Posts by Manila Ryce

Manila Ryce is a regular blooger for The Largest Minority

Pakistan May Turn Over US-Supported Terrorists to Iran
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on June 3, 2008 at 1:02 PM.

Pakistan has threatened to turn over 6 members of a US-supported terrorist group to Iran. The group, known as Jundullah, operates on both sides of the border between Pakistan and Iran, and has carried out a number of violent attacks on Iranian army facilities and officers inside the country.


Above is an older video from The Young Turks describing the relationship between Jundullah and the US government



Jundullah, which is supported by the United States, has been identified as a terrorist organization by Iran and Pakistan. US intelligence officers have said they are working to block the extradition of the 6 Jundullah members to Iran, where they could face execution if found guilty of espionage (terror suspects actually get a trial in Iran).

The capture of the Jundullah members is seen by intelligence sources in the region as another indication that Pakistan’s new government is distancing itself from the U.S. and U.S. intelligence operations in the country.


Other such steps by Pakistan in recent days include an accord between Pakistan’s government and militant tribal leaders in the country’s Swat Valley region where Taliban figures are believed to be hiding.

The CIA has denied direct ties with Jundullah, despite the fact that US officials have admitted that intelligence officers frequently meet and advise the group. Iran also claims to have “proper documentations” linking the United States with other terrorist activity inside its borders, particularly an April 12th bomb attack at a mosque in Shiraz that killed 14 people.

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

US Using Prison Ships for Detention of Suspects
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on June 2, 2008 at 1:03 PM.

The US has been operating “floating prisons” for the detention of suspects held without trial in the so called “war on terror” in order to conceal their numbers and locations. An analysis of the operation of prison ships, set to be published this year by the human rights organization Reprieve, has been compiled from the statements of the US military, the Council of Europe and related parliamentary bodies, and the testimonies of prisoners themselves.

The Reprieve study includes the account of a prisoner released from Guantánamo Bay, who described a fellow inmate’s story of detention on an amphibious assault ship. “One of my fellow prisoners in Guantánamo was at sea on an American ship with about 50 others before coming to Guantánamo … he was in the cage next to me. He told me that there were about 50 other people on the ship. They were all closed off in the bottom of the ship. The prisoner commented to me that it was like something you see on TV. The people held on the ship were beaten even more severely than in Guantánamo.”


Clive Stafford Smith, Reprieve’s legal director, said: “They choose ships to try to keep their misconduct as far as possible from the prying eyes of the media and lawyers. We will eventually reunite these ghost prisoners with their legal rights. By its own admission, the US government is currently detaining at least 26,000 people without trial in secret prisons, and information suggests up to 80,000 have been ‘through the system’ since 2001. The US government must show a commitment to rights and basic humanity by immediately revealing who these people are, where they are, and what has been done to them.”

Reprieve says that the US may have used up to 17 ships since 2001. The report also claims there have been more than 200 new cases of rendition since President George Bush declared in 2006 that the practice had stopped.


source

Biofuel is Still a Stupid Idea
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on May 13, 2008 at 5:52 AM.

It’s fairly common knowledge by now that ethanol increases global warming, is worse to your health than gasoline, and inflates food prices, but what about second generation ethanol that uses cellulose rather than the edible portion of food crops?



On the surface, it may seem resourceful to convert that corn cob into energy, but our hunger for fuel goes far beyond what inedible food scraps can provide. In fact, second generation ethanol is perhaps even more dangerous than first generation ethanol under the simple understanding that if all plant matter is a potential fuel then all forests are potential gold mines for the fuel industry.

US incentives for ethanol production have already contributed to massive deforestation in places like Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Amazon, where rainforests are being cleared to grow biofuel crops. Cellulose ethanol would further promote this destruction by using the forest itself for fuel.

Americans love the idea that they won’t need to sacrifice. There is no incentive to curb your consumption if science will save you by replacing that fuel in your inefficient internal combustion engine with another. Turning CO2-absorbing trees into gasoline is not progress. It’s just as insane as burning food to run a car. The only clean energies have always been wind, solar, and water. Eyes back on the prize folks. The goal should be to get off of all fuels entirely.

New Study Shows Genetically Modified Crops Produce Less
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on May 9, 2008 at 4:22 AM.

While many studies have shown that GM foods pose serious health and contamination risks, a new study carried out for three years at the University of Kansas has shown that genetically modified crops also produce less food. This dispels the great corporate myth, perpetuated by the Department of Agriculture, that GM technology is necessary to solve world hunger.

Professor Barney Gordon, of the university’s department of agronomy, began the study when farmers who had switched over to the GM crop had noticed that even under optimal conditions their yields were not as high as expected. The yields of GM soybean were 10 percent less than those of an almost identical conventional variety grown in the same field.

The new study confirms earlier research at the University of Nebraska, which found that another Monsanto GM soya produced 6 per cent less than its closest conventional relative, and 11 per cent less than the best non-GM soya available.

The Nebraska study suggested that two factors are at work. First, it takes time to modify a plant and, while this is being done, better conventional ones are being developed. This is acknowledged even by the fervently pro-GM US Department of Agriculture, which has admitted that the time lag could lead to a “decrease” in yields.

But the fact that GM crops did worse than their near-identical non-GM counterparts suggest that a second factor is also at work, and that the very process of modification depresses productivity. The new Kansas study both confirms this and suggests how it is happening.

The Kansas study suggested that genetic modification hindered the soya’s ability to absorb manganese from the soil. However, even when additional manganese was added, the GM soya yield was only able to equal that of the conventional crop, failing to surpass it as promised.

Low yields have also been seen with other GM plants, such as cotton, where the total US crop declined as GM technology took over the industry. To counter the embarrassing results, Monsanto falsely claimed that the GM soybeans used in the study were not modified to increase yields, but said it was now developing one that would. Last week, the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development concluded that GM was not the answer to world hunger.

source

Chris Hedges Warns of Dangerous Threat Posed by Fundamentalist Atheism
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on April 11, 2008 at 2:15 PM.

Chris Hedges hits the nail right on the head in this interview with Thom Hartmann while promoting his new book, “I Don’t Believe in Atheists”. In Hedge’s previous book, “American Fascists”, he railed against the new breed of Fundamentalist Christians monopolizing the poor of America. Now Hedges explains why learning about people like Jerry Falwell prepared him for the equally dim mindset of Fundamentalist Atheists like Christopher Hitchens.

Christopher Hitchens is a narcissistic pro-war bigot whose God is his own ego. He attempts to deny human nature by externalizing evil as a byproduct of religious philosophies. Hitchens drives such a hypocritical wedge of superiority between his philosophy and those of theists that he ends up arguing for the infallibility of his own group.

It is important to recognize that history’s worst persons were just as human as you and I. Failing to accept the commonalities of human kind has allowed freedom-loving Americans to stand behind a fascist government and Israelis to defend Nazi-style tactics against Palestinians. Likewise, it’s the same mental dichotomy of “me versus everyone else” which prevents Hitchens from realizing the similarities between him and the religious fanatics he condemns.

Hitchens’ fascist quest to forcibly bring Muslims into “reason” is identical in all respects to the most radical fundamentalist preachers who call for a new Christian crusade in the Holy Land. The most striking difference, however, is that Hitchens is actually taken seriously on shows like Real Time, as if his agenda had more merit than Pat Robertson’s.

Just as Fundamentalist Christianity uses religion to achieve the most un-Christian ends, so too does Fundamentalist Atheism use the spirit of agnosticism to foster intolerance and justify dominance over non-converts. Hitchens’ followers worship the personality of their jingoist god just as much as he worships himself. In my opinion, anyone who confuses Hitchens’ condescending wisecracks for honest intellectual inquiry would do well to read more than just Vanity Fair.

The role of philosophy, religious or otherwise, is to provide assistance in a person’s ongoing quest for truth, not to allow a suspension of rational thought by providing you with a final and absolute answer.

Then again, I could be wrong.

Jon Stewart on Mainstream Media's Obsession with Barack's Bad Bowling [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on April 2, 2008 at 7:42 AM.

You may already know that Barack Obama is a fundamentalist Muslim terrorist who's unable to answer a phone call at 3 in the morning because he's out snorting coke with his racist preacher, but did you also know that he sucks at bowling? It's true. Barack Obama absolutely sucks at bowling. One of the bad things about relying solely on your image to carry your campaign is that if that facade is damaged, you've got nothing else going for you.

Hillary Clinton was of course quick to exploit Barack's embarrassing bowling score because she's a classy fucking person. In fact, after seeing her make light of the situation, I bet you'll tilt your head to the side like I did and say "she seems fun".



As you can see, Mrs. Clinton had a field day with Obama's poor bowling skills. So much so that they ought to call this woman Hilarious Clinton. Get it? That's funny because it's a pun. Her name is Hillary Clinton, but I used a like-sounding word with a different meaning to suggest a quality about Hillary, in this case being that she's hilarious. That's why the joke is funny. But don't take my word for it, just look at how she flawlessly combines the delivery of Bob Newhart with the comedic genius of Jay Leno. People say Hillary isn't human enough, but she sure is hu-woman enough for me. Get it? Yet another comfortable affirmation of my jovial nature. Oh, I kill.

Noam Chomsky: Why Don't We Ask What's Best For the Iraqis? [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on March 28, 2008 at 6:08 AM.

During this election season we’ve already heard Republicans and Democrats alike discussing the best way for America to save face in Iraq, as if the sake of our ego is of enough importance to defy international law. Obama, Clinton, and McCain will all keep troops in Iraq indefinitely, despite the will of the Iraqi people. That “democracy” we brought them sure isn’t worth a damn when we don’t respect it ourselves. Just as the Palestinians learned when they elected Hamas into power, the will of a people in their own land is only legitimate when it coincides with our imperialistic Western vision for the region.

American politicians are regularly asked what they think the best option is for Iraq. As Chomsky bluntly states, aggressors have no rights. Our occupation is criminal. What Americans want for Iraq is irrelevant.

Iraq's 80,000 Angry Men and the Collapse of the Surge [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on March 25, 2008 at 6:29 AM.

America has a history of mistreating the locals fighting on their side. Our giant clusterfuck in Iraq has little to do with not understanding the cultures in the region, and everything to do with simply not respecting them as fellow human beings. You don’t need a master’s degree in Near and Middle Eastern Studies to know that Iraqis don’t like to be raided at gunpoint, detained and tortured, or withheld pay for risking their lives. Meanwhile, the myth of a successful “surge” continues to work to the political advantage of American imperialists as it paves over any critical analysis of the conflict.

An investigation carried out by GuardianFilms for Channel 4 uncovers how thousands of Iraqis employed at $10 a day by the US to take on al-Qaida are threatening to go on strike because they say they have been used by the ‘Americans to do their dirty work’ and haven’t been paid.

h/t Steve from COA News

Colbert Reminds Us of McCain's Embrace of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on March 22, 2008 at 8:13 AM.

Stephen covers the double standard which the media has given a black pastor, by ironically labeling him as an anti-American racist, while giving hateful bigots like Robertson and Falwell a free pass to say much worse. After 9/11, Reverend Wright correctly recognized that we were experiencing blowback from the terrorism our government had previously committed in the Middle East. Robertson and Falwell however, placed the blame on American citizens (specifically Feminists, Pagans, the ACLU, and anyone who's ever watched Will & Grace).

Where is the media outrage regarding McCain's embrace of these "agents of intolerance"? With such an apparent racial double standard and his good name tarnished for speaking the truth, I wonder if Geraldine Ferraro also thinks Reverend Wright is as lucky to be black as Barack Obama is.

The Latest McBush Lies to Lead Us to War with Iran [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on March 21, 2008 at 5:21 AM.

Not only is there NO EVIDENCE that Iran supports terror in Iraq or against US troops in the region, but simply threatening Iran with military action is against international law. The UN Charter, which is a treaty of the United States, only permits the use of force in self-defense or when the UN Security Council has authorized force to restore peace and security.

Pre-emptive war is terrorism by definition, which makes the so-called “war on terror” an oxymoron at best. Clinton and Obama have violated the highest treaty in the world by threatening that all options will be kept “on the table”, but it’s Bush and McCain who have really outdone themselves lately to the level of comic book villainy.

It’s one thing to have no shame, and most politicians don’t, but it’s entirely another to have no soul. Over 1 million innocent people are dead in Iraq alone, and it’s still not enough. Keith rightly asks why the hell the media hasn’t checked McCain over this.

Jon Stewart: Bush Can't Take 3 am White House Call, "Because He's Too Busy Dancing" [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on March 10, 2008 at 12:51 PM.

Did you ever get the impression that what George W. Bush really wanted to be was a famous entertainer, but he didn’t have any talent or brains so he decided to just become leader of the free world instead? Now that McCain’s time in purgatory is over, I must say that it’s really heart-warming to see how one puppet with no integrity and another with no free will can come together when they’re instructed to. Check out the video to your right for more.

The Onion: Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results of '08 Election [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on February 28, 2008 at 4:49 AM.

Warning: For those of you who have been keeping up with the election, this clip contains spoilers.

Someone’s gotta protect us from democracy when the representatives, delegates, superdelegates, and electoral college aren’t enough. Despite Diebold’s electronic voting machines prematurely revealing the winner of the general election, the sham must go on. Try and act surprised.

Check out the video to your right for more.

HIV Scare in Egypt: Gays Rounded Up, Called "Suspects"
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on February 19, 2008 at 6:13 AM.

Well, it seems Huckabee's suggestion to quarantine AIDS patients is being somewhat enacted in Egypt. While not specifically referred to in Egypt's legal code, homosexual acts can be punished under laws covering obscenity, prostitution, and habitual debauchery. With this authority, Egyptian police are targeting suspected homosexuals in a campaign to crack down on HIV.

The crackdown all started when two men were arrested in October of 2007 for being involved in a scuffle. One man confessed to being HIV-positive so the two were taken to the "public morality" police branch where they were beaten for refusing to sign statements and subjected to anal examinations to "prove" that they had engaged in homosexual conduct. Police found the numbers and photos of two more men in the suspects' wallets and arrested them as well. All four men remain in custody. Further actions have brought the total amount of HIV suspect arrests to 12.

Gasser Abdel-Razek of Human Rights Watch said, "These cases show Egyptian police acting on the dangerous belief that HIV is not a condition to be treated but a crime to be punished." According to Human Rights Watch, HIV-positive Egyptian males are detained, interrogated about other suspects, undergo physical abuse, chained to hospital beds, and forced to undergo virus related tests. Two of the four newest detainees have tested positive for HIV.

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

Michael Moore: "I'm Morally Prohibited from Voting for Hillary" [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on February 7, 2008 at 5:10 AM.

While on Larry King Live last night (about 1 minute and 30 seconds into the clip below) fellow liberal Catholic Michael Moore said he is "morally prohibited from voting for Hillary in the primaries because of her war vote". The pope obviously gave him orders in the form of a hilarious evite he couldn't refuse.

Hillary supporters are as irrationally fanatical about "their gal" as the Paulbots have been about the good doctor. In all honesty, at least Ron had some good points in regards to foreign policy, and understood that the terrorists just don't hate us because of our freedom. In contrast, there is very little to admire about Hillary's voting record which would warrant just as much blind praise and excitement from her base. Why any self-respecting liberal would openly support Hillary is beyond me.

The fancy umbrella in this shit cocktail is, of course, Clinton's 2002 vote to authorize force in Iraq, which she still refuses to apologize for. Senator Clinton should be begging everyday for forgiveness, knowing that her hawkish attitude helped cause the death of over a million people. However, there is no hint of remorse from her. No apology. No acknowledgment of any wrong doing. Instead, she has the audacity to deny all responsibility for what she calls "George Bush's war," and claims that she actually did make the right decision based on what she knew then.

However, we know that Hillary was also presented with evidence that refuted the faulty intelligence she claims to have based her decision on. She chose to ignore that evidence. The only reconciliatory step Clinton has attempted to make was to call on Congress in May of last year to repeal authorization for the Iraq war, a move which would've accomplish nothing other than to help her own image and silence anti-war liberals who've complained about her initial authorization vote. This move would've only repealed her vote, not the actual war.

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

Was Montel Williams Kicked Off the Air for Criticizing Fox News? [VIDEO]
Posted by Manila Ryce, The Largest Minority on February 2, 2008 at 3:49 PM.

After 17 years on the air, Montel Williams was canceled for speaking out against Fox's choice of news coverage. When asked his opinion of Heath Ledger's death, Williams turned the tables and asked why Fox, or any corporate media station for that matter, is not giving as much time to the 28 soldiers who died in January. Montel has 22 years of military service under his belt. If any television host is entitled to comment on casualties of war, it's him.

The sphincters of the hosts were clearly tightening, and Montel consequently did not return after the commercial break for a second segment. Then, just 4 days after he insulted Fox News by insisting that they support the troops and give them more coverage, a number of stations owned by Fox decided against renewing his show for another year. It was a rather heavy-handed punishment even Sylvia Brown didn't see coming, but was done to send a clear message. Send one of your own to Fox here.

h/t to Robert Ruszkowski, Director of Social Media/Virtual Outreach for the Kucinich Campaign, for the video.