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Mrida, November 5th 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) -- On Wednesday, the Venezuelan government announced a series of new measures to reduce the consumption and increase the production of electricity, which has been rationed over the past two months through daily, one to two-hour rolling power outages in much of the country.
By James Suggett
Mrida, November 5th 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) The Venezuelan Foreign Relations Ministry expressed its repudiation of remarks made on Tuesday by Israeli Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Dani Ayalon, who said Venezuela had become a base for the Iranian advance on the American continent.
By James Suggett
Mrida, November 4th 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Colombia became a colony when it granted the U.S. permission to expand its military presence in Colombian territory in an accord signed on October 30th, the details of which became public on Tuesday.
Colombia decided to hand over its sovereignty to the United States... Colombia no longer governs its territory, said Chavez in a televised meeting of his Council of Ministers. Colombia today is no longer a sovereign country... it is a kind of colony.
By James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com
Caracas, November 3rd 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) An August directive by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to reduce to zero bi-national trade with neighbouring Colombia has begun to bite, with imports from the neighbouring country falling dramatically.
Chavez issued the directive in protest against a military agreement signed between Bogot and Washington allowing US military troops access to Colombian bases.
By Kiraz Janicke - Venezuelanalysis.com
Caracas, November 2nd 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) Venezuelan Vice President and Defence Minister Ramn Carrizales claimed on Sunday that he had evidence that a group of Colombians who were kidnapped and assassinated a week earlier in Venezuelan territory were part of a paramilitary infiltration plan that aimed to destabilise the socialist government of President Hugo Chavez.
By Kiraz Janicke - Venezuelanalysis.com
BuzzFlash.org - Progressive News and Commentary with an Attitude | Fight Ignorance: Read BuzzFlash
BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
On the same day Cigna posted a 92 percent increase in 3rd quarter profits, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement condemning Cigna for its opposition to health care reform.
"Cigna opposes urgently needed health care reform, and today we know why. Millions of Americans are struggling to provide health care for their families, while Cigna today reported its third quarter profits had soared, nearly doubling. For Cigna, maintaining the status is a good thing for America, it would be a disaster."
"Our health care reform bill helps the families and businesses that need affordable health care and want to stop price-gouging by insurers."
The Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, includes a number of provisions to prevent price-gouging and ensure premiums are reasonable. It requires publicly-disclosed justification of all premium increases before they go into effect and includes provisions, authored by Rep. Schakowsky, that require rate review of premiums so that excessive increases are denied.
Ordinary, average, struggling Americans might be scratching their heads over the news today, as the Labor Department reports that unemployment is up by four-tenths of a percent for the month to a record 10.2%, fully three-tenths of a percent higher than economists had been forecasting, and stocks do what? Rise by a quarter of a percent!
What's going on here?
Well, the tube analysts are quick to say, unemployment figures are a "lagging" indicator. That is, employment generally lags the overall economy, with layoffs coming after a recession kicks in, and hiring waits until a recovery is well underway.
But that isn't true with a deep recession such as this one, because at some point -- and we're well past that point -- high and prolonged unemployment leads to reduced demand for goods and services, and to a psychology of fear and consumer withdrawal. Once people feel that they aren't going to find a new job soon, and once those who still have jobs feel their employment is not secure, they no longer buy things except what they absolutely need. And in an economy where fully 72% of economic activity is consumer spending, that is no longer a "lagging indicator." High, prolonged unemployment becomes a causal factor in the economic downturn.
BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
From the office of Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) on her amendnent to the PATRIOT Act, originally passed in 2001.
Continuing its consideration of the USA PATRIOT Amendments Act of 2009 (H.R. 3845), the House Judiciary Committee yesterday passed on a voice vote an amendment offered by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to further rein in abuses of the 2001 PATRIOT Act and restore constitutional checks and balances.
H.R. 3845 reauthorizes, until December 31, 2013, two sections of the 2001 PATRIOT Act, but adds important modifications designed to balance the government's need to conduct valuable national security investigations and the protection of Americans' privacy interests. It also allows the controversial so-called "Lone Wolf" provision, which the Justice Department testified has never been used, to sunset at the end of this year.
BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Meg White
There's an internal and external fight over the direction of atheism. That the conflict between so-called "new atheism" and standard-bearers of the movement was a topic of discussion at the Atheist Alliance International annual convention is no surprise. But why were "high-profile defendants of faith convened" at Brigham Young University last month in search of a response to new atheism?
To get an idea of what religious experts are saying about this new movement, let's take a look at the "Think Again" segment of Foreign Policy magazine this month. Though the feature generally comes off as a provocative and thoughtful look at conventional wisdom, the latest submission has a ways to go in terms of challenging the status quo.
Karen Armstrong, an author of numerous books on religion, takes umbrage with the insistence of these so-called new atheists that God is dead, should be uninvolved in political affairs, breeds violence and intolerance, is the opiate of the masses, is misogynistic, the enemy of science and incompatible with democracy.
BUZZFLASH MAILBAG
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Subject: Bachmann
A message to Bachman and her supporters
Its with great interest I watch the rabid right wing hold a press conference {sic} where there is a call for revolution against the elected government of the United States.
This is not only appalling, but in my opinion treason, and the press is derelict to not call it such.
To her and her 4,000 bused in supporters I would like to take this opportunity to tell them, real Americans will not stand by and watch as you try to take over our elected government, so tread lightly.
If you want to change what you don't like do it at the polls, not through threats of violence as you may find violence met with violence and it seems there are more of us who are happy with our government then there are of you.
I fought in Vietnam for the right of free speech, however free speech comes with a duty not to subvert the elected process of the U.S., so how bout we cut this crap out now and get on with our obligation to take care of Americans instead of kicking our fellow citizens when they are down.
Thanks Buzz for letting me vent
Trapped in red TN.
Robert
Harrison TN
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