As surrender to plutocracy spreads poverty across Europe, [ nationalism offers the prospect of a magical escape ]( http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/sep/16/rise-nationalism-unites-scotland-england-independence ) without confronting the real root of the injustice. Often nationalism puts the blame for poverty on "parasitic" immigrants rather the principal parasites — the rich.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Nationalism%29

California passed a bill [ banning businesses from making customers agree not to post negative reviews ]( http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/congress-fight-for-your-right-to-yelp-20140915 ) . One is proposed at the US level. I wonder whether these measures also cover the attempt to require customers to assign copyright on their reviews to the business.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Posting_negative_reviews_about_businesses%29

What the US government must do [ if it wants to cut poverty ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/09/17/top-10-solutions-cut-poverty-and-grow-middle-class ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Cutting_poverty%29

Many experts warn that ISIS propaganda videos are intended to suck the US into a war that would [ legitimize ISIS among Sunnis and thus strengthen it ]( https://firstlook.org/theintercept/?p=5015 ) . US hawks that call for immediate war are motivated by domestic politics. If as a byproduct of political gain they strengthen ISIS, that's not important to them.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Sucking_the_US_into_war%29

Chevron is trying to [ buy the city council election in Richmond, California ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/09/17/chevron-sounds-alarm-against-east-bay-anarchism ) using smears and confusion.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Chevron_trying_to_buy_city_council_election%29

The [ battle over cutting Tasmania's old-growth forests will resume ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/-sp-tasmanian-forestry-peace-deal ) , with a government ban on protests condemned by the UN.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Battle_over_cutting_Tasmania%27s_old-growth_forests%29

A Pakistani professor who promoted a liberal interpretation of Islam's social rules [ was assassinated ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/liberal-professor-islam-shot-dead-pakistan-karachi ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Pakistani_professor_assassinated%29

Russian writer Mikhail Shishkin says that [ Putin has taken Russia back to "Soviet times of total lies" ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/russia-ukraine-europe-putin-black-hole ) , and that Putin's violence is preparing Russians to support a series of wars. Putin's nationalist propaganda resembles the US propaganda used to convince Americans to have faith that the US is the "good guy" in every war, in disregard of all truth. However, Putin's version is even stronger. Here's [ more about Mikhail Shishkin ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/putin-aggression-leaves-europe-in-pre-war-state-says-author ) . I am saddened by the Americans that grasp at straws to argue that Putin's lies are truth and that the fault lies entirely with Kiev. There certainly is some wrong on Kiev's side. Its deal with the EU could pave the way for [ "shock capitalism" and disastrous debt ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#27_June_2014_%28Ukraine-EU_austerity_pact%29 ) . There are indeed [ neo-nazi militias fighting for Kiev ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#12_August_2014_%28Ukrainian_Neo-Nazis%29 ) . Kiev's rejection of easterners' demands for limited autonomy was unjustified. But none of this alters the nature of Putin's military aggression in Ukraine.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Russian_writer_Mikhail_Shishkin%29

A group of thugs (not necessarily official state thugs) [ attacked a BBC team in Moscow ]( http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/18/bbc-journalists-attacked-equipment-damaged-moscow-complaint ) ; while the team was reporting the attack to the official thugs, someone erased their computers' memories. Apparently some of Putin's men wanted to stop them from reporting on a Russian soldier apparently killed in Ukraine.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Thugs_attacked_a_BBC_team_in_Moscow%29

US citizens: call on the EPA to [ make powerplant carbon limits strong enough to do the job ]( https://secure3.convio.net/fww/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1400&autologin=true ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Powerplant_carbon_limits%29

ISIS released another provocative video, this one [ threatening to attack the White House ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/17/islamic-state-video-threatens-white-house-us-troops ) . The ISIS propaganda team is clever, and surely expects this to make a lot of US politicians demand war so that they can look tough. I continue to claim that ISIS wants the US to fight so that it can convince Iraqi Sunnis that they have no choice but to support ISIS.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#19_September_2014_%28ISIS_threatening_to_attack_the_White_House%29

US citizens: Tell House Energy Chair Upton to give the polluters' campaign money to the [ cleanup of the pipeline spill in his district ]( http://act.boldprogressives.org/survey/petition_mi6_pipeline/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Cleanup_of_pipeline_spill%29

US citizens: [ sign a statement of support for Greenpeace protesters ]( https://secure3.convio.net/gpeace/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1707&autologin=true ) in Cincinnati, who face ten years' imprisonment under Putinesque charges.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#18_September_2014_%28Urgent%3A_Statement_of_support_for_Greenpeace_protesters%29

US universities are getting [ M-16 assault rifles, even grenade launchers ]( http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/campus-cops-with-m-16s/ ) , for their campus thugs. It is dangerous for them to have such weapons.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#19_September_2014_%28US_universities_militarizing_thugs%29

US criticism of Putin's expansionism and destabilization is undermined by [ several instances where the US did or supported similar actions ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/09/16/us-leadership-against-russia-crippled-its-own-hypocrisy ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#19_September_2014_%28US_criticism_undermined%29

Canadian PM Harper [ will skip the climate summit ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/09/16/harper-will-be-no-show-un-climate-summit-next-week ) . Not surprising, for a government that [ gags scientists to cover up the unpleasant facts of global heating ]( https://www.stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#16_September_2014_(Press_access_to_Canadian_scientist_denied) ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#19_September_2014_%28Canadian_PM_to_skip_climate_summit%29

The Tories have been so successful at enriching UK businesses that they have [ doubled the price ]( http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/17/tories-charge-business-executives-conference-access-ministers ) of meeting ministers.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#19_September_2014_%28Price_of_meeting_UK_ministers%29

[ The Silence on Climate Change Is Deafening. It's Time for Us to Get Loud. ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/17/silence-climate-change-peoples-march ) The term "climate change" was [ coined by the denialist movement to make global heating sound neutral rather than dangerous ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#16_June_2014_(Destroyed_by_global_heating) ) . It makes no sense for us to use that term.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#19_September_2014_%28The_silence_on_global_heating%29

The head of the Lib Dems says he [ won't let the UK be lured into war with ISIS by provocative videos ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/17/nick-clegg-uk-cannot-afford-religious-war-isis-islamic-state ) . There are surely some US politicians that are wise enough to reject that, but the mainstream media don't present them much.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Being_lured_into_war_by_videos%29

A large fraction of the workers in Malaysia's electronics factories are [ enslaved ]( http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/sep/17/modern-day-slavery-malaysia-electronics-industry ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Enslaved_Malaysian_workers%29

Darrien Hunts' sword had a [ rounded edge ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/17/darrien-hunt-police-shooting-family-friends-remember ) , so he could hardly have seriously threatened anyone with it. It appears that, before the thugs shot him, he was making moves with the sword as a form of pretend play, away from other people. The most dangerous looking thing about him was his skin color. If you're a black male, in the US, people will often perceive your actions as dangerous; if a while male did the same thing, people would not consider it dangerous. Over and over, this leads thugs to kill innocent people.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Playing_while_black%29

What can be learned about Ton Siedsma from one week of his metadata? [ Quite a lot ]( https://www.bof.nl/2014/07/30/how-your-innocent-smartphone-passes-on-almost-your-entire-life-to-the-secret-service/ ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Metadata%29

Big investment groups called for a [ "stable, reliable and economically meaningful" price ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/18/investors-call-for-climate-change-deal ) on carbon emissions.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Price_on_carbon_emissions%29

Japan announced it [ will disregard ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/18/japan-whaling-southern-ocean-iwc-ruling ) the International Whaling Commission's vote to limit whaling in the Southern Ocean.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Japan_to_disregard_vote_on_whaling%29

Senator Sanders proposes a law to [ make rich heirs start paying estate tax again ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/09/18/real-plutocracy-prevention-act ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Estate_tax%29

Sharif Mobley found a way to phone his wife and told her he was being [ tortured in Yemen's prison ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/15/us-man-yemen-contact-wife-sharif-mosley ) . It appears that the Obama regime and Yemen's regime are collaborating to imprison him without trial. He faces criminal charges, perhaps bogus, but the Yemen regime is sabotaging the trial by refusing to bring him to court.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28US_citizen_reports_from_Yemen_prison%29

Japan's "scientific" whaling has produced just [ two peer-reviewed papers since 2005 ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/18/the-truth-about-the-peer-reviewed-science-produced-by-japans-whaling ) . The papers were based on 9 out of the 3600 minke whales Japan has killed during that time.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Japans_scientific_whaling%29

[ Reports say that Assad has agreed ]( http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/09/18/reported-us-syrian-accord-air-strikes ) to US bombing of ISIS forces in Syria. If Assad does indeed help target the attacks, that would be useful since they would be less likely to hit the wrong targets. But I worry about one thing: would Assad dishonestly supply coordinates of non-ISIS rebels, claiming they were ISIS?
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Assad_may_help_US_target_bombing_of_ISIS%29

How pay toilets were [ eliminated in the US ]( http://www.psmag.com/navigation/business-economics/dont-pay-toilets-america-bathroom-restroom-free-market-90683/ ) . I wish other countries would pass similar laws.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Pay_toilets%29

Obama continues to propose to boost exports with antidemocratic "free trade" treaties. The existing ones have not had that effect, but the US Trade Representative is giving Congress [ fudged statistics ]( http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2014/09/17/presidents-export-council-meets-no-chance-meet-obamas-export-doubling-goal ) to pretend that they did. Even if they did boost exports, it would not be particularly good, because that principally means more profit for US businesses. Nowadays that growth does little good for US workers, due to the antidemocratic effects of these same treaties. So there is no reason for Americans to make increased exports a goal at all.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Obamas_free_trade_proposals%29

A US for-profit college company has been sued for [ predatory lending ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/09/17/profit-college-chain-sued-feds-predatory-lending-scheme ) . I think it is a good idea to prohibit for-profit schools, and for-profit hospitals too. [ Philanthropists are buying the students' loans ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/09/17/you-are-not-loan-rolling-jubilee-abolishes-millions-student-debt ) in order to forgive them. This is necessary because the US has made it impossible to get rid of student loans through bankruptcy. That law is cruel.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28For-profit_schools%29

Many companies give money to political parties to [ prevent an issue from ever being discussed ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/11/political-donations-corrupt-democracy-in-ways-you-might-not-realise ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Paying_to_prevent_discussions%29

The USDA approved GMO corn and soybeans [ resistant to the herbicide 2,4-D ]( http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2014/09/17/organic-consumers-condemns-usda-approval-dows-new-gmo-crops ) , which was used in Agent Orange during the Vietnam war. Superweeds will experience a temporary setback, but in a few years they will evolve resistance to this chemical too.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Agent_Orange-resistant_GMO_crops%29

A fire near Sacramento has [ burned over 110 square miles ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/california-wildfire-explosive-growth-pollock-pines ) and is threatening 2000 houses. Since global heating is making California more arid, this will be a frequent occurrence in a couple of decades.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Fire_near_Sacramento%29

Torture is <A href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/nigeria-police-torture-extract-confessions-amnesty-international">standard practice for Nigerian thugs</a>.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Torture_by_Nigerian_thugs%29

The US Air Force allowed an Atheist airman to [ swear his oath to support the Constitution without citing a deity ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/us-air-force-atheist-airman-reeinlist ) .
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28Atheist_airman%29

Finally, [ The West Is Acting on Ebola ]( http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/19/west-ebola-drop-bombs-iraq-while-drugs-africa ) . What Took Us So Long?
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28The_West_Is_Acting_on_Ebola%29

Mother Jailed for [ Sending Semi-Naked Photos of Daughters to Dance Teacher ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/19/mother-jailed-for-sending-semi-naked-photos-of-daughters-to-dance-teacher ) . It appears that the dance teacher manipulated her into doing this so that her daughters would be admitted or kept in the dance school. He abused his power, but I don't think she should be punished.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28Mother_Jailed_for_Sending_Semi-Naked_Photos_of_Daughters%29

Russian observers say that the vote counting for Scotland's referendum on independence [ was not done in accord with international norms ]( http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/19/russia-calls-foul-scottish-referendum ) . This is a cheap shot — the Scottish referendum should have been run according to standards, but that does not validate Putin's [ phony elections in the Crimea ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2014-mar-jun.html#18_March_2014_%28Why_the_election_in_Crimea_is_bogus%29 ) or in [ Russia. ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2007-nov-feb.html#13%20November%202007%20%28Even%20jokes%29 )
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28Vote_counting_for_Scotland%27s_referendum%29

More about [ enslavement of high tech workers in Malaysia ]( http://www.itworld.com/it-management/436552/use-forced-labor-systemic-malaysian-it-manufacturing?mm_ref=http%3A%2F%2Fboingboing.net%2F2014%2F09%2F18%2Fmalaysias-tech-manufacturing.html ) , and suggestions for ending it.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28Enslavement_of_high_tech_workers_in_Malaysia%29

A California court denied a driver's suit to [ gain access to the data that license plate cameras have collected about him ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/19/california-license-plate-judge-privacy-police-government ) . We should [ not allow license plate cameras to record seeing any particular plate ]( http://gnu.org/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html ) , unless that plate is invalid or sought by court order.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28License_plate_cameras%29

India's "Untouchables" Are [ Still Being Forced to Collect Human Waste by Hand ]( http://time.com/3172895/dalits-sewage-untouchables-hrs-human-waste-india-caste/ ) . There are two wrongs here: the fact that many Indians don't have flushing toilets (which is a matter of poverty and overpopulation) and the fact that certain people are forced to clean them. If caste prejudice were eliminated, the second wrong would be gone but the first wrong would remain.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28Forced_to_Collect_Human_Waste_by_Hand%29

Microbeads in toothpaste can [ hurt users' gums, as well as wildlife ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/09/18/brushing-your-teeth-plastic-dentists-say-microbeads-bad-news ) after they go down the drain.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28Microbeads_in_toothpaste%29

Decrease of the human population growth rate [ has ceased in sub-Saharan Africa ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/18/world-population-new-study-11bn-2100 ) . The world's population threatens to grow to 11 billion by 2100. I don't think it can reach that level — the consequences will cause global disaster before then, and many children will die. But that is a horrible way to limit the population.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28The_world%27s_population%29

Yet another NFL football player is [ charged with violence against a woman ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/nfl-jonathan-dwyer-head-butted-wife-sex ) : he appears have tried to force his wife to have sex, then hit her and broke her nose. This together with manipulative threats.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28NFL_player_charged_with_violence_against_a_woman%29

Egypt's regime [ has made religion an arm of the state ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/religion-still-leads-the-way-in-post-morsi-gypt ) . Atheists have been threatened with arrest.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28Egypt%27s_regime_has_made_religion_an_arm_of_the_state%29

Mexican soldiers [ captured and then summarily shot 22 people ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/mother-dead-girl-mexican-troops-executed-22-drug-gang-suspects ) , including members of a drug gang, and others who said they had been kidnaped by the gang.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#21_September_2014_%28Mexican_soldiers_captured_and_then_summarily_shot_22_people%29

Pennsylvania has [ 200,000 abandoned oil wells ]( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/18/pennsylvania-abandoned-fracking-wells-methane-leaks-hidden ) , and when fracking is done near them, they become channels for leaking methane.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Abandoned_oil_wells%29

Ilham Tohti is about to be convicted of [ bogus charges ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/china-ilham-toti-uighur-criticism-ethnic-policies ) after a phony trial. His unpardonable crime was to rebuke abuses of power rather than advocate Uighur nationalism.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Rebuking_abuses_of_power_in_China%29

Canada's extraction lobbyist [ hopes that more disasters with oil trains will convince the US to approve Keystone XL ]( http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/09/18/albertas-tar-sands-lobbyist-were-just-one-devastating-lac-megantic-experience-away ) . However, looking at the harm done by [ extracting it ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#29_May_2014_(Canada_attacks_science) ) as well as by [ burning it ]( https://stallman.org/archives/2012-may-aug.html#03_July_2012_(Prediction_of_peak_oil_proves_false) ) the best option is to stop transporting that oil in any way.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-jul-oct.html#20_September_2014_%28Transportation_of_oil%29