Project Censored – 09.01.15

Peter Phillips and Mickey Huff co-hosts for the Project Censored show provide an update on human rights abuses in Mexico funded by US; they speak with researcher/journalist Laura Carlsen in Mexico City. The remainder of the program focuses on the impacts of nuclear technology on the enviroment and society. Ken Buesseler and Tim Mousseau summarize their scientific research about the ongoing consequences of the Fukushima disaster, for Japan and for the Pacific. The program concludes with a rebroadcast of a Project Censored interview with investigative journalist and nuclear-energy critic Karl Grossman.

Randy Blazak – Donald Trump is the New Face of White Supremacy

Before you think this article is “just one liberal’s opinion,” let me briefly say I have dedicated my life to studying racism. I earned my PhD from Emory University in 1995 after spending several years doing ethnographic field studies of white supremacist groups. I have published books and articles in peer-reviewed journals on the subject and have appeared on more …

Expat Files – 08.21.15

-In Latin America, when socialist paradise policies go awry and the natives get restless, massive crowds often take to the streets. Then, the first thing the “peoples” government does is impose currency controls, censorship and restrictions on basic rights. Sound familiar?

-Some Latin crime statistics regarding organized big city gangs: Is crime out of control? How does such criminality affect Expats living south of the border?

-Did you know that Uruguay has five times the number of military personal per capita than the average Latin country, and that the US government gives millions each year specifically to support that effort? Which begs the question, what terrible enemies does little Uruguay have? Might Argentina, Chile or Peru be poised to invade? By the way, nearly one in of five Uruguay workers has a government job- a lopsided effect that’s about three times the Latin American average. Only Cuba has a larger percentage of government workers per capita.

-Today, first-world gringa expats in Latin America have some tips and generalities concerning dating and relationships with Latin guys. You’ll be surprised (or maybe not).

Demand for coffee can create ecological, economic rift with poorer nations

The explosion in worldwide coffee consumption in the past two decades has generally not benefitted farmers of coffee beans in poorer nations along the equator. A University of Kansas (KU) researcher studying trade and globalization has found that the shift to “technified” coffee production in the 1970s and 1980s has created harsher economic and ecological consequences for heavy coffee-producing nations, …

Ben Norton – Racist Donald Trump Fans Allegedly Beat, Urinated on Sleeping Latino Homeless Man

Two white Boston brothers Scott J. Leader, 38, and Steve M. Leader, 30, were arrested on numerous charges of assault, indecent exposure, and more after allegedly urinating on and then beating a sleeping 58-year-old Latino homeless man because he was Latino. According to the charges, the Boston Globe reports [3], the brothers allegedly urinated on the man, punched him, and …

Leah Penniman – Four Ways Mexico’s Indigenous Farmers Are Practicing the Agriculture of the Future How can we get the most out of our farmland without harming the planet? I traveled to rural Mexico to learn from indigenous farmers.

Affectionately called “Professor” by his neighbors, Josefino Martinez is a well-respected indigenous farmer and community organizer from the remote town of Chicahuaxtla, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. He watched with patient attention as I showed him photographs of Soul Fire Farm, my family’s organic farm in the mountains of upstate New York. Western agronomists would have us believe that …

Expat Files – 08.14.15

-Colombia is on the map as one of the latest, greatest retirement destinations- that’s according to nearly all of the popular retirement rags and blogs. But what most gringos and Expats don’t realize is that the country’s very heavily taxed business and manufacturing sector is forcing many medium and large companies to close or flee to more business friendly countries. Colombia now has a corporate tax structure with rates hovering around 75% and the country is rapidly de-industrializing.

– Gringo tipping anxiety in Latin America: a primer on restaurant bills/charges and common gringo tipping mistakes and false assumptions

-Ecuador’s socialist government is in an expensive growth spurt (some surprise, huh?) and now that tax revenues are way down (due to the big oil price slump) President Correa is preparing to substantially increase taxes on more productive sectors of society.

-S.A. corporations are alive and well in Latin America but much less than 5% of the population have one or even know anything about them or what they’re for…

-Here’s a stale, old Latin joke… but it’s true:

Pancho, “Hey Senor, where is the men’s room?”

Jose, “Anywhere you like.”

-CONSULT WITH JOHNNY- SCHEDULE A CELL OR SKYPE CALL:

Follow the consult link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com and Johnny will help you sort out your Latin American plans.

Richard Eskow – The GOP Debate is What Oligarchy Looks Like

In the run-up to the first Republican presidential debate, a flurry of news stories about the candidates offered glimpses of oligarchy in action. Consider:   Jeb Bush’s largest Super PAC has already raised $103 million, most of it collected before he even officially declared that he was running for president. (That may explain the exclamation point in his “Jeb!” logo.) …

Pam Martens and Russ Martens – Citigroup’s Unchecked Crime Wave Proves that America Is Headed in the Wrong Direction

Citigroup, the bank that played a central role in bringing America to its knees in 2008; received the largest taxpayer bailout in the history of finance to resuscitate its insolvent carcass; pleaded guilty to a felony count of rigging foreign currency trading in May and was put on a three year probation – is now under a string of criminal …