California has [ declared a fire emergency ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/state-of-emergency-california-wildfires-oregon ) , with fires now at the level usually seen only in September. In 30 years, that will usually arrive in June, due to global heating.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28California_has_declared_a_fire_emergency%29

US citizens: [ support the Schedules That Work Act ]( http://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4023/c/33/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8889&track=NAT_140729_scheduling_e )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Schedules_That_Work_Act%29

[ Israel spied on Kerry's communications ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/israel-spied-kerry-peace-effort-report ) while he was making his futile efforts to broker a cease-fire in Gaza. Netanyahu is treating the US with overt contempt, believing he has the US government on a leash. A couple of days ago he essentially told the US, "Shut up, you have no right to question Israel's decisions." The US government [ does not seem to have listened ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/us-appalled-disgraceful-israeli-shelling-gaza-un-school ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Israel_spied_on_Kerry%27s_communications%29

Human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko [ writes to Obama asking for support ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/-sp-barack-obama-swaziland-thulani-maseko ) . Maseko is in prison for criticizing the government and the courts of Swaziland.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Human_rights_lawyer_writes_to_Obama_asking_for_support%29

Israel [ bombed another UN school full of civilians ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/israel-air-strike-un-school-gaza-rafah ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Israel_bombed_another_UN_school_full_of_civilians%29

Australian officials told the boat people, imprisoned at sea, that they would be [ forcibly put into lifeboats which they would then have to navigate to India ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/tamil-asylum-seekers-taught-pilot-lifeboats-back-india ) . While imprisoned on the ship, they did not get enough food.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Boat_people_told_to_navigate_to_India%29

US citizens: [ support access to contraception for women in the US military ]( https://secure.prochoiceamerica.org/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=387A544EE0ACE43BCE15D14AC1E3991C.app245a?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=6021 ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Support_access_to_contraception_for_women%29

US citizens: call on Kerry and Obama to [ impose an end to the siege of Gaza ]( http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-whitehouse-johnkerry?source=c.em&r_by=1135580 ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Impose_an_end_to_the_siege_of_Gaza%29

US citizens: [ support the Stop Corporate Inversions Act ]( https://donate.elizabethwarren.com/page/signup/inversionsact?source=20140801emA ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Support_the_Stop_Corporate_Inversions_Act%29

100 economists called on the US government to take action to thwart vultures from [ attacking Argentina or any other country ]( http://commondreams.org/newswire/2014/07/31/economists-call-congress-mitigate-fallout-ruling-argentine-debt ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#03_August_2014_%28US_court_ruling_on_Argentine_debt%29

The New York Times says that anyone who couldn't distinguish a passenger plane from a military plane was [ "irresponsible and stupid" and "a war criminal" ]( http://www.fair.org/blog/2014/07/22/are-people-who-shoot-down-passenger-planes-war-criminals-or-hard-to-fault/ ) . Except when the person is an officer in the US Navy.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28NY_Times_on_shoot-down_of_planes%29

Dissidents opposed to the war in Israel are [ facing persecution at every level ]( http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/blog/letter-from-tel-aviv-hilla-dayan-and-pw-zuidhof ) : mob attacks on the street, threats of punishment at school, exclusion from employment, and threats of state punishment. It reminds me of what I've read about McCarthyism in the US. The New York Times [ accepts Israeli censorship ]( http://commondreams.org/news/2014/08/01/israels-military-censors-demand-prior-review-nyts-gaza-reporting ) of reporting about Gaza. Reporters in Gaza, reporting by channels that bypass Israel, can report freely as far as I know.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Dissidents_against_war_in_Israel%29

Regenerative organic farming [ can cut a large fraction of humanity's greenhouse has emissions ]( http://commondreams.org/views/2014/08/01/we-can-reverse-climate-change-way-we-grow-food ) . We would have to eat much less beef. I think we would all accept that inconvenience if we understood what the alternative is.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Regenerative_organic_farming%29

The Keystone XL pipeline is facing [ increasing opposition and increasing legal defeats ]( http://commondreams.org/views/2014/08/01/keystone-xl-dominoes-fall-time-arrest-tar-sands-industry ) . I am not convinced that Obama really has decided to block it. If he had, why hasn't he done so? I think he is waiting for 2015 to approve it.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Opposition_to_Keystone_XL%29

An organization that pretends to represent US small business owners does [ right-wing lobbying for the Koch brothers and big insurance companies ]( http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/08/12558/koch-backed-small-business-front-group-added-alec-board ) without telling its members. The AARP acts similarly — it [ lobbies for right-wing causes that its members, who are Americans old enough to retire, might not approve of ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2013-may-aug-html#19_July_2013_(Urgent:_Call_on_AARP_to_stop_sponsoring_Rush_Limbaugh) ) . This is why I refuse to join the AARP.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Front_for_right-wing_lobbyists%29

[ By Expelling Isabella Acevedo, the [UK] Home Office Tears Another Family Apart ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/01/isabella-acevedo-home-office-family-torn-apart-theresa-may ) . The UK government is stretching and even breaking its own immigration laws to deport exactly the people it should be most willing to allow to stay, for no reason except trying to prove how harsh it is to migrants.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28UK_stretching_immigration_laws%29

Russia wants Apple to provide [ secret source code ]( http://recode.net/2014/07/30/russia-wants-apple-sap-to-cooperate-against-foreign-spying/ ) . This would show Russia how to extract data from an iThing [ just as Apple does ]( http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/05/new-guidelines-outline-what-iphone-data-apple-can-give-to-police/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Russia_wants_Apple_source_code%29

[ Canadian Charities Will Survive Chilling Audits Of "Political Activities" ]( http://www.ifex.org/canada/2014/07/25/op_ed_about_cra_auditing/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Audits_of_Canadian_charities%29

The UK government is [ trying to censor the US Senate torture report ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/02/britain-diego-garcia-faces-exposure-over-links-to-cia-torture-flights ) when it talks about the UK's participation.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28UK_trying_to_censor_torture_report%29

The USDA has modified a little its [ plan to let poultry companies inspect their own products ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/01/new-usda-poultry-inspection-rules-jeopardize-public-health-say-critics ) . It is a step in the wrong direction, and making it smaller won't make it ok.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Poultry_inspection_rules%29

[ Foreigners are being evacuated ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/libya-freedom-now-flee-new-chaos ) from Libya, which is collapsing into chaotic war.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Libya_collapsing%29

Americans can use [ jury nullification ]( http://motherboard.vice.com/read/aaron-swartz-jury-nullification-demand-progress ) to protect future Aaron Swartzes and Edward Snowdens. It's worth a try, if you find yourself on jury duty. But we need to push for more reliable solutions too.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Jury_nullification%29

How Israel [ engineered and provoked ]( http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/7/israel-hamas-palestiniansconflictunitedstatesinternationallaw.html ) the war in Gaza.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28How_Israel_engineered_war_in_Gaza%29

In the UK, only the Green Party is prepared to [ reject the idea that billionaires' wealth is good for everyone ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/29/rich-wealth-good-inequality-green-party ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Green_Party%29

[ Unemployed And Applying for 40 Jobs a Month: If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/30/unemployed-and-applying-for-40-jobs-a-month-if-you-didnt-laugh-youd-cry ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Applying_for_40_jobs_a_month%29

A resource for Canadians: [ hundreds of nasty things ]( http://canadaelection2015.blogspot.ca/ ) that the Harper government has done.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Harper_govt_nastiness%29

Republican-controlled states that rejected Obama's health care plan have [ a lot more uninsured people ]( http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/31/1318129/-Medicaid-makes-all-the-difference-in-getting-people-nbsp-insured ) , and it costs them a lot of money. A US court [ overturned Obama's decision to offer tax credits ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/07/22/new-obamacare-rulings-one-thing-certain-we-need-medicare-all-life ) for signing up in these states. This is going to cause suffering for a lot of people. Republican legislators want to make life precarious at any cost, because the plutocrats [ profit from the desperation of potential workers ]( https://www.stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#19_July_2014_(Workers_safety_nets) ) . If this causes a state deficit, they will use that as an excuse to cut some other program that helps the non-rich.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Health_care_in_Republican_states%29

US citizens: [ call for a suspension ]( https://www.aclu.org/secure/lethal-injection ) of executions in the US. This should be a first step towards [ ending the death penalty ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2011-may-aug.html#14_August_2011_%28Truth_About_Lethal_Injection%29 ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Suspend_executions_in_the_US%29

US citizens: call on Obama to [ fire CIA director Brennan and CIA agents that spied on Congress ]( http://act.credoaction.com/sign/fire_brennan ) , and launch an investigation to prosecute them.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Fire_CIA_director_Brennan%29

Alabama's latest attempt to [ close abortion clinics has been overturned by a court. ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/alabama-abortion-law-unconstitutional-judge )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Alabama%27s_latest_attempt_to_close_abortion_clinics%29

Some Facts that [ Poverty-Deniers Don't Want to Hear ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/04/some-facts-poverty-deniers-dont-want-hear ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Some_Facts_that_Poverty-Deniers_Don%27t_Want_to_Hear%29

Many Americans don't have the choice to boycott Walgreens, because [ medical plans require shopping there ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/03/many-people-cannot-boycott-corporate-tax-dodgers-walgreens ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28The_choice_to_boycott_Walgreens%29

Getting to grips with the [ danger of manipulation of the public through digital media ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/03/new-technology-renews-old-fears-manipulation-and-control ) . Using mass media to manipulate public opinion and launch wars started before the 19th century. Remember the Maine, which sunk in Havana harbor due to an internal explosion, then provided the excuse for a media frenzy that pushed the US into war with Spain.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Manipulation_of_the_public_through_digital_media%29

The UK will [ reexamine each planned weapons sale to Israel ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/uk-government-reviews-arms-sales-israel-gaza ) to ensure they don't support attacking Gaza. Whether this is serious, we will see by the results.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28UK_to_reexamine_each_planned_weapons_sale_to_Israel%29

Australia's proposed austerity budget [ would hurt the poor most ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/hockey-budget-hits-the-poor-hardest-treasury-figures-show ) . That's what it was intended to do. Tony Grabbit is evil, but not incompetent.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Australia%27s_proposed_austerity_budget%29

New York's jail for minors [ is a hell of violence. ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/new-york-juvenile-jails-excessive-force )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28New_York%27s_jail_for_minors%29

The intelligence services, effectively a fourth branch of government, [ continue to enjoy effective impunity while spying on all of us ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/04/fourth-branch-rise-power-national-security-state ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Intelligence_services_enjoy_effective_impunity%29

Australia's chief immigration psychiatrist says [ the treatment of asylum seekers is designed to make them suffer, as a form of mental torture. ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/05/-sp-australias-detention-regime-sets-out-to-make-asylum-seekers-suffer-says-chief-immigration-psychiatrist ) And not only mental, when you [ consider the confiscation of medicines ]( https://www.stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#01_August_2014_%28Australia%27s_prison_for_boat_people%29 ) , the [ violence, and so on ]( https://www.stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#07_May_2014_%28Australias_offshore_prison%29 ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Treatment_of_asylum_seekers_designed_to_make_them_suffer%29

The US [ imprisoned Yunus Rahmatullah in Afghanistan for a decade ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/yunus-rahmatullah-pakistani-bagram-denied-legal-counsel ) without allowing lawyers to talk to him.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28US_imprisoned_Yunus_Rahmatullah_for_a_decade%29

The UK government is [ determined to re-privatize a railroad line that made a lot of money for the treasury ]( http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/aug/04/east-coast-mainline-fury-reprivatisation-plan ) . The income undermines the government's ability to claim it can't afford programs to help the poor.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28UK_gov%27t_determined_to_re-privatize_a_railroad_line%29

Perspectives on [ media bias over Ukraine and Russia ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/western-media-coverage-ukraine-crisis-russia ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#04_August_2014_%28Media_bias_over_Ukraine_and_Russia%29

Thousands of criminal convictions were [ based on bogus hair comparison "forensic analysis" by done the FBI ]( http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/federal-review-stalled-after-finding-forensic-errors-by-fbi-lab-unit-spanned-two-decades/2014/07/29/04ede880-11ee-11e4-9285-4243a40ddc97_story.html?wpisrc=nl_hdtop ) . Reportedly other kind of forensic analysis also turned out to be bogus.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28Thousands_of_criminal_convictions_based_on_bogus_forensic_analysis%29

US citizens: Support extending the [ Pacific Remote Islands National Marine Monument ]( https://secure.nrdconline.org/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=6C98B339D810ECA340B3E41EF268FF46.app338a?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3541 ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Pacific_Remote_Islands_National_Marine_Monument%29

The only reliable way to get a good grade on US standardized tests is to [ get the latest textbooks from the three publishers that make the tests ]( http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/07/why-poor-schools-cant-win-at-standardized-testing/374287/ ) . Wealthy areas can afford to provide these books. Poor areas can't. So the tests are an excuse to call poor children stupid, and a scam to benefit those publishers.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28How_to_get_a_good_grade_on_US_standardized_tests%29

Alan Gross, sent by the US to try to give Cuban Jews internet access and imprisoned for it, [ aims to die within a year if not released ]( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2715228 ) . I have little general sympathy for US meddling, which is often done with an evil intent, but Cuba's interference with people's right to communicate is wrong in any case.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28Alan_Gross_aims_to_die_within_a_year%29

UK activists report that [ undercover thugs harassed them to become informers ]( http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/aug/04/campaigners-ipcc-complaint-police-recruit-informers ) . One says thugs threatened to prosecute her if she told about this.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28Activists_report_that_undercover_thugs_harassed_them%29

A cunning loanshark sells furniture to US soldiers at elevated prices, lending them money, then [ sues them in a state where they can't go, so that they always lose ]( http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/07/35000-lawsuits-against-soldiers-struggling-to-pay-their-bills/375090/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28A_cunning_loanshark%29

US citizens: Support [ protecting Puget Sound from oil tanker traffic ]( http://action.foe.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=16204 ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Protecting_Puget_Sound_from_oil_tanker_traffic%29

Chris Hedges describes [ systematic Israeli lies about types of violent events he witnessed. ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/04/why-israel-lies )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28Systematic_Israeli_lies%29

The US is [ developing a palm-sized surveillance drone ]( http://www.army.mil/article/130189/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#06_August_2014_%28US_developing_a_palm-sized_surveillance_drone%29