Global Issues, Socio-Cultural Commentary

18 Questions Every American Should be Asking In Lieu of the Missing Plane

March 23, 2014 admin Leave a comment

The Malaysian deception- what’s not being said

by: Samori Swygert

By now, everyone should be fully abreast of the circumstance surrounding the missing Malaysian airplane. The news is obsessed with this airplane, and it has been sensationalized like the OJ Simpson trial. There is no question that people should have a spirit of humanity and empathy for the people who have loved ones on this aircraft that has gone off the grid.

However, I’ve learned that whenever this type of media coverage blankets the airwaves, it’s imperative to start examining what’s not being covered in the news. Slight of hand tactics, diversions and distractions are always set in place to slide controversial issues under the radar.

What should the average American be doing right now?

Carefully look at global and domestic trends. Apply a shrewd eye and keen analysis on forgotten matters. These are the type of questions you should be asking yourself now:

1) Was Syria ever truly resolved?

2) What is the Federal Reserve currently doing?

3) What is China doing?

4) What’s the status of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement?

5) What are the stock market trends, mergers, acquisitions, sell-offs?

6) What is the United Nations doing at this time?

7) What’s the latest news on North Korea and Iran?

8) What is truly at the root of Russia and Ukraine?

9) What legislation is being voted on, passed, or blocked in congress?

10) What is happening with your state pension plan?

11) What decisions are on the Supreme Court’s plate that deserve scrutiny and attention?

12) Who are the candidates that are getting groomed for the next election, and who are their supporters, allegiance, and who hosts their Super PAC?

13) What is really going on with the Keystone Pipeline, and will the president approve it? Who has set themselves up to benefit from the Keystone Pipeline?

14) Why isn’t there anymore noise about the banks in Cyprus? What’s going on with the European Union and the world currencies?

15) Has your state’s voting eligibility requirements changed at all?

16) What educational policies have changed in your child’s school district that may affect their graduation, examinations, placement, and etc.?

17) What’s going on with your social security?

18) What will be the final call on longterm unemployment insurance?

It’s important that we look at both hands at this point in time. Nothing new has really surfaced, they haven’t found the plane, but everything about the plane is “breaking news.” That term is being abused. The only thing that would be remarkable at this point is if they found the plane, people, or debunked a conspiracy. However, this is primetime and all these “specialists” and “experts” are getting their paychecks for television appearances. The news is airing nothing but speculation.

Just like a good broadway play, the action lies behind the curtains.

You can also find this at: http://www.kulturekritic.com/2014/03/news/18-questions-every-american-should-be-asking-in-lieu-of-the-missing-plane/

Environmental, Socio-Cultural Commentary

Energy Company Dumps 61M Gallons of Tοxins In Drinking Water

March 23, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Reported by: Dr. Samori Swygert

A few days ago, Your Black World published an article I wrote about the environmental crisis involving Duke Energy (the nation’s largest electricity plant) in North Carolina. The article detailed how 82,000 tons of “coal ash” had spilled into the Dan River in North Carolina. The components of coal ash contain lead, arsenic, and mercury.

Well, a very important update to the story was aired last night on MSNBC during the Rachel Maddow show.

Maddow revealed that the company has pumped 61 MILLION GALLONS of contamination from the spill into a tributary that feeds directly into the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. The problem is that the Cape Fear River supplies drinking water for parts of North Carolina.

Duke Energy tried to downplay what they were doing by telling the state Division of Water Resources that they were just conducting “routine maintenance.” However, a watchdog group (The Waterkeeper Alliance) conducted an aerial surveillance that revealed the illegal and hazardous pumping into the tributary.

According to the LA Times, “Regulators said they were taking water samples at sites on the Cape Fear River, which runs through Fayetteville on its way to the coast near Wilmington, North Carolina”. The pumping of the contaminants took place in Central North Carolina.

The company has been cited by the state agency and stands to face fines of $25,000 a day for each violation. However, the article in the LA Times noted that the director of the state agency that is regulating the spill …………was a Duke Energy employee for 28 years. This may represent a conflict of interest. I won’t go further into speculation without proof, but this doesn’t smell right.

Source: LA Times

This is why I posted the original article because everything got so quiet about the story. How do you remain quiet about 82,000 tons of this tοxic waste? I cringe at the thought of what could have been the ultimate result had it not have been for the bold, courageous, and inquisitive nature of this watchdog group to fly over the contamination site and reveal their findings.

These companies are playing with our lives, and there’s nothing funny, humorous, or comical about this at all. This demonstrates that their only concern is the dollar. They have no morals, virtues, standards, ethics or regard for humanity and the environment we live in. They should be brought up on charges. What could have been the long term implications of this? If this had proceeded unchecked, we could have seen unexplainable rates of birth defects, neurocognitive abnormalities, cancers, and an assortment of other physiological effects on us, our babies, and wildlife.

Keep in mind that Duke was warned about this by the EPA in 2009.

Does this bother you, or are you concerned about Kim Kardashian and “Housewives of Atlanta”? What are your thoughts?

You can also find this at: http://www.yourblackworld.net/2014/03/black-news/dr-swyger-energy-company-dumps-61m-gallons-of-t%CE%BFxins-in-drinking-water/

Education, Socio-Cultural Commentary

Howard University Mock Trial Team heads to championship tournament

March 23, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Howard University Mock Trial Team heads to championship tournament

by: Dr. Samori Swygert

Howard University and other HBCUs have been receiving a lot of bad press in the news over the last year. We’ve heard about issues of enrollment, problems with student loans, budget and finance issues. Well we should also bring out the good and the excellence that is being produced simultaneously.

I’m very proud of my Alma Mater, and I felt great joy to visit the university website this week and saw that their Mock Trial Team has made it to the championship tournament. They will compete against Princeton, Penn State, George Washington, Rutgers, American University, and the University of Maryland.

The competition takes place on Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23 at E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse (333 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001). The team is led by a faculty advisor, Angela Minor, Esq. The University of Virginia will be the hosting school.

They will act as five prosecuting attorneys and four leading witnesses, according to the university’s website. The proposed case argument will be positioned around a person committing an armed rοbbery that resulted in an involuntary manslαughter.

The team is composed of the following members: seniors Jamsion Harris and Aliayah Baaith; juniors Mercedes Parker, Jeryd Wilder andD’Sean Williams-Brown; and sophomores Edward Harding, III, Gavin Reagins, Nicholas Taylor, and Sha’huni Robinson.

Let’s wish them luck, and once again, I’m very proud. GO BISON!!!!! Hopefully we’ll put that Wiley College, Great Debaters whipping on them.

You can also find this article at: http://www.yourblackworld.net/2014/03/black-news/howard-univ-competes-with-ivy-league-institutions-for-mock-trial-championship

Business & Financial News, Socio-Cultural Commentary

The Koch Brothers Own 2M Acres of Land, Slated to Make $100 Billion

March 23, 2014 admin Leave a comment

The Koch Brothers: 2 million acres and $100 Billion Dollars

by: Dr. Samori Swygert

I had a chance to read an article in theHuffington Post this week, and it really blew me away. Many of us are aware of the debate over the Keystone Pipeline. The oil industry, corporate America, and other entities are drooling over the possibility and projections of the construction of the Keystone Pipeline.

The pipeline would start at the Tar Sands of Alberta, Canada and stretch down the middle of America and into the gulf for refinement. The Huffington Post based their article on a report from the International Forum of Globalization.

The report and the Huffington Post said that the Koch Brothers have the potential to make $100 Billion dollars if the Keystone Pipeline gets approved. How will they achieve this? First, the Tar Sands in which the unrefined oil source resides are located in Alberta, Canada. Secondly, the Koch Brothers own a WHOPPING 2 MILLION ACRES of land in Alberta, Canada. Thirdly, Koch Industries will facilitate a substantial amount of the construction, oil development, and collect money from oil derivatives.

This is major. Their money is very long, strong and so is their lobbying power. Furthermore, the report noted that they’ve already spent $50 million dollars to think-tank groups to help promote the approval of the deal.

I’m speculating that this will go through because of the amount of money involved and all the potential investors that will benefit and gain from its approval. There is a big lesson to be learned here: It is very important that we (African-Americans) pool our money and buy more land. Earth doesn’t grow land, its dimensions are finite and exact. Once all the land is owned, that’s it!

Instead of spending so much on clothes, jewelry, cars, lavish restaurants and vacations, we could redirect our finances to much more worthy causes of the future. The Koch brothers have exploratory agencies that survey, sample, and inspect various land for what resources will be crucial, and then capitalize on that. I don’t see why we can’t.

What are your thoughts on this?

You can also follow this article at: http://www.yourblackworld.net/2014/03/black-news/the-koch-brothers-own-2m-acres-of-land-slated-to-make-100-billion/