WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange left Westminster Magistrates Court in a prison van on Monday, after attending a hearing related to his possible extradition to the US to face espionage charges.
via Julian Assange Leaves in Prison Van After Court Hearing — Red Revolution Media
A demonstrator holds a sign as local politicians and hospital workers protest the closure of Hahnemann University Hospital at a rally outside the Center City facilities in Philadelphia on July 11, 2019. (Photo: Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Industry wants you to think universal healthcare is too expensive. In reality, it’s our current system that’s a wasteful, unsustainable disaster.
Insurers and healthcare providers in the United States spent a staggering $812 billion on paperwork and other administrative burdens in 2017 alone, bureaucratic costs that could be dramatically reduced by switching to a single-payer system like Medicare for All.
That’s according to a study published Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, which found that administrative costs amounted to 34.2 percent of total U.S. national health expenditures in 2017—twice the amount Canada spent on healthcare administration that same year.
“Medicare for All could save more than $600 billion each year on bureaucracy, and repurpose that money to cover America’s 30 million uninsured and eliminate co-payments and deductibles for everyone.”
—Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, Physicians for a National Health Program
The study’s authors noted that U.S. healthcare providers impose “a hidden surcharge” on patients “to cover their costly administrative burden.” U.S. insurers and providers spent $2,497 per person on healthcare administration in 2017 while Canada spent just $551 per capita, the study found.
“The average American is paying more than $2,000 a year for useless bureaucracy,” said Dr. David Himmelstein, lead author of the study and co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP). “That money could be spent for care if we had a Medicare for All program.”
If the U.S. brought spending on healthcare administration to Canadian levels, the study found, it could save $600 billion a year on total national healthcare expenditures.
“Medicare for All could save more than $600 billion each year on bureaucracy, and repurpose that money to cover America’s 30 million uninsured and eliminate co-payments and deductibles for everyone,” Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, a senior author of the study and co-founder of PNHP, said in a statement.
Himmelstein echoed that point in an interview with TIME. “The difference [in administrative costs] between Canada and the U.S. is enough to not only cover all the uninsured but also to eliminate all the copayments and deductibles, and to amp up home care for the elderly and disabled.”
“And frankly,” he added, “to have money left over.”
[…]
Defense Secretary Mark Esper Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
On Monday, in a moment that does not inspire confidence in the Trump administration’s ability to manage a conflict with Iran, the Department of Defense accidentally sent a draft of a letter to the Iraqi government announcing the withdrawal of troops from the country after almost 17 years. “Sir, in deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, [the Combined Joint Task Force] will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,” read the letter, from Brigadier General William H. Seely III, the commanding general of Task Force Iraq, to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense.
After the Washington Post and Reuters reported on the letter,* Defense Secretary Mark Esper issued a vague and confusing denial of its contents. “We are repositioning forces throughout the region, No. 1,” Esper told reporters in an impromptu press conference. “Beyond that, with regard to the letter, which I’ve read once — I can’t tell you the veracity of that letter, and I can tell you what I’ve read. That letter is inconsistent of where we are right now” […]
*See US-Led Coalition Tells Baghdad it Will “Move Out” of Iraq
Sputnik – 06.01.2020
In a Monday letter to Iraqi military leaders, the US-led coalition in Iraq announced it was preparing to “move out” of the country out of respect for Iraqi sovereignty.
Following approval of a non-binding resolution by Iraq’s parliament calling for US forces to leave the country, US military commanders announced they were drawing up preparatory plans for their departure. A Pentagon spokesperson could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the letter to Reuters.
“We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure,” the letter says, according to Reuters. US forces will re-position themselves over the coming days and weeks in preparation for the move, the letter states.
“In due deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR [Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve] will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,” states the letter, addressed to Iraqi Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir and signed by US Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William H. Seely III.
The lawmakers’ request comes on the heels of a January 3 drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in which US forces killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani as well as the leader of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The two commanders helped lead the fight against Daesh in the 2014-17 Iraqi Civil War that saw the terrorist group expelled from the country. At its height, Daesh controlled significant amounts of northern Iraq, including its third-largest city of Mosul, and was advancing on Baghdad.
“In order to conduct this task, coalition forces are required to take certain measures to ensure that the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner,” the letter continues. “During this time, there will be an increase in helicopter travel in and around the International Zone (IZ) of Baghdad. This increased traffic will include CH-47, UH-60 and AH-64 security escort helicopters. Coalition forces will take appropriate measures to minimize and mitigate the disturbance to the public. In addition, we will conduct these operations during house of darkness to help alleviate any perception that we may be bringing more Coalition forces into the IZ.”
“As we begin implementing this next phase of operations, I want to reiterate the value of our friendship and partnership. We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure.”
Contradictory Statements
The news comes after US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo snubbed the idea of leaving Iraq, where US forces have been stationed since the March 2003 invasion that overthrew Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
“We have a very extraordinarily expensive airbase that’s there. It cost billions of dollars to build. Long before my time We’re not leaving unless they pay us back for it,” Trump said on Sunday. “We will charge them sanctions like they’ve never seen before ever. It’ll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame” […]
via US-Led Coalition Tells Baghdad It Will ‘Move Out’ of Iraq – Official Letter
By Danny C. | DCPeriodical | 01/06/20 |
The complete failure of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to deal with the unprecedented bush fire crisis in Australia will assuredly go down in history as a disgusting show of inhumanity.
Right now nearly the entire perimeter of the country of Australia, nay, continent of Australia, is nothing less than a raging inferno which firefighters (all volunteers) have deemed “out of control” since September. At least 23 people have died as a result, which, while horrifying, is nothing compared to the 480 million animals that have perished in the flames. The situation is so grave that Australia’s entire ecosystem could be put so off balance that many species, plant and animal, may never recover. Nearly 90% of the country’s species are endemic to Australia.
Despite cries for help, Prime Minister and science denialist Morrison had, until now, continuously ignored and rejected them, and has seemed almost as if he’s been cheering for the blaze to win.
In December he was pressed to shell out some money to increase manpower to assist in the never ending efforts of the volunteers on the job, to which he basically replied, “go fuck yourselves” — none would be given. The fire spread even more.[…]
via Australia’s Catastrophic Inferno: Achieved Through the Baffling Ineptitude of PM Morrison
Source: ZeroHedge, Dec 2019
To see how well MMT (sovereign money) works in practice today, we need only look at China, which has built its internal economy on fundamental points of MMT. The Chinese state, the central bank, and both public and private industry are all linked together in a recurring cycle of growth paid for by printing money.
The key point is that even though the money is in the form of loans, it is still capital in the system. Furthermore, that capital is the currency. And, whether printed or lent, the value of the nation’s currency is perceived by the rest of the world as being backed by economic productivity, or devalued by the lack thereof. Confidence in the issuing government and the integrity of the legal system are also related factors. (See the Zimbabwe and Germany examples above.)
The end results of China’s massive money printing are staggering. From 2013 to 2017, China added $25 in assets (debt) for every $1 dollar of GDP—more than 400 percent of its annual GDP. This is a historical first. What’s more, almost 80 percent of it was in shadow banking, unregulated lending with high default rates.
And yet, China’s economy has been slowing for the past decade […]
How are cell towers similar to DDT, an insecticide infamous for its environmental impacts? It’s a good question. On Dec. 8, about 90 local residents asked this question and many more at an event to explore the health and environmental impacts of wireless technology. As new cell towers are being proposed in the area, interest was high, with standing-room only in the Point Reyes Community Presbyterian Church.
The event was sponsored by the West Marin Alliance for Human and Environmental Health, the Point Reyes Coalition for SafeTech and the Ecological Options Network. I spoke alongside Dr. Madga Havas from Canada and Ellie Marks of the California Brain Tumor Association.
I am a physician who has studied and developed policies for environmental toxins for over 25 years. When I learned of a proposal to place a cell tower on my daughter’s school 10 years ago, I dove into the research. What I learned is that wireless technology and infrastructure is a broad environmental and human toxin. We use and are increasingly surrounded by these devices: cell phones, laptops, “smart” watches, “smart” meters and internet routers. Unfortunately, we are told these devices are safe, that we do not really know if there is harm or that the research is inconclusive. Myself and over 250 expert scientists who have looked at this issue conclude the opposite.
To start with, the standard set by the Federal Communications Commission is based only on a single impact: heating of the tissues. This is like a cooking standard, and it ignores other biological effects. Nature and human biology are much more complex than technology. Humans evolved over millions of years in an environment with extremely low electromagnetic radiation. Our bodies use very tiny electrical signals that communicate within a labyrinth of molecules which are critical to the proper development of a fetus and to the healthy functioning of an adult.
In medical school, I learned about only a fraction of the thousands of dizzying interactions within and between cells that regulate reproduction, energy metabolism, the immune system, the gut, the brain and the nervous system. I learned that biology is both intricate and fragile, like a symphonic orchestra in which every instrument must be played perfectly. In studying toxic exposures, I learned that there can be different mechanisms at work that cause harm to our cells and biology.
One of these mechanisms is oxidation, which, like rust, causes aging and the breakdown of DNA, proteins, lipids and other critical molecules. The insecticide DDT causes oxidation, and antioxidants we consume counter this effect. The effect of oxidation on cells has been well studied; scientific literature connects oxidative cellular harm to inflammation and human disease. This mechanism does not involve heat injury.
When non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is emitted from wireless devices, it passes through us and is variably absorbed in our bodies. The radiation is absorbed by water and blocked by metal. Of 100 peer-reviewed articles on radio frequency radiation and oxidation, 93 studies found a positive result, or resulting damage to DNA, lipids and proteins. This is not a thermal effect; it is a biological effect.
Dozens of studies have linked wireless radiation to sperm, ovarian and embryo harm, and to miscarriage. Neurologic injury is also a worry because studies show damage to nerve cells, the alteration of neurotransmitter levels, the opening of the blood-brain barrier (with large epidemiologic studies indicating memory impairment), behavioral changes and an increase in brain cancer.
Addiction to and the overuse of wireless devices is especially problematic for children. Six studies have demonstrated brain shrinkage—in white and grey matter—in those addicted to electronic devices. A new article in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics showed evidence of microstructural brain changes and brain shrinkage in children age 3 to 5 years who use an electronic device more than one hour a day.
Studies on cell towers show an increase in cancer in those living within 1,500 feet of towers; other studies show an alteration in stress hormones and blood abnormalities. A significant percentage of people also report non-specific or vague health symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea and insomnia when living close to cell towers. Electro-sensitivity is a real disease and more people—from 3 to 18 percent—are reporting vague symptoms when they use wireless devices.
Wireless radiation can also affect the health, behavior and migration of animals. Bees appear particularly sensitive, and plants and trees are also adversely affected. Precaution on all fronts is needed with the placement of cell towers, as the radiation they emit is constant. Once a large cell tower is in place, 5G small cells will follow. Cell towers become a permanent Trojan horse.
Cindy Russell, a plastic surgeon practicing in Mountain View, is the executive director of Physicians for Safe Technology. For more information, visit MDSafeTech.org.
“This is just the first wave of Illinoisans who will see a new world of opportunities emerge as they shed the burden of their nonviolent cannabis-related convictions and records.”
As of Wednesday, Illinois residents and visitors aged 21 and older can legally purchase cannabis products at state-licensed dispensaries. (Photo: Getty Images)
On Tuesday, just one day before “equity-centric” legislation legalizing sales and adult use of recreational marijuana took effect in Illinois, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker granted pardons to more than 11,000 individuals with low-level cannabis convictions.
Pritzker, who signed the bill in June, announced the pardons during an event at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s South Side […]
via ‘Just the Beginning’: Illinois Gov. Pardons Over 11,000 on Eve of Recreational Cannabis Legalization
During the 1980s, parents of children harmed or killed by the DTP vaccine (diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis) and other vaccines began bringing lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers and health care providers that administered these vaccines. Fearful that these lawsuits would result in vaccine shortages, deter the production and development of additional vaccines, and reduce vaccination rates in the United States, Congress created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP).
In 1988, as part of the NVICP, the federal government established The Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund to both compensate those injured or killed by vaccines and to ensure a continued production of necessary vaccines. Funded by a $.75 excise tax that is charged on each dose of vaccine purchased, the proceeds from these taxes then go into the Trust Fund which is managed by the Department of Treasury. Instead of suing vaccine manufacturers and health care providers directly, the Trust Fund serves as an additional way to compensate eligible individuals who were injured from vaccines covered by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. Now, decades later, the Trust Fund has paid out billions of dollars in damages to thousands of people who suffered injuries from vaccines.
How It Works
Instead of initiating a formal lawsuit, individuals file a claim for compensation, called a petition, with the Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. Not all attorneys can practice in this Court and instead have to be specially admitted. The person on whose behalf the claim is filed is called the petitioner. Once the petition is filed, a Special Master is assigned to the case. A Special Master is a specialized judge that only presides over vaccine injury claims. If necessary, the Special Master will decide the outcome of the claim instead of a jury as in a normal tort case.
By R S Ahthion | December 12, 2019
Last night an AMA started on Reddit claiming: “Hi, I’m Rushan Abbas. I’m one of the Uyghur People of central Asia, and the Chinese Government has locked up many of my friends and relatives in concentration camps.”
For those not sure what any of the above words mean Reddit is a social media site. And an “AMA” stands for Ask Me Anything. Many celebrities have done AMA’s as well as regular folk (if you wanted to ask a doctor/farmer etc. what their daily life entails). The format (unsurprisingly) is one of people asking them questions and the celebrity/person responding.
This AMA was, quite predictably, a long list of propaganda aimed at China and Rushan Abbas advising further trade war against China could be “something Western Countries can do”
Also plugging a narrative that China is some kind of Nazi Germany. This kind of atrocity propaganda being a staple of US regime change. We need not forget the faked Gulf of Tonkin incident to justify the Vietnam war. Hilary Clinton claiming Ghaddaffi handed out Viagra to soldiers to rape to justify destroying the most successful country on the continent of Africa (Libya).
Anyone else remember WMDs in Iraq and 45 seconds to launch?
Incubator babies in Iraq? (to justify the first invasion in the 1990s).
She also bandies about “3 million Uyghurs in camps”.
The original number was “1 million” which has since been disproved by the excellent Grayzone.
This seems to be a staple of shitlibs. To just say an outlandish ridiculous and easily disprovable claim but hope it sticks. However the fake news media (from WaPo to NYTimes ) are more than happy to run with it. Just a coincidence a trade war between US and China is on, right?
However using the Archive.org website which holds archives of other websites someone discovered a page with a Rushan Abbas on it. And what we learn there is she’s essentially a US intelligence asset
“Rushan Abbas brings over 15 years of experience in global business development, strategic business analysis, business consultancy and government affairs throughout the Middle East, Africa, CIS regions, Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and Latin America. She also has extensive experience working with U.S. government agencies, including Homeland Security, Department of Defence, Department of State, Department of Justice, and various U.S. intelligence agencies.
In her role at ISI Consultants, Ms. Abbas leads the business development activities of the firm, which includes developing and leveraging international relationships to serve our clients. She also acts as the firm’s key liaison with US and foreign government departments, agencies and embassies in support of international business efforts. Before joining ISI Consultants, Ms. Abbas was the Director for International Business at Leo A. Daly, an internationally recognized leader in the design of the built environment that is consistently ranked among the top design firms in the world.
Prior to that, she ran her own consulting firm, working with companies on the set-up, development and implementation of their international business and providing market intelligence and consumer insight to capitalize on new business opportunities in international markets. Ms. Abbas also served as International Marketing Liaison at Pelco (a subsidiary of Schneider Electric) and as International Business Development Manager at Perity Land Inc. the largest commodity exporter in North America. She was also employed at L-3, as a consultant at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom during 2002- 2003 and as a news reporter at Radio Free Asia.
Ms. Abbas has also worked as a linguist and translator for several federal agencies including work for the US State Department in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and for President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush. Ms. Abbas holds a Bachelor of Science from Xinjiang University in China and completed a graduate program in International Business from California State University in Fresno. Outside of work Ms. Abbas has been an active campaigner for human rights and works closely with members of U.S. Senate, Congressional Committees, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, the U.S. Department of State and several other US government departments and agencies.”
In a surreal read she has worked for almost every arm of the US regime change machine: from Radio free Asia, US State department, Homeland Security, Department of justice and “various US intelligence agencies” […]
via Uiyghur “Activist” Quickly Exposed As CIA Asset Slandering China — Aletho News
The Most Revolutionary Act 