“Terrorism, US Politics, and the US Media”

By STEVEN JONAS MD, MPH, January 04, 2016

 

First question: what is terrorism?  One definition is that it is an armed technique, usually used against non-combatants, in a conventional or non-conventional war situation.   (Well yes, I did make that one up.)  One dictionary definition is: “1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes; 2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization; 3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.”  Another is: “the use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal; the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.”  But then the good old Wikipedia tells us that: “There is neither an academic nor an accurate legal consensus regarding the definition of terrorism.  Various legal systems and government agencies use different definitions. Moreover, governments have been reluctant to formulate an agreed upon, legally binding definition. These difficulties arise from the fact that the term is politically and emotionally charged. “ 

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THAT GOD, THO.

 

By Iris Vander Pluym, January 10, 2016

[CONTENT NOTE: mass shootings, domestic terrorism, description of a rape, domestic violence. No violent images.]

A longtime Loyal Reader™ sent us an image of a recent New York Daily News cover, which we found quite interesting.

The New York Daily News, in case you are blissfully unacquainted, is a New York metro-area tabloid that could perhaps best be described as the unholy offspring of the city’s two other daily rags, the New York Times and Rupert Murdoch’s bird cage liner The New York Post. Its editorial slant is yawningly predictable and pro-status quo; its coverage of the pope’s recent visit, for example, fawning. In a word: conservative. That is why it is extraordinary to see this headline in giant screaming letters: “GOD ISN’T FIXING THIS.” The “this” refers to the recent shoot-’em-up that left 14 dead in San Bernadino.

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A Well Being Readiness Profile: An Assessment Tool for Organizations Serious About A Healthier Workforce

By Donald B. Ardell, January 10, 2016

Introduction

Workplace wellness has been a feature of U.S. companies for several decades. Still, many observers question whether outcomes from these endeavors justify the costs. Some critics are urging a reassessment before continuing current funding levels into the future.

 

In 2009, 92 percent of American companies with 200 or more employees sponsored worksite wellness, according to a Rand Report for the U.S. government. A recent estimate put company spending on prevention and assorted risk reduction education (the true nature of so-called “wellness” offerings) at $40 billion annually—on a global basis. Fortune 500 company spending in America designed to reform unhealthy lifestyles and thereby reduce employee medical costs accounted for a painful share of after-tax company profits. (The estimates I’ve seen are so high I won’t include them them because I’m skeptical about their accuracy.)

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THE PROSPECTS FOR 2016 AND BEYOND: INUNDATION – From Storms, Climatic and Political

By Michael Faulkner, January 10, 2016

It is customary, in Britain at least, during the days of the winter solstice from late December to early January, for most people to succumb to the spirit of “the festive season.” This is understandable and there is much about the festive celebrations that is genuinely warm-hearted and convivial. There are no national day celebrations in Britain as there is no national day and no notion of what might be acceptable as one. So the family Christmas lunch or dinner is the closest this country gets to the US Thanksgiving. Most people celebrate Christmas, but only a very tiny minority of them celebrate it as a religious festival. This is something that must be quite puzzling to those who follow other religions such as Judaism, Hinduism or Islam, whose festivals and holy days are times of religious observance. After all, unlike the United States and France, England and Scotland have an established church – the Church of England and Scotland, which have a legal position in the state. The Queen is the head of the church and is officially named “Defender of the Faith.” Yet only 1.5% of the population attend church on anything like a regular basis. According to Christian theology, the three most sacred days of the year are Christmas Day (the birth of the divinity in human form), Good Friday (his death) and Easter Sunday (his resurrection from the dead). Yet in the consumerist bonanzas that have come to dominate all three commemorations, they are associated predominantly with Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Easter eggs and Easter bunnies. Religion hardly gets a look-in.  Regarding Christmas, it might be said that if a committee had been set the task of expunging every element of religion from the festival and replacing it with an appeal to “shop until you drop”, they couldn’t have come up with anything better than this. The “success” of Christmas is measured in terms of sales figures and profit margins and for the legions of cash-strapped parents struggling to make ends meet, in the increasing volume of personal debt. But Prime Minister Cameron, in his Christmas message, tells us that Britain is a Christian country.

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Syria: Shooting Down Peace?

By Conn Hallinan, Dec. 8, 2015

Why did Turkey shoot down that Russian warplane?

 It was certainly not because the SU-24 posed any threat. The plane is old and slow, and the Russians were careful not to arm it with anti-aircraft missiles. It was not because the Turks are quick on the trigger. Three years ago Turkish President Recap Tanya Endogen said, “A short-term violation of airspace can never be a pretext for an attack.” And there are some doubts about whether the Russian plane ever crossed into Turkey’s airspace.

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It’s the Money, Stupid: Believing the Hollywood Illusion

By Mickey Walker-January 5, 2016

It began with Ronald Reagan.  If you could get a trained actor to convince voters that what you saw on television or the Silver Screen was real, you could elect actors to high office.  Like governor of California or even president of the United States.  You pause a bit at first to reflect on the idea of what makes for a good leader.  Could an actor possess the skills and the political acumen to pull off an 8-year term in the White House?  Sure thing.  Could this skilled actor get voters to believe that borrowing and spending huge monies to finance bringing Russia to her knees?  And stir the hot emotion in America that Russia was the Evil Empire that needed to be dealt with?  Yes.  All was possible with a great actor like the Gipper.  Why you could even get voters to believe that because this behavior of the United States during peacetime was justified in bringing Russia to her knees was justifiably, almost Biblically inspired, then you could rule.  All you needed was a convincing actor to play the role and wink.  The camera loved him.  And then voters.

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