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Saturday 09 June 2012

States to Residents: Forget Promises to Restore School Funding
Mike Alberti, Remapping Debate: "When the recession hit, state revenues … declined dramatically, prompting deep cuts to state services. In at least 30 states, funding for K-12 education was lower in fiscal year 2012 than in 2008, despite growing student populations. In state after state, politicians justified the large budget cuts on the grounds that the condition of the state budget made it temporarily necessary to reduce services."
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Ruling Clears Way for 9/11 Health Fund to Cover Cancers
Anemona Hartocollis, The New York Times News Service: "A federal health official's ruling has cleared the way for 50 different types of cancer to be added to the list of sicknesses covered by a $4.3 billion fund set up … after the September 11 attack. It will allow not only rescue workers but also volunteers, residents, schoolchildren and passers-by to apply for money to pay for compensation and treatment for cancers developed in the aftermath of the attack."
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The Kochs' Double Whammy
Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation: "If any doubt was left about the power of big money in our politics, the Wisconsin election destroyed it. Charles and David Koch goosed Gov. Scott Walker's campaign with $10 million through their front group Americans for Prosperity, $1 million through the Republican Governors Association, and more from members of the 'million-dollar donor club' of financial titans that meet regularly at Koch-hosted secret summits…. Is it any wonder that Walker climbed steadily in the polls and ultimately won?"
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Suicides Outpacing War Deaths for Troops
Timothy Williams, The New York Times News Service: "The suicide rate among the nation's active-duty military personnel has spiked this year, eclipsing the number of troops dying in battle and on pace to set a record annual high since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan more than a decade ago, the Pentagon said Friday. Suicides have increased even as the United States military has withdrawn from Iraq and stepped up efforts to provide mental health, drug and alcohol, and financial counseling services."
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"Everything Legal Is Not Moral": Why We're Taking Solitary Confinement to Court
Jules Lobel, Truthout: "Last year, a group of California men numbering in the thousands united in protest against daily suffering by staging harrowing hunger strike that lasted for weeks. They hoped, if they survived, to finally breathe air that was fresh; to eat food that wasn't rotten … and to be able to hold a hand or share a hug with those they loved, after years - and in some cases, decades - of being unable to do so."
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Not Wasting the Waste: Creating Environmental Sustainability
Beverly Bell, Other Worlds: "S. Ushakumari is a horticulturist who has been working with a public interest research organization, Thanal, for the past 22 years. Part of her life's work is a movement which is sweeping the globe: zero waste. Instead of seeking to 'manage' waste, this philosophy and campaign aim to eliminate it…. Zero waste re-examines consumption with an ethical, economic, and environmental eye."
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Chairman Lies to Shareholders, Mocks Protesters
Aaron Krager, Aaron Krager's Blog: "Chairman Terrence Duffy lied to shareholders during the Chicago Mercantile Exchange's annual shareholders meeting, held downtown on May 23. Protesters holding proxy shares attempted to probe Duffy with questions pertaining to CME's lobbying for state tax breaks and their massive profits…. Duffy tried to hedge against the protesters' concerns at the beginning of the meeting in his opening remarks."
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Speaking Truth to Chevron: An Interview With Nigerian Eco-Feminist Emem Okon
Antonia Juhasz, Ms. Magazine: "Last week, leaders of communities harmed by oil giant Chevron descended upon the company's annual shareholder meeting in San Ramon, California to demand environmental justice and human rights. One of the most prominent voices was Emem Okon … I interviewed Okon shortly after the protests to learn how the women of the US can emulate the women of Nigeria in standing up to one of the world's most powerful - and dangerous - corporations."
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Four Decades Ago, a Senator Warned About the Revolving Door of the Military-Industrial Complex
Zaid Jilani, Republic Report: "The Center for International Policy (CIP) released a new report this month focusing on the nuke lobby - the coalition of defense contractors and former government officials who continue to push for costly Cold War-style nuclear stockpile and delivery systems…. The author of the CIP report notes that there are scores of former government officials working in the nuclear weapons lobby, providing it with special access to the government that it otherwise would not have."
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Five "Stand Your Ground" Cases You Should Know About
Suevon Lee, ProPublica: "The Stand Your Ground law is most widely associated with the shooting death of Trayvon Martin … But as a recent Tampa Bay Times investigation indicates, the Martin incident is far from the only example of the law's reach in Florida. The paper identified nearly 200 instances since 2005 where the state's Stand Your Ground law has played a factor in prosecutors' decisions, jury acquittals or a judge's call to throw out the charges."
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Obama 2012: The Lesser Evil?
Andrew Stelzer, National Radio Project: "The election of Barack Obama generated hope for a new progressive national agenda. The reality, however, has been a disappointment for many, and leaves open the question for those on the left - is voting for Obama in 2012 the best route to take? On this edition, we hear excerpts of a panel discussion at the 2012 Left Forum, titled 'The 2012 Elections: Lesser Evil or Left Alternative?'"
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The BuzzFlash commentary for Truthout will return Monday, June 11th.

If Student Concerns Are Not Addressed, There May Be a Youth Uprising in the US
Read the Blog at BuzzFlash

Stand Your Ground? Texas Man Kills Teacher Over Noise Complaint
Watch the Video at the Raw Story

Wage Theft Epidemic: Bosses Pocket 15 Percent of Workers' Pay
Read the Article at AlterNet

Wal-Mart Workers Band Together for Better Wages and Affordable Benefits
Read the Article at USA Today

The Right's New Tactic to Pit the Middle Class Against Itself
Read the Article at Salon

New Russian Law Assesses Heavy Fines on Protesters
Read the Article at the New York Times

Other Winners and Losers from the June 5 Primaries
Read the Article at In These Times

Click here for more BuzzFlash headlines

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