Obama's proposed regulations for shipping crude oil by train are [ too little and too slow ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/07/24/weak-oil-train-regulations-dont-go-nearly-far-enough-experts-warn ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Regulations_for_shipping_crude_oil_by_train%29

Neonicotinoid pesticides are [ prevalent in waterways in the US midwest and sometimes reach toxic levels ]( http://commondreams.org/news/2014/07/24/notorious-neonics-pervasive-midwest-waters-study ) . They also persist from previous years.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Neonicotinoid_pesticides_prevalent_in_waterways_in_the_US%29

The decline of wildlife is now [ causing a food scarcity ]( http://phys.org/news/2014-07-global-wildlife-decline-slave-labor.html ) which increases to war, crime and child labor. There isn't enough Earth for so many humans and the wild world too. While we can do various things to assuage the conflict, [ we humans must reproduce less so that we stop overburdening our planet ]( https://stallman.org/articles/children.html ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28The_decline_of_wildlife%29

The UK [ covered up massive losses in World War I with censorship and lies. ]( http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jul/27/first-world-war-state-press-reporting ) These losses were [ due to incompetent generals ]( https://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/11/10-5 ) who lacked the moral courage to a plan when it had clearly gone wrong. With honest reporting, perhaps they would have been sacked.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28UK_covered_up_massive_losses_in_World_War_I%29

Everyone: tell the US NFL to [ treat domestic violence as a serious offence ]( http://act.credoaction.com/sign/NFL_women ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Treat_domestic_violence_as_a_serious_offence%29

Isn't it strange that people say we need [ robots to care for the old and sick because there aren't enough people to do it ]( https://medium.com/message/failing-the-third-machine-age-1883e647ba74 ) , when so many people are unemployed? This is prejudice and plutocracy at work, a desire to replace people with machines and leave more people destitute. We should ban automation of many jobs, thus preserving work for people, until we institute an automatic personal income so that people don't need jobs.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Robots_to_care_for_the_old_and_sick%29

The UK government admits, under pressure, that [ fracking causes environmental damage ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/28/fracking-national-parks-protecting-houses ) , but is mad to go ahead with it anyway.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28UK_admits_fracking_causes_damage%29

Human Rights Watch and the ACLU say that lawyers' and journalists' work is [ threatened by US massive surveillance ]( https://firstlook.org/theintercept/?p=3008 ) . For the lawyers, encryption of the contents of email could be enough of a solution. However, journalists also need to protect their sources' identity, and surveillance of their communication metadata is enough to ruin that. I've stated the [ solution ]( http://gnu.org/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Threat_to_lawyers_and_journalists_work%29

Qatar World Cup: [ Migrants Wait a Year to Be Paid for Building Offices (for the event) ]( http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jul/28/qatar-world-cup-migrants-not-paid-building-office ) . The contractor went bankrupt and never paid them, so they are trapped in Qatar because they have no money to leave, and could be imprisoned because they no longer have the right to be in Qatar. This is part of a general system that treats migrant workers so badly that [ some of them die from it ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2013-sep-dec.html#29_September_2013_(Migrant_workers_in_Qatar_worked_to_death) ) . You can punish the Qatari state personally by not taking flights on Qatar Airways, which is owned by the government of Qatar.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Qatar_World_Cup%29

US citizens: [ call on Obama and Holder ]( http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9775 ) not to imprison reporter James Risen. Risen is [ ready to go to prison to avoid putting a whistleblower in danger ]( https://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/05/08-1 ) . The US government is wrong to try to make this necessary.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Urgent%3A_James_Risen%29

US citizens: [ Call on the FCC ]( http://act.freepress.net/sign/fcc_visit_nn/ ) to hold public hearings around US about net neutrality.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Net_neutrality_public_hearings%29

Domestic violence is a system of permanent enslavement, and the [ victims need special support in order to leave ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/28/domestic-violence-police-victims-community-resolution-orders ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Domestic_violence%29

Despite a year of pressure, Qatar has made [ little change in its laws ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/28/qatar-migrant-workers-world-cup-exploited-unpaid ) that more or less enslave migrant workers.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Enslavement_of_migrants_in_Qatar%29

A Spanish union [ plans a protest ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/28/spanish-trade-union-occupation-gibraltar ) in Gibraltar against its use as a tax-dodge haven. I support their campaign against tax havens, but under the circumstances it can't help being confused with mere nationalism. If they could join with UK Uncut, they could separate it clearly from nationalism.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Tax-dodge_haven_in_Gibraltar%29

[ A diary ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/28/four-days-under-siege-gaza-diary-palestinian ) from Gaza under bombardment.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Diary_from_Gaza_under_bombardment%29

Solitary confinement often [ causes mental illness ]( http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/dvorsky20140725 ) . In addition, it must make dementia more likely, since it has been established that exercising the mind tends to delay dementia.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Solitary_confinement%29

[ Why We'll Still Be Fighting About Religious Freedom 200 Years From Now! ]( http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/tarico20140724 )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Religious_freedom%29

ALEC is [ promoting state laws ]( http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/07/12549/alec-agenda-dallas-evisceration-medicaid-privatization-public-schools-expansion-gas-exports ) to remove all regulation from private "charter" schools and ban enrollment in Medicaid.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28State_laws_promoted_by_ALEC%29

US citizens: [ tell the EPA ]( https://secure.nrdconline.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3509 ) you support limiting CO2 emissions from coal power plants.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Limit_CO2_emissions%29

Verizon offers customers [ "rewards" in exchange for more tracking ]( http://www.mouseprint.org/2014/07/28/new-program-trades-your-privacy-for-rewards/#comments ) . This is why I think it won't achieve much to adopt a law that people "own" their personal data as property — it is too easy to convince them to sell it.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Verizon_rewards_for_more_tracking%29

A former Israeli air force officer says that [ Israel's moral standards have collapsed ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/28/israeli-military-most-moral-no-more-outrage-indifference ) . Actions that led to soul-searching 12 years ago are now done without a second thought.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Israels_moral_standards%29

After an oil train derailed in Washington state, activists [ blocked the tracks ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/07/28/arrests-follow-oil-train-blockade-done-name-environment-communities ) so no more could follow.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Activists_block_train_tracks%29

US citizens: Don't send back child refugees without [ hearing their cases ]( http://act.couragecampaign.org/sign/ChildRefugees/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Child_refugees%29

OkCupid did an [ experiment ]( http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/29/okcupid-experiment-human-beings-dating ) telling users they were compatible when its scores said they were not. These pairs carried on with conversations, apparently not noticing their supposed incompatibility. I wonder how many of them formed relationships and how those worked out. It's possible that this experiment constituted lying to the users, but I don't know whether that is true. It depends on what promises the site makes to users about how it judges compatibility, which are facts I don't know. If "flip a coin" is as good a method as its usual one, perhaps it satisfies the promises. However, if a dating site's claim to being useful is its method for estimating people's compatibility, and that method turns out to be little better than chance, it seems to imply that the site is pointless. [ More information ]( http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/07/28/okcupid-experiment-compatibility-deception/ ) about the experiment.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_July_2014_%28Dating_site_experiment%29

Florida [ bans doctors from discussing the danger of guns ]( http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/07/29/3464945/court-upholds-florida-law-that-punishes-doctors-for-talking-about-guns/ ) with their patients.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Doctors_banned_from_discussing_guns%29

Israel [ destroyed Gaza's electric plant ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/29/gaza-power-plant-destroyed-israeli-airstrike-100-palestinians-dead ) . This will make Gaza totally dependent on whatever electricity Israel chooses to supply.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Gazas_electric_plant_destroyed%29

Mississippi's [ attempt to close the state's only abortion clinic ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/29/mississippi-abortion-clinic-court-rules-open-constitutional ) has been declared unconstitutional. However, there may be more appeals.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Mississippis_abortion_clinic%29

US citizens: [ call on the Department of the Interior ]( https://secure.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=14113 ) to stop issuing licenses for offshore oil drilling.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Stop_offshore_drilling_licenses%29

In the US mainstream media, you can get in trouble by showing too much concern for the killing of 1000 Palestinians, but it's fine to say that [ Hamas is "forcing" Israel to kill Palestinian children ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/07/28/cbs-host-palestinians-force-israel-kill-kids ) . This is, of course, totally false. Israel could easily protect itself from the tunnels, and the rockets rarely hurt anyone.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Hamas_is_forcing_Israel_to_kill_Palestinian_children%29

General Mills has given Oxfam [ firm commitments to cut deforestation ]( http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2014/07/28/general-mills-takes-bold-stand-climate-action ) . I'm generally skeptical that commitments by businesses are lip service, but if Oxfam thinks this will really solve the problem, maybe it will.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28General_Mills_has_given_Oxfam_firm_commitments%29

A court settlement requires the US government to [ investigate how dangerous 5 pesticides are to endangered wildlife ]( http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2014/07/28/settlement-will-help-safeguard-nations-endangered-wildlife-5-dangerous ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28How_dangerous_5_pesticides_are_to_endangered_wildlife%29

Republicans passed a bill to let taxes for poor families increase but [ reduce them for fairly wealthy families ]( http://m.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/07/house-republicans-pass-bill-lower-taxes-rich-and-raise-taxes-poor ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Taxes_for_poor_increase_but_decrease_for_wealthy%29

The US is [ providing the Afghan government with more weapons than it can use ]( http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/07/sigar-afghanistan-us-weapons-wind-up-insurgents ) , and many could fall into the hands of the Taliban.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28US_providing_Afghan_government_with_weapons%29

If TaskRabbit Is the Future of Employment, [ the Employed Are Fucked ]( http://valleywag.gawker.com/if-taskrabbit-is-the-future-of-employment-the-employed-1609221541 ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28TaskRabbit%29

Israel has [ arrested 400 Israeli Arabs for protesting ]( http://972mag.com/following-wave-of-protests-israel-arrests-scores-of-arab-activists-minors/94131/ ) , or planning to protest, or relaying postings about a protest, or just being near a protest. Some get beaten bloody, some get interrogated without lawyers. People who support peace are [ called traitors by the right-wing majority ]( http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/israels-other-war ) . David Grossman (mentioned in the above article) still has hope that [ Israel will "grow up" as a result of this war ]( http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/opinion/david-grossman-end-the-grindstone-of-israeli-palestinian-violence.html ) . Stranger things have happened, but having "the left" understand the majority right-wingers better is not the sort of progress that will help.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Israel_has_arrested_400_Israeli_Arabs_for_protesting%29

[ How Capitalism Is Cheating Young Americans ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/07/28/how-capitalism-cheating-young-americans ) . (And young Europeans too.)
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28How_Capitalism_Is_Cheating_Young_Americans%29

The [ US sells coal for a pittance to mining companies ]( http://commondreams.org/news/2014/07/28/dirty-coal-exports-are-global-shell-game ) , effectively a subsidy so they can export it to boost global heating. Buy Low, Sell High: [ How Big Coal And The BLM Treat Taxpayers Like Chumps. ]( http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/28/3464689/big-coal-taxpayers-chumps/ )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28US_sells_coal_for_a_pittance_to_mining_companies%29

Several European countries now ask stores to [ label products from Israeli colonies in Palestine. ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/29/belgium-clear-labelling-goods-israeli-settlements ) They ought to go further and ban commercial importation of all such products.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Labeling_products_from_Israeli_colonies%29

In the US: [ tell Southwest Airlines not to gag passengers ]( http://action.sumofus.org/a/southwest-twitter/2/5/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Tell_Southwest_Airlines_not_to_gag_passengers%29

Pervasive surveillance in the US forces journalists and lawyers to [ use spy techniques ]( https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/07/28/us-surveillance-harming-journalism-law-democracy ) to communicate with their source and clients. Although the Senate is now considering a bill that would make it [ harder for the NSA to collect records in bulk ]( http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/opinion/a-stronger-bill-to-limit-surveillance.html ) , that would not prevent targeted investigations aimed at a journalist to find the journalist's sources. The approach of limiting access to giant digital dossiers is simply not capable of solving the problem. We must stop the creation of these dossiers. [ Comparing ]( https://cdt.org/insight/comparison-of-house-senate-versions-of-the-usa-freedom-act ) the Senate bill with the toothless House bill.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Spies%2C_journalists_and_lawyers%29

The [ unregulated "shadow banking system" ]( http://www.occupy.com/article/parasite-1-shadow-banking-system ) vitiates the regulations that were intended to make banks more stable.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Unregulated_shadow_banking_system%29

What is "terrorism"? Hamas uses tunnels into Israel to attack soldiers — which is [ war, not terrorism ]( https://firstlook.org/theintercept/?p=3027 ) . Israel bombards civilians, homes of the families of Hamas members, hospitals, and power plants — which is terrorism, not war. [ With Blackouts, Food Shortages And Sewage in the Streets, Observers Say the IDF Either Targets Civilians Or Has Terrible Aim ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/29/israel-gaza-infrastructure-blackouts-idf-civilian ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28What_is_terrorism%29

[ Delaying Climate Action Will Carry Heavy Economic Cost, White House Warns ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/29/delaying-climate-action-economic-cost-white-house-epa ) . It's true, but the fact that one must cite economic losses as a reason to prevent worldwide disaster is a testament to plutocracy. [ More explanation ]( http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/29/3464918/climate-economy-white-house-report/ ) of the report.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Economic_cost_of_worldwide_disaster%29

Wikileaks reveals that the Australian government is covering up a bribery scandal by [ banning all public discussion of it ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/30/wikileaks-australia-super-injunction-bribery-allegations ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Australian_govt_bribery_scandal%29

Australia will punish the unemployed [ if they don't apply for enough jobs or if they send "unsatisfactory" applications ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/30/jobseekers-payments-will-be-cut-if-they-spam-employers-ministers-warn ) . If there are no jobs available in your field, you will inevitably be punished.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Australia_to_punish_the_unemployed%29

[ Israel bombarded a UN school ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/30/world-disgrace-gaza-un-shelter-school-israel ) again in Gaza, and has tried to pretend that Hamas attacked the school. It is standard practice for the Israeli government to deny the facts to duck the blame for killing innocent Palestinians — one may as well assume such claims are false.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28UN_school_in_Gaza_bombarded_again%29

[ Former US intelligence officials call on the US to show its evidence ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/07/29/obama-should-release-ukraine-evidence ) about Malaysian Airlines flight 17, or else stop claiming to be certain about what happened. Above all they criticize the tendency to condemn Russia as if the rebels had intentionally shot down shot down the plane (which it is clear they did not do).
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Malaysian_Airlines_flight_17%29

Yonas Fikre says the US had him arrested and tortured in the United Arab Emirates and apparently [ collaborated with his torturers ]( http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/07/yonas-fikre-sweden-torture-proxy-detention ) . It is not clear that Fikre can't return to the US. The article does not say he faced arrest (let alone torture) in the US. Perhaps therefore Sweden's decision not to grant him asylum was correct, since he can safely return to his home country. But that doesn't excuse the US for collaborating in torture.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28US_collaboration_in_torture%29

Genetically engineered corn that makes Bt toxin has [ ceased to repel insect pests ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/07/29/brazil-farmers-say-gmo-corn-no-longer-resistant-bugs ) , in Brazil and in the US. Brazilian farmers demand compensation for the extra pesticides they had to use.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#30_July_2014_%28Corn_engineered_with_Bt_toxin%29