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Reporters Without Borders: Notable conclusions for the press freedom in some Western democracies for 2014

“ The ranking of some countries has also been affected by a tendency to interpret national security needs in an overly broad and abusive manner to the detriment of the right to inform and be informed. This trend constitutes a growing threat worldwide and is even endangering freedom of information in countries regarded as democracies.” “ Countries that pride themselves on being democracies and respecting the rule of law have not set an example, far from it. Freedom of information is too often sacrificed to an overly broad and abusive interpretation of national security needs, marking a disturbing retreat from democratic practices. Investigative journalism often suffers as a result. This has been the case in the United States (46th), which fell 13 places, one of the most significant declines, amid increased efforts to track down whistleblowers and the sources of leaks. The trial and conviction of Private Bradley Manning and the pursuit of NSA analyst Edward Snowden w

Η αρχή των τελευταίων επιχειρήσεων προβοκάτσιας;

του system failure Και τελικά βρέθηκε η οργάνωση που ανέλαβε την επίθεση κατά της κατοικίας του Γερμανού πρέσβη στις 30 Δεκεμβρίου 2013. Αυτή τη φορά, η "Ομάδα Λαϊκών Αγωνιστών" δεν καθυστέρησε τόσο πολύ. Τους πήρε μόλις ενάμισι περίπου μήνα για να δημοσιεύσουν την προκήρυξη. Σημαντική πρόοδος, αν σκεφτούμε ότι η προκήρυξη για την επίθεση στα γραφεία της ΝΔ, σχεδόν ένα χρόνο πριν, τον Ιανουάριο του 2013, ήρθε με καθυστέρηση πάνω από 5 μήνες! Η "Ομάδα Λαϊκών Αγωνιστών" φαίνεται ότι αποτελεί το αποκούμπι του συστημικού κατεστημένου που προσπαθεί να διατηρηθεί στην εξουσία χρησιμοποιώντας το τελευταίο του χαρτί: την πολιτική του τρόμου. Η προκήρυξη έρχεται, χρονικά, πολύ κοντά στη φυγή Ξηρού, κάτι που δείχνει ότι το παρακράτος είναι έτοιμο να κλιμακώσει τις επιχειρήσεις προβοκάτσιας μέσα στο επόμενο διάστημα και μέχρι τις ευρωεκλογές, αναλόγως βέβαια και από το τι θα δείχνουν οι δημοσκοπήσεις που οργανώνονται ως επί το πλείστων από εταιρί

The beginning of the final provocation operations in Greece?

The organization “Popular Fighters Group” took responsibility for the attack against the residence of the German ambassador in Chalandri-Athens on 30 December 2013. The group claims through a 20-page manifesto that it is also responsible for an attack against the German company Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Varibobi-Attica. Nothing has been discovered so far in the area. It is worth to remember that the same group took responsibility for the assault with Kalashnikov automatic rifle against central headquarters of “Nea Dimokratia”, the right-wing party leading government coalition in Greece. The assault took place in January 2013 and the statement-manifesto for the responsibility came up with over a five-month delay! http://failedevolution.blogspot.gr/2013/07/greek-crisis-and-disorientation.html It is also worth to note that the new manifesto of the group comes less than a month from the escape of Christodoulos Xiros, former member of the armed guerilla group November

Greek public debt could be more than 80 billion euros lower!

Greek public debt could be more than 80 billion euros lower and therefore viable since 2012, in case that bonds buyback in December 2012 would proceed under pre-agreed prices after negotiation, according to two economic and legal studies, as revealed by the journal "Epikaira". An analysis by Panos Panagiotou* These studies are: "The Greek Debt Restructuring: An Autopsy", by Jeromin Zettelmeyer, Christoph Trebesch, and Mitu Gulati under the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and "The Gathering Storm: Contingent Liabilities in a Sovereign Debt Restructuring", by Lee C. Buchheit and G. Mitu Gulati. These studies conclude that there were unjustifiable mistakes which cost Greece more than 80 billion euros in uncut and un-buyback debt, without losses from payments on interests, recession and unstructured bonds under the state guarantee to be considered. According to the facts of these studies, Greek public debt could be close

Α forcible eviction in Spain of crisis

Repression, rage and stone throwing in neighborhoods Police continues evictions. The new victim this time, a 54-year old man with total disability in Lavapies-Madrid. Antonio Argobia forced to abandon his home as he couldn't pay the rent due to his debts. Police actions mobilized people of the neighborhood and representatives of social movements who gathered outside the building of Argobia's apartment. According to the recorded video, policemen drag the protesters who were protesting by sitting in the middle of the road, while later they were repeatedly beating them with their clubs. This was something that outraged others, who attacked against policemen with stones and other objects. During the police operation, the mediator of the movement "Stop Avictions - Stop Desahucios" was arrested as well as two photojournalists from Associated Press and the owner of the apartment. The Assembly of "Vivienda Centro del 15M", activist

When system threatens with a new crisis

by system failure A reverse scenario of the 2008 crisis in the US would be a potential new crisis, starting from Europe this time. Global neoliberal dictatorship feels a threat for its domination which may start from the oncoming euro elections. Forces of the eurosceptics, mainly from the patriotic Right appear to be strengthened, while the European Left seems to be determined not to follow the neoliberal block as the Socialist European parties did. Eurozone member-states appear to be trapped between the markets, which are ready to attack any time, and the ECB, and this is the reason they proceed in further "preventive" measures of cruel austerity. A characteristic recent example is the 50 billion euros in cuts announced by the French president François Hollande for 2015-2017. The system threatens societies with a new crisis, since things may change rapidly against the desirable conditions. In case that euro elections give significant power to

US debt held by the Federal Reserve since 1940

Make your own conclusions At the end of 2008, the US debt held by the Federal Reserve reached record low (3.4% of GDP) since 1942 (1.8% of GDP). This was the highest drop relative to the previous year (2007, 5.6% of GDP) since the recorded data from 1940. This equals to a -39.3% drop for the period 2007-2008, (the second highest drop was for 1940-1941, -24%). Three years later, at the end of 2011, the US debt held by the Federal Reserve reached record high (11,2% of GDP) since the recorded data from 1940, (the second highest was in 1946, 10.7% of GDP and the third was in 2012, 10.6% of GDP). This was the second higher increase relative to the previous year which means a 96,5% increase for the period 2010-2011, (the highest increase was for 1942-1943, 122.2%). Note also that the third highest increase was for 1943-1944 (77.5%), while the fourth highest for 2008-2009 (61.8%). All calculations based on numbers as percentage of GDP. Primary data source: http://

Όταν το σύστημα απειλεί με μια νέα κρίση

του system failure Ένα αντίστροφο σενάριο της κρίσης του 2008 στις ΗΠΑ θα ήταν μια πιθανή νέα κρίση, που αυτή τη φορά θα ξεκινούσε από την Ευρώπη. Η παγκόσμια νεοφιλελεύθερη δικτατορία νιώθει ότι υπάρχει μια απειλή για την κυριαρχία της με αφετηρία τις προσεχείς ευρωεκλογές. Οι δυνάμεις των ευρωσκεπτικιστών, που ανήκουν κυρίως στην πατριωτική Δεξιά, παρουσιάζονται αισθητά ενισχυμένες, ενώ η Αριστερά μοιάζει αποφασισμένη να μην προσαρτηθεί στο νεοφιλελεύθερο μπλοκ στο οποίο προσχώρησαν και τα Σοσιαλιστικά Ευρωπαϊκά κόμματα. Τα κράτη-μέλη της ευρωζώνης μοιάζουν παγιδευμένα ανάμεσα στις αγορές που είναι έτοιμες να επιτεθούν ανά πάσα στιγμή και στην ΕΚΤ, γι'αυτό προχωρούν σε σκληρότερα “προληπτικά” μέτρα λιτότητας. Χαρακτηριστικό πρόσφατο παράδειγμα είναι οι περικοπές ύψους 50 δισ. που ανακοίνωσε ο Ολάντ για τη διετία 2015-2017. Το σύστημα απειλεί τις κοινωνίες με μια νέα κρίση καθώς δεν θέλει να δει τα σχέδια του να εκτροχιάζονται. Σε περίπτωση που οι

Νεαρή χρήστης του twitter καταδικάστηκε σε ένα χρόνο φυλάκιση στη Μαδρίτη

Το Ανώτατο Ειδικό Δικαστήριο της Μαδρίτης (Audiencia Nacional) καταδίκασε 21χρονη χρήστη του twitter σε ένα χρόνο φυλάκιση, με την κατηγορία της υποστήριξης της τρομοκρατίας μέσω του λογαριασμού της στο twitter (@albacorazonnegro), σύμφωνα με ορισμένα πρακτορεία ειδήσεων. Παρόλο που η εισαγγελική αρχή εισηγήθηκε για δύο χρόνια φυλάκιση, επετεύχθη συμφωνία για την αποφυγή της παραπομπής σε δίκη. Η χρήστης του twitter θα αποκλειστεί από κάθε θέση εργασίας στο Δημόσιο για επτά χρόνια. "Υπόσχομαι ότι θα κάνω ένα τατού με το πρόσωπο οποιουδήποτε πυροβολήσει τον [πρωθυπουργό] Ραχόι και τον [υπουργό οικονομικών] De Guindos στο πρόσωπο.", ήταν ένα από τα tweets που οδήγησαν στην σύλληψή της. Έγραψε επίσης "Παρακαλώ κάποιον να καλέσει την GRAPO, ο [υπουργός δικαιοσύνης] Gallardón, γίνεται όλο και πιο Ναζί", ή, "Η GRAPO πρέπει να επανέλθει, πρέπει να καθαρίσουμε [τη χώρα] από τους Ναζί" και ο εισαγγελέας θεώρησε αυτά τα tweets ως υποστήριξη πρ

Another reason why the 1% wants reduced taxes

Big capital is gaining twice from tax reductions by system failure According to a 2010 document under the title "Federal Debt and Interest Costs", released by the US Congressional Budget Office (CBO): "Debt held by the public consists mostly of securities that the Treasury issues to raise cash to fund the activities of the government, including the securities sold to pay off maturing securities. The amount the Treasury borrows or redeems is determined primarily by the budget deficit or surplus in a given year. CBO projects that, under current law, debt held by the public will surpass $16 trillion by 2020, reaching nearly 70 percent of GDP. Many other outcomes are possible, however. If, for example, the tax reductions enacted earlier in the decade were continued, the alternative minimum tax was indexed for inflation, and future annual appropriations remained the same share of GDP that they were in 2010, debt held by the public would total nearly 100 pe