Read a book?

Readers have e-mailed us asking for more book coverage at community sites.  We've passed this request on.

So far, the book coverage includes:

"Seymour Hersh meanders throughout REPORTER: A MEMOIR" -- C.I. 

"Dusty (by Karen Bartlett)" -- Marcia.

"Media critiques -- Nora Ephron's SCRIBBLE SCRABBLE" -- Mike.

"Judy Garland (the biographies)" -- Kat.

"JEAN HARLOW: TARNISHED ANGEL" -- Betty.  

"UNCOMMON TYPES: Let's kill whomever taught Tom Hanks to type" -- Elaine.

"THE YELLOW WALLPAPER" -- Marcia.

"Anne Sexton: THE COMPLETE POEMS" -- C.I.

"Charlotte Chandler's MARLENE" -- Elaine.

"A sexist woman writes She's a Rebel and distorts music history" -- Ann.

"barbara ehrenreich's 'natural causes'" -- Rebecca. 

"Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook" -- Trina.

"IN SEARCH OF OUR MOTHERS' GARDENS" -- Elaine.

"Blackfish City" -- Marcia.

"THE CHICKEN CHRONICLES by Alice Walker" -- Ruth.

"Harry Belafonte" -- Mike.

"THE SAME RIVER TWICE (Alice Walker)" -- Isaiah.

"Elaine Weiss' THE WOMAN'S HOUR: THE GREATEST FIGHT TO WIN THE VOTE" -- Ruth.

"Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II" -- Ann.

"Dancing with Demons: The Authorized Biography of Dusty Springfield" -- Marcia.


"Good for Jimmy Stewart, bad for readers" -- Stan.

"Conversations with Toni Morrison" -- Marcia.

"Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream" -- Ann.

"He Ran All The Way" -- Trina.



And we'll also note Ann's "How a book store could stay alive in today's economy" about the book business.

This edition's playlist

1) Alicia Keys' HERE.


2) Janet Jackson's UNBREAKABLE.


3) Tori Amos' UNREPENTANT GERALDINES.


4) Sting and Shaggy's 44/876.


5)  Sam Smith's IN THE LONELY HOUR DROWNING SHADOW EDITION.


6) Sam Smith's THE THRILL OF IT ALL.



7)  Aretha Franklin's ARETHA SINGS THE GREAT DIVA CLASSICS.


8) The Mamas & The Papas' THE PAPAS AND THE MAMAS.


9) Carly Simon's ANTICIPATION.



10) Joni Mitchell's FOR THE ROSES.

Burn Pits 360 To Participate in House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Roundtable

July Newsletter Burn Pits 360 To Participate in House Subcommittees' Burn Pits Roundtable Burn Pits 360 was invited by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health and Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs to participate in a joint roundtable discussion on July 18th. The roundtable, titled "Burn Pits and Potential Toxic Exposures: Establishing Links to Benefits and Health Care," discussed the barriers to VA healthcare and benefits for veterans who were exposed to burn pits in service, and VA's procedures for processing disability compensation claims for conditions related to burn pit exposure. We will provide updates on the roundtable conversation as the discussion was not broadcast for the public. We also prepared a video campaign leading up to the event. We were proud to participate in the discussion to advocate for veterans who were exposed and shed light on the issues they face. Photos Show US Military Still Using Burn Pits An article published on July 12, 2018 shows photos of thick, black smoke rising into the air near Camp Taji, Iraq. This smoke is all too familiar to those veterans who returned home from Iraq and Afghanistan with respiratory problems and cancers. The article quotes a US Army soldier who said that the pits are used "as many as five times a week" and are fewer than 400 yards from their barracks. The photos show that the US military is still putting soldiers at risk, even after many have come forward with severe health conditions as a result of their exposure. KBR Burn Pits Lawsuits Will Not Move Forward, Court Rules On June 20, 2018, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that dozens of lawsuits against KBR, a government contractor that operated burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, would not move forward. The Court ruled that since KBR was a military contractor, its decisions regarding burn pits were de facto military decisions, and military decisions are not appropriate for judicial review. The 4th Circuit's ruling agreed with a previous ruling from a lower court that held that courts are not equipped to rule on political questions. The ruling marks a blow for those who experience health problems due to burn pits and burn pit advocates. Burn Pits 360 Executive Director Rosie Torres was quoted in a Fox News article regarding the ruling, saying that the court's decision means Burn Pits 360 and other advocates will now have to turn their efforts towards Congress and the President. Sign the Burn Pits 360 Letter to the President We ask you to sign the Burn Pits 360 letter to the President asking him to take action on 9 issues that would help those experiencing health problems due to burn pit exposure. Download and sign the letter here. Donate to Burn Pits 360 We ask that you help support our mission by giving whatever you are able to. We need to continue fighting for the men and women who fought for our country and were exposed to burn pits, but we need your help. Click here to donate to our cause: https://burnpits360.kindful.com/  Take Action to Prove the Connection Between Burn Pit Exposure and Illness by Participating in the Burn Pits 360 Registry Research Study The Burn Pits 360 Registry is a research study, collecting data on burn pit exposures and related illnesses.  The goal is to prove the connection between burn pit exposure and illness.  Before now, this information was only available to the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.  So far, over 5,000 individuals have participated.  Your data will enable Burn Pits 360 to advocate and lobby on behalf of the veteran community for VA benefits, policy change, and specialized health care. To participate, visit us on our website here. PARTICIPATE NOW

Study Shows Link Between Exposure to Particulate Matter and Diabetes A recently released study shows a link between exposure to particulate matter (PM) 2.5, fine particles found in the air, and an increased risk for developing diabetes mellitus type 2. The study followed US veterans with no history of diabetes for a median of 8.5 years and found that the risk of diabetes increased substantially when exposed to PM2.5 above 2.4 μg/m3, and a 10·0 μg/m3 increase further increased this risk. PM2.5 is already associated with increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and kidney disease. Countries and regions that are less developed and are undergoing economic development experience more air pollution and these areas will likely see an increase in incidences of diabetes. The study could impact veterans who were exposed to burn pits as burn pits are known to have emitted particulate matter, exposing service members who lived or worked near them. Burn Pits 360 Honors a Soldier Each month, Burn Pits 360 honors a fallen solider. Colonel David McCracken served in the US Army Reserves for 30 years. He was diagnosed with Glioblastoma shortly after returning home from Iraq, and passed away in September of 2011. Legal Help for Veterans Disability Benefits:  If VA has denied your disability compensation claim, assigned you the wrong impairment rating, or if you are entitled to an earlier effective date, contact Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick for assistance.  CCK is also experienced at helping eligible veterans get VA benefits for special monthly compensation (SMC) or total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).  Contact CCK toll free at 844-291-8569 or visit CCK online at https://cck-law.com. Donate to Burn Pits 360 Burn Pits 360 Needs You!  The success of our mission depends on the generosity of individuals like you.  We ask you to consider a monthly donation to help us advocate for our community and its needs. DONATE TODAY! Connect with us on Facebook Burn Pits 360 is community of veterans with burn pit-related illness, their families, and advocates with the common goal of exposing the harms of toxic burn pit exposure and obtaining benefits and policy change. Join us. Like us on Facebook! Meet the Burn Pits 360 Team Founder: CPT (Ret.) Le Roy Torres Executive Director: Rosie Torres Secretary: Tammy McCracken Program Manager: Will Wisner Legislative Liaison: Cindy Aman Director of Development:Daniella Molina Advocates Advisory Board Diane Slape (Texas) Rocio Alvarado (California) Advisory Board Ret. Colonel David Sutherland Dr. Steven Coughlin Ret. Lt. Col. Gregg Deeb Dr. Robert Miller Ret. Lt. Col. Brian Lawler Kerry Baker Solomon Ortiz Jr., former Texas House of Representatives, District 33 Solomon Ortiz Sr., former Congressman for the 27th District of Texas SFC Geoffrey Dardia Dr. Daniel Brewer

Copyright © 2018, Burn Pits 360 Veterans Organization, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Burn Pits 360 Veterans Organization 201 N. 4th Street Robstown, TX 78380

Highlights

This piece is written by Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude, Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix, Kat of Kat's Korner, Betty of Thomas Friedman is a Great Man, Mike of Mikey Likes It!, Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz, Ruth of Ruth's Report, Marcia of SICKOFITRADLZ, Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends, Ann of Ann's Mega Dub, Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts and Wally of The Daily Jot. Unless otherwise noted, we picked all highlights.

 "Seymour Hersh meanders throughout REPORTER: A MEMO..." -- C.I.'s book review is the most requested highlight of the week by readers of this site.

"Iraqis still wait for the world to support their p...," "The Atlantic Council notices the protests in Iraq," "Iraq snapshot," "“When there is no internet, people are being beate...," "Iraq snapshot," "Tweet of truth," "Iraq snapshot,"  "Iraq snapshot," "Iraq snapshot," "Hayder continues to attack the Iraqi people," "iraq," "Iraq, Greens, Soros and more" and "Is there guaranteed international protection for t..." -- some Iraq coverage in the community.

"Hillary Clinton needs to drop the homophobia" and "The homophobia needs to stop" -- Mike and Betty call out homophobia.

 "Important science anniversary on Friday -- 49 years . . .," "Curiosity on Mars" and "Got a question for NASA? Ask now!" -- science posts by Betty.

"Hottest screen couples by decades," "ABC NEWS erases Kim Basinger!" and "MAMA MIA: HERE WE GO AGAIN didn't need to be GODFATHER II" -- Kat and Stan on movies.

"The press and their priorities," "margaret kimberley is a truth teller (katrina vanden heuvel is a snake)," "borzou daragahi is offensive and outrageous," "Borzou Daraghai," "glenn greenwald serves up some media criticism," "Oh these troubled times," "Outrageous," "KPFA embarrasses itself on THE PACIFICA EVENING NEWS," "The nutty press (Borzou Daragahi) and the conspiracy nuts (John Brennan)," "The always pathetic Katrina vanden Heuvel," "Thomas Friedman, I'm not your 'fellow' anything so f**k the hell off," "Aaron Explains It All," "Those Wisconsin liars," "Who brags about being stupid?," "while Kurt Eichenwald rages online another young boy is spared" and "War Whore Amanpour" -- meida criticism community wide.

"The best episode of the last season of The Originals," "The Originals?," "Here comes Batwoman -- about damn time," "USA is the worst cable network," "Animal Kingdom," "NETFLIX the never-ending ponzi scheme?" and "Corruption and Netflix -- Marcia, Mike, Stan and Ann talk TV.

  

"Italian Skillet Chicken in the Kitchen" and "Artichoke Quiche in the Kitchen" -- two recipes from Trina.

  

"It's all about Alyssa" and "THIS JUST IN! ALYSSA MILANO FEELS SHE'S ABOVE CRITICISM!" -- Wally and Cedric cover Alyssa's latest nonsense.

Truest statement of the week

These people’s frustrations, if not addressed, could turn into a more potent enemy of the regime in Baghdad than even ISIS. Just like when it comes to Sunni Arab areas newly liberated from ISIS and in Kurdish areas recently coerced away from any moves towards independence, the government in Baghdad has a limited window of opportunity to address problems. If Baghdad fails to give Sunnis and Kurds their promised shares of governing power and wealth, if it goes on pumping oil from places like Basra and Kirkuk while the people there continue to live in poverty, the next big Iraqi crisis will not be long in coming. The past week’s protests in the south are simply a warning that people’s patience – whether they be Shia, Sunni, Kurdish or other – has limits.

-- David Romano, "Protesters in southern Iraq are right to be angry" (RUDAW).

Truest statement of the week II

Monday’s meeting in Helsinki has unleashed a torrent of wild denunciations that verge on a direct appeal to the military and intelligence agencies to take action to force Donald Trump’s removal from the White House.
The Democratic Party, the corporate media and leading figures within the US military and intelligence apparatus have joined in branding Trump a traitor who is functioning as an agent of the Kremlin.
Trump and his cohorts have many crimes to answer for. But the objectives that motivate the anti-Trump hysteria in the media and the conspiratorial methods to which the Democrats are resorting are utterly reactionary.
The summit in Helsinki was preceded by the strategically timed announcement of an indictment of 12 alleged Russian military intelligence officers by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on charges of hacking into the computers of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign chairman, John Podesta.
This indictment, which consists of a series of unsubstantiated allegations, was seized upon by top Democrats and sections of the media to demand that Trump call off his meeting with Putin.
When the Republican president ignored these demands and went ahead with the trip to Helsinki, the Democrats and their allied media outlets were prepared to erupt as soon as the talks had ended. This was made clear by a particularly reactionary piece by New York Times columnist Charles Blow headlined “Trump, Treasonous Traitor” published on the morning of the meeting, which accused Trump of “committing an unbelievable and unforgivable crime against this country …”
The hysterical tone had already been decided upon in advance of the Trump-Putin meeting, and the reaction once it was over was instantaneous.
No sooner had the US and Russian presidents finished their joint press conference than CNN’s anchor in Helsinki, Anderson Cooper, an heir to the Vanderbilt fortune who interned with the CIA before going into television news, announced to his viewers that they had been “watching the most disgraceful conduct by an American president…that I have ever seen.”
”The most disgraceful conduct by an American president”? That’s really saying something!
More disgraceful than George W. Bush’s launching of a war of aggression against Iraq based on lies, which claimed more than a million lives? More disgraceful than Barack Obama’s drone assassination campaign that murdered thousands? More disgraceful than Trump’s own savage war on immigrants, in which the deliberate torture of children has become a weapon?
What was Trump’s crime in Helsinki that eclipsed all of these war crimes and crimes against humanity? It was to question the campaign over Russian “meddling” in the 2016 election, in which the media treats the assertions of US intelligence agencies—the same agencies that gave us “weapons of mass destruction”—as proven facts, despite the lack of any substantiation.


-- Bill Van Auken, "After Helsinki, Democrats incite 'deep state' action against Trump" (WSWS).

A note to our readers

Hey --

Tuesday evening.  And we're done.


Let's thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:

The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen, Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.

And what did we come up with?

• Truest statement of the week

David Romano gets a truest.

• Truest statement of the week II

Bill Van Auken gets another truest.

• Editorial: The US government continues to destroy ...

Watch as the US looks away from its continued destruction of Iraq.

• Media: Is the talk show terminal or it just commit...

Ava and C.I. take on the talk show.

• We wonder . . .

We'd like this to be a regular feature. 

• Our littlest Tommy Friedman

How does she still have a job?

• Remember, kids, it's CRAPAPEDIA

We actually had a third feature that would have noted CRAPAPEDIA . . . We just went with two.

• Vote Vets wants applause not honesty

They want to celebrate fan clippings, not journalism.  They're not experts on journalism, they're not experts on much except how to shoot people and drop bombs.

• Tweet of the week

Iraq.

• Liar Maclom Nance and CRAPAPEDIA -- two pieces of ...

Our second CRAPAPEDIA.

• Read a book?

Continuing our regular feature.

• CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS ENDORSE KEVIN DE LEÓN FOR US ...

Great news from Kevin de Leon's campaign.

• UK and Ecuador in talks to evict Assange from Lond...

WSWS.

• Song of the week

Where's the playlist?  We were all together for a second weekend.  There's way too much music to list so we went with just one song, one that we listened to over and over throughout the week.



See you next week.


Peace,





-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.

Editorial: The US government continues to destroy Iraq

Mustafa Aadel‏ @aadel_mustafa 16h16 hours ago

#IraqProtests The situation in Iraq now is like that: The civilian are protesting against the government because of the miserable situation in Iraq, the government's answer is: - cutting of the internet service. - shutting down the electricity power in a lot of cities.

3 replies26 retweets40 likes

Iraq.  The 'liberated' country.

The country that US Senator Macho Duckworth wants credit for her contributions to.

She didn't contribute s**t.

She took part in an illegal war.

Since Rahm Emanuel helped her into Congress (first the House, now the Senate), she's done nothing to end the war.

That's because she's a War Hawk.  Senator Macho is the 21st century's answer to John McCain.

As he prepares for the grave, Satan hands out another pitchfork.

The US destroyed Iraq.

That's not in debate.

It was an illegal war.

That's also a fact.

The war continues and the US government backs Hayder al-Abadi who, when Iraqis began protesting ten days ago, made the decision to sick the military on them.

That's not democracy.

Senator Macho may not grasp that, but others should.

The US government doesn't care about democracy in Iraq.  That's why they backed Saddam Hussein for so many years.  It's why they back thug Nouri al-Maliki and why they now back Hayder al-Abadi.

The US-installed Iraqi government is attacking the Iraqi people.

This should alarm everyone.

Watch Senator Macho and her ilk try to distract from reality with more hysteria about Russia.