Significa Halloween 2012

Censored 2013: Dispatches from the Media Revolution
Addresses Crucial News Ignored by the Corporate Media

From signs of an emerging police state, to NATO war crimes in Libya, and the dangers US women soldiers face everyday, the 2013 edition of Censored: Dispatches from the Media Revolution reports the News That Didn't Make the News and analyzes Why. Censored 2013 features Project Censored's annual list of the top 25 underreported news stories for 2011-2012.

http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/category/top-stories/top-25-of-2013

Censored 2013 celebrates the importance of independent journalism for democratic self-government, and it holds to account the corporate media for their failure to provide the public with complete, relevant news coverage.

The book's additional chapters include original analysis on drones and targeted killing, "GuatánamoSpeak," the democracy movement in Kashmir, corporate education "reform," the status of Iraqi refugees, the 1970 Kent State massacre, and the global network of the ruling 1%. Each chapter deconstructs the official narratives and propagandized news frames featured in corporate news coverage and this volume includes the latest on Junk Food News and News Abuse and updates from last year’s top censored stories.

Published by Seven Stories Press, Censored 2013: Dispatches from the Media Revolution is available now directly from Project Censored (www.projectcensored.org). It will be available in bookstores around the country on October 30, 2012.

Events in celebration of the book's publication will take place at Moe's Books (2476 Telegraph Avenue,?Berkeley CA 94704) at 7:30pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012 and at the Arlene Francis Center for Spirit, Art, and Politics (99 6th Street, Santa Rosa, California 95401) on Saturday, December 1, 2012. No Lies Radio (http://noliesradio.org/) will stream both events live on the Internet.

Since 1976, Project Censored's mission has been is to teach students and inform the public about the role of a free press in a democratic society. The Media Freedom Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supports Project Censored.

For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact Mickey Huff (director), 510.798.6251, mickey@projectcensored.org, or Andy Lee Roth (associate director), 520-289-6529, andy@projectcensored.org

Become a Project Censored Subscription Member for $5 a month and get the newest Project Censored Book for Free!

Be a sustaining member of Project Censored and become a Media Freedom Fighter by subscribing for as little as $5 a month.  This important contribution helps us keep our research going, keep our websites updated with the most current validated news stories, and will come with a special thank you gift, the most recent edition of Censored, our annual sourcebook for the media revolution.  We appreciate any support you can give, and we welcome you all in the struggle to achieve and maintain a truly free press of, by, and for We the People.

Censored 2013 - PRE ORDER TODAY!

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YouTube Clip of the Week: Dulce Candy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KDRZwd4cZU
http://dulcecandy.com

I've known about Dulce Candy for years and it mystifies me why she still doesn't have a cable TV show. Here's the basic concept of her website & YouTube channel: she does 10-15 minute how-to guides on applying makeup for different looks. What makes this especially appealing is that she was apparently born on a secret island where they're conducting a Jessica Alba cloning experiment.

In this Halloween special, she shows you how to master the Wonder Woman look. Whenever the homosexuals who run Hollywood give this girl a chance, I guarantee you it'll be a huge hit, with a surprisingly unexpected high percentage of male viewers. My only advice for any producers of this show: you can't have too many super-slo mo shots of her applying lipstick.

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'Argo' review: Gripping crisis in Iran
Amy Biancolli
Thursday, October 11, 2012
http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Argo-review-Gripping-crisis-in-Iran-3939878.php

Action thriller. Directed by and starring Ben Affleck. (R. 120 minutes.)

Whether six Americans are rescued alive from Iran in 1980 is the engine behind the drama in the political thriller "Argo." And even though most people know the outcome, this movie still will have you on the edge of your seat.

That Ben Affleck can direct a film this good, this smart, this gripping is no surprise, not after his fine efforts in "Gone Baby Gone" and "The Town." That a now-de-classified tale from the 1979 Iran hostage crisis should make for such engrossing cinema is no surprise, either.

The main source of astonishment is the precision exhibited everywhere, from the slyly vintage look of Rodrigo Prieto's cinematography to the gradual, cinching tension in Chris Terrio's careful screenplay.

"Argo" opens with a clever rehash of Iranian history up through the revolution, the overthrow of the U.S.-backed shah and the ascension to power by Ayatollah Khomeini. It then hops into the story with the events of Nov. 4, 1979, when Iranian throngs, demanding extradition of an ailing shah from American shores, storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and take 52 Americans hostage.

Six escape out the back door, finding refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador, portrayed, with his usual gravity and grace, by Victor Garber. But how to get them out, skins intact, amid widespread civil unrest and anti-American loathing?

Enter Tony Mendez (Affleck, shaggy, bearded and wisely underplaying every scene), a CIA operative who specializes in hush-hush extractions. He cooks up a plan to fly in alone and fly out with the six, all of them posing as a film crew scouting locations for a faux "Star Wars" knockoff titled "Argo."

The craziness of the scheme, and the crappiness of movie, allow for some amusing Hollywood observations - and a pair of risible supporting turns by Alan Arkin and John Goodman as a producer and effects man, respectively.

In this and other ways, Affleck evokes the era without fetishizing it: He gives us the sci-fi glitz, the clunky glasses, the full ashtrays, the butt-ugly hair, but none of these things detract or distract from the essential story.

Amy Biancolli is a Hearst movie writer. E-mail: datebookletters@sfchronicle.com

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OKTOBERFEST WRAP-UP
OCT 09, 2012
http://www.playboy.com/playground/view/oktoberfest-wrap-up

It happened again: you couldn’t make it to the biggest party in Munich. It’s fine; there are a lot of towns in America that hold their own beer celebrations during the early weeks of fall, so don’t feel too left out when you see photo galleries of gorgeous beer maids, salty pretzels the size of your head and golden streams of German beer being poured generously into the steins of smiling friends.

Over at Oktoberfest, the beers served must meet the criteria of the German Beer Purity Law, Reinheitsgebot, which dates back to 1516, and must be brewed within Munich city limits. There are only six breweries at this time that brew the beer for Oktoberfest, but it’s no secret that there are many breweries in America that sell their own limited edition beers back home just for the occasion. Here are the beers that we’ve been filling our mugs with to drink in solidarity with our beer-loving German brothers.

Löwenbräu

Starting with a beer that is served at Oktoberfest, Löwenbräu is most likely the first that comes to mind when you think of German brews. Founded in 1383, this beer has been served at every Oktoberfest since 1810. It’s available year-round, although in some places in America it’s hard to track down. The tasting notes of this pale golden ale are very light and grainy, although many find it more carbonated than other malts made in America.

Gordon Biersch Weizen Eisbock

Legend has it that Eisbock beer was developed by accident. A forgetful brewer from the Kulmbach Brewery in Germany accidently left kegs of bock beer outside during the winter, and to salvage the beer he scraped off the water that froze on top. The brewer found that it became stronger and maltier than the already stout brew. At 10% ABV it’s obvious that the alcohol strength is noticeable, but if you’re a fan of rich dark flavors, Gordon Biersch Weizen Eisbock beer is definitely for you.

Samuel Adams Octoberfest Beer

Samuel Adams is so confident in their flavoring, they don’t need a creative name for their oldest seasonal beer. Octoberfest Beer has been a staple of those who aren’t acquainted with craft brews during the fall months, and lucky for us they’ve done a great job capturing the true Munich taste. Blending five roasts of malt complemented by the bitter Bavarian Noble Hops, the master brewer feels that its stronger flavor is authentic to the Oktoberfest beers of old, as opposed to the lighter, blonder liters they serve up now.

Flying Dog Ale’s Dogtoberfest

Our friends over at Flying Dog brew up a mean batch of beer around this time as well. Narcissistically named Dogtoberfest, the beer is brewed with 100% imported German ingredients. This full-bodied caramel lager won three awards at the Great American Beer Festival for the best German-Style Marzen, making it perfect for eating as much cheese, schnitzel and ox as your belly can handle.

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Stoner Cooking: The Algonquin

From Uncle Fats:

Tried a new cocktail, The Algonquin, and love it!  Two parts rye, one part pineapple juice and one part dry vermouth.  Stir don't shake (it will foam the juice) with ice and strain into a martini glass.  Yum.  For us, we did 6 ounces of rye, which equates to two drinks per person.

Did I mention yum?  It's a sweet drink that doesn't taste too sweet.  Dry vermouth is the key. Civilized.

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PCs showing 'severe slump' as HP slips to No. 2
The worldwide computer market tumbled more than expected in the third quarter, but Lenovo edged past HP to take the top spot, according to Gartner. IDC, however, still has HP in the lead, but just barely.
Shara Tibken
October 10, 2012
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57530022-37/pcs-showing-severe-slump-as-hp-slips-to-no-2

It's even uglier than thought in the PC market, new data today shows.

IDC says the global computer market "withdrew sharply" in the third quarter, with shipments falling 8.6 percent from the prior year. The tech research firm had expected a decline of just 3.8 percent -- what it called a relatively quiet quarter as companies prepare for the upcoming Windows 8 launch.

Rival Gartner, meanwhile, said shipments slid 8.3 percent to 87.5 million units, worse than its expectation for a 6.5 percent decline.

Both firms noted that back-to-school promotions weren't enough to drive sales, something that showed the "vulnerability of PCs and the loss of mindshare among buyers," according to IDC. Tablets and smartphones have been putting pressure on the market, as has uncertainty over the global economy and the impact of Windows 8.

Here's what Jay Chou, IDC senior research analyst, had to say about the steep drop:

"PCs are going through a severe slump. The industry had already weathered a rough 2Q12, and now 3Q12 was even worse. A weak global economy as well as questions about PC market saturation and delayed replacement cycles are certainly a factor, but the hard question of what is the 'It' product for PCs remains unanswered. While ultrabook prices have come down a little, there are still some significant challenges that will greet Windows 8 in the coming quarter."

PC market growth has slowed of late as consumers, cautious about the global economy, hold off on computer purchases in favor of mobile devices. Intel, which has been driving the move to thin-and-light PCs dubbed ultrabooks, last month cut its revenue guidance for the third quarter by about $1 billion. At the time, the chip giant said it was seeing "weaker than expected demand in a challenging macroeconomic environment."

Other grim news today came from IHS iSuppli, which said PC shipments will fall in 2012 for the first time since the dot-com bust in 2001. The firm also cited a disappointing back-to-school period and uncertainty about the newest version of Windows.

Loren Loverde, an analyst with IDC, told CNET that his firm will be reevaluating its forecast for the full-year, as well. The firm typically updates its guidance when it receives final data for the quarter. IDC in August had projected the worldwide PC would grow 0.9 percent in 2012.

"I can safely say that these results are several points below our forecast, and we'll definitely need to bring down our forecasts, especially for 2012," he said. "It certainly will push us into negative territory for the year."

Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa, meanwhile, said Gartner now expects the PC market to be about flat from 2011. The firm previously estimated 2 percent growth for 2012, Kitagawa said.

Lenovo is No. 1?

The data today from Gartner and IDC were pretty similar, but they differed on one key point -- which company shipped the most computers. Gartner put Lenovo in the top spot with 15.7 percent of shipments, beating long-time incumbent Hewlett-Packard.

IDC, meanwhile, estimates that HP held on to the No. 1 position with 15.9 percent of the worldwide PC shipment market share, though Lenovo was close on its heels at 15.7 percent.

HP in a statement said some PC share reports don't measure the market in its entirety. The company said IDC's forecast includes "the very important workstation segment and therefore is more comprehensive."

HP, which saw its global shipments drop 16 percent from the previous year, according to both firms, has faced a tough time in the PC market of late. The company considered exiting computers to focus on high-margin enterprise businesses like storage, but it later backtracked on that plan.

IDC noted that "distractions caused by its reorganization, challenges in integrating its enterprise acquisitions, and an unclear strategy to regain its course remain key obstacles."

Lenovo, meanwhile, has been benefiting from its high exposure to the Chinese market and its strong operation selling computers to business users. The company yesterday unveiled several new convertible PCs it expects to appeal to consumers and businesses.

IDC and Gartner today said Lenovo's shipments rose about 10 percent globally in the third quarter. It also was the only PC maker on the list to post an increase in shipments in the U.S., with a 9.2 percent rise according to IDC, and a 6.1 percent rise according to Gartner. HP dropped about 19 percent in the U.S., and Dell fell 16 percent. Apple's shipments slid about 6 percent to 7 percent.

"A continuing slowdown in consumer PC shipments played a big part in the overall PC market decline," said Gartner's Kitagawa. "The third quarter was also a transitional quarter before Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system release, so shipments were less vigorous as vendors and their channel partners liquidated inventory."

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‘Ironman’ suit could help paraplegics walk
Full Article:
http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/ironman-suit-could-help-paraplegics-walk-1C6435842

A robotic exoskeleton similar to Ironman’s powered armor suit could help paraplegics walk, according to NASA researchers who designed the device to keep astronauts in shape on flights to Mars.

The 57-pound X1 suit is worn over a person’s body and can be used to either assist or inhibit movement of the leg joints.

Inhibit mode provides the resistance astronauts need for a workout while idle for months-on-end in a spaceship bound for Mars or doing time on the International Space Station.

In reverse mode, the exoskeleton works with the wearer, providing stability and movement assistance. This could be used to help paraplegics walk on Earth.

Other potential applications for the X1 include rehabilitation, gait modification, and offloading weight from the wearer to the exoskeleton.

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Real life James Bond -- I never got the girl or the gadgets
Matthew Dunn
Published October 05, 2012
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/10/05/real-life-james-bond-never-got-girl-or-gadgets

Editor's note: October 5 marks the 50th anniversary of the first James Bond movie, "Dr. No."

When I was an MI6 officer, I operated deep cover in hostile territories and had numerous aliases. Each alias would have different covers and lifestyles.
Playing the part of a jet setting millionaire businessman was great because I had to do the things a man like that would do. Sitting in a warzone trench while pretending to be a foreign freedom fighter or whatever was anything but James Bond.  But even when I got the chance to travel the world first class and stay at luxurious five star hotels, there were many things that Bond had that I didn’t.  Here’s 007 of them:

1. Glamorous Women
Bond could walk into a casino in Monte Carlo and announce to everyone that he was “James Bond.  British Intelligence.”  It was a fantastic way to grab people’s attention and he instantly had drop dead gorgeous women flocking around him.  Regrettably, I wasn’t allowed to tell the beautiful women I met that I was Matthew Dunn, let alone a spy.  Sigh…

2. Reliable Gadgets
The real MI6 has an entire department whose sole purpose is to create inventions every bit as ingenious and wacky as those created by Bond’s gadget man, Q.  But we had a problem.  First, it’s all well and good inventing a pen that could shoot bullets, but try travelling through airport security with one. If field operatives like me had been given watches that could cut holes through doors with a laser, we’d have told you that we might as well have the word “spy” tattooed on our foreheads.
It’s all well and good inventing a pen that could shoot bullets, but try traveling through airport security with one.

Second, for some reason those gadgets we could travel with would frequently fail to work upon arrival at our destination.  It happened so often that it became a joke.  I once had an attaché case within which was concealed a digital recorder.  If I flicked the case’s opening and closing switches it would turn the device on and off.  Prior to my travel, experts tested the case in every conceivable condition.  It passed with distinction.  And yes, it didn’t work when I needed it to.

3. An Aston Martin
Driving through the Swiss Alps, in an Aston Martin DB5, with two pairs of skis on the roof, a bottle of Moët et Chandon on ice by my side, and a beautiful Russian female double agent in the passenger seat -- Alas, that didn’t happen to me…not once.

4. A Great Soundtrack
From the opening Bond theme, through to the majestic additional music of Shirley Bassey, Louis Armstrong, Paul McCartney, and composer John Barry, Bond went about his business with a scorching soundtrack to remind him and everyone else that his work was big boys’ espionage.  Given many of my meetings with foreign assets took place in hotels, I went about my business to the soundtrack of elevator music.  You know the stuff – Vivaldi’s "The Four Seasons" and the like. The kind of music that every hotel lobby and, well, elevator, likes.

5. Travel to Exotic Locations
Among other exotic locations, Bond carried out his business in the Caribbean, Monaco, Florida, Thailand, and Vienna.  He always packed a tuxedo for use at the nearest casino or ambassadorial cocktail party, though sometimes he had to don a wetsuit or ski ware over the top of it and swim through azure waters or slalom down pristine mountain slopes to reach the venues.
My experience was different.  Typically, I operated in impoverished parts of the world, in warzones, and, on more than one occasion, Brussels.    

6. Fabulous Baddies
Like the arch baddies in the Bond books and movies, the ones I combated were highly intelligent, sophisticated, professional, and evil. But unlike each nemesis that Bond faced, mine didn’t have recourse to satellites that could fire continent-destroying death lasers, subterranean armed fortresses that were guarded by spear gun wielding frogmen, or a volcano that was actually a space program. Nor did my baddies have steel-rimmed bowler hats, golden guns, metal jaws, or a third nipple.  At least, not to my knowledge…

7. A License To Kill
Real MI6 officers don’t need licenses because everything we do overseas is illegal meaning we’re at the mercy of the lawmakers in the country we’re operating.  However, I concede it would have been cool to have carried such a document – particularly when in the UK and asked to provide photo ID.  It would have been great to whip out the License to Kill when applying for membership to e.g. Blockbuster’s DVD store or the local library.

Matthew Dunn is an author. His latest book is "Sentinel: A Spycatcher Novel." (HarperCollins 2012). As an MI6 field officer, Matthew Dunn recruited and ran agents, coordinated and participated in special operations, and acted in deep-cover roles throughout the world. During his time in MI6, Dunn conducted approximately seventy missions. All of them were successful. He lives in England.