Making palpable [ the hopelessness of survival after a nuclear war ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/07/brother-in-the-land-robert-swindells-book-that-changed-me ) . What could possibly have excused [ dropping a nuclear weapon on Nagasaki? ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/07/war-crimes-nuclear-weaponry )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Hopelessness_of_survival_after_a_nuclear_war%29

Ireland formally accepted that [ an abortion is better than a woman's suicide, but seems to be trying to take it back ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/pregnant-women-ireland-abortion-ban-suicide ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Abortion_better_than_a_woman%27s_suicide%29

Isis is [ conquering parts of Kurdistan ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/obama-options-iraq-isis-incursion-yazidi ) with the help of heavy US weapons captured from the disintegrating Iraqi army. [ Who Are the Yazidis And Why Is Isis Hunting Them? ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/who-yazidi-isis-iraq-religion-ethnicity-mountains ) Obama announced he will [ launch air strikes to prevent genocide ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/08/obama-authorises-iraq-air-strikes-against-isis ) . That is a valid reason for war, and supporting Iraq in defense makes it legal as far as I know. I worry, however, that this US intervention will backfire just like the last one. In the long term, it would make more sense to give heavy weapons to the Kurds. They probably can be relied on not to lose those weapons to Isis.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Isis_is_conquering_parts_of_Kurdistan%29

Wisconsin's supreme court is not conservative, [ it's right-wing radical ]( http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/08/12560/wisconsin-supreme-court-not-conservative ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Wisconsin%27s_supreme_court%29

Reports of evidence that [ Malaysia flight 17 was attacked by cannon fire from fighter planes ]( http://www.nst.com.my/node/20925 ) . I have not seen these claims anywhere else. If they are confirmed, it would change everything about the issue.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Malaysia_flight_17_attacked_by_cannon_fire%29

Americans should [ stop freaking out when they see children in parked cars ]( http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/08/parents-arrested-leaving-kids-alone-cars ) . The US has a general pattern of [ smothering overprotection of children ]( https://www.stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#01_July_2014_%28Overprotection_of_children%29 ) . It is normal for children to leave the house and play together without adults. It used to be normal in the US for children to walk some miles to school by themselves.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Smothering_overprotection_of_children%29

Even opponents of abortion rights [ don't really believe that abortion is murder ]( http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/08/how-many-people-really-truly-believe-abortion-murder ) . They use the slogan to talk themselves into a frenzy so they can aggress against women's rights.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Opponents_of_abortion_rights%29

Temple University distanced itself from the [ bogus study that found false "savings" from private prisons ]( http://www.theverge.com/policy/2014/8/6/5968979/corporations-are-using-dubious-research-to-take-over-prisons ) . That's not enough — universities must not allow their professors to do false research for pay.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Professors_doing_false_research%29

Max Schrems persistently [ fights Facebook's monstrous surveillance engine ]( http://m.bbc.com/news/technology-28677667 ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#09_August_2014_%28Max_Schrems_fights_Facebook%29

[ Obama Defends CIA Chief John Brennan Amid Resignation Demands ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/06/obama-defends-cia-chief-john-brennan-amid-resignation-demands ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Obama_defends_CIA_chief%29

Many Europeans are responding to Israel's repeated aggressions by [ hating all Jews ]( http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/07/antisemitism-rise-europe-worst-since-nazis ) . Antisemitism was suppressed for decades because it was condemned by a large part of society, in response to Nazi genocide. My mother told me about the regular antisemitism she experienced in New York in the 1930s, but I have almost never encountered it. (I am Jewish by ethnicity, and the fact that I am an Atheist would not make antisemites forgive me for that.) Now it seems that suppression has ended, antisemitism has come back. Israel's actions are to blame. It is not rational to condemn all Jews for Israeli aggression. When people with a valid cause attack an illegitimate target, it makes the situation worse. Israel's killing of Arab civilians did that, and antisemitism will do it again.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Response_to_Israels_aggressions%29

The [ verbal tactics ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/08/eric-abetzs-abortion-backtrack-an-opportunity-to-study-liberal-spin-in-its-natural-habitat ) right-wing politicians use when an aggressive falsehood is caught out.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Right-wing_verbal_tactics%29

The US is [ trying to subject parts of Africa to Walmart domination ]( http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/08/usaid-walmart-africa-food-chain-supermarket ) . This generally results in lower prices paid to farmers and other producers because they have to accept what Walmart is willing to pay them.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Walmart_in_Africa%29

1600 Bangladeshi clothing workers occupied their factories because they [ have not been paid for months ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/08/when-will-the-west-stop-clothing-itself-in-bangladeshs-suffering ) . The thugs are [ on the company's side ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/07/bangladesh-police-unleash-rubber-bullets-teargas-hunger-striking-workers ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Bangladeshi_clothing_workers%29

Hamas [ refused to extend the temporary cease fire ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/08/israel-air-strikes-rockets-gaza-ceasefire-ends ) , demanding an end to the siege of Gaza. A siege is an act of war, just as much as firing a rocket or dropping a bomb. Declaring a free-fire zone inside Gaza and shooting at anyone who goes there is also an act of war. If Israel wants a buffer zone, it should create that buffer zone inside Israel's borders. The tunnels built by Hamas could be used to attack civilians or soldiers, but Hamas uses them to attack soldiers. And taking soldiers prisoner is not "kidnapping". However, the rockets launched by Hamas against civilians are war crimes. [ More about the dishonest terminology ]( http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/08/gaza-israel-language-modern-war-steven-poole ) used by Israel and Hamas.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Hamas_demands_end_of_siege%29

Airline prices are falling and this [ will cause an increase in CO2 emissions caused by flights ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/08/air-traffic-growth-emission-reductions ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Airline_prices%29

Drugs that many humans take, and excrete, [ wind up in waterways and harm wildlife ]( http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/aug/08/drugs-toilet-pharmaceutical-pollution ) . Perhaps we should choose drugs with a view towards reducing these effects.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Drugs_winding_up_in_waterways%29

Ukraine fired inaccurate missiles at a rebel missile launcher operating near civilians, and this [ killed civilians ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/08/civilians-killed-injured-donetsk-ukraine-shelling ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Ukraine_missiles_kill_civilians%29

The four main US ISPs are accused of [ violating the one network neutrality rule that remains in effect ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/07/all-four-internet-service-giants-allegedly-violated-last-remaining-net-neutrality ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Network_neutrality_violation%29

Decommissioning reactor 3 at Fukushima will be more difficult than supposed, because it appears that [ nearly all the fuel rods melted down ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/07/fukushima-meltdown-worse-previous-estimates-tepco ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Reactor_3_at_Fukushima%29

Mexico has made the [ disastrous decision ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/07/mexico-opens-door-oil-privatization ) to privatize oil extraction. If this needs "investment", I am sure the Mexican state would come out better by doing the investment itself. This sort of claim is the basis for most privatizations, and nearly all of them do [ harm to all but their investors ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2013-nov-feb.html#17_February_2014_(Privatization_is_costly_and_harmful) ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Mexico_to_privatize_oil_extraction%29

In the US: join or support the [ People's Climate March ]( http://peoplesclimate.org/march/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Peoples_Climate_March%29

US citizens: [ call on Obama ]( http://www.dontdesertamerica.com/dfa/ ) to block corporate tax-deserters.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Block_corporate_tax-deserters%29

Egypt [ banned the Muslim Brotherhood's political party ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/09/egyptian-court-muslim-brotherhood-freedom-and-justice-party ) . I would hardly agree with that party on anything, but banning a party is an act of tyranny.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Egypt_bans_a_political_party%29

Chinese companies now offer censored computing services [ to people outside China ]( http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/02/chinese-communist-party-backed-tech-giants-bring-censorship-to-the-global-stage/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Censored_computing_services%29

The US has repeatedly [ squandered opportunities ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/05/why-national-security-has-nothing-do-security ) to make the world less vulnerable to nuclear destruction. The article has a certain one-sidedness, as is often found in articles whose main point is to criticize the US. For instance, it tries to suggest that the US was in the wrong in planning for war with Japan in 1941 (though nothing forced Japan to start that war). Japan in 1941 was in the process of conquering China by means of a stream of [ atrocities ]( https://www.stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#02_August_2014_(Whitewash_by_Yushukan_war_museum) ) ; that's why the US stopped selling Japan the materials Japan needed in order to continue that conquest.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Security_vs_National_Security%29

Amnesty International says there is [ mounting evidence ]( http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2014/08/07/mounting-evidence-deliberate-attacks-gaza-health-workers-israeli-army ) of intentional Israeli attacks on medical facilities and workers in Gaza.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Attacks_on_medical_facilities_in_Gaza%29

ISIS [ gets its funding from US "allies" ]( http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/14/america-s-allies-are-funding-isis.html ) : Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. This seems to have been going on for longer than the article says: it seems that some of them were behind the start of the armed uprising in Syria, back when Syrians where still holding nonviolent protests for democracy.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28US_allies_funding_ISIS%29

Since Colorado legalized marijuana, the [ rate of car accidents has continued its general downward trend ]( http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/08/05/since-marijuana-legalization-highway-fatalities-in-colorado-are-at-near-historic-lows/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Legalized_marijuana%29

US casinos get most of their money from slot machines made [ so addictive and "smooth" that people can get lost in them for hours or days ]( http://www.vox.com/2014/8/7/5976927/slot-machines-casinos-addiction-by-design ) . I have sometimes wanted to get lost in playing a machine. Rather than going to a casino, I played a game on a computer — that cost me nothing. Free software games are available for this. The idea of raising money for a state by legalizing casinos and taxing them made some rational sense for the first few states to do it. People from other states came there and spent money. Now that most US states have legalized casinos, this effect has disappeared; the result is that people spend money on casinos instead of some other business that also pays taxes. It's amazing how shortsighted politicians can be when that enables a business to make money.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Slot_machines%29

Some US Christians are [ as vicious as ISIS ]( http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/07/christian-broadcaster-ebola-could-cleanse-us-of-atheists-gay-people-and-sluts/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Vicious_US_Christians%29

China has excluded some Apple computers from the list approved for government purchases, on grounds of [ insecurity ]( http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-06/china-said-to-exclude-apple-from-procurement-list.html ) . This is very wise. Apple computers have [ no security against Apple itself ]( http://gnu.org/philosophy/proprietary/malware-apple.html ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Insecurity_of_Apple_computers%29

When Obama [ talks about "banning" torture ]( https://pressfreedomfoundation.org/blog/2014/08/dont-cheer-obamas-ban-torture ) , which is illegal, and fails to prosecute torturers, the effect is to undermine the law against torture and make torture a mere matter of policy.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Obama_undermines_law_against_torture%29

What the world needs now is [ secularism ]( http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2014/aug/08/zoe-williams-world-humanist-congress ) , and urgently.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#10_August_2014_%28Urgent_need_for_secularism%29

20,000 or more besieged Yazidis [ escaped from Isis encirclement ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/10/iraq-yazidi-isis-jihadists-islamic-state-kurds ) . It is not clear whether US attacks helped make this possible.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Besieged_Yazidis_escaped%29

Naomi Klein: [ 'Our Economic Model Is at War with Life on Earth'. ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/08/naomi-klein-our-economic-model-war-life-earth )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Our_Economic_Model_Is_at_War_with_Life_on_Earth%29

Hamas threatened to [ increase its ineffective rocket attacks on Israel unless the siege is ended ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/09/gaza-hamas-threatens-escalation-rocket-strikes-israel ) . It suits both Hamas and Israel to treat these rocket attacks as a big danger.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Hamas_threatened_to_increase_its_ineffective_rocket_attacks%29

Russia has joined China in [ requiring all users of internet cafes to show their identity ]( http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/08/us-russia-internet-idUSKBN0G81RV20140808 ) . This policy is part of repressing dissent. If you are in Russia, you can help resist Putin's repression by leaving your own wifi network unencrypted. The EFF is developing a system that allows you to have your private encrypted wifi network plus a [ secondary unencrypted one for anyone passing by ]( http://www.wired.com/2014/06/eff-open-wireless-router/ ) . I am somewhat unhappy that they call it "open", but it's a good project despite the name.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28All_users_of_internet_cafes_to_show_their_identity%29

10 years later, the New York Times [ recognizes that torture is really torture even if committed by the US government. ]( http://www.fair.org/blog/2014/08/08/ny-times-and-torture-a-decade-too-late/ )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28New_York_Times_recognizes_that_torture_is_really_torture%29

Facebook tracks everyone's browsing through "Like" buttons. A scandal has erupted because Facebook says it will [ use that data to choose what ads to show people. ]( http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/06/12/privacy-experts-say-facebook-changes-open-up-unprecedented-data-collection/ ) How Facebook uses that data is a distracting side issue. The real injustice is that Facebook (and other companies) collect this data at all. That practice should be prohibited by law. You can protect yourself from this particular surveillance mechanism by using a browser such as [ IceCat ]( http://gnu.org/software/icecat ) that blocks the things that do the surveillance.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Facebook_tracks_everyone%27s_browsing_through_Like_buttons%29

Racism still exists the US, but people [ grasp at straws to argue it isn't really racism ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/10/innocent-until-proven-racist-society ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Racism_in_the_US%29

The UK censored a report on house prices, apparently to [ cover up the effect of fracking ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/10/fracking-censored-house-price-report ) . The UK government is not as blatant in its support of fossil fuels as [ the Australian ]( https://www.stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#28_July_2014_%28Australia_approves_new_coal_mine%29 ) and [ Canadian ]( https://www.stallman.org/archives/2014-mar-jun.html#29_May_2014_%28Canada_attacks_science%29 ) governments, but it is persisent.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28UK_censored_a_report_on_house_prices%29

Pakistan's government has [ banned an opposition protest march ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/10/pakistan-protests-islamabad-nawaz-sharif-imran-khan-qadri ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Pakistan%27s_gov%27t_banned_an_opposition_protest_march%29

Don't lump boycotting Israel [ together with antisemitism ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/10/cultural-boycotts-rise-of-antisemitism ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Boycotting_Israel%29

Indigenous women organize to [ fight extractive industries promoted by governments that have sold out ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/09/women-warriors-take-environmental-protection-their-own-hands ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Indigenous_women_organize_to_fight_extractive_industries%29

A thug in St Louis shot an unarmed black teenager for no obvious reason, [ triggering a big protest in his neighborhood ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/10/police-fatal-shooting-black-teenager-angry-crowd-st-louis-suburb ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Thug_shot_an_unarmed_black_teenager%29

The Australian Liberal Party [ registered domain names that use "Abbott lies" ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/10/abbott-lies-web-domain-names-registered-in-liberal-party-name ) , acting like the "pregnancy counselors" that try to distract women away from abortion clinics.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#11_August_2014_%28Australian_Liberal_Party_registered_domain_names_that_use_Abbott_lies%29

The Bangladeshi workers on hunger strike [ received their back pay ]( http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/aug/11/bangladeshi-garment-workers-receive-overdue-pay ) . The article does not mention one of the reasons these workers are mistreated so much: the "flexible" system of subcontracting that makes it easy to move production from one subcontractor to another. We must make the shell companies that put their names on these goods responsible for the actions of their supply chain.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#12_August_2014_%28Striking_Bangladeshi_workers_paid%29

Obama tried persistently to unite Iraq under Maliki's government, but he has [ recognized that this won't work ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/11/isis-obama-friends-iraq-kurds-islamic-state ) . Kurdistan makes a much better ally, since it is a nation and has an army that will fight for something other than pay or hatred.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#12_August_2014_%28Iraq_under_Maliki_wont_work%29

The tiny fraction of climate scientists who deny that human activities cause global heating report [ much more media coverage than the ones who agree with the consensus ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2014/aug/11/fringe-global-warming-contrarians-disproportionate-media ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#12_August_2014_%28Media_coverage_of_climate_scientists%29