MUCH MIND

WEATHER

• Munich Re Group: Natural catastrophes in 2007 led to 15,000 deaths, $75 billion in economic damages, and insured losses of about $30 billion; the damages in 2005 and 2006 are estimated at $220 billion and $50 billion, respectively.
  See: Natural catastrophe figures for 2007, Munich Re Group, 27-Dec-07.
• Swiss Re: Natural and man-made catastrophes led to more than 20 000 deaths, $61 billion in damages, and insured losses of about $25 billion.
  See: Preliminary Swiss Re sigma estimates of catastrophe losses in 2007: Impacted by high losses from flood and storm damage in Europe, Swiss Re, 18-Dec-07.

Part 1: Greenpeace  - MV Arctic Sunrise, Toronto Pier 4, 2-Sep-07.

FEATURED

• "As competition to draw in the best students has grown increasingly aggressive, many colleges and universities have turned to less than scrupulous ways to bolster their admissions and to become more attractive to students. A small but growing number have begun twisting or outright lying about data regarding SAT scores, job success after graduation, the selectivity of programs, and even the debt students may graduate from college carrying. It's a disturbing trend . . ."

Algonquin Provincial Park -- Lake Opeongo [7 Parts]

Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario
 

Algonquin Outfitters, Opeongo Store
 

Joy of Canoeing, Lake Opeongo
 

Cow Moose and Calf
 

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources:
Aviation, Forest Fire, and Emergency Services
 

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OPINION

Free Press vs. Freedom for a "Chosen" Press -- Helen Thomas, Free Speech, and Her Momentous Now
June 7, 2010.

POLITICS

Celebrating Jack Layton's Life and Vision
 

• @AnonOps: "NO MEDIA IS COVERING OR EVEN MENTIONING THE #OCCUPYWALLSTREET EVENT. TO AVOID A BIGGER CROWD!" [17-Sep-11].
• Al Jazeera: "US protesters rally to OccupyWallStreet: Protesters gather on Wall Street in New York for demonstration against what organisers call corporate dominance" [17-Sep-11].
• OccupyWallSt.org -- "a free / open source social networking tool for activists."
• LiveStream: Global Revolution -- revolutions happening around the world.

BUSINESS

• Government
• Justice/Law
• Bank Merger Proposals
• Political Contributions by Banks
• Banks
• Education.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
 

The Senate Finance Committee approved an $850 billion increase in the public debt limit, from $8.965 trillion to $9.815 trillion (Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate).
 

• In 1998, the top 0.01% (P99.99 --100), 13,100 tax units (out of a total of 130,945,000 tax units), had an average income of $9,970,000.

AUTOMOBILES AND BICYCLES

Alain Raymond and His Fiat Abarth
 

• Auto-Historia by Alain Raymond

  • "Interesting cars, unique cars, significant cars, British, Italian, German, American, French and some others. In essence, cars that made a difference and a significant contribution to the History of the Automobile."

  • Auto-Historia.ca is published by Alain Raymond, a passionate automobile expert and the former co-host of the TV series Le Guide de l'auto [Canal Vox], and the 26-show series, Prenez le volant [Canal vasion]. Alain has also published the weekly column Retroviseur [La Presse]. He is a contributor to La Vie de l'Auto (Paris, France) and PanoramItalia (Montreal and Toronto, Canada).

  • Squadra Topolino: Fiat Abarth, Lotus Elan, Lancia Scorpion, Mazda Miata . .

Wheels of Bloor -- "Ultimate Cervelo dealer"
2007 Bloor St. West, Toronto -- 416-762-9119
wheelsofbloor@bellnet.ca
http://wheelsofbloor.com
 

Wheels of Bloor -- "Ultimate Cervelo dealer"
 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

K Computer -- Fujitsu/RIKEN Photo
 

• Supercomputer "K computer" Takes First Place in World: Achieves world's best performance of 8.162 petaflops to lead TOP500 list, Fujitsu Ltd. and RIKEN, 20-Jun-11.

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HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY

The Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund (Medicare) is expected to become insolvent by 2019; The Social Security trust fund, by 2041.

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BOOKS

Featured Book*

Einstein on Israel and Zionism: His Provocative Ideas About the Middle East
Fred Jerome

" . . . I am neither a German citizen nor do I believe in anything that might be described as "Jewish faith." But I am a Jew and am glad to belong to the Jewish people, though I do not regard it in any way as chosen."^1a

If we are not able to find a way to honest cooperation and honest pacts with the Arabs, then we have learned nothing during our two thousand years of suffering, and deserve the fate which will befall us. . . Without honest cooperation with the Arabs there is no peace and no security."^1b

Only direct cooperation with the Arabs can create a dignified and safe life. If the Jews don't comprehend this, the whole Jewish position in the complex of Arab countries will become step by step untenable. What saddens me is less the fact that the Jews are not smart enough to understand this, but rather, that they are not just enough to want it [emphasis in the original]."^1c*

I should much rather see reasonable agreement with the Arabs on the basis of living together in peace than the creation of a Jewish state. . . [T]he essential nature of Judaism resists the idea of a Jewish state with borders, an army, and a measure of temporal power. . . I am afraid of the inner damage Judaism will sustain--especially from the development of a narrow nationalism within our own ranks . . ."^1d

I am in favor of Palestine being developed as a Jewish Homeland but not as a separate state. It seems to me a matter of simple common sense that we cannot ask to be given the political rule over Palestine where two thirds of the population are not Jewish. What we can and should ask is a secured bi-national status in Palestine with free immigration."^1e

I believe that even in America, we Jews are by no means safe. . .
The psychological situation of the Jews over here is quite similar to the one in Germany before Hitler."^1f

When a real and final catastrophe should befall us in Palestine the first responsible for it would be the British and the second responsible for it the Terrorist organization built up from our own ranks."^1g

We had great hopes for Israel at first. We thought it might be better than other nations, but it is no better."^1h

* Emphasis added.

¹ Fred Jerome. Einstein on Israel and Zionism: His Provocative Ideas About the Middle East. Fred Jerome, 2009. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 2009. (Translations by Michael Schiffmann.)
^a 1. Fighting Anti-Semitism 1919-1929, at 39.
^b 2. Years of Crisis 1929-1939, at 78-82.
^c Ibid., at 94.
^d Ibid., at 112.
^e 4. Struggle Over the State 1945-1948, at 176.
^f Ibid., at 186.
^g Ibid., at 187.
^h 5. The Final Years 1948-1955, at 223.

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