Journal ISSN 1078-1935 – Page 2505 – Public Intelligence Blog

By Cynthia Boaz

Truth Out, July 4, 2011

There is nothing more sacred to the maintenance of democracy than a free press. Access to comprehensive, accurate and quality information is essential to the manifestation of Socratic citizenship – the society characterized by a civically engaged, well-informed and socially invested populace. Thus, to the degree that access to quality information is willfully or unintentionally obstructed, democracy itself is degraded.

It is ironic that in the era of 24-hour cable news networks and “reality” programming, the news-to-fluff ratio and overall veracity of information has declined precipitously. Take the fact Americans now spend on average about 50 hours a week using various forms of media, while at the same time cultural literacy levels hover just above the gutter.

Reprinted in Al-Jazeera….

Phi Beta Iota: Although the author focuses on Fox News, all of the propaganda techniques are common to the mainstream media that refused fully paid advertisements against the elective war on Iraq (NYT, LAT, WP) as well as Huffington Post and other minor-league leftist outlets. “Idiot America” is the title of a serious book. This condition will persist as long as the government–and the country as a whole–lack the integrity to restore truth to all dialog and deliberation.

2011/07/05

Dolphin: Move to Amend (End Corporate “Personality”)

03 Economy, 07 Other Atrocities, 11 Society, Commercial Intelligence, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, Cultural Intelligence, Ethics

Move to Amend: coalition to abolish corporate personhood

Cory Doctorow at 8:06 AM Saturday, Jul 2, 2011

A new coalition called Move To Amend is working to abolish corporate personhood in the US; they're working at the local and state level to pass laws to undo the work of Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruling that equated money with speech.

Boulder is not alone in this fight, nor is it the first community to consider such a resolution. In April, voters in Madison and Dane County, WI overwhelmingly approved measures calling for an end to corporate personhood and the legal status of money as speech by 84% and 78% respectively. Similar resolutions have been passed in nearly thirty other cities and counties. Resolutions have also been introduced in the state legislatures of both Vermont and Washington..

Chuck Spinney: Why US War Machine Goes On…and On…

07 Other Atrocities, 10 Security, Budgets & Funding, Corruption, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, Cultural Intelligence, IO Deeds of War, Military, Officers Call, Peace Intelligence

editor spinney time — Chuck Spinney Sounds Off....

Important note to readers: This differs from the published version. I made one really dumb error (bold below) and corrected a few typos and added some hotlinks to aid referencing. I apologize for my inexcusable mistake. Chuck Spinney

July 5, 2011

Perpetual Motion

Why the War Machine Keeps on Running

By FRANKLIN C. SPINNEY, Counterpunch

http://www.counterpunch.org/spinney07052011.html

Villefranche, France.

The United States has always meddled in other people's affairs. For those readers who think this statement is an exaggeration, I urge them to peruse the chronology of interventions compiled by the Congressional Research Service. This historical predilection for meddling, however, grew enormously in depth and breadth during the Cold War, and to make matters worse, it is now clear that it exploded after the end of the Cold War.

Full story with correction below the line.

Continue reading “Chuck Spinney: Why US War Machine Goes On…and On…”

2011/07/05

Michael Ostrolenk: Across the USA Call to End Militarism

04 Inter-State Conflict, 07 Other Atrocities, 10 Security, 11 Society, Advanced Cyber/IO, Civil Society, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, Cultural Intelligence, Ethics, Military, Officers Call, Peace Intelligence

Americans from Across the Political Spectrum Call for End to U.S. Militarism

Posted on July 5, 2011 by comehomeamerica

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 5th 2011

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Kevin B. Zeese
KBZeese at Gmail.com, 518-543-6920

Americans from Across the Political Spectrum Call for End to U.S. Militarism

Washington, DC: Putting aside political differences on other issues, Americans from across the political spectrum have sent a letter to the president and congress urging an end to U.S. militarism. The letter, spearheaded by Come Home America, cites a combination of events that present a “historic opportunity to redirect U.S. foreign policy down the pathways of peace, liberty, justice, respect for community, obedience to the rule of law and fiscal responsibility.” The full letter with all signers can be seen at www.ComeHomeAmerica.US.

Read full release…

2011/07/05

Tom Atlee: Global Interdependence Movements Et Al

Advanced Cyber/IO, Blog Wisdom, Collective Intelligence, Communities of Practice, Cultural Intelligence, Earth Intelligence, Ethics, Gift Intelligence, Peace Intelligence

GLOBAL INTERDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS, DECLARATIONS AND DAYS

by Tom Atlee

It is so good to celebrate INdependence Days in the United States and the many other countries that have successfully gained and defended their independence from colonial rule.

For countries as well as individuals, independence is a dramatic move from dependence into a more self-defined, self-created life.

The next developmental step takes us into greater INTERdependence – bringing ourselves into increasingly mutual, peer, give-and-take relationships with others.

Continue reading “Tom Atlee: Global Interdependence Movements Et Al”

2011/07/052011/07/05

Howard Rheingold: Cooperation Theory

Advanced Cyber/IO, Articles & Chapters, Book Lists, Briefings (Core), Communities of Practice, Cultural Intelligence, Ethics, Gift Intelligence, Peace Intelligence, Policies

Introduction to Cooperation Theory

A six week course using asynchronous forums, blogs, wikis, mindmaps, social bookmarks, synchronous audio, video, chat, and Twitter to introduce the fundamentals of an interdisciplinary study of cooperation: social dilemmas, institutions for collective action, the commons, evolution of cooperation, technologies of cooperation, and cooperative arrangements in biology from cells to ecosystems.

If you are interested in signing up, contact howard@rheingold.com

Learning objectives

About this course: Expect participative and collaborative learning

Schedule

Missions

Below the line: synopsis of course with many open links.

Continue reading “Howard Rheingold: Cooperation Theory”

2011/07/04

Ron Paul: From Fringe to Center Court

11 Society, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, Cultural Intelligence, Ethics

QUOTE: “Remember, the media did its worst against Ronald Reagan in 1980, calling him a racist and a warmonger and he eventually prevailed. His cause was to save America from totalitarian communism. Our cause is to save it from ourselves.”

Ron Paul: US Should Declare Bankruptcy

Marijuana bill officially introduced to Congress by Ron Paul, Barney Frank

Ron Paul: Obama Violated War Powers Resolution

Ron Paul’s Surprisingly Lucid Solution to the Debt Ceiling Impasse

Google News Quotes from Ron Paul