Friday, August 7, 2009
Link: Nationwide Recess Rally - August 22, 2009
Many of the original groups behind TaxDayTeaParty.com are joining together for the Nationwide Recess Rally. This is a collaborative effort to make it known that we will not stand for socialized, government controlled healthcare.
SteveQuayle.com | Hot Headlines - August 7, 2009
Infectious Diseases Spreading Faster Than Ever: U.N.
Vaccinations are Causing Impaired Blood Flow (Ischemia), Chronic Illness, Disease and Death for Us All
Obama Team Mulls New Quarantine Regulations
Doctors Opposing Health Care Bill Jam Town Hall Meeting
Revolt is Brewing Among AARP Members Against AARP Leadership
Violence Erupts At Rep. Castor's Town Hall in Tampa
Revolt is Brewing Among AARP Members Against AARP Leadership
Prairie-Fire Anger
Snitch Switch: Turn Tables on Obama Rat Patrol Experts Dig Up Dirt on David and Goliath
Rich Dad, Underwater Dad: 21 Million Homeowners with Negative Equity or No Equity in Their Homes. 33 Percent of California Mortgages Underwater.
Hot and Cold of Economic Winter
BLATANT Monetization Uncovered
The Un-Fairness Doctrine
The FDIC is in Trouble
U. Geophysicist's Research Helps Understand Earthquakes
The Royal Scam
Engineering the Beasts of the Earth
Congress Eyes Biometric Authentication for Job Eligibility
Large Hadron Collider Struggles, Adding to the Mysteries of Life
RepublicOfLakota.com | Action Alert: Demand Justice in Peru!
Joyce Riley's THE POWER HOUR NEWS - August 7, 2009
Federal whistleblower Sibel Edmonds subpoenaed, set to break gag order unless DOJ intecedes -- Unless the Dept. of Justice re-invokes their twice-invoked "state secrets privilege" claim in order to once again gag former FBI translator-turned-whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, her attorneys have notified the department by hand-delivered, sworn letter of declaration [PDF] this week, that she intends to give a deposition, open to the media [Updated: see bottom of article for details], in response to a subpoena this Saturday in Washington D.C.
USAspending.gov: Want to see where tax dollars go? -- Have you ever wanted to find more information on government spending? Have you ever wondered where Federal contracting dollars and grant awards go? Or perhaps you would just like to know, as a citizen, what the Government is really doing with your money. Read More...
Congressman wants government GPS in cars -- An Oregon congressman says he wants to test having a government GPS unit in every car so a tax could be imposed on the miles driven. The proposal, H.R. 3311, which calls for a test project costing $150 million-plus, was introduced by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore. (this has been in the works for years)
Ohio city nets 10,000 traffic tickets in 1 month -- Heath, Ohio (population 8,527) has issued more than 10,000 tickets in a 4-week period. At $100 a pop, that's a pretty nice supplemental income for the Licking County municipality. But residents are red hot over the aggressive monitoring, as well as the slow turnaround time for mailing out the traffic summons.
Russia to boost border control after China plague outbreak -- Russia will boost monitoring at its border with China following an outbreak of pneumonic plague in a neighboring north-western region, Russia's top sanitary doctor said Monday.
Baxter completes first swine flu vaccine batches -- Baxter International Inc said on Wednesday it completed its first commercial batches of H1N1 vaccine in late July and is discussing distribution plans with national health authorities.
California nurses protest lack of safety protection for swine flu -- A cancer nurse at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael has died of the H1N1 flu, becoming the first reported health care worker in California killed by the new variant of swine flu.
Now they want to give you 3!!! flu shots this fall -- Get ready to roll up your sleeve three times for flu shots this fall. That's right, three times. This year's flu season is shaping up to be a very different one. Most people will need one shot for the regular seasonal flu and probably two others to protect against the new swine flu. Experts suggest you get that first shot as early as this month — if you can find it.
WHO tries to assure you the vaccines are safe (yeah, right!) -- Dated 6 August, and issued from Geneva, where the WHO has its headquarters, the world agency said that vaccines are one of the most important medical devices for minimizing illness and deaths during a pandemic, but to be effective they have to be available quickly and in very large quantities. Read More...
Retired vaccine scientist would never vaccinate his kids -- "If I had a child now, the last thing I would allow is vaccination." -Retired Vaccine Researcher to Jon Rappoport.
Flu jabs not tested on children -- A new vaccine for swine flu is most likely to be targeted at vulnerable groups such as young children and pregnant women. But a Radio 4 documentary has discovered that little or no data exists on the safety or effectiveness of flu vaccines on these groups.
Snitch switch: Turn tables on Obama rat patrol -- John Cornyn, R-Texas, has demanded that Obama either halt the program, widely known in the blogosphere as the "snitch" program, or define how he will protect the privacy of those who send or are the subject of e-mails to the flag@whitehouse.gov e-mail address.
Obama's dissident database could be secret...and permanent -- "Since we can't keep track of all of them here at the White House, we're asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov." Read More...
Obama seeks to institutionalize indefinite detention -- Press reports have revealed that the Obama administration is considering the creation of a prison and court complex on US soil to process and hold current and future terrorist suspects. It would include a facility to indefinitely detain people held without trial or any other constitutionally mandated due process rights.
The Fed buys last week's Treasury notes -- The Fed bought $7 billion in Treasuries today and even more yesterday. This is at the upper end of their recent range of already exceptional purchasing activity. If things are so rosy that every single dip is being bought in the stock market with a vengeance, I wonder why these printing operations are really necessary?
Ron Paul son Rand joins Kentucky GOP race for Senate -- Rand Paul, the son of 2008 presidential candidate Ron Paul, ended months of speculation Wednesday by saying he will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated next year by fellow Republican Jim Bunning.
Pennsylvania state Rep speaks out against I-80 tolls -- Rep. Dick Stevenson, a Republican representing Mercer and Butler counties, opposes recent statements by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission that the previously rejected application for tolling authority will soon be resubmitted to the federal government.
Florida, EZ-PAss exchanging data to test camera based tolls -- Several toll agencies in Florida and the E-ZPass have begun exchange of camera based data to test the feasibility of levying tolls on one another's license plates in a pilot program.
Mercenaries training US local police a new trend -- There are many police and law enforcement officials who are concerned with the growing trend of using military-experienced mercenaries to train and work with local police officers in the United States, but there are many who believe the events of September 11, 2001 dictate the need for this new paradigm.
US led blitz kills farmers in Afghanistan -- The farmers were loading cucumbers on a truck when the American forces hit them from their aircraft."
A US military spokeswoman in Kabul also confirmed the attack, but said the men were militants spotted loading weapons on a truck. (cucumbers look like bombs???)
Modified corn seeds sow doubts -- Next spring, farmers in Canada will be able to sow one of the most complicated genetically engineered plants ever designed, a futuristic type of corn containing eight foreign genes.
Lying about Iraq made me quit says UK military press officer -- Having to peddle "government lies" about the safety of soldiers in Iraq led to a Ministry of Defence press officer suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, an employment tribunal will hear.
Plans show magnitude of proposed NSA building -- A draft environmental assessment obtained by KSL 5 News gives some idea of the magnitude of a highest security-intelligence facility the government proposes to build at Camp Williams. Plans call for approximately 1.5 million square feet of building space--more than twice the size of the Energy Solutions Arena.
New Air Force facility energizes ionosphere; fans conspiracy flames -- Alaska: High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (Haarp): a $250 million facility with a 30-acre array of antennas capable of spewing 3.6 megawatts of energy into the mysterious plasma of the ionosphere. Read More...
"We sell a bunch of junk" says Whole Foods chief -- Struggling US store says it would attempt to educate in the ways of healthy eating. When Whole Foods arrived in the UK two years ago it was hailed as a mecca for those determined to follow a healthy diet. But today the struggling US store's chief executive will probably want to eat his words after admitting that, alongside the organic carrots and bags of granola, the shops "sell a bunch of junk".
Popular insect repellent Deet is neurotoxic -- Researchers say that more investigations are urgently needed on DEET to confirm or dismiss any potential neurotoxicity to humans, especially when deet-based repellents are used in combination with other neurotoxic insecticides.
NaturalNews.com | Today's Featured Stories - August 7, 2009
| Secrets to Fast Healing Sam Baker, three-time All-American at USC and first-round 2008 NFL draft pick, came to the Whitaker Wellness Institute before he reported to the Atlanta Falcons training camp last year. "My trainer recommended that I receive treatment at... |
| Discover the Benefits of Organic Sulfur (Opinion) The chemical name for Organic Sulfur Crystals is methylsulfonylmethane. It is affectionately and lucratively referred to in the supplement industry as MSM. The problem is that once the crystals are powdered the benefits therein are greatly... |
| Woman Hypnotized to Believe She Had Gastric Band Surgery Loses 55 Pounds (NaturalNews) A woman ...after undergoing hypnosis to implant memories of a gastric band surgery in her head... |
| New Medical Mystery: Celiac Disease Soars, Deaths Quadruple (NaturalNews) People who have celiac disease can't tolerate gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. If they do eat gluten, damage to the small intestine results and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. According to the National... |
| Natural Vision Improvement with Greg Marsh CNVT Part III David: So we've talked a bit about the psychological elements; can you please tell me more about the work you do in that respect? Greg: The workshops are really fun, and in a group there's a synergy among people that happens. When one... |
| Treat Candida Infections with Enzymes and Diet Candida albicans is a form of yeast that lives in the colon. While Candida is not normal, it is common. Some studies say that Candida is present in 90% of the population. Some believe this number to be 100%. And for most people with a small... |
| There is No Magic Pill for Jet Lag The variously misattributed quote "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" springs to mind with the constant slew of articles and news snippets relating to the latest cure for jet lag. Recent articles in the news range... |
| Follow These Six Foundation Principles for Optimum Health and Wellbeing Eubie Blake, the famous jazz composer, once said "If I had known I would live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." This quote rings true when we consider that whilst we may be living for longer we may not necessarily be taking... |
 | The Father of Oleander Soup - Part 2 of the Oleander Series In the earlier article "An Amazing Discovery in Turkey", the first of this series of articles about oleander, I described how Doctor H. Z. Ozel discovered an age old remedy for cancer and other conditions in rural Turkey in the early 1960`s... |
| Suicide Prevention Drug Pushing Racket - Part I (NaturalNews) Nearly every year, as part of the suicide prevention drug pushing racket, drug company shills publish a bogus study with claims that more people are dying from suicide due to a black box warning of an increased risk of suicide in young people... |
Geology.com | Today's News - August 7, 2009
Jade Reveals Motagua Fault Activity Posted: 07 Aug 2009 01:05 AM PDT Geologists have discovered some jade deposits in Guatemala that reveal past activity at the Motagua Fault. It appears that the North American and Caribbean plates have collided at least twice. |
| Photos: Yellowstone National Park Posted: 06 Aug 2009 10:35 PM PDT This is a gallery showing the natural beauty of Yellowstone National Park. Included are photos of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, a Fountain Paint mudpot in the Lower Geyser Basin, Grand Prismatic Spring, Rustic Falls, Old Faithful, the Morning Glory Pool, and more. Learn More About Geysers. |
| Typhoon Morakot Doubles in Size Posted: 06 Aug 2009 10:05 PM PDT Typhoon Morakot, which is expected to make landfall in China, has doubled in size in less than two days. The cloud top grew to about 1,700 km (1,056 miles) across. The infrared satellite image at right shows Morakot’s cold clouds (depicted in purple and blue) over the East China Sea on August 6th. |
| Posted: 06 Aug 2009 11:27 AM PDT It is not very often that you can see two large storms this close to one another. From Earth Observatory: “This image shows both Hurricane Felicia as a strong Category 3 hurricane, left, and Tropical Storm Enrique, right. Felicia has a distinct eye surrounded by spiraling bands of clouds. Enrique, at this time [...] |
| Posted: 06 Aug 2009 10:40 AM PDT National Geographic Channel has a television program titled “Drain the Ocean” that reveals mountains, canyons, plains and volcanoes of the ocean floor. Their program airs on Sunday, August 9th at 9 PM ET/PT. At right: White coral boulders amidst black volcanic ones are taken as evidence for a giant tsunami. [...] |
| Posted: 06 Aug 2009 10:35 AM PDT When fossils are stolen from a dig site, valuable information is taken along with them. Researchers are working on developing a way to link fossils with their original surroundings so that stolen fossils (and thieves) can be positively identified. |
| Hurricane Felicia Tracks Towards Hawaii Posted: 06 Aug 2009 07:45 AM PDT Hurricane Felicia is now a Category 4 storm moving west in the Pacific towards Hawaii. It is expected to slowly decline in strength over the next couple of days as it moves over cooler waters on its way to Hawaii. |
| Posted: 06 Aug 2009 06:35 AM PDT Amusement parks across the U.S. have been taking steps to become greener. Some of the changes include replacing incandescent bulbs with LED lights, using alternative fuels, installing solar panels, using biodegradable plates and utensils, and recycling more. |
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens For Legitimate Government | 06 August 2009
Obama faces huge bill on Afghan security 06 Aug 2009 The US will have to provide billions more dollars in coming years to finance a huge increase in the size of Afghanistan's security forces, officials and analysts warn. General Stanley McChrystal, the new commander of US and Nato forces in the country, is in the final stages of a review of policy in which he is expected to conclude that the Afghan army and police force should be increased to a combined total of 400,000. "Afghan national security forces probably need to grow to somewhere in the neighbourhood of 400,000, which is currently being looked at by the McChrystal review," retired General Jack Keane, one of the architects of the surge in Iraq, told the FT, in comments backed up by serving military officials.
US sets up Pak-Afghan cell for war efforts in region --US has started work on a $1 billion project to build a 'diplomatic hub' for the region in Islamabad. 07 Aug 2009 The Pentagon has established a Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell, in its basement to streamline its war efforts in that region. Headed by Brig-Gen Scott Miller, the cell includes military and civilians personnel with expertise on regional politics, economy and insurgency. The intention is to raise experts who will eventually rotate back and forth between the US and the region. By the end of the year, the United States will have 68,000 troops in Afghanistan, including extra 20,000 that President Barack Obama has promised to send.
US will maintain 'unrelenting' pressure on terrorist havens on Af-Pak border 06 Aug 2009 The US Government must fundamentally redefine the struggle against terrorism, replacing the war on terror with a campaign combining all facets of national power to defeat the enemy, President Obama's senior counter-terrorism adviser, John O. Brennan, has said. Previewing what aides said will be the Obama Administration's most comprehensive statement to date on its long-term strategy to defeat 'al-Qaeda' and other violent extremists worldwide, Brennan said the US will maintain "unrelenting" pressure on terrorist havens, including those near the Afghan-Pakistani border, in Yemen and in Somalia.
Obama's counter-terrorism advisor denounces Bush-era policies [while implementing them] 06 Aug 2009 President Obama's counter-terrorism chief rebuked the Bush administration repeatedly today in a speech designed to make the case for an expanded approach to fighting Islamic extremism, just weeks before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. In his first public appearance as White House counter-terrorism advisor, John Brennan said the Bush administration's policies had been an affront to American values, undermined the nation's security and fostered a "global war" mind-set that served only to "validate Al Qaeda's twisted worldview."
Adviser: US sees decade of involvement in Afghanistan 06 Aug 2009 An incoming adviser to the top U.S. general in Afghanistan predicted Thursday that the United States will see about two more years of heavy fighting and then either hand off to a much improved Afghan fighting force or "lose and go home." David Kilcullen, a counterinsurgency expert who will assume a role as a senior adviser to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, has been highly critical of the war's management to date. He outlined a "best-case scenario" for a decade of further U.S. and NATO involvement in Afghanistan during an appearance at the U.S. Institute of Peace.
5 U.S. troops killed as Afghan violence swells --26 Afghans, most of them members of a wedding party, are reported killed in roadside bombings. 07 Aug 2009 The pace of American combat deaths in Afghanistan has quickened anew as roadside bombs killed five U.S. troops in 24 hours in the same western province, the American military said Thursday. The deaths bring to 11 the number of American troops killed in Afghanistan so far in August, on the heels of what was the worst month for Western and U.S. troop fatalities since the conflict began in 2001.
Bomb strikes Afghan wedding party 06 Aug 2009 A roadside bomb in Afghanistan has killed a group of people travelling to a wedding in the south of the country, officials say. First reports said 21 people had been killed in the Garmsir district of Helmand province, but an official later confirmed the death toll as five. Nato troops are conducting offensives in Helmand ahead of presidential and provincial council elections on 20 August.
Five killed, 30 wounded in Kirkuk bombing 06 Aug 2009 An explosive-laden vehicle has been detonated at a crowded market in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, killing five people and leaving 30 others wounded. The bomb went off at around 8:20 p.m. (1720 GMT) on Thursday, said a local security chief Nozad al-Barzanji. The incident took place in a Kurdish neighborhood of the city, 255 kilometers (160 miles) north of Baghdad.
First-hand account details Israeli cruelty to children 06 Aug 2009 Amid shocking revelations that Israeli soldiers employed Palestinian children as human shields during the war on Gaza, a former Israeli military commander explains how Palestinian minors are treated on an ongoing basis. Palestinian youth are arrested on a regular basis, usually for hurling stones at Israeli soldiers -- something many of them consider the only means of venting their frustration over the military occupation of their homeland.
Fluor names ex-KBR exec to run government division 05 Aug 2009 Engineering company Fluor Corp has named Bruce Stanski as head of its government group, giving him a similar position to what he once held at KBR Inc as Fluor competes for more military contracts. Stanski replaces John Hopkins, who will become group executive for corporate development, Fluor said in a statement on Wednesday.
Malmstrom nuclear weapons squadron activated 05 Aug 2009 A new squadron designed to streamline and improve the handling of nuclear weapons systems was activated Tuesday at Malmstrom Air Force Base, bringing 62 new personnel with it, according to Air Force officials. The newly activated 16th Munitions Squadron will be responsible for weapons storage area logistics operations. The tenant unit at Malmstrom is part of the 798th Munitions Maintenance Group at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
Jewish security network meets with DHS chief 05 Aug 2009 Leaders of the Secure Community Network met Wednesday in Washington with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. SCN, which coordinates security for North American Jewish institutions, has been working with DHS for a while on security training and assessments, but this was the first meeting with Napolitano since she took office earlier this year.
Metro Transit Police to Add Anti-Terrorism Teams 05 Aug 1009 The federal government will pay almost $10 million for the Metro Transit Police to put 20 officers on five anti-terrorism teams, Metro officials announced Wednesday. The department has a Special Response Team, said spokeswoman Cathy Asato, but the force has not had specific teams focused on counterterrorism. A Department of Homeland Security transit grant program will provide the money to create them.
Intel to SEC: No Ties to 'Sponsors of Terrorism' 06 Aug 2009 Intel Corp. has told the Securities and Exchange Commission that it does not do business with countries accused of being "sponsors of terrorism," in response to an unusual request from the agency. The SEC earlier this year had sent a letter to Intel asking the chip giant to describe the nature of its business contacts with such countries as Cuba, Iran and Syria, which have been identified as "state sponsors of terrorism," according to a company filing with the federal agency. In response, the company wrote the SEC saying, "Intel prohibits all transactions with countries identified under certain trade-related sanctions."
Heads up! Baxter to test swine flu vaccine 06 Aug 2009 Pharmaceutical firm Baxter International says it has produced its first commercial batches of a [deadly] human swine flu vaccine called Celvapan A/H1N1. The development comes as the World Health Organisation warned that the current outbreak is the fastest pandemic and could eventually affect two billion people. [See: Baxter working on vaccine to stop swine flu, though admitted sending live pandemic flu viruses to subcontractor 26 Apr 2009.]
FDA never inspected China maker of Baxter's heparin 13 Feb 2008 U.S. regulators have never inspected the Chinese plant that makes Baxter International's [deadly] heparin, regulators disclosed a day after Baxter halted sales of some versions after four patients died and hundreds became ill. On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration reported that it received about 350 reports of health problems associated with Baxter's injectable heparin, a blood thinner, since the end of 2007.
Swine flu vaccine on track for September, WHO says --Larger deliveries are expected in October, an official says. Human trials of the new vaccine against H1N1 have also begun. 07 Aug 2009 Manufacturers are on track to deliver the first doses of a vaccine for pandemic H1N1 influenza in September, World Health Organization officials said Thursday. The first batches will be limited, but larger deliveries are expected in October, Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, director of the organization's Initiative for Vaccine Research said at a news conference in Geneva.
Rapid tests often wrong about swine flu --CDC's first study finds cases missed at least half the time 06 Aug 2009 Current quick tests for flu miss many cases of the new pandemic H1N1 strain, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday. The accuracy of the tests ranged from just 40 percent to 69 percent in detecting swine flu, the CDC team reported. The findings confirm the CDC's warnings that instant tests performed on the spot in doctor's offices and clinics are not highly worthwhile for diagnosing H1N1 infections.
Barack Opharma strikes again: White House Affirms Deal on Drug Cost 06 Aug 2009 Pressed by industry lobbyists, White House officials on Wednesday assured drug makers that the administration stood by a behind-the-scenes deal to block any Congressional effort to extract cost savings from them beyond an agreed-upon $80 billion. Drug industry lobbyists reacted with alarm this week to a House health care overhaul measure that would allow the government to negotiate drug prices and demand additional rebates from drug manufacturers. In response, the industry successfully demanded that the White House explicitly acknowledge for the first time that it had committed to protect drug makers from bearing further costs in the overhaul.
'It would be unusual for a recent corporate lobbyist to be a U.S. attorney.' Ex-Lobbyist Called Top Candidate for Alexandria U.S. Attorney 06 Aug 2009 A Justice Department official who briefly worked as a corporate lobbyist has emerged as the leading candidate for U.S. attorney in Alexandria, one of the nation's most prominent law enforcement posts, sources familiar with the selection process said Wednesday. Neil MacBride, who has been an associate deputy attorney general since January, is undergoing FBI background checks for the Alexandria job, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no appointment has been announced.
US Senate confirms Sonia Sotomayor for the supreme court --Sonia Sotomayor becomes the first Hispanic justice to sit on the US Supreme Court 06 Aug 2009 The US Senate confirmed Sonia Sotomayor today as the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court. The vote was 68-31 for Sotomayor, Barack Obama's first high court nominee. She becomes the 111th justice and just the third woman to serve.
Senate Confirms Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court --All 31 votes against Sotomayor came from Republicans. 06 Aug 2009 Sonia Sotomayor won confirmation Thursday afternoon as the nation's 111th Supreme Court justice and the first ever of Hispanic descent, a historic moment for the nation's fastest-growing minority group. On a 68 to 31 vote, the Senate confirmed Sotomayor after roughly 18 hours of official debate spread across three days this week, a show of support that included nine Republican 'aye' votes and 59 from the Democratic side of the aisle.
Sotomayor watches Senate vote at NYC courthouse 06 Aug 2009 Sonia Sotomayor bathed in applause from friends and colleagues at a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan Thursday as the Senate voted to confirm her appointment to the Supreme Court. The New Yorker watched the vote unfold on large-screen televisions in a conference room on the 8th floor overflowing with other judges and courthouse personnel.
GOP Congressman Jokes: Dems "Almost Got Lynched" By Eric Kleefeld 06 Aug 2009 Here's another way for Republicans to handle the disruptions at Democratic town hall events: Joke about lynching. Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) held a town hall of his own two days ago, and here's what he said: "This particular meeting, in a way is a little bit unique," said Akin. "Different people from Washington, DC, have come back to their districts and have town hall meetings, and they almost got lynched." The audience then broke out into laughter and applause. "I would assume you're not approving lynchings, because we don't want to do that," Akin said, putting his hand to his neck in imitation of choking, which got audience laughing some more.
Cornyn accuses White House of compiling 'enemies list' 06 Aug 2009 Texas Sen. John Cornyn [R-Hypocrite], accusing the White House of compiling an "enemies list," has asked President Barack Obama to stop an effort to collect "fishy" information Americans see about a health care overhaul. Cornyn, who leads the Republicans' Senate campaign effort, said Wednesday in a letter to Obama that he's concerned that citizen engagement on the issue could be "chilled." He also expressed alarm that the White House could end up collecting electronic information on its critics. [Oh, and Bush would never do that, right? Where was Cornyn's outrage *then?*]
Procter & Gamble, Progressive Insurance Pledge Not to Advertise on Glenn Beck on Fox News 06 Aug 2009 Three companies who run ads during Glenn Beck -- NexisLexis-owned Lawyers.com, Procter & Gamble and Progressive Insurance -- today distanced themselves from Beck. LexisNexis has pulled its advertising from Beck and says it has no plans to advertise on the program in the future. Both Procter & Gamble and Progressive Insurance called the Beck advertising placements an error that they would correct. The decision by the three companies comes as over 45,000 ColorOfChange.org members call on advertisers to pull their ads from Glenn Beck after the controversial news host called President Obama a "racist" who "has a deep-seated hatred for white people" on "Fox & Friends" last week.
AIG breakup nets Wall Street $1 billion bonanza: report 06 Aug 2009 Wall Street banks and lawyers could collect nearly $1 billion in fees from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and American International Group Inc to help manage and break apart the insurer, The Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday, citing its own analysis. Morgan Stanley could collect as much as $250 million, the newspaper said, citing banking experts and documents released by the New York Fed.
AIG's Greenberg to pay $15 million to settle SEC charges 06 Aug 2009 American International Group's former Chief Executive Hank Greenberg agreed to pay $15 million to settle regulators' allegations of improper accounting transactions, a Securities and Exchange Commission official said on Thursday.
Oil price hits $76, highest since October 06 Aug 2009 Oil prices fell on Thursday after briefly reaching 76 dollars a barrel in London and the highest level this year, as some analysts predicted a sustained move downwards owing to weak demand for crude. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in September reached exactly 76 dollars in early London trade. It later stood at 75.16 dollars a barrel, down 35 cents on Thursday's close.
About half of U.S. mortgages seen underwater by 2011 05 Aug 2009 The percentage of U.S. homeowners who owe more than their house is worth will nearly double to 48 percent in 2011 from 26 percent at the end of March, portending another blow to the housing market, Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday.
Congress OKs $2B Refill of 'Cash For Clunkers' --Program Would Run Through Labor Day 06 Aug 2009 Congress has passed a $2 billion extension of the popular "cash for clunkers" program, clearing the legislation for President Barack Obama's signature. The Senate passed the extension Thursday evening. The House approved the measure last week. Lawmakers made sure to keep the popular program alive before heading home for a monthlong vacation.
Clinton-Era Rule Protecting Forests Upheld 05 Aug 2009 In a victory for environmentalists, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, reaffirmed a lower court decision to strike down the Bush administration’s policy toward roads in national forests. The "roadless rule," approved in 2001 during the waning days of the Clinton administration, substantially limited road development in national forest lands.
Study finds 3 Northwest glaciers shrinking faster 06 Aug 2009 Climate change is shrinking three of the nation's most studied glaciers at an accelerated rate, and government scientists say that finding bolsters global concerns about rising sea levels and the availability of fresh drinking water. Known as "benchmark glaciers," the South Cascade Glacier in Washington state, the Wolverine Glacier on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula and the Gulkana Glacier in interior Alaska all have shown a "rapid and sustained" retreat, according to a report by the U.S. Geological Survey that was released Thursday.
'It moves around like a big animal without a leash.' The world's rubbish dump: a garbage tip that stretches from Hawaii to Japan 05 Aug 2009 A "plastic soup" of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice the size of the continental United States, scientists have said. The vast expanse of debris – in effect the world's largest rubbish dump – is held in place by swirling underwater currents. This drifting "soup" stretches from about 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast, across the northern Pacific, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan.
City Says Exxon Is Liable for Tainted Well Water in Queens 07 Aug 2009 Lawyers for New York City are trying to convince a jury in a federal trial that Exxon Mobil knew that an additive that it began using in gasoline in the 1980s would contaminate groundwater. The trial, which began on Tuesday before Judge Shira A. Scheindlin of United States District Court in Manhattan, is one of hundreds of cases that have been presented around the country against oil companies over the additive, MTBE, a chemical compound that replaced lead in gasoline as an octane enhancer.
Previous lead stories: Feds to oversee immigration detention facilities 05 Aug 2009 The Obama administration plans to place federal employees in the largest immigration detention facilities in the country to monitor detainee treatment. This oversight role is currently handled by private contractors. But under the new plan, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials would be placed at the largest jails to directly supervise how the detention centers are managed, according to people briefed on the government's plan. The government has been criticized for its treatment of immigration detainees, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has made detention policies a top priority for her department. [See: KBR awarded Homeland Security contract worth up to $385M --Contract may also provide detention support to 'other government organizations' as well as the development of a plan to react to a national emergency, such as a 'natural' disaster. [Flu?] 24 Jan 2006 KBR said Tuesday it has been awarded a contingency contract from the Department of Homeland Security to supports its Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in the event of an emergency. The maximum total value of the contract is $385 million and consists of a 1-year base period with four 1-year options.]
More charged with terrorism offences in Australia 05 Aug 2009 Australian police charged four more men on Wednesday with planning to attack an army base and shoot soldiers as the government considered whether to ban a Somalia militant group linked to the plot. During a brief court hearing in Melbourne on Wednesday, one of those charged refused to stand before the court and then shouted at the presiding magistrate. "You call me a terrorist? I have never killed a person in my life," said Wissam Mahmoud Fattal, 33, before he was led to a jail cell. "Your army kills innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel takes Palestinian land by force," he said.
Money.CNN.com | Hunger hits Detroit's middle class
Telegraph.co.uk | Clinton Foundation has agreed to build the world's largest solar power station close to India's border with Pakistan
Clinton Foundation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William J. Clinton Foundation Type Charitable foundation Purpose/focus Humanitarian The William J. Clinton Foundation is a foundation established by former President of the United States Bill Clinton with the stated mission to "strengthen the capacity of people throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence." The Foundation focuses on four critical areas: health security; economic empowerment; leadership development and citizen service; and racial, ethnic and religious reconciliation. The Foundation works principally through partnerships with like-minded individuals, organizations, corporations, and governments, often serving as an incubator for new policies and programs. They have offices located in Harlem, New York City; Boston, Massachusetts; and Little Rock, Arkansas.
Cave Editorial | Thursday 6 August 09
I feel like writing an editorial - was sitting outside this evening after my current evening ritual of feeding my pond fish, turtle, frogs, filling my bird feeder, watering my flower beds and my thoughts drifted to a particular day last winter. It was the day after my small grandson was murdered and my backyard filled with over 100 doves - a sight I had never nor yet again have seen.Birds have been said to be messengers of the spirit - and those 100+ doves that I counted that day from my kitchen window - filled my soul ... a sad and dark day that now seems almost like a lifetime ago.
Normally at this time of the summer my butterfly bushes, honeysuckle vines, etc. are busy with the activity of an array of butterflies. It had always dazzled me at the number of beautiful colors carried by those little creatures that seem to dance from flower to flower. Where have all the butterflies gone?
In 1985 I experienced my only hurricane - Hurricane Gloria. Tonight sitting outside with my cup of coffee, the energy felt as it did when I was waiting for the 2nd half of that hurricane and was within the stillness of its center. Perhaps if I could paint this feeling of energetic stillness with a word - the word ominous comes immediately to mind.
- ominous: 1589, from L. ominosus "full of foreboding," from omen (gen. ominis) "foreboding" (see omen).
- omen : 1582, from L. omen "foreboding," from Old L. osmen, of unknown origin; perhaps connected with the root of audire "to hear."
- heaven: O.E. heofon "home of God," earlier "sky," possibly from P.Gmc. *khemina- (cf. Low Ger. heben, O.N. himinn, Goth. himins, O.Fris. himul, Du. hemel, Ger. Himmel "heaven, sky"), from PIE base *kem-/*kam- "to cover" (cf. chemise). Plural use in sense of "sky" is probably from Ptolemaic theory of space composed of many spheres, but it was also formerly used in the same sense as the singular in Biblical language, as a translation of Heb. pl. shamayim. Heavenly "beautiful, divine" is from 1460, often (though not originally) with reference to the celestial "music of the spheres;" weakened sense of "excellent, enjoyable" is first recorded 1874.
- PIE Proto-Indo-European, the hypothetical reconstructed ancestral language of the Indo-European family. The time scale is much debated, but the most recent date proposed for it is about 5,500 years ago.
For decades now I have referred to this particular EARTH WALK that I am experiencing in this particularized energy form ... and have likewise been called Earthwalker due to to my referencing this earth walk I've been on now for pushing 60 years. My little home is what I term as a manifestation of my soul ... my own creation and what I call my spiritual oasis. Little home is quite literal given it is a one-bedroom! I've frequently sat outside in my backyard in the evenings with my cup of coffee and contemplated ... that I hoped that if there was my heaven after death ... it would be just like what I was experiencing ... mosquitoes and all. What would my beautiful blue dragonflies do without its mosquitoes? I definitely want dragonflies in my heaven!
What Does a Dragonfly SymbolizeTo HEAR a silence like that within the center of hurricane is to hold awareness of that which encircles one's beingness. Having grown up and lived in tornado country, I carry intelligent respect for the power within a storm.
Dragonflies are adaptive insects belonging to order odonata. They are more powerful during the summer, under the effects of sunlight and warmth. Their lifecycle starts in water and they move to air after maturity. However, they tend to live close to water. Well, what does a dragonfly represent? A dragonfly represents monsoon and rain. It also represents uncertain or unexpected changes in the climate or weather of a particular place. Being a creature of the wind, the dragonfly totem represents change. Its iridescent wings are extremely sensitive to the slightest breeze. They remind us to heed where the proverbial wind blows. A dragonfly is also a creature of the water and hence, it is a symbol of subconscious or dreaming mind and thoughts.
What does a dragonfly symbolize? A dragonfly is a symbol of sense of self, which comes with maturity. It represents renewal, positive forces and power of life. A pair of mating dragonflies is believed to be a symbol of love. The animal symbolism of a dragonfly is associated with good luck, prosperity, swiftness, strength, peace, purity and harmony. These symbolic meanings of a dragonfly are popular, specifically, with the Japanese and Native Americans. In Japanese paintings, dragonflies represent new light and joy. Dragonflies help you see through your illusions and allow your own light to shine in a new vision. They remind us to pay attention to our deeper thoughts and desires. In Japanese culture, dragonflies are considered as a symbol of strength, happiness and courage. They are often mentioned in Japanese literature and art, especially haiku. In ancient mythology, Japan was recognized by the name, Akitsushima that means ‘Land of the Dragonflies’. According to the Japanese people, a dragonfly is associated with the rice plant’s spirit. To some Native Americans, dragonflies are the souls of the dead. In England, dragonflies were considered to be evil and dangerous. They were nicknamed as ‘horse stingers’.
A dragonfly lives a very short life and it tries to live to the fullest with what it has. I think this is the greatest lesson for all of us. We should try to enjoy every moment of life with what we have.
There are great storms ahead wherein many within our nation will be taught the difference between the words WANT and NEED. I still recall San Jose, CA when I was visiting during the time period of older brother's death and the words of a yuppy saying, "how can anyone live with only one bathroom?". Wonder what the price of a roll of toilet paper will be once the dollar collapses?
WashingtonTimes.com | Obama sends stimulus aid to foreign firms
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RussiaToday.com | Chocolate’s secret ingredient – child slavery
Chocolate is a sweet business with disgusting ingredients – like child slavery. Attempts are being made to change the industry by pressing consumers, but Interpol says – free the children, prosecute the criminals.
Fifty-four children of seven different nationalities were rescued from plantations, and eight people were arrested in connection with the illegal recruitment of children during a two-day operation in Cote d’Ivoire, codenamed “BIA”.
Work conditions
Interpol says the plantation owners had bought the children, between ages 11 and 16, due to the need for cheap labor for harvesting. “They were discovered working under extreme conditions, forced to carry massive loads, seriously jeopardizing their health.”
These children were completely unaware of their rights or the fact that what was happening to them was illegal, Interpol reported. “They would regularly work 12 hours a day and receive no salary or education. Girls were usually purchased as housemaids and would work a seven-day week all year round, often in addition to their duties in the plantation.”
Cote d’Ivoire is the world’s largest cocoa producer. Add Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon into the equation and West Africa is the world’s largest cocoa producing region. It is also a region whose foul record of forced labor has been repeatedly exposed and generally ignored.
“Perhaps the most dangerous task from the standpoint of health and safety,” reported the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), “is the application of noxious pesticides.” Children are reportedly forced to work with dangerous chemicals and not provided with safety equipment.
They are also forced to use machetes. “An estimated 146,000 children under the age of 15 were clearing plantations using machetes…” the IITA said of their investigation.
Chocolate companies
Activists have pled with consumers to hold chocolate companies accountable. There have been exposés as well as pressure on companies to hold producers accountable, but the prevalence of child labor remains an unfortunate reality in chocolate.
Cocoa’s first consumers are chocolate companies, which could clean up the industry by refusing to buy beans produced by children.
The International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) has a scorecard to assess the progress companies are making in their alleged efforts to stop exploiting child labor. It shows that if chocolate-makers had the same motivation to make chocolate as they are in fighting child slavery, the industry would have crumbled long ago.
Although the battle began in 2001, Hershey “continues to drag its feet in dealing with child and trafficked labor in its supply chain,” reports ILRF. “Like Mars and Nestle, Hershey has not effectively produced transparency or accountability…”
Nestle has been a main target of reformers because “unlike other chocolate manufacturers Nestle directly sources cocoa from West Africa and has direct control over its supply chain…” says ILRF.
Many other companies buy cocoa beans that include an assortment from non-African producers.
A hefty price tag doesn’t offer any assurance either. Even high-end chocolate retailer Godiva has not done much to clarify how they source their cocoa or the standards required of suppliers, according to their scorecard.
The illicit ingredient in chocolate is becoming less secret, but still producers appear confident enough that consumers will spend despite the negative publicity. Efforts to make retail consumers aware have resulted in a fair trade market.
Customers who purchase chocolate with the fair trade stamp are also supposed to receive peace of mind, knowing that the supply chain is being watched and regulated.
The enforcement approach
Interpol saved a small group, but it is believed that hundreds of thousands of children are still laboring away on cocoa plantations. Reports and internet campaigns aiming to break the link between child slavery and chocolate continue to circulate. However, enforcement could bring change much faster and more effectively.
BIA was Interpol’s first West African child trafficking operation, but it won’t be the last. Another operation is planned for later this year in Ghana.
Michelle Smith for RT