Anjum Niaz, Eric Margolis: Dangerous Intrigues in Istanbul

The name "Ergenekon" may not be familiar to non-Turks, but this murky political affaire has riveted Turkey's 70 million people. Thirty-three members of a neo-fascist group called Ergenekon have been on trial, accused of murder, terrorism, and trying to overthrow the elected government. The trial was temporarily suspended after the courthouse was flooded out during torrential rains that inundated Istanbul last week, leaving 31 dead. This fascinating trial has been exposing the workings of the `deep state,' a powerful cabal of retired and active military officers, security forces, gangsters, government officials, judges, and business oligarchs that has long been the real power in this complex nation. Eric Margolis: Dangerous Intrigues in Istanbul

Think-tanks and research institutes in America not only drive policy but offer prescriptions for reform. One such hub of debate is the Belfer Centre at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government where country-specific issues are analyzed and pared down until the researcher gets a fix on the issue he has dissected diligently. Well, a scholar of Pakistani origin has torn to pieces the past and the present governments in Pakistan. Azeem Ibrahim's op-ed article titled 'How America is funding corruption in Pakistan' must have found its way to the White House to be packaged in the dossier being prepped for Obama-Zardari summit. It was printed in the August 11 issue of Foreign Policy American think-tanks are often like the secret Freemasons' society where transparency is as thick as tar! Their funding and agenda is hugger-mugger. Often articles coming out are 'inspired' or 'planted' to derail a country like Pakistan already embroiled in chaos. The world's "most influential paper", The New York Times, is known for this kind of mischief. It's publishing of anti-Pakistani reports just before something major is to take place is cyclical.

Facebook: 300 Million Strong, Cash Flow Positive By The Huffington Post News Editors
SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook Inc. said Tuesday it achieved an important financial milestone, bringing in more money than it spent in the last quarter. The social networking site previously had said it didn't expect to achieve that goal until next year – even though the company already has been valued in the billions. In a blog post on Facebook's Web site, founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote that the company became "cash-flow positive" during the second quarter, which ended in June.