(Condensced from "Descent Into Slavery" by Des Griffin, Chapter Five)
For many years the words international banker, Rothschild, Money and Gold have held a mystical type of fascination for many people around the world but particularly in the United States.
Over the years in the United States, the international bankers have come in for a great deal of criticism by a wide variety of individuals who have held high offices of public trust -- men whose opinions are worthy of note and whose responsibilities placed them in positions where they knew what was going on behind the scenes in politics and high finance.
President Andrew Jackson, the only one of our presidents whose administration totally abolished the National Debt, condemned the international bankers as a "den of vipers" which he was determined to "rout out" of the fabric of American life. Jackson claimed that if only the American people understood how these vipers operated on the American scene "there would a revolution before morning."
Congressman Louis T. McFadden who, for more than ten years, served as chairman of the Banking and Currency Committee, stated that the international bankers are a "dark crew of financial pirates who would cut a man's throat to get a dollar out of his pocket... They prey upon the people of these United States."
John F. Hylan, then mayor of New York, said in 1911 that "the real menace of our republic is the invisible government which, like a giant octopus, sprawls its slimy length over our city, state and nation. At the head is a small group of banking houses, generally referred to as 'international bankers.'"
Were these leading public figures correct in their assessment of the situation, or were they the victims of some exotic form of paranoia?
Let's examine history analytically and unemotionally and uncover the facts. The truth, as it unfolds, will prove to be eye-opening and educational to those who are seeking to more clearly understand the mind-boggling events that have been (and are) taking place on the national and international scenes.
Let's get started.....
Monday, September 24, 2007
THE ROTHSCHILD DYNASTY: HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS....
Europe, towards the end of the eighteenth century or at the time of the American Revolution, was very different from what we know in the same area today. It was composed oil a combination of large and small kingdoms, duchies and states which were constantly engaged in squabbles among themselves. Most people were reduced to the level of serfs -- with no political rights. The meager 'privileges' that were granted to them by their 'owners' could be withdrawn at a moment's notice.
It was during this period of time that a young man appeared on the European scene who was to have a tremendous impact on the future course of world history; his name was Mayer Amschel Bauer. In later years his name, which he had changed, became synonamous with wealth, power and influence. He was the first of the Rothschilds -- the first truly international banker!
Mayer Amschel Bauer was born in Frankfurt-On-The-Main in Germany in 1743. He was the son of Moses Amschel Bauer an itinerant money lender and goldsmith who, tiring of his wanderings in Eastern Europe, decided to settle down in the city where his first son was born. He opened a shop, or counting house, on Judenstrasse (or Jew Street). Over the door leading into the shop he placed a large Red Shield.
At a very early age Mayer Amschel Bauer showed that he possessed immense intellectual ability, and his father spent much of his time teaching him everything he could about the money lending business, and the lessons he had learned from many sources. The older Bauer originally hoped to have his son trained as a Rabbi but the father's untimely death put an end to such plans.
A few years after his father's death Mayer Amschel Bauer went to work as a clerk in a bank owned by the Oppenheimers in Hannover. His superior ability was quickly recognized and his advancement within the firm was swift. He was awarded a junior partnership.
Shortly thereafter he returned to Frankurt where he was able to purchase the business his father had established in 1750. The big Red Shield was still displayed over the door. Recognizing the true significance of the Red Shield (his father had adopted it as his emblem from the Red Flag which was the emblem of the revolutionary minded Jews in Eastern Europe), Mayer Amschel Bauer changed his name to Rothschild; in this way the House of Rothschild came into being.
The base for a vast accmulation of wealth was laid during the 1760s when Amschel Rothschild renewed his acquaintance with General von Estorff for whom he ran errands while employed at the Oppenheimer Bank.
When Rothschild discovered that the general, who was now attached to the court of Prince William of Hanau, was interested in rare coins he decided to take full advantage of the situation. By offering valuable coins and trinkets at discount prices he soon ingratiated himself with the general and other influential members of the court.
One day he was ushered into the presence of Prince William himself. His Highness bought a handful of his rarest medals and coins. This was the first transaction between a Rothschild and a head of state. Soon Rothschild was doing business with other princes.
Before long Rothschild tried another ploy to secure an 'in' with various local princes -- and to further his own aims! He wrote them letters that played on their princely vanity while asking them for their patronage. A typical letter would read:
"It has been my particular high and good fortune to serve your lofty princely Serenity at various times and to your most gracious satisfaction. I stand ready to exert all my energies and my entire fortune to serve your lofty princely serenity whenever in future it shall please you to command me. An especially powerful incentive to this end would be given me if your lofty princely serenity were to distinguish me with an appointment as one of your Highness' Court Factors. I am making bold to beg for this with the more confidence in the assurance that by so doing I am not giving any trouble; while for my part such a distinction would lift up my commercial standing and be of help to me in many other ways that I feel certain thereby to make my own way and fortune here in the city of Franfurt."
His tactics paid off. On September 21, 1769, Rothschild was able to nail a sign bearing the arms of Hess-Hanau to the front of his shop. In gold characters it read: "M. A. Rothschild, by appointment court factor to his serene highness, Prince William of Hanau."
In 1770 Rothschild married Gutele Schnaper who was aged seventeen. They had a large family consititing of five sons and five daughters. Their sons were Amschel, Salomon, Nathan, Kalmann (Karl) and Jacob (James).
History records that William of Hanau, "whose crest had been famous in Germany since the Middle Ages," was a dealer in human flesh. For a price the Prince, who was closely related to the various royal families of Europe, would rent out troops to any nation. His best customer was the British government which wanted troops for such projects as trying to keep the American colonists in line.
He did exceptionally well with his 'rent-a-troop' business. When he died he left the largest fortune ever accumulated in Europe to that time, $200,000,000. Rothschild biographer Frederic Morton describes William as "Europe's most blue-cold blooded loan shark" (The Rothschilds, Fawcett Crest, 1961, p. 40).
Rothschild became an agent for this 'human cattle' dealer. He must have worked diligently in his new position of responsibility because, when William was forced to flee to Denmark, he left 600,000 pounds (then valued at $3,000,000) with Rothschild for safekeeping.
According to the late Commander William Guy Carr, who was an Intelligence Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, and who had excellent contacts in intelligence circles around the world, the founder of the House of Rothschild drew up plans for the creation of the Illuminati and then entrusted Adam Weishaupt with its organization and development.
Sir Walter Scott, in the second volume of his Life of Napoleon, states that the French Revolution was planned by the Illuminati and was financed by the money changers of Europe. Interestingly enough, the above book (which this author has both seen and read) is the only book written by Scott that is not listed under his name in any of the 'authoritative' reference works. It is now a 'non book'!
Europe, towards the end of the eighteenth century or at the time of the American Revolution, was very different from what we know in the same area today. It was composed oil a combination of large and small kingdoms, duchies and states which were constantly engaged in squabbles among themselves. Most people were reduced to the level of serfs -- with no political rights. The meager 'privileges' that were granted to them by their 'owners' could be withdrawn at a moment's notice.
It was during this period of time that a young man appeared on the European scene who was to have a tremendous impact on the future course of world history; his name was Mayer Amschel Bauer. In later years his name, which he had changed, became synonamous with wealth, power and influence. He was the first of the Rothschilds -- the first truly international banker!
Mayer Amschel Bauer was born in Frankfurt-On-The-Main in Germany in 1743. He was the son of Moses Amschel Bauer an itinerant money lender and goldsmith who, tiring of his wanderings in Eastern Europe, decided to settle down in the city where his first son was born. He opened a shop, or counting house, on Judenstrasse (or Jew Street). Over the door leading into the shop he placed a large Red Shield.
At a very early age Mayer Amschel Bauer showed that he possessed immense intellectual ability, and his father spent much of his time teaching him everything he could about the money lending business, and the lessons he had learned from many sources. The older Bauer originally hoped to have his son trained as a Rabbi but the father's untimely death put an end to such plans.
A few years after his father's death Mayer Amschel Bauer went to work as a clerk in a bank owned by the Oppenheimers in Hannover. His superior ability was quickly recognized and his advancement within the firm was swift. He was awarded a junior partnership.
Shortly thereafter he returned to Frankurt where he was able to purchase the business his father had established in 1750. The big Red Shield was still displayed over the door. Recognizing the true significance of the Red Shield (his father had adopted it as his emblem from the Red Flag which was the emblem of the revolutionary minded Jews in Eastern Europe), Mayer Amschel Bauer changed his name to Rothschild; in this way the House of Rothschild came into being.
The base for a vast accmulation of wealth was laid during the 1760s when Amschel Rothschild renewed his acquaintance with General von Estorff for whom he ran errands while employed at the Oppenheimer Bank.
When Rothschild discovered that the general, who was now attached to the court of Prince William of Hanau, was interested in rare coins he decided to take full advantage of the situation. By offering valuable coins and trinkets at discount prices he soon ingratiated himself with the general and other influential members of the court.
One day he was ushered into the presence of Prince William himself. His Highness bought a handful of his rarest medals and coins. This was the first transaction between a Rothschild and a head of state. Soon Rothschild was doing business with other princes.
Before long Rothschild tried another ploy to secure an 'in' with various local princes -- and to further his own aims! He wrote them letters that played on their princely vanity while asking them for their patronage. A typical letter would read:
"It has been my particular high and good fortune to serve your lofty princely Serenity at various times and to your most gracious satisfaction. I stand ready to exert all my energies and my entire fortune to serve your lofty princely serenity whenever in future it shall please you to command me. An especially powerful incentive to this end would be given me if your lofty princely serenity were to distinguish me with an appointment as one of your Highness' Court Factors. I am making bold to beg for this with the more confidence in the assurance that by so doing I am not giving any trouble; while for my part such a distinction would lift up my commercial standing and be of help to me in many other ways that I feel certain thereby to make my own way and fortune here in the city of Franfurt."
His tactics paid off. On September 21, 1769, Rothschild was able to nail a sign bearing the arms of Hess-Hanau to the front of his shop. In gold characters it read: "M. A. Rothschild, by appointment court factor to his serene highness, Prince William of Hanau."
In 1770 Rothschild married Gutele Schnaper who was aged seventeen. They had a large family consititing of five sons and five daughters. Their sons were Amschel, Salomon, Nathan, Kalmann (Karl) and Jacob (James).
History records that William of Hanau, "whose crest had been famous in Germany since the Middle Ages," was a dealer in human flesh. For a price the Prince, who was closely related to the various royal families of Europe, would rent out troops to any nation. His best customer was the British government which wanted troops for such projects as trying to keep the American colonists in line.
He did exceptionally well with his 'rent-a-troop' business. When he died he left the largest fortune ever accumulated in Europe to that time, $200,000,000. Rothschild biographer Frederic Morton describes William as "Europe's most blue-cold blooded loan shark" (The Rothschilds, Fawcett Crest, 1961, p. 40).
Rothschild became an agent for this 'human cattle' dealer. He must have worked diligently in his new position of responsibility because, when William was forced to flee to Denmark, he left 600,000 pounds (then valued at $3,000,000) with Rothschild for safekeeping.
According to the late Commander William Guy Carr, who was an Intelligence Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, and who had excellent contacts in intelligence circles around the world, the founder of the House of Rothschild drew up plans for the creation of the Illuminati and then entrusted Adam Weishaupt with its organization and development.
Sir Walter Scott, in the second volume of his Life of Napoleon, states that the French Revolution was planned by the Illuminati and was financed by the money changers of Europe. Interestingly enough, the above book (which this author has both seen and read) is the only book written by Scott that is not listed under his name in any of the 'authoritative' reference works. It is now a 'non book'!
THE ROTHSCHILD DYNASTY: "MORE BUSINESSLIKE" FACTS
For an account of what happened next we turn to the Jewish Encyclopedia, 1905 edition, Volume 10, p. 494: "According to legend this money was hidden away in wine casks, and, escaping the search of Napoleon's soldiers when they entered Frankfort, was restored intact in the same casks in 1814, when the elector returned to the electorate. The facts are somewhat less romantic, and more businesslike."
Pay particular attention to the last nine words. They are loaded with significance. Here the leading Jewish authority states that what Rothschild actually did with the $3,000,000 was "more businesslike," from a Jewish point of view, than what was stated in the legend.
The simple truth of the matter is that Rothschild embezzled the money from Prince William. But even before the money reached Rothschild it was not 'clean' (or Kosherl). The vast sum had been paid to William of Hess by the British government for the services of his soldiers. The money was originally embezzled by William from his troops who were legally entitled to it.
With the twice embezzled money as a solid foundation, Mayer Amschel Rothschild decided to vastly expand his operations -- and become the first international banker.
A couple of years earlier Rothschild had sent his son, Nathan, to England to take care of the family business in that country. After a brief stay in Manchester, where he operated as a merchant, Nathan, on instructions from his father, moved to London and set up shop as a merchant banker. To get the operation under way Rothschild gave his son the three million dollars he had embezzled from William of Hess.
The Jewish Encyclopedia for 1905 tells us that Nathan invested the loot in "gold from the East India company knowing that it would be needed for Wellington's peninsula campaign." On the stolen money Nathan made "no less than four profits; (1) On the sale of Wellington's paper [which he bought at 50 cents on the dollar and collected at par; (2) on the sale of gold to Wellington; (3) on its repurchase; and (4) on forwarding it to Portugal. This was the beginning of the great fortunes of the house" (p. 494).
Yes, the Jewish Encyclopedia claims that the great fortune accumulated by the Rothschilds over the years was based on the "businesslike" method of fraud.
With their huge accumulation of ill-gotten gain the family established branches of the House of Rothschild in Berlin, Vienna, Paris and Naples. Rothschild placed a son in charge of each branch. Amschel was placed in charge of the Berlin branch; Salomon was over the Vienna branch; Jacob (James) went to Paris and Kalmann (Karl) opened up the Rothschild bank in Naples. The headquarters of the House of Rothschild was, and is, in London.
Pay particular attention to the last nine words. They are loaded with significance. Here the leading Jewish authority states that what Rothschild actually did with the $3,000,000 was "more businesslike," from a Jewish point of view, than what was stated in the legend.
The simple truth of the matter is that Rothschild embezzled the money from Prince William. But even before the money reached Rothschild it was not 'clean' (or Kosherl). The vast sum had been paid to William of Hess by the British government for the services of his soldiers. The money was originally embezzled by William from his troops who were legally entitled to it.
With the twice embezzled money as a solid foundation, Mayer Amschel Rothschild decided to vastly expand his operations -- and become the first international banker.
A couple of years earlier Rothschild had sent his son, Nathan, to England to take care of the family business in that country. After a brief stay in Manchester, where he operated as a merchant, Nathan, on instructions from his father, moved to London and set up shop as a merchant banker. To get the operation under way Rothschild gave his son the three million dollars he had embezzled from William of Hess.
The Jewish Encyclopedia for 1905 tells us that Nathan invested the loot in "gold from the East India company knowing that it would be needed for Wellington's peninsula campaign." On the stolen money Nathan made "no less than four profits; (1) On the sale of Wellington's paper [which he bought at 50 cents on the dollar and collected at par; (2) on the sale of gold to Wellington; (3) on its repurchase; and (4) on forwarding it to Portugal. This was the beginning of the great fortunes of the house" (p. 494).
Yes, the Jewish Encyclopedia claims that the great fortune accumulated by the Rothschilds over the years was based on the "businesslike" method of fraud.
With their huge accumulation of ill-gotten gain the family established branches of the House of Rothschild in Berlin, Vienna, Paris and Naples. Rothschild placed a son in charge of each branch. Amschel was placed in charge of the Berlin branch; Salomon was over the Vienna branch; Jacob (James) went to Paris and Kalmann (Karl) opened up the Rothschild bank in Naples. The headquarters of the House of Rothschild was, and is, in London.
THE ROTHSCHILD DYNASTY: NATHAN
An anonymous contemporary described Nathan Rothschild as he leaned against the 'Rothschild Piller' at the London Stock Exchange, hung his heavy hands into his pockets, and began to release silent, motionless, implacable cunning:
"Eyes are usually called the windows of the soul. But in Rothschild's case you would conclude that the windows are false ones, or that there was no soul to look out of them. There comes not one pencil of light from the interior, neither is there one gleam of that which comes from without reflected in any direction. The whole puts you in mind of an empty skin, and you wonder why it stands upright without at least something in it. By and by another figure comes up to it. It then steps two paces aside, and the most inquisitive glance that you ever saw, and a glance more inquisitive than you would ever have thought of, is drawn out of the fixed and leaden eye, as if one were drawing a sword from a scabbard. The visiting figure, which has the appearance of coming by accident and not by design, stops just a second or two, in the course of which looks are exchanged which, though you cannot translate, you feel must be of most important meaning. After these the eyes are sheathed up again, and the figure resumes its stony posture.
During the morning a numbers of visitors come, all of whom meet with a similar reception and vanish in a similar manner. Last of all the figure itself vanishes, leaving you utterly at a loss." (Frederic Morton, The Rothschilds, p. 65)
"Eyes are usually called the windows of the soul. But in Rothschild's case you would conclude that the windows are false ones, or that there was no soul to look out of them. There comes not one pencil of light from the interior, neither is there one gleam of that which comes from without reflected in any direction. The whole puts you in mind of an empty skin, and you wonder why it stands upright without at least something in it. By and by another figure comes up to it. It then steps two paces aside, and the most inquisitive glance that you ever saw, and a glance more inquisitive than you would ever have thought of, is drawn out of the fixed and leaden eye, as if one were drawing a sword from a scabbard. The visiting figure, which has the appearance of coming by accident and not by design, stops just a second or two, in the course of which looks are exchanged which, though you cannot translate, you feel must be of most important meaning. After these the eyes are sheathed up again, and the figure resumes its stony posture.
During the morning a numbers of visitors come, all of whom meet with a similar reception and vanish in a similar manner. Last of all the figure itself vanishes, leaving you utterly at a loss." (Frederic Morton, The Rothschilds, p. 65)
THE ROTHSCHILD DYNASTY: MAYER AMSCHEL'S WILL
When he died on September 19, 1812, the founder of the House of Rothschild left a will that was just days old. In it, he laid down specific laws by which the House that bore his name would operate in future years.
The laws were as follows:
(1) All key positions in the House of Rothschild were to be held by members of the family, and not by hired hands. Only male members of the family were allowed to participate in the business.
The eldest son of the eldest son was to be the head of the family unless the majority of the rest of the family agreed otherwise. It was for this exceptional reason that Nathan, who was particularly brilliant, was appointed head of the House of Rothschild in 1812.
(2) The family was to intermarry with their own first and second cousins, thus preserving the vast fortune. This rule was strictly adhered to early on but later, when other rich Jewish banking houses came on the scene, it was relaxed to allow some of the Rothschilds to marry selected members of the new elite.
(3) Amschel forbade his heirs "most explicitly, in any circumstances whatever, to have any public inventory made by the courts, or otherwise, of my estate .... Also I forbid any legal action and any publication of the value of the inheritance .... Anyone who disregards these provisions and takes any kind of action which conflicts with them will immediately be regarded as having disputed the will, and shall suffer the consequences of so doing."
(4) Rothschild ordered a perpetual family partnership and provided that the female members of the family, their husbands and children should receive their interest in the estate subject to the management of the male members. They were to have no part in the management of the business. Anyone who disputed this arrangement would lose their interest in the Estate. (The last stipulation was specifically designed to seal the mouths of anyone who might feel like breaking with the family. Rothschild obviously felt that there were a lot of things under the family 'rug' that should never see the light of day).
The mighty strength of the House of Rothschild was based on a variety of important factors:
(A) Complete secrecy resulting from total family control of all business dealings;
(B) An uncanny, one could almost say a supernatural ability to see what lay ahead and to take full advantage of it. The whole family was driven by an insatiable lust for the accumulation of wealth and power, and
(C) Total ruthlessness in all business dealings.
Biographer Frederic Morton, in The Rothschilds, tells us that Mayer Amschel Rothschild and his five sons were "wizards" of finance, and "fiendish calculators" who were motivated by a "demonic drive" to succeed in their secret undertakings.
The laws were as follows:
(1) All key positions in the House of Rothschild were to be held by members of the family, and not by hired hands. Only male members of the family were allowed to participate in the business.
The eldest son of the eldest son was to be the head of the family unless the majority of the rest of the family agreed otherwise. It was for this exceptional reason that Nathan, who was particularly brilliant, was appointed head of the House of Rothschild in 1812.
(2) The family was to intermarry with their own first and second cousins, thus preserving the vast fortune. This rule was strictly adhered to early on but later, when other rich Jewish banking houses came on the scene, it was relaxed to allow some of the Rothschilds to marry selected members of the new elite.
(3) Amschel forbade his heirs "most explicitly, in any circumstances whatever, to have any public inventory made by the courts, or otherwise, of my estate .... Also I forbid any legal action and any publication of the value of the inheritance .... Anyone who disregards these provisions and takes any kind of action which conflicts with them will immediately be regarded as having disputed the will, and shall suffer the consequences of so doing."
(4) Rothschild ordered a perpetual family partnership and provided that the female members of the family, their husbands and children should receive their interest in the estate subject to the management of the male members. They were to have no part in the management of the business. Anyone who disputed this arrangement would lose their interest in the Estate. (The last stipulation was specifically designed to seal the mouths of anyone who might feel like breaking with the family. Rothschild obviously felt that there were a lot of things under the family 'rug' that should never see the light of day).
The mighty strength of the House of Rothschild was based on a variety of important factors:
(A) Complete secrecy resulting from total family control of all business dealings;
(B) An uncanny, one could almost say a supernatural ability to see what lay ahead and to take full advantage of it. The whole family was driven by an insatiable lust for the accumulation of wealth and power, and
(C) Total ruthlessness in all business dealings.
Biographer Frederic Morton, in The Rothschilds, tells us that Mayer Amschel Rothschild and his five sons were "wizards" of finance, and "fiendish calculators" who were motivated by a "demonic drive" to succeed in their secret undertakings.
THE ROTHSCHILD DYNASTY: TALMUDIC INFLUENCE
From the same authoritative source we learn that "on Saturday evenings, when prayer was done at the synagogue, Mayer would inveigle the rabbi into his house. They would bend towards one another on the green upholstery, sipping slowly at a glass of wine and argue about first and last things deep into the night. Even on work days...Mayer...was apt to tare down the big book of the Talmud and recite from it...while the entire family must sit stock still and listen" (p. 31).
It could be said of the Rothschilds that the "family that preys together stays together." And prey they did! Morton states that it is difficult for the average person to "comprehend Rothschild nor even the reason why he having so much, wanted to conquer more." All five brothers were imbued with this same spirit of cunning and conquest.
The Rothschilds formed no true friendships or alliances. Their associates were but mere acquaintances who were used to further the interests of the House of Rothschild, and then thrown on the garbage heap of history when they had served their purpose or outlived their usefulness.
The truth of this statement is demonstrated by another passage from Frederic Morton's book. He relates how, in 1806, Napoleon declared that it was his "object to remove the house of Hess-Cassel from rulership and to strike it out of the list of powers."
"Thus Europe's mightiest man decreed erasure of the rock on which the new Rothschild firm had been built. Yet, curiously, the bustle didn't diminish at the house of the [Red] Shield.... Rothschilds still sat, avid and impenetrable, portfolios wedged between body and arm.
"They saw neither peace nor war, neither slogans or manifestos, nor orders of the day, neither death nor glory. They saw none of the things that blinded the world. They saw only steppingstones. Prince William had been one. Napoleon would be the next" (pp. 38,39).
'Curious'? Not exactly! The House of Rothschild was helping to finance the French dictator and, as a result, had free access to French markets at all times. Some years later, when both France and England were blockading each other's coast lines, the only merchants who were allowed to freely run the blockades were -- yes, you guessed it, the Rothschilds. They were financing both sides!
"The efficiency which powered Mayer's sons brought on enormous economic spring cleaning: a sweeping away of fiscal dead wood; a renovation of old credit structures and an invention of new ones; a formation -- implicit in the sheer existence of five different Rothschild banks in five different countries -- of fresh money channels via clearing-houses; a method of replacing the old unwieldy shipping of gold bullion by a worldwide system of debits and credits.
"One of the greatest contributions was Nathan's new technique for floating international loans. He didn't much care to receive dividends in all sorts of strange and cumbersome currencies.
"Now Nathan attracted him -- the most powerful investment source of the nineteenth century -- by making foreign bonds payable in Pounds Sterling" (p. 96).
It could be said of the Rothschilds that the "family that preys together stays together." And prey they did! Morton states that it is difficult for the average person to "comprehend Rothschild nor even the reason why he having so much, wanted to conquer more." All five brothers were imbued with this same spirit of cunning and conquest.
The Rothschilds formed no true friendships or alliances. Their associates were but mere acquaintances who were used to further the interests of the House of Rothschild, and then thrown on the garbage heap of history when they had served their purpose or outlived their usefulness.
The truth of this statement is demonstrated by another passage from Frederic Morton's book. He relates how, in 1806, Napoleon declared that it was his "object to remove the house of Hess-Cassel from rulership and to strike it out of the list of powers."
"Thus Europe's mightiest man decreed erasure of the rock on which the new Rothschild firm had been built. Yet, curiously, the bustle didn't diminish at the house of the [Red] Shield.... Rothschilds still sat, avid and impenetrable, portfolios wedged between body and arm.
"They saw neither peace nor war, neither slogans or manifestos, nor orders of the day, neither death nor glory. They saw none of the things that blinded the world. They saw only steppingstones. Prince William had been one. Napoleon would be the next" (pp. 38,39).
'Curious'? Not exactly! The House of Rothschild was helping to finance the French dictator and, as a result, had free access to French markets at all times. Some years later, when both France and England were blockading each other's coast lines, the only merchants who were allowed to freely run the blockades were -- yes, you guessed it, the Rothschilds. They were financing both sides!
"The efficiency which powered Mayer's sons brought on enormous economic spring cleaning: a sweeping away of fiscal dead wood; a renovation of old credit structures and an invention of new ones; a formation -- implicit in the sheer existence of five different Rothschild banks in five different countries -- of fresh money channels via clearing-houses; a method of replacing the old unwieldy shipping of gold bullion by a worldwide system of debits and credits.
"One of the greatest contributions was Nathan's new technique for floating international loans. He didn't much care to receive dividends in all sorts of strange and cumbersome currencies.
"Now Nathan attracted him -- the most powerful investment source of the nineteenth century -- by making foreign bonds payable in Pounds Sterling" (p. 96).
THE ROTHSCHILD DYNASTY: THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO
As the wealth and power of the Rothschilds grew in size and influence so did their intelligence gathering network. They had their 'agents' strategically located in all the capitals and trading centers of Europe, gathering and developing various types of intelligence. Like most family exploits, it was based on a combination of very hard work and sheer cunning.
Their unique spy system started out when 'the boys' began sending messages to each other through a networh of couriers. Soon it developed into something much more elaborate, effective and far reaching. It was a spy network par excellence. Its stunning speed and effectiveness gave the Rothschilds a clear edge in all their dealings on an international level.
"Rothschild coaches careened down the highways; Rothschild boats set sail across the Channel; Rothschild agents were swift shadows along the streets. They carried cash, securities, letters and news. Above all, news -- the latest exclusive news to be vigorously processed at stock market and commodity bourse.
"And there was no news more precious than the outcome at Waterloo..." (The Rothschilds p. 94).
Upon the battle of Waterloo depended the future of the European continent. If the Grande Armee of Napoleon emerged victorious France would be undisputed master of all she surveyed on the European front. If Napoleon was crushed into submission England would hold the balance of power in Europe and would be in a position to greatly expand its sphere of influence.
Historian John Reeves, a Rothschild partisan, reveals in his book The Rothschilds, Financial Rulers of the Nations, 1887, page 167, that "one cause of his [Nathan's] success was the secrecy with which he shrouded, and the tortuous policy with which he misled those who watched him the keenest."
There were vast fortunes to be made -- and lost -- on the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo. The Stock Exchange in London was at fever pitch as traders awaited news of the outcome of this battle of the giants. If Britain lost, English consuls would plummet to unprecedented depths. If Britain was victorioug, the value of the consul would leap to dizzying new heights.
As the two huge armies closed in for their battle to the death, Nathan Rothschild had his agents working feverishly on both sides of the line to gather the most accurate possible information as the battle proceeded. Additional Rothschild agents were on hand to carry the intelligence bulletins to a Rothschild command post strategically located nearby.
Late on the afternoon of June 15, 1815, a Rothschild representative jumped on board a specially chartered boat and headed out into the channel in a hurried dash for the English coast. In his possession was a top secret report from Rothschild's secret service agents on the progress of the crucial battle. This intelligence data would prove indispensable to Nathan in making some vital decisions.
The special agent was met at Folkstone the following morning at dawn by Nathan Rothschild himself. After quickly scanning the highlights of the report Rothschild was on his way again, speeding towards London and the Stock Exchange.
Their unique spy system started out when 'the boys' began sending messages to each other through a networh of couriers. Soon it developed into something much more elaborate, effective and far reaching. It was a spy network par excellence. Its stunning speed and effectiveness gave the Rothschilds a clear edge in all their dealings on an international level.
"Rothschild coaches careened down the highways; Rothschild boats set sail across the Channel; Rothschild agents were swift shadows along the streets. They carried cash, securities, letters and news. Above all, news -- the latest exclusive news to be vigorously processed at stock market and commodity bourse.
"And there was no news more precious than the outcome at Waterloo..." (The Rothschilds p. 94).
Upon the battle of Waterloo depended the future of the European continent. If the Grande Armee of Napoleon emerged victorious France would be undisputed master of all she surveyed on the European front. If Napoleon was crushed into submission England would hold the balance of power in Europe and would be in a position to greatly expand its sphere of influence.
Historian John Reeves, a Rothschild partisan, reveals in his book The Rothschilds, Financial Rulers of the Nations, 1887, page 167, that "one cause of his [Nathan's] success was the secrecy with which he shrouded, and the tortuous policy with which he misled those who watched him the keenest."
There were vast fortunes to be made -- and lost -- on the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo. The Stock Exchange in London was at fever pitch as traders awaited news of the outcome of this battle of the giants. If Britain lost, English consuls would plummet to unprecedented depths. If Britain was victorioug, the value of the consul would leap to dizzying new heights.
As the two huge armies closed in for their battle to the death, Nathan Rothschild had his agents working feverishly on both sides of the line to gather the most accurate possible information as the battle proceeded. Additional Rothschild agents were on hand to carry the intelligence bulletins to a Rothschild command post strategically located nearby.
Late on the afternoon of June 15, 1815, a Rothschild representative jumped on board a specially chartered boat and headed out into the channel in a hurried dash for the English coast. In his possession was a top secret report from Rothschild's secret service agents on the progress of the crucial battle. This intelligence data would prove indispensable to Nathan in making some vital decisions.
The special agent was met at Folkstone the following morning at dawn by Nathan Rothschild himself. After quickly scanning the highlights of the report Rothschild was on his way again, speeding towards London and the Stock Exchange.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Jackson backpedals on Obama, 'Jena 6' at issue
Jackson backpedals on Obama, 'Jena 6' at issue
by Christi Parsons and Mike Dorning
The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Wednesday softened his criticism of Sen. Barack Obama, whom he reportedly criticized earlier in the week for "acting like he's white" on the Jena 6 race case in Louisiana.
Jackson said in an interview Wednesday that "acting white" isn't a phrase he uses regularly, and that it doesn't accurately represent his feelings about Obama, the Illinois Democratic senator whom Jackson supports for their party's presidential nomination.
Obama, meanwhile, sought to take Jackson's comments out of a racial context, saying he thinks the discussion about the case isn't "a matter of black and white," but rather "a matter of right and wrong.
"We should stand as one nation in opposition to this and any injustice," Obama said, not so subtly adding that his previous remarks on the Jena case were advised in part by Jackson's son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.)
See the rest of the story in the Tribune:
The controversy arose this week as the elder Jackson was preparing for a trip to Jena, La., for a Thursday demonstration in support of six black teenagers at the center of a nationwide fight over racial equity in the criminal justice system.
After black students asked officials at the local high school for permission to sit under a tree that was usually a gathering place for white students, three nooses appeared in its branches.
Not long after that, police said that six black students beat up a white student, and they were charged with attempted murder. The case has touched off a nationwide protest set to culminate with the demonstration. The charges were subsequently reduced, and the conviction of one of the youths was overturned last week.
Earlier this week, The State newspaper in South Carolina quoted the elder Jackson as saying that Obama was "acting like he's white" by not being more bold in his response to the case of the Jena 6.
On Wednesday, Jackson told the Tribune in an interview that he doesn't contest the newspaper account but doesn't recall saying the phrase. He said the phrase doesn't reflect his opinion.
"That is not my conviction," Jackson said. "But I will say the Democrats should act with more courage on this. It is one of the defining moments of our time."
Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, said on Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show Wednesday that the situation raises "very serious questions of injustice and inequality," and that it "shines a bright spotlight on the disparate treatment that happens all too often in our country."
‘The Big Con’
I have this problem. Whenever I try to explain what's happening in American politics-I mean, what's really happening-I wind up sounding a bit like an unhinged conspiracy theorist. But honestly, I'm not. My politics are actually quite moderate. (Most real lefties, in fact, think I'm a Washington establishment sellout.) So please give let me a chance to explain myself when I tell you the following: American politics has been hijacked by a tiny coterie of right-wing economic extremists, some of them ideological zealots, others merely greedy, a few of them possibly insane. (Stay with me.)
The scope of their triumph is breathtaking. Over the course of the last three decades, they have moved from the right-wing fringe to the commanding heights of the national agenda. Notions that would have been laughed at a generation ago-that cutting taxes for the very rich is the best response to any and every economic circumstance, or that it is perfectly appropriate to turn the most rapacious and self-interested elements of the business lobby into essentially an arm of the federal government-are now so pervasive, they barely attract any notice.
The result has been a slow-motion disaster. Income inequality has approached levels normally associated with Third World oligarchies, not healthy Western democracies. The federal government has grown so encrusted with business lobbyists that it can no longer meet the great public challenges of our time. Not even many conservative voters or intellectuals find the result congenial. Government is no smaller-it is simply more debt-ridden and more beholden to wealthy elites.
And yet the right-wing ascendancy has continued inexorably despite continual public repudiation. The 2006 elections were only the latest electoral setback. The right has suffered deeper setbacks before, and all of them have proven temporary. In 1982, after the country had entered the deepest recession since the 1930s, Republicans were slaughtered in the midterm congressional races, losing twenty-seven seats in the House of Representatives. Ronald Reagan, whose election two years earlier had seemed to augur a new conservative era, trailed his likely 1984 Democratic challengers by double digits in the polls and seemed destined to be a lame duck. "What we are witnessing this January," wrote the esteemed Washington Post reporter David Broder in the first month of 1983, "is not the midpoint in the Reagan presidency, but its phase-out. 'Reaganism,' it is becoming increasingly clear, was a one-year phenomenon." We know what happened the next year.
And the conservative revolution has had its obituary written many times since. In 1986, Republicans lost the Senate, and shortly thereafter Reagan saw his approval ratings sink as he became embroiled in the Iran-Contra scandal. In 1992, Democrats won back the White House along with both chambers of Congress, and there was widespread talk of "a conservative crackup." It happened again after the public turned on the Republicans following their 1995 government shutdown, and once more after the public rebelled against the Clinton impeachment. By the late 1990s, the Republican revolution had again been written off.
And yet the Republican right keeps coming back, and back, and back. Their fortunes rise and then dip, but each peak is higher than the last peak, and each dip is higher than the last dip. Consider the present situation. Things have gone about as badly as they could have in George W. Bush's second term. A Republican administration started and lost a major war in Iraq; presided over an economy that has failed to deliver higher wages for most Americans; contributed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to the near-wipeout of a major American city; launched a failed assault on Social Security, the most popular social program in the history of the United States; and saw its members suffer an almost unprecedented string of sexual and financial scandals. Still, Democrats find themselves holding only the slimmest of majorities in the House and Senate. Even if they hold their majorities in Congress and win the White House in 2008, the structural forces in Washington will make it nearly impossible to roll back any significant chunks of the Bush tax cuts, let alone take on crises like global warming or the forty-five million Americans lacking health insurance.
NEXT PAGE:
US Treasury to halt state, local securities sales
(Updates with latest debt, slugs issuance figures)
By David Lawder
WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury on Friday said it would suspend sales of state and local government series securities (SLGS) next week to help prevent the federal government from breaching its statutory debt limit.
The move to close the "slugs" window again is the first of several emergency measures the Treasury can take to gain more precise control of federal finances as it nears the $8.965 trillion debt limit.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson this week said the government will hit the debt limit on Oct. 1 and urged the U.S. Senate to quickly approve an $850 billion increase in borrowing authority. Sales of the state and local securities typically resume when the debt limit is increased.
Next week's closure will be the fifth time that the Bush administration has closed the slugs window to avoid breaching the debt limit before Congress raised its credit authority.
As of Thursday, the federal debt stood at $8.903 trillion, about $62 billion below the limit. If the government exceeds the limit, it could risk a default on its obligations.
The Treasury said it will stop accepting subscriptions for new slugs after 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Sept. 27. It sells them to state and local governments and other municipal borrowers for the temporary investment of proceeds from their tax-exempt bond sales.The securities are popular because they ensure that municipal borrowers stay within Internal Revenue Service restrictions that limit earnings from bond proceed investments to the original interest rate on the bonds.
But because they are typically issued upon demand from state and local governments, the Treasury has less control of day-to-day borrowing amounts. By closing the slugs window, the Treasury can better estimate its cash flow.
Through Thursday, the Treasury had issued $4.2 billion in slugs during September. It issued $132.2 billion during the first 11 months of fiscal 2007, or an average of $12 billion a month.
U.S. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad on Thursday said Congress would pass legislation lifting the debt limit "in a very timely manner." The North Dakota Democrat said he wanted to avoid uncertainty for jittery financial markets caused by disruptions in government borrowing.
Other emergency measures the Treasury can take to stay under the credit ceiling include temporarily diverting money from several federal employee pension and disability funds and dipping into the Exchange Stabilization Fund, a seldom-used pool of money earmarked to stabilize currency rates.
Americans warned on travel to Syria
Source
WASHINGTON — The State Department has warned Americans against traveling to Syria.
WASHINGTON — The State Department has warned Americans against traveling to Syria.
The department has urged Americans to stay away from Syria amid threats of Islamic insurgency attack. Officials said the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad might be unable to stop attacks on Americans in the country.
"Travelers are advised to thoroughly consider the risks before travel to Syria and to take adequate precautions to ensure their safety if traveling to Syria," the department said in a travel warning on Sept. 18.
Officials said Syria's harboring of groups deemed terrorists poses a threat to Americans. The Assad regime has maintained the presence of Hamas, Hizbullah, Islamic Jihad and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, all groups financed by Iran.The State Department has urged Americans in Syria to exercise caution and take measures to maintain their security. The measures include avoiding crowds and demonstrations, maintaining a low profile, revising travel times and routes, and ensuring valid travel documents.
In September 2006, the U.S. embassy in Damascus was stormed by assailants armed with bombs and assault weapons. The strike was attributed to an Al Qaida cell, but the Syrian regime, claiming that all of the attackers were killed, refused U.S. access to suspects.
"This attack underscores the danger posed by the continued presence of terrorist groups in Syria," the State Department said. "The embassy is working with the Syrian authorities to address these threats and the security issues raised by the attack on the embassy. While the authorities have taken measures since then to crack down on local extremists, self-contained groups with no links to external terrorist organizations will remain inherently difficult to detect and disrupt."
US gives 'strategically important' Ethiopia $97 million
The money, channeled through USAID, is to fund agricultural and private sector development, health care, primary education and good governance, a statement said.
Ethiopia received US backing last year when it deployed troops to neighbouring Somalia to overthrow an Islamist movement accused of harbouring extremist elements.
USAID mission director Glenn Anders said: "The agreements ... fulfill and even exceed the commitments in our five-year strategic development plan ..."
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion
Learned Elders of Zion
Note: this document is the original translation from a hundred years ago.You can find the Protocols into modern English, which makes it easier to understand here: Protocols-in-Modern-English.htm
The Protocols is also available in Spanish at this web site
The drawing from the Spanish version is below. It shows that Zionists control the Christians, the Nazis, the Communists, the Masons, and the banks. Makes ya' "think" huh?
| Protocol I | The Basic Doctrine |
| Protocol II | Economic Wars |
| Protocol III | Methods of Conquest |
| Protocol IV | Materialism Replace Religion |
| Protocol V | Despotism and Modern Progress |
| Protocol VI | Take-Over Technique |
| Protocol VII | World-Wide Wars |
| Protocol VIII | Provisional Government |
| Protocol IX | Re-education |
| Protocol X | Preparing for Power |
| Protocol XI | The Totalitarian State |
| Protocol XII | Control of the Press |
| Protoco XIII | Distractions |
| Protocol XIV | Assault on Religion |
| Protocol XV | Ruthless Suppression |
| Protocol XVI | Brainwashing |
| Protocol XVII | Abuse of Authority |
| Protocol XVIII | Arrest of Opponents |
| Protocol XIX | Rulers and People |
| Protocol XX | Financial Programme |
| Protocol XXI | Loans and Credit |
| Protocol XXII | Power of Gold |
| Protocol XXIII | Instilling Obedience |
| Protocol XXIV | Qualities of the Ruler |
Friday, September 14, 2007
Iranian Leader Lashes Out at Bush, US
By VOA News
14 September 2007
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, center, leads a Friday prayer at the Tehran University campus, in Tehran, Iran, 14 Sep 2007
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says U.S. President George Bush will one day stand trial for the war in Iraq.
Ayatollah Khamenei's sharp criticism of Mr. Bush and the United States was punctuated by cries of "Death to America" from worshippers during Friday prayers in Tehran.
The ayatollah said Mr. Bush should be held responsible for the violence in Iraq, and he claimed that U.S. policies in the Middle East and towards Iran are failing.
During his televised address Thursday, President Bush accused Iran and Syria of trying to undermine the Iraqi government, and said they must end their subversive activities.
U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying weapons and training to Shi'ite insurgents in Iraq. Iran denies the charge
14 September 2007
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, center, leads a Friday prayer at the Tehran University campus, in Tehran, Iran, 14 Sep 2007
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says U.S. President George Bush will one day stand trial for the war in Iraq.
Ayatollah Khamenei's sharp criticism of Mr. Bush and the United States was punctuated by cries of "Death to America" from worshippers during Friday prayers in Tehran.
The ayatollah said Mr. Bush should be held responsible for the violence in Iraq, and he claimed that U.S. policies in the Middle East and towards Iran are failing.
During his televised address Thursday, President Bush accused Iran and Syria of trying to undermine the Iraqi government, and said they must end their subversive activities.
U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying weapons and training to Shi'ite insurgents in Iraq. Iran denies the charge
USAF Stand down September 14 and a “Broken Arrow”?
Although there is very little news available from the mainstream media concerning the stand down by the USAF this Friday, some areas of the internet are positively buzzing about the decision and the possibility of a “Broken Arrow”
For those of you who saw the 1996 film (or are not familiar with the term already), a “Broken Arrow” refers to a missing nuclear device.
You may remember (approximately 2 weeks ago) reading about a B-52 Stratofortress bomber “transporting” nuclear warheads from Minot AFB in North Dakota to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana? Normally, such devices are transported in specially modified planes and decommissioned at a different location (not Barksdale), and they are NEVER attached to the wing of a plane unless there is some special reason to do so (a combat situation for example).
The information about this flight was leaked to the press and the Air Force have apologized for the mistake and promised an immediate investigation. According to official reports, errors were made and it seems as if we are expected to accept the “Oops, sorry. There was never any danger” version and forget all about it.
Unfortunately, some things don’t seem to add up. How could the Air Force, who probably require requests for toilet paper in triplicate, make such an incredible mistake, seeing as the missiles are so clearly marked? And knowing how good the military and US government are at concealing secrets, how did this news become public, unless that was the intention?
Perhaps more worrying is the fact that there seems to be some dispute on the number of nuclear devices being transported. Some reports claim that six devices left Minot AFB, but only five arrived at Barksdale? A report in the Washington Post reveals that the nuclear devices were sitting “on a runway in Louisiana for nearly 10 hours before workers noticed that the nuclear warheads were inside.”
Has a nuclear device been stolen and what was the real purpose of the B-52 flight? Was this some message to Iran, as one writer has suggested? Or will we shortly discover the whereabouts of this “missing?” nuclear device when it is dropped on some American City?
Some will recall the catastrophic consequences of a “stand down” by the Air Force on 9/11, in which Dick Cheney was involved. With this in mind, is it really wise to advertise to the world when this is going to take place? The US government have displayed an almost obsessive attitude to security since the WTC “attack”, yet have effectively given the “enemy” an invitation to carry out an attack at a time when they are least able to respond. Is this just plain stupidity, or is there some method in their madness?
With the appearance of Osama bin Laden in a new video (sporting a new beard and face!), the governments desire to find an excuse to attack Iran, the possibility of a missing nuke and a stand down on the 14th of September, it might not be a bad idea to take a trip into the country (or maybe another country?) on Friday. For those who choose to stay in the Cities another film comes to mind (the first Jurassic Park) and the words spoken by Samuel L. Jackson “Hold on to your butts!”
More Planes Being Grounded Friday 14th
Horizon cancels 125 Friday flights
Seattle Times travel writer
Seattle-based Horizon Air will cancel 125 flights around the West Coast and Canada including 55 out of Seattle on Friday as it continues to grapple with the grounding of 19 turboprop planes because of two landing-gear failures involving similar planes in Europe.
About 6,000 passengers' travel plans were disrupted Wednesday after the airline, part of Alaska Air Group, canceled 120 flights, including 31 out of Seattle, to inspect Q400 turboprops made by Montreal-based Bombardier, the world's third-biggest aircraft maker.
The airline canceled 156 flights today, including 56 Seattle flights, but hopes for "significant improvement" by Saturday, pending completion of inspections of its planes, spokesman Ray Prentice said this morning.
"Friday's going to be a bit rough," he said. The airline said earlier it hoped operations would be back to normal on Saturday, but Prentice said it depends on how fast the inspections go. Horizon operates one-third of the 60 Q400 turboprops that Bombardier urged airlines to ground after a second landing-gear failure in a week on planes operated by Scandinavian Airlines.
The grounding Wednesday forced the cancellation of at least 200 flights worldwide, and more Thursday.
SAS grounded all of its Q400s indefinitely and canceled 100 flights within Europe. Its daily flight between Seattle and Copenhagen was unaffected, but passengers with ongoing connections should check with the airline at www.flysas.com or 800-221-2350.
Qantas Airways Ltd., Australia's biggest airline, grounded most of its Bombardier Inc. Q400 aircraft amid safety concerns. All Nippon Airways Co. and Japan Airlines Corp., Japan's largest carriers, canceled 87 flights.
Horizon maintains that the inspections are a precaution and will include only aircraft with higher numbers of flight hours. Of Horizon's 76-plane fleet, 33 are Q400s.
Horizon and its sister carrier Alaska Airlines are the Northwest's major regional carriers, and Seattle is the hub for flights to 48 cities in California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and British Columbia and Alberta.
The cancellations affect about a quarter of Horizon's 500 daily flights. Major routes affected were Seattle/Portland, Seattle/Boise and Seattle/Spokane. Flights were also canceled between Seattle and Calgary, Alberta; Bozeman, Mont.; and Medford and Eugene, Ore.
The airline is offering refunds, rebooking passengers on other carriers and waiving fees through Friday for customers to change plans or postpone their trips. But Horizon's phone lines have been jammed, and passengers report not being able to get through.
Repeated calls to the airline's 800 number (800-547-9308) are answered with a message that says "All circuits are busy now. Please try your call later."
"We are working on notifying customers," Prentice said.
Travel agents said they were able to accommodate most passengers Wednesday, either because fliers could change their plans and drive to their destinations or delay travel, switch to another Alaska/Horizon flight or rebook on another airline.
"In general, it could have been a lot worse," said Teresa Willson of Doug Fox Travel in Seattle.
Several airlines fly some of Horizon's major routes, and the chances of finding available seats "is better now than it was this summer," she said.
United, for instance, flies daily nonstops from Seattle to Portland, Spokane and Calgary and also flies to Boise through San Francisco. Delta makes a connection through Salt Lake City to Boise. Air Canada flies nonstop to Calgary. Southwest flies to Boise and Spokane.
Part of the landing gear on a Scandinavian Airlines Q400 plane collapsed on touchdown in Lithuania on Wednesday, according to Bombardier. Three days earlier, a landing-gear glitch involving another Scandinavian Airlines aircraft caused a crash-landing in Denmark. There were no injuries in Wednesday's incident, but five people were slightly injured on Sunday, according to Bombardier.
Bombardier and landing-gear manufacturer Goodrich on Wednesday recommended that Q400 aircraft with more than 10,000 landing-gear cycles — one takeoff and one landing — be grounded until the landing gear is inspected.
Horizon has been flying Q400s since 2001 and has not experienced any problems with the aircraft, the airline said.
"We realize — and greatly regret — that this proactive measure will result in inconvenience to many of our customers as flights are canceled to allow for these unplanned inspections," Jeff Pinneo, Horizon president and CEO, said in a statement released Wednesday morning. "Safety is, of course, our foremost consideration."
Alaska Air Group's stock fell 70 cents, or nearly 3 percent, to $22.88 Wednesday.
This report contains material from The Associated Press. Seattle Times reporter Christina Siderius also contributed to the story.
Carol Pucci: cpucci@seattletimes.com.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Dollar hits new low versus euro
Last Updated: Thursday, 13 September 2007, 23:32 GMT 00:32 UK   |
| Dollar hits new low versus euro | |||
The US dollar hit to new record low against the euro as investors fretted about a world credit crunch. The greenback dropped as low as $1.3927 against the euro, deepening Wednesday's losses, but regained ground later to settle at $1.3886 in New York trading. The dollar has fallen in the past week, amid hopes that Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in a bid to reassure markets over current credit fears. Analysts expect the Fed to cut interest rates when it meets next week. However, as the dollar has weakened, the euro has gained momentum after recent comments from the European Central Bank (ECB) hinting at the possibility of future interest rate rises. Further gains? The health of Europe's economy - underlined by strong growth and inflation figures from France - could help push the euro through the $1.40 barrier, some experts suggested. "The catalyst sending the euro to its latest high against the dollar is the growing expectation that the Fed could trim interest rates by up to 50 basis points at its 18 September policy meeting," said Global Insight economist Howard Archer. "The euro seems likely to remain well supported against the dollar in the near term at least and could well break through $1.40 imminently." At the heart of the dollar's decline have been problems in the US housing market, caused by the Fed increasing interest rates in order to slow accelerating inflation. The increases have led to higher borrowing costs, triggering an increase in the number of people defaulting on loans, especially in the sub-prime mortgage market. The sub-prime sector specialises in lending to people with poor or non-existent credit histories. This, in turn, has spread to global credit markets, as many of the sub-prime mortgages were repackaged and sold on to European and UK banks as investment assets. Good and bad The impact on the consumer and businesses may be mixed, analysts said. According to Howard Archer of Global Insight, "eurozone consumers could benefit from cheaper prices for some imported goods". At the same time, he said that there is some good news for eurozone companies because oil, metals and many raw material prices are quoted in dollars, and "the strength of the euro should dampen firms' input costs". However, while the strong euro may cut some import costs, it could also have a negative effect on exports as European-made goods become more expensive. The US is one of Europe's largest trading partners. "Everything that has a disadvantageous effect on exports is a problem, and the rising euro is part of that," Peter Bofinger, a member of the German government's independent economic advisory panel, was quoted as saying. Speaking to the Berliner Zeitung, Mr Bofinger said that if the euro gets much stronger, then governments should think about buying the dollar in order to weaken the euro. | |||
Bush pledges Iraq troop reduction
BULLSHIT!!!
Bush pledges Iraq troop reduction
Bush pledges Iraq troop reduction
 Bush spoke live to the nation, and to US soldiers in Baghdad |
Mr Bush said 5,700 personnel would be home by Christmas, and expected thousands more to return by July 2008.
He said he had accepted the advice of US commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, who gave a progress report to Congress earlier this week.
The plan would take troop numbers back to their level before Mr Bush ordered a "surge" at the start of this year.
The Democrats had called for a change of course, accusing the president of giving no plan on how to end the war.
And, says the BBC's Justin Webb in Washington, they reacted to this speech with unusually strong condemnation. One presidential candidate, Joe Biden, called it shameful and bizarre.
Mr Bush's speech followed the news that a key Sunni ally of the US had been killed in Iraq.
'Never too late'
It is never too late to support our troops in a fight they can win 
President Bush 
In his primetime televised address, Mr Bush announced plans to reduce US troops by roughly 30,000 by next summer, if certain conditions were met.
"The more successful we are, the more American troops can return home," he said.
He argued that the gradual pull-out plan bridges the gap between the people who want to bring troops home, and those who believe success in Iraq is essential to US security.
"[The strategy] makes it possible, for the first time in years, for people who have been on opposite sides of this difficult debate to come together."
Addressing the critics of the war, he said: "It is never too late to deal a blow to al-Qaeda. It is never too late to advance freedom. And it is never too late to support our troops in a fight they can win."
Among the key points of Mr Bush's speech were:
- Troop reductions to start this month with 5,700 fewer personnel in Iraq by Christmas, and the number of combat brigades to fall from 20 to 15 by July 2008
- The transition to next phase of Iraq strategy to begin in December, with US troops moving towards a support role for the Iraqi army
- A free Iraq would be an "anchor for stability" in the region, countering the "destructive ambitions" of Iran and denying al-Qaeda a safe haven
- Sunni Muslims battling the al-Qaeda insurgency can continue to rely on the support of the US
PETRAEUS - KEY POINTS Sectarian violence declined since surge started 30,000 US troops likely withdrawn by mid-2008 Decision on further troop cuts expected in March Situation in Iraq remains difficult Most computers will open these documents automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader
Mr Bush's speech comes after the death of Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, who led what was known as the "Anbar Awakening", an alliance of Sunni Arab tribes that rose up against al-Qaeda in Iraq.
He met and was endorsed by Mr Bush when the president visited US troops in Iraq last week. The White House has condemned his killing in a bomb attack.
Correspondents say his death may undermine US efforts against al-Qaeda in Anbar province, or strengthen the tribes' resolve to maintain an alliance with the US and Iraqi government.
Democrat criticism
The withdrawal plan would bring the number of US troops in Iraq down from a current high of more than 160,000, to "pre-surge" levels of about 130,000.
Observers point out that the surge would have had to come to an end next spring anyway, in order to avoid overstretching the military.
The Democrats were critical of Mr Bush's speech, and pledged to "profoundly change" the country's military involvement in Iraq.
Senator Jack Reed said: "Once again, the president failed to provide either a plan to successfully end the war or a convincing rationale to continue it."
The Democrats have so far been unable to pass legislation to set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq because their majority in Congress is too slim to overturn a presidential veto.
A record 168,000 US troops are now in Iraq after 30,000 arrived in the surge between February and June.B-52 carried nuclear armed cruise missiles by mistake : US
This article says there were SIX bombs....
B-52 carried nuclear armed cruise missiles by mistake : US
by Jim Mannion Wed Sep 5, 1:56 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A B-52 bomber flew the length of the United States last week loaded with six nuclear armed cruise missiles in a major security breach, US military officials said Wednesday. President George W. Bush after the nuclear warheads were discovered when the aircraft landed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, said a military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The US Air Force has relieved the munition squadron commander at Minot Air Base in North Dakota of his duties, and launched an intensive investigation into the incident, a spokesman said.
"At no time was there a threat to public safety," said Lieutenant Colonel Ed Thomas. "It is important to note that munitions were safe, secure and under military control at all times."
The Pentagon would not provide specifics, citing secrecy rules, but an expert said the incident was unprecedented and pointed to a disturbing lapse in the air force's command and control system.
"All evidence we have seen so far points to an isolated mistake," Thomas said. "The error was discovered by airmen during internal Air Force checks."
The Air Force's air combat command "has directed a command-wide stand down to review process at all of our bases."
"The munitions squadron commander has been relieved of his duties, and final action is pending the outcome of the investigation," he said. "In addition, other airmen were decertified from their duties involving munitions."
An air force official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said six cruise missiles with nuclear warheads were loaded on pylons under the wings of a B-52 bomber that flew from Minot to Barksdale on August 30.
Hans Kristensen, an expert on US nuclear forces, said he knew of no other publicly acknowledged case of live nuclear weapons being flown on bombers since the late 1960s.
"It seems so fantastic that so many points, checks can dysfunction," he said. "And we have so many points and checks specifically so we don't have these kinds of incidents."
Kristensen said the air force keeps a computerized command and control system that traces any movement of a nuclear weapon so that they have a complete picture of where they are at any given time.
He said there would be checks and detailed procedures at various points from the time they are moved out of bunkers until they are loaded onto planes, and flown away.
"That's perhaps what is most worrisome about this particular incident is that apparently an individual who had command authority about moving these weapons around decided to so," he said.
"The question is did he just plug in the information that he was moving these to Barksdale, or something else. Who knows?"
"So it's a command and control issue and it's one that calls into question the system, because if one individual can do that who knows what can happen," he said.
Ike Skelton, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that the reports that nuclear weapons were mishandled "are deeply disturbing."
"The American people, our friends, and our potential adversaries must be confident that the highest standards are in place when it comes to our nuclear arsenal," he said.
The weapons were among 400 advanced cruise missiles that the Defense Department quietly decided to retire in March over the course of this year.
The advanced cruise missile is a stealthy, longer range version of the air launched cruise missile first deployed in the early 1980s.
They carry W-80 warheads of up to 150 kilotons, ten times the destructive force of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Nuclear weapons are normally transferred on cargo planes, never on the wings of bombers, Kristensen said. Bomber flights with live nuclear weapons were ended in the late 1960s after accidents in Spain in 1966 and in Greenland in 1968.
The military official said the discovery was reported to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, "and higher." The official said the notification goes as high as the president.
"There are procedures in place and they kicked in and worked," the official said.
US B-52 in nuclear cargo blunder
This article from the BBC News that was published on Sept 5th, 2007 says that only FIVE nuclear warheads were unaccounted for during the B-52 Bombers flight, but several reports AFTER this are claiming that there were six.
Source
Read the article below:
US B-52 in nuclear cargo blunder
Source
Read the article below:
US B-52 in nuclear cargo blunder
 The missiles were mounted on the wings of a B-52 bomber |
The US Air Force has launched an investigation after a B-52 bomber flew across the US last week mistakenly loaded with nuclear-armed missiles.
It follows reports in the Army Times that five missiles were unaccounted for during the three-hour flight from North Dakota to Louisiana.
The air force said the cruise missiles were safe at all times.
Army Times said the missiles were to be decommissioned but were mistakenly mounted on the bomber's wings.
The W80-1 warhead has a yield of five to 150 kilotons, the paper said.
'Decertified'
The flight took place on 30 August, from the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to the Barksdale Air Force Base, near Bossier City, in Louisiana.
Air force spokesman Lt Col Ed Thomas said although this was an "isolated incident", Air Combat Command had directed a "command-wide stand down to review process at all of our bases".
Col Thomas said a general had been appointed to investigate the incident and would report by 14 September.
"At no time was there a threat to public safety. It is important to note that munitions were safe, secure and under military control at all times," Col Thomas said.
"The air force takes its mission to safeguard weapons seriously. No effort will be spared to ensure that the matter is thoroughly and completely investigated."
Army Times quoted the colonel as saying the loading crew involved had been temporarily "decertified" pending retraining and the investigation.
A military official told AFP news agency that President George W Bush had been informed of the mix-up.
"There are procedures in place and they kicked in and worked," the official said.
The BBC's Adam Brookes in Washington says experts have made it clear that if the plane had crashed there would not have been a nuclear explosion but there could have been a threat from plutonium leakage.Union sues over U.S. raids at meat plants
Striking back at federal officials' stepped-up raids at meatpacking plants in search of undocumented immigrants, the food workers union filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to halt similar seizures in the future.
"It is unconscionable that our government would round up hundreds, sometimes thousands, of innocent workers in an effort to target a few select individuals," Joe Hansen, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, said in a statement.
"They shouldn't be carrying out enforcement actions the way they did," said Gening Liao, an attorney for the union. She said the union hopes to permanently block the government from such wide-sweeping efforts.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Amarillo, Texas, claims that raids carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in December at meat plants from Minnesota to Texas were "excessive, illegal and unnecessary." In raids at six Swift & Co. plants, the union said, several thousand of its members were held by federal officials, and ultimately 1,139 workers were arrested. Of these about 250 were later convicted on various criminal charges, including 65 for identity theft, according to union officials.
Union officials could not say how many were deported for violating immigration laws. The union represents workers at all but one of the plants.
An ICE spokesman said government attorneys have not yet reviewed the lawsuit but added that the raids "were conducted lawfully and in full accordance with policy and procedures. Each person was treated with respect." But Liao said workers at the plants were "held at gunpoint, blocked from moving around and detained even after they were cleared."
One worker, who is a legal resident, was not allowed to call his family to produce documents proving his claim, said Liao. "He was held for 12 hours until they verified who he was," she added.
In its lawsuit the union claims that a number of its members were not allowed to contact union attorneys while they were detained.
Aftershocks rock earthquake-hit Sumatra
Aftershocks rock earthquake-hit Sumatra
By Thomas Bell, South East Asia Correspondent, and Richard Holt
Powerful aftershocks have hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra the day after a massive deadly earthquake toppled buildings and triggered a full-scale tsunami alert around the Indian Ocean.
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At least six people have been confirmed dead and officials fear the number could rise.
The region has been on heightened alert ever since the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami which was caused by a quake which also struck off Sumatra.
Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and the Maldives all issued tsunami warnings after the quake which measured 8.4 on the Richter scale, but these were later lifted.
The aftershocks peaked at 7.7 on the Richter scale.
A small tsunami was reported to have hit the town of Padang, the provincial capital of West Sumatra, where buildings also collapsed in the initial quake.
More buildings in the town, weakened by the first earthquake, were brought down by the aftershocks and large cracks have appeared in the ground.
Mukomuko, on the west coast of Sumatra, was also severely damaged.
"Those with cracks are many, buildings of three floors or more are either fissured or collapsed," resident Budi Darmawan said after fleeing inland.
The first quake struck during prayer time in the predominantly Muslim nation, which is preparing for the holy month of Ramadan.
Tremors were felt in the national capital Jakarta and on the neighbouring island of Java, where offices were evacuated.
"After praying I felt the earthquake. I panicked, threw away my shoes and ran," one witness said.
Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary-general, said in a statement that a UN assessment team would be sent to the area.
Many of the affected areas are remote, making it difficult to ascertain the full extent of the damage
Tremors from the first quake were felt as far away as southern Thailand.
In Singapore, people fled in panic as high-rise buildings shook.
The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which killed 131,000 people, was triggered by a huge quake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale which struck deep in the sea bed off Sumatra.
Abe in Hospital in Japan After Announcing Resignation
Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who announced his resignation yesterday, is in a Tokyo hospital with a stomach ailment, doctors said.
Abe, 52, said he will step down after failing to regain public support following the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's defeat in the Upper House election in July. A ballot for Abe's successor will be held on Sept. 23.
Abe needs to be hospitalized for as long as four days because of problems with his digestive system, Toshifumi Hibi, one of Abe's doctors and a professor at Keio University Hospital in Shinjuku ward in central Tokyo, said at a news conference.
Abe's popularity plunged after a series of scandals since he replaced the popular Junichiro Koizumi a year ago. Poll ratings for Abe's government dropped below 30 percent after it admitted millions of dollars in pension-fund money couldn't be unaccounted for. Cabinet ministers became embroiled in a succession of scandals: four resigned, and one committed suicide.
Health was one of the factors behind his resignation, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano said earlier at a regular press conference.
No-one has been named to stand in for Abe, Yosano said at a later press conference.
Doctors' Advice
Yosano is first in line to become acting prime minister, should Abe be incapacitated before a new leader is chosen, followed by Defense Minister Masahiko Komura and Justice Minister Kunio Hatoyama, according to Hiroshi Suzuki, a spokesman for the Cabinet office.
The prime minister's doctors advised Abe to go to hospital because he was suffering from exhaustion and had lost nearly 5 kilograms (11 pounds) the past several months. During his stay, Abe will be given drugs to get his digestive system functioning normally, the doctor said.
``His whole body is debilitated,'' Hibi said. ``He had acute inflammation of the stomach a few weeks back, which seems to be worsening the symptoms.''
To contact the reporter on this story: Kanoko Matsuyama in Tokyo at at kmatsuyama2@bloomberg.net .
Obama calls for complete withdrawal by end of '08
He can't do that. There's an art to war, and withdrawing isn't in the plan. Once you take over a territory you must then continue to occupy that territory. Ask yourself why our presence is STILL in Korea, and Germany, Afghanistan, and a host of other places that our azzes don't belong. Don't believe the hype, if BUSH couldn't bring them home and HE sent them over there, who actually believes Obama when HE says they'll be home by December 2008??? Mind you, a month after elections. LOL
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama yesterday delivered his Iraq policy speech at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa.
Sen. Barack Obama yesterday called for the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq at a steady pace, with all combat troops either at home or redeployed elsewhere by December 2008.
"We must get out strategically and carefully, removing troops from secure areas first, and keeping troops in more volatile areas until later, but our drawdown should proceed at a steady pace of one or two brigades each month," Mr. Obama said.
A day after hearing the progress report from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to Congress, Mr. Obama rejected the general's recommendations and said Iraq's government has failed to meet its own goals.
His withdrawal proposal reinforces the Iraq war as the major battleground among the Democratic presidential candidates, who have spent the campaign competing with each other for support from the party's antiwar voters.
Yesterday, Mr. Obama's adversaries said his plan doesn't go far enough, with former Sen. John Edwards saying the pace of withdrawal moves too slowly and sounds too much like the general's recommendation to President Bush to withdraw 30,000 troops by July.
"Taking credit for this gradual withdrawal is like taking credit for gravity," Mr. Edwards said. "These 30,000 troops would have to be withdrawn anyway, unless the president extended tours to an unconscionable 18 months."
Another Democratic candidate, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Mr. Obama's plan falls short because it would still leave some noncombat troops behind.
"Senator Obama has offered to turn the page in Iraq, but I think we need a new book," Mr. Richardson said.
Meanwhile former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney went straight at Mr. Obama, telling Fox News Channel the Democrat has disqualified himself from being president because of his timeline for withdrawal, coupled with other statements announcing he would take unilateral military action in Pakistan, an ally, and would meet with enemy leaders.
While some Democrats have criticized Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as a blockade to progress, Mr. Obama said Iraq's structure is the problem, not the personalities.
"The problems in Iraq are bigger than one man. Iraq needs a new constitution."
And Mr. Obama said the U.S. should accept a partition-style government if that is how the Iraqis want their nation constructed. But he also took a swipe at fellow Democratic contender Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, a prominent supporter of a partition, saying "it must be their choice. America should not impose the division of Iraq."
"I spoke out against what I called 'a rash war' in Iraq. I worried about, 'an occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs, and undetermined consequences,' " he said.
While not responding directly to Mr. Obama's speech, Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton attacked the president's withdrawal plan, which he plans to detail in a speech today.
Obama calls for complete withdrawal by end of '08
By Brian DeBose
September 13, 2007
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama yesterday delivered his Iraq policy speech at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa.
Sen. Barack Obama yesterday called for the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq at a steady pace, with all combat troops either at home or redeployed elsewhere by December 2008.
"We must get out strategically and carefully, removing troops from secure areas first, and keeping troops in more volatile areas until later, but our drawdown should proceed at a steady pace of one or two brigades each month," Mr. Obama said.
A day after hearing the progress report from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to Congress, Mr. Obama rejected the general's recommendations and said Iraq's government has failed to meet its own goals.
His withdrawal proposal reinforces the Iraq war as the major battleground among the Democratic presidential candidates, who have spent the campaign competing with each other for support from the party's antiwar voters.
Yesterday, Mr. Obama's adversaries said his plan doesn't go far enough, with former Sen. John Edwards saying the pace of withdrawal moves too slowly and sounds too much like the general's recommendation to President Bush to withdraw 30,000 troops by July.
"Taking credit for this gradual withdrawal is like taking credit for gravity," Mr. Edwards said. "These 30,000 troops would have to be withdrawn anyway, unless the president extended tours to an unconscionable 18 months."
Another Democratic candidate, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Mr. Obama's plan falls short because it would still leave some noncombat troops behind.
"Senator Obama has offered to turn the page in Iraq, but I think we need a new book," Mr. Richardson said.
Even as Democrats try to outflank each other in embracing withdrawal, the Republican presidential field is holding firm in backing Gen. Petraeus' strategy, with Sen. John McCain even calling it the "McCain surge" and posting a timeline on his Web site to prove he's been calling for this type of military campaign for years.
Mr. Obama has been calling for a troop withdrawal since January, but unlike his previous plan this drawdown would occur whether or not the Iraqi government meets benchmarks for improvement.
"We shouldn't be in the business of supporting coups, and remember, before Maliki, we said that we just needed to replace the last prime minister to make everything all right. It didn't work," Mr. Obama said in a speech at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa.
He proposed a constitutional convention to be convened with the United Nations, and said it should not adjourn until Iraq's leaders reach a new accord on political reconciliation, coupled with new elections.
Mr. Obama again chastised his fellow Senate Democrats in the race by highlighting their vote for the war. He opposed the war from the start and yesterday presented himself as being prescient about the war's outcome.
He also said he would engage Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in diplomatic talks to enter into a regional pact to end the conflict and increase funding to deal with the humanitarian crisis.
"There will be the same number of troops in Iraq as there were one year ago. Mr. President, that is simply too little too late, and unacceptable to this Congress, and to the American people who have made clear their strong desire to bring our troops home, and end this war," Mrs. Clinton said.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Hillary Clinton returns fund-raiser Hsu's $850G; probe begins
BY MICHAEL McAULIFF and JAMES GORDON MEEK
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Tuesday, September 11th 2007
WASHINGTON - A red-faced Hillary Clinton yesterday returned $850,000 in campaign cash tied to felon fund-raiser Norman Hsu, as the Daily News learned New York prosecutors are leading the probe into Hsu's buck-raking.
The tainted dollars are being returned to 260 donors by the New York Democrat's White House campaign, her aides said.
The Clinton campaign scrambled to contain the damage from a fund-raising scandal that's been building for two weeks, after reports some donors of modest means contributed hefty sums to Clinton in coordination with Hsu, a New York apparel millionaire.
"In light of recent events and allegations that Mr. Norman Hsu engaged in an illegal investment scheme, we have decided out of an abundance of caution to return the money he raised for our campaign," Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said in a statement.
"Mr. Hsu donated to numerous charities and more than two dozen candidates and committees. Despite conducting a thorough review of public records, our campaign, like these others, was unaware of Mr. Hsu's decade-plus-old warrant."
To avoid future fund-raising black eyes, Wolfson said, the campaign will institute "vigorous" new vetting procedures, "including criminal background checks" on fund-raisers who bundle contributions from several donors.
At first, the campaign gave the $23,000 Hsu donated to charity. It relented on the rest of the cash yesterday after learning the feds were looking into whether Hsu was running a Ponzi scheme aimed at benefitting Clinton and other Democrats.
Hsu has also bundled massive sums for other Democrats, including Gov. Spitzer and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have launched a probe to look into possible public corruption or election fraud offenses against Hsu, two law enforcement sources told The News.
"They're taking a look at him. They are very interested," one of the sources said.
Justice Department and FBI officials declined comment.
The FBI nabbed Hsu in Colorado last week after he got sick on an eastbound train. He was wanted after skipping out on a 1992 California sentencing date for a no-contest plea in a $1 million fraud rap. He turned himself in Aug. 31, posted $2 million bail - then fled again.
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Tuesday, September 11th 2007
WASHINGTON - A red-faced Hillary Clinton yesterday returned $850,000 in campaign cash tied to felon fund-raiser Norman Hsu, as the Daily News learned New York prosecutors are leading the probe into Hsu's buck-raking.
The tainted dollars are being returned to 260 donors by the New York Democrat's White House campaign, her aides said.
The Clinton campaign scrambled to contain the damage from a fund-raising scandal that's been building for two weeks, after reports some donors of modest means contributed hefty sums to Clinton in coordination with Hsu, a New York apparel millionaire.
"In light of recent events and allegations that Mr. Norman Hsu engaged in an illegal investment scheme, we have decided out of an abundance of caution to return the money he raised for our campaign," Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said in a statement.
"Mr. Hsu donated to numerous charities and more than two dozen candidates and committees. Despite conducting a thorough review of public records, our campaign, like these others, was unaware of Mr. Hsu's decade-plus-old warrant."
To avoid future fund-raising black eyes, Wolfson said, the campaign will institute "vigorous" new vetting procedures, "including criminal background checks" on fund-raisers who bundle contributions from several donors.
At first, the campaign gave the $23,000 Hsu donated to charity. It relented on the rest of the cash yesterday after learning the feds were looking into whether Hsu was running a Ponzi scheme aimed at benefitting Clinton and other Democrats.
Hsu has also bundled massive sums for other Democrats, including Gov. Spitzer and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have launched a probe to look into possible public corruption or election fraud offenses against Hsu, two law enforcement sources told The News.
"They're taking a look at him. They are very interested," one of the sources said.
Justice Department and FBI officials declined comment.
The FBI nabbed Hsu in Colorado last week after he got sick on an eastbound train. He was wanted after skipping out on a 1992 California sentencing date for a no-contest plea in a $1 million fraud rap. He turned himself in Aug. 31, posted $2 million bail - then fled again.
US airbase on terror alert in Germany
An American airbase in Germany has been sealed off after receiving a bomb threat. The alarm was raised at Spangdahlem airfield on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Police said the threat came in a call from a man speaking German with a Russian or Turkish accent. He said he had at least four accomplices.
The threat against Spangdahlem comes roughly a week after German anti-terrorist police arrested three men suspected of planning to attack a series of targets across the country. They are believed to have links with Al-Qaeda and had amassed vast quantities of bomb-making chemicals and military detonators. The targets are thought to have included the US airbase at Ramstein, as well as Frankfurt airport.
FDA Receiving Many More Serious Adverse Events Reports
Between 1998 and 2005 the number of reports about serious adverse events sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has more than doubled; total deaths linked to adverse drug events have also more than doubled, according to an article in Archives of Internal Medicine (JAMA/Archives).
The FDA's definition of a serious adverse event is one that results in death, a birth defect, hospitalization, disability, a life-threatening situation, or any intervention that was needed to prevent harm, say the authors. These events are reported to the FDA through AERS (Adverse Event Reporting System - the reports are voluntary and are also known as MedWatch reports. Pharmaceutical companies are required to report all serious adverse events to the FDA, hence many of them come from the manufacturers.
Thomas J. Moore, A.B., Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Huntingdon Valley, Penn., and team examined reports of serious adverse events sent to the FDA through AERS during the period 1998-2005 - a total of 467,809 of them. In 1998 the annual number was 34,966, while in 2005 it jumped to 89,842. Fatal adverse events (reported) totaled 5,519 in 1998, rising to 15,107 in 2005 - a 2.7-fold increase.
The authors wrote "The overall relative increase was four times faster than the growth in total U.S. outpatient prescriptions, which grew in the same period from 2.7 billion to 3.8 billion."
1,489 drugs were linked to the adverse events during 1998-2005. However, 51 drugs accounted for 43.6% (203,957) of all reported adverse events.
The authors said "Contrary to our expectations, drugs related to safety withdrawals were a modest share of all reported events and declined in importance over time. Among the most frequently reported drugs associated with fatal events, we observed a disproportionate contribution of pain medications and drugs that modify the immune system."
The writers concluded that their data showed a significant increase in reported deaths and serious injuries linked with drug therapy over the study period. "The results highlight the importance of this public health problem and illustrate the need for improved systems to manage the risks of prescription drugs."
"Serious Adverse Drug Events Reported to the Food and Drug Administration, 1998-2005"
Thomas J. Moore, AB; Michael R. Cohen, RPh, MS, ScD; Curt D. Furberg, MD, PhD
Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1752-1759
Click here to see abstract online
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
The FDA's definition of a serious adverse event is one that results in death, a birth defect, hospitalization, disability, a life-threatening situation, or any intervention that was needed to prevent harm, say the authors. These events are reported to the FDA through AERS (Adverse Event Reporting System - the reports are voluntary and are also known as MedWatch reports. Pharmaceutical companies are required to report all serious adverse events to the FDA, hence many of them come from the manufacturers.
Thomas J. Moore, A.B., Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Huntingdon Valley, Penn., and team examined reports of serious adverse events sent to the FDA through AERS during the period 1998-2005 - a total of 467,809 of them. In 1998 the annual number was 34,966, while in 2005 it jumped to 89,842. Fatal adverse events (reported) totaled 5,519 in 1998, rising to 15,107 in 2005 - a 2.7-fold increase.
The authors wrote "The overall relative increase was four times faster than the growth in total U.S. outpatient prescriptions, which grew in the same period from 2.7 billion to 3.8 billion."
1,489 drugs were linked to the adverse events during 1998-2005. However, 51 drugs accounted for 43.6% (203,957) of all reported adverse events.
The authors said "Contrary to our expectations, drugs related to safety withdrawals were a modest share of all reported events and declined in importance over time. Among the most frequently reported drugs associated with fatal events, we observed a disproportionate contribution of pain medications and drugs that modify the immune system."
The writers concluded that their data showed a significant increase in reported deaths and serious injuries linked with drug therapy over the study period. "The results highlight the importance of this public health problem and illustrate the need for improved systems to manage the risks of prescription drugs."
"Serious Adverse Drug Events Reported to the Food and Drug Administration, 1998-2005"
Thomas J. Moore, AB; Michael R. Cohen, RPh, MS, ScD; Curt D. Furberg, MD, PhD
Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1752-1759
Click here to see abstract online
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Monday, September 10, 2007
Banks face 10-day debt timebomb
Last Updated: 12:02am BST 10/09/2007
Britain's biggest banks could be forced to cough up as much as £70bn over the next 10 days, as the credit crisis that has seized the global financial system sparks a fresh wave of chaos.
Almost 20 per cent of the short-term money market loans issued by European banks are due to mature between September 11 and September 19. Senior bankers fear that they will have to refinance almost all of these debts with funds from their own coffers, putting a further strain on bank balance sheets.
Tens of billions of pounds of these commercial paper loans have already built up in the financial system, because fear-ridden investors no longer want to buy them. Roughly £23bn of these loans expire on September 17 alone.
Fears of this impending call on bank credit lines are the true reason that lending between banks has ground to a halt, according to senior money market sources.
Banks have been stockpiling cash in preparation for this "double rollover" week, which sees quarterly loans expire alongside shorter term debts - exacerbating a problem that lies at the heart of the credit crisis.
"Banks are hoarding cash," said David Brickman, the head of European credit strategy at Lehman Brothers. "We think the reason for that is the commercial paper markets. There was $100bn of commercial paper issued by European institutions that was scheduled to roll over in August, much of which struggled to do so.
"Those markets are just not functioning normally, so some debt has already come on to bank balance sheets and more will have to follow. We estimate that between September 11 and 19 $139bn [£68.5bn] of European commercial paper [will come] up for renewal, including monthly and quarterly maturities. That's why banks are hoarding cash."
Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, last week made his first intervention in the money markets since the credit crisis began, pledging to inject £4.4bn into the overnight lending system if required.
DeAnne Julius, a former member of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee, told The Sunday Telegraph: "The Bank has a responsibility to allow the smooth functioning of the sterling money markets and it has a pretty clear framework for doing that. But it needs to apply that framework to achieve the objectives it is aiming at. The experience of the last couple of weeks does not look as if it [the Bank] has been very successful at that."
Although the markets have viewed King as reluctant to bail out irresponsible lenders, the BoE has not ruled out further interventions. But senior bankers say King is unsure that pledging funds over a three-month duration would solve the liquidity crisis. He is said to share the view that the root of the liquidity problem lies in the commercial paper markets.
Market sources believe confidence will be restored only when all the sub-prime losses in the system have been exposed.
Christopher Wood, the strategist at Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets credited with predicting the US sub-prime crisis two years ago, said: "The sub-prime crisis has exposed the structured credit asset class as highly dubious. In five years' time it won't exist."
Sunday, September 9, 2007
ACC orders command-wide stand-down on Sept. 14
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Sep 8, 2007 8:31:15 EDT
Posted : Saturday Sep 8, 2007 8:31:15 EDT
On Sept. 14, flight lines will be very quiet at Air Combat Command bases.
The entire command — about 100,000 active-duty airmen — is standing down training flights and many other operations as part of a command-wide safety day.
Command boss Gen. Ronald Keys ordered the Sept. 14 safety stand-down in the wake of the Aug. 30 nuclear incident at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., in which six cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads were loaded onto a B-52H and then flown to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., without anyone on the ground or bomber realizing the nuclear weapons were on the plane. It was not until the B-52H was parked at Barksdale that ground crews discovered the cruise missiles were carrying real warheads.
Command spokesman Maj. Tom Crosson said wing commanders would determine how their units review operations and safety procedures and checklists.
Just how serious Keys takes the lapse of regulations at Minot is reflected in the fact that the safety stand-down is the first command-wide safety day in recent memory. In the past, the command has singled out specific types of aircraft for safety days and in 1997 the Department of Defense held a department-wide safety review day.
Mexican Trucks Begin Deliveries Beyond U.S. Border (Update1)
By William Freebairn
Sept. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Mexican trucks delivered goods beyond a border region of the U.S. for the first time this weekend, under a test program by the two governments, Mexico's transportation minister Luis Tellez said.
Transportes Olympic trucks, authorized last week to deliver goods beyond a 25-mile (40-kilometer) zone along the border, crossed into the U.S. Sept. 7 and delivered construction goods to New York state, Tellez said during a news conference today in Mexico City. The company is based in Apodaca, Mexico.
The expanded ability of Mexican truckers to deliver goods ``will give a significant advantage to Mexico because it allows us to take advantage of our biggest competitive advantage, which is to be located next to the U.S.,'' Tellez said.
Before the program, Mexican trucks were limited to delivering goods in the border zone or passing them to U.S. trucks. Mexican officials authorized a U.S. trucking firm to deliver goods inside Mexico last week.
The agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, which will open cross-border deliveries to 100 companies in each country within four months, was part of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement.
Both governments contend it will save consumers money and help the U.S. and Mexican economies. Opponents, including the 1.4 million-member International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a union representing some American truckers, environmental groups in the U.S. and trucking interests in Mexico, say it will lead to job losses and increase hazards on the roads.
Concern About Competition
Tellez said some trucking groups in Mexico believe the country is not ready to compete with U.S. companies delivering to Mexico. He said the complaints are similar to those of other industries following the approval of Nafta 12 years ago.
He said safety complaints by Teamsters are ``a pretext'' for concerns about competition with Mexican truckers.
Stagecoach Cartage and Distribution of El Paso, Texas, became the first of 100 U.S. trucking companies to win approval from the Mexican government to go beyond a border zone inside Mexico, the motor-carrier safety agency said Sept. 6.
Nafta required the U.S., Mexico and Canada to open their roads to trucks from all three countries. Canadian trucks have had full access to U.S. roads, while Mexican trucks have been forced to offload goods to U.S. truckers in a border zone. U.S. companies faced similar limits in Mexico.
Attempts to Stall
Under pressure from organized labor, Congress successfully stalled broader access in the U.S. for Mexican truckers. After President George W. Bush announced he was going ahead with a test program in January, opponents tried to block it again.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Aug. 31 refused a request from the Teamsters and other groups to block the vehicles. Democrats in the U.S. House asked the administration on Sept. 6 to hold off on the test until they could get assurances Mexican trucks would be safe.
Letting Mexican trucks operate in the U.S. benefits companies such as Con-way Inc., the largest U.S. regional trucker. San Mateo, California-based Con-way in July bought closely held Contract Freighters Inc., which said 40 percent of its business begins or ends in Mexico.
The trucking business between the two countries will become more efficient and costs will drop, said Carlos Arce, undersecretary of foreign investment in Mexico's Finance Ministry. ``This will bring a more dynamic economy in both countries,'' he said during the press conference.
About 70 percent of the $330 billion in trade between the two countries is carried by road, Mexico's Communications and Transportation Ministry said today in a statement.
Two Mexican trucks crossed the border Friday and delivered construction goods to destinations in South Carolina and New York, Tellez said. The trucks will return to Mexico carrying shipments of steel, he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: William Freebairn in Mexico City at wfreebairn@bloomberg.net .
US Air Force investigating cross-country nuke flight
WHOOPS: The warheads should have been taken off the missiles or the missiles loaded into the plane's cargo hold, not placed under its wings, an expert said
AP AND AFP, WASHINGTON
Friday, Sep 07, 2007, Page 7
A US Air Force B-52 bomber flew for more than three hours across several states while carrying six cruise missiles under its wings mistakenly armed with nuclear warheads, Pentagon officials say.
AP AND AFP, WASHINGTON
Friday, Sep 07, 2007, Page 7
 |
| This photo shows the GM-142 precision-guided air-to-ground missile carried by a B-52 bomber on Dec. 7, 2001. A B-52 bomber flew across the US last week mistakenly loaded with six nuclear armed cruise missiles. PHOTO: AFP/LOCKHEED MARTIN |
The incident last Thursday triggered an Air Force probe and the firing of a commander, Pentagon officials said on Wednesday.
US President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates were informed immediately after the mistake came to light, and Gates has asked for daily briefings on the Air Force inquiry, Defense Department press secretary Geoff Morrell said.
The B-52 originated at Minot Air Base in North Dakota and flew to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, said air force officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a Pentagon policy not to confirm information on nuclear weapons.
The US Air Force has relieved the munition squadron commander at Minot of his duties, and launched an investigation into last Thursday's incident, a Pentagon spokesman said.
"At no time was there a threat to public safety," Lieutenant Colonel Ed Thomas said.
"It is important to note that munitions were safe, secure and under military control at all times," he said.
The Pentagon would not provide details, citing secrecy rules, but an expert said the incident was unprecedented, and pointed to a disturbing lapse in the air force's command and control system.
"It seems so fantastic that so many points, checks can dysfunction," said Hans Kristensen, an expert on US nuclear forces.
"We have so many points and checks specifically so we don't have these kinds of incidents," he said.
"That's perhaps what is most worrisome about this particular incident -- that apparently an individual who had command authority about moving these weapons around decided to do so," he said.
"It's a command and control issue and it's one that calls into question the system, because if one individual can do that who knows what can happen," he said.
Nuclear weapons are normally transferred on cargo planes, never on the wings of bombers, he said.
Bomber flights with live nuclear weapons ended in the late 1960s after accidents in Spain in 1966 and in Greenland in 1968.
US lawmakers expressed outrage at the incident.
Representative Ike Skelton, Democratic chairman of the Armed Services Committee in the House of Representatives, called the mishandling of the weapons "deeply disturbing" and said the committee would press the military for details.
"It is absolutely inexcusable that the Air Force lost track of these five nuclear warheads, even for a short period of time," Representative Edward Markey, a Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement.
"Nothing like this has ever been reported before and we have been assured for decades that it was impossible," Markey said.
The breach originally was reported by the Military Times newspaper on Wednesday and was later confirmed by the Pentagon.
The missiles, which are being decommissioned, were mounted onto pylons on the bomber's wings, and it was unclear why the warheads had not been removed.
Officials said the weapons are designed with multiple safety features that ensure the warheads do not detonate accidentally. Arming the weapons requires a number of stringent protocols and authentication codes that must be followed for detonation. They are designed to withstand a significant impact, including a crash, without detonating.
The missiles carried W-80 warheads of up to 150 kilotonnes, 10 times the destructive force of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.APEC charts paths for sustainable development
By Qin Jize in Sydney and Hu Xuan in Beijing (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-09-10 06:58
Updated: 2007-09-10 06:58
Pacific rim leaders are charting new pathways for clean and sustainable development, and issued separate statements Sunday stressing the importance of forest and land use to fight climate change.
 President Hu Jintao (C) and Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (L) prepare for a family photo on the final day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders meeting at the Sydney Opera House September 9, 2007. [Reuters] |
The declaration specifies wide-ranging and ambitious actions the APEC member economies will take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Forest management and land use play a key role in the carbon cycle and need to be addressed properly in the post-Kyoto Protocol period, that is, from 2012, it said.
Speaking at the first session of the APEC forum on Saturday, President Hu Jintao put forward four proposals to fight climate change, including strengthening cooperation, pursuing sustainable development and promoting scientific and technological innovation.
Highlighting the importance of setting up the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation, which is part of the declaration, Hu said China has accumulated rich experience and expertise in sustainable forest management and rehabilitation.
The country "would like to share (that experience and expertise) with APEC member economies as a contribution to the collective efforts to fight climate change".
The declaration includes reducing energy intensity by 25 percent by 2030 and increasing forest cover across the APEC region.
It reaffirmed that future international climate change action plans need to reflect the differences in economic and social conditions of the APEC member economies and consider their common but different responsibilities.
On Saturday, Hu said developed countries should face their historical responsibility and reduce their high per capita emission levels and strictly abide by the emission reduction targets set forth in the Kyoto Protocol.
"They should honor their commitment on making technology transfer and providing financial support to developing countries, and continue to take the lead in reducing emissions after 2012," he said.
Hu outlined China's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to clean development, too. Between 1991 and 2005, China's efforts to use fossil fuels efficiently has reduced CO2 emissions by 1.8 billion tons. And the slowing down of its population growth, thanks to its family planning policy, has cut the equivalent of 1.2 billion tons of emissions a year.
Green goals
China has vowed to cut its energy consumption by 20 percent for every digit of GDP growth by 2010, reduce the discharge of waste material by 10 percent and raise its forest cover to 20 percent.
Hu's speech came as leaders of the 21 APEC member economies were set to agree to the joint declaration on climate change. The declaration reaffirms the leaders' commitment to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which China sees as the core mechanism and main channel for addressing the issue.
Australian and the US are the only APEC member economies not to have ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
It is heartening to see APEC leaders adopt a "long-term aspirational goal" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, said Zhang Jianyu, China program manager with US-based Environmental Defense.
The adoption of the Sydney Declaration is a boon for UN's global efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, he said.
Jobs dip heightens fears of recession
By Adam Shell, USA TODAY
NEW YORK — Wall Street may soon get its wish: an interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve to help stimulate an economy showing increasing signs of strain. But whether it is the quick fix investors hope for is no sure thing.
Blame a drop of 4,000 jobs last month, the first decline in payrolls in four years, for fanning fears that a recession is on the horizon — and all but cementing a cut in the target for short-term rates when the Fed meets Sept. 18.
The job weakness suggests the fallout from the housing-market bust and mortgage defaults and resulting credit crunch is spreading beyond the hard-hit housing and financial sectors. As a result, investors believe borrowing costs must be lowered quickly and aggressively to offset the increasing vulnerability of the broader U.S. economy.
"The data provides additional confirmation that the Fed needs to cut rates," said Michael Strauss, an investment strategist at Commonfund. Strauss says several easings may be necessary to help jumpstart financial markets and economic growth.
Market jitters were apparent Friday. The Dow Jones industrials fell 250 points, or 1.9%, to 13,113. The Dow is up just 5.2% this year after falling almost 900 points from its July 19 high of 14,000.41. Investors also flocked to what is considered a haven: U.S. government bonds. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which moves in the opposite direction of price, sank to 4.37%, down from 4.50% a day earlier and its lowest since January 2006.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Wall Street | Federal Reserve | US economy | Dow | Charles Schwab | US government bonds
While a rate cut would give investors a psychological boost and ease some pressure on financial companies and indebted consumers, it's not expected to solve all the problems facing the economy and markets overnight, says Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. "I'm not sure a (quarter- or half-point) cut will be a quick elixir," she says. "But it will help mitigate the broader impact of the problems we're facing."
While rate cuts have historically given stocks a boost, their impact on the economy doesn't kick in for roughly six months, notes Alan Skrainka, investment strategist at Edward Jones. Nor will cuts bail out homeowners over their heads in debt or make skittish lenders more willing to lend.
With the odds of recession rising, James Stack of InvesTech Research is playing defense. He says he has 55% of his portfolio in cash.
Still No Clues in Hunt for Aviator [Fossett]
By SANDRA CHEREB 09.09.07, 1:32 PM ETMINDEN, Nev. -
Nearly a week after record-setting aviator Steve Fossett disappeared, search leaders said Sunday they were still sure they would find him but acknowledged that combing thousands of square miles has taken a toll on rescue crews.
The aerial search, involving as many 45 aircraft surveying mountains and desert in western Nevada, still had produced no clue to Fossett's whereabouts. Sunday was the sixth day of the operation.
"It's not frustrating, but tiring," Nevada National Guard Capt. April Conway said Sunday.
"Everybody's waking up and saying 'Hopefully, today's the day,'" she told The Associated Press.
The 63-year-old adventurer has been missing since Labor Day, when he took off in a single-engine plane from an isolated ranch for a three-hour flight. He was said to be looking for dry lake beds where he could attempt to break the land speed record.
Civil Air Patrol pilots from throughout the West returned to the sky on Sunday morning, taking advantage of clear, cloudless weather with light wind.
The mood at Minden Airport, headquarters for the search-and-rescue operation, had dampened Sunday. Crew members declined to answer questions and referred all inquiries to Maj. Cynthia Ryan of the Nevada Civil Air Patrol, who would say only that pilots had received their assignments the night before.
In one sign that the effort has not produced as expected, nighttime flights using infrared scanners had been halted.
In addition to the civilian CAP planes, the National Guard has been assisting the search. As of Sunday, two of its helicopters were being based at the ranch 80 miles southeast of Reno where Fossett took off. The Flying M. Ranch, owned by hotel magnate Barron Hilton, has its own airstrip.
"The offer was made by Mr. Hilton yesterday," Conway said. "Going by the logistics, such as refueling, it made a lot of sense."
A number of private pilots involved in the search also have been using the ranch airstrip as a base.
Fossett is a skilled survivalist who has scaled some of the world's highest peaks and survived several failed attempts to circle the globe in a balloon before finally succeeding.
It is that history that gives his friends and search-and-rescue team members hope that he is still alive.
They are searching an area of 17,000 square miles, about twice the size of New Jersey, an unforgiving land of steep mountain ranges and barren desert plateaus.
"This is one small airplane in one big area," Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons said Saturday during a visit to the operation's headquarters at the Minden Airport. "I know every bit of how big the state of Nevada is, both from the ground and from the air. It is a challenge. It's a big challenge."
Search crews checked several tips that came from people who were near the California-Nevada border about the time Fossett was flying. None has panned out.
"So far, they remain four independent leads, four random pieces of a larger puzzle," Ryan said. "If we can get some more leads to come in, hopefully one of them will match up with one of those others and we'll have something significant to go after."
Authorities even sent a sonar-equipped sheriff's boat to Walker Lake, but it failed to find any sign of a submerged airplane.
Walker Lake is about 15 miles east of the Flying M Ranch.
6 Nukes Fly Over The US - Big Problems With This Story!
As the "official" story of six wayward nukes unfolds inconsistencies abound, and government reacts with absurd remedies. Government culture is not known for it's intelligence or common sense I grant you, but their reaction seems almost "Alice in Wonderland" like. Let's examine:
Air Force official fired after 6 nukes fly over U.S.
The Air Combat Command has ordered a command-wide stand down on Sept. 14 to review procedures, officials said. In addition to the munitions squadron commander who was relieved of his duties, crews involved with the mistaken load — including ground crew workers — have been temporarily decertified for handling munitions, one official said.
According to the U.S. Air Force statement, the commanding officer in charge of military munitions personnel and additional munitions airmen were relieved of duties pending the completion of the investigation.
According to Hans Kristensen, a nuclear weapons expert at the Federation of American Scientists, "the error could not have come from confusing the Advanced Cruise Missile with a conventional weapons since no conventional form exists. So the munitions Airmen should have been easily able to spot the mistake. Other routine procedures were violated which suggests a rather obvious explanation for the error. The military munitions personnel were acting under direct orders, though not through the regular chain of military command."
Now the question is - How did a squadron commander get access to nuclear warheads? (Weapons of mass destruction?) All nuclear weapons are released only by upper echelon authority. There are fail-safe procedures and protocols in place to keep just this sort of thing from happening.
A nuclear submarine commander cannot launch his nuclear missiles without direct orders from the Commander in Chief or next in the chain of command. There are authentication codes and redundant verification procedures to stop this from happening.
How did it happen? Was the president involved, was this a covert operation, or was there a security breach? Any way you slice it, there is something very, very wrong with this story.
The timing of this looks very suspicious. This happens now at a time when there is much talk of: The US preemptively Striking Iran and large scale terrorist attacks on US soil.
Is all of this just coincidence? Time will tell. Don't expect the truth from the military investigators though.
Take a look at these comments to get the seriousness of the crisis.
Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons “deeply disturbing” and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep. Edward J. Markey, a senior member of the Homeland Security committee, said it was “absolutely inexcusable.”
“Nothing like this has ever been reported before and we have been assured for decades that it was impossible,” said Markey, D-Mass., co-chair of the House task force on nonproliferation.
Another angle of the story coming out also looks suspicious. Why was the nuclear armed B-52 sent to Barksdale AFB?
If initial reports that the weapons were being decommissioned, but were mistakenly transported by a B-52 bomber, then the weapons should have been taken to Kirtland Air Force Base. According to Kristensen, this is “where the warheads are separated from the rest of the weapon and shipped to the Energy Department’s Pantex dismantlement facility near Amarillo, Texas”
It is well known that Barksdale AFB is used as a staging base for operations in the Middle East.
Another strange twist here from MSNBC:
Langley jets grounded next week for safety review
WAVY-TV HAMPTON, Va. (AP) -- Langley Air Force Base will ground its jets next week.
The Air Force says the service's Air Combat Command has ordered all jet fighters and bombers to remain grounded so airmen can review safety procedures and protocol.
Langley is home to three fighter squadrons, which fly the F-15 Eagle and F-22A Raptor.
The nuclear tipped cruise missiles were on bombers not fighters! Fighters do not carry nuclear weapons. Furthermore the incident happened at Minot Air Force Base and not Langley Air Force Base. What is more disturbing is the fact that Langley is charged with defending the airspace over much of the east coast including the capitol. Why are fighters being ordered to stand down? This just doesn't compute!
Let's review the strange and inconsistent aspects of this unfolding story:
1. Nuclear tipped weapons loaded and transported skirting layers of fail-safe security measures and the chain of command.
2. Nuclear tipped weapons supposedly slated for decommission transported to a base that does not have the facilities necessary.
3. Very suspicious timing. This all happens at a time when there is much talk of the US preemptively Striking Iran and/or large scale terrorist attacks on US soil.
4. Langley Air Force Base will ground its jets for a week leaving vital airspace much less protected.
The whole scenario doesn't sound good or square up. Something much more is going on than we are being told!
Source
Air Force official fired after 6 nukes fly over U.S.The Air Combat Command has ordered a command-wide stand down on Sept. 14 to review procedures, officials said. In addition to the munitions squadron commander who was relieved of his duties, crews involved with the mistaken load — including ground crew workers — have been temporarily decertified for handling munitions, one official said.
According to the U.S. Air Force statement, the commanding officer in charge of military munitions personnel and additional munitions airmen were relieved of duties pending the completion of the investigation.
According to Hans Kristensen, a nuclear weapons expert at the Federation of American Scientists, "the error could not have come from confusing the Advanced Cruise Missile with a conventional weapons since no conventional form exists. So the munitions Airmen should have been easily able to spot the mistake. Other routine procedures were violated which suggests a rather obvious explanation for the error. The military munitions personnel were acting under direct orders, though not through the regular chain of military command."
Now the question is - How did a squadron commander get access to nuclear warheads? (Weapons of mass destruction?) All nuclear weapons are released only by upper echelon authority. There are fail-safe procedures and protocols in place to keep just this sort of thing from happening.
A nuclear submarine commander cannot launch his nuclear missiles without direct orders from the Commander in Chief or next in the chain of command. There are authentication codes and redundant verification procedures to stop this from happening.How did it happen? Was the president involved, was this a covert operation, or was there a security breach? Any way you slice it, there is something very, very wrong with this story.
The timing of this looks very suspicious. This happens now at a time when there is much talk of: The US preemptively Striking Iran and large scale terrorist attacks on US soil.
Is all of this just coincidence? Time will tell. Don't expect the truth from the military investigators though.
Take a look at these comments to get the seriousness of the crisis.
Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons “deeply disturbing” and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep. Edward J. Markey, a senior member of the Homeland Security committee, said it was “absolutely inexcusable.”
“Nothing like this has ever been reported before and we have been assured for decades that it was impossible,” said Markey, D-Mass., co-chair of the House task force on nonproliferation.
Another angle of the story coming out also looks suspicious. Why was the nuclear armed B-52 sent to Barksdale AFB?
If initial reports that the weapons were being decommissioned, but were mistakenly transported by a B-52 bomber, then the weapons should have been taken to Kirtland Air Force Base. According to Kristensen, this is “where the warheads are separated from the rest of the weapon and shipped to the Energy Department’s Pantex dismantlement facility near Amarillo, Texas”
It is well known that Barksdale AFB is used as a staging base for operations in the Middle East.
Another strange twist here from MSNBC:
Langley jets grounded next week for safety review
WAVY-TV HAMPTON, Va. (AP) -- Langley Air Force Base will ground its jets next week.
The Air Force says the service's Air Combat Command has ordered all jet fighters and bombers to remain grounded so airmen can review safety procedures and protocol.
Langley is home to three fighter squadrons, which fly the F-15 Eagle and F-22A Raptor.
The nuclear tipped cruise missiles were on bombers not fighters! Fighters do not carry nuclear weapons. Furthermore the incident happened at Minot Air Force Base and not Langley Air Force Base. What is more disturbing is the fact that Langley is charged with defending the airspace over much of the east coast including the capitol. Why are fighters being ordered to stand down? This just doesn't compute!
Let's review the strange and inconsistent aspects of this unfolding story:
1. Nuclear tipped weapons loaded and transported skirting layers of fail-safe security measures and the chain of command.
2. Nuclear tipped weapons supposedly slated for decommission transported to a base that does not have the facilities necessary.
3. Very suspicious timing. This all happens at a time when there is much talk of the US preemptively Striking Iran and/or large scale terrorist attacks on US soil.
4. Langley Air Force Base will ground its jets for a week leaving vital airspace much less protected.
The whole scenario doesn't sound good or square up. Something much more is going on than we are being told!
Source
They're Looking For The Missing Nuke
OPINION: THEY ARE *NOT* LOOKING FOR FOSSETT, HE IS NOT MISSING, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE HE IS.... THEY ARE USING HIM AS A COVER STORY... THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A MISSING 150 KILOTON NUKE!
By: Never_Surrender <Send E-Mail>
Date: Friday, 7 September 2007, 11:06 a.m.
By: Never_Surrender <Send E-Mail>
Date: Friday, 7 September 2007, 11:06 a.m.
Ok....
Something just occurred to me....
On Aug. 30th we had the B-52 nuke incident, no one knows for sure if there were 5 or 6 nukes yet.
If there were 6 ONE IS MISSING
On Sept. 3rd, we are being told that a famous man went missing... a highly connected famous man.
for days they have been searching for him.....
OR HAVE THEY?
This all just hit me when I was watching the news for the first time in about two weeks, and I heard them say that the MILITARY is helping to look for this Fossett guy.
WHAT? The Military????
It was then that it hit me....
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THE MISSING NUKE!
Nevada Guard Aids Search for Missing Pilot Fossett
Air Force units assist in search for adventurer Steve Fossett
COME ON, THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS IS ALL FOR SOME GUY!!
They even have GOOGLE searching for the guy FROM SPACE!!
Mark my words.... THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A MISSING NUKE.
This Fossett guy is ONLY missing because they needed a cover story... they had to find a way to explain all of the military planes that were going to be flying around over Nevada.
They needed a good excuse and VOILA... Fossett provided it!!
As soon as they locate the nuke, they will produce the set up "crash" scene!
Right now that man is in a bunker somewhere with his plane hidden inside or underneath of a mountain being held in safe keeping away from public eyes until they find what they are really looking for......... A MISSING 150 KILOTON NUCLEAR WEAPON!!
and then they will take him out to some remote location and set up the "crash" scene.... or, there is a chance that Fossett is in on this whole thing and that he volunteered to "disappear" for a few days into some government bunker so that he could play a part in saving the country from being nuked.
In which case he will show up in a week or two with some heroic story of survival and everyone will be amazed that he made it.
I don't know why it took me so long to get this one but...
they are DEFINITELY NOT looking for a missing man using ALL of these military resources and EVEN going as far as to have satellites searching FROM SPACE....
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH MATTERS OF NATIONAL SECURITY.... mark my words.
"A VIEW TO A KILL":STEVE FOSSET,A BROKEN ARROW &THE 3rd FEMA SCENARIO AFTER 9/11
Date: Saturday, 8 September 2007, 9:44 p.m.
In Response To: IF I WERE IN CALIFORNIA,- I'D LEAVE NOW. *PIC* (The_Fox) Most possible a nuke has gone "missing" on Aug. 30 on the territory of the U.S.. Everything we have heared about that incident with the B52 points towards that assumption. The code word in military jargon for such an accident is called "Broken Arrow". And we had a "Broken Arrow" - at least for that three to four hours flighttime - where five or six nuklear weapons of the U.S.A. were not under control of the "system" - as they simply didn't knew about their whereabouts - which would be the best case of the worst, however. According to various sources it took the B52 three to four hours from Minot to Barksdale AF-Base, which is a distance of appr. 1,100 miles. Calculating with an avarage speed of the B52 at about 530mph the bomber could have made the distance on a direct flight in about two hours. The actual route was kept secret. It can be assumed that the flight planning didn't lead the route over populated area - even if nothing was known about the payload - and this would suggest a course leading in great parts over the Rocky Mountains. Let's speculate that the B52 indeed had six cruise missiles under its wings - as was reported initially. Which would make sense - as you would put on this stuff symetrically - and not "five" as was reported later. So chances are high that the confusion occured, as the B52 was leaving with six warheads from ND - and arriving in Louisiana with five only... According to calculations it is possible that the hot bomber could fly past the Great Nevada Bassin. But much more likely is that it could have been possible that one AGM 86 was programmed that way that it silently dropped "itself" from the pylon, fell close to the surface and started its propulsion engine there - skimming towards a preprogrammed target - maybe a lake, somewhere in the "nowhere" of Arizona. Although a bit speculative, let's continue our little scenario. The cruise missile drops into the lake - without exploding - leaving the warhead intact. Someone only has to go there and pick it up. Without signing any acknowledgement of receipt... Ian Fleming wrote a similar scenario in "Never say Never Again": A SPECTRE agent has stolen two American nuclear warheads, and James Bond must find their targets before they are detonated... But there is even more from the world of the inventor of 007, and it deals with earthquakes, the San Andreas fault, and flooding Silicon Valley. In "A View to a Kill" Christopher Walken plays the bad guy Max Zorin having invented a new computer chip capable of blowing out all other digital chips. In our case we wouldn't have to deal with some "computer-chips" but rather with a major earthquake in California! I wrote about this "3rd FEMA prediction" at... ...and "coincidentally" it was published exactly on Sept.14.! See, what is planned for that date! ... First on the list was a terrorist attack in New York. Second was a super-strength hurricane hitting New Orleans. Third was a major earthquake on the San Andreas fault. ...A catastrophic temblor at the right spot along the San Andreas could significantly reduce energy and water supplies - at least temporarily, she and others said... ...Because the Los Angeles region is so much larger than the Louisiana city, it is difficult to conceive of a disaster - "sort of an A-bomb" - that would blanket the whole city, let alone the whole county, in ruin, said Lee Sapaden, a spokesman for Los Angeles County's Office of Emergency Management... But back to our fiction about the missing nuke. Three days after the incident with the B52 -on Monday, Sept. 3, early in the morning - "aviator" Steve Fossett took off in a small plane from the private airstrip "Flying-M Ranch", near Carson City and the California border. It was reported that Fossett was "searching for a suitable lake bed" for another speed record attempt. Althoug constantly appearing in media as the "great aviator" little is known about the connections and businesslife of Steve Fossett. James Stephen Fossett, born April 22, 1944, in Jackson, Tenn., growing up in Garden Grove, Calif has always been portrayed as a colorful person. Fossett's first job after college was running the information-technology division of some department store. Later he joined Merrill Lynch and founded the Lakota Trading Inc., a stock-options trading firm in Chicago. It was followed by Larkspur Securities Inc., an investment firm and Marathon Securities, a securities firm, all located in Chicago. The celebrity earned a bachelor's degree in economics and philosophy, at the "epicenter" of today's Neocons, Stanford University, and holds a master's degree in BA from Washington University/St.Louis. Fossett is married to Peggy Fossett, the couple have no children and live in Beaver Creek/Colorado. The autobiography of Steve Fossett appeared in 2006: "Chasing the Wind"... But let's have a look what we do know of Fossett's company Marathon Securities Ltd.? Did you know that "Marathon Securities" was involved with the ptb-circles through Barrick Gold? Managing takovers of Gold-shares? In "redistributing" of Zaire's mining industry in unisono with the Worldwide British Cartell and all those IMFs of our world? Meeting in Lubumbashi on 9./10. May 1997, participants: But back to Nevada: The Franco Nevada Mining Corp. Ltd. that has at least business connections to Marathon Securities was bought in 2002 by Newmont Mining Corporation, one of the World's leading gold producers with operations on five continents. From their site: Fosset could have been in that area within one hour flight-time. Parking his small single-engine Bellanca Super Decathlon (tail number N240R) wherever it would be suitable. No signal was received from the plane's emergency locator transmitter, designed to be automatically activated in an event of a crash... So most possibly there was no crash. And why would one of the highest ranking military, Maj.Gen.Henry C.Morrow, "coordinate" any search for Fossett if there wasn't more behind the story? The area, Newmont owns, shows a lot of natural springs interconnected via subterrain water-channels. The Sage layback was broadly drilled by Santa Fe Pacific Gold in the mid-1990s. The Sage ore body is a northern extension of the existing Twin Creeks Mega pit, and occurs in the overturned fold axis of a NW-trending anticline at depths of 600 to 1200 feet. Together with the proper knowledge of the geological terrain of the area it would be imaginable that someone could use those skills for placing a nuke somewhere there - near the states border to California - inmidst the San Andreas fault - possibly causing a major quake. If nature isn't on time to "fullfill" FEMA's predictions - hey - one could do a lot "with a little help from my friends"... And - what companies own massive short positions running out by Sept.21! Although this little fiction is highly speculative there are lots of bits that would fit into a "scenario" - and nobody would recognize it. It would possibly go under the topic of a "natural catastrophy"... War on 'error, Part 33: "FEMA's famous Third Fame"
FarSight3 -- Wednesday, 14 September 2005, 12:40 p.m....U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Lucy Jones remembers attending an emergency training session in August 2001 with the FEMA that discussed the three most likely catastrophes to strike the United States.
Most people do know him as being the first person to circle the globe in a balloon in 2002 solo and being the first to fly a plane solo around the world without refueling in 2005. Fosset holds 116 records in five sports, including sailing, ballooning, gliding, dirigibles and powered aircraft. About half remain unbroken. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2007.
Could be a perfect cover, indeed. Noone would expect from someone that much in the focus of the media that there might be another face behind a nice, 63 years old famous sportsman. Same with Sir Richard Branson, the British billionaire who has helped finance many of Fossett's adventures. Although Rayelan doesn't think so... * Bunting Warburg/Toronto, a dpt.of the Swiss Bankverein-Warburg;
* Goldman Sachs/Wall-Street-Investmenthouse;
* London's Hedge Fund Value Investing Partners;
* SA dpt. of German Morgan Grenfell;
* C.M. Oliver/Vancouver;
* Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce-Wood Gundy (CBIC);
* Marathon Securities;
* British Investors Yorkton Securities;
* Nile International/North-Carolina;
* British Breco International;
* London's National Securities;
* Northern Mining/Ontario.Newmont owns or controls approximately 3,056 square miles (7,915 square kilometers) of land in Nevada, stretching across the state along the Interstate 80 corridor.
Source
Langley jets grounded next week for safety review
See, my issue with this story is, how in the hail were nuclear warheads "MISTAKENLY" loaded onto a B-52 bomber? Also WHY would the Air Force and Air Combat Command OPENLY announce that they're grounding jet fighters and bombers on Sept 14th??? Why even say the day? What purpose does this serve???? If the red flags are popping up in front of you after you read the article below, don't knock them down or ignore them because something definitely is not right with this. Here's the article below...
Langley jets grounded next week for safety review
HAMPTON, Va. (AP) -- Langley Air Force Base will ground its jets next week.The Air Force says the service's Air Combat Command has ordered all jet fighters and bombers to remain grounded so airmen can review safety procedures and protocol.
Langley is home to three fighter squadrons, which fly the F-15 Eagle and F-22A Raptor.
Officials say the stand down next Friday was prompted by an August incident where a B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown across several states.The advanced nuclear cruise missiles loaded on the B-52 were scheduled to be decommissioned and were flying from North Dakota to Louisiana.
Officials say the warheads are designed so they don't accidentally detonate. To accidentally load them onto the bomber meant that safety protocols were ignored.
(Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Microchip implants cause fast-growing, malignant tumors in lab animals.....
Sat, 08 Sep 2007 05:11:00
The Associated Press will issue a breaking story this weekend revealing that microchip implants have induced cancer in laboratory animals and dogs, says privacy expert and long-time VeriChip opponent Dr. Katherine Albrecht.
As the AP will report, a series of research articles spanning more than a decade found that mice and rats injected with glass-encapsulated RFID transponders developed malignant, fast-growing, lethal cancers in up to 1% to 10% of cases. The tumors originated in the tissue surrounding the microchips and often grew to completely surround the devices, the researchers said.
Albrecht first became aware of the microchip-cancer link when she and her "Spychips" co-author, Liz McIntyre, were contacted by a pet owner whose dog had died from a chip-induced tumor. Albrecht then found medical studies showing a causal link between microchip implants and cancer in other animals. Before she brought the research to the AP's attention, the studies had somehow escaped public notice.
A four-month AP investigation turned up additional documents, several of which had been published before VeriChip's parent company, Applied Digital Solutions, sought FDA approval to market the implant for humans. The VeriChip received FDA approval in 2004 under the watch of then Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson who later joined the company's board.
Under FDA policy, it would have been VeriChip's responsibility to bring the adverse studies to the FDA's attention, but VeriChip CEO Scott Silverman claims the company was unaware of the research.
Albrecht expressed skepticism that a company like VeriChip, whose primary business is microchip implants, would be unaware of relevant studies in the published literature.
"For Mr. Silverman not to know about this research would be negligent. If he did know about these studies, he certainly had an incentive to keep them quiet," said Albrecht. "Had the FDA known about the cancer link, they might never have approved his company's product."
Since gaining FDA approval, VeriChip has aggressively targeted diabetic and dementia patients, and recently announced that it had chipped 90 Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers in Florida. Employees in the Mexican Attorney General's Office, workers in a U.S. security firm, and club-goers in Europe have also been implanted.
Albrecht expressed concern for those who have received a chip implant, urging them to get the devices removed as soon as possible.
"These new revelations change everything," she said. "Why would anyone take the risk of having a cancer chip in their arm?"
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ABOUT CASPIAN
CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering) is a grass-roots consumer group fighting retail surveillance schemes since 1999 and irresponsible RFID use since 2002. With thousands of members in all 50 U.S. states and over 30 countries worldwide, CASPIAN seeks to educate consumers about marketing strategies that invade their privacy and encourage privacy-conscious shopping habits across the retail spectrum.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT:
Dr. Katherine Albrecht
Founder and Director, CASPIAN Consumer Privacy
(877) 287-5854, kma[at]spychips.com
Host of "Uncovering the Truth"
We the People Radio Network, M-F 10AM-12PM EST
http://www.wtprn.com
Co-author of "SPYCHIPS: How Major Corporations and Government Plan to Track Your Every Move with RFID"
http://www.spychips.com/book/booksales.html
WEBSITES:
Human Chipping: http://www.AntiChips.com
RFID: http://www.SpyChips.com
Shopper Cards: http://www.NoCards.org
Bio online at: http://www.spychips.com/media/katherine-albrecht.html
Alex Jones Arrested By NYPD [NYPD Switchboard: (646) 610-5000]
08 September, 2007 20:46:00
Infowars - NEW YORK - Media activist Alex Jones was arrested by New York Police Department officers while filming a documentary about the sixth anniversary of September 11th and joining the protest against the official version of what happened on 9/11.
According to Infowars sources Jones was singled out by police from the head of a crowd of about 400 9/11 Truth Activists and protesters. He was verbally accosted and forced by the police officers to present identification which he was not carrying at the time.
NYPD officers arrested Jones for "unspecified charges" and removed from the protest crowd to be taken to the nearest police precinct where he currently remains.
Rob Jacobson, camera operator on Jones' documentary production crew indicated that a large portion of the protest crowd has moved to the precinct where Jones is being held to ensure his fair treatment and safe release.
More news as it develops... NYPD Home Page - http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/home.shtml
Update! - Video of arrest at this site - http://www.roguegovernment.com/news.php?id=3860
Update from - http://houston911truth.org/2007/09/09/alex-jones-handcuffed-911-protesters-on-fox-news/
Update 9:30PM - Jones has been released but there are others still detained.
Please e-mail houston911truth@gmail.com if you have the names of the people still detained.
Update 10:30PM - Dean and Jethro from We Are Change UK have been released. Thanks to Toseef from We Are Change UK.
We Are Change.Org Live feed -Currently Not downloading - http://www.wearechange.org/index.html
National Expositor Note: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000242----000-.html
Deprivation of rights under color of law:
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
Rupert Murdoch Buys The Wall Street Journal....Ut Oh
The Fox And The Journal
Dennis Kneale, 08.01.07, 3:25 PM ET
The lamentations begin: The Wall Street Journal, bastion of objectivity and insight in business news, has fallen into the clutches of wily Rupert Murdoch, the tabloid-mongering, arch-conservative Australian press lord and chief of the omnivorous News Corp.
Murdoch will impose his views and his business agenda on the hallowed news pages of the Journal and its high-minded, mission-motivated scribes. This, after the Journal had spent a century in the protective cocoon of the Bancroft family, four generations upholding a solemn promise to insulate the newspaper from the harsh vagaries of business pressures and Wall Street whims. Brace for the updating of résumés and a supposed exodus of noble Journal staff.
The lamenters have one thing right: It is, indeed, a sad day in journalism. But the rest of it is just plain wrong. It's a sad day in journalism not because Murdoch's conquering hordes have had their way with the Journal and its parent, Dow Jones & Co. (nyse: DJ - news - people )--it's sad because the greatest financial-news brand in the world ended up unable to stand on its own in the next media age.
Video: Wall Street Journal Under Murdoch
And that tragedy owes not to Rupert Murdoch or the rise of the Internet. It owes to the same precious, sanctimonious attitude that has been on display at Dow Jones since the bid emerged. It owes to some of the same pious and self-absorbed people who so regret this deal: some Bancrofts; longtime Dow Jones brass who presided over a multitude of miscalculations and miscues in 20 years; and, to a lesser degree, self-satisfied Journal-istas who fooled themselves into thinking they were doing God's work. How else to explain their desperate search for another bidder and reportedly trying to entice billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens and billionaire grocer Ron Burkle. Rupert, at least, knows a bit about journalism.
None of these insiders were evil or even stupid, and all of them meant well. But hey--they blew it, they lost and now they should be kissing Rupert's ring, or something else, to thank him for saving their collective hide.
By The Numbers
It is painful to say this, for my career owes so much to the Journal, where I started at age 24 and didn't quit until age 41 (to join Forbes). My admiration and affection for the paper, and for my former colleagues, are undiminished, eight years after my exit. For a time I nurtured far-off fantasies (read: delusions) of returning one day, MacArthur-like, to run it.
But 20 years ago Dow Jones' market value was at $2.6 billion, and News Corp.'s (nyse: NWS - news - people ) was at $3 billion; today News Corp., at $67 billion, is worth more than 10 times the market cap of Dow Jones, which will disappear into the Murdoch machine for all of $5.6 billion in cash. In 25 years, Dow Jones shares rose an embarrassingly low 57%, as the S&P 500 surged 1,181% or more than 11-fold, and the Dow Jones industrial average soared 1,447%, up 14-fold.
Dow Jones stock was at $30 or so in 1983, a year after I joined; after a 3-for-2 stock split, it was at only $36 on the day before the Journal finally broke the news of Murdoch's $60-a-share bid on May 1. (The paper, whose integrity gets a lot of ink lately, held back the scoop for a week or two after word of the offer leaked into the newsroom; this, no doubt, served Dow Jones' business agenda. If Rupert tries that, he will be hanged.)
So maybe none of this is Dow Jones' fault: It struggles amid decrepit dinosaurs in the newspaper industry, blah blah blah. But this company botched myriad opportunities. And a primary reason is that Dow Jones was always run by journos, not by business executives. This quaint bent, always a strength of the Journal, weakened Dow Jones. Its chief executives were past Journal scribes, until Richard Zannino succeeded the affable and honorable Peter Kann last year. Other editors were seeded into jobs running units throughout the company--circulation, the Wall Street newswire, the thriving indexes business, the entire overseas operations, new desktop data ventures, a failed desktop-video service and more.
The flaw of this is that journalists, bless our corn-pone hearts, make decisions based on what's good journalism, not what's good business. And to get real about it, the former can't survive and thrive without the latter.
Bad Business
At Dow Jones, many decisions in pursuit of good journalism came unabashedly at the expense of profits. We ink-stained wretches celebrate this, blind to the financial withering that ensues over the long term. The Journal has kept its Asian edition alive through 31 years of tepid performance; it recently shrank to a tabloid. It has kept plugging at a struggling European edition that, in 25 years, posted spotty profits and frequent losses and failed to challenge the Financial Times.
Amid a terrible downturn in print ads a few years ago, the paper added staff to broaden coverage of softer fare and personal how-to advice. And it swallowed a likely 20% increase in distribution costs to add a Saturday edition that has been poorly received. (Let's hope Rupert kills it, if he dares. We have too much to read as it is.)
Outside the newsroom, other moves fared even worse. Years ago Dow Jones blew two chances to create a business-news cable channel, in one case losing out to General Electric (nyse: GE - news - people ), whose CNBC now has pretax profits of $300 million a year. DJ ran up losses of more than $1 billion on financial-data wire service Telerate, then earlier this year had to sell off six of its local papers to raise cash to pay $200 million to settle a related breach-of-contract suit. The Journal fared better with WSJ.com, with its audience of a million paying subscribers, but Forbes.com, a free site, reaches 15 million users a month worldwide.
At many other companies, such a lengthy litany of screw-ups would ignite a shareholder revolt, but at Dow Jones the Bancrofts reigned, and the rest of the shareholder base--the unlucky gene pool--was powerless to rebel. The controlling family owned only 38% of DJ shares but held 64% voting control, a structure shareholders had approved in the early 1980s.
So why didn't the Bancrofts themselves revolt? A laudable sense of duty, sure--but another reason has to be the steady flow of dividends funded by the Dow Jones brass. The company paid out hundreds of millions of dollars over the years in shareholder dividends instead of reinvesting the cash in new businesses. Even as earnings struggled, DJ raised its dividend 25% in 12 years. In the past decade, Dow Jones earned all of $377 million in net income after charges and restructurings--but it paid out $858 million in dividends. Debt covered part of the tab, almost doubling in 10 years to $447 million.
Some $330 million of that dividend largesse went to the Bancrofts, an average of $33 million a year--a payoff, of sorts, for keeping their hands off the business and letting the pros run it. One key factor in clinching this deal was News Corp.'s agreeing to pick up $30 million in personal advisory costs the Bancrofts ran up. In the end, it was always about money.
That the Bancroft family's cozy arrangement was disrupted so quickly, and the relatives so riven, by Murdoch's $60-a-share bid raises questions about other stumbling companies with two separate and unequal classes of stock. Memo to the New York Times Co. (nyse: NYT - news - people ): You may be next.
226 Juvenile Inmates to Be Freed in Texas
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN, Tex., May 19 (AP) — The agency that runs the state’s juvenile prison system said it would release 226 inmates after a review found their sentences were improperly extended.
Advocates for Texas Youth Commission inmates and their families have complained that sentences are often extended inconsistently or in retaliation for filing grievances.
Jay Kimbrough, who is heading an investigation into accusations of physical and sexual abuse at the agency’s facilities, formed a panel to review the records of nearly all inmates with extended sentences. The six-member panel, which included community advocates and prosecutors, reviewed the cases of 1,027 inmates whose sentences were extended.
“For the youth we’re releasing, we did not find that the extensions were warranted,” an agency spokesman, Jim Hurley, said Friday. “The others will be reviewed on a regular basis.”
Mr. Hurley said the 226 inmates would be released on parole as soon as guardians can pick them up or they can be transferred to an interim halfway house.
The commission incarcerates about 4,700 offenders ages 10 to 21.
Sex Offenders and Civil Commitment
INTERACTIVE FEATURE: Sex Offenders and Civil Commitment
Civil commitment for sex offenders is gaining favor with lawmakers even as its stated purpose is almost never met.
Gunman Kills Officer in Idaho Courthouse
MOSCOW, Idaho, May 20 — A gunman went on a shooting rampage in this quiet college town late Saturday night, killing a police officer and wounding a sheriff’s deputy and a civilian before taking refuge in a church.
Early today, SWAT units stormed the church and found the bodies of the gunman and another man, who was believed to be the church caretaker.
Officials had not released the identity of the shooter or the injured civilian as of this evening. They said they did not know the gunman’s motive.
Moscow is about 80 miles south of Spokane, Wash., and is home to 22,000 residents and the University of Idaho.
At a news conference today, David Duke, the assistant chief of the Moscow Police Department, said the shootings began about 11:30 p.m. Saturday when someone opened fire on the Latah County Courthouse, which houses the sheriff’s office.
The police said the shots may have been intended to draw people to the scene so the gunman could ambush them. Witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots.
“You could classify it as an ambush,” Chief Duke said. “All the information I have is that there was no return fire.”
Three dispatchers and two deputies who were inside the sheriff’s office escaped injury from the hail of bullets, which shattered windows and equipment and penetrated walls, Sheriff Wayne Rausch said.
Moscow police were notified at 11:31 p.m., and Officer Lee Newbill and another officer set off on foot for the courthouse from the police station about five blocks away.
Officer Newbill, a six-year veteran of the police force, died after being shot several times about a block from the courthouse. A sheriff’s deputy, Sgt. Brannon Jordan, was wounded when he went to Mr. Newbill’s aid. The civilian, whom the police did not identify, was believed to be a nearby resident who approached the scene to offer help, the police said.
Sergeant Jordan was reported in serious condition at the Moscow hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. The resident who was shot had undergone surgery and was in stable condition.
The Associated Press identified the second man found in the church as Paul Bauer, a caretaker believed to be in his 60s who lived at the church.
Chief Duke said the police did not return fire during the barrage because the shooter’s location was never established.
After the attack on the courthouse, the gunman fled to the First Presbyterian Church across the street from the sheriff’s department.
The police said that a single, muffled gunshot was heard about 1 a.m. from the church.
Officers responded from the Idaho State Police, Washington State Police, the Lewiston Police Department and from neighboring Pullman and Washington State University. Three SWAT units entered the church about 6 a.m. and found the two bodies in separate parts of the church.
The police suspect that the gunman killed Mr. Bauer and then killed himself.
Chief Duke said the gunman used an assault rifle, which was found with four empty magazines near his body.
Mayor Nancy Chaney said she had heard the gunshots from her home nearly a mile away.
“I knew it didn’t sound like fireworks, so I was trying to put it in context, and I was expecting a call,” Ms. Chaney said.
She was called by the police at 12:53 a.m. and asked to stay put until the situation became clearer. At 2 a.m., the mayor went to Gritman Memorial Hospital in Moscow, where she spent the night with families of the shooting victims.
John K. Fellman, who lives several blocks from the sheriff’s office, was walking his two dogs this morning when he approached the cordon of yellow police tape and an officer guarding the crime scene.
“It sounded like Falluja or something,” said Mr. Fellman, a faculty member at Washington State University, which is eight miles away.
Over 2,000 children sentenced to life in US prisons
Reviewed by Rafael Perez
At least 2,225 people are currently serving sentences of life in prison without parole in the United States for crimes they committed before their 18th birthday. The US is one of few countries that sentences children to life without parole, violating the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by every country in the world except the United States and Somalia.
Links To Check Out:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article318840.ece
http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/interna.asp?idnews=30594
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Blasts From The Past.....News Stories You Shouldn't Forget!
You probably missed this story in mainstream media (mainly because it was never there) but this is definitely one that you shouldn't forget! Sort of makes anybody who actually BELIEVED that the WTC came down by the hand of Bin Laden, wonder who was REALLY behind it. If you don't already at least have some idea, ya better ask somebody!
No Hard Evidence Connecting Bin Laden to 9/11
Researched by Morgan Ulery
Osama bin Ladin’s role in the events of September 11, 2001 is not mentioned on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” notice. Go to: http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/fugitives.htm
Five years later Rex Tomb, chief of investigative publicity for the FBI explains, “The reason 9/11 is not mentioned on Osama bin Laden's Most Wanted page is because the FBI has no hard evidence connecting bin Laden to 9/11… He has not been formally indicted and charged in connection with 9/11 because the FBI has no hard evidence connecting bin Laden to 9/11.” Among many questions, author Ed Haas starts with, “If the U.S. government does not have enough hard evidence connecting bin Laden to 9/11, how is it possible that it had enough evidence to invade Afghanistan?”
“FBI says, ‘No hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9/11” Paul V. Sheridan and Ed Haas, The Ithica Journal, 6/29/2006
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060629/OPINION02/606290310/1014
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New Jersey OKs 200 Contaminated School Sites
Reviewed by: Sandra Karnes
New Jersey government turns a blind eye to building schools on radioactive sites. A scheme to purchase land and build a high school on the highly contaminated former Manhattan Project site was not vetoed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Instead, the former uranium processing facility is one of as many as 200 contaminated sites that have been expedited for school construction under a secret “Memorandum of Understanding” between the DEP and the state’s Schools Construction Corporation (SCC). State officials have refused to disclose the list of all known contaminated school sites purchased by the SCC and reviewed by DEP under the Memorandum of Understanding agreement. The $8 billion program is one of the nations largest public works program.
“ Radioactive School Site is Tip of New Jersey Iceberg” PEER, 4/24/2006
http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0424-11.htm
Update: “New Jersey Leaves Door Open for More Schools on Toxic Sites,” PEER, 10/5/2006. http://www.peer.org/news/print_detail.php?row_id=762
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Pentagon’s Database on Children
Reviewed by Charlene Jones
A $70.5 million database of over 30 million children and young adults is being used by the Pentagon for recruiting purposes. Parents cannot remove their children’s names from the database. The No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to report data of children in secondary schools to military recruiters. The Pentagon purchases information supplied by private corporations, including General Motors and Hooked on Phonics.
“ Mining for Kids: Children Can’t ‘Opt Out’ of Pentagon Recruitment Database,” Kathryn Casa, Vermont Guardian, 01/17/06
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0117-12.htm
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KBR’s Gulf Coast Slaves
Reviewed by Lauren Powell
Authorities are keeping Katrina relief workers ill-informed and unprotected from the health risks of what has been described as a cesspool of toxic chemicals. No government regulations for Katrina responders exist. KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton, holds the main contract for Katrina relief work, and while the company maintains it operates legally, hundreds of undocumented immigrants have been hired. Many have been denied promised wages, food and shelter. A period of relaxed labor standards following Katrina created lasting conditions for abuse of workers.
“Gulf Coast Slaves,” Roberto Lovato, Salon.com, 11/05
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/111505A.shtml
“Relief Workers May Be Next Wave of Katrina Victim,s” Michelle Chen, The New Standard, 09/23/05
http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/2395
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Halliburton to build domestic detention facilities
Reviewed by Bailey Malone
As the UN demands closure of KBR-built Guantanamo facilities, the Halliburton subsidiary was awarded a $385 million, five-year contract from DHS’s US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to build detention facilities within the US. The facilities would house an emergency influx of immigrants, or “support the rapid development of new programs.”
Links To Check Out: (can you say "concentration capms"?)
http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=eed74d9d44c30493706fe03f4c9b3a77
halliburton/eng/news/source_files/press_release/2006/kbrnws_012406.html
Blasts From The Past.....News Stories You Shouldn't Forget!
Foreign Privatization of America’s Infrastructure
We will soon be paying Wall Street investors, Australian bankers, and Spanish contractors for the privilege of driving on American roads as more than 20 states have enacted legislation allowing public-private partnerships to build and run highways. Investment firms including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and the Carlyle Group are approaching state politicians with advise to sell off extraordinarily valuable transportation infrastructure. When advising state officials on the future of this vital public asset, these investment firms fail to mention that their sole purpose is to pick up infrastructure at the lowest price possible in order to maximize returns for investors. Investors, more often than not foreign companies, are charging tolls and often insist on “noncompete” clauses that limit governments from expanding or improving nearby roads. Quiet plans are underway for the mega-project, NAFTA Super Highway, which would run a huge, privatized expressway from the Mexican border to the Canadian border to begin construction in 2007.
If you've never believed in UN AGENDA 21 before, the above story is proof that you'd better believe it NOW.
Check these links as well:
“The Highwaymen” Daniel Schulman with James Ridgeway. Mother Jones, 2/2007
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/01/highwaymen.html
“ Bush Administration Quietly Plans NAFTA Super Highway” Jerome R. Corsi, Human Events, 6/12/2006 http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=15497
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No Habeas Corpus for “Any Person”
Researched by Julie Bickel
With the approval of Congress and no outcry from corporate media, the Military Commissions Act (MCA), signed by Bush on October 17, 2006, ushers in military tribunal law for US citizens and non-citizens alike. While media have given false comfort that we, as American citizens, will not be the victims of the draconian measures legalized by this Act — such as military roundups, torture, life-long detention without court trial— articles below disclose verbiage in the MCA that allows for the institution of a military alternative to the constitutional justice system for “any person” regardless of American citizenship. The MCA did away with habeas corpus rights for “any person” arbitrarily deemed to be an “enemy of the state.” The judgment on whom is deemed an “enemy combatant” is solely at the discretion of President Bush. “And once that happens,” says Thom Hartmann, “you no longer have the right to challenge your detention. You don’t have the right to a lawyer, or to a trial, or to a jury. You don’t have the right to talk to anybody; you have no rights whatsoever. That’s what no habeas corpus means. They can put you in prison and torture you for the rest of your life.”
Check The Links:
“Who Is 'Any Person' in Tribunal Law?” Robert Parry, Consortium, 10/19/2006
http://consortiumnews.com/2006/101906.html
“ Still No Habeas Rights for You” Robert Parry, Consortium, 2/3/2007
http://consortiumnews.com/2007/020307.html
“ Repeal the Military Commissions Act and Restore the Most American Human Right” Thom Hartmann, Commondreams, 2/12/2007
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0212-24.htm
“The Facts About the Military Commission Act” Bob Avakian, Revolution, 10/8/2006
http://rwor.org/a/064/torturelaw-en.html
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Bush’s Move Toward Martial Law
Researched by Julie Bickel
The Defense Authorization Act of 2007," which was quietly signed by Bush on October 17th, 2006, the same day that he signed the Military Commissions Act, allows the president to station troops anywhere in America and take control of state-based National Guard units without the consent of the governor or local authorities, in order to "suppress public disorder." By revising the two-century-old Insurrection Act, the law in effect repeals the Posse Comitatus Act and gives Bush the legal authority to order the military onto the streets of America, directing military operations against the American people under the cover of ‘law enforcement.’ The law facilitates militarized police round-ups and detention, transferring from the Pentagon to local militarized police units, the latest technology and weaponry designed to suppress dissent. Frank Morales asserts that “with the president’s polls at an historic low… and Democrats taking back the Congress… it is particularly worrisome that President Bush has seen fit, at this juncture to, in effect, declare himself dictator.”
“Bush Moves Toward Martial Law” Frank Morales, Uruknet, 10/ 26/2006
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=27769 or http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/28/18324231.php
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MEFTA: Wal-mart and Target Profit of Jordanian Slaves
Researched by Morgan Ulery and Mayra Madrigal
Major U.S. companies, including Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl's, Victoria's Secret and L.L. Bean, are buying apparel from sweatshops in Jordan under a three-way trade deal that binds the Arab nation to Israel and the United States. A report by the New York-based National Labour Committee says that the U.S-Jordan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has descended into human trafficking and "involuntary servitude." Part of the FTA, the Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs) programme, launched by Washington in 1998 as an economic dividend for Jordan's peace agreement with Israel, gives products from the zones duty-free and quota-free access to the U.S. market as long as the Arab nation sources at least eight percent of their content from an Israeli manufacturer. Both the United States and Israel are seeking to replicate this model in numerous trade deals with other countries in the Arab world, under Pres. George W. Bush's plan for a Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA), which would tie all 22 Arab states with the U.S. and Israel in a trade deal by 2013.
“U.S., Israel, Jordan Pact Created Havens for Servitude” Emad Mekay, Inter Press Service 5/ 3/06
http://civillibertarian.blogspot.com/2006/05/us-israel-jordan-pact-created-near.html
News You Might Have Forgot....But Im Not Gonna Let That Happen!
Picture this!
On July 26, 2000, WorldNetDaily published an exclusive, copyrighted, breaking news story, "FBI fishes Senate e-mail for Trulock."
No other media organization had the story.
Two days later, the Washington Post published a remarkably similar story, "Probe of Ex-Official Extends to Hill." The Post's top national security writer, Walter Pincus, reportedly had been e-mailed copies of WND's story on July 27 by sources on Capitol Hill.
When WorldNetDaily confronted the Post, the news giant readily admitted it had failed to credit WND with the story, apologized, and ran a correction crediting WorldNetDaily.com. (See "The Post's uncredited WND rewrite")
In this tumultuous era for the press – which has changed in one generation from having been dominated by the Washington Post, New York Times and "the big three" networks to offering today a multitude of news choices – the so-called "Old Media" are having a little trouble accepting the "New Media." Competition makes them uncomfortable, especially from the revolutionary new Internet world.
The Post episode is not unique. In fact, it's a frequent occurrence, and not only with the Post. Stories that first appear on this site are subsequently picked up by the rest of the press, sometimes with credit, but more often – especially when picked up by big media – without credit.
When WorldNetDaily broke the story of President Clinton's Executive Order 13083 – which totally re-defined federalism and threatened to gut the 10th Amendment – it was a month before the Post finally got around to covering the story in a July 17, 1998, piece by Post staff writer David Broder. No credit to WorldNetDaily.
On Feb. 27, 2000, Post staffer Marc Fisher interviewed WND Editor Joseph Farah about another WorldNetDaily scoop – Jane Fonda's conversion to Christianity. In his story, "When Barbarella Met Jesus," Fisher writes: "This is one of those Internet specials, a report that originated on a wacky Web site and found its way onto page one of the Washington Times before flying all over the infotainment universe."
And when WND first brought the brutal rape-murder of 13-year-old Jesse Dirkhising to national attention, the ensuing controversy over the virtual media blackout on the case led to the Washington Post's ombudsman, E.R. Shipp, writing this:
"There is an explanation for the absence of coverage of the brutal rape and asphyxiation death of 13-year-old Jesse Dirkhising, but those who are inclined to believe the David Dukes, Joseph Farahs and Tim Grahams of the world – who have asserted that the story has been suppressed so that homosexuals won't be portrayed negatively – will not be satisfied."
So, while the Post has no problem in attempting to marginalize or trivialize WorldNetDaily by calling it names like "wacky Web site," or comparing veteran journalist and CEO Joseph Farah with Ku Klux Klansman David Duke, it also has a penchant for picking up WND's stories and packaging them as its own.
In fact, WorldNetDaily's exclusive dual news features on Fox's controversial "Temptation Island" series resulted in many follow-on stories in the rest of the media, including Associated Press, the New York Times, New York Daily News and others. All gave credit to WorldNetDaily for breaking the story – except the Washington Post.
The Post did manage, however, to credit Sperry for his uncovering of the Internet pornography scandal in the Clinton White House, involving the downloading by White House staffers of massive amounts of hard-core porn video files. The Post confirmed that story the next day with White House spokesman Joe Lockhart, and other major news media – including the Associated Press, MSNBC, USA Today, followed up – crediting WorldNetDaily with breaking the news on the latest White House scandal.
For the sake of new readers who may not be familiar with the five-year track record of WorldNetDaily.com, we present: "WND Scoops: You read it here first!"
Although by no means an exhaustive listing of original stories, "Scoops" features some of the high-profile stories that have had the greatest impact on Americans over the last five years. "Know Your Customer," the National ID card, CNN-Time's "Tailwind" fraud and many others are described and linked.
WND has garnered at least 14 Associated Press citations for stories it's broken – by far the most of any independent newssite on the Internet – which is more proof that the old establishment media are having to take our reporting seriously.
Sometimes we get credit for our work, and sometimes we don't. But it always has impact.
Here are links to lists of just some of the stories WND has broken, categorized by year:
2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997
80,000 violent felons run free on U.S. streets
80,000 violent felons run free on U.S. streets
Congressman says U.S. must turn back effort to weaken law enforcement
Posted: September 22, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
 U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood |
With America facing a surge of 80,000 violent criminals on its streets, the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a plan that would enlist as many as 700,000 state and local law enforcement officers in the battle.
The 277-140 vote, according to plan sponsor U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., affirmed the authority of state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws while in the course of their regular duties such as traffic stops and drug arrests.
"The margin by which this bill passed sends an unmistakable message to the Senate from the people's House that the nation demands action on this issue," Norwood said. "All across America, people have witnessed horrific crimes committed by criminal illegal aliens, who were released on our communities because we failed to enforce immigration laws."
"We currently have roughly 5,000 federal agents trying to apprehend 500,000 illegal aliens with court orders against them. Eighty-thousand of them are serious felons, such as murderers, drug dealers, child molesters, and rapists," Norwood said on the floor of the House. "Those odds are impossible. But if we allow our 700,000 state and local police to volunteer to help, the odds get a lot better."
He said that might just start the pendulum swinging the other way – toward enforcement of immigration laws.
"And that undermines the illegal immigration lobby's theme song, which is the lie that we can't stop illegal immigration so we may as well give in," he said. "We're not talking about going after illegal aliens who are otherwise obeying our laws and are just here to work. This bill is targeted only on criminal aliens. Ironically, most of their victims are their fellow immigrants."
Norwood earlier said the National Council of La Raza had been campaigning hard against the plan to provide funding, training and resources for state and local law enforcement agencies who help federal officers in capturing and detaining criminals who are illegal aliens.
"For those who haven't figured it out yet, the entire illegal immigration crisis we suffer is due 100 percent from failure to enforce existing law," Norwood said. "The other side (including La Raza) knows this very well, and knows that the continued suppression of U.S. law enforcement efforts is essential to permanently destroying our borders."
John Stone, a spokesman for Norwood's office, said about the criminals and violent individuals targeted by the plan, "there should be no debate, absolutely none, even among the immigrant community." The estimated 12-20 million illegal aliens who are generally following the U.S. laws would not be targeted under the legislation.
The reaction from La Raza was a "Sorry, Charlie" message.
The plan "is still bad legislation," said a statement released on the group's website. It would "compel overworked, untrained law enforcement personnel into enforcing complex federal immigration laws, in addition to fulfilling their other duties."
The plan "undermines the ability of law enforcement to do its job and compromises public safety," said a statement from Janet Murguia, NCLR president. "That stance has earned us yet another hit piece from Congressman Norwood in which he calls us 'radical' and 'un-American.' In a Dear Colleague letter today, Congressman Luis Gutierrez listed more than 100 law enforcement organizations and officials who also oppose the (legislation) for the same reasons we do. Surely Rep. Norwood doesn't believe that they are 'radical' and 'un-American,' too."
"This bill will finally bring enough personnel to the fight that we can have a chance of winning if the Senate will simply do their duty," Norwood said. "This gives them a single, simple bill to pass that will turn the tables on criminal aliens, if the other body will simply stand up for American citizens instead of lobbyists."
"If Americans don't wake up now, they'll wake up one day soon to find their nation has been stolen by La Raza and pals," said Norwood.
Mexican bloodbath raises fears in U.S.
Arizona towns alarmed by rise in attacks, rumor convoy headed north
Posted: May 18, 2007
7:37 p.m. Eastern
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
A bloodbath just south of the Mexican border has alarmed neighboring Arizona towns that have nervously monitored a rise in violence in the Mexican state of Sonora the past two months.
Mexican police killed 15 armed assailants in a fierce gun battle Wednesday after tracking a group that killed four policemen, leading to fears this morning that an armed outlaw convoy was headed to the U.S. border.
About 40 assailants apparently related to Mexico's powerful drug gangs, drove in a convoy of up to 15 vehicles into the town of Cananea, 20 miles south of the U.S. border, to seize the policemen Wednesday. Mexican state police confronted the gunmen in the mountains 60 miles south of Cananea and reportedly killed 15 of the gunmen.
Today, meanwhile, rumors spread to Naco, Ariz., that its sister city of Naco, Sonora, was threatened with a possible imminent attack from outlaw gunmen who were headed their way.
The Mexican town reportedly closed schools, businesses and city hall.
Jesus Rodriguez, spokesman for the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector told WND the report turned out to be "bogus." He said border agents have been informed of the attacks in Mexico but have not been under any special orders or heightened alert.
Brian Levin, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, said officers at the Naco, Ariz., port of entry are aware of the situation, but the border is open and operating normally.
There also were reports of a second narco hit squad entering the town of Cuitaca, 10 miles west of Cananea, the Sierra Vista paper said. Local radio stations issued an advisory from city officials to remain at home, according to the Mexican paper El Imparcial.
Officials in the border town of Nogales, Ariz., say they want to see measures taken to ensure the violence does not migrate across the border, NogalesInternational.com reported.
"We are monitoring the situation very closely," Mayor Ignacio J. Barraza said yesterday. "I have asked that the Nogales Police Department prepare a briefing of what has transpired in the last few hours and over the past month."
City officials in Agua Prieta, Mexico – which borders Douglas, Ariz. – were on very high alert, surrounded by police and soldiers, Douglas Mayor Ray Borane told the Herald.
Borane said his officials also were taking a similar cautious attitude.
After news of the Cananea incident, Borane traveled immediately to Agua Prieta for a briefing from Agua Prieta Mayor Antonia Cuadras, who later traveled to Douglas for a meeting at Borane's office.
Borane said he plans to ask for help from the state of Arizona "to provide additional funding for local law enforcement needs."
In Cananea Wednesday, the bullet-riddled bodies of the four policemen were found on the side of a road, along with 50 spent cartridges, hours after they were seized.
A total of five policemen were killed, said Sonora state Gov. Eduardo Bours, but he did not specify how the fifth officer died.
Another incident took place Wednesday in the Sonora state capital Hermosillo, where unidentified assailants tossed a hand grenade from a passing car at the offices of the newspaper Cambio, causing minor damage.
Iran Proposal to U.S. Offered Peace with Israel
By: Gareth Porter
WASHINGTON, May 24 (IPS) - Iran offered in 2003 to accept peace with Israel and to cut off material assistance to Palestinian armed groups and pressure them to halt terrorist attacks within Israel's 1967 borders, according to the secret Iranian proposal to the United States.The two-page proposal for a broad Iran-U.S. agreement covering all the issues separating the two countries, a copy of which was obtained by IPS, was conveyed to the United States in late April or early May 2003. Trita Parsi, a specialist on Iranian foreign policy at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies who provided the document to IPS, says he got it from an Iranian official earlier this year but is not at liberty to reveal the source.
The two-page document contradicts the official line of the George W. Bush administration that Iran is committed to the destruction of Israel and the sponsorship of terrorism in the region.
Parsi says the document is a summary of an even more detailed Iranian negotiating proposal which he learned about in 2003 from the U.S. intermediary who carried it to the State Department on behalf of the Swiss Embassy in late April or early May 2003. The intermediary has not yet agreed to be identified, according to Parsi.
The Iranian negotiating proposal indicated clearly that Iran was prepared to give up its role as a supporter of armed groups in the region in return for a larger bargain with the United States. What the Iranians wanted in return, as suggested by the document itself as well as expert observers of Iranian policy, was an end to U.S. hostility and recognition of Iran as a legitimate power in the region.
Before the 2003 proposal, Iran had attacked Arab governments which had supported the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The negotiating document, however, offered "acceptance of the Arab League Beirut declaration", which it also referred to as the "Saudi initiative, two-states approach."
The March 2002 Beirut declaration represented the Arab League's first official acceptance of the land-for-peace principle as well as a comprehensive peace with Israel in return for Israel's withdrawal to the territory it had controlled before the 1967 war.. Iran's proposed concession on the issue would have aligned its policy with that of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, among others with whom the United States enjoyed intimate relations.
Another concession in the document was a "stop of any material support to Palestinian opposition groups (Hamas, Jihad, etc.) from Iranian territory" along with "pressure on these organizations to stop violent actions against civilians within borders of 1967".
Even more surprising, given the extremely close relationship between Iran and the Lebanon-based Hizbollah Shiite organisation, the proposal offered to take "action on Hizbollah to become a mere political organization within Lebanon".
The Iranian proposal also offered to accept much tighter controls by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in exchange for "full access to peaceful nuclear technology". It offered "full cooperation with IAEA based on Iranian adoption of all relevant instruments (93+2 and all further IAEA protocols)".
That was a reference to protocols which would require Iran to provide IAEA monitors with access to any facility they might request, whether it had been declared by Iran or not. That would have made it much more difficult for Iran to carry out any secret nuclear activities without being detected.
In return for these concessions, which contradicted Iran's public rhetoric about Israel and anti-Israeli forces, the secret Iranian proposal sought U.S. agreement to a list of Iranian aims. The list included a "Halt in U.S. hostile behavior and rectification of status of Iran in the U.S.", as well as the "abolishment of all sanctions".
Also included among Iran's aims was "recognition of Iran's legitimate security interests in the region with according defense capacity". According to a number of Iran specialists, the aim of security and an official acknowledgment of Iran's status as a regional power were central to the Iranian interest in a broad agreement with the United States.
Negotiation of a deal with the United States that would advance Iran's security and fundamental geopolitical political interests in the Persian Gulf region in return for accepting the existence of Israel and other Iranian concessions has long been discussed among senior Iranian national security officials, according to Parsi and other analysts of Iranian national security policy.
An Iranian threat to destroy Israel has been a major propaganda theme of the Bush administration for months. On Mar. 10, Bush said, "The Iranian president has stated his desire to destroy our ally, Israel. So when you start listening to what he has said to their desire to develop a nuclear weapon, then you begin to see an issue of grave national security concern."
But in 2003, Bush refused to allow any response to the Iranian offer to negotiate an agreement that would have accepted the existence of Israel. Flynt Leverett, then the senior specialist on the Middle East on the National Security Council staff, recalled in an interview with IPS that it was "literally a few days" between the receipt of the Iranian proposal and the dispatch of a message to the Swiss ambassador expressing displeasure that he had forwarded it to Washington.
Interest in such a deal is still very much alive in Tehran, despite the U.S. refusal to respond to the 2003 proposal. Turkish international relations professor Mustafa Kibaroglu of Bilkent University writes in the latest issue of Middle East Journal that "senior analysts" from Iran told him in July 2005 that "the formal recognition of Israel by Iran may also be possible if essentially a 'grand bargain' can be achieved between the U.S. and Iran".
The proposal's offer to dismantle the main thrust of Iran's Islamic and anti-Israel policy would be strongly opposed by some of the extreme conservatives among the mullahs who engineered the repression of the reformist movement in 2004 and who backed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in last year's election.
However, many conservative opponents of the reform movement in Iran have also supported a negotiated deal with the United States that would benefit Iran, according to Paul Pillar, the former national intelligence officer on Iran. "Even some of the hardliners accepted the idea that if you could strike a deal with the devil, you would do it," he said in an interview with IPS last month.
The conservatives were unhappy not with the idea of a deal with the United States but with the fact that it was a supporter of the reform movement of Pres. Mohammad Khatami, who would get the credit for the breakthrough, Pillar said.
Parsi says that the ultimate authority on Iran's foreign policy, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was "directly involved" in the Iranian proposal, according to the senior Iranian national security officials he interviewed in 2004. Kamenei has aligned himself with the conservatives in opposing the pro-democratic movement.
*Gareth Porter is an historian and national security policy analyst. His latest book, "Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam", was published in June 2005.
**Text of Iran proposal http://ipsnews.net/iranletterfacsimile.pdf
Let The Doorknob Hit'cha Where The Good Lord Split'cha!
Why Wolfowitz had to go
19.05.2007 - 16.22 Uhr
It hasn't taken long for the people behind the ousting of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz to come out of the woodwork and state their true reasons for wanting him out.
I found an interesting item in the Washington Post today (Saturday). Reporting on the discussion surounding Paul Wolfowitz's forced departure from the World Bank, the paper gives us this intriguing titbit to ponder over:
"Paul Wolfowitz's problems at the World Bank stem in part from a widespread perception that he disproportionately represents U.S. interests rather than objectives that command a global consensus," said a letter signed this week by more than 200 people, including heads of aid organizations, and sent to the executive boards of the World Bank and the IMF. The letter called for the traditional arrangement to be "abandoned and replaced with selection procedures that reflect two key principles: transparency of process, and competence of prospective leadership without regard to national origin."
Mhm. We were given to understand that Wolfowitz's problems stemmed from a widespread (or, shall we say, widely spread) perception that he'd given his "girlfriend" too much compensation for voluntarily giving up her job at the World Bank in order to avoid a conflict of interest. Of course, this was always bullshit. But it's good to see that more than 200 people are now ready to admit that all they really wanted to do was stick it to the USA.
Bush outlines immigration plan
This is the full text of President Bush's Saturday radio address:
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, my Administration reached an agreement with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate on immigration reform. I thank the leaders in both parties who worked hard to produce legislation that will secure the border, restore respect for the law, and meet the legitimate needs of our economy.
This legislation includes all the elements required for comprehensive immigration reform. It will improve security at our borders. It will give employers new tools to verify the employment status of workers and hold businesses to account for those they hire. It will create a temporary worker program. It will help us resolve the status of millions of illegal immigrants who are here already, without animosity and without amnesty. And it will honor the great American tradition of the melting pot by strengthening our efforts to help new arrivals assimilate into our society.
Here's how the bill works: First, it will require that strong border security and enforcement benchmarks are met before other elements of the legislation are implemented. These benchmarks include completing our plan to double the number of Border Patrol agents, improving border infrastructure, and maintaining enough beds in our detention facilities so that all those apprehended at the border can be held and returned to their home countries. We will also improve work site enforcement by implementing an effective system to verify worker eligibility using tamper-resistant identification cards, and by imposing stiffer penalties on companies that knowingly violate the law. Once these benchmarks are met, they will trigger other provisions of comprehensive reform.
The legislation will create a new temporary worker program. Such a program will help our economy and take pressure off the border by providing foreign workers with a legal and orderly way to enter our country to fill jobs that Americans are not doing. To ensure that this program is truly temporary, workers will be limited to three two-year terms, with at least a year spent outside the United States between each term. Temporary workers will be allowed to bring immediate family members only if they demonstrate that they can support them financially, and that their family members are covered by health insurance.
This legislation will also help resolve the status of illegal immigrants who are already in our country without amnesty. Those who come out of the shadows will be given probationary status. If they pass a strict background check, pay a fine, hold a job, maintain a clean criminal record, and eventually learn English, they will qualify for and maintain a Z visa. If they want to become citizens, they have to do all these things, plus pay an additional fine, go to the back of the line, pass a citizenship test, and return to their country to apply for their green card.
This legislation will also strengthen our efforts to help new immigrants assimilate. The key to unlocking the full promise of America is the ability to speak English. This bill affirms that English is the language of the United States. And it provides new opportunities for immigrants to learn English and embrace the shared ideals that bind us as a nation.
In addition, this legislation will clear the backlog of family members who've applied to come to our country lawfully, and have been waiting patiently in line. This legislation will end chain migration by limiting the relatives who can automatically receive green cards to spouses and minor children. And this legislation will transform our immigration system so that future immigration decisions are focused on admitting immigrants who have the skills, education, and English proficiency that will help America compete in a global economy.
I realize that many hold strong convictions on this issue, and reaching an agreement was not easy. I appreciate the effort of Senators who came together to craft this important legislation. This bill brings us closer to an immigration system that enforces our laws and upholds the great American tradition of welcoming those who share our values and our love of freedom.
Thank you for listening. 
Environmental Groups Say China's Role in Africa Leading to Backlash
| Environmental Groups Say China's Role in Africa Leading to Backlash |
| By Daniel Schearf Beijing 18 May 2007 |
Schearf report (MP3) - Download 635k
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Activist organizations say China's investments and aid to African governments are producing a backlash from local communities who see few of the benefits. They held a news conference in Beijing to call on China to pay more attention to African governance, engage with local communities, and stop ignoring human rights and environmental abuses. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.
As China's trade and investment in Africa has rapidly increased, Beijing has come under increasing scrutiny for its approach to African investment.
Activist groups say China makes deals with often-corrupt governments with little concern for the social and environmental impact of projects.
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| Daniel Ribeiro of Justica Ambiental, an environmental organization in Mozambique |
"We can see there is a negative perception of Chinese citizens," said Ribeiro. "And, also when they see projects and see Chinese workers in positions that they could occupy is also causing a negative perception because they see they're taking away our jobs."
China has also been accused of following the path of former colonial powers by buying up Africa's resources and selling back manufactured goods with little concern for African development.
The Chinese government says it maintains a policy of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, but argues its economic relations with Africa benefit both sides.
Beijing says its aid for African schools, hospitals, and public works projects show it is after more than just resources and profit. China has vowed to double aid to Africa by 2009 and forgive more than $1 billion in African debt.
The International Rivers Network, a California-based environmental and human rights group, said in a recent report that China ignores corruption and the suffering of local people in Africa projects.
The report said an example is the mainly Chinese-financed Merowe Dam in Sudan. It said more than 50,000 farmers were moved from the fertile Nile River valley to the Nubian Desert to make way for the dam.
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| Ali Askouri |
He says dam security forces murdered three farmers, injured 40, and arrested many more protesting the loss of land. But he says China has remained silent about the abuses and operates the project under tight security.
"This is an open destruction and plundering of resource of African societies," said Askouri. "So, it's hard to speak about any sense of development. And, the question remains, to whom are you doing development? Who's the target of that development?"
China has also been accused of ignoring human rights abuses in Sudan's Darfur region, where government-backed militias have been accused of genocide.
Beijing recently appointed a special envoy for Africa to deal with the Darfur issue, but it previously had been reluctant to press Khartoum to allow U.N. peacekeepers into the region.
Human rights organizations, politicians, and celebrities have called for a boycott of the Beijing 2008 Olympics to pressure Beijing to use its influence on Sudan.
China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Friday said any Olympic boycott would fail.
World Bank President Resigns Amid Conflict of Interest Scandal
| World Bank President Resigns Amid Conflict of Interest Scandal |
| By Barry Wood Washington 17 May 2007 |
Wood report (MP3) - Download 598k
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Watch Bill Rodgers' World Bank report / Real broadband - download
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Watch Bill Rodgers' World Bank report / Real dialup
 |
| World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, 15 May 2007 |
Paul Wolfowitz, the former number two man in the U.S. Defense Department, announced late Thursday that he is resigning as World Bank president. VOA's Barry Wood reports Wolfowitz has been at the center of a six-week long controversy over his personal dealings at the anti-poverty agency.
The resignation followed a day-long meeting of the bank's 24-member executive board. In a statement, Wolfowitz said his resignation was in the best interests of the 185 member-nation bank and would take effect June 30.
A statement from the board said it accepted that Wolfowitz thought he had acted ethically in arranging a promotion and pay increase for his female companion, a bank employee. That two-year old controversy evolved into charges of ethics violations and prompted some European governments to demand his ouster.
Wolfowitz has had a stormy relationship with the bank's professional staff ever since he became president two years ago. While at the U.S. defense department he was a principal architect of the Iraq war that is deeply unpopular among many bank staff, less than 30 percent of whom are American.
President Bush, after weeks of insisting that Wolfowitz should retain his job, Thursday acknowledged that his former associate had lost the battle.
"All I can tell you is I know that Paul Wolfowitz has an interest in what's best for the Bank, and just like he's had an interest in what's best for making sure the Bank focused on things that matter: human suffering, the human condition. I -- and so I applaud his vision, I respect him a lot, and as I said, I regret this has come to this right now," he said.
By tradition, the United States nominates the president of the World Bank, which like its neighbor the International Monetary Fund-which is run by a European, was set up in the aftermath of World War Two. The bank has had only ten presidents and Wolfowitz is the first to be forced to resign.
Wolfowitz's hold on the top job became untenable earlier this week as the bank's board moved towards a vote to remove him. That vote never occurred as Wolfowitz resigned after obtaining a statement that he acted in good faith concerning his companion, British national Shaha Riza. In an unprecedented action, Germany's development minister said Wednesday that Wolfowitz would be unwelcome at a Berlin meeting he was scheduled to attend next week.
There is as yet no indication as to who will replace Wolfowitz as head of the world's biggest development institution.
Bush Backs Immigration Reform
| Bush Backs Immigration Reform |
| By Scott Stearns White House 19 May 2007 |
Stearns report - Download 445k
President Bush says a Senate compromise on immigration reform will secure the nation's borders, restore respect for law and meet the needs of the U.S. economy. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, the bill faces opposition from some House Republicans.
In his weekly radio address, President Bush thanked Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate for coming together on legislation that he says includes all the elements required for comprehensive immigration reform.
Mr. Bush said the legislation will make it easier for employers to verify the immigration status of new workers. It creates a temporary worker program and helps resolve the status of some 12 million illegal immigrants already in the country without what the president calls animosity or amnesty.
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| President George Bush, 14 May 2007 |
The president's past efforts to reform U.S. immigration laws were blocked by members of his own party in the House of Representatives who believe that offering illegal immigrants a means to regularize their status amounts to rewarding people who have broken the law.
The latest plan tries to address those concerns by requiring illegal immigrants to pass a strict background check, pay a fine, hold a job, maintain a clean criminal record, and eventually learn English. If they want to become citizens, they will have to pay an additional fine, pass a citizenship test, and return to their country to apply for a green card.
Beyond opposition from Republicans in the House, the plan is also dividing the ruling-party's presidential candidates. Arizona Senator John McCain backs the deal. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and most of the other Republican presidential hopefuls do not.
In the Democratic radio address, Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro called on the federal government to spend more money on child welfare, including funds for after school programs and health care for children from poor families.
White House Says It Will Quickly Nominate New World Bank President
| White House Says It Will Quickly Nominate New World Bank President |
| By VOA News 18 May 2007 |
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| Paul Wolfowitz, 9 May 2007 |
World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz announced Thursday that he would resign at the end of June, ending a bruising political squabble growing out of charges he improperly arranged a promotion and pay raise for his girlfriend.
Fratto told journalists Friday that President Bush wants to pick a candidate with "real passion for lifting people out of poverty." The World Bank's mission is to use loans to help poor nations improve their economies and reduce poverty.
Many news reports speculate about possible successors to Wolfowitz. Among the names mentioned are former Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, current Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmit, Bank of Israel official Stanley Fischer and outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The United States is the World Bank's largest shareholder, and has traditionally named the bank's president.
New resource on 1798 Sedition Act
New resource on 1798 Sedition Act
First Amendment Center Online In 1798 the Alien and Sedition Acts were signed into law by President John Adams in response to fears of an impending war with France. The acts were fiercely debated in the press, in particular the Sedition Act, which made speaking openly against the government a crime of libel punishable by fine and even prison time. Federalists sought to quell dissent by prosecuting those who violated the Sedition Act to the fullest extent of the law. See "The Sedition Act of 1798," by First Amendment Center Library Manager Gordon T. Belt, at the link below.
01.17.07
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Sedition Act of 1798
A Picture Speaks A 1000 Words....Are We Listening?
Stereotypes of Native Americans and outright racism underscore these athletic team mascots.
The imagery and practices associated with Native mascots further miseducation about indigenous peoples. The use of Native mascots is tied directly to the stereotype of the Demonic Indian - a war-driven, violence-prone warrior who elicits fear. Why else would professional sports teams and schools choose Native images as mascots?
Native mascots also perpetuate another myth about American Indian culture - that Native America is purely historical and devoid of any contemporary relevance. These images hide the fact that Native American cultures are living cultures.
Further, many teams have chosen to create their own imagery to "represent Native cultures" or have taken culturally significant items and practices out of context, thereby distorting them. Barbara Munson, a member of the Oneida Nation and an activist with the Wisconsin Indian Education Association, explains:
"We experience (the use of Native mascots) as no less than a mockery of our cultures. We see objects sacred to us - such as eagle feathers, face painting and traditional dress - being used not in sacred ceremony, or in any cultural setting, but in another culture's game. ...Yes, we are proud of the warriors who fought to protect our cultures from forced removal and systematic genocide and to preserve our lands from the greed of others. We are proud, and we don't want them demeaned by being "honored" in a sports activity on a playing field."
Do you root for teams that use Native mascots? Do you wear T-shirts, caps or other items that promote these teams? Have you ever thought about what the mascots mean? Why or why not?
Image Source: Fact Source: Barbara Munson, "Not for Sport," and Cornel Pewewardy, "Beyond the 'Wild West,' " Teaching Tolerance (Spring 1999).
Ten Ways To Fight Hate....
SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA...
Every hour Every day Every week Hate in America is a dreadful, daily constant. The dragging death of a black man in Jasper, Texas; the crucifixion of a gay man in Laramie, Wyo.; and post-9.11 hate crimes against hundreds of Arab Americans, Muslim Americans and Sikhs are not "isolated incidents." They are eruptions of a nation's intolerance. Bias is a human condition, and American history is rife with prejudice against groups and individuals because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or other differences. The 20th century saw major progress in outlawing discrimination, and most Americans today support integrated schools and neighborhoods. But stereotypes and unequal treatment persist, an atmosphere often exploited by hate groups. When bias motivates an unlawful act, it is considered a hate crime. Race and religion inspire most hate crimes, but hate today wears many faces. Bias incidents (eruptions of hate where no crime is committed) also tear communities apart — and threaten to escalate into actual crimes. According to FBI statistics, the greatest growth in hate crimes in recent years is against Asian Americans and the gay and lesbian community. Once considered a Southern phenomenon, today most hate crimes are reported in the North and West. And these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. Law enforcement officials acknowledge that hate crimes — similar to rape and family violence crimes — go under-reported, with many victims reluctant to go to the police, and some police agencies not fully trained in recognizing or investigating hate crimes. The good news is ... This guide sets out 10 principles for fighting hate, along with a collection of inspiring stories of people who worked to push hate out of their communities. Whether you need a crash course to deal with an upcoming white-power rally, a primer on the media or a long-range plan to promote tolerance in your community, you will find practical advice, timely examples and helpful resources in this guide. The steps outlined here have been tested in scores of communities across the nation by a wide range of human rights, faith and civic organizations. Our experience shows that one person, acting from conscience and love, is able to neutralize bigotry. Imagine, then, what an entire community, working together, might do.
someone commits a hate crime.
at least eight blacks, three whites, three gays, three Jews and one Latino become hate crime victims.
a cross is burned.
All over the country people are fighting hate, standing up to promote tolerance and inclusion. More often than not, when hate flares up, good people rise up against it — often in greater numbers and with stronger voices.
1. Act
2. Unite
3. Support the Victims
4. Do Your Homework
5. Create an Alternative
6. Speak Up
7. Lobby Leaders
8. Look Long Range
9. Teach Tolerance
10. Dig Deeper
You Are Not Alone
Resources
Read The Reports!!!
Reports Purged From the Website of the Civil Rights Commission
full versions of almost all deleted reports are posted below
| >>> As of 7 January 2005, the website of the US Commission on Civil Rights has been purged of 20 reports that didn't meet the approval of the agency's Republican majority. The site says that you may still order copies of these reports, but, tellingly, they require that you give them a physical mailing address. In other words, they'll send you a paper copy of a report, not an easily-postable electronic copy. The Memory Hole was able to locate Links: US Commission on Civil Rights website Commission's listing of deleted reports Memoryblog post: "Civil Rights Commission Website Purges Bush-Unfriendly Reports" |
The Missing Reports
| "Redefining Rights in America: The Civil Rights Record of the George W. Bush Administration" (Sept 2004) |
| "Closing the Achievement Gap: The Impact of Standards Based Education Reform" (July 2004) |
| "Is America Ready to Vote? Election Readiness Briefing Paper" (July 2004) |
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"Native American Health Care Disparities Briefing Summary" (Feb 2004)
| "Anniversary Update on Commission Activities Related to September 11" (Sept 2003) |
| "The U.S. Department of Education’s Race-Neutral Alternatives in Postsecondary Education: Innovative Approaches to Diversity - Are They Viable Substitutes for Affirmative Action?" (May 2003) |
| "The Supreme Court Revisits Affirmative Action: Will Grutter and Gratz Mean the End of Bakke?" (April 2003) Unable to locate a copy. Please email us if you have it. |
| "Education Accountability and High-Stakes Testing in the Carolinas" (Feb 2003) |
| "Crossing Borders: The Administration of Justice and Civil Rights Protections in the Immigration and Asylum Context" (Jan 2003) |
| "Beyond Percentage Plans: The Challenge of Equal Opportunity in Higher Education" (Nov 2002) Executive Summary | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 |
| "Briefing on Tragedy Along the Arizona-Mexico Border: Undocumented Immigrants Face Death in the Desert" (Aug 2002) |
| "Voting Rights in Florida 2002: Briefing Summary" (Aug 2002) |
| "Haitian Asylum Seekers and U.S. Immigration Policy" (June 2002) |
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| "Briefing on the Consequences of Government Race Data Collection Bans on Civil Rights" (May 2002) |
| "Briefing on Civil Rights Issues Facing Muslims and Arab Americans in Indiana Post-September 11" (May 2002) |
| "Briefing on Civil Rights Issues Facing Muslims and Arab Americans in Wisconsin Post-September 11" (April 2002) |
| "Briefing on Civil Rights Issues Facing Muslims and Arab Americans in Minnesota Post-September 11" (Feb 2002) |
| "Briefing on Civil Rights Issues Facing Muslims and Arab Americans in Ohio Post-September 11" (Nov 2001) |
"Briefing on Boundaries of Justice: Immigration Policies Post-September 11" (Oct 2001)
Executive Summary | Panel 1 | Panel 2 | Panel 3
Harris | Kamaski | Mineta | Mineta 2 | Mineta 3 | Naraski | Rivera | Zogby | Zogby 2
Bush says feds can open mail without warrant
President Bush quietly has claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans' mail without a judge's warrant.
Bush asserted the new authority Dec. 20 after signing legislation that overhauls some postal regulations. He then issued a "signing statement" that declared his right to open mail under emergency conditions, contrary to existing law and contradicting the bill he had just signed, according to experts who have reviewed it.
The U.S. Department of Justice : Where's the Justice???
"When you are looking at that blank search box, you should remember that what you fill can come back to haunt you unless you take precautions."-- Pam Dixon, Executive Director, World Privacy Forum
The many millions of Americans who routinely seek information on myriad matters through Internet search engines like Google naturally assume (as the search providers assure them) that the subject matter of their inquiries will remain private. In the summer of 2005, however, that expectation was challenged by a Justice Department demand filed in federal court, seeking extensive access to Google search data. Despite government assurances that the results would be used only in aggregate form, and that the demand was not seeking information which could “personally identify” the individuals who made the search requests, Google strenuously resisted this unprecedented demand.
The source of the government’s interest in such data has nothing to do with national security. It stems instead from litigation challenging the constitutionality of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA), which Congress passed in 1998 after the Supreme Court invalidated the “indecency” provisions of the Communications Decency Act. COPA targets sexually explicit material that could be harmful to minors, and imposes criminal penalties on those who post such material for commercial purposes. On its second trip to the Supreme Court in 2004, COPA fared badly because Internet filters seemed to offer a less restrictive alternative to the tough criminal penalties imposed by the statute. The Justices, however, left open the possibility that the government might still convince them that less drastic approaches (such as filters) would not adequately protect young Internet users from harmful material.
In the quest for such evidence, the Justice Department demanded extensive digital data from several search engine companies. The government explained that access to such files would help to “understand the behavior of current Web users, [and] estimate how often Web users encounter harmful-to-minors material in the course of their searches.” Three other subpoena targets (AOL, Yahoo, and MSN) complied with the government’s demand; Yahoo, for example, insisted “this is not a privacy issue” because of the aggregate nature of the intended data use. But Google – the dominant search engine – insisted it could not surrender such potentially sensitive data without severely compromising the privacy of its subscribers and inevitably chilling their use of the Internet to obtain vital information. The Justice Department rejected Google’s privacy plea and initially requested the contents of 5,000 randomly selected search requests. Google argued that giving up this information could cause a loss of its traffic if some Web users refused to use the search engine for fear that the government would be allowed to review their search requests. Following Google’s protest, the government scaled back that initial request and in mid March, 2006, a federal judge ordered Google to comply with a subpoena seeking a listing of 50,000 randomly selected URLs in Google’s database. The judge’s order, however, expressed concern about the privacy interests of Google’s users that could be implicated if the government had not scaled back its initial request and had actually sought a log of search queries.
The quest for data that will sustain the government’s defense of COPA is surely appropriate, since the Supreme Court essentially invited such a justification. But to build that case at the expense of the long and confidently assumed confidentiality of Internet search engine users seems an excessive cost, not only to privacy but also to freedom of expression in cyberspace given the potential chilling effect.
They're watching us.....
....but who's whatching the watchers?????
Observing Surveillance
Images from the Nation's Capital
School Searches Made Legal...
DID YOU KNOW THAT......
In 2006 the House voted for a bill that would require local school districts and charter schools to create
policies allowing school officials to more easily search students for drugs and weapons, over the objections of school administrators, school boards, parents and student groups? Although Democrats complained during debate that the bill (HR 5295) is unnecessary, they did not obstruct its passage by voice vote. A Democratic aide said party leaders did not force a roll call vote because they knew that the measure had enough support to pass by a two-thirds majority and because it is expected to go nowhere in the Senate.
9-19-06, House Agreed to Bill by Voice Vote
Referred to Senate
- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
- This Act may be cited as the `Student and Teacher Safety Act of 2006'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
- Congress finds the following:
- (1) The United States Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics reported in the 2005 Indicators of School Crime and Safety that in 2003 seventeen percent of students in grades 9-12 reported they carried a weapon. Six percent reported having carried a weapon on school grounds.
- (2) The same survey reported that 29 percent of all students in grades 9-12 reported that someone offered, sold, or gave them an illegal drug on school property within the last 12 months.
- (3) The United States Constitution's Fourth Amendment guarantees `the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures'.
- (4) That while the Supreme Court affirmed the Fourth Amendment's application to students in public schools in New Jersey vs. TLO (1985), the Court held that searches of students by school officials do not require warrants issued by judges showing probable cause. The Court will ordinarily hold that such a search is permissible if--
- (A) there are reasonable grounds for suspecting the search will reveal evidence that the student v