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Thursday, October 29, 2009
Calleman.com | November 8, 2009, the beginning of the Sixth night of the Galactic Underworld
Before going into the specifics of the upcoming sixth night of the Galactic Underworld, November 8, 2009 – November 2, 2010, I feel I should clarify some of my basic points of departure for understanding the Mayan calendar, since the various ideas that are currently proposed for this vary significantly. There are for instance those that believe that the end date of the Mayan calendar only marks the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new. On my own part I however think that we are approaching something much more profound than just a point in a cycle that again will be repeated. Thus, there is overwhelming empirical evidence that we are approaching a point in time when nine evolutionary levels of the cosmic plan are simultaneously FULL STORY
Michelle Obama, kids harvest sweet potatoes
First lady Michelle Obama and students Bancroft and Kimball elementary schools harvest large sweet potatoes from the garden on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.
A girl from Bancroft Elementary School reacts as she sees the large sweet potato being held by first lady Michelle Obama as they harvest vegetables from the White House garden. AP
Volunteers and residents search for victims among the rubble following a deadly car bomb blast at a market in Peshawar, Pakistan on Oct. 28, 2009. A huge car bomb detonated in a crowded street in the Meena Bazaar just hours after U.S. Secretary Hillary Clinton arrived in Pakistan to bolster the two countries' troubled alliance against Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants. Photograph: AFP
OpenSecrets.com | 'Round and 'Round They Go: Lawmakers Leave Congress for Lobbying Posts
October 30, 2009 - The physical distance between Capitol Hill and K Street is only about a mile. But armed with the knowledge that walking that path can be lucrative, many lawmakers decide to make the trek -- and stay put. Some even do so regardless of whether their congressional terms are over.
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) is the most recent example. Within two weeks of announcing his early resignation from Congress last month, Martinez had landed a job at lobbying firm DLA Piper. Under federal law, Martinez will have to wait two years before he can lobby his former colleagues, but in the meantime, he'll be advising the firm's clients based on the inside knowledge he gained after five years on the job.
At least 44 lawmakers have left their congressional seats mid-term since 1990, and at least 16 of them went on to work at lobbying firms or at companies that hired lobbyists, the Center for Responsive Politics has found. Of these 16, three are former senators and 10 are Republicans. Here, we take a closer look at a few of these individuals, examining which industries and clients they're now representing. We also explore the campaign cash they received while in Congress from the industries and organizations they now represent.
Note: The individuals listed below all currently work for a lobbying firm or for an organization that lobbies and were in Congress for some period of time after 1998. This excludes current Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums, who was a member of Congress between 1971 and 1998 and founded Dellums & Associates; and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who served in Congress between 1982 and 1997, worked for Fleishman-Hillard Inc. and ran for president in 2008. FULL STORY
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) is the most recent example. Within two weeks of announcing his early resignation from Congress last month, Martinez had landed a job at lobbying firm DLA Piper. Under federal law, Martinez will have to wait two years before he can lobby his former colleagues, but in the meantime, he'll be advising the firm's clients based on the inside knowledge he gained after five years on the job.
At least 44 lawmakers have left their congressional seats mid-term since 1990, and at least 16 of them went on to work at lobbying firms or at companies that hired lobbyists, the Center for Responsive Politics has found. Of these 16, three are former senators and 10 are Republicans. Here, we take a closer look at a few of these individuals, examining which industries and clients they're now representing. We also explore the campaign cash they received while in Congress from the industries and organizations they now represent.
Note: The individuals listed below all currently work for a lobbying firm or for an organization that lobbies and were in Congress for some period of time after 1998. This excludes current Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums, who was a member of Congress between 1971 and 1998 and founded Dellums & Associates; and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who served in Congress between 1982 and 1997, worked for Fleishman-Hillard Inc. and ran for president in 2008. FULL STORY
MarketOracle.co.uk | Top Headlines - October 29, 2009
BlacklistedNews.com | Headlines Thursday Afternoon - October 29, 2009
| The deadly trade in cluster bombs is funded by the world's biggest banks who have loaned or arranged finance worth $20bn (£12.5bn) to firms producing the controversial weapons, despite growing international efforts to ban them. | |
| About 18.8 million homes stood empty in the U.S. during the third quarter as banks seized properties from delinquent borrowers and new home sales fell in September. | |
| News agency RIA-Novosti reports on the latest Russian super-villain scheme: A nuclear-powered spacecraft. | |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is set for release Nov. 10, in time for the American holiday shopping season. Its predecessor sold 14 million copies and earned myriad "game of the year" awards. | |
| Robotic airships and satellites will fly above the surface of the distant world, commanding squadrons of wheeled rovers and floating robot boats, according to Wolfgang Fink of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). | |
| Paul Volcker and senior Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron both testified to Congress this week that the government is trying to make bailouts for the giant banks permanent. | |
| A car bomb struck a busy market in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, killing 100 people—mostly women and children—as visiting Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged U.S. support for Islamabad's campaign against Islamic militants. | |
| Vigilante justice spreads across Mexico | |
Cave's Headlines | October 29, 2009
Government is trying to make bank bailouts permanent -- Paul Volcker and senior Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron both testified to Congress this week that the government is trying to make bailouts for the giant banks permanent.Paul Adolph Volcker (born September 5, 1927) is an American economist. He was the Chairman of the Federal Reserve under United States Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan (from August 1979 to August 1987). He is currently chairman of the newly formed Economic Recovery Advisory Board under President Barack Obama
The Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (private) Bank is the head of the central banking system of the United States http://www.newyorkfed.org/
USGS | 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN - Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 10:14:31 PM at epicenter
| MAG | UTC DATE-TIME y/m/d h:m:s | LAT deg | LON deg | DEPTH km | Region | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAP | 6.0 | 2009/10/29 17:44:31 | 36.434 | 70.731 | 205.6 | HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN |
| MAP | 6.2 | 2009/10/22 19:51:28 | 36.471 | 70.925 | 196.5 | HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN |
SteveQuayle.com | Hot Headlines - October 29, 2009
Asteroid Explodes Over Indonesia with Force of 3 Hiroshimas + video
Samoans Fear Another Killer Tsunami
Current Climate Change Not Part of Natural Cycle: New Evidence Unlike Any Seen During Previous Warming Episodes Found in Arctic
Stock Analysts Issue 'Black Tuesday' Warning
Bankers Waiting Till the End?
Gold to Rise to $2,000 Amid ‘Massive’ Inflation, Superfund Says
How 56.5 Million Households Live: $52,000 Median Household Income in 2009 Crushed by a Decade of Debt. A Decade of Lost Wages and Financial Debt Servitude.
Blow to Nymex as Saudis Drop Benchmark
German Protests Over Toxic Swine Flu Jab Grow After Army Rejects It as Too Risky
Swine Flu Peaks Out Before Vaccines Even Make It into Widespread Distribution
Medical-Bioethical Elite Seek License to Kill for Body Organs
Curry Spice 'Kills Cancer Cells'
Narcissistic Rage in the White House
The Stain of Dishonor and the Prerequisites for Redemption
America - At the Point of No Return!
Top Chinese General to Visit US: Pentagon
Radical Environmentalism: Pretext for Power and Money Grab by Would Be One World Governors
No Men OR Women Needed: Artificial Sperm and Eggs Created for First Time
Are Populations Being Primed for Nano-Microchips Inside Vaccines?
Tell USDA: Keep Nanotech OUT of Organic!
Samoans Fear Another Killer Tsunami
Current Climate Change Not Part of Natural Cycle: New Evidence Unlike Any Seen During Previous Warming Episodes Found in Arctic
Stock Analysts Issue 'Black Tuesday' Warning
Bankers Waiting Till the End?
Gold to Rise to $2,000 Amid ‘Massive’ Inflation, Superfund Says
How 56.5 Million Households Live: $52,000 Median Household Income in 2009 Crushed by a Decade of Debt. A Decade of Lost Wages and Financial Debt Servitude.
Blow to Nymex as Saudis Drop Benchmark
German Protests Over Toxic Swine Flu Jab Grow After Army Rejects It as Too Risky
Swine Flu Peaks Out Before Vaccines Even Make It into Widespread Distribution
Medical-Bioethical Elite Seek License to Kill for Body Organs
Curry Spice 'Kills Cancer Cells'
Narcissistic Rage in the White House
The Stain of Dishonor and the Prerequisites for Redemption
America - At the Point of No Return!
Top Chinese General to Visit US: Pentagon
Radical Environmentalism: Pretext for Power and Money Grab by Would Be One World Governors
No Men OR Women Needed: Artificial Sperm and Eggs Created for First Time
Are Populations Being Primed for Nano-Microchips Inside Vaccines?
Tell USDA: Keep Nanotech OUT of Organic!
NaturalNews.com | Today's Feature Stories - October 29, 2009
| Breakthrough documentary "House of Numbers" challenges conventional thinking on HIV, AIDS (NaturalNews) Canadian filmmaker Brent Leung isn't winning any friends in the medical industry these days. His breakthrough documentary "House of Numbers" features jaw-dropping interviews with doctors, researchers and even the co-discoverer of... |
| The AIDS myth exposed: Why experts are challenging conventional AIDS mythology (NaturalNews) Conventional medicine's explanations of HIV and AIDS are a medical myth at best; and outright quackery at worst. There is no such thing as a virus that "causes" AIDS, since the very definition of AIDS is widely disputed by scientists around... |
| Organ transplant horrors: Diseased organs routinely implanted into donation recipients (NaturalNews) Matthew Millington, 31, was an Iraq war veteran who served in the British army. Suffering from an unspecified "serious long condition", doctors told him he would be dead in two years unless he underwent a lung transplant. With tens of thousands... |
| GMO Giant Monsanto Loses Another Day in Court France`s highest court has ruled that Monsanto lied about the safety of its weed killing herbicide Roundup. The decision came just days ago and confirms an earlier court judgment in France finding that Monsanto had falsely advertised Roundup... |
| Interview with Alex Holland, founder of Asian Institute of Medical Studies in Arizona (NaturalNews) Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is rapidly gaining popularity throughout the western world as patients find it to be safe, effective and affordable. One TCM school in Tucson Arizona trains future TCM practitioners on the philosophy and... |
| The Bitter Side of a Sweet Treat: Giving Candy to Kids may Lead to Violent Crimes Most parents are aware that too much refined sugar isn't good for their kids. Now a new study indicates that children who are given sweets on a daily basis are more likely to end up as violent adults. The Welsh study, published in the |
| Acupuncture: Traditional Chinese Medicine Effectively Treats Insomnia Insomnia is a common condition in which people have difficulty either falling asleep or staying asleep. It is listed by the World Health Organization as a condition which has been shown to be treated effectively by acupuncture (1). Acupuncture... |
AFP | Shell Oil Profits Down 62%
RELATED:
(From a forum) "Oh boo-hoo...they just jacked up the interest rate on my Shell gas card to 29.9%!! They're making plenty of money off me..."
(From a forum) "Oh boo-hoo...they just jacked up the interest rate on my Shell gas card to 29.9%!! They're making plenty of money off me..."
2.8 Magnitude earthquake hits Colorado - 14 mi S of La Veta, CO - October 29, 2009
MAG DATE LOCAL-TIME LAT LON DEPTH LOCATION
y/m/d h:m:s deg deg km
map 2.8 2009/10/29 06:38:12 37.305N 104.991W 5.0 22 km (14 mi) S of La Veta, CO
map 1.7 2009/10/28 17:53:23 36.532N 89.586W 7.0 8 km ( 5 mi) SW of New Madrid, MO
map 1.0 2009/10/27 23:21:11 36.230N 89.447W 7.2 5 km ( 3 mi) SE of Ridgely, TN
map 2.0 2009/10/27 22:14:15 36.136N 89.414W 9.7 12 km ( 7 mi) NNW of Dyersburg, TN
map 1.4 2009/10/26 16:33:52 36.248N 89.503W 7.4 2 km ( 1 mi) SW of Ridgely, TN
map 1.6 2009/10/26 16:32:22 36.248N 89.500W 7.8 2 km ( 1 mi) SW of Ridgely, TN
map 2.5 2009/10/26 07:47:31 35.242N 92.422W 0.1 3 km ( 2 mi) WNW of Greenbrier, AR
map 2.7 2009/10/26 06:43:22 36.420N 90.927W 16.2 3 km ( 2 mi) W of Maynard, AR
map 1.1 2009/10/26 00:46:06 35.553N 84.108W 23.0 13 km ( 8 mi) ESE of Vonore, TN
NewsWithViews.com | Headlines - October 29, 2009
October 29, 2009
The End of An Era and the Promise of A New
Marxism? No one can any longer take Marx seriously, even though Marxism, in diluted form, continues to influence Western politics. As for Christianity, its doctrine of separation of church and state, once salutary, now precludes Christianity from having architectonic influence on contemporary society. America, once a sober Christian nation, elected, according to Islamic law, a Muslim as its president, who seems to hate everything America stands........
http://www.newswithviews.com/Eidelberg/paul122.htm
by Professor Paul Eidelberg
To All You Fuzzy Socialists Out There
Fuzzy, socialist-liberals — What useful idiots you are for the Obama's of this world. You always accuse free-market advocates like me of being "mean," or not having any Christian ideals. Well, let's see. What would a good Christian want for his fellow man? — for people to live happy, productive lives, to not be slaves of any dictatorial government, to have the chance to fulfill their hopes and dreams, to not have to live in poverty and.......
http://www.newswithviews.com/Turtel/joel162.htm
by Joel Turtel
A Winning Lifestyle
With the epidemic of chronic disease and little hope for a decent health care package for America, you may not believe it’s possible to lower your risk of developing diabetes by 93%, heart attack by 81%, stroke by 50% and cancer by 36%. You may not believe it but it’s true. And what is the miracle pill that can do all that? Is it aspirin, is it the new.....
http://www.newswithviews.com/Dean/carolyn104.htm
by Dr. Carolyn Dean MD. ND
Personal Responsibility: Personal Accountability
Following up the two part series on “U.S. Filling Up with Dumb People,” an amazing number of emails arrived with a sense of heart break, distress and futility. Older Americans seem to think that America can return to the way it was! Younger Americans don’t have a clue as to the way it used to be! Immigrant Americans don’t know what America once was nor do they care about what we are becoming. They don’t know......
http://www.newswithviews.com/Wooldridge/frosty513.htm
by Frosty Wooldridge
Joyce Riley's THE POWER HOUR NEWS | October 29, 2009
Top officials defend vaccination campaign -- The Obama administration gave its most aggressive defense of the government's swine flu vaccine campaign, with top officials saying Wednesday that despite shortages, the program has been more successful than expected in some ways and that millions of doses are quickly becoming available.
Shortage of vaccine posts political test for Obama -- Despite months of planning and preparation, a vaccine shortage is threatening to undermine public confidence in government, creating a very public test of Mr. Obama’s competence.
Chaos at vaccination clinic in California -- Overwhelmed clinic staff began vaccinating many people who were not supposed to be first in line for protection, officials said Tuesday. Immediately swamped by patients, they haven't been able to monitor whether those receiving the vaccines were at the top of the federal priority list.
US official says vaccine policy is too cautious -- Though the swine flu is widespread in 46 states many Americans are still waiting to get their vaccines. The Obama administration blames the shortage on manufacturing delays at the five firms making these products. But production issues only explain part of the shortfall. Also to blame are a series of policy decisions that reflect our extreme caution when it comes to these products.
Wisconsin beef farmer ordered to register premises -- A Polk County judge has ruled in favor of the state of Wisconsin in the state's second case of a farmer refusing to register a livestock premises. Cumberland cattle rancher Patrick Monchilovich, 39, faced trial Oct. 21 in Balsam Lake for not registering his premises as required by the state's livestock premises registration law.
FAA reacted slowly to errant jet -- The Federal Aviation Administration violated its own rules by taking more than 40 minutes to alert the military after losing communication with a Northwest Airlines flight last week, according to officials familiar with internal reviews under way at several federal agencies.
Government is trying to make bank bailouts permanent -- Paul Volcker and senior Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron both testified to Congress this week that the government is trying to make bailouts for the giant banks permanent.
US airlines to cut 1700 jobs -- US Airways and American Airlines said overnight they were cutting a total of 1700 jobs as they face turbulence amid prolonged recession.
Shots fired at home of Lou Dobbs -- someone has fired a gun at the home of Lou Dobbs, with his wife just a few feet away from the incident. The gunfire followed a series of threatening phone calls. Lou Dobbs is being targeted by the pro-illegal alien groups and pundits who feel that Dobbs is stopping Amnesty from passing.
Costco to accept food stamps nationwide -- Costco Wholesale Corp. said Wednesday that it will start accepting food stamps at its warehouse clubs nationwide after testing them at stores in New York.
George Soros: China should lead New World Order -- China should step up to the plate as the leader of a new global economic order, and the US shouldn't fear the establishment of a global currency because it would help the economy, billionaire investor George Soros says.
Obama signs hate crimes bill into law -- The Senate approved the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act by a vote of 68-29 on Oct. 22 after Democrats strategically attached it to a "must-pass" $680 billion defense appropriations plan.
Troops who suffer intestinal problems on active duty more likely to have continuing problems -- Troops who suffered a bout of infectious gastroenteritis while serving -- as in dysentery or diarrhea -- are more likely than others to suffer longer-term bowel disorders, researchers said here.
More on FBI raid at Pennsylvania Turnpike -- the FBI were at the Turnpike's head offices in Harrisburg Thursday afternoon and that they went away with computers and other materials. He says that as a supervisor on different Turnpike projects he personally has been interviewed multiple times by the FBI as part of a major USDOJ investigation of corruption at the Turnpike. The investigation has been going on for some months.
The video they don't want you to see of potential devastation during a Seattle earthquake -- The Washington Department of Transportation has released a powerful simulation of what could happen to the Alaskan Way Viaduct in the event of a powerful earthquake.
Curry spice kills cancer cells -- An extract found in the bright yellow curry spice turmeric can kill off cancer cells, scientists have shown.
US may end up discarding unused H1N1 vaccine -- The U.S. government may end up throwing away unused doses of swine flu vaccine if people cannot get it soon enough, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.
Swift & supersized FDA enforcement -- FDA’s commissioner vows to strengthen enforcement activity and promises more bite from the agency.
Checkpoints for the next few weeks at Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel aimed to stop terrorist threats -- Drivers using the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel saw a very public effort to reduce terrorist risks to the nation's surface transportation. As many as 60 people with the TSA, the tunnel police, Coast Guard, NCIS, FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, Norfolk Police and Virginia Beach Police are part of the security checkpoint that’s occurring on both ends of the span.
America moving from kingdom of cash to socialism -- Pragmatic America realized that billions of people are not willing to live in the kingdom of hard cash and decided that it would be better off leaving this kingdom itself. Now the USA is talking about introducing elements of socialism.
Steps toward the American police state always tried out in Britain first -- When police admit you could be put on a secret database for being at a demo, it’s time to worry!
UK: Parents banned from watching their own children at playgrounds -- Parents are being banned from playing with their children in council recreation areas because they have not been vetted by police. Mothers and fathers are being forced to watch their children from outside perimeter fences because of fears they could be pedophiles.
America's drug crisis brought to you by the CIA -- Kudos to the New York Times, and to reporters Dexter Filkins, Mark Mazzetti and James Risen, for their lead article today reporting that Ahmed Wali Karzai, brother of Afghanistan's stunningly corrupt President Hamid Karzai, a leading drug lord in the world's major opium-producing nation, has for eight years been on the CIA payroll.
CIA prevented prisoner deaths to prolong torture -- The CIA took measures to make sure their tortured prisoners did not die – in order to continue further torturing, according to human rights lawyer John Sifton.
Putin given shocking report that Obama ousted in right wing military coup -- Shocking reports circulating in the Kremlin today are stating that Prime Minister Putin’s refusal to agree to new talks with the United States on the START 1 Nuclear Arms Control Treaty, Russian National Security Council Head Nikolai Patrushev’s warning that the Motherlands “military must prepare for a large-scale conflict” and the State Duma’s unanimous vote to allow Russian troops to go “abroad to prevent aggression by other states and to protect Russian citizens on foreign soil”, are all due to a GRU report stating that the American President, Barack Obama, has been made to “surrender his power” to the Right-Wing fascist forces who now, for all intent and purposes, are steering the US towards Total Global War.
Blackwater aided by PR giant -- Public relations giant Burson-Marsteller has vast experience steering companies through tough times. But there's a limit to how much it can help Blackwater USA, a new client that's been battered by negative publicity.
Shortage of vaccine posts political test for Obama -- Despite months of planning and preparation, a vaccine shortage is threatening to undermine public confidence in government, creating a very public test of Mr. Obama’s competence.
Chaos at vaccination clinic in California -- Overwhelmed clinic staff began vaccinating many people who were not supposed to be first in line for protection, officials said Tuesday. Immediately swamped by patients, they haven't been able to monitor whether those receiving the vaccines were at the top of the federal priority list.
US official says vaccine policy is too cautious -- Though the swine flu is widespread in 46 states many Americans are still waiting to get their vaccines. The Obama administration blames the shortage on manufacturing delays at the five firms making these products. But production issues only explain part of the shortfall. Also to blame are a series of policy decisions that reflect our extreme caution when it comes to these products.
Wisconsin beef farmer ordered to register premises -- A Polk County judge has ruled in favor of the state of Wisconsin in the state's second case of a farmer refusing to register a livestock premises. Cumberland cattle rancher Patrick Monchilovich, 39, faced trial Oct. 21 in Balsam Lake for not registering his premises as required by the state's livestock premises registration law.
FAA reacted slowly to errant jet -- The Federal Aviation Administration violated its own rules by taking more than 40 minutes to alert the military after losing communication with a Northwest Airlines flight last week, according to officials familiar with internal reviews under way at several federal agencies.
Government is trying to make bank bailouts permanent -- Paul Volcker and senior Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron both testified to Congress this week that the government is trying to make bailouts for the giant banks permanent.
US airlines to cut 1700 jobs -- US Airways and American Airlines said overnight they were cutting a total of 1700 jobs as they face turbulence amid prolonged recession.
Shots fired at home of Lou Dobbs -- someone has fired a gun at the home of Lou Dobbs, with his wife just a few feet away from the incident. The gunfire followed a series of threatening phone calls. Lou Dobbs is being targeted by the pro-illegal alien groups and pundits who feel that Dobbs is stopping Amnesty from passing.
Costco to accept food stamps nationwide -- Costco Wholesale Corp. said Wednesday that it will start accepting food stamps at its warehouse clubs nationwide after testing them at stores in New York.
George Soros: China should lead New World Order -- China should step up to the plate as the leader of a new global economic order, and the US shouldn't fear the establishment of a global currency because it would help the economy, billionaire investor George Soros says.
Obama signs hate crimes bill into law -- The Senate approved the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act by a vote of 68-29 on Oct. 22 after Democrats strategically attached it to a "must-pass" $680 billion defense appropriations plan.
Troops who suffer intestinal problems on active duty more likely to have continuing problems -- Troops who suffered a bout of infectious gastroenteritis while serving -- as in dysentery or diarrhea -- are more likely than others to suffer longer-term bowel disorders, researchers said here.
More on FBI raid at Pennsylvania Turnpike -- the FBI were at the Turnpike's head offices in Harrisburg Thursday afternoon and that they went away with computers and other materials. He says that as a supervisor on different Turnpike projects he personally has been interviewed multiple times by the FBI as part of a major USDOJ investigation of corruption at the Turnpike. The investigation has been going on for some months.
The video they don't want you to see of potential devastation during a Seattle earthquake -- The Washington Department of Transportation has released a powerful simulation of what could happen to the Alaskan Way Viaduct in the event of a powerful earthquake.
Curry spice kills cancer cells -- An extract found in the bright yellow curry spice turmeric can kill off cancer cells, scientists have shown.
US may end up discarding unused H1N1 vaccine -- The U.S. government may end up throwing away unused doses of swine flu vaccine if people cannot get it soon enough, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.
Swift & supersized FDA enforcement -- FDA’s commissioner vows to strengthen enforcement activity and promises more bite from the agency.
Checkpoints for the next few weeks at Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel aimed to stop terrorist threats -- Drivers using the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel saw a very public effort to reduce terrorist risks to the nation's surface transportation. As many as 60 people with the TSA, the tunnel police, Coast Guard, NCIS, FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, Norfolk Police and Virginia Beach Police are part of the security checkpoint that’s occurring on both ends of the span.
America moving from kingdom of cash to socialism -- Pragmatic America realized that billions of people are not willing to live in the kingdom of hard cash and decided that it would be better off leaving this kingdom itself. Now the USA is talking about introducing elements of socialism.
Steps toward the American police state always tried out in Britain first -- When police admit you could be put on a secret database for being at a demo, it’s time to worry!
UK: Parents banned from watching their own children at playgrounds -- Parents are being banned from playing with their children in council recreation areas because they have not been vetted by police. Mothers and fathers are being forced to watch their children from outside perimeter fences because of fears they could be pedophiles.
America's drug crisis brought to you by the CIA -- Kudos to the New York Times, and to reporters Dexter Filkins, Mark Mazzetti and James Risen, for their lead article today reporting that Ahmed Wali Karzai, brother of Afghanistan's stunningly corrupt President Hamid Karzai, a leading drug lord in the world's major opium-producing nation, has for eight years been on the CIA payroll.
CIA prevented prisoner deaths to prolong torture -- The CIA took measures to make sure their tortured prisoners did not die – in order to continue further torturing, according to human rights lawyer John Sifton.
Putin given shocking report that Obama ousted in right wing military coup -- Shocking reports circulating in the Kremlin today are stating that Prime Minister Putin’s refusal to agree to new talks with the United States on the START 1 Nuclear Arms Control Treaty, Russian National Security Council Head Nikolai Patrushev’s warning that the Motherlands “military must prepare for a large-scale conflict” and the State Duma’s unanimous vote to allow Russian troops to go “abroad to prevent aggression by other states and to protect Russian citizens on foreign soil”, are all due to a GRU report stating that the American President, Barack Obama, has been made to “surrender his power” to the Right-Wing fascist forces who now, for all intent and purposes, are steering the US towards Total Global War.
Blackwater aided by PR giant -- Public relations giant Burson-Marsteller has vast experience steering companies through tough times. But there's a limit to how much it can help Blackwater USA, a new client that's been battered by negative publicity.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Financial Times | Saudis drop West Texas Intermediate WTI oil contract for benchmark pricing its oil
By Javier Blas in London
Published: October 28 2009 20:27 | Last updated: October 28 2009 20:27
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday decided to drop the widely used West Texas Intermediate oil contract as the benchmark for pricing its oil, dealing a serious blow to the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The decision by the world’s biggest oil exporter could encourage other producers to abandon the benchmark and threatens the dominance of the world’s most heavily traded oil futures contract. It is the main contract traded on Nymex.
The move reveals the growing discontent of Riyadh and its US refinery customers with WTI after the price of the price of the benchmark became separatedfrom the global oil market this year.
The surge in oil inventories in Cushing, Oklahoma, where WTI is delivered into America’s pipeline system, depressed the value of the WTI against other global benchmarks, throwing the global oil market into disarray.
In January, WTI, which usually trades at a premium of $1-$2 a barrel to Brent, fell sharply, leaving it at a discount of almost $12 – a record gap. This dislocation in the market continued well into the summer.
From January, Saudi Arabia will base the price of oil for its US customers on a new index developed by Argus, the London-based oil pricing company.
The Argus Sour Crude Index will track the price in the physical market of a basket of US Gulf Coast crudes, including Mars, Poseidon and Southern Green Canyon.
Argus said the change in policy reflected the “increased importance of the US Gulf coast sour crude market, in which both production and trading activity was rising sharply”.
Paul Horsnell, head of commodities research at Barclays Capital in London, said Saudi Arabia’s decision was likely to reflect a “wider discontent” from its customers in the US about WTI performance.
ExxonMobil, Marathon and Valero are among the US’s biggest buyers of Saudi crude oil.
Edward Morse, chief economist at LCM Commodities in New York, said: “It is a recognition by large players that WTI sometimes does not reflect the true value of crude oil in the waterborne market.”
Saudi Arabia has priced its oil using WTI since 1994.
The price was based on quotes from the physical market which were compiled by Platt’s, a unit of McGraw-Hill.
Oil companies then covered their exposure to WTI using the futures market on Nymex.
Bob Levin, managing director of market research at the CME Group-owned Nymex, said the exchange was ready to move with the market.
“We plan to introduce a cash-settled futures contract tracking the new Argus index,” he said.
Mike Vinciquerra, equity research analyst at BMO Capital Markets, said the new Argus index would not replace WTI. “It’s more a supplement,” he said.
Published: October 28 2009 20:27 | Last updated: October 28 2009 20:27
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday decided to drop the widely used West Texas Intermediate oil contract as the benchmark for pricing its oil, dealing a serious blow to the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The decision by the world’s biggest oil exporter could encourage other producers to abandon the benchmark and threatens the dominance of the world’s most heavily traded oil futures contract. It is the main contract traded on Nymex.
The move reveals the growing discontent of Riyadh and its US refinery customers with WTI after the price of the price of the benchmark became separatedfrom the global oil market this year.
The surge in oil inventories in Cushing, Oklahoma, where WTI is delivered into America’s pipeline system, depressed the value of the WTI against other global benchmarks, throwing the global oil market into disarray.
In January, WTI, which usually trades at a premium of $1-$2 a barrel to Brent, fell sharply, leaving it at a discount of almost $12 – a record gap. This dislocation in the market continued well into the summer.
From January, Saudi Arabia will base the price of oil for its US customers on a new index developed by Argus, the London-based oil pricing company.
The Argus Sour Crude Index will track the price in the physical market of a basket of US Gulf Coast crudes, including Mars, Poseidon and Southern Green Canyon.
Argus said the change in policy reflected the “increased importance of the US Gulf coast sour crude market, in which both production and trading activity was rising sharply”.
Paul Horsnell, head of commodities research at Barclays Capital in London, said Saudi Arabia’s decision was likely to reflect a “wider discontent” from its customers in the US about WTI performance.
ExxonMobil, Marathon and Valero are among the US’s biggest buyers of Saudi crude oil.
Edward Morse, chief economist at LCM Commodities in New York, said: “It is a recognition by large players that WTI sometimes does not reflect the true value of crude oil in the waterborne market.”
Saudi Arabia has priced its oil using WTI since 1994.
The price was based on quotes from the physical market which were compiled by Platt’s, a unit of McGraw-Hill.
Oil companies then covered their exposure to WTI using the futures market on Nymex.
Bob Levin, managing director of market research at the CME Group-owned Nymex, said the exchange was ready to move with the market.
“We plan to introduce a cash-settled futures contract tracking the new Argus index,” he said.
Mike Vinciquerra, equity research analyst at BMO Capital Markets, said the new Argus index would not replace WTI. “It’s more a supplement,” he said.
Cave's Headlines | October 28, 2009
Peter Schiff: The People Who Don’t Get Out of the Dollar Are Going to Be Broke (video)Oct 27, 2009 ..They’re going to print money until they revive the economy. You can’t revive the economy by printing money. They’re going to suffocate it to death. It’s going to die by hyperinflation.
DailyJobCuts.com | Layoffs, Bankruptcies and Closures
Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis | City of Houston is Bankrupt (So are California, Oregon, and Pension Plans in General)
Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens For Legitimate Government | 28 Oct 2009
Oh, my God. US to Give $125 Million to Upgrade Pakistan's Power Sector 29 Oct 2009 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, seeking to bolster Islamabad's fight against Islamic extremists US corporaterrorists' profits, initiated a crash U.S. assistance program for Pakistan's power sector aimed at rolling back electricity shortages that threaten to cripple the South Asian nation's economy. Mrs. Clinton, on the first of a three-day diplomatic mission to Pakistan, said that Washington will disburse $125 million to Islamabad for the upgrading of key power stations and transmission lines. U.S. experts [!] are also beginning to work with Pakistani utility companies to reduce power outages and lost revenue caused by outmoded technologies and systemic non-payment by customers, which costs Pakistan hundreds of millions of dollars each year. [Clinton announces $125 million more to be sucked into the Obusha AfPak money pit for... wait for it... *Pakistan's* power sector (that the US bombs in its illegal killer drone attacks). We can't get single-payer health care in the US -- we can't even get a so-called public option -- because the Congressional pharma-wh*res (LieberBush, etc.) tell us it may add to the US deficit. Where are the calls for endless CBO studies on the billions wasted funding contractors, mercenaries, and terrorists benefiting from Obusha's wars? Bay Bridge closed after repair falls apart 28 Oct 2009 (CA) Three pieces of an emergency repair to the Bay Bridge's cantilever section made over Labor Day weekend snapped and crashed onto the upper deck of the span late Tuesday afternoon, striking three vehicles and forcing the indefinite closure of the region's busiest bridge. Caltrans officials ordered the closure of the bridge in both directions shortly after 7 p.m. and said late Tuesday night that it would be closed indefinitely. Too bad the bridge isn't in Pakistan. Then, Blackwater/Xe could blow it up, blame the Taliban, and the US could pay contractors billions to keep rebuilding it. --LRP]
UN rights investigator warns US drone attacks may violate international law 28 Oct 2009 UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston said Tuesday that the use of unmanned warplanes by the US to carry out attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan may be illegal. Alston criticized the US policy in a report to the UN General Assembly's human rights committee and then elaborated at a press conference.
Brother of Afghan president reportedly on CIA payroll 28 Oct 2009 The New York Times has reported that the brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been taking regular payments from the Central Intelligence Agency. The Times, quoting current and former US intelligence officials, said Ahmed Wali Karzai had been paid for different services including the putting together of a CIA directed Afghan paramilitary force.
Brother of Afghan President Is on C.I.A. Payroll, Officials Say 28 Oct 2009 Ahmed Wali Karzai, the brother of the Afghan president and a suspected player in the country's booming illegal opium trade, gets regular payments from the Central Intelligence Agency, and has for much of the past eight years, according to current and former American officials. The agency pays Mr. Karzai for a variety of services, and those financial ties and the agency's close working relationship with him raise significant questions about America's war strategy, which is currently under review at the White House.
Gunmen storm UN guest house in Kabul, 12 dead 28 Oct 2009 Taliban militants wearing suicide vests and police uniforms stormed a guest house used by U.N. staff in the heart of the Afghan capital early Wednesday, killing 12 people -- including six U.N. staff. It was the biggest in a series of attacks intended to undermine next month's presidential runoff 'election.' A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the early morning assaults, which also included rocket attacks at the presidential palace and the city's main luxury hotel.
October deadliest month for US troops in Afghanistan 27 Oct 2009 October has been the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the start of the war in 2001, Pentagon officials said on Tuesday. The death of eight troops in bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday pushed the October death toll to 53, topping the previous high of 51 deaths in August, officials said.
Afghan bombs kill eight US troops 27 Oct 2009 Eight US soldiers have been killed in bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan, say Nato-led forces. An Afghan civilian was also killed in what were called "multiple complex IED attacks" - or improvised bombs. The deaths make October the deadliest month for American forces in the eight-year war in Afghanistan.
Car bomb kills 90 in Pakistan as Hillary Clinton visits 28 Oct 2009 A car bomb ripped through a crowded market killing 90 people in Pakistan's city of Peshawar on Wednesday, just hours after Washington's top diplomat arrived pledging a fresh start in sometimes strained relations. Wednesday's bomb, the latest urban attack since [Blackwater arrived] the army launched a major assault on rural Taliban strongholds two weeks ago, was the deadliest since 2007 when around 140 died.
Pakistani journalist claims life under threat following U.S agency expose 27 Oct 2009 A Pakistani journalist claims to have been receiving life threats from a U.S agency for critically writing against the Obama administration and for reporting its secret operations in the country. Fears of being harassed has him to use a pseudo name, S.F.A. Shah, who now fears for his life after breaking the story of the presence of Blackwater (now Xe Worldwide) in Peshawar along with Creative Associates International Inc (CAII). He had published names of the investigation and operational heads of the agency and had unmasked the nexus of BW, FBI and CIA. He had also investigated the activities of the US Consulate in Peshawar... The Nation reports. Now a report has revealed how he was hounded out of his home and was later approached by the CIA.
UN rights rapporteur: Guantanamo detainees should be tried or released 27 Oct 2009 UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism Martin Scheinin said Monday that all Guantanamo Bay detainees should be brought before US federal courts for trial by the January 22 deadline for closure set by US President Barack Obama. Scheinin said that the detainees should not be held indefinitely and that if they cannot be brought to the US for trial then they should be released.
Ex-Gitmo detainees sue UK to make evidence public 28 Oct 2009 Seven former Guantanamo Bay detainees asked the High Court in London on Tuesday to reject a government request to use secret sessions to hear allegations that Britain was complicit in their torture overseas. Britain's government and intelligence agencies want parts of a claim for damages filed by the detainees prisoners to be heard in private, and to restrict their lawyers' access to documents that the attorneys say may prove whether Britain was aware of the detainees' mistreatment. The seven men allege they were tortured or abused at the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and at detention centers in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Morocco.
Obama reaffirms Guantanamo pledge 27 Oct 2009 President Barack Obama has declared that he is "serious" about shutting Guantanamo Bay amid speculation that a January deadline for its closure may be pushed back. At a fundraising event in Miami, the President reiterated his pledge to move all detainees off the controversial Cuban base. He made no mention of when the process would be complete, stoking speculation that the planned closure is behind schedule.
Court's flu plan raises due-process concern --'Precautionary' quarantines delaying arraignments 28 Oct 2009 Defense attorneys in the desert are crying foul at a plan to contain the spread of H1N1 virus or any other flu-like illnesses, saying that it could violate an inmate's constitutional right to a speedy trial. Riverside County Jail officials developed the protocol, which includes inmate quarantines, in an effort to curb the chances of an outbreak of flu-like viruses in the county's jails. Los Angeles County man Anthony Raymond Magdaleno,18, was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday... But Magdaleno did not appear in court for the second time in two days because he is one of several inmates quarantined at the Riverside County Jail in Indio in a precautionary action attributed to a flu-like virus, jail officials said.
Hearing in DHS supermarket slaying postponed again for jail flu quarantine 27 Oct 2009 Arraignment for a Los Angeles County man accused of gunning down a man in front of a Desert Hot Springs supermarket was delayed today for a second day in a row because of a flu quarantine at the Indio Jail. The hearing was rescheduled for Wednesday for 18-year-old Anthony Raymond Magdaleno, who faces a murder charge... His arraignment has been delayed three times because of the quarantine. Riverside County jails have been quarantining inmates with flu-like symptoms in attempt to keep the H1N1 virus and the seasonal flu from spreading through the population, said Capt. Raymond Gregory, who oversees jails in Indio and Blythe.
Pig plague could crash interwebs, say US feds --DHS bandwidth rationing? 28 Oct 2009 A severe outbreak of the H1N1 pandemic could overwhelm internet providers' capacity, according to a report submitted Monday, which called on Department of Homeland Security officials to develop contingency plans to avert such a crisis. "Concerns exist that a more severe pandemic outbreak than 2009's could cause large numbers of people staying home to increase their internet use and overwhelm internet providers' network capacities," according to the report, which was prepared by the US Government Accountability Office... The authors said the DHS, which is responsible for making sure critical networks remain operational during emergencies, needs to consider ways to mitigate the threat and held out the rationing of customer bandwidth or the blocking of websites as possibilities. ...Networks used by security exchanges would most likely survive because they generally bypass the public internet.
Pharmaterrorists' swine flu vaccine guinea pigs: prisoners. Texas to Give Prisoners H1N1 Vaccine Before General Public 28 Oct 2009 Texas prison officials say thousands of high-risk convicts may be vaccinated against the swine flu ahead of the general public as soon as next week. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Michelle Lyons and state health officials say more than 45,000 convicts are being considered for the vaccine. They've been targeted by a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention distribution policy to receive the vaccine. Texas is the second state [Massachusetts is the other state] to announce it would vaccinate prisoners before vaccinating the general public.
Massachusetts Prisoners With 'Health Risks' to Get H1N1 Shots Before General Public 15 Oct 2009 Massachusetts health officials have decided to give swine flu vaccinations to prisoners with high health risks before the general population. Prison officials warn that inmates could quickly spread the flu if not inoculated -- particularly those in high-risk groups, such as AIDS patients or the aged. Department of Public Health spokeswoman Jennifer Manley told the Boston Herald that vaccines will go to correctional facilities the second week of November for prison health care workers and high risk prisoners. [Gee, can these Nazis get any more blatant with their medical experiments?]
U.S. may end up discarding unused H1N1 vaccine [Why not just toss the sh*t now to save time?] 27 Oct 2009 The U.S. government may end up throwing away unused doses of swine flu vaccine if people cannot get it soon enough, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday. CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden said 22.4 million doses were now available to states, which can get them a day after they order them. "It's quite likely that too little vaccine is one of the things that's making people more interested in getting vaccinated, frankly," Frieden told reporters.
Pregnant Women Wary of Swine Flu Shot --Survey Shows Most Pregnant Women and Moms of Young Kids Won't Get Vaccinated 27 Oct 2009 A new survey shows only about one in four pregnant women and mothers of young children plan to get the H1N1 flu vaccine this year, despite recommendations from public health groups massive propaganda campaigns urging them to do so. Only 27% plan on getting the H1N1 flu vaccine.
Swine flu doctors tell footballers to stop spitting 28 Oct 2009 It is one of the most common complaints from spectators of the beautiful game. And yesterday, footballers were warned that spitting during games is not only unattractive, but could increase the risk of spreading swine flu. The warning comes as players at two Premier League clubs in England were struck down by the virus, prompting fears that it could spread to other teams and players.
Experts discount 'accident' theory in Harvard pathology lab coffee poisoning 26 Oct 2009 A leading toxicologist believes the chances are slim that six lab workers at Harvard University Medical School were poisoned by accident. "An accident? Sodium azide is a poison," said David M. Benjamin, a toxicologist and Chestnut Hill-based clinical pharmacologist. "Absolutely not." The Herald reported yesterday that six scientists and students at the New Research Building in Boston’s Longwood Medical area were mysteriously poisoned after drinking from a communal, single-serve coffee machine on the eighth floor near their pathology lab on Aug. 26. Seconds later all six reported symptoms including dizziness and low blood pressure and were taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for treatment.
Two Chicago men accused of plotting terror attacks in Denmark --U.S. citizen allegedly conspired with high-ranking operatives overseas, using code words to conceal plot called the "Mickey Mouse Project." 27 Oct 2009 Federal authorities have arrested and charged two Chicago area men in connection with an alleged terrorist plot focused on targets in Denmark after a newspaper there published cartoons that enraged the Muslim community. Prosecutors in Chicago and the District said that the men posed "no imminent danger" and noted that David Coleman Headley and Tahawar Hussain Rana have been in U.S. custody for several days while they conducted further "investigative activity."
Greyhound bus passengers get screened, pat down in special TSA operation --Everyone who walked into the terminal went through a metal detector like those at airports, and baggage was screened for explosives. 22 Oct 2009 The TSA's Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIRP) teams stage periodic operations at bus and train stations, ports and other transportation centers. There was no specific threat to the bus station on John Young Parkway south of Colonial Drive. On Thursday, 50 officials from agencies including TSA, Orlando police, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection patted down passengers. Behavior and explosives experts and dogs trained to sniff out bombs and drugs also were used.
Anti-terrorism exercise held at CBBT 27 Oct 2009 Eight federal and local law enforcement agencies put on a show of force at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) Tuesday. Random traffic stops were conducted at the north and south toll gates. The security check is part of the Transportation Security Agency's (TSA) Viper Program. It's a effort to deter terrorist activity and protect our bridges and tunnels.
Ex-A.I.G. Chief Is Back, Luring Talent From Rescued Firm 27 Oct 2009 Maurice R. Greenberg, who built the American International Group into an insurance behemoth with an impenetrable maze of on- and offshore companies, is at it again. Even as he has been lambasting the government for its handling of A.I.G. after its near collapse, Mr. Greenberg has been quietly building up a family of insurance companies that could compete with A.I.G. To fill the ranks of his venture, C.V. Starr & Company, he has been hiring some people he once employed. Now, Mr. Greenberg may have received some unintended assistance from the United States Treasury. Just last week, the Treasury severely limited pay at A.I.G. and other companies that were bailed out by taxpayers. That may hasten the exodus of A.I.G.’s talent, sending more refugees into Mr. Greenberg’s arms, since C. V. Starr is free to pay whatever it wants. [AIG --they're like the monsters in the 'Aliens' movie. People kept feeding them so they could grow bigger and then absorb their hosts. --LRP]
New York Fed's Secret Choice to Pay for Swaps Hits Taxpayers 27 Oct 2009 By Sept. 16, 2008, AIG, once the world’s largest insurer, was running out of cash, and the U.S. government stepped in with a rescue plan. The government’s commitment to AIG through credit facilities and investments would eventually add up to $182.3 billion... After less than a week of private negotiations with the banks, the New York Fed instructed AIG to pay them par, or 100 cents on the dollar. The content of its deliberations has never been made public. Bloomberg News has filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking copies of the term sheets related to AIG’s counterparty payments, along with e-mails and the logs of phone calls and meetings... The request is pending. The Federal Reserve has been reluctant to publish information on its efforts to stabilize the financial system since the crisis began. The Fed has loaned more than $2 trillion, yet it refuses to name the recipients of the loans, or cite the amount they borrowed, saying that doing so may set off a run by depositors and unsettle shareholders.
CLG: Silence On the Senator --The Lieberman Lie Pie is growing, and Connecticut's largest newspaper is ignoring it. By Lori Price 28 Oct 2009 When Senator Chris Dodd (D) sneezes, the state of Connecticut knows it. We know it, because the Hartford Courant tells us... and tells us and tells us. On the flip side, one can (jokingly) observe that one would have to revert to the Hartford Courant's founding date -- 1764 -- to find positive coverage of Dodd or any other Democrat. The Courant, mindful that reporting Joe Lieberman's actual actions would drag his approval ratings down lower than the Marianas Trench, avoids the topic of Joe(no)mentum altogether.
Lieberman says to back GOP filibuster against Democrats on health care 27 Oct 2009 Sen. Joe Lieberman (R-Israel) said Tuesday that he’d back a GOP filibuster of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s health care reform bill. LieberBush said he opposes any health care bill that includes a government-run insurance program -- even if it includes a provision allowing states to opt out of the program, as Reid has said the Senate bill will.
Poll: support growing for public option 27 Oct 2009 Public support for a public option in health care appears to be growing, according to a new poll. The NBC/Wall Street Journal survey found that 48 percent support a government-run plan to compete with private insurers and 42 percent oppose it -- the strongest support ever in the survey. Last month, opinion was basically divided with 46 percent in favor and 48 percent against.
Landfill sites may be used to dump radioactive waste --Government poised to allow nuclear power generators to put atomic waste in ordinary sites to cut cost [!] of decommissioning old reactors 19 Oct 2009 The [criminally insane] government is poised to allow nuclear power generators to use ordinary landfill sites for dumping "hundreds of thousands of tons" of waste in an attempt to reduce the £73bn cost of decommissioning old reactors. The move has triggered a swath of applications around the country from big corporations trying to cash in on this potential new business, but infuriated local councils and campaign groups.
Push to Legalize Marijuana Gains Ground in California 28 Oct 2009 These are heady times for advocates of legalized marijuana in California -- and only in small part because of the newly relaxed approach of the federal government toward medical marijuana. State lawmakers are holding a hearing on Wednesday on the effects of a bill that would legalize, tax and regulate the drug -- in what would be the first such law in the United States. Tax officials estimate the legislation could bring the struggling state about $1.4 billion a year, and though the bill’s fate in the Legislature is uncertain, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has indicated he would be open to a "robust debate" on the issue.
Previous lead stories: In pandemic, Internet providers might need govt authorization to block popular websites --'The DHS is responsible for ensuring that critical telecommunications infrastructure is protected.' 26 Oct 2009 Securities exchanges have a sound network back-up if a severe pandemic keeps people home and clogging the Internet [!?!] but the Homeland Security Department has done little planning, Congressional investigators said on Monday... Blocking Websites: Private Internet providers might need government authorization to block popular websites, it [GAO report] said, or to reduce residential transmission speeds to make way for commerce. The Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council for Critical Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security, a group of private-sector firms and financial trade associations, has been working to ensure that trading could continue if big exchanges had to close because of the risk of disease transmission.
Guantánamo torture: UK wants claims of complicity to be heard in secret --The government also wants its evidence kept secret from defence lawyers. 26 Oct 2009 The government wants allegations that it was complicit in the torture by the US of Britons held as terrorism suspects to be heard in secret. In documents seen by the Guardian, lawyers for the government argue it must be allowed to present evidence to the high court with the public excluded, otherwise Britain's relations with other countries and its national security could be damaged. The government also wants its evidence kept secret from defence lawyers. Lawyers for seven men who are now all back in the UK after the US released them without charge will tomorrow go to the high court in London to fight the government's attempt, which they say is designed to cover the embarrassment of ministers and the security services.
Cost of Afghanistan project soars, benefits exaggerated 25 Oct 2009 Flipping a switch on one of Afghanistan's long-awaited electrical power plants in August, U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry urged Afghans to think of U.S. taxpayers' support when they turn their lights on at night. To some U.S. experts, however, the project is the latest example of exaggerated political expectations and wasted American taxpayers' dollars in the effort to 'rebuild' Afghanistan. Plagued by delays and rising costs, the project reveals how the U.S. government continues to ignore the hard lessons of Iraq, critics say, where contractors received billions of dollars with little oversight and inspectors have found rampant waste, fraud and abuse.
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