“This time, the Times has to show the readers everything. You guys not only aren’t allowed to screw it up, again, you also aren’t allowed to complain that the coverage criticism isn’t fair. You people blew through all our good will, and until you get up off your knees and stop taking dictation from the PR wonks and special interest groups, you don’t get a free ride.”

-A commenter lays it out on the NYT’s warmongering reports

“Today, Apple unveils the new iPad. If it is like Apple’s past products, it will be a sleek, gorgeous gadget, hand-assembled by underpaid workers forced to put in illegal and dangerous amounts of overtime.”

-SumofUs, in their demand that Apple release information about their workers’ overtime. Sign the petition here.

Iran’s middle classes are already being deeply hurt by sanctions. The idea that they will mobilize to pressure the government to give up nuclear enrichment as a result is a non-starter.

-Juan Cole on how sanctions work. They inflict pain on the population for the perceived sins of its government.

Ahmadinejad could not even fire an intelligence minister (Haidar Moslehi) he disliked last spring. Khamenei reinstated him. Ahmadinejad sulked and wouldn’t attend cabinet meetings for a while, but eventually got over himself. Hitler indeed.

-Juan Cole notes the real power in Iran, which has always indicated its opposition to obtaining nuclear weapons

“It is interesting to see the sources on whom NBC News executives rely to develop their understanding of the world, and it’s even more interesting to learn what they’re being told about that.”

-Greenwald on the recent hawkish report that Gen Barry McCaffrey gave to NBC officials, intended to influence their war peddling by hyping the “threat” of Iran.

“Our job, as consumers, is to continue to keep the pressure on until Apple decides that the risks inherent in the status quo – the risks to its brand, its staff morale, and its loyal customer base – are higher than the costs of taking real action to improve workers’ lives.”

–SumOfUs in its latest email. Sign the petition.

“There’s a certain impatience — I mean, there are people who don’t see how we succeed under the current conditions, and their case is getting stronger,”

–Another one of those anonymous American officials, explaining the obvious about Afghanistan

“The White House keeps praising these journalists … who’ve been killed … How does that square with the fact that this administration has been so aggressively trying to stop aggressive journalism in the United States by using the Espionage Act to take whistleblowers to court? … You want aggressive journalism abroad; you just don’t want it in the United States.

–Jake Tapper displays a bravery too rare in the White House press room

“Pay attention: Occupy was so powerful a force for nonviolence that it was already solving Oakland’s chronic crime and violence problems just by giving people hope and meals and solidarity and conversation.”

–Rebecca Solnit clarifies – violent crime in Oakland was down 19% while the encampment existed.