My name is Russ Baker. For more than two decades I have been an investigative journalist, doing what I believed journalists were supposed to do—seek the truth and publish nothing less. Over the years, however, I have learned how the media gatekeepers, both “mainstream” and “alternative,” will not allow the biggest, most disturbing revelations to see the light of day.
Who What Why ?
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Federal Appeals Panel Upholds CA ‘Sanctuary State’ Law
Soumis par Aggregation le mar, 04/23/2019 - 12:36Revealed: The US Military’s 36 Code-Named Operations in Africa (Chris)
Blue States Are Banding Together to Sidestep the Electoral College
Soumis par Aggregation le mar, 04/23/2019 - 07:08The 2016 presidential campaign was historically unprecedented in a number of ways, not the least of which was that the losing candidate got nearly three million more popular votes than the winner. Ever since November 2016, national Democrats have been scrutinizing ways to take full advantage of Hillary Clinton’s popular vote victory and make it work for them in 2020.
20 Years On, the Background Check System Continues to Miss Dangerous Gun Buyers
Soumis par Aggregation le lun, 04/22/2019 - 12:41DHS Is Refusing to Investigate Hack of Voting Machines (Chris)
Florida Seeks to Make Sharing Footage of Mass Shootings Illegal
Soumis par Aggregation le lun, 04/22/2019 - 07:00Lawmakers in Florida are seeking to strike a balance between protecting the families of the victims of mass shootings and protecting the media’s ability to accurately report on the events.
The Adventures of Baron Trumphausen
Soumis par Aggregation le dim, 04/21/2019 - 11:58It is simply impossible to read the Mueller report and not come away with the certainty that this administration is the most (morally) corrupt and dysfunctional in US history, and that it is headed by a president who was only saved from prosecution because the people working for him routinely had the good sense to disregard his orders.
Life by Chocolate
Soumis par Aggregation le sam, 04/20/2019 - 07:00Deep down, many of us have always known that chocolate is the answer to all our problems… a bad hair day, an IRS audit, a broken toe. Some college students, however, are hoping to raise that sentiment to a new level.
The Mueller Report: More Disquieting Insights
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/19/2019 - 19:34It takes many hours to read the Mueller report, but the deeper you dig, the more arresting insights and intriguing plot twists you find.One surprising insight: Many of the players in the Trump campaign appear to be apolitical. They don’t grasp for power; they seek what’s “good for business,” in the words of former campaign chair Paul Manafort.
Case in Point: Carter Page
Beginning on page 95, the report recounts the saga of Carter Page, candidate Trump’s foreign policy adviser.Facebook Doesn’t Seem to Understand Privacy or Security
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/19/2019 - 12:59‘Armed Fascist Militia’ Accused by ACLU of Making Illegal Arrests at Border (Chris)
The Mueller Report: Further Proof That a Savior Isn’t Coming
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/19/2019 - 07:00According to Sarah Kendzior, the Mueller Report doesn’t even scratch the surface of what’s been happening.In this week’s WhoWhatWhy podcast, Kendzior, the no-holds-barred commentator, calls special counsel Robert Mueller incompetent.
The Mueller Report: The First Hundred Pages
Soumis par Aggregation le jeu, 04/18/2019 - 17:44It is nearly as long and as chock-full of Russian names as any novel by Tolstoy. It is such good reading that it should not be left to the pundits to digest. Dive right in and you’ll almost immediately come up with intriguing tidbits.
First, there’s a “caveat emptor” message from the author:
Gun Control Group Seeks ‘2nd Amendment Sanctuary’ Records
Soumis par Aggregation le jeu, 04/18/2019 - 12:48Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Is Trying to Delay Her Trial (Reader Steve)
Youth Struggle With After-Effects of Gun Violence
Soumis par Aggregation le jeu, 04/18/2019 - 07:00Every year an estimated 3 million children witness gun violence — and the impacts can last a lifetime. Lizzie Eaton knows this all too well.Eaton is one of the high school students from Parkland, FL, who are fanning out to share with the rest of the country what they’ve learned about gun violence.“There’s no way to prepare for a tragedy like this,” she said.
Wall Street Reckons With Climate Science
Soumis par Aggregation le mer, 04/17/2019 - 13:11Climate Change to Blame for Maria’s Extreme Rainfall (Rebecca)
Soros, DHS Whistleblowers Urge More Truth-Telling
Soumis par Aggregation le mer, 04/17/2019 - 07:00For whistleblowers, it’s the Emmys, the Grammys, and the Oscars rolled into one. The Ridenhour Prizes mark the one time each year that they and their supporters are celebrated for their important and often dangerous work.The ceremony, founded in 2003 and held in Washington at the National Press Club, also honors journalists — but is rarely covered by the media.
Senate Bill Takes Aim at ‘Evergreening’ by Drug Companies
Soumis par Aggregation le mar, 04/16/2019 - 13:00Has Trump’s Team Found a Way to Attack Iran? (DonkeyHotey)
After Legalization of Gangs, Ecuador’s Murder Rate Dropped 400%
Soumis par Aggregation le mar, 04/16/2019 - 07:00Gang violence is one of the main drivers of the exodus from Central America. In response to the exodus, President Donald Trump wants to cut US aid to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras — a move that critics say will only exacerbate the situation.
Trump has also talked about using tough police tactics and mass deportation to eliminate the Latin street gang MS-13 — a group that actually originated in Los Angeles.
Could a Breakfast Cereal Switch Help Save the Planet?
Soumis par Aggregation le lun, 04/15/2019 - 12:57Washington Passes Bill Requiring Carbon-Free Electricity (Chris)
From Courthouse News: “Senate Bill 5116 and the corresponding bill in the House … would require the Pacific Northwestern state to transition to a carbon neutral energy grid by 2030 and entirely carbon free by 2045.”Why the Highlander Attack Matters (Chris)
Tax Advice from the Best — Conmen, Crooks, Comics, and Geniuses
Soumis par Aggregation le lun, 04/15/2019 - 07:00Why the High Hopes for Trump’s Tax Returns Are Misplaced
Soumis par Aggregation le dim, 04/14/2019 - 07:00With House Democrats making a push to get their hands on Donald Trump’s tax returns, there is an expectation among those wanting to see the president get toppled that these documents might constitute the smoking gun that will bring him down.But instead of a silver bullet, it’s more likely that the tax returns will be a relative dud, and here is why: There is simply no way that they are complete and accurate.As we and others have documented — and anybody with an open mind must surely realize — Trump is a crook and a charlatan.
Will Meatless Burgers Save the World?
Soumis par Aggregation le sam, 04/13/2019 - 07:00A petition asking the world’s largest fast-food chain to carry a meatless burger is gaining traction following its competitor’s successful trial of the “Impossible” burger.
Memo to Candidates: Show Us the Money
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/12/2019 - 19:09‘There Were Failures’: Parkland Victims’ Families File 22 Lawsuits Alleging Negligence
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/12/2019 - 13:07For One Week, High-Capacity Ammunition Magazines Were Legal in California (Reader Steve)
The Life, Captivity, and Trial of Bowe Bergdahl: A Symbol of America’s Failure in Afghanistan?
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/12/2019 - 07:00Journalist Michael Ames joins Jeff Schechtman in this week’s WhoWhatWhy podcast to talk about the high-profile military crimes of Bowe Bergdahl — and what they say about both Bergdahl and the failure of US efforts in Afghanistan.Bergdahl, the longest-held American POW since Vietnam, endured five years of hellish conditions.
As Dunes Disappear, Fiber Rolls Protect Cape Cod Homes From Coastal Erosion
Soumis par Aggregation le jeu, 04/11/2019 - 12:44Climate Chaos Is Coming — and the Pinkertons Are Ready (Russ)
For-Profit and Online Colleges Spend the Least on Instruction, Report Finds
Soumis par Aggregation le jeu, 04/11/2019 - 07:00Media attention has recently focused on a limited number of wealthy parents who schemed and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get their kids into elite colleges for which they ordinarily would not qualify. But then there is the reality for everyone else.
Invisible Middlemen Are Slowing Down American Health Care
Soumis par Aggregation le mer, 04/10/2019 - 13:02How US Recycling Is Changing Now That China Won’t Take It (Chris)
Afghanistan Forces Intimidate, Rob US-Hired Contractors
Soumis par Aggregation le mer, 04/10/2019 - 07:30Morale is so low in Afghanistan’s armed forces that its soldiers — once expected to be a bulwark against the Taliban — have been stealing from and brutalizing US-paid local contractors.The total value of property stolen has exceeded $780,000, and contractors have been held at gunpoint, beaten, “locked in containers for extended hours,” and had their heads shaved, accordi
Is It Time to Worry About the Next Recession?
Soumis par Aggregation le mer, 04/10/2019 - 07:00At a time when Americans are grappling with climate change, gun violence, voter suppression, and an immigration crisis, many economists — both conservative and progressive — would like to add to that plate of worries: a looming recession.After all, it’s been a decade since the US economy began to rebound from the severe financial downturn of 2008.
Floating Cities — Fantasy or the Future?
Soumis par Aggregation le mar, 04/09/2019 - 12:52Trump Hotels Exempted From Ban on Foreign Payments Under New Stance (Gerry)
Voter Roll Purges: Another Trick for Disenfranchising Voters?
Soumis par Aggregation le mar, 04/09/2019 - 07:00A California settlement could lead to a massive voter roll purge after conservative watchdog groups, news outlets, and right-leaning politicians claim state election officials aren’t doing enough to maintain the state’s voter rolls.Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, sued California in 2017, claiming 11 counties in the state had more registered voters than eligible residents.
Progressive Dems Attempt to Fend Off Moderate Push on Minimum Wage
Soumis par Aggregation le lun, 04/08/2019 - 13:24The IRS Tried to Take On the Ultrawealthy. It Didn’t Go Well. (Russ)
Would Universal Background Checks Create National Gun Registry?
Soumis par Aggregation le lun, 04/08/2019 - 07:00Universal background checks for gun purchases are one of the more popular gun control measures, with 97 percent of the public in favor of them. Acting on this popularity, the Democratic-controlled House passed a bill that would establish them nationally.
We’ve Been Distracted During Mueller Time
Soumis par Aggregation le dim, 04/07/2019 - 16:11The Mueller report on the investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election is completed, and while US Attorney General William Barr summarizes that it clears President Donald Trump of collusion, confusion remains around the issue of obstruction of justice.
At this stage, I can finally say something I haven’t felt comfortable saying since November 2016: I think we’ve largely been asking the wrong questions.
Why Is Big Oil Bankrolling an ‘Environmental’ CO2 Capture Company?
Soumis par Aggregation le sam, 04/06/2019 - 07:00Scientists are constantly working to solve problems, and by far the worst is one the human race itself has created — climate change due to global warming.
Decision Limits Judicial Discretion To Release Grand Jury Materials
Soumis par Aggregation le sam, 04/06/2019 - 07:00Can’t wait to read the entire Mueller Report? Don’t hold your breath.
Older, Online, and Fed Lies: How an Aging Population Will Reshape the Internet
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/05/2019 - 13:12More Than 80 Women Sue San Diego Hospital Alleging Secret Camera Recordings (Reader Steve)
Could Everything You Know About Global Population Growth Be Wrong?
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/05/2019 - 06:20Since the 1960s we’ve come to understand that an expanding global population threatens our quality of life — and, potentially, all life itself. Paul Ehrlich’s 1968 book, The Population Bomb, set the stage for 50 years of doom-laden assumptions about population growth.
Young Leaders Urge Congress to Take Action on Climate Change
Soumis par Aggregation le ven, 04/05/2019 - 06:11Young leaders took to the Capitol on April 4 to urge Congress to act on climate change. The U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis listened as they made their case that now is the time to take action in curbing the climate crisis.
The hearing, titled “Generation Climate: Young Leaders Urge Climate Action Now,” is just one more event in the “Youth v. Government” climate change movement.
A Closer Look at the Gender Wealth Gap
Soumis par Aggregation le jeu, 04/04/2019 - 13:00Georgia GOPers Call for Journalism ‘Ethics’ Board (Celia)
Georgia Republicans, who have excelled at suppressing voters, now want to suppress the media.ICE Arrests 280 Workers in Largest Workplace Immigration Raid in a Decade (Chris)
Mueller’s Problem: Trump Eats Evidence for Lunch
Soumis par Aggregation le jeu, 04/04/2019 - 07:30I could never understand why anyone would expect President Donald Trump to leave behind evidence of collusion with Russia. After all, Trump eats evidence.Former employee Omarosa Manigault Newman witnessed him indulging in this unusual diet after a meeting with Michael Cohen. In her book, Unhinged: An Insider Account of the Trump White House, she wrote,
In Big Media Era, Some Communities Turn to Alternative: Low Power FM Radio
Soumis par Aggregation le jeu, 04/04/2019 - 07:00For those who support a diverse and independent media, the last few decades have not been kind.In 1996, antitrust restrictions were relaxed on radio ownership.
Pittsburgh City Council Approves Assault-Weapon Restrictions in Response to Synagogue Shooting
Soumis par Aggregation le mer, 04/03/2019 - 12:46YouTube Executives Ignored Warnings, Letting Toxic Videos Run Rampant (Chris)
Trump Aims to Help Polluters by Cutting Air Quality Standards
Soumis par Aggregation le mer, 04/03/2019 - 07:00The Trump administration has found another way to undermine Environmental Protection Agency regulations and secure a win for Big Oil, according to environmental advocates.The White House wants to dial back the standards for particulate matter (PM) — solid particles or liquid droplets in th
Building for an Uncertain Future: Miami Residents Adapt to the Changing Climate
Soumis par Aggregation le mar, 04/02/2019 - 12:51Canada Is Warming at Twice the Global Rate, Report Says (Mili)
Hawaii Could Be First State to Ban Plastics in Restaurants
Soumis par Aggregation le mar, 04/02/2019 - 07:00As dozens of cities around the US ban plastic straws and other single-use plastics, one of the greenest states in the country is considering a near total ban statewide on plastic and styrofoam. The Hawaii state legislature has introduced two separate bills that would impact fast-food and full-service restaurants — one dealing with plastic, the other with styrofoam.
The ACLU Is Ready to Spend $30M on the 2020 Election
Soumis par Aggregation le lun, 04/01/2019 - 12:47Crews Contain Forest Fire That Burned 11,000 Acres in South Jersey Pinelands (Chris)
Kavanaugh Surprises Redistricting Reformers
Soumis par Aggregation le lun, 04/01/2019 - 07:00Good news for reformers trying to take the politics out of drawing legislative boundaries: The two cases of partisan redistricting now before the Supreme Court are so blatant, they almost scream “unconstitutional.”The bad news? Justice Anthony Kennedy — the court’s swing vote who at least seemed open to the notion that the court should regulate the practice — is long gone. His replacement? The very conservative Brett Kavanaugh.What’s at stake is the future of democracy, reform advocates say.
With Mueller’s Report Finally in Hand, Let’s Get to the Real Issue
Soumis par Aggregation le dim, 03/31/2019 - 07:00It is likely tons of ink and thousands of hours of airtime have been consumed by members of the media speculating on the contents and the timing of the Mueller report. That report has been submitted.
Why We Should Maki Cows Eat Seaweed
Soumis par Aggregation le sam, 03/30/2019 - 07:00A diet rich in red meat is bad for the planet, not just an individual’s small colon, as — according to some estimates — livestock production accounts for the same amount of global carbon emissions annually as the transportation industry.