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Did Oprah Pick Another Fibber? Truth and Fiction in Elie Wiesel's Night In his special report Alexander Cockburn interviews former Wiesel colleague and Holocaust survivor Eli Pfefferkorn. What Raul Hilberg, the Holocaust's greatest historian, really thinks about Wiesel's "Night". Also in this special issue: Is Hugo Chavez Hitler or Father Christmas? Larry Lack tells the full story of Venezuela's hand-outs to Uncle Sam's Shivering Poor. Plus, Jeffrey St Clair profiles the Endangered Visigoth and traces the rise and possible fall of Rick Pombo, destroyer of nature. CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation for the online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! |
Today's Stories March 18 / 19, 2006 Cockburn
/ St. Clair March 17, 2006 Eduardo
Galeano Greg
Moses Richard
Falk / David Krieger Cindy
and Craig Corrie Amira
Hass Mike
Marqusee James
Petas and Robin Eastman-Abaya Website
of the Day
March 16, 2006 Norman
Solomon Tom
Philpott Heather
Gray Amira
Hass Missy
Comley Beattie Sen.
Russell Feingold Lucinda
Marshall Andrew
Bosworth Clancy
Sigal Website
of the Day
Jonathan
Cook Winslow
Wheeler Diane
Christian Ron
Jacobs Missy
Comley Beattie Jared
Bernstein Noam
Chomsky Website
of the Day
March 14, 2006 Earl
Ofari Hutchinson Dave
Lindorff Kevin
Zeese Todd
Chretien Jason
Kunin Thomas
Palley Cockburn
/ St. Clair Website
of the Day
March 13, 2006 Uri
Avnery Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney David
Green Jeremy
Scahill Mike
Ferner Corey
Harris Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Paul
Craig Roberts Ben
Tripp John
Strausbaugh Landau
/ Hassen Robert
Bryce Gary
Leupp Fred
Gardner Ron
Jacobs Jonathan
Scott Ramzy
Baroud Jordan
Flaherty John
Chuckman Joe
Allen Julia
Kendlbacher St.
Clair / Walker / Pollack / Vest Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
March 10, 2006 Ben
Rosenfeld Lila
Rajiva Saree
Makdisi Elena
Shore Joshua
Frank Dave
Zirin Aura
Bogado
March 9, 2006 John
Walsh Annie
Zirin Brian
McKenna Chris
Floyd Rachard
Itani Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Wylie
Harris Alexander
Cockburn Website
of the Day
March 8, 2006 Patrick
Bond Brian
Concannon, Jr. Pat
Williams Lance
Selfa Mokhiber
/ Weissman Walter
Brasch Vijay
Prashad Website
of the Day
March 7, 2006 Werther John
Blair Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney Warren
Guykema Sen.
Russell Feingold Robert
Jensen Norman
Solomon Bernie
Dwyer Website
of the Day
Ralph
Nader Dave
Zirin Vanessa
Redgrave Walter
A. Davis Joshua
Frank Nate
Mezmer Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Jennifer
Van Bergen Steven
Higgs Winslow
T. Wheeler Ron
Jacobs Rev.
William E. Alberts Colin
Asher Fred
Gardner "Pariah" John
Scagliotti Seth
Sandronsky Joan
Roelofs Arjun
Makhijani Ardeshr
Ommani Diana
Barahona Ben
Tripp St.
Clair / Socialist Worker Staff Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend March 3, 2006 Laura
Carlsen John
V. Whitbeck Chris
Floyd Mohamed
Hakki Pratyush
Chandra John
Scagliotti Website
of the Day
March 2, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Dave
Lindorff Ramzy
Baroud Saul
Landau Joe
Allen Steve
Shore Denise
Boggs Norman
Finkelstein Website
of the Day
March 1, 2006 Mairead
Corrigan Maguire Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Faheem
Hussain Antony
Loewenstein Elizabeth
Schulte Mike
Whitney John
Ryan Michael
Donnelly Tom
Reeves Website
of the Day
February 28, 2006 Sen.
Russ Feingold Ralph
Nader Joshua
Frank Aziz
Haniffa Benjamin Dangl Norman Solomon Mike
Ferner Sharon
Smith Website
of the Day
February 27, 2006 Buncombe
/ Cockburn Paul
Craig Roberts Ingmar
Lee Ron
Jacobs Dave
Lindorff Pat
Wolff Lila
Rajiva Website
of the Day
February 25 / 26, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Lila
Rajiva Lee
Sustar Jennifer
Van Bergen / Madis Senner Justin
E.H. Smith Paul
Craig Roberts Jason
Leopold Gilad
Atzmon Zahid
Shariff Fred
Gardner Dick
J. Reavis David
Stocker John
Bomar Mike
Marqusee Pratyush
Chandra Ben
Tripp Dr.
Susan Block Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
February 24, 2006 Alan
Maass William
S. Lind Dave
Lindorff Pierre
Tristam Meg
Bannerji Robert
Jensen Mark
Engler Jennifer
Loewenstein Website
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February 23, 2006 Chet
Richards Jonathan
Feldman Joshua
Frank Ron
Jacobs Amira
Hass Samah
Sabawi Norman
Solomon Christopher
Reed Website
of the Day
February 22, 2006 Robert
Pollin Phil
Doe Pirouz
Azadi Saul
Landau Brian
McKinlay Sam
Smith Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Diane
Farsetta Website
of the Day
February 21, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Franklin
Spinney Dave
Lindorff Alevtina
Rea Bruce
K. Gagnon Dave
Zirin Bill
Quigley Website
of the Day
February 20, 2006 Jennifer
Van Bergen Rachard
Itani Gideon
Levy Joshua
Frank Newton
Garver Pratyush
Chandra Seth
Sandronsky Cockburn
/ St. Clair Website
of the Day
February 18 / 19, 2006 Werther Uzma
Aslam Khan Joe
DeRaymond Edward
F. Mooney Paul
Craig Roberts Elaine
Cassel P.
Sainath Thomas
P. Healy Brian
Concannon, Jr. Fred
Gardner Rep.
Cynthia McKinney Brian
Tokar Chan
Chee Khoon Andrew
Freedman St.
Clair / Walker Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
February 17, 2006 Floyd
Rudmin Gervasio
Rodríguez Gary
Leupp Ramzy
Baroud Amira
Hass Matthew
Koehler Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Debbie
Nathan Website
of the Day
Febrauary 16, 2006 Lila
Rajiva Norman
Solomon Ron
Jacobs Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
February 15, 2006 Brian
Conacnnon, Jr. Dave
Lindorff Saree
Makdisi Joshua
Frank Amira
Hass CounterPunch
Wire Robert
Bryce Website
of the Day February 14, 2006 John
Sugg Don
Santina William
A. Cook Ray
McGovern John
Ross Website
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Lila
Rajiva Christopher
Brauchli Dave
Lindorff Ron
Jacobs Mike
Whitney Michael
Neumann Website
of the Day
February 11 / 12, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Paul Craig
Roberts Pat Williams Fred Gardner Saul Landau John Chuckman Roger Burbach Seth Sandronsky Website of
the Weekend
February 10, 2006 Carl
G. Estabrook Sen.
Russell Feingold Roxanne
Dunbar----Ortiz Saree Makdisi Website of
the Day
February 9, 2006 Dave Lindorff Mike Marqusee Paul Craig Roberts Peter Phillips William S. Lind Christine Tomlinson Innocent Targets in the "Long War": False Positives and Bush's Eavesdropping Program Will Youmans Robert Robideau Richard Neville Peter Rost Website of the Day
February 8, 2006 Ron Jacobs Stan Cox Sen. Russ Feingold Robert Jensen Rep. Cynthia McKinney Niranjan Ramakrishnan Don Monkerud David Swanson C.L. Cook Christopher
Fons Jeffrey Ballinger Website of
the Day
February 7, 2006 Edward Lucie-Smith Robert Fisk Paul Craig Roberts Neve Gordon Joshua Frank Peter Montague Jackie Corr Jeffrey St.
Clair Website of the Day
February 6, 2006 Christopher
Brauchli Robert Fisk John Chuckman Jenna Orkin Paul Craig
Roberts
February 4 / 5, 2006 Alexander Cockburn Mike Ferner James Petras Alan Maass Fred Gardner Ralph Nader Bill Glahn Saul Landau Laura Carlsen James Brooks Mike Roselle John Holt Sarah Ferguson William S.
Lind Niranjan Ramakrishnan Seth Sandronsky Derrick O'Keefe Michael Donnelly Ron Jacobs Elisa Salasin St. Clair / Vest Stew Albert Poets' Basement Website of
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Reed Website of the Day
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Roberts Website of
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Weekend
Edition Pot Shots The War on Kids By FRED GARDNER In a series of raids March 16 the DEA took down several East Bay facilities -indoor grow sites and kitchens- at which cannabis-laced candies and sodas were produced for distribution through dispensaries. Twelve people were arrested, including the alleged honcho, Ken Affolter. Considerable care and skill had gone into the preparation and packaging of their "Pot Tarts," "Munchy Way" bars, "Toka-Colas," etc. The labels stated, "contains cannabis... for medical purposes only." The confectioners were arraigned in federal court and are being held pending a bail hearing next week. According to DEA Special Agent Lawrence Mendosa, "the real concern is for public safety. If a four- or five-year old who is too young to read finds this in a house, picks it up and eats it thinking it's real candy, it could be disastrous." SA Mendosa's scenario plays out very, very rarely. Overdosing on pot-laced candy would be extremely unpleasant for a child (ending in a long, deep sleep) but it would only turn disastrous if the grown-ups involved sought help at an ER. Then they could be arrested for child-endangerment and lose their kid(s) to the foster care system. While law enforcement pours enormous resources into possibly saving a few children from inadvertently ODing on cannabis, the intentional, systematic drugging of U.S. children by the pharmaceutical companies escalates. A study by William Cooper, MD, and co-workers in the March-April issue of Ambulatory Pediatrics concludes that, as of 2002, some 2.5 million children under age 18 had been prescribed powerful anti-psychotic drugs such as Seroquel, Abilify, and Risperdal. Cooper reports that doctors are prescribing antipsychotic meds routinely for treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and behavioral problems that don't rise to the level of psychosis. Comparing data from two national surveys, Cooper and his team at Vanderbilt University's Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital found that the prescription of antipsychotics to U.S. children rose from below a rate of one in 100 in 1995-1996 to one in 25 in 2001-2002. If the trend has continued to the present -and advertising and promotion of antipsychotics suggests that the rate at which they're prescribed has probably increased- one in 10 kids in the U.S. have had these pharmaceutical atomic bombs dropped in their brains. In the seven years covered by the study, children made 5.7 million visits to doctors who gave them prescriptions for antipsychotics; 53% were written for behavioral and affective problems (as opposed to schizophrenia). The dramatic rise in prescribing can be attributed to the aggressive marketing of Risperdal and other "atypical" antipsychotics, which supposedly have fewer side-effects than older ones like Thorazine. Cooper points out that the newer drugs have adverse effects of their own -obesity, diabetes, heart problems- and their effectiveness in treating behavioral problems has never been tested. "These are really powerful medications," says Cooper, "They haven't been studied in children yet and we don't know if they work, and we don't know what the potential risks are." If SA Mendosa really cares about kids, he'll urge the DEA to fight their real enemy -Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson- instead of wasting resources going after small businesses like "Beyond Bomb" (which is what the confectioners supposedly called their enterprise). "Turn the guns around!" The Doctors' Perspective Members of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians have been investigated for approving cannabis use by teenagers, and tend to do it very sparingly. The most outspoken advocate of cannabis as an alternative to the pharmaceutical drugs being pushed for ADHD and other problems of adolescence in the U.S. has been Tom O'Connell, MD. He blames the National Institute on Drug Abuse for providing a pseudo-scientific rationale to the prohibitionists. "One of my first responses to learning that many of the chronic pot smokers seeking my designation as 'medical' users had probably been treating serious emotional symptoms since high school was to begin reading what (for me) had been a very unfamiliar genre of peer-reviewed literature dealing with 'addiction' and 'drugs of abuse.' "What I discovered was an enormous body of work extending back to the mid-1970s. Most such studies had obviously been designed around the concept that juvenile use of cannabis is a risk to be avoided. The historical origin of that idea had been a discovery that nearly all the young cannabis users first encountered in the aftermath of the hippie movement had already tried alcohol and tobacco; and many were still using both. That discovery quickly gave rise to a 'gateway' hypothesis suggesting that cannabis, while perhaps not as intrinsically dangerous as 'harder' drugs, is still undesirable for youth because it functions in some as yet undisclosed way as a 'gateway' between legal and illegal agents. "One important study in 2002 demonstrated that, theoretically at least, some as yet unidentified 'common factor' could explain those well-known pejorative associations. The 'common factor' is pot's unrecognized role as an anxiolytic, which allows it to serve as a benign alternative to alcohol and tobacco -the only previously available agents for teens afflicted with similar (and very common) symptoms. It doesn't require much imagination to understand why such a formulation would be rejected out of hand by a majority of those dependent on NIDA funding, or simply steeped in three decades of federal anti-pot propaganda... Clinical truth is the best Anti-NIDA." SCC founder Tod Mikuriya, MD, is submitting a case report to the International Cannabinoid Research Society describing a teenager whose relatively minor problem (difficulty concentrating in school, the result of an inability to sleep) was exacerbated exponentially by a series of pharmaceutical drugs, starting with Ritalin at age 11 and graduating to the antipsychotics. Tbe subject was put on more than 15 drugs and placed in various inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs. Now, at age 16, after a little more than a year on cannabis, he is normal, calm, fully functional. "This case describes an all-too-typical pattern," says Mikuriya. "When Ritalin doesn't work, ignorant practitioners prescribe anti-depressants, then anti-psychotics, which very often produce symptoms far worse than those with which the child initially presented." We are very sorry to report that Dr. Mikuriya, 72, is closing his practice as he weighs what steps to take to combat an inoperable malignancy affecting his liver and lung. He is working on a second volume of "Marijuana Medical Papers," his anthology of pre-prohibition medical literature, and a paper -"Medical Uses of Cannabis in California, 1996-2006"- that represents the culmination of his 50-year involvement in the field. Mikuriya was the physician most prominently associated with Prop 215, and at the time of its passage, almost alone in his willingness to recommend cannabis to treat conditions other than AIDS or cancer. To date he has approved cannabis use by more than 9,000 patients.
Drug Czar John Walters has responded to George Melloan's anti-prohibitionist op-ed with a letter to the Wall St. Journal restating the reasons why the War on Drugs is a great success and must go on. (As I read it Thursday morning, Gen. Peter Pace was on the tube restating why the Occupation of Iraq is a great success and must go on.) Obviously, Walter's staff at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy put a lot of time and thought into his missive -it took them more than three weeks to draft and polish. It begins with a self-fulfilling prophecy and a false assertion packed into one sentence: "Illegal drugs are inherently dangerous, corrupting and incompatible with health and freedom." Of course they're dangerous and "incompatible with freedom" -they can land you in jail. As for health effects... well, that was just a lie. Most revealing was the last clause of the last sentence of Walters' letter: "In 2004, we saw a 22% drop in the retail-level purity of south American heroin, and evidence of a 15% decline in cocaine purity for the first three quarters of 2005, ITAL along with corresponding increases in their respective prices. END ITAL " The prohibitionists measure success in terms of elevated prices. Dennis Peron has always said that law enforcement conducts occasional raids and occasional prosecutions of marijuana growers and dispensaries to maintain high prices. "It's their form of price supports. They know that a raid now and then will justify the sixty-dollar eighths. They take the marijuana for themselves. Why prosecute, you're only risking defeat?" Growers who were asking $4,200/lb and getting $4,000/lb in 1996 are now getting $2,000 -or less, if they urgently need the sale. But dispensaries, especially in Southern California, are still selling 1/8th ounces of sinsemilla for $50 and up, so the feds, although they can't undo Prop 215, can take credit for successful damage control... John Walters, by the way, is the son of Vernon Walters, the CIA's top official in Vietnam during the U.S. government's very successful intervention there. Fred Gardner is the editor of O'Shaughnessy's
Journal of the California Cannabis Research Medical Group. He
can be reached at: fred@plebesite.com
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from CounterPunch Books! The Case Against Israel By Michael Neumann Grand Theft Pentagon: Tales of Greed and Profiteering in the War on Terror by Jeffrey St. Clair Sick of sit-on-the-Fence speakers, tongue-tied and timid? CounterPunch Editors Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St Clair are available to speak forcefully on ALL the burning issues, as are other CounterPunchers seasoned in stump oratory. Call CounterPunch Speakers Bureau, 1-800-840-3683. Or email beckyg@counterpunch.org. |