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Syria strike promps conflicting response

by the El Reportero’s wire services

Nicolás MaduroNicolás Maduro

(Note from the Editor): At press time, the threat of an attack on the part of US would have been dilated by a negotiation between Russia, Syria and the U.S. , in which Syria would divest its arsenal of chemical weapons onto international monitors of weapons of mass destruction).

Mooted foreign military intervention in Syria has triggered varied reactions across Latin America with Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro leading the chorus of condemnation from the radical left-wing bloc Alba.

The rest of the region reacted in far more measured tones, which explained why last week’s Union of South American Nations (Unasur) summit in Suriname failed to mention Syria in its Declaration of Paramaribo.

It was noteworthy that while Alba members vociferously accused the US of potential violation of ternational law, should it carry out a threatened military strike on Syria, they have stayed completely mute about Cuba’s actual violation of international law by covertly transporting matériel through the Panama Canal to North Korea, even in the wake of the publication of a report last week displaying the extent of Cuban subterfuge. (Reported by Latin News).

Costa Rica hosts CELAC meetin g on migration

The second meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) on Migration began in this capital today, with interesting proposals that opened the discussion among delegations.

Among the initiatives is the creation of regional consulates in certain parts of the world that deal with the problems of emigrants from CELAC countries, as well as the establishment of mobile consulates to service emigres in distant places.

In addition, the organization of regional consular courses to share knowledge and foster greater integration in this specific activity was proposed, as well as emphasizing the consuls’ humanitarian work.
This annual meeting was preceded by another on August 20 and 21, 2012 in Comayagua, co-chaired by the government of Honduras and Chile, which then held the CELAC pro tempore presidency.

Participants at that event denounced the discriminatory and selective policy applied by wealthy countries against immigrants from poorer nations, who are used as labor in benefit of the developed economies. This was the driving force behind the CELAC agreement to hold these annual meetings: to discuss issues such as immigrants’ human rights, their reintegration into society when they are returned as deportees, and other aspects related to migration.

This meeting is meant to coordinate a common position by the CELAC with a view to the meeting that the United Nations will hold in October on Migration and Development and the high-level dialogue in November between the European Union and Latin America, organizers said. (By Rolando de la Ribera, special envoy to CELAC).

U.S. escalates deportations of Guatemalan immigrants

More than 33,783 Guatemalans were deported from the United States during the first eight months of 2013, 20.65 percent higher than the number reported in the same period of the previous year, says the Director General of Migration.

Of the amount recorded from January to August this year, 31,051 were men, 2,475 were women, and 257 were children under 18 years of age, noted the official report.

The Government of Guatemala estimates that if the upward trend continues, Washington could drive out nearly 48,000 immigrants from this Central American country by the end of the year.

U.S. authorities repatriated 40,647 Guatemalans in 2012, 10,000 more than the number expelled in 2011.

Despite the repatriations, it is expected that remittances of Guatemalan migrants living in the US will reach 5.2 billion U.S. dollars.

Nearly 2 million Guatemalan citizens live in the United States, with 1,600,000 thousand lacking legal papers, according to statistics from the National Coordinator of Guatemalan Immigrants.

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Second part: Dangerous crossroads – A war on Syria, prelude to a World War III

by Prof Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research Analysis

MI6, CIA and Mossad operatives as well as Western Special Forces had integrated rebel forces from the very outset. The high profile terrorist attacks were coordinated by highly trained military contractors and intelligence operatives: ”As the unrest and killings escalate in the troubled Arab state, agents from MI6 and the CIA are already in Syria assessing the situation, a security official has revealed. Special forces are also talking to Syrian dissident soldiers. They want to know about weapons and communications kit rebel forces will need if the [British] Government decides to help. “MI6 and the CIA are in Syria to infiltrate and get at the truth,” said the well-placed source. “We have SAS and SBS not far away who want to know what is happening and are finding out what kit dissident soldiers need. (Daily Star, January 1st, 2012 http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/227911/Syria-will-be-bloodiest-yet emphasis added)

War preparations to attack Syria and Iran have been in “an advanced state of readiness” for several years. US, NATO and Israeli military planners have outlined the contours of a “humanitarian” military campaign, in which Turkey (the second largest military force inside NATO) would play a central role.

An air campaign including a “no fly zone” directed against Syria has been envisaged since late 2011, largely in view of the failures underlying the US-NATO covert war in support of opposition rebels, integrated by trained mercenaries.

Britain’s Ministry of Defence: “This is all going like Libya but this will be bigger and bloodier”

In 2011, Britain’s Ministry of Defence in liaison with the Pentagon was involved in “drawing up secret plans for a NATO-sponsored no-fly zone” (Ibid, http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/227911/Syria-will-be-bloodiest-yet.

British Defense authorities admit that the planned air campaign on Syria would be on a much larger scale than in Libya in 2011 and that Israel would be an integral part of the military operation. “Syria supports Hezbollah. That threatens Israel and the whole of the Middle East…. “This is all going like Libya but this will be bigger and bloodier“” (Ibid, emphasis added)

Syria has an advanced Russian S-300 air defense system. Russian technical advisers have been in Syria since November 2011 to “help the Syrians set up an array of S-300 missiles”. Reports also confirm that Syria has an advanced radar system installed in all key Syrian military and industrial installations. “The radar system also cocovers areas north and south of Syria, where it will be able to detect movement of troops or aircraft towards the Syrian border. The radar targets include much of Israel, as well as the Incirlik military base in Turkey, which is used by NATO.” (According to Arun Shavetz (November 24, 2011), Naval and air force deployments have already been announced by the British Ministry of Defense. According to London’s news tabloids, quoting “authoritative” military sources; “…The escalating civil war [in Syria] made it increasingly likely that the West would be forced to step in. ” ( Daily Mail, July 24, 2012) An Integral Part of US-NATO Military Planning

The WMD option for Syria –which has been on the drawing board of US intelligence since at least August 2012– is being carried out in the wake of the defeat of the US sponsored Al Nusrah terrorist brigades by government forces.

Modelled on previous US-NATO led “humanitarian wars”, it consists in triggering civilian deaths in a staged false flag operation and then blaming Syria for killing its own people.

The purpose is to drum up public support for a so-called “no fly zone” and provide a pretext and a justification for military intervention

The Syria False Flag Chemical Weapons Attack: on humanitarian grounds.

Various stages of military intervention have been contemplated:

The killings of innocent civilians by al Qaeda affiliated rebel force in a chemical weapons attack are deliberately carried out as part of a covert intelligence operation. The Syrian government is then blamed for the resulting atrocities.

Media disinformation is geared towards demonizing the Syrian government. Public opinion is led into endorsing a military intervention on humanitarian grounds. Responding to public outrage, US-NATO is then “forced to step in” under a Humanitarian “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P) mandate.

Media propaganda goes into high gear. “The International Community” comes to the rescue of the Syrian people.”

Warships and fighter jets are then deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean.

These actions are coordinated with logistical support to the rebels and Special forces on the ground.

The final objective is “regime change” leading to the “break-up of the country” along sectarian lines and/or the installation of an “Islamist-dominated or influenced regime” modelled on Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

War plans in relation to Syria are integrated with those pertaining to Iran. The road to Tehran goes through Damascus. The broader implications of US-NATO intervention are military escalation and the possible unleashing of a regional war extending from the Eastern Mediterranean to Central Asia, in which China and Russia could be directly or indirectly involved.

Preparations for a false flag chemical weapons attack started more than a year ago. According to an August 2012 Los Angeles Times report the Pentagon announced that it was sending “small teams of special operations troops” into Syria with a view to destroying Syria’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). These teams would in turn be supported by “precision air strikes”, namely air raids.

The scenario of a Syrian government chemical weapons attack on the Syrian population had already been examined by US intelligence:

Securing the sites would probably involve stealthy raids by special operations teams trained to handle such weapons, and precision air strikes to incinerate the chemicals without dispersing them in the air, the officials said. U.S. satellites and drone aircraft already maintain partial surveillance of the sites.

U.S. intelligence agencies believe Syria has over the years produced or acquired hundreds of tons of sarin nerve agent and mustard gas, a blister agent, and has sought to develop VX, another powerful nerve gas. The toxicity of some chemical agents degrades significantly over time, so it is unclear how lethal the stockpiles are.

Experts say the chemical agents are stored in bunkers and other sites around the country. Four production facilities are near the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs, all tinderboxes in the 17-month uprising, as well as the coastal city of Latakia, an area considered a stronghold for Assad’s Alawite religious sect.

An unclassified report by the director of national intelligence this year said Syria’s chemical agents “can be delivered by aerial bombs, ballistic missiles and artillery rockets.” But Syrian rockets, including Scud missiles procured from North Korea, are notoriously inaccurate, making them ineffective for delivering a heavy concentration of toxic chemicals to a specific target. . (U.S. has plans in place to secure Syria chemical arms – latimes.com, August 22, 2012).

These initial US sponsored WMD special team operations had established the likely scenario of a staged false flag chemical weapons attack. In all likelihood they also set the stage for the training of rebel forces in the use of chemical weapons.

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Five herbs your liver will love – detox, boost function and more

by PF Louis

The liver is the largest solid organ in our bodies. It can be adversely affected by poor diet and lifestyle choices, alcohol consumption, acetaminophen, non-prescription pain killers, and the myriad of toxins in our environment.

It is responsible for filtering blood from toxins and converts waste products from metabolic functions into urea to be eliminated by urine. It creates bile to help digest fats and carbohydrates.

It also filters out toxins from the blood stream and synthesizes glutathione, the master antioxidant that also helps recycle other spent antioxidants. It also helps balance blood sugars and creates red blood cells.

As our liver goes, so goes our overall health. A poorly functioning liver can push one into diabetes. Acute liver dysfunction includes hepatitis A, B, and C, which are considered infectious, viral inflammations caused by interpersonal contact, sexual contact, or blood.

Not everyone agrees to the viral aspect of hepatitis, especially hepatitis C, but everyone agrees that inflammation is the issue. Cirrhosis of the liver is usually from too much alcohol consumption. But the latest large surge in liver disease comes from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Mainstream medicine is quick to jump on serious interventions, such as liver transplants, if they perceive too much damage for the liver to recover. Fortunately, under the right conditions, the liver can remain very healthy or be healed regardless of the affliction because it can self-repair cell damage.

Herbs that will benefit the liver regardless of its condition

The more serious the liver problem is, the more of these herbs can be utilized. For maintaining liver health, one or two are worth considering. Herbs (1) through (4) can be purchased in bulk to make your own tinctures or extracts. Here’s a DIY (do it yourself) recipe for any tincture or extract: http://www.naturalnews.com/032298_herbs_tinctures.html.

When using root chunks of any herb, don’t exceed the one-third point in a large jar with the alcohol-water solution. Use even less in smaller jars. Those little root chunks swell up more than leaves, powders, or seeds.

(1) Milk Thistle (silymarin):

This is the most recommended herb of all for liver ailments and/or protecting a normal liver from daily toxins. Milk thistle is available in capsules or extracts, sometimes it’s called silymarin, which is the active ingredient that’s in the seeds. Milk thistle is a flowering plant of the daisy family indigenous to Europe, North Africa, and the Mid-East. It has been clinically proven to improve liver function and repair liver damage. Standardized 80 percent silymarin is recommended in either pill or extract form with dosage amounts ranging from 100 to 1,000 mg. It’s common for people with liver issues to take 300 mg three times daily. Whether the liver needs healing or protection, milk thistle can be used for as long as someone wants. It’s best to use milk thistle seeds for DIY tinctures.

(2) Dandelion:

It is another safe liver herb sometimes mixed with milk thistle in capsules, an excellent combination. Some prefer extracts or even teas made from dandelion. Those weird looking weeds with small yellow flowers that many complain about when they pop up in their lawns are dandelions.

In addition to being a good source of most major vitamins, the plant provides iron, potassium, and zinc. Its most cherished function is stimulating the production of bile and its flow between the gall bladder and liver to improve liver function and overall health. Use bulk root chunks for DIY dandelion liver tinctures.

(3) Burdock root:

also purchased as rough cut root chunks that can be easily made into teas. This is a favorite blood purifier among Ayurvedic medicine doctors. It also stimulates bile flow while helping a weakened liver by purifying the blood and restoring damaged cells. Small burdock root chunks are ideal for DIY tinctures. Allow for swelling during the soaking process.

(4) Artichoke (cynarin):

This herb also assists bile production and flow. It helps prevent gallstones and can also dramatically curb jaundice. Dried leaves or dried leaves and flower buds combined are used for tinctures. A DIY tincture can be made without concerns for root chunk swelling.

(5) Turmeric (curcumin):

This is the most clinically tested and written about herb for any and all inflammation. Since most liver ailments are inflammatory, it’s wise to include it in a liver healing protocol.

Curcumin capsules are readily available. But to ensure maximum absorption, get those that include piperine, an active ingredient from black pepper that helps extract nutrients from foods considerably.

Some also suggest emptying the curcumin capsule contents into a little extra virgin olive oil and downing it. Traditionally, turmeric is mixed with a heated fat, such as gee, milk, or coconut oil to enhance the bio-availability of turmeric’s curcumin.

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Syria, lies exposed, broken paradigmas, dead pigs

by Jon Rappoport
www.nomorefakenews.com

The President just gave his speech on Syria. He intends to launch an air attack. He wants Congress to approve it. He didn’t say what he’ll do if Congress refuses, and he didn’t say how the attacks will limit Assad’s ability to use chemical weapons on his people in the future. He’s utterly convinced, he claims, that Assad deployed chemical weapons. He’s “seen the evidence.”

Why should we believe him? There are ample reports that “the rebels” used those weapons. Those would be the rebels the US government is backing and arming.

Obama referred to Congress as “representatives of the American people.” So Obama is a comedian now. He’s suggesting that all of America will share in this act of war. Congress represents the American people the way a herd of lions is accountable to deer and antelope.

You can see this in the run-up to the planned attack on Syria. Leaders are telling us, just as they did prior to the invasion in Iraq, that all the facts add up to the right answer. Once that answer is extracted, there is no turning back.

Syria. Chemical warfare was used. The Assad government used it. That’s the correct answer. Therefore, war. End of debate.

Let me make a leap, all you good folks out there in television land. The massive op/narrative called The New Age, which began its rapid spread in the 1960s, was designed to disguise our fascist government by moving consciousness to an appreciation for, and an insistence on, so-called spiritual unity.

Barack Obama was supposed to be the first president standing for that apotheosis. He would, in a sense, rule by faith, the faith of his supporters. He would sweep away all objections to government as the supplier of spiritual unity.

On a larger scale, the attempt to create a closed system, through a military-industrial-oil complex, is falling apart. Oil as the only recognized energy source for the planet determines the chessboard and the playbook. In one stroke, it names the geopolitical hot spots and the conflicts and the need for war as the American solution.

In truth, there are many technologies that could, if developed sufficiently, take us on the road to energy abundance. They are being stopped by the military-industrial-oil complex, not only to keep us on the oil teat, but also to keep us pinned to the need to make war to guarantee the oil flow.

But this system is losing its solid feel. It’s becoming more transparent as an op, long past its prime.

The Surveillance State is losing public support by the day. The notion that the government has to spy on everybody all the time to find “the terrorists” is so off-key.

It’s such a desperate tale, one wonders how the sellers can make it through the day without 1falling down and laughing themselves out of court.

The answer is: government funding. Like the oil monopoly, like the war machine, like the nuclear-energy titan, the government dispenses $$ to make the myths endure.

The pinnacle of this corruption is war. Offensive war. Not war to protect the home front, but to establish new beachheads of conquest, under the pretension of helping to liberate the oppressed. To create a sense of unity where unity was lacking.

The proposed attack on Syria is the latest footnote.

It’s not working.

People are waking up. Also, the man in the White House just can’t create new jobs. He’s putting on a show of trying, but he can’t do it, because he’s not interested in doing it. On the issue of war against Syria, Obama can only try to take a moral high ground based on the idea that a chemical attack occurred. That’s all he’s got. He can’t peddle spiritual unity in this case.

The whole thing is a sham and a scam and a cardboard front. I’m trying to tell you, my fellow Americans what’s really happening. We, in the media, are your basic liars. That’s what makes us great. Right now, we’re selling the war to you. We’re trying, but it’s not easy.

Just think oil and keep thinking oil. Oil pipeline through Syria. Oil in the Middle East.

I could show you pictures of a hundred, two hundred places around the world where governments are torturing and killing their own people and putting them in cages. Is the US supposed to go into all those places and liberate the oppressed? Are we supposed to force free elections from the North Pole to Tierra del Fuego? And what is a free election? I’ll tell you. It’s the same big-time players behind the scenes cooking the vote for a new bunch of tyrants.

The only way to stop that—and it’s a long shot- –is to form a government based on severely limiting the power of government. Wow. What an idea! Where did that come from? Am I, Brian Williams, the first person to see that?

Anyway, Syria is a crazy op that’s gotte n out of control.

We’ve got Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq. Why would the US government be trying to upset the apple cart in those places? To free the people? Don’t be stupid. To obtain cheaper oil prices? How is that working out?

If we were real reporters, this is the issue we’d be working on. Is this a destabilizing operation aimed at disrupting the flow of oil? Is this a highlevel game in which the US and other industrial economies take a huge energy hit? Is this a prelude to the acceleration of the forces of elite Globalism?

Is this the old create- chaos and then bring in order on top of that?

Right now, that’s what it looks like to me. Sitting here, that’s my thesis.

I don’t think I’ll be able to get anybody in the White House to give me a straight answer, though. But it’s a start. So…for all the good people here at NBC News, good night. I’ll be back tomorrow, possibly broadcasting from a holding cell under CIA headquarters at Langley. In which case, don’t believe anything I say. Signing off. Brian Williams.

Jon Rappoport The author of two explosive collections, The Matrix Revealed and Exit From The Matri x. You can sign up for his free emails at www.nomorefakenews.com.

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Librarians desover unpublished Borges manuscript in Argentine library

by the El Reportero’s news services

Jose Luis BorgesJose Luis Borges

Researchers combing the archives of Argentina’s National Library have found an unpublished manuscript written by literary giant Jorge Luis Borges.

Librarians Laura Rosato and German Alvarez found an alternate ending to the Borges short story “Tema del traidor y del heroe” (Theme of the Traitor and the Hero), which was first published in 1944.

The story’s final paragraph, penned in the Argentine author’s unmistakable small handwriting, was discovered inside the Sur magazine’s 112th edition.

“It’s the first time a loose page handwritten (by Borges) has been found,” the National Library’s cultural director, Ezequiel Grimson, said of the investigative work.

Grimson added that it was the first major manuscript by Borges (1899-1986) in the possession of the state, noting that the rest belong to private collections.

The handwritten document is being reviewed by National Library researchers and will later be published, he said.

Borges may have planned for the manuscript to be discovered, since in “Tema del traidor and del heroe” the protagonist’s great grandson discovers a handwritten article in the National Library’s archives.

Designer Carolina Herrera kicks off fashion week by ringing bell at NASDAQ

Venezuelan-American fashion designer Carolina Herrera is kicking off New York’s Fashion Week by ringing the closing bell at the NASDAQ today.

In honor of the launch of the eponymous Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Herrera along with the executive produce of Fashion Week, Christina Neault will go to Times Square today to ring the bell at 3:45 pm. EST.

The unofficial launch of Fashion Week happened last night at a gala honoring Michael Kors who received the 2013 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion.

The 74-year-old fashion designer has been on the forefront of fashion for decades. In 1980 she made the Best Dressed List International Hall of Fame and presented her first fashion collection a year later.

Her fashion empire, which earns over a $1 billion in annual sales, includes ready wear, couture, fragrances, sportswear and designer wedding gowns. Herrera is the daughter of a former governor of Caracas and became a U.S. citizen in 2009.

Check out: Pablo Picasso’s home & studio can be yours for $220m

The former home of famed Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso, is on the market for $220 Million.

Located in Mougins, France, just a few miles north of the French Riviera, Picasso’s mas (farmhouse) at Notre-Dame-de-Vie served as the artist’s home for the last 12 years of his life.

Notre-Dame-de-Vie is over 8600 square feet, complete with 10 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and 35 rooms.

For $220 Million you can expect there are multiple swimming pools, tennis courts, and gardens.

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Celebrating a new home for Mexican Museum in SF

Compiled by the El Reportero’s staff

The Mexican Museum’s new facilities’s artist’s conception.The Mexican Museum’s new facilities’s artist’s conception.

Everyone is invided to join community Leaders for a Celebration of The Mexican Museum’s New Home in the Yerba Buena Gardens Art District on Mexican Independence Day Sept. 16 at 11:30 a.m. at Jessie Square Plaza, Mission Street between 3rd & 4th Streets, San Francisco.

Mamacoalt and guest jazz singer Alejandra Tejeda Rieloff

Tangos con Chile presents, Mamacoatl, and musician in the Mission district, who has for years been melding music and traditions of Mexico and California. She will perform her music in the neighborhood.

Her debut album Border Crossing Diosa is a testimony of migration and womanhood, a historical document of poetry, prayer and protest.

Mamacoatl will be accompanied by pianist Damian Núñez and singer Claudio Santome, including jazz singer and actress Alexandra Tejeda Rieloff with a cabaret presentation. Carlos Barón will be the narrator. It will be a show you will not want to miss!!

On Saturday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m., at the Red Puppy Art House, 2698 Folsom Street, San Francisco, for more info call 415-826-2402.

6th Annual Redwood City Salsa Festival

Here is a reminder for the sixth annual Redwood City Salsa Festival, a free festival coming up in downtown Redwood City on September 28th. With multiple stages of live entertainment, and a Salsa Competition & Tasting, this event has grown to be a real family pleaser.

Could you please do a pick, run a photo or even write a featurefor this exciting festival, as well as to list it in the calendar section of your publication? The artists are also available for interviews.

On Saturday, Sept. 28, from 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Admission free, at Courthouse Square 2200 Broadway, Redwood City, California. For more info call at 650-780-7340 or visit: www.redwoodcity.org/events/salsafest.html.

Take a look at the artists bios, now online at: www.redwoodcity.org/events/salsafest_eventschedule.html.

Acting classes at Nahual Theater

We continue with acting classes for the youth and adults, every Saturday morning at the hall of National Hispanic University. Requirements: desire and eagerness to learn a technique of performance, availability of time, look forward to having fun and participating in the next play with us.

Since 2004, Theatre Nahual has been developing a methodology to teach acting classes totally in Spanish to the Hispanic population in the Bay Area. Nahual Theatre has the mission to bring education and entertainment THROUGHOUT the English language plays.

In Addition, this community theater organization has supported the arts giving Opportunities to mature and young artists, musicians and writers: such as to Promote Their talents and solidify With The wonderful theatrical experience.

The acting classes with Teatro Nahual will start this month in a classroom of the National Hispanic 14271 Story Road. San Jose, CA. For more information dial: (650) 793-0783 or send an e-mail to: info@teatronahual.org. Website: www.teatronahual.org.

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Boxing

The Sport of Gentlemen

Boxing” de Molina

SEPTEMBER 28, 2013 HBO Montreal, Canada

Adonis Stevenson vs. Tavoris Cloud  12 rounds, for Stevenson’s RING/WBC light heavyweight title Jean Pascal vs. George Blades 10 rounds, light heavyweights.

HBO Carson, CA

Julio Cesar Chávez Jr vs. Bryan Vera 12 rounds, super middleweights.

Chávez vs Vera Undercard: Demetrius Andrade vs. Vanes Martirosyan 12 rounds, WBO jr middleweight title.

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Special Trustee Agrella: ‘Cooperation’ key to save SF City College

Defending the City College of San Francisco

Students and community members of San Francisco march against the clousure of City College of San Francisco.

by Peter Schurmann
New America MediaMembers of the media and public packed a room Tuesday to hear what Special Trustee Robert Agrella, entrusted with saving City College of San Francisco (CCSF), had to say about the future of the school that is in the midst of a fight to keep its accreditation.
The Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) threatened to yank the college’s accreditation in a year if it didn’t implement reforms to fix financial and administrative problems. The school’s accreditation status was put into limbo, creating a state of uncertainty for thousands of students.
Agrella reassured students that City College would fulfill its obligations.
If you’re 75 percent through your program of threatened to yank the college’s accreditation in a year if it didn’t implement reforms to fix financial and administrative problems. The school’s accreditation status was put into limbo, creating a state of uncertainty for thousands of students.

Agrella reassured students that City College would fulfill its obligations.

If you’re 75 percent through your program of study at City College of San Francisco, then don’t worry, he said, adding that the school will “teach you out,” meaning you will graduate with an accredited degree.

It’s less clear what will happen to tens of thousands of students who aren’t as far along. “We must find ways for those students to transfer and keep their records,” said Agrella, who was given all the decision-making authority of City College’s elected Board of Trustees by a state oversight body.

Doing that will be difficult. With some 75,000 credit and non-credit students, CCSF is one of the nation’s largest community colleges, and its closure would be an unprecedented step. Even Agrella admits neighboring colleges, while certainly aware of CCSF’s troubles, “aren’t prepared to absorb the impact.”

The issue is one of a number of questions the school must address in its closure plan, which outlines a set of steps CCSF will take for faculty, staff and students in the event that it does lose its accreditation next July.

An informal poll of 123 students put out last week by San Francisco Magazine showed some 42 percent did not know what they would do if the school closed. More than 80 percent said closing the school would hurt the entire Bay Area. But Agrella is adamant that won’t come to pass. “This is all supposition,” he said, “[because] none of this is going to happen.”

The U.S. Dept. of Education steps in

The accrediting commission’s decision was called into question last week by the U.S. Department of Education, which cited the commission for irregularities, including conflicts of interest and a lack of clarity in its handling of the evaluation. The federal investigation was prompted by a 300-page complaint filed by The American Federation of Teachers Local 2121 that raised doubts about the integrity of the review process.

While everyone at CCSF is in agreement over the need to keep the school open, there are sharp differences over just how to do that. The union and other groups say the Department of Education’s findings show the need to take the commission head on, though Agrella insists the school must still meet the ACCJC’s requirements, and that in order to do so cooperation within the college community and with the commission is needed.

“I strongly believe that the best path to maintaining CCSF’s accreditation is to follow the Commission’s rules, regulations, and directions and to continue to show substantial progress toward meeting the eligibility requirements and standards,” Agrella wrote in an open letter to the college community on Monday.

Tarik Farrar teaches African American Studies and anthropology at CCSF. He was at a rally Tuesday in front of City Hall carrying an AFT 2121 banner. Speaking over chants of “Save City College,” Farrar agreed with Agrella. “Cooperation is important,” he said. But, he added, the problem is that from day one, the “attitude of the current administration has been ‘We say jump, you say how high.’”

Farrar says the school’s new administration, many of whom have been with CCSF for only a short time, has shunned input from faculty. “Because they didn’t cooperate, they made decisions that were … detrimental to the school.”

Implementing reforms

News emerged Wednesday that the administration had broken off contract negotiations with the union, highlighting their differences. In a statement, AFT 2121 president Alisa Messer said, “We are concerned that those charged with putting CCSF’s accreditation affairs in order have simply walked away from their responsibility to negotiate in good faith with faculty.”

But Farrar echoed Agrella in pointing to the work that has already been done at the school over the past year. That includes the implementation of Student Learning Outcomes, one of the issues raised by the ACCJC, which cited the administration for not doing a better job of tracking students. “We made remarkable progress,” said Farrar. Still, Agrella told reporters at Tuesday’s briefing,

“When the commission looks at an institution, it looks at it in a very simple way … it’s either a yes or a no. It could be at 90 percent, [but] it’s still a no.” Agrella spoke alongside Joanne Low, CCSF Interim Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, and Dr. Faye Naples, CCSF Vice Chancellor of Student Development. The panel offered a broad outline of its plan to keep the school open, a balancing act that seeks to preserve access and affordability while also meeting the commission’s requirements.

“Our core mission is to serve students,” said Naples, who started with the school on July 3, the day of the ACCJC’s announcement.

“But there are places where [the system] is broken.”

One of those places is with the eight campuses scattered across the city. Agrella said there is no plan as of now to close any of the centers. But he did note that alternatives have to be considered. “We have to find ways of getting services into communities other than the centers,” he said.

He offered a similar assessment for the school as a whole, acknowledging the critical role CCSF plays for the city, but noting that the current model of being “all things to all students is not sustainable.”

Not everyone in the community agrees, but even as the debate over the shape of the school plays out, its uncertain fate has helped fuel a 15 percent drop in
enrollment. And with funding on a per-pupil basis, the lower numbers are potentially disastrous for the school.

Amy Lin just graduated from CCSF’s Political Science Department. An undocumented immigrant from Taiwan, she joined in the protest at City Hall Tuesday. “I know a lot of students who have dropped out because of the current situation,” she said, adding the school needs to do more to get the message out that it is still accredited.

As to differences over tactics, Lin says the objective is what counts. “The reason we have community college is to provide an education to everyone. That’s why we’re here. It’s the goal we have to work for.”

See what alumni and veterans are doing to save CCSF: http://sfpublicpress.org/news/2013-08/alumni-veterans-struggleto-preserve-city-college-ofsan-francisco-video#sthash.pQtXRlbk.dpuf.

 

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Mexican teachers block Televisa, demand right of reply

by Narayan Ammachchi

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Mexican teachers blocked today the headquarters of Televisa and demanded at least 30 minutes to explain the reasons of their protests in the streets against education reform.

Cars are banned from circulating on the street leading to Televisa in Chapultepec Avenue by teachers from several unions like Mixteca, la Sierra, Guerrero and Chiapas, among others, according to the on-line edition of La Jornada journal.

According to the source, Professor Isaías Jaime Ignacio Cruz said the teachers’s remaining in the place will depend on whether Televisa managers agree to their demand of the right of reply against the way their protests are covered, and they want to explain their reasons.

He said that if Televisa executives give CNTE at least 30 minutes of news programs, they will stage a rally and then return to the main square (Zocalo) in the capital, the place where thousands of them have been camping for over a week to protest education reform.

According to La Jornada, the demonstrators complain that Televisa uses hours of its time to discredit the teachers´ struggle, but it never gives them the opportunity to defend themselves as it is their right.

Central America to promote outsourcing opportunities at Nicaragua summit

Five Central American investment promotion agencies are jointly organizing a summit on outsourcing services in the Nicaraguan capital Managua.

The two-day event, which begins November 7, will emphasize outsourcing opportunities in the region.

Organizers of the event say they want to capitalize on the region’s competitive advantages – such as its cultural and geographical proximity with the United States – to promote the region as a nearshore outsourcing hub. The event is hosted by Nicaraguan investment promotion agency Nicaragua and will be coordinated by other agencies including CINDE (Costa Rica), FIDE (Honduras), Invest in Guatemala and PROESA (El Salvador).

Industry experts will present their views on the advantages and disadvantages of setting up an outsourcing services business in the region and discuss the prospects for the future growth of the market. Central America is already home to several internationally renowned companies such as IBM, TCS, Intel, Xerox, Transactel, Sykes, Stream Global Services, Citi and Hewlett-Packard.

UNASUR Summit marked by Syria

The condemnation of an possible military attack of US on Syria and a plan of action to simplify its internal functioning and step up its Secretary general marked the Summit of Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

The Paramaribo Declaration rejected the foreign interventions incompatibles with the UN Charter.

The text reiterated the call for peace waiting that the Syrian people, in exercise of its sovereignty, can find a peaceful and negotiated solution to the conflict.

The Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said that during the meeting will be analyzed a proposal of Caracas to change UNASUR statute to avoid its burocratization.

The also agreed that UNASUR general secretary, Venezuelan Ali Rodriguez Araque, who finished the post he was holding since June, 2012, remain in it for 30 days more while the substitute is found by consensus.

Maduro explained that the foreign ministers of the group will have two months to present a plan of action to simplify the running of the forum.

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Seven easy ways to cancer-proof your home and life

by PF Louis
Natural News

Chemical carcinogens are part of “better living through chemistry,” which was DuPont’s slogan from 1935 until 1982.

The generation that survived WWII gleefully embraced this concept, which DuPont promoted often with their radio and TV advertising, until the baby-boomers started waking up and smelling the toxins.

The fact is 80,000 to 85,000 synthetic chemicals have been registered since WWII, and they have become part of our environment and day to day product use. Yet, only around 200 of them had been safety tested before being released.

Most of those synthetic chemicals are part of products we use everyday or exist within our home and office structures. Now, we are coping with invisible, radiating carcinogens from electronic and even natural sources, demanding that we protect ourselves from more than just the obvious hazards of “better living through chemistry.”

Protect yourself from household carcinogens:

1) Toss your conventionally produced household products: cleaners, air-fresheners, laundry detergents and bleaches, dish soaps, and interior cleaning products. Replace them with natural detergents and cleaners (read those labels carefully) or make your own. Do the same with cosmetics and bodycare items, even regular underarm deodorants, lipsticks, and haircare products. Chuck ‘em and go natural. Look for deodorants that are aluminum free and avoid most commercial cosmetics that contain other heavy metals and phthalates.

2) There are natural pesticides available to replace the toxic ones you may have in your dwelling. Don’t store paints, paint thinners, shellacs or varnishes in your living area. Try to keep them in a separate shed and use them in interior spaces only if you can ventilate well or vacate after using.

3) Is your furniture and bedding fire-proofed? Fire retardants emit gases that are carcinogenic. How about furniture made with particle board? The glue that holds that socalled wood together also emits carcinogenic gases. New house or office? A lot of new home and office construction uses particle board structurally. Fiberglass fibers seem to be almost as carcinogenic as asbestos. Protect against it and take measures to purify your indoor air.

4) Put up with more wires and cables instead of setting up WiFi in your office or home. Electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) are the invisible carcinogens of today. Minimize cell phone and portable phone use as much as possible. There are mechanical methods of screening EMF radiation from nearby cell phone transmitting towers and even snoopy “smart meters” on your wall. Those protective devices offered on the internet may not add to your decor, but they will protect you. Most of us can have our DNA affected adversely over time from EMF radiation; some people are more sensitive to EMF and feel negative effects quickly.

5) Radon is a naturally existing form of radioactive gas that’s emitted from the ground, and it can be trapped within a dwelling built on that ground. Your indoor dwelling can be checked for radon levels. Radon gas is a major source of lung cancer, along with asbestos and fiberglass. If your dwelling is radon contaminated, there are measures to handle it.

6) Cooking with aluminum is a bad idea, and almost everyone is aware that Teflon, a DuPont nonstick product, releases carcinogens when heated. Anodized aluminum is a good, but not perfect, non-stick alternative. The protective coating breaks down eventually, leaving some of the aluminum exposed. After seasoning with oil and heat, cast iron pans stick less. There are also ceramic coated metal pans and pots as well as tempered glass are choices. Don’t use Styrofoam containers with hot foods and beverages. Start cutting back on plastics for storing food and beverages. All of these are part of better living through toxic chemistry. The issue with microwave cooking is not so much EMF emission as it is what it does to the food cooked or water heated. It makes the foods and beverages carcinogenic.

7) It’s impossible to avoid all of these hazardous materials and EMF or radioactive dangers. So strengthen your inner terrain and immune system. Lots of vitamin D and C, magnesium, certain herbs and probiotics can all help protect you against even radiation (http://www.naturalnews.com).

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