik Jr. to Peacenik Jr.'s music lesson last night. On the way there Peacenik Jr. declared that Peacenik Jr. thought that...cough.....cough....Peacenik Jr. had the swine flu. Peacenik Jr.looked up swine flu....cough...cough...symptoms on the Internet.
Peacenik Jr. had all the symptoms save two. According to some sources that is pretty conclusive. Peacenik hopes Peacenik Jr. doesn't have swine flu. Peacenik thinks Peacenik Jr. didn't seem sick enough. Does Peacenik Jr. have the swine flu? Has Peacenik been exposed in a closed vehicle to a coughing swine flu victim? Will the swine flu vaccine be available soon enough? Should Peacenik isolate Peacenik's self?
Posted on: October 19, 2009 6:08 AM, by revere
Monday morning, start of week three of the official flu season (which began October 4). CDC's scientific spokeswoman on the flu, Dr. Anne Schuchat has said we are seeing "unprecedented" flu activity for this time of year, including an unusual toll in the pediatric age group. What does "unprecedented" mean? It's not very specific on what precedents are included, but if we confine ourselves to the three years before this one, we can get a good idea of just how unusual this flu season is. This week CDC unveiled a new graphic for their Emerging Infections Program (EIP) (I liked the old one better; this one is not very legible), the component of the surveillance system that tracks laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations in children and adults. It collects data in 60 counties covering 12 metropolitan areas of 10 states (San Francisco CA, Denver CO, New Haven CT, Atlanta GA, Baltimore MD, Minneapolis/St. Paul MN, Albuquerque NM, Las Cruces, NM, Albany NY, Rochester NY, Portland OR, and Nashville TN). It appears CDC has added six new sites (in IA, ID, MI, ND, OK and SD), but the data here are for the original 10 so comparisons can be made. This is a passive surveillance system that reviews hospital laboratory, admissions and infection logs at sites chosen to allow calculation of rates per population in the hospital catchment areas. Here is what the graphic looks like as of last Friday:
Read on...
10/19/09
No One Wants to Die From Dinner -- Here's a Quick Primer on What's Safe to Eat and Who's Looking Out for Your Health
This is a pretty scary list. Peacenik has eaten everything on the list except ice cream in the last two months. Click on the link near the top of the article to see the scary 10.
When Peacenik buys a pre-packaged salad there is not much Peacenik can do but eat it. But what about packaged beans, or carrots, or spinich, or lettuce or Parisenne potatoes? Does Peacenik have to wash them before eating? Do you?
By Vanessa Barrington, EcoSalon. Posted October 17, 2009.
Thousands are dying every year from food-borne illness and we have a confusing morass of regulations and agencies charged with enforcing them. How to sort out the mess?
On the heels of the devastating article in the New York Times about a young woman who paid dearly for the horrifying practices and lack of oversight in the meat industry, the Center for Science in the Public Interest released a list of the top 10 riskiest foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Some of your favorite foods are on this list, including ice cream, berries and leafy greens, with tuna being the most surprising culprit. Though meat contains some of the most virulent contaminants, like the strain of E. coli that almost killed Stephanie Smith, it's missing from the list, because it isn't regulated by the FDA. It's regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Confused yet?
Read on...
When Peacenik buys a pre-packaged salad there is not much Peacenik can do but eat it. But what about packaged beans, or carrots, or spinich, or lettuce or Parisenne potatoes? Does Peacenik have to wash them before eating? Do you?
By Vanessa Barrington, EcoSalon. Posted October 17, 2009.
Thousands are dying every year from food-borne illness and we have a confusing morass of regulations and agencies charged with enforcing them. How to sort out the mess?
On the heels of the devastating article in the New York Times about a young woman who paid dearly for the horrifying practices and lack of oversight in the meat industry, the Center for Science in the Public Interest released a list of the top 10 riskiest foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Some of your favorite foods are on this list, including ice cream, berries and leafy greens, with tuna being the most surprising culprit. Though meat contains some of the most virulent contaminants, like the strain of E. coli that almost killed Stephanie Smith, it's missing from the list, because it isn't regulated by the FDA. It's regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Confused yet?
Read on...
Marching Toward Zombieland
For a couple of weeks Kunstler veered off into neo con land. Today Kunstler is talking about the banks. Peacenik doesn't know when speculating about something turn's into advocating something. But this article sounds incendiary. Or is it just a warning? Peacenik is glad Peacenik is not a banker.
By James Howard Kunstler
on October 19, 2009 7:23 AM
When sober-minded individuals begin to regard an enterprise within a nation as "an enemy of the people" you can bet that some serious blood is going to flow. This is now essentially the situation for the Goldman Sachs company, which last week announced third-quarter earnings of over $3 billion largely derived from converting zero percent loans from taxpayers into zero risk profits off of anything paying more than zero percent in interest, revenue, or dividends.
The "people" across this big country may not have a clue how any of this is done, and there may be much to fault them on from the care-and-feeding of their own bodies to the content of their dreams, but you can't argue with the fact that they are heavily armed to an extreme. And although it may be hard to measure with precision, one might venture to state that they are increasingly pissed off. How else explain popular entertainments like "Zombieland?"
Read on...
By James Howard Kunstler
on October 19, 2009 7:23 AM
When sober-minded individuals begin to regard an enterprise within a nation as "an enemy of the people" you can bet that some serious blood is going to flow. This is now essentially the situation for the Goldman Sachs company, which last week announced third-quarter earnings of over $3 billion largely derived from converting zero percent loans from taxpayers into zero risk profits off of anything paying more than zero percent in interest, revenue, or dividends.
The "people" across this big country may not have a clue how any of this is done, and there may be much to fault them on from the care-and-feeding of their own bodies to the content of their dreams, but you can't argue with the fact that they are heavily armed to an extreme. And although it may be hard to measure with precision, one might venture to state that they are increasingly pissed off. How else explain popular entertainments like "Zombieland?"
Read on...
Boston Antiwar Protest Draws from New England Region
This story from the Sunday Boston Globe talks about 40 nationwide anti-war protests. Wow, there were some anti-war protests. Peacenik casually paid attention to the news over the weekend and Peacenik didn't know there were any anti-war protests going on.
So Peacenik scanned some websites this morning. The Washington post had zero weekend or Monday stories about the anti-war protests. The New York Times had zero weekend or Monday stories about the anti-war protests. The Toronto Star had zero weekend or Monday stories about anti-war protests.
But wait. The Sunday LA Times had a story about anti-war protests. A story about a non-stop protest in Oregon that has been going on for eight years. Big Deal.
Were there lots of anti-war protests on the weekend? Were any of them big? Where were they? Peacenik doesn't know. The mainstream media doesn't care.
Demonstrators in the pink in Copley Square
![[Demonstrators gathered in Boston's Copley Square yesterday to protest the wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq. (David L. Ryan/ Globe Staff) ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_su7xqGLVKAhBDIq2eA06rOOAQ6S0NidC_ga3aL0EZdzxcVSibA9E_OHj90BbjpqCk4d8xnoPTBozKqpCgw0PmyS2n6Tn6qxFFVrN16-kC9zCy03ZmLEuefiPcAcKdAtmSxog1s=s0-d "boston-peace.jpg")
Demonstrators gathered in Boston's Copley Square yesterday to protest the wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq. (David L. Ryan/ Globe Staff)
by Jeannie Nuss
Pink wigged-protesters and hundreds of other demonstrators wielding posters calling for peace converged on Copley Square in an antiwar rally yesterday
The regional gathering in Boston - one of more than 40 nationwide - brought protesters from throughout New England to shout, sing, and march against conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq.
Karyn Savage, a 26-year-old mother of two from central Maine, clutched a magenta poster covered in glitter glue and peace signs that read: "War is Expensive, Peace is Priceless.''
Read on...
So Peacenik scanned some websites this morning. The Washington post had zero weekend or Monday stories about the anti-war protests. The New York Times had zero weekend or Monday stories about the anti-war protests. The Toronto Star had zero weekend or Monday stories about anti-war protests.
But wait. The Sunday LA Times had a story about anti-war protests. A story about a non-stop protest in Oregon that has been going on for eight years. Big Deal.
Were there lots of anti-war protests on the weekend? Were any of them big? Where were they? Peacenik doesn't know. The mainstream media doesn't care.
Demonstrators in the pink in Copley Square
Demonstrators gathered in Boston's Copley Square yesterday to protest the wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq. (David L. Ryan/ Globe Staff)by Jeannie Nuss
Pink wigged-protesters and hundreds of other demonstrators wielding posters calling for peace converged on Copley Square in an antiwar rally yesterday
The regional gathering in Boston - one of more than 40 nationwide - brought protesters from throughout New England to shout, sing, and march against conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq.
Karyn Savage, a 26-year-old mother of two from central Maine, clutched a magenta poster covered in glitter glue and peace signs that read: "War is Expensive, Peace is Priceless.''
Read on...
10/16/09
Punditman busy
punditman says...that punditman has no time to post for the time being. Punditman's life is total chaos because Bunnie and he are trying to sell the house. Punditman is continually cleaning, tidying up and then getting kicked out for showings and thus goofing off in coffee shops and friends' places. Punditman and Bunnie's dwelling has never been so neat and orderly. Bunnie's kids have never been so well disciplined. Punditman wonders how people can do this for months on end. One week so far and Punditman is halfway round the bend.
Peacenik is in charge of the blog.
Peacenik is in charge of the blog.
MSM Reporting as Propaganda (No one Minds our New Financial Masters)
Peacenik thinks this article is worth reading. It offers an explanation for why the sheeple aren't in the streets protesting.
The sheeple have been trained to not protest. But the sheeple haven't been trained to go hungry, or homeless or hopeless. The protests will come. Too bad they're 30 years too late.
by Yves
I’m of two minds about taking up this theme, since stating what ought to be obvious but is nevertheless unpleasant and inconvenient is apt to get one branded as lunatic fringe.
Access journalism has created what is in many respects a controlled press. And that matters because people are far more suggestible than most of us wants to admit to ourselves.
Let us start with the cheerleading in the media over Wall Street, and in particular, Goldman earnings. Matt Taibbi, in “Good News on Wall Street Means… What Exactly?,” tells us why this is so distorted:
It’s literally amazing to me that our press corps hasn’t yet managed to draw a distinction between good news on Wall Street for companies like Goldman, and good news in reality.
I watched carefully the reporting of the Dow breaking 10,000 the other day and not anywhere did I see a major news organization include a paragraph of the “On the other hand, so fucking what?” sort, one that might point out that unemployment is still at a staggering high, foreclosures are racing along at a terrifying clip, and real people are struggling more than ever. In fact the dichotomy between the economic health of ordinary people and the traditional “market indicators” is not merely a non-story, it is a sort of taboo — unmentionable in major news coverage.
Read on...
The sheeple have been trained to not protest. But the sheeple haven't been trained to go hungry, or homeless or hopeless. The protests will come. Too bad they're 30 years too late.
by Yves
I’m of two minds about taking up this theme, since stating what ought to be obvious but is nevertheless unpleasant and inconvenient is apt to get one branded as lunatic fringe.
Access journalism has created what is in many respects a controlled press. And that matters because people are far more suggestible than most of us wants to admit to ourselves.
Let us start with the cheerleading in the media over Wall Street, and in particular, Goldman earnings. Matt Taibbi, in “Good News on Wall Street Means… What Exactly?,” tells us why this is so distorted:
It’s literally amazing to me that our press corps hasn’t yet managed to draw a distinction between good news on Wall Street for companies like Goldman, and good news in reality.
I watched carefully the reporting of the Dow breaking 10,000 the other day and not anywhere did I see a major news organization include a paragraph of the “On the other hand, so fucking what?” sort, one that might point out that unemployment is still at a staggering high, foreclosures are racing along at a terrifying clip, and real people are struggling more than ever. In fact the dichotomy between the economic health of ordinary people and the traditional “market indicators” is not merely a non-story, it is a sort of taboo — unmentionable in major news coverage.
Read on...
Get Out of Afghanistan Now
Sounds like a plan to Peacenik. Nothing positive can be accomplished by the occupation of Afghanistan. The idea that the west could impose a western democracy on Afghanistan is as ridiculous as the idea that the Soviet Union could impose a communist government.
Unfortunately countries sometimes get the governments they deserve. Does Canada deserve the present Harper government? Canada doesn't but, if the sheeple don't wake up, and if the Liberals or NDP or Greens don't get their act together Canada might end up with more of Harper. But Afghanistan has always been tribal. And looks like it always will be. Get out of Afghanistan now. Bring the troops home now.
By G. Pascal Zachary, In These Times. Posted October 15, 2009.
The case for an immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Saigon being evacuated
For all the talk of polarization and partisanship in U.S. politics, what's remarkable is the extent to which President Obama has continued policies and practices of his predecessor, George Bush, in domestic economics and military affairs.
Economically, Obama has continued the bailout of Wall Street, maintained Bush-era tax cuts, pursued "stimulus" through large deficit spending and re-appointed Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman who was a Bush favorite.
In defense, Obama has broken with Bush on a few critical matters, notably by canceling expensive weapons systems and dropping (in September) an aggressive plan to impose a "missile shield" in Eastern Europe that Russia intensely opposed. Yet Obama has carried over Bush's secretary of defense, Robert Gates; essentially stuck with Bush timetables on Iraq; and maintained historically record levels of Pentagon spending. The president has continued the war in Afghanistan, raising the number of American combat troops. In a speech on August 17, Obama even tried to construct a moral basis for the war, described it as "not a war of choice," but "a war of necessity." And as a necessary war, "a war worth fighting," Obama has declared that only through the democratization of Afghanistan can the terrorist threat to the United States--in the form of al Qaeda--be eliminated from the country.
Read on...
Unfortunately countries sometimes get the governments they deserve. Does Canada deserve the present Harper government? Canada doesn't but, if the sheeple don't wake up, and if the Liberals or NDP or Greens don't get their act together Canada might end up with more of Harper. But Afghanistan has always been tribal. And looks like it always will be. Get out of Afghanistan now. Bring the troops home now.
By G. Pascal Zachary, In These Times. Posted October 15, 2009.
The case for an immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Saigon being evacuated
For all the talk of polarization and partisanship in U.S. politics, what's remarkable is the extent to which President Obama has continued policies and practices of his predecessor, George Bush, in domestic economics and military affairs.
Economically, Obama has continued the bailout of Wall Street, maintained Bush-era tax cuts, pursued "stimulus" through large deficit spending and re-appointed Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman who was a Bush favorite.
In defense, Obama has broken with Bush on a few critical matters, notably by canceling expensive weapons systems and dropping (in September) an aggressive plan to impose a "missile shield" in Eastern Europe that Russia intensely opposed. Yet Obama has carried over Bush's secretary of defense, Robert Gates; essentially stuck with Bush timetables on Iraq; and maintained historically record levels of Pentagon spending. The president has continued the war in Afghanistan, raising the number of American combat troops. In a speech on August 17, Obama even tried to construct a moral basis for the war, described it as "not a war of choice," but "a war of necessity." And as a necessary war, "a war worth fighting," Obama has declared that only through the democratization of Afghanistan can the terrorist threat to the United States--in the form of al Qaeda--be eliminated from the country.
Read on...
10/15/09
The media and the warmongering scale
Whats the media saying about Iran today? Is it balanced? Is it fair? Is it true? Does it advance the cause of peace?
Peacenik took a quick spin through a few websites. This is what Peacenik found.
Cripple Iran to save it
This gem is written by none other that Dick Cheney's former national security adviser. The title says it all. And he is serious. No irony intended. And this appears in the Los Angles Times. 10 out of 10 on warmongering scale.
Next Peacenik visited the New York Times.
Some See Iran as Ready for Nuclear Deal
This story rehashes the nuclear story. It does quote intelligence reports saying Iran is working on building a bomb. But at least it mentions a possible deal. This one is only 7 out 10 on the warmongering scale.
The Washington Post has a small story today.
How to Engage Iran
Curious title considering the conclusion is to not shake had with a man with blood on his hands. 8 out of 10 on the warmongering scale.
Last stop the Jerusalem Post.
'Israel may attack Iran after December'
What can you say? 10 out of 10 on the warmongering scale.
So there you have a quick scan of the mainstream media. A good day for warmongerers.
Peacenik took a quick spin through a few websites. This is what Peacenik found.
Cripple Iran to save it
This gem is written by none other that Dick Cheney's former national security adviser. The title says it all. And he is serious. No irony intended. And this appears in the Los Angles Times. 10 out of 10 on warmongering scale.
Next Peacenik visited the New York Times.
Some See Iran as Ready for Nuclear Deal
This story rehashes the nuclear story. It does quote intelligence reports saying Iran is working on building a bomb. But at least it mentions a possible deal. This one is only 7 out 10 on the warmongering scale.
The Washington Post has a small story today.
How to Engage Iran
Curious title considering the conclusion is to not shake had with a man with blood on his hands. 8 out of 10 on the warmongering scale.
Last stop the Jerusalem Post.
'Israel may attack Iran after December'
What can you say? 10 out of 10 on the warmongering scale.
So there you have a quick scan of the mainstream media. A good day for warmongerers.
Vultch USA
Yes the bailed out banks of Wall Street are rolling in dough. The bonus pool this year will be the biggest ever. The DOW is over 10,000. And real estate in Canada is still blowing a big bubble.
Garth, who just decided not to run for the liberals in the next election, thinks the Canadian bubble is just about to pop. Read his numbers. Its hard to disagree. Peacenik doesn't.
by Garth Turner
There are 7,952 houses for sale in Jacksonville. That Florida city has a population of about 820,000 and an average temperature of 76 degrees.
By way of contrast, the GTA has 15,984 properties currently for sale and 5.5 million people living on the north shore of Lake Ontario. This week the average temperature is 7 Celsius. I mean, what’s to compare?
Other than this: There’s one house for sale in Jacksonville for every 100 people. In Toronto, there’s only one active listing for every 345 residents. And, given the laws of supply and demand, you’d expect real estate to cost more in Toronto, even if the climate sucks. And they both do.
Read on...
Garth, who just decided not to run for the liberals in the next election, thinks the Canadian bubble is just about to pop. Read his numbers. Its hard to disagree. Peacenik doesn't.
by Garth Turner
Toll of the loonie:
Manufacturing takes a big dive.
There are 7,952 houses for sale in Jacksonville. That Florida city has a population of about 820,000 and an average temperature of 76 degrees.
By way of contrast, the GTA has 15,984 properties currently for sale and 5.5 million people living on the north shore of Lake Ontario. This week the average temperature is 7 Celsius. I mean, what’s to compare?
Other than this: There’s one house for sale in Jacksonville for every 100 people. In Toronto, there’s only one active listing for every 345 residents. And, given the laws of supply and demand, you’d expect real estate to cost more in Toronto, even if the climate sucks. And they both do.
Read on...
10/14/09
Foreign Policy Hawks Launch New Campaign Against Obama
The neocons are like the Terminator. They will never go away, and they will never give up. And of course they all have unlimited access to the public airwaves and print media.
Now watch the usual suspects flock to "Keep America Safe" Woosley, Lieberman, Gaffney and all the rest. Peacenik thought that the neocons were on the run after the debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan. But failure doesn't deter them. A complete lack of credibility doesn't deter them. The media will keep them on life support. And they will keep the pressure on Obama. No one wants to run for office on a "soft on terror" or "soft on security" platform. So America will keep fighting wars, and occupying the world until its last dollar is spent.
by Jim Lobe
WASHINGTON - Just days after the Nobel Committee in Oslo awarded Barack Obama its coveted peace prize, two of Washington's most prominent foreign policy hawks launched a new group and ad campaign designed to depict the president as weak and defend the more aggressive policies of his predecessor, George W. Bush.
The new group, Keep America Safe, was co-founded by neo-conservative heavyweight William Kristol, who also edits The Weekly Standard; and Elisabeth (Liz) Cheney, the outspoken daughter of Bush's vice president, Dick Cheney, who is believed to harbour political ambitions of her own.
Read on...
Now watch the usual suspects flock to "Keep America Safe" Woosley, Lieberman, Gaffney and all the rest. Peacenik thought that the neocons were on the run after the debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan. But failure doesn't deter them. A complete lack of credibility doesn't deter them. The media will keep them on life support. And they will keep the pressure on Obama. No one wants to run for office on a "soft on terror" or "soft on security" platform. So America will keep fighting wars, and occupying the world until its last dollar is spent.
by Jim Lobe
WASHINGTON - Just days after the Nobel Committee in Oslo awarded Barack Obama its coveted peace prize, two of Washington's most prominent foreign policy hawks launched a new group and ad campaign designed to depict the president as weak and defend the more aggressive policies of his predecessor, George W. Bush.
The new group, Keep America Safe, was co-founded by neo-conservative heavyweight William Kristol, who also edits The Weekly Standard; and Elisabeth (Liz) Cheney, the outspoken daughter of Bush's vice president, Dick Cheney, who is believed to harbour political ambitions of her own.
Read on...
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