Nikola Tesla - The Forgotten Wizard of Science - English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoiC9EtELGg

Nikola Tesla's scientific discoveries are a reminder that there are alternative ways of imagining and doing science. They also highlight the fact that the current fossil fuel based economy is not a result of some natural (and inevitable) development in the history of science and technology but was guided in this particular direction by materialistic greed.

Some suggest that because of Tesla's eccentric behavior and views it became easy for the likes of Thomas Edison and J. P. Morgan to defame him and sweep him under the carpet. Tesla's works remain classified and are perhaps still used in classified scientific and military projects.

The Truth about the 1967 Arab-Israel War - Norman Finkelstein - English

Part I


Part II


On the circumstances surrounding the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Norman Finkelstein writes:

“Preserving its deterrence capacity has always loomed large in Israeli strategic doctrine. Indeed, it was the main impetus behind Israel's first-strike against Egypt in June 1967 that resulted in Israel's occupation of Gaza (and the West Bank). … After Israel threatened and laid plans to attack Syria, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser declared the Straits of Tiran closed to Israeli shipping, but Israel made almost no use of the Straits (apart from the passage of oil, of which Israel then had ample stocks) and, anyhow, Nasser did not in practice enforce the blockade, vessels passing freely through the Straits within days of his announcement. In addition, multiple U.S. intelligence agencies had concluded that the Egyptians did not intend to attack Israel and that, in the improbable case that they did, alone or in concert with other Arab countries, Israel would -- in President Lyndon Johnson's words -- "whip the hell out of them." … The predicament for Israel was rather the growing perception in the Arab world, spurred by Nasser's radical nationalism and climaxing in his defiant gestures in May 1967, that it would no longer have to follow Israeli orders. Thus, Divisional Commander Ariel Sharon admonished those in the Israeli cabinet hesitant to launch a first-strike that Israel was losing its "deterrence capability...our main weapon -- the fear of us."[8] Israel unleashed the June 1967 war "to restore the credibility of Israeli deterrence" (Israeli strategic analyst Zeev Maoz).[9]” [Italicized in the original]

See the full text: “Foiling Another Palestinian “Peace Offensive”: Behind the Bloodbath in Gaza.” Norman Finkelstein. Jan 19, 2009.

On Summer 2006 Israeli War on Lebanon:

American Radical - the Trials of Norman Finkelstein - English

American Radical - the Trials of Norman Finkelstein - English

Particularly interesting in this documentary was the lesser known emotional and personal side of Norman Finkelstein. The documentary covers his earlier work dissecting Joan Peters' zionist fabrication, "From Time Immemorial". It also looks at concerted propaganda and coercive tactics used by the Zionist organizations against him. More recently they led to his tenure rejection at DePaul University. Finkelstein continues to be a supporter of the two-state solution - I believe for its rhetorical and diplomatic value in the eyes of the international community. But realistically speaking this solution is no more viable. (See http://gazaawareness.blogspot.com/ for more on this line of argument.)

G-20 Protests - Police Attack Students at Univ. of Pittsburgh

Police used teargas pepper spray and rubber bullets against University of Pittsburgh students during the Pittsburgh G20 Summit. Many of the students were not part of any demonstration but bystanders curious to find a mass of armed riot police on their campus. The students were obviously not prepared for these kinds of actions... otherwise they would have come wrapped with the American flag and banners with constitutional provisions written on them. Still I doubt that they would have been covered with even a fraction of the frenzy with which the media covered the recent Iranian protests. The point is not the legitimacy of these protests and for that matter - as a comparison - the Iranian protests. Rather it is the hypocrisy of the media coverage and the selective implementation of freedom of expression by the powers that be.

On the Iranian protests check out Phil Wilayto's open letter to the anti-war movement published in the "Monthly Review" on July 8 2009:
http://www.monthlyreview.org/mrzine/wilayto080709.html

America's Secret War with Iran - Vanguard

Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to the Iraq-Iran border to investigate claims that the United States is supporting militant groups that are attacking Iran.

So far the Obama administration has made no meaningful change in the old American strategy of destabilizing the system in Iran through covert and overt means. Supporting the separatist militant groups in Kurdistan and Balochistan areas is one such front in which the US and Iran are face to face with each other. Turkey is also not happy with America because any support to PJAK also strengthens its sister PKK.