(2018-10-05). Headlines for October 5, 2018. democracynow.org Senate Set to Close Debate on Kavanaugh Supreme Court Nomination, Coalition of 100,000 U.S. Churches Opposes Kavanaugh Nomination, Kavanaugh Defends His Record in Unprecedented WSJ Op-Ed | , Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens Opposes Kavanaugh, 300 Arrested on Capitol Hill as Thousands March Against Kavanaugh, Yemen: Tens of Thousands Protest Economic Collapse amid Bombing, Bloomberg: China Hacked U.S. Companies, Including Amazon, Apple, VP Pence Accuses China of Interfering in Midterms, Undermining Trump, U.S. Indicts Russians for Hacking Anti-Doping Orgs, Targeting Nuclear Sites, Dutch Officials Sa…
(2018-10-05). Obstruction of justice? Schumer, Ratajkowski arrested at mass anti-Kavanaugh protest (VIDEO, PHOTOS). rt.com 
Hundreds of protesters, including prominent #MeToo celebrity figures Amy Schumer and Emily Ratajkowski, have been arrested in Washington DC during another protest against Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court.
(2018-10-05). Stand with Survivors -Rally to Stop Kavanaugh. indybay.org corner of El Camino and Embarcadero, Palo Alto | 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301…
(2018-10-05). Mass Arrests as Thousands Descend on Senate Demanding Lawmakers Reject Kavanaugh. mintpressnews.com 
As the Senate moved one step closer to voting to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, thousands of men and women took over the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Thursday afternoon, voicing solidarity with sexual assault survivors and demanding that lawmakers reject President Donald Trump's nominee. | After rallying at Supreme Court earlier in the day, protesters who'd traveled from all over the country filled the building with chants of, "Whose Senate? Our Senate!" and "Believe Survivors!" as more than one hundred were arrested after staging mass civil disobedience. | http…
(2018-10-05). Progressive strategy for 2018, 2020, and beyond: Five guidelines. peoplesworld.org 
This article originally appeared at In These Times. It is republished here with permission of the authors and publisher. The unending stream of horrors coming from the White House, combined with the looming 2018 elections, is keeping social justice activists working around the clock. The past few weeks…
(2018-10-05). The Trump Regime Is Out Of Control. iranian.com The nuclear war doomsday clock maintained on the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists website has advanced to two minutes before midnight, the closest point to possible atomic apocalypse since the end of the Cold War. In 1995 the clock was at fourteen minutes to midnight, but the opportunity to set it back even further was lost as the […]
(2018-10-05). This Landmark Trial of Climate Activists Puts the Political System Itself on Trial. thenation.com 
(2018-10-05). John Bolton: Iran Is 'Central Banker' For Terrorism. iranian.com U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser has called Iran "the central banker of international terrorism" as he laid out a wider strategy for countering Tehran in the Middle East. John Bolton told reporters on October 4 that the U.S. strategy toward Iran would use both military and nonmilitary means to push back on Iranian-backed […]
(2018-10-05). Eve Ensler to White Women Supporting Kavanaugh: Stand with Survivors & Fight This Nomination. democracynow.org 
Opposition to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is growing across the country as the Senate prepares to vote on his nomination, just one day after senators were given their first chance to see the FBI's new investigation into Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's claims that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her when she was a teenager. More than 300 protesters were arrested Thursday during a massive sit-in on Capitol Hill against Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by multiple women. The Senate is planning to hold a key procedural vote on his confirmation Friday morning. A final vote on Kavanaug…
(2018-10-05). Kathy Griffin, Michael Moore trade barbs as bitter Kavanaugh confirmation saga enters final phase. rt.com 
With the Senate preparing to vote on Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the wokest of the woke celebrities and #resistance figures are pulling out all the stops to out-tweet and out-liberal each other in protest. |
(2018-10-05). US Senate sets first vote on Kavanaugh nomination. wsws.org The Democratic Party is focusing solely on unproven allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh, as the Republicans move forward to a vote on the right-wing nominee.
(2018-10-05). Defensive bioweapon? DARPA wants insects to spread genetically modified viruses… to 'save crops'. rt.com 
A US military program dubbed 'Insect Allies' could be used as a biological weapon, a group of European scientists warns. The Pentagon's research arm claims they are intended to defend crops, but doesn't deny 'dual-use' potential.
(2018-10-05). Socialist Analysis & Discussion "Kavanaugh & Legacy of Women's Oppression" indybay.org 2969 Mission St., btwn 25th and 26th Sts.
(2018-10-05). Dis-Invitation Attacks, by James Thompson. unz.com Disinviting is an awkward word for a disagreeable act: inviting someone, and then once they have accepted, withdrawing the invitation. Naturally, this is more hurtful than not being invited at all. I have not been invited to many things, and ignorance is bliss. To have been invited, and gone through the process of preparing for…
(2018-10-05). Under Cover of Kavanaugh, Republicans Passed Huge Tax Cuts for the Wealthy. counterpunch.org While Americans were transfixed by Senate hearings over Brett Kavanaugh's alleged sexual assaults, House Republicans quietly passed another enormous tax handout for the wealthiest Americans. Round one of this giveaway cost $2 trillion. Round two is even bigger — it would explode the deficit by more than $3 trillion. And once again, it's largely a More
(2018-10-05). What the Movie 'Aliens' Taught Us About Dismissing Women's Rage — At Our Own Peril. alternet.org 
Women's warnings have always been ignored, our trauma dismissed. | Every time I watch the 1986 action-horror classic "Aliens," a film I've watched so many times I've lost count, it takes on new meaning. I've long argued its merits as a metaphor for a woman enduring sexism in the workplace, due to the many trials Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley faces over the three films. In 1979's "Alien," Ripley's an officer on the Nostromo who survives the infiltration of an ali. . .
(2018-10-05). Cancel Kavanaugh Art Build, Medic and Security Training. indybay.org Omni Commons | 4799 Shattuck Ave, Oakland, California 94609…
(2018-10-05). Protesters in a Cage: The 2000 Democratic Convention. counterpunch.org The 2000 Democratic presidential convention, the convocation that ultimately nominated those two Wild and Crazy Guys, Albert Gore and Joseph Lieberman, was held at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, approximately 20 miles from my home. Because I was at that time the editor of a union newspaper, it occurred to me to apply for More
(2018-10-05). Trump's Absurd New Conspiracy Theory: Sexual Assault Survivors Protesting Kavanaugh Are 'Paid Professionals' Working for Soros. alternet.org 
The president once again went off the rails on Twitter ahead of the Kavanaugh vote. | In the run-up to the confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, protestors have swarmed the Senate offices, resulting in hundreds of arrests. In one incident yesterday, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) was cornered by sexual assault s. . .
(2018-10-05). Roaming Charges: Give Me Condos or Give Me Death! counterpunch.org 
The Democrats could have made the debate about Kavanaugh's perjury and blatant political prejudice. The case was iron-tight after the judge's self-incriminating testimony. Instead they made it about having the FBI "corroborate" an event that needed no corroboration. They repeated Biden's blunder (one of many) from the Anita Hill hearings by demanding an FBI investigation. In 1991, the FBI was deployed not to corroborate Hill's story, but to smear her. It's why Poppy Bush agreed to it so eagerly. More
(2018-10-05). ELN Invites Colombian Government to Peace Talks. telesurtv.net Colombia National Liberation Army reaches out to the government in latest attempt for peace in the nation.
(2018-10-05). High Crimes and Misdemeanors of Kavanaugh and the Senate-Trump Faction. counterpunch.org 
"By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community" — James Madison, Federalist Paper 10 More
(2018-10-05). That Time Churchill Wanted to Start World War III, Before World War II was Even Over. counterpunch.org 
As the great industrial slaughter of human beings that was World War 2 came to an end and Germany was being divided the British government was drawing up plans to re-arm the Nazi's and along with the Americans, plan a surprise attack against the Soviet Union. The target date for this incredible insanity was July More
(2018-10-05). Dan Kovalik's "The Plot To Attack Iran:" A Tool To Combat Washington's Middle East Wars. iranian.com The Plot to Attack Iran gives a readable and well- referenced look at Western — especially US — abuse of Iran. The author and human rights lawyer Dan Kovalik presents a concise overview of US imperial conduct since World War II. The book is a reminder, which we need from time to time, of the outrageous hypocrisy and […]
(2018-10-05). Mendacity and the Mean Drunk. counterpunch.org If you'd never seen a mean drunk and you were anywhere near a TV on September 27, you've seen one now. Judge Brett Kavanaugh displayed all the characteristics: belligerence, bullying, shouting, and boo-hooing in out-of-control anger. He said he hadn't watched the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford detailing his sexual assault on her because he More
(2018-10-05). #ICYMI: Kavanaugh v Ford, choose your side on the new frontline of culture wars (VIDEO). rt.com 
Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump's choice for Supreme Court Justice, is still in line for one of the most influential jobs in the US despite fighting off allegations of sexual assault. |
(2018-10-05). The Future of Education Town Hall Pt. II. therealnews.com 
Khalilah Harris hosts a community town hall on the promise and possibilities of Maryland's Kirwan Commission. Students, parents, educators, advocates, elected and school district officials discuss their questions, concerns and ideas for a path forward
(2018-10-05). A Historian Details Why America Under Trump Is Closer to Civil War Than It Has Been Since the 1850s. alternet.org 
Trump supporters' feelings of cultural alienation have actually increased slightly since his election. | The Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings have once again (2018-10-05). The Kavanaugh Affair. counterpunch.org Liberals! Some perspective please! | Donald Trump is the least fit and most corrupt American president in modern times, if not — depending on how slavery factors in, and on what we make of Andrew Johnson and the mid-nineteenth century presidents whose tenure led up to the Civil War — since the founding of the republic. | But if the metric is damage done, not just to the country but also to the world, he is small potatoes compared to George W. Bush. Bush broke the Greater Middle East in ways that continue to reverberate. | Trump's foreign policy initiatives are noxious, and potentially even more danger…
(2018-10-05). S-300s and Other Military Hardware for Syria, by The Saker. unz.com This week Russian officials declared that the delivery of S-300s for Syria was completed and that this first batch included 49 pieces of "military equipment", including radars, control vehicles and four launchers. Russian officials added that, if needed, this figure could be increased to 8-12 launchers. Defense Minister Shoigu added that "the measures we will…
(2018-10-05). Toward a Socialist Land Ethic: the Foundation of an Ecosocialist Future. counterpunch.org 
There will be no future on a dead planet, socialist or otherwise. If the left is to seize power and bring our planet into the rational egalitarian age we envision, we will need to simultaneously tackle a host of environmental crises. Failure to do so will mean that our project is doomed from the onset. More
(2018-10-05). It Is Time to End the Forever War in Afghanistan. thenation.com It Is Time to End the Forever War in Afghanistan…
(2018-10-05). We Are All Deplorables Now, by Pat Buchanan. unz.com Four days after he described Christine Blasey Ford, the accuser of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, as a "very credible witness," President Donald Trump could no longer contain his feelings or constrain his instincts. With the fate of his Supreme Court nominee in the balance, Trump let his "Make America Great Again" rally attendees in Mississippi know…
(2018-10-05). GOP Senator's Hometown Paper Rips His 'Medieval Attitude Toward All Women as Sex Objects' in Devastating Op-Ed. alternet.org 
The paper, which has the largest daily circulation in the state, is berating the longest-serving Senate Republican in history. | The Salt Lake TribuneEditorial Board has launched what may be a historic attack on its vaunted U. S. Senator, Republican Orrin Hatch. The paper, which has the largest daily circulation in the state, is berating the longest-serving Senate Repub. . .
(2018-10-05). Women Against Fascism Block Fascists in Palo Alto. indybay.org Across the street from Stanford University's main entrance, the evening of October 4th saw a handful of fascists from Fresno and Piedmont try to disrupt a large rally thanking Christine Ford for testifying against Kavanaugh. Women used their placards including one that read "Women Against Fascism" to block a fascist sporting a sparkly red white and blue hat and Trump sign; others surrounded her chanting "Kava-NO!" | Includes 10 sec video.
(2018-10-05). Theater artists ask US & Canadian hosts to cancel Israeli government-sponsored plays. indybay.org Palestinian arts and solidarity organizations, along with US Jewish and Israeli groups, have joined theater artists in signing a letter calling on Toronto, New York and Pittsburgh arts organizations not to host Israel's Gesher Theatre or partner with the Israeli government, citing their involvement in violations of Palestinian rights. Award-winning actors Kathleen Chalfant and Miriam Margolyes, and playwrights Caryl Churchill, Betty Shamieh, Naomi Wallace and Anne Washburn are among the artists who signed the letter.
(2018-10-05). On Russian TV, Brett Kavanaugh Is a Victim of "the Plague of Malignant Feminism" theintercept.com Russian state TV describes Brett Kavanaugh as a victim of a global, feminist pandemic which has previously felled Harvey Weinstein and Cristiano Ronaldo.
(2018-10-05). Men: We've Heard About Assaults, Speak Out About Them. counterpunch.org The Brett Kavanaugh confirmation imbroglio shined a bright light on a terrible misconception: that the #MeToo movement is somehow about destroying the careers of powerful men. Again and again, Kavanaugh and his defenders complained that the allegations were "ruining his life" or "his good name." (Never mind whether he deserves it.) This sort of entitlement More
(2018-10-05). I Don't Smell Anything. truthout.org To the GOP, Kavanaugh smells like roses.
(2018-10-05). Guatemala Marks Six Years Since Indigenous 'Alaska Massacre'. telesurtv.net On October 4, 2012, six Indigenous Mayan K'iche were killed by military personnel during protests.
(2018-10-05). The Colonizer Protests Too Much. counterpunch.org As important as the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is to conservatives in cementing their hard majority for decades, it may be just as much a defining battle in our cultural war and gender relations. The noise you're hearing is the cry of millions whose mouths are being covered and whose breathing More
(2018-10-05). 3,000 Dutch public service workers protest in The Hague. wsws.org Anger over high levels of social inequality in the Netherlands swelled after the neo-liberal-conservative coalition government announced the abolition of the country's tax on dividends.
(2018-10-05). Mountain View Residents Protest: "Kavanaugh Lied!" indybay.org Americans protested Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination across the country in over 200 locations on October 3rd. At a busy intersection in Mountain View, California, even a man with a Make America Great Again helmet said, "Kavanaugh probably did it".
(2018-10-05). Cancel Kavanaugh Walkout against Patriarchy. indybay.org San Francisco Civic Center…
(2018-10-05). STOP Kavanaugh Now! No Fascist America! *Emergency protest*. indybay.org Assemble at corner of Powell & Market in San Francisco (we may decide to march)…
(2018-10-05). Crucial Senate vote on Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination (WATCH LIVE). rt.com 
The Senate is set to vote on ending the debate over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation process. A yes vote brings Kavanaugh one step closer to confirmation, and the months-long political soap opera to an end. |
(2018-10-05). Eve Ensler: Nobel Peace Prize For Mukwege & Murad Is an Award for Every Rape Survivor in the World. democracynow.org 
After a landmark year for the "Me Too" movement, which ignited an international conversation on sexual assault, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday morning to two champions of women's rights who have built their careers fighting sexual violence: Physician Denis Mukwege and human rights activist Nadia Murad. Dr. Denis Mukwege founded the Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1999. The clinic receives thousands of women each year, many of them requiring surgery as a result of sexual violence. Nadia Murad is a 25-year-old Yazidi Kurdish human rights activist from Iraq. She was kidnapped and held…
(2018-10-05). Here's How Fox News Is Turning Brett Kavanaugh Into a Symbol of White Grievance. alternet.org 
Fox News exploiting Kavanaugh conflict to tell white people they're the real victims of racist oppression | The political fight over whether to seat Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court — a man who has been accused of sexual assault and was nominated by a man who has bragged about sexual assault — seems, to most people anyway, to be a fight primarily about gender. But if you flip on Fox News these days, you would think this battle is la. . .
(2018-10-05). Drought-Laden Rainforests. counterpunch.org 
The world's rainforests are under attack at a rate of 2.5 acres per second. Global warming and clear-cutting for growing palm oil and raising cattle are some of the biggest annihilators. The repercussions are devastating. For example, one of the consequences is harmful alteration of hydrological cycles for major grain-growing regions of the planet. But, More
(2018-10-05). #StopKavanaugh Vigils. indybay.org Over 100 locations across the country, including over a dozen in the Bay Area, in almost every county. Starting and ending times vary, depending on location. Please see this map to find a nearby location, including the hours of the local event: act.moveon.org/event/stop_kavanaugh_vigils/search/?akid=217593.35845624.u2mokt&rd=1&t=13…