Archive for December 11th, 2006


Pinochet. No cause to rejoice

Bob Morris @ Dec 11th 2006 19:41 - Category: Unfiled ;

From Craig Murray

My father is a Chilean political refugee. He fled the country after the military coup in 1973. After years of half-stories too painful to recount fully, last night he finally put a figure on the losses he suffered - 16 of his friends and colleagues disappeared, no doubt tortured and killed by Pinochet’s guard. The location of their bodies is still unknown today.

That’s why exiles, survivors and families left behind will not see Pinochet’s death as a triumph, nor the conclusion of their suffering.

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US #1 in prisoners

Bob Morris @ Dec 11th 2006 00:23 - Category: Unfiled ;

US now has both the largest prison population and the highest incarceration rate.

“Why are so many people in prison? Blame mandatory sentencing laws and the record number of nonviolent drug offenders subject to them,” she said.

In “Inmate is unstable; the system is just nuts” LA Times columnist Steve Lopez wonders why Stephan Lilly, who is obviously seriously mentally ill, is in the general prison population. He’s serving 25 to life on a third strike that could have been tried as a misdemeanor not a felony. His condition makes him vulnerable to violence, and it’s a given he will get little treatment for his mental illness. This is sick.

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An optimal office building

Bob Morris @ Dec 11th 2006 00:15 - Category: Unfiled ;

The main structure [is] specifically aligned the sun through several rounds of micro-adjustment to the supporting pillars. The building produces all its own water by capturing rain, and makes use of an ultra-modern toilet system (see below) which composts waste and saves thousands of gallons of water a year. Magnificent. Bravo bravo.

It’s the Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Chesapeake Bay and it may be the world’s “greenest” building. Check their 14 minute video for more. Lots of info on the site too.

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US bugged Princess Di’s phone

Bob Morris @ Dec 11th 2006 00:08 - Category: Unfiled ;

“The question is whether the Americans were doing it themselves or the British Government had outsourced it to the Americans to achieve deniability.”

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