| It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men. -Samuel Adams  Monday Evening - February 1, 2010 |
 Groundhog Day: The Official Website of the Punxsatawny Ground Hog Club (slow loading website) On February 2, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob - in front of thousands of followers from all over the world - to predict the weather for the rest of winter. According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.  |
| "Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people" - John Adams - Second President (1797 - 1801) |
| What Next for Haiti as "Recovery" Replaces Relief? Feb 1 2010 GlobalResearch.ca As Media Coverage Fades, Urgent Issues On The Disaster Go Uncovered UN Takes Over Aid Distribution; Admits Effort Has Been a Failure
Haiti is already fading from the headlines. The desperation of the population in what was called the “rescue” phase of the relief effort is giving way to ‘silver-lining” talk of recovery and rebuilding.
Even as the death count mounts, this apocalyptic disaster no longer has the ability to shock, perhaps because of media overexposure. The media well of compassion—fueled by images of lovable orphans and live extractions of half-dead individuals from the rubble,, is running dry as a ‘been there, done that’ feeling sets in among TV execs who sense that the audience will soon become jaded and turn away.
Perhaps that’s why the story turned quickly from the dead and dying to celebrities telling Larry King how much money they are donating. Perhaps that’s why the plight of sympathetic children took center-stage.
The reporters who have been there are all tired, and in some cases traumatized because of the vast needs they saw. However, most were gentle in chronicling the pathetic delivery of food and water despite the amazing outpouring of sympathy and generosity. Recently a homeless shelter in Baltimore donated $14.64.
Because of the suffering they have shown us, much of it as character-based human interest vignettes, correspondents seemed to have had little airtime for investigating what history might someday indict as an incompetent, if not criminally negligent, aid response,
For weeks, there were so many basic questions left unexplored like how much was being spent. where it was it going and whether it git there. We were given impressions, but little real information.
There was blame for the most powerless player in this drama, the Haitian government, which had lost most of its infrastructure, but little scrutiny of the most powerful, the lead agency, the US military which took over the airport and made security—i.e. bringing troops and vehicles-- a more important priority than distributing food and medical supplies. On Sunday The NY Times reported the system was changed because this approach had “failed.” and at a cost of a still unknown number of lives. READ MORE US citizen charged with abusing 18 Haitian boys  The executives at Royal Caribbean know how to make a hard bargain with Caribbean islands which have little economic bargaining power. CEO Richard Fain cut a deal where for only $6 a passenger (paid by the passenger), Haiti turned over a 260 acre tropical waterfront paradise of Haitian sovereign land for Royal Caribbean to consider it "private property" bearing the trademarked name "Labadee®." Yes, that's right. This is a name that Royal Caribbean trademarked as a variation of the French slave owner Marquis de La'Badie who settled in Haiti in the 1600's. The article continues: "plagued by a ravaged economy, residual political unrest, and 7,000 unemployed soldiers, the Haitian government was willing to bargain . . . Royal Caribbean got dirt-cheap entry, minimal regulation, and tactful silence." The Haitian government earns less than $30,000 a week from the Royal Caribbean cruise ships, but, as Haiti's minister of tourism said: "we need to start somewhere." Haiti was desperate. Royal Caribbean was Haiti's only choice. The Brutal Life of Haiti's Child Slaves - by Mike Thomson - 2010-02-01  |
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Pentagon's Black Budget Tops $56 Billion Feb 1 2010
Cobbling together this round figure for the military’s hush-hush projects is easier than it seems. The Pentagon’s separate ledgers for operations, research and procurement all contain line items for “classified programs.” Add those to the non-sensical, all-caps programs, and you’ve got yourself an estimate for the Pentagon’s secretive efforts.
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Enemies Of Free Speech Call For Internet Licensing
Paul Joseph Watson, Alex Jones & Steve Watson Death of the web moves closer as UN calls for policing cyberspace. |
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Privatize the Gains, Socialize the Losses
Dr. Peter T Treadway | Our monetary system — including its domestic and international components — is broken.
The Fed – Just One Giant Money Counterfeiter
Zero Hedge | San Jose State economics professor Jeffrey Rogers Hummel tells all his students that the easiest way to understand the Federal Reserve is to think of it as a giant, legalized counterfeiter.
Swiss warn UBS bank could collapse
AFP | Switzerland’s justice minister warned in an interview on Sunday that top bank UBS could collapse if sensitive talks with the United States over a high-profile tax fraud investigation fall through.
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| Federal Reserve Notes ARE 'monopoly money' - and the Fed doesn't stop printing!! To the dumbed down sheeple: Obama: Taxes Can't be 'Monopoly Money' RELATED: Obama budget: Record spending, record deficit (AP) Feb 1 2010 |
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A Majority Of States Are Now Insolvent: Quantifying The Disastrous Unemployment Situation
Zero Hedge
February 1, 2010
Update: the Friday, January 29 report was released and our expectations were low: total January Unemployment Insurance Outflows were $14.4 billion, essentially right on top of the December number. READ MORE
| POLICE STATE |
| Naked Body Scanning Now Compulsory at Britain’s Largest Airports
Paul Joseph Watson | Naked body scanners compulsory, refuse and you’ll be treated like a terrorist. European Parliament to Reject Bank Data Agreement with US The European Parliament is likely to spike a deal which would allow US terrorism investigators access to European bank transfer data. Privacy advocates oppose the deal and Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office says the data profiling is ineffective in counterterrorism efforts. more...
In late January, the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General released a report that provided startling new details on illegal operations by the FBI's Communications Analysis Unit (CAU) and America's grifting telecoms. Between 2002 and 2007, the FBI illegally collected more than 4,000 U.S. telephone records, citing bogus terrorism threats or simply by persuading telephone companies to hand over the records. Why? Because the FBI could and the telecoms were more than willing to help out a "friend"--and reap profits accrued by shredding the Constitution in the process. Austin Business Harrassed For Cutting Cedar Trees
Infowars.com | Business owner told he does not own trees on his own property. |
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Cramer Says Bernanke, Geithner, Illuminati, Trilateral Commission, and Queen of England Are Great
Infowars.com | I had to rewind this twice and make sure his lips synced up with the words.
RELATED:
CNBC Mad Money TV Show: Make Money with Money Manager Jim Cramer ...
| POLITICIANS |
| Judicial Watch posts documents in ‘Pelosi Air Force Scandal’; travel tops $2 million The government watchdog group Judicial Watch obtained documents from the Air Force detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s use of US Air Force aircraft for Congressional Delegations (CODELs). According to the documents obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Speaker’s military travel cost the United States Air Force $2,100,744.59 over a two-year period — $101,429.14 of which was for in-flight expenses, including food and alcohol. |
| OBAMACARE |
States seeking to ban mandatory health insurance
Conservative lawmakers in a majority of states are forging ahead with constitutional amendments to ban government health insurance mandates.
The proposals would assert a state-based right for people to pay medical bills from their own pocketbooks and prohibit penalties against those who refuse to carry health insurance.
Many proposals began as a backlash to Democratic health care plans in Congress.
Whether the measures legally could stop federal health insurance mandates is questionable. Federal laws generally trump state laws.
So Maybe You Can't Keep Your Current Coverage...
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Colorado Springs cuts into services considered basic by many
COLORADO SPRINGS - Jan 31 2010 — This tax-averse city is about to learn what it looks and feels like when budget cuts slash services most Americans consider part of the urban fabric.
More than a third of the streetlights in Colorado Springs will go dark Monday. The police helicopters are for sale on the Internet. The city is dumping firefighting jobs, a vice team, burglary investigators, beat cops — dozens of police and fire positions will go unfilled.
The parks department removed trash cans last week, replacing them with signs urging users to pack out their own litter.
Neighbors are encouraged to bring their own lawn mowers to local green spaces, because parks workers will mow them only once every two weeks. If that.
Water cutbacks mean most parks will be dead, brown turf by July; the flower and fertilizer budget is zero.
City recreation centers, indoor and outdoor pools, and a handful of museums will close for good March 31 unless they find private funding to stay open. Buses no longer run on evenings and weekends. The city won't pay for any street paving, relying instead on a regional authority that can meet only about 10 percent of the need.
"I guess we're going to find out what the tolerance level is for people," said businessman Chuck Fowler, who is helping lead a private task force brainstorming for city budget fixes. "It's a new day."
Some residents are less sanguine, arguing that cuts to bus services, drug enforcement and treatment and job development are attacks on basic needs for the working class.
"How are people supposed to live? We're not a 'Mayberry R.F.D.' anymore," said Addy Hansen, a criminal justice student who has spoken out about safety cuts. "We're the second-largest city, and growing, in Colorado. We're in trouble. We're in big trouble."
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14303473
| LAYOFFS |
| AP - Jobless rate said likely to stay high through 2010 Pope calls on business, government to save jobs  |
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Parents, students on edge over soaring tuition
| CYBERSPACE |
| Iranian Cyber Army hacks Netherland's based Radio Zamanech  |
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Exxon Mobil 4Q profit drops 23 percent
AP - February 01, 2010
Exxon Mobil says its fourth-quarter earnings tumbled 23 percent as higher oil prices squeezed profit margins in its refining business.
The world's largest publicly traded oil company reported earnings of $6.05 billion, or $1.27 a share, for the final three months of 2009. That compares with $7.82 billion, or $1.54 a share, a year earlier.
The result marks five straight quarters of lower profits for Exxon.
Analysts expected $1.19 a share in the fourth quarter. Shares rose 2 percent in premarket trading.
For the full year, Exxon Mobil Corp. earned $19.3 billion, or $3.98 a share. That compares with a record-breaking year in 2008, when Exxon had the highest profit ever for a U.S. company with earnings of $45.2 billion, or $8.66 a share.
 BANKSTER NEWS |
| Canada could benefit from Obama’s attack on banks Canada Free Press - Feb 1 2010 Contrary to rumours, populism doesn’t play well in commie pinko Canada. The governing Conservatives favour the capitalist free market system. In the Liberal Party of Canada, the Official Opposition, there is a wide divergence of views. There is a right wing and a left wing in the party that believes in nothing other than opinion polls that they have a natural right to govern the country. George Ure's UrbanSurvival.com - Feb 1 2010 Stories out this weekend that "Bankers favour paying global tax" send chills up my spine. First it's a global tax so bankers who fail won't really have to fail: They will just get bailed out by everyone on earth! In any other industry, crooked behavior and malfeasance - or misfeasance - would get you kicked out, debarred, license revoked and other punitive measures inflicting real pain.
But not anymore. Nossir. Bankster have become a special protected class. THEY are too big to fail. YOU are not. If something goes wrong with THEM along comes bailouts. Even works in Insurance as AIG clearly showed. But if YOU fail, say good-bye house, hello underpass, hello blue plastic tarps.
All made easier by the supreme court decision on corporate purchases of elective office two weeks back; remember where the Supremes (no, the ones without Diana Ross) said no corporate spending restrictions.
So what happens next, you're wondering? Best I can tell, we all sit back and watch to see which currency block will get its way first. The banksters and their global tax, the Carboneers and Al Gore with their carbon credit schemes, or will it be simply more of the same paper?
You saw recently where the World Health Organization is eyeing a global tax on Internet activity, too? |
| GREECE |
 HILLARY CLINTON Department of State |
| Make the World a NATO Protectorate U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was busy in London and Paris last week advancing the new Euro-Atlantic agenda for the world.  |
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The Sharp Dressed Man Who Aided Mutallab Onto Flight 253 Was U.S. Government Agent
 CIA |
 "The CIA, Mind Control and Children" Testimony to Congress Committee on radiation confirms O'Brien charges. Hundred of children involved. Talk by Jon Rappoport. See the video "Conspiracy of Silence" Illuminati Pedophiles in Washington History of Mind Control Experiments CIA Present in Yemen Since 2008: Report CIA Agents Assassinated in Afghanistan Worked for “Contractor” Active in Venezuela and Cuba Ron Paul: We Need To Take Out The CIA Senate Burglary: CIA Domestic Black-op Team Arrested
Gordon Duff | Last week’s break-in at Senator Mary Landrieu’s office in the New Orleans Federal Building was more than it seemed, much more. Secret CIA-Mossad meeting, preparation for new war? A secret meeting between the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Leon Panetta and Israeli officials has reportedly centered on Iran's nuclear program. Feb 1 2010 PressTV.ir An Italian judge has questioned Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's denial of the country's involvement in the CIA kidnapping of a terror suspect in Milan seven years ago. Judge Oscar Magi is the same official, who in a landmark November 2008 ruling, sentences 23 Americans, most of them CIA agents, in absentia to up to eight years in prison over the abduction. In a 200-page document explaining the reasoning behind the decision, Magi accused Italy's spy agency on Monday of awareness if not "complicity" in the 2003 kidnapping of Egyptian-born cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr. "The authorization to act on national territory by the highest level of US intelligence leads one to presume this was carried out with the knowledge (and perhaps the complicity) of their Italian equivalents." The detailed document of his sentencing was released on Monday under Italian legal practices. He also protested that a law passed by the country's constitutional court last March, which shields any data regarding contact between the Italian secret service and the CIA as state secrecy, was keeping the court from proving the link. His verdict marked the first legal condemnation of the "extraordinary rendition" flights practiced by the administration of former US president George W. Bush, usually to transfer suspects to countries known to employ harsh interrogation techniques. Activist and civil society groups say the rendition of suspects — in some cases to countries that failed to sign to the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions — were a violation of basic human rights. Nasr, known as "Abu Omar," was flown to Egypt, where he said he was tortured for interrogation and held for nearly four years without being charged. The judge, who was forced to drop charges against five former Italian spies under state secrecy rules, said secret services should not be shielded from responsibility for crimes simply because of the involvement of foreign governments. |
| AFRICA |
Top African Banker Defends Investment from China
A peer-reviewed study found that 5.4 million people had already died in this war as of April 2007, and hundreds of thousands more have died as the situation has deteriorated since then. A catastrophically planned military offensive last year, backed by the governments of Congo and Rwanda as well as the United Nations force here, made some headway against Hutu militias but also led to increased predation on civilians from all sides.
READ MORE: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/opinion/31kristof.html
 People's Republic of China (PRC) |
| US Military Threats Force China to Boost Its Defense Budget Cheng Guangjin China Daily - 2010-02-01 In its toughest response in three decades to US arms sales to Taiwan, Beijing announced over the weekend that it would curtail military exchanges with Washington, and sanction US companies involved, and warned of severe harm to bilateral ties  China to impose sanctions against US firms China Daily Feb 1 2010 Like previous US governments the Obama administration has been closely linked with arms manufacturers. Robert J. Stevens, chairman, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin made a large donation to the Democrats since the Obama administration came to power. William J. Lynn, the current Deputy Secretary of Defense, used to be chairman and chief executive officer of Raytheon Company. Other US politicians are also closely linked with the arms sellers. FedSpending.org, a website of the watchdog group OMB Watch, reported in 2008 that 151 members of Congress invested close to a quarter billion dollars in companies that received defense contracts of at least $5 million in 2006. These companies got more than $275.6 billion from the government in 2006, or $755 million per day, said the report. READ MORE: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2010-02/01/content_9405516.htm  China Daily - China to punish US companies for arms sales China Daily - China suspends military visits with US |
| Republic of China (ROC), commonly known as Taiwan |
| Will Taiwan Arms Sale Ground Boeing? |
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US launches largest Asian war games in Thailand - 'COBRA GOLD'
COBRA GOLD 2010
http://www.usarpac.army.mil/cg10/index.asp
U.S. Pacific Command
Marking the 177th year of U.S.-Thai relations, the U.S. Army joins five partner countries for the 29th annual Cobra Gold exercise—Cobra Gold 10.
The joint exercise focuses on maintaining and improving military-to-military relationships among the U.S., Thailand, Singapore, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Indonesia.
Thailand is one of our nation’s closest friends and partners in Asia. March 2009 marked the 176th anniversary of the U.S. Thailand Treaty of Amity and Commerce that makes Thailand our oldest treaty ally in Asia. While providing unique and dynamic training opportunities for participating military partners, Cobra Gold also promotes relationship-building between militaries and local communities.
Cobra Gold 10 builds on progress made during previous exercises in terms of participating nations’ ability to conduct joint/multinational operations, and improves multinational interoperability and capacity. The exercise is rooted in partnerships and recognizes the need for multinational solutions to common challenges ranging from transnational violent extremism to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
| NORTH KOREA - Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) |
DPRK newspaper: US should give up Cold War mindset
China Daily
February 1, 2010
The Rodong Simun newspaper of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) urged the United States on Monday to give up the Cold War mindset and conclude a peace treaty.
The official newspaper said in a commentary that the DPRK proposal for a peace treaty was an "agile project" and the DPRK made sincere efforts for its implementation. Related readings: It noted that replacing the the Armistice Agreement with a peace treaty is the prerequisite for peace in the Korean Peninsula and the rest of Northeast Asia at present. What is most important for settling the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the commentary said, is for the US to roll back its policy to isolate and stifle the DPRK. It stressed the need to start talks for a peace treaty and confidence between the DPRK and the US as early as possible. On January 18, Pyongyang renewed its demands of negotiating a peace treaty and lifting sanctions before it would return to the six-party talks, saying failure of the discussion on concluding a peace treaty would consequently "push back the process of denuclearization." But the US dismissed the proposal later, reiterating that the first and foremost thing for Pyongyang is to return to the six-party talks.
The US should take a positive attitude toward replacing the Korean War Armistice Agreement which was signed in 1953, with a peace treaty instead of intensifying the situation, said the commentary.
Second US citizen being held in DPRK
US dismisses DPRK demand on peace treaty
DPRK declares five more no sail zones off coast
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| Obama seeks record $708 billion in 2011 defense budget WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama asked Congress to approve a record $708 billion in defense spending for fiscal 2011, but vowed to continue his drive to eliminate unnecessary, wasteful weapons programs. The budget calls for a 3.4 percent increase in the Pentagon's base budget to $549 billion plus $159 billion to fund U.S. military missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama's spending freeze on other parts of the budget, to try to rein in the deficit, did not apply to the military. READ MORE Another U.S. War? Obama Threatens China and Iran  Feb 1 2010 - The possibility of yet another U.S. war became more real last week, when the Obama administration sharply confronted both China and Iran. The first aggressive act was performed by Obama’s Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who “warned” China that it must support serious economic sanctions against Iran (an act of war). Clinton said: “China will be under a lot of pressure to recognize the destabilizing effect that a nuclear-armed Iran would have, from which they receive a significant percentage of their oil supply.”
The implication here is that China will be cut off from a major energy source if they do not support U.S. foreign policy — this, too, would equal an act of war.
A more direct military provocation occurred later when Obama agreed to honor a Bush-era military pact with Taiwan, a small island that lies off the mainland coast of China, and is claimed by China as its own territory. Taiwan has been a U.S. client state ever since the defeated nationalist forces fled there from China in the aftermath of the 1949 revolution. Taiwan has remained a bastion of U.S. intrigue and anti-China agitation for the past six decades. Obama has recently upped the ante by approving a $6.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan, including:
The same article quotes a Chinese government official who responded, accurately, by calling the arms sale “… a gross intervention into China’s internal affairs, [and] seriously endanger[ing] China’s national security…” In 1962, When Russia supplied missiles to Cuba, nearFlorida’s coast, the U.S. interpreted this to be an act of war.
China responded harshly to the Taiwan arms deals, imposing “an unusually broad series of retaliatory measures… including sanctions against American companies that supply the weapon systems for the arms sales.” These U.S. arms manufacturers are giant corporations who have huge political influence in the Obama administration, and are likely to further push the U.S. government towards an even more aggressive response. READ MORE: http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=17330 WASHINGTON -- A White House spokesman says it would "not be warranted" for China to slap sanctions on U.S. companies in retaliation for the Obama administration's plans to sell arms to Taiwan. The plan to sell $6.4 billion of arms to the island, which China claims as its own territory, has drawn a barrage of criticism since it was announced Friday. Beijing announced the unprecedented threat of sanctions to penalize the companies involved in building the arms, although it has not been specific. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama discussed the arms plans during his visit with Chinese officials in November. Obama to travel to Indonesia, Australia in March AFP WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama will make what will be an emotional trip with his family to his childhood home of Indonesia in March, and will also visit Australia, the White House announced on Monday. Gibbs said that Obama would inaugurate the US-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership during the visit, which is intended to further deepen ties between the two countries. OBAMA NOW BOWS TO TAMPA, FLORIDA MAYOR!!  U.S. President Barack Obama bows to Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio at MacDill Air Force Base on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Edmund Fountain, Pool) Can the White House Control the News - by Sherwood Ross - 2010-01-31 Now that one of every four Americans gets the news online, a communications authority wonders if the White House is still able to control the news. |
| IRAQ |
"It's a hard decision, but we think the price ... is worth it."
- Secretary of State Madelaine Albright talking about Iraqi children starving and dying as a result of the US embargo of food and medicine
Female suicide bomber in Iraq kills 54
Ex-Govt Lawyers: Iraq War Was Illegal
Sky News | “I considered that the use of force against Iraq in March 2003 was contrary to international law.”
| YEMEN |
| Saudi jets raid Yemen despite ceasefire A U.S. Role in Yemen  The reality is messier than that, though. From a Yemeni perspective, the common threats are few. For Yemen's long-serving president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula is a third-order issue, far less troubling than boiling insurgencies in the north and south of the country, swiftly dwindling oil revenues, a plummeting water table and massive unemployment. In fact, to many among Yemeni's leadership, al-Qaida's 200 to 300 followers in the country must seem to be less a threat than an opportunity. An increased U.S. military commitment to Yemen would pump weapons and training into the country that can be employed against a wide range of threats that have nothing to do with al-Qaida. A flood of money would create opportunities not only for contracting, but for graft, corruption and extortion. READ MORE |
| DEPLETED URANIUM - WHITE PHOSPHOROUS |
Depleted Uranium Weapons: Dead Babies in Iraq and Afghanistan Are No Joke
Depleted Uranium Ammunition in Afghan War: New Evidence
Iraq to sue US, Britain over depleted uranium bombs
Israel admits dropping phosphorous bombs on Gaza
In Israel's response to the Goldstone report on war crimes in Gaza, the regime admitted that its military forces fired white phosphorous bombs at a heavily populated area on January 15, 2009 in Gaza, Reuters reported.
Israeli officers get 'slap on wrist' for white phosphorus use in Gaza
Times Online - - 40 minutes ago
| Afghanistan | |
| President Obama's Secret: Only 100 Al Qaeda Now in Afghanistan With New Surge, One Thousand U.S. Soldiers and $300 Million for Every One Al Qaeda Fighter
 German SPIEGEL Interview with Hamid Karzai 'There Has To Be Peace Now'  Russia - threat of Afghan heroin is greater threat than the Taliban Russia says it will support the West in Aghanistan, but it is also pleading for a more energetic fight against drugs. Dmitry Rogozin, Moscow's ambassador to NATO, tells SPIEGEL ONLINE why Russia feels the threat of Afghan heroin is greater than the one posed by the Taliban. He also warns against a Western failure in the Hindu Kush. more...
Afghanistan "Geological Reserves Worth a Trillion Dollars" - 2010-02-01 KABUL (AFP) – Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest countries, is sitting on mineral and petroleum reserves worth an estimated one trillion dollars, President Hamid Karzai said Sunday.
The war-ravaged nation could become one of the richest in the world if helped to tap its geological deposits, Karzai told reporters.
"I have very good news for Afghans," Karzai said.
"The initial figures we have obtained show that our mineral deposits are worth a thousand billion dollars -- not a thousand million dollars but a thousand billion," he said.
He based his assertion, he said, on a survey being carried out by theUnited States Geological Survey (USGS), due to be completed in "a couple of months".
The USGS, the US government's scientific agency, has been working on the 17-million dollar survey for a number of years, Karzai said.
While Afghanistan is not renowned as a resource-rich country, it has a wide range of deposits, including copper, iron ore, gold and chromite, as well as natural gas, oil and precious and semi-precious stones.
Little has been exploited because the country has been mired in conflict for 30 years, and is embroiled in a vicious insurgency by Islamist rebels led by the Taliban.
More than 100,000 foreign troops under US and NATO command are battling the insurgents, with another 40,000 due for deployment this year.
China and India have bid for contracts to develop mines, with the Chinese winning a copper contract. An iron ore contract is due to be awarded later this year.
In 2007, China's state-owned metals giant Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) signed a three-billion-dollar contract to develop the Aynak copper mine -- one of the world's biggest -- over the next 30 years.
First discovered in 1974, the site, 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Kabul in Logar, is estimated to contain 11.3 million tonnes of copper.
The Hajigak iron ore mine in Bamiyan province, north of Kabul, is currently under tender, with one Chinese and half a dozen Indian firms bidding.
The contract is for exploitation of almost two billion tonnes of high-grade ore, involving processing, smelting, steel production and electricity production. | |
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| DRONES  "Every one of these dead non-combatants represents an alienated family, a new revenge feud, and more recruits for a militant movement that has grown exponentially even as drone strikes have increased." - David Kilcullen (Counterinsurgency Expert) Center for New American Security |
| US drones killed 123 civilians, three al-Qaeda men in January
International News | Afghanistan-based US predators carried out a record number of 12 deadly missile strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan, killing 123 innocent Pakistanis. The remaining two successful drone strikes killed three al-Qaeda leaders. 15 Killed in US Drone Strike in Northwest Pakistan - 2010-02-01 US drones have fired three missiles in northwest Pakistan, killing at least 15 people and injuring several others. The attack took place in the North Waziristan tribal region, Pakistani officials announced on Saturday. It is not clear whether any so-called high value target was in the area at the time of the strike. Drone attacks in the region have increased significantly since December 30, when seven CIA operatives were killed in an attack in Afghanistan's Khost province, which borders Waziristan. Hundreds of people, many of them civilians, have been killed since 2006 in CIA-operated drone strikes in Pakistan. |
| FRANCE |
France hopes that Airbus and the seven governments which ordered the A400M military transport plane can agree new financing terms to save the troubled program by the end of the week, the defense minister said Monday.
 MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL-BANKING COMPLEX |
| "China, Iran Prompt U.S. Air-Sea Battle Plan in Strategy Review" U.S. defense fails missile test mimicking Iran strike (Reuters) Reuters - A maiden U.S. attempt to shoot down a ballistic missile mimicking an attack from Iran failed after a malfunction in a radar built by Raytheon Co, the Defense Department said. Quadrennial Defense Review: Melee Mode, Cyberwar, More Killer Robots, Environmental Catastrophes The Pentagon will no longer shape the U.S. military to fight two major conventional wars at once, but rather prepare for numerous conflicts and not all in the same style, according to a draft of a new strategic outlook the Pentagon is announcing on Monday.  |
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The Virtual Wall - Vietnam War casualties by Home of Record
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| The Great Game: U.S., NATO War In Afghanistan Fifty or more countries in a single war theater |
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Useful Lies, Useless Lives
In 1917, a simple typed letter of 68 words signed by Lord Balfour, foreign minister of England and addressed to the Jewish banker, Lord Rothschild, proscribed Palestine, still under Ottoman rule, "a national homeland for the Jews." It became known as the “Balfour Declaration” and used a manifesto by Zionists to justify their illegal, immoral, and genocidal design on Palestine.
"In Palestine, we do not propose even to go through the form of consulting the wishes of the present inhabitants of the country…Zionism, be it right or wrong, is rooted in age-old traditions, in present needs, in future hopes, of far profounder import than the desires and prejudices of the 700,000 Arabs who now inhabit that ancient land.” - Lord Balfour, UK Foreign Minister
READ MORE: http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_58323.shtml
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Israeli Organ Trafficking and Theft: From Moldova to Palestine
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| Toyota's Execs using media to ease consumers' fears Toyota's head of U.S. sales plans to make TV appearances today, starting with NBC's "Today Show," as the world's largest automaker races to resolve its biggest recall crisis. |
 BIG PHARMA |
| Scientists say crack HIV/AIDS puzzle for drugs Gilead Profit Rises on Sales of AIDS Pills, Flu Drug
Trial HIV Vaccine Leaves 46 Infected in Zambia
HIV-AIDS was created to target gay men for Eugenics experiment ...
Smallpox vaccine 'triggered Aids virus'
Feds Tested AIDS Drugs on Foster Kids
Aids HIV Bayer
A History Of US Secret Human Experimentation
VACCINES: The Deadly "Cure"
THE LIST COULD GO ON .... |
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| NON-GMO Shopping Guide Institute for Responsible Technology Dangers of Genetically Engineered Foods I WOULD SUGGEST READING THIS ARTICLE IN FULL! Dr. Mercola Who do you think funds the International Food Information Council? Take a wild guess. Right - Monsanto, DuPont, Frito-Lay, Coca Cola, Nutrasweet - those in a position to make fortunes from GM foods. (Stauber p 20) Stauber & Rampton, "Trust Us, We're Experts", Tarcher/Putnam 2001 EXAMPLE OF 'INTERNATIONAL FOOD INFORMATION COUNCIL' corporate funding 'press release' found in an easy Google search today, FEB 1 2010:  Genetically Modified Seeds 'Are Everywhere'  |
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Aluminum Lurks in Crystal Deodorants
January 29 2010 | 1,132 views
Some of the most popular natural deodorants in that aisle are the "crystal" deodorant stones and sprays. But most people don't know that these crystal deodorant products contain aluminum.
The crystal deodorant stones are made from alum. The most widely used form of alum used in the personal care industry is potassium alum. The full chemical name of potassium alum is potassium aluminum sulfate.
The reason that most people try to avoid aluminum in deodorant is because of its possible link to Alzheimer's disease. There is some strong evidence of a link -- for instance, in 1988 a truck driver accidentally dumped 20 tons of aluminum sulfate in to a town's drinking water. Now, over 20 years later, they are finding a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s in the people of this town.
Incidentally, the article linked below notes that, “many doctors such as popular web guru and natural health expert Dr. Mercola suggest avoiding aluminum as much as possible.”
 BEES |
Bees Can Recognize Human Faces Scientific American - February 1, 2010 A report in the Journal of Experimental Biology finds that bees can be trained to recognize human faces. Their bee brains could inform computerized efforts ...  |
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DNA To Protect Marine Life
In an effort to save endangered marine animals from poachers, scientists in Taiwan plans to use DNA from whales and dolphins to convict the illegal hunters.
Poachers often try to hide their tracks by cutting off the heads, tails and fins of the animals.
Hsia Jung-sheng, an official from the Council of Agriculture, is in a process to outsmart them by using molecular technology that can pinpoint the species of the animals.
"What they don't know is that the government has set up a comprehensive databank on DNA from whales and dolphins," she told AFP.
Coastguards in Taiwan discovered a haul of dolphin meat last week weighing more than 1 ton in Suao.
All species of whales and dolphins are protected by Taiwan's conservation law, and any person found violating the law faces a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to 1.5 million Taiwan dollars (47,000 US dollars).
| "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail" - Benjamin Franklin |
| Wet summer, more demand could create seed shortage Feb 1, 4:41 AM (ET) DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Dreaming of biting into a garden-fresh cucumber sandwich this summer? Better order your seeds now. A poor growing season last year and increased orders from Europe could make it difficult for home gardeners to get seeds for the most popular cucumber variety and some vegetables this spring. Farmers, who usually grow different varieties than home gardeners, aren't likely to be affected. Seeds for what's known as open-pollinated cucumbers seem to be most scarce, but carrots, snap peas and onions also could be in short supply. "I suspect there will be some seeds you just won't be able to buy if you wait too long on it," said Bill Hart, the wholesale manager in charge of seed purchasing at Chas. C. Hart Seed Company in Wethersfield, Conn. "The sugar snap peas we're not able to get at all, and other companies that have it will sell out pretty quickly." The problem is primarily due to soggy weather last year that resulted in a disappointing seed crop. European seed growers also had a bad year, leading to a big increase in orders for American seeds. Demand for seeds in the U.S. soared last year, as the poor economy and worries about chemical use and bacteria contamination prompted many people to establish gardens. Homegrown food seemed safer and more affordable. But some wonder if the wet weather that ruined gardens in many areas last summer will discourage first-time gardeners from planting again. "A lot of people are getting into it, but it was a disastrous year for gardens last year because it was so cold and wet," said wholesale seed distributor Mel Brekke, who owns Brekke's Town and Country near Ames, Iowa. Kathy Gocke of Bondurant, Iowa, said she orders seeds early for herself and her county's master gardener's program and advises others to do the same. "If you do it before the first of January, they have a pretty good stock," Gocke said. Burpee Seeds in Warminster, Pa., bills itself as the largest provider of home garden seeds, and Chief Executive Officer George Ball said the company's huge reserves mean it will have plenty of seeds. But Ball said he understands why others might have limited supplies after a big spike in demand in the past two years. "It was unlike anything I've seen in the past 30 years," he said. Barbara Melera, owner of D. Landreth Seeds of New Freedom, Pa., expects carrot seeds to be especially hard to find because of big orders from Europe, which had a poor crop last year. Also, fewer farmers are opting to grow seeds, she said. Many now have switched to growing corn for the biofuels industry. "In this country, farmers who grow things for seed are becoming an endangered species," Melera said. "The farms producing things for seeds is reduced significantly, and in the past two to three years they can get more money for growing corn for ethanol plants than carrots for seeds." Jennifer Nothwehr, seed coordinator for the Shenandoah, Iowa-based Earl May seed and nursery business, said she hasn't run into shortages, but her company typically orders its seeds from wholesalers a year in advance. They received and packaged the seeds they'll sell this year last fall, and because they set prices last spring, any shortage won't affect them. Nothwehr also said that while popular varieties, like one known as the straight eight cucumber, may be hard to find, others are available. "One of the most popular carrots we can't get, but we have four other varieties we can get if a customer wants to try something different," she said. Hart said his family business has a small retail operation, and he's noticed people coming in earlier than usual this year, possibly because of worries over a shortage of seeds. "I don't know if they're hoping for spring or just hoping to get going," he said. |
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 WEB BOT Clif High HalfPastHuman.com |
| From George Ure's UrbanSurvival.com this morning, February 1, 2010 As Cliff and Igor look at the possibility of doing another web bot run so we can get a little better insight into how all this plays out, the detail level of what's ahead will likely vary only a bit from the really zoomed-out Big Picture out of the Rickety Time Machine:
There's a good chance (e.g. non-zero) that what's coming will be out of control of the paper, credit, carbon, taxing forces. Only at the top-o-the-heap are the real insiders busily preparing for underground shelter, bug-out plans to the Alte Plano and so forth. |
| James McCanney Science Hour |
| jmccanneyscience.com Listening Archive: |
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Defense Secretary Cohen's 1997 Warning about Scalar EM Geotechnical Terrorism
“Others [terrorists] are engaging even in an eco-type of terrorism whereby they can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes remotely through the use of electromagnetic waves… So there are plenty of ingenious minds out there that are at work finding ways in which they can wreak terror upon other nations…It's real, and that's the reason why we have to intensify our [counterterrorism] efforts.”
Haiti: The U.S. Created the Earthquake in Haiti? Pravda.ru
 OUR PLANET'S PROTECTIVE MAGNETOSPHERE UPDATE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| About Real-Time Magnetosphere Simulation http://www2.nict.go.jp/y/y223/simulation/realtime/index.html FEBRUARY 1, 2010 AT 5:58 PM CDT    | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Current Moon Phase http://www.die.net/moon/ Recommended: What the Hell is Going on Up There?  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/sunspots/ http://solarcycle24.com/ Classification of Solar Flares Magnetic fields trigger solar wind Last month there was only 2 days without an official sunspot number. This month starts off with Sunspot 1043 in the northern hemisphere of the sun. Only B-Class flare activity has taken place around this region and solar activity should continue at very low levels for now.  NASA Images Earth-Sized Objects Inside Corona Of SUN  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Distances 125 km (80 miles) W of Arawa, Bougainville, PNG 235 km (145 miles) SE of Taron, New Ireland, PNG 885 km (550 miles) ENE of PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea 2370 km (1470 miles) N of BRISBANE, Queensland, Australia RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service
Update time = Tue Feb 2 0:18:49 UTC 2010
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  Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 1620 earthquakes have occurred in the swarm YELLOWSTONE VOLCANO (CAVW #1205-01-) 44°25'48" N 110°40'12" W, Summit Elevation 9203 ft (2805 m) Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN January 2010 Yellowstone Seismicity Summary During the month of January 2010, Yellowstone National Park seismicity was dominated by a large swarm of earthquakes in the northwest side of the park that started January 17, 2010. These shocks were located about 10 miles to the southeast of West Yellowstone, MT and 10 miles to the northwest of Old Faithful, WY. As of Feb. 1, 2010, 1620 earthquakes have occurred in the swarm and were located by the University of Utah Seismograph Station (UUSS) automatic earthquake system. The swarm includes 12 events of M3+; 119 of M2.0-2.9; 992 of M1.0-1.9; and 497 of M0.0-0.9. The largest of these shocks was a magnitude 3.8 on January 21, 2010 at 11:16 PM MST. There have been multiple reports of persons experiencing ground shaking from observers inside the Park and in surrounding areas for the larger events. Earthquake swarms are relatively common in Yellowstone but this is one of the largest in total number of earthquakes. Yellowstone Volcano Observatory scientists consider that the swarm events are likely the result of slip on pre-existing faults and are not thought to be caused by underground movement of magma. Currently there is no indication of premonitory volcanic or hydrothermal activity, but ongoing observations and analyses will continue to evaluate these different sources. Analysis of the swarm events is an ongoing process and UUSS analysts will continue to review the earthquake data. For additional information please see http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/publications/2010/10swarm.php Ground Deformation Summary: Continuous GPS data show that uplift of the Yellowstone Caldera has slowed significantly. Uplift rates for YVO GPS stations are less than 2.5 cm per year. The WLWY station, located in the northeastern part of the caldera, underwent a total of ~23 cm of uplift between mid-2004 and mid-2009. Its record can be found at: http://pboweb.unavco.org/shared/scripts/stations/?checkkey=WLWY&sec=timeseries_plots×eries=raw The general uplift and subsidence of the Yellowstone caldera is of scientific importance and will continue to be monitored closely by YVO staff. An article on the recent uplift episode at Yellowstone and discussion of long-term ground deformation at Yellowstone and elsewhere can be found at: http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/publications/2007/upsanddowns.php Andean village endangered by volcano Examiner.com - 49 minutes ago Tungurahua Volcano is now very active and endangers the lives of those who live on its slopes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| National Severe Weather Map Surface Temperature Forecast Map www.511nebraska.org  National Association of Radio-Distress Signalling and Infocommunications Emergency and Disaster Information Services (EDIS) Budapest Hungary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 GLOBAL FASCISM NEWS"Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism, as it is the merger of corporate and government power." Benito Mussolini | ||
Climategate Necessary to Cover Incorrect Climate Basics of IPCC  Bin Laden Endorses Cap-n-TaxChina pledges support for Copenhagen Accord (Xinhua) | ||
| The United Nations is just a debating society and a 'front' for banks |
Kissinger Genocide Report 1974 NSSM
You Are In the Way. It’s that simple.
US foreign policy became very clear in the December 10, 1974 National Security Study Memorandum, “NSSM 200, Implications of Worldwide Population Growth for U.S. Security and Overseas Interests” also called the Kissinger Document. In it, an explicit policy by which the US would promote rapid population decline in 13 countries was articulated. Kissinger’s now famous (and declassified) quote sums up the elaborate plan:
“Depopulation should be the highest priority of foreign policy towards the third world, because the US economy will require large and increasing amounts of minerals from abroad, especially from less developed countries.”
| INTERPOL |
America's Sovereignty Executive Order 12425g grants INTERPOL "blanket immunity from official and private efforts to assess its activities in the United States", so that this international agency will not be subject to American law and protections of American citizens while operating on American soil. The administration also supports the Law of the Sea (LOST) treaty, allowing international regulation of US airspace and waters. http://www.interpol.int/default.aspConference on Maritime Piracy Financial Investigations RELATED:  |
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Water: The Great Mystery - Videos
Why does water arrange its molecules beautifully when told "I love you" and horrendously when told "I hate you". This film has physical proof of water structure changes based entirely on the positive and negative emotions of humans.
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News at Geology.com:
- Hidden Gamburstev Mountains of Antarctica
- The Science Behind Kartchner Caverns (Arizona)
- Dinosaur Art Over the Years
- Climate Kids Website from NASA
- Yachts Gather Data on SeaKeeper 1000
- Stimulus Money to the Hanford Nuclear Site
- Natural Gas in Underground Storage: Record High
- Photos: Field Work at Exxon Spill Site
- The First Rubellite Locality in the United States
 NEBRASKA NEWS |
| Lincoln Nebraska Live Traffic Cams States seeking to ban mandatory health insurance Lawmakers in 34 states -- including Nebraska -- now have filed or proposed amendments to their state constitutions or statutes rejecting health insurance mandates, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council, a nonprofit group that promotes limited government that is helping coordinate the efforts Bennie acts as Lincoln's tea party voiceBob Bennie represents the face of the Tea Party movement in Lincoln, although he does not claim to be either leader or spokesman. Thousands of Pregnant Women in Nebraska in Limbo Nebraska officials are reviewing whether 5,000 pregnant women can continue to get state-funded prenatal care following a federal decision that the state was violating Medicaid rules by allowing coverage for the unborn. |
 PET NEWS |
| Cats be nimble Dog agility competitions make great TV, with pooches racing around an obstacle course, jumping through hoops and dashing through tunnels. If you've seen it, though, your reaction probably wasn't, "What about cats?" READ MORE: http://www.freep.com/article/20100201/FEATURES01/2010302/1322/Cats-be-nimble  |
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| RECEIVED FROM A NEWS UPDATE READER: Excuse me Mr. Obama, I mean President Obama, Sir. Um . . I know you're busy, and important and stuff. I mean, running the country is very important and -- ah -- I hate to bother you, Sir. I will only take a minute. Ok, Sir? See, I have these missing pieces that are holding me up, and I was wondering, Sir, if you could take time out of your busy schedule and help me out... You know, no big deal, just some loose ends and things. Hey, you have a nice place here! The wife sees houses like this on TV all the time and says, boy, she wishes she had digs like this, you know? Is that painting real? Really? Wow! I saw something like that in a museum once. Oh, sorry Sir. I didn't mean to get off the track. So if you could just help me out a minute and give me some details, I will get right out of your way... I want to close this case and maybe take the wife to Coney Island or something. Ever been to Coney Island Sir? No? I didn't think so... Well, listen, anyway, I can't seem to get some information I need to wrap this up. These things seem to either be "Not released" or "Not available." I'm sure it's just an oversight or glitch or something, so if you could you tell me where these things are I have them written down here somewhere -- oh wait. I'll just read it to you. Could you please help me find these things, Sir? 1. Occidental College records -- Not released 2. Columbia College records -- Not released 3. Columbia Thesis paper -- "Not available" 4. Harvard College records -- Not released 5. Selective Service Registration -- Not released 6. Medical records -- Not released 7. Illinois State Senate schedule -- Not available 8. Your Illinois State Senate records -- Not available 9. Law practice client list -- Not released 10. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate -- Not released 11. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth -- Not released 12. Record of your baptism -- Not available 13. Why your wife, Michelle, can no longer practice law as an attorney? (Insurance Fraud?) 14. Why your wife has 22 assistants, when other First Ladies had one? 15. Why were you getting "foreign student aid" as a college student? 16. Which country's "passport" did you have when you visited Pakistan in 1981? Oh and one more thing Mr. President, I can't seem to find any articles you published as editor of the Harvard Law Review, or as a Professor at the University of Chicago. Can you explain that to me, Sir? Oh, but hey -- listen! I know you're busy! If this is too much for you right now -- I mean -- tell you what. I'll come back tomorrow. Give you some time to get these things together, you know? I mean, I know you're busy. I'll just let myself out. I'll be back tomorrow. And the day after.... What's that Mr. President? Who wants to know these things? We the People of the United States of America ! You know, the ones that vote. |
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