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The Greek Catastrophe: Three Generations of Greek Workers
James Petras
Introduction
As Greece enters the sixth year of Europe’s worst economic depression, with 30% of its labor force unemployed and over 52% of its youth jobless, the entire social fabric is unraveling; a suicide rate are skyrocketing and close to 80% of the population is downwardly mobile. Family and inter-generational relations are deeply impacted; previous certainties evaporate. Uncertainties, fear and anger evoke daily mass protests. Over a dozen general strikes have drawn Greeks from middle school pupils to octogenarians in a desperate struggle to conserve the last shreds of dignity and material survival.
The European Union and its Greek collaborators pillage the treasury, slash employment, salaries and pensions, foreclose on home mortgages and raise taxes. Household budgets shrink to one half or one third of their previous levels.
Supreme Court Authorizes Lawless Wiretapping
by Stephen Lendman
America's Supremes are notoriously hard right. Equal justice under law is just a figure of speech. Rule of law principles and egalitarian fairness don't matter. Power politics corrupts the High Court. It lacks legitimacy.
Five Supreme Court justices are Federalist Society (FS) members. They include Chief Justice John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, and Clarence Thomas. They're ideological extremists.
Israeli Commanders on Trial
by Stephen Lendman
A previous article said Israel's rap sheet makes serial killers look saintly by comparison. It's no exaggeration. Decades of crimes of war, against humanity and genocide explain.
Accountability so far is wishful thinking. Hope springs eternal. In May 2012, Turkey issued arrest warrants. Four former senior IDF officers were named.
Kerry Supports Anti-Syrian Government Terrorists
by Stephen Lendman
Kerry replaced Clinton at State. He didn't miss a beat. He continues her imperial arrogance. He prioritizes war. He deplores peace. He supports Israel's worst crimes.
He's contemptuous of rule of law principles. He supports wrong over right. He's indifferent to human suffering. US imperial priorities alone matter.
Nuclear Roulette Update
by Stephen Lendman
Multiple P5 + 1 talks were held. Almaty, Kazakstan ones are the latest. Nothing gets accomplished. Washington obstructionism prevents it. Israel does so covertly.
Netanyahu reacted as expected. Bluster substitutes for reason. "(T)here are no measures that will make Iran heed the demands of the international community aside from military sanctions against it," he said.
America's Draconian Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
by Stephen Lendman
It's an anti-hacking law. It criminalizes accessing computer systems "without authorization."
"(E)xceeds authorized access" terminology was left undefined. Misinterpretations and abuse followed. Overzealous prosecutors take full advantage.
In 1984, CFAA was enacted. It was amended numerous times. It's primarily a criminal law. At issue are seven types of offenses.
Big Loss for Fat Cat Executives Out of … Switzerland!
Michael Collins
Swiss voters struck a blow against corporate executives and the culture of greed that has driven senior executive salaries into the stratosphere, with little regard for work or company performance. Last year, the head of Credit Suisse made 1,800 times more than the lowest paid workers in the company. A 200 to 1 executive to average-worker-salary ratio is not uncommon among the top Swiss firms. The number of executives pulling down a million a year in salary has quadrupled over the past few years.
Voters made their opinion known this weekend with their overwhelming approval of a constitutional amendment that grants shareholders in publicly traded Swiss companies the full right to elect board members annually and to determine the salaries of executives and board members. It also removes incentives to sell public companies. Swissinfo.ch described the second provision, one that will end the gravy train that CEOs ride when they sell their companies or get fired by new owners: "Upfront payments, termination pay and bonuses when companies are bought or sold are forbidden. Proxy voting is also not allowed."
Corporate governance reform advocates campaigned without success for this in the United States and won a small victory in Great Britain. But this is a first in terms of scope, clarity, and impact. The legislation will govern Credit Suisse, UBS, Nestle, Novartis, and Swiss Re.
Time to be Honest about Jobs, Reality Begs for Serious Solutions
By Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers
After his State of the Union, President Obama took a jobs tour to call for growth in the manufacturing base where only 6% of US jobs exist. This was a charade. It would be like a president touring horse, buggy and blacksmiths in search of jobs when Henry Ford was mass producing cars.
Real manufacturing output today is near an all-time high. What’s dropped precipitously in recent decades is manufacturing employment.
The technology of automation and robotics is ending manufacturing jobs. The president was on a quest for jobs where none exist, will not exist and should not exist. The US with 4% of the world’s population is responsible for 20% of manufacturing output. More manufacturing is not coming to the United States.
University of Ottawa Racism, Censorship and Abuse of Power
by Stephen Lendman
In June 2008, Allan Rock became university president. He's a former Canadian politician and UN ambassador. He's a pro-Israeli flack. He supports its worst crimes.
His administration is unprincipled. It's marked by secrecy, political censorship, abuse of power, and repudiation of fundamental university values.
He targets academic and speech freedoms. He violates Canadian law.
Profile of Imperial Lawlessness
by Stephen Lendman
Israel is second only to America in imperial lawlessness. Both nations partner in high crimes too grave to ignore.
Neither admits fault. One conflict leads to others. Both nations are modern-day Spartas. They live by the sword. Perhaps one day they'll perish by it. Humanity may not last that long.
State terror is official policy. Palestinians suffered for decades.Professor Yehuda Bauer is Hebrew University's Institute of Contemporary Jewry Professor Emeritus.
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