News and Developments
M5 Readers: Keep in Mind That Political News, By Nature, May Reflect Sequential Agenda
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February  2009 

Arab 'Fear' Of 'Nuclear Iran'? [02/28/09 ] "A few days ago Reuters cited one non-government Arab source and several anonymous 'western' diplomats when it wrote on how Gulf Arabs fear U.S.-Iran diplomacy at their expense: Gulf Arab states are beginning to worry that any U.S. rapprochement with Iran could ultimately lead to their worst nightmare -- a nuclear-armed, non-Arab, Shi'ite Muslim superpower in their neighborhood." Note: Ha! Notice the Arabs are not worried about the nuclear-armed, non-Arab, Israeli superpower in their neighborhood.  

Violence between repo men, car owners on the rise [02/28/09 ] "With the U.S. dealing with an economic slide that has cost millions of jobs, the number of vehicle repossessions is expected to rise 5 percent this year. That's after it jumped 12 percent to 1.67 million nationally in 2008, said Tom Webb, chief economist with Manheim Consulting, an automotive marketing firm. That followed a 9 percent increase in 2007, creating more opportunities for bad outcomes in an industry where armed confrontations and threats happen every day ... The three states that actively license and monitor recovery agents — California, Florida and Louisiana — report less violence than other states, Taylor said. But most state legislatures aren't interested in repossession law until people start dying, he said. "

Tzipi Livni rejects offer to join Israel government  [02/28/09 ] "The main sticking point was cited as a fundamental disagreement over the creation of a Palestinian state. Miss Livni gave Mr Netanyahu her final "no" to the idea of a unity government after already putting up stiff resistance immediately after the election earlier this month. Her decision makes it all but certain that the next Israeli coalition will be made up of Right-wing and religious parties, none of which support a peace agenda."  Related:  Israel Blocks Pasta Shipment to Gaza | With Kadima refusing publicly to join Likud, time is running out for Netanyahu to form a government

Redneck states consume more porn [02/28/09 ] "According to a new Harvard Business School study, eight of the top ten states in terms of online porn consumption were ones where McCain won in the presidential election."

  Creepy Jindal boasted of participation in exorcism that 'purged the spirit of satan' from a college girlfriend   [02/28/09 ] "Last night, on the evening of President Barack Obama's first major speech, the Republicans put forward Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal as the face of the opposition, tapping him to deliver their response. As a 37-year-old Indian-American Rhodes Scholar, the first-term governor presented a deliberate visual counterpoint to Obama. His folksy speech last evening is meeting with mixed reviews. But with GOP politicians already jockeying for the 2012 primary, Jindal is emerging as a 'top contender'.... As the country gets acquainted with the Bayou's 'boy wonder', the stranger details of Jindal's religious or personal background remain largely unknown, even among the Republican grassroots. How many Americans know that Jindal boasted of participating in an exorcism that purged the spirit of Satan from a college girlfriend? So far, Jindal's tale of "beating a demon" remains behind the subscription wall of New Oxford Review, an obscure Catholic magazine; only a few major blogs have seized on the story ..."  Note: He gave the most idiotic, brainless speech I have ever heard. If he's the 'face of the opposition' ... the 'face' was clawed off by a chimpanzee. 

  CPAC, Joe The Plumber, and Other Fools Wowed By Sequential Child  [02/28/09 ] "The 'future of the conservative movement' presented himself on Friday, and he was 13. Jonathan Krohn, the author of "Define Conservatism" and political prodigy voted "Atlanta's Most Talented Child" in 2006, was the talk of the Conservative Political Action Conference for a brief portion of the afternoon session. His two-minute address on "Conservative Victories Across the Nation" covered the lost principles of the Republican Party, which he called the "shell" to conservatism's "filling." It was filled with the type of rhetorical flow and emotional pitch one would expect from a seasoned hand. Except, Korn is more than four years away from being able to vote ..."

Israel launches campaign against UN nuke watchdog chief  [02/27/09 ] "Israel's Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) recently intensified its attacks on the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei. The AEC, one of the most classified bodies in Israel that is also, among other things, responsible for operating the Dimona nuclear reactor, does not often issue public statements, and usually plays down its activities. But in recent months, given the IAEA director's actions relating to all aspects of Syria and Iran's nuclear programs, the committee decided, with the consent of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, to stop tiptoeing around the issue. The AEC now hurries to respond to ElBaradei's interviews, in which he often speaks of Israeli in critical tones."

Great Depression Quotes 1929 vs 2008: Have We Learned Anything? [02/27/09 ] "A few select quotes during the depression years of 1929 to 1931. Notice the "Expert" opinions which convey optimism, the bank bailouts, government assurances, the Hoover (Paulson) plan, and the deliberate attempt by the main stream media to manufacture consent for bailing out Wall St." 

Eighty Seven Percent of Housing Value Loss in Just Four States [02/27/09 ] "Yesterday, researchers at the University of Virginia took an in-depth look at just where foreclosures are happening. It turns out that 87 percent of foreclosures housing value loss is taking place in just four states--California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada. According the press release describing the study: National housing price declines and foreclosures have not been as severe as some analyses have indicated, and they are not as important as financial manipulations in bringing on the global recession, according to a new analysis of foreclosures in 50 states, 35 metropolitan areas and 236 counties by University of Virginia professor William Lucy and graduate student Jeff Herlitz. Their analysis shows that most foreclosures have been concentrated in California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and a modest number of metropolitan counties in other states. In fact, they claim that "66 percent of potential housing value losses in 2008 and subsequent years may be in California, with another 21 percent in Florida, Nevada and Arizona, for a total of 87 percent of national declines."

Jewish Leaders Blast Clinton Over Israel Criticism  [02/27/09 ] "Zuckerman, Lawmakers, Local Jews Say Secretary Of State Not The Hillary Clinton They Used To Know. In a swift about face from her views as New York's senator, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is now hammering Israel over its treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. "   Note: Nope. She's a pod person now.

Hillary Hammers Israel Over Gaza Aid Crisis [02/27/09 ] "Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sent angry messages to Israel in the past week, complaining that humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip is being blocked by officials in Jerusalem, Israeli media reported yesterday. Clinton aides made it clear she would make the supposed Israeli foot-dragging a central issue next week when she makes her first trip to the region as secretary of state, the newspaper Haaretz reported."  Note: That Saudi-Clinton Library money looks like it's paying off.  "   

The Iran-Israel nuclear endgame is now much closer  [02/27/09 ] "In recent days, four key developments have clicked in to edge Iran and Israel much closer to a military denouement with profound consequences for American oil that the nation is not prepared to meet." WRH Note: "Once again, Israel trying to goad the US into war on Israel's enemies. Yes, Iran has a lot of uranium, but it is enriched to the levels used for power stations. It is NOT, nor is it anywhere close to, the levels of enrichment needed for weapons. Second, the IAEA already stated that the mis-estimation of Iran's amounts of processed fuel rod material was a bookkeeping error; the difference between what IAEA assumed the enrichment could produce, and what it actually yielded. War with Iran will mean war with Russia. And Israel, I assume, would be perfectly happy (now that the US is broke and little money can be sucked out of the corpse) to have the US and Russia engage in a mutually destructive war which would leave Israel and its hundreds of warheads in effective control of the Middle East and its oil resources."

A Planet at the Brink  [02/27/09 ] "Food riots were but one form of economic violence that made its bloody appearance in 2008. As economic conditions worsened, protests against rising unemployment, government ineptitude, and the unaddressed needs of the poor erupted as well, notes Michael T. Klare." 

UK: Novartis recalls vaccines in contamination scare  [02/27/09 ] "Pharmaceutical giant Novartis said it was recalling two batches of a meningitis C vaccine distributed in Britain over contamination fears, but regulators stressed the health risk was negligible."  Related: Vaccine Court: Autism Debate Continues  "On February 12, the federal “Vaccine Court” in Washington issued a sweeping ruling in three highly touted “test cases” against families who claimed that their childrens’ autism had been caused by vaccines."

Fans and Players Exact Revenge on Brutal Cops  [02/27/09 ] "When a fan ran onto the field at a soccer game, the police were excessively brutal, beating him while down, kidney punching him with their truncheons, etc. Fans and players alike decided to stop it and did they ever!"

UK sued over arms sales to Israel  [02/27/09 ] "The UK government is being sued over its policy of selling arms to Israel, which human rights activists say violates international law. The Palestinian organization Al-Haq says under international law, London is obliged not to render “aid or assistance” to Israel following its recent invasion of the Gaza Strip, the BBC reported. The group has urged the UK High Court to launch a probe into Britain’s arms sales to Israel ..."

CNBC Anchors 'Mortified' That Ron Paul Was Allowed Air Time  [02/27/09 ] "CNBC anchors were left dumbfounded and acted overtly cantankerous yesterday after Congressman Ron Paul's opening statement at the House Financial Services Committee was broadcast live to an audience of millions. CNBC went live to the House, clearly without knowing that the Texas Congressman had the initial Republican statement at the hearing of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. After the Congressman spent two and a half minutes lecturing Bernanke on sound money principles, warning that the financial crisis cannot be solved by merely creating credit out of thin air, CNBC cut back to the studio. Anchors Erin Burnett and Mark Haines were so perturbed by what they had just heard that they immediately cut to a commercial break ..."  See Video [2:53]

UK sued over arms sales to Israel  [02/27/09 ] "The UK government is being sued over its policy of selling arms to Israel, which human rights activists say violates international law. The Palestinian organization Al-Haq says under international law, London is obliged not to render “aid or assistance” to Israel following its recent invasion of the Gaza Strip, the BBC reported. The group has

Australia: McDonald's to charge more in poorer suburbs, likely to accept higher prices without complaint  [02/27/09 ] "Corporate documents obtained by The Courier-Mail show McDonald's Australia has identified an "opportunity to introduce more aggressive price increases" in 73 Queensland outlets."

How Can the U.S. Economy Recover Without Manufacturing Capacity?  [02/26/09 ] "The United States' lack of a manufacturing capacity makes it even less likely that anything resembling a lasting recovery can emerge from President Obama's approach to the economic crisis. The infrastructure projects that are supposed to be central to the recovery scheme are only valued at $150 billion - which is not much of a jolt, especially when much of what will have to be bought is only available in other countries, made by foreign workers. Barack Obama has put a huge emphasis on building a green economy. However, according to the New York Times , most of the sources of solar panels and wind turbines are located in Europe and Asia. There can be no green economy without a mass transit makeover of the United States, but the U.S. hasn't made subway and light rail cars in many years.

Cairo Bomb; CIA & MOSSAD Trying To Topple Mubarak?  [02/26/09 ] "On 22 February 2009, in Cairo, a bomb exploded outside a mosque."

FDA ignored complaints about sediment and debris in tainted syringes: 5 Dead [02/25/09 ] "Months before an Angier (NC) company shipped deadly bacteria-tainted drugs, the federal Food and Drug Administration received numerous complaints about sediment and debris in the medicine. The FDA received reports about AM2PAT as early as 2005, but not until December 2007 did the agency issue recall notices to pull the drugs off the market. AM2PAT, which is now the subject of a criminal investigation, sold tainted syringes of heparin and saline that have been linked to five deaths. At least 100 more people were sickened, often after receiving the medicines during chemotherapy, kidney dialysis and other intravenous procedures. Conditions at the plant, detailed in court documents and photographs, depict a facility in flagrant violation of proper manufacturing processes. Starting in June 2007, doctors and clinics began reporting to the FDA orange specks floating in the syringes. Other complaints noted "wispy debris" or "yellow-orange sediment" that caused the normally clear product to be tan, orange, "muddy" and "dingy brown" in color. A complaint in 2005 noted food particles inside a heparin syringe."

More than 60,000 cases alleging mortgage fraud were filed in 2008 [02/25/09 ] ".... The 2009 Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act would extend the 1863 False Claims Act to any fraudulent claim for government money or property, regardless of whether it was presented to a government official or employee, the government had physical custody of the money, or the defendant intended to defraud the government .... The Treasury Department, meanwhile, has reported that more than 60,000 cases alleging mortgage fraud were filed in 2008 -- 10 times as many as were reported in 2002. Rita Glavin, acting assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's criminal division, told lawmakers that additional staff would allow her office to recover more funds under the False Claims Act and initiate new prosecutions."

Stimulus bill will provide $1 billion to Jewish nursing homes and social service agencies [02/25/09 ] "The economic stimulus bill enacted by President Obama will provide $1 billion to Jewish nursing homes and social service agencies, according to the United Jewish Communities. The funds come from the $87 billion that the legislation allots for state Medicaid programs as a result of an increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP. An increase in FMAP was a top priority for UJC, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and other Jewish groups that lobbied for passage of the $787 billion bill signed Tuesday by Obama ..."   Related: Prosecution of AIPAC staffers dealt major blow

Stanford a cog in the U.S. intelligence dirty money laundering machine [02/25/09 ] " “Sir” Allen Stanford appears to be yet another multi-billion dollar cog in a network of off-shore banks, corporate contrivances, and folding tent operations. Although Stanford is being investigated for a $8 billion fraud scheme, the U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Stanford has “extensive” holdings on the island of St. Croix, told the Associated Press that the Obama Justice Department is “not actively pursuing” Stanford ..."  Related: Stanford workers had ties to regulator FINRA  "Two employees of Allen Stanford's financial business, which U.S. regulators have accused of massive fraud, held advisory roles at a watchdog group overseeing U.S. broker-dealers aimed at preventing abuses. Lena Stinson, director of global compliance at Stanford Financial Group, served on the membership committee of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, which describes itself as the largest independent regulator of U.S. securities firms."

ZERO (The 911 Documentary Film): March 2009 Scheduled projection, major cities, France [02/25/09 ]   

Federal Government Spends $5 Million Touting Marriage [02/24/09 ] "The federal government is funding a $5 million national media campaign, launching this month, that extols the virtues of marriage for 18- to 30-year-olds. The campaign includes ads on Facebook and MySpace, videos on YouTube, spots on radio talk shows, ads in magazines and public transit and a new Web site, TwoOfUs.org."  They love to have The State as a 3rd party in a relationship as an available proxy for power plays and control paradigms.  

IAEA clarifies misleading media reports on Iran  [02/24/09 ] "Following the release of IAEA's latest report on Iran last week, a number of scaremongering anti-Iran headlines appeared in the Western media. The LA times chose its headline as "Iran has enough fuel for a nuclear bomb". The New York Times went for "Iran Said to Have Nuclear Fuel for One Weapon" and FOX news reported: "Iran Produces Enough Uranium to Build Nuclear Weapon". In the UK, the Daily Telegraph's article titled "Iran has enough uranium 'to build a nuclear bomb'" and the Daily Mail announced: "Iran 'has the fuel to build nuclear bomb'". The anti-Iran articles also gave the impression that Iran had deliberately underreported the production of low enriched uranium at Natanz. In response to questions by Dr. Kaveh Afrasiabi, the IAEA spokesperson, Melissa Fleming, has issued a statement clarifying the IAEA's position regarding the misleading articles in the US and European press concerning Iran's production of low-enriched uranium. IAEA Statement issued by Melissa Fleming on Sunday February 22, 2009. Here is our clarifying response: ...."

Mossad Tries to Goad US With of Video Clip of Kuwaiti Professor  [02/24/09 ] "WRH Note: The video is called "PROPAGANDA ALERT - Kuwaiti Professor Fantasizes Of A Biological Attack On The White House". Looking carefully at the logo on the screen, the alleged translation is provided by MEMRI, the Middle East Media Research Institute, located in Washington DC (and subsidized by the taxpayers) which provides free translations of Arab broadcasts to the western media. However, MEMRI has been outed as an agent for the Israeli Government. MEMRI was founded in 1998 by Yigal Carmon, a Colonel in the Israeli Intelligence Services. Norman Finkelstein reports MEMRI is a Mossad operation. In this article which appeared in The Guardian, Brian Whitaker calls MEMRI's impartiality into question."   So? There's a nut job on every corner. Leave it to the Mossad to attempt to exploit one.

Durban II drafts: Israel is racist, occupying state  [02/24/09 ] "Draft resolutions for the United Nations Durban II summit on racism brand Israel as an occupying state that carries out racist policies, Haaretz has learned. The resolutions appear to confirm concerns that the second World Conference Against Racism will be used by Arab nations and others to criticize Israel. Despite those concerns, the United States said last week it would participate in planning the summit."  Related: Suspend military aid to Israel, Amnesty urges Obama after detailing US weapons used in Gaza

Should AIPAC Decide What's Classified? [02/24/09 ] "In 1962 AIPAC's predecessor organization – the American Zionist Council (AZC) – ran into trouble when Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy ordered it to register as Israel's foreign agent under the 1938 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The Department of Justice (DOJ) discovered the AZC had secretly received the equivalent of $35 million in Israeli funds to build a domestic lobby and conduct public relations in the United States for arms, aid, and preferential diplomatic treatment. In a massive but secret battle with the DOJ, the AZC managed to win two important concessions. The AZC was allowed to file a partial activity declaration covering only three months rather than the many years during which it was most actively lobbying for Israel." 

Murdered U.S. arms dealer ‘knew too much’ [02/23/09 ] "The death of an American arms dealer in Iraq has led to one of the most intricate and far-reaching inquiries into corruption among US military officers in Iraq. Some suspect that he was killed because he was a whistleblower who knew too much. When Dale Stoffel, 43, was gunned down on his way into Baghdad at the height of the insurgency in Iraq, his murder appeared all too predictable. He was an adventurer who seemed to have met his end at the hands of jihadists while engaged in one of the riskiest businesses on the planet. However, it has emerged that Stoffel had complained to US authorities about a multi-million-dollar contracting office where two senior American officers had worked. The two officers are now under investigation. ... Joe [Wemple] was shot once through the eye at long distance while driving at 90mph. My brother was shot six times, in the front, the back, the shoulders and the head.” Shortly afterwards, a rambling tape from an unknown jihadist group called him a “CIA shadow director” and “close friend of George Bush”. “It was exactly like you see in the movies, with the guy in the black and white headscarf,” David Stoffel said. “I think it was a setup.” Since his brother’s murder he has received several death threats, warning him to stay away from Iraq ..."

UK: Davis warns MPs of erosion of civil liberties [02/23/09 ] ""Oppressive" laws that erode civil liberties are passing through parliament unnoticed by MPs, supporters of a new campaign, the Convention on Modern Liberty, said yesterday. Describing Britain's parliamentary system as amounting to "terrible democracy", the Conservative former shadow home secretary David Davis said MPs were partly to blame for the "wholesale removal of rights". "There are systemic problems with the way legislation is dealt with in parliament," Davis said. "Every bill is now programmed. Large chunks of legislation are effectively going unchallenged." Launching a report documenting more than 50 measures since 1998 that he claimed eroded civil liberties, he described the situation as "executive stretch", where counter-terrorism laws were used beyond their intended purpose ..."  Related: David Davis: I have no regrets about quitting shadow cabinet " Former shadow home secretary says he had no option but to resign over the government's plans for 42-day pre-charge detention." Privacy law threat to Gordon Brown's phone tap plan 

Waste wars: how Britain became obsessed with bins  [02/23/09 ] "Paul Kendall reports on the stink being raised by an increasingly tough approach to rubbish collection and recycling..." 

Beijing's Olympic building boom becomes a bust [02/23/09 ] "Beijing went through a building boom before the 2008 Summer Olympics that filled a staid communist capital with angular architectural feats that grace the covers of glossy design magazines. Now, six months after the Games ended, the city continues to dazzle by night, with neon and floodlights dancing across the skyline. By day, though, it is obvious that many are "see-through" buildings, to use the term coined during the Texas real estate bust of the 1980s ... What makes this boom-and-bust cycle different from those in the West is: there is no private ownership of land in China, making local governments de facto partners in the real estate industry, which earn huge fees from leasing and transferring land."

Clinton wraps Asia trip by asking China to buy US debt  [02/22/09 ] "Because our economies are so intertwined the Chinese know that in order to start exporting again to its biggest market, the United States had to take some very drastic measures with this stimulus package," Clinton said. Clinton added: "The US needs the investment in Treasury bonds to shore up its economy to continue to buy Chinese products." It is apparent that Clinton didn't really get an answer from the Chinese leaders with whom she met.

Drought to cut off federal water to California farms  [02/22/09 ]  "Federal water managers said Friday that they plan to cut off water, at least temporarily, to thousands of California farms as a result of the deepening drought gripping the state. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials said parched reservoirs and patchy rainfall this year were forcing them to completely stop surface water deliveries for at least a two-week period beginning March 1. Authorities said they haven't had to take such a drastic move for more than 15 years. The situation could improve slightly if more rain falls over the next few weeks, and officials will know by mid-March if they can release more irrigation supplies to growers. Farmers in the nation's No. 1 agriculture state predicted it would cause consumers to pay more for their fruits and vegetables, which would have to be grown using expensive well water." Comment from WRH: "So, the the farms will lose their crops, the smaller family-owned farms will go bankrupt and be sold for pennies on the dollar while food prices soar, both of which play into the hands of large agricultural corporations. Now, here is a little blast from the past. ENRON. Because of the ENRON debacle, and Governor Schwarzenegger's forgiveness of billions in repayments owed to California by ENRON, water development projects for California were postponed, scaled back, or canceled outright. And, while ENRON was privatizing electricity in California in order to gouge the people with inflated prices, another ENRON unit, Azurix Corp., was trying to do the same thing with water in Florida! So Californians need to take a close look at who gains from California's thirst. Which one of Arnold's good buddies stands to get filthy rich if water prices are driven sky high by shortages, shortages which may be as artificial as the eletricity brownouts ENRON created to run up power costs? " Note: Of course, remember all the ENRON prosecution documents were stored in WTC-7.

6 Governors May Reject Portions of Stimulus [02/22/09 ] "A handful of Republican governors say they may reject portions of the federal stimulus money, raising objections from lawmakers, mayors and other critics that they are placing political ideology before the interest of constituents who need help and budgets with huge deficits ..."

Brain-dead activists 'shocked' at Clinton stance on China rights [02/22/09 ] "Amnesty International and a pro-Tibet group voiced shock Friday after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vowed not to let human rights concerns hinder cooperation with China."  Note: Ah, yes, the 'mystique of Obama', dashed, amongst those who live totally in synthetic consensus reality with no critical thought. Just like the people who were 'shocked' at Obama's continuation of prisoner policy in Afghanistan several days ago. How 'shocking!'  Related: Ill-Informed Hillary Clinton opens North Korean can of worms [02/20/09 ]  "When the United States Secretary of State warned that a succession battle in North Korea could complicate nuclear negotiations with its government, she broke an informal taboo. Diplomats do not talk publicly about what comes ' after' Kim Jong-il, the convalescing dictator who has turned North Korea into a rogue nuclear state." Note: Is that hilarious, or what?| China sends more troops into Tibet as Hillary Clinton arrives for talks

Big Pharma Quietly Hikes Drug Prices 100 Percent or More [02/21/09 ] "Without any fanfare, pharmaceutical companies have been raising the prices of many of their drugs by 100 percent or more, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Minnesota."

Charities Now Seek Bankruptcy Protection [02/21/09 ] "Charities rarely go bankrupt, although there have been scattered examples involving nonprofit hospitals and Catholic dioceses facing lawsuits stemming from the priest sexual abuse scandals. Traditionally, insolvent organizations have simply closed their doors and filed a plan of dissolution with the charity regulator in their state. But in the last six months, nonprofit groups that include cultural institutions and social service agencies have filed to reorganize or liquidate themselves under the bankruptcy code. While no one has compiled data on how many charities have turned to the courts for protection, experts in the field say it has become more common as nonprofits have been pressured by donors to operate more like businesses ..."

Taliban: Afghanistan Will Be 'Graveyard' For U.S.  [02/21/09 ] "A former government minister from the Taliban regime that ruled Afghanistan says the United States can throw as many soldiers into the country as it wants, they will just meet the same fate as all previous "foreign invaders."

Pentagon exposes army Achilles heel  [02/21/09 ] "A classified Pentagon assessment says the strain of repeated tours of duty has rendered the US military incapable of responding to new crises."  

'US no longer a military threat to Iran' [02/21/09 ] "IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei says US President Barack Obama has shelved plans to use military action against Iran's nuclear drive."  Related: U.S.-Israel Storm Clouds Ahead? 

Prospect of a currency battle between Britain and Europe looms  [02/20/09 ]  "In comments which underline the scale of concern throughout Europe about the sharp decline in the UK currency in recent months, ECB Executive Board member Lorenzo Bini-Smaghi said that EU countries should not allow their currencies to slide in order to gain an economic advantage. The pound has slid by the biggest amount since the demise of the Bretton Woods system in the 1970s - something economists regard as a significant boost for UK exports ..."

Banks Get 258,000 Percent Return from Investments in D.C. Politicians  [02/20/09 ]  " ... Just this week, Dodd’s name surfaced again as recipient of $27,500 in campaign cash from the latest fraudulent investment house, Stanford Financial Group of Houston, TX, and Antigua. Robert Allen Stanford was a top Democratic contributor, and is currently at large—wanted by the F.B.I. for defrauding investors by inflating outcomes—in what appears to be a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme ... According to the C.R.P., employees of Stanford “gave $2.4 million to federal candidates, parties and committees since 2000, with 65 percent of that going to Democrats. Stanford and his wife, Susan, have given $931,100 out of their own pockets, with 78 percent going to Democrats ..."

Latvian government falls  [02/20/09 ] "The Latvian prime minister and his government have resigned amid growing political and economic strife in the Baltic country. Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis submitted his resignation to the president, Valdis Zatlers, on Friday (20 February) afternoon after the two largest parties in the ruling four-party coalition demanded he step down."

Costs for individual health plans soar [02/20/09 ] "While group/employee health insurance plans went up about five percent in '08, individual health plans shot up anywhere from eight to 56 percent. Related: Workers Across Nation Being Denied Pay and Benefits When Workplace Closes

Mileage Tax Plan Nixed By Obama [02/20/09 ]  " President Barack Obama will not adopt a policy to tax motorists based on how many miles they drive instead of how much gasoline they buy, his chief spokesman said Friday. Press secretary Robert Gibbs commented after Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told The Associated Press that he wants to consider the idea, which has been proposed in some states but has angered many drivers. "It is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration," Gibbs told reporters, when asked for the president's thoughts about the policy and LaHood's remarks."

Canadian gov't plans to privatize assets  [02/20/09 ]  "The Harper government, under pressure to prevent the federal deficit from ballooning, is pressing ahead with an asset review that could lead to the sale or privatization of several well-known Crown corporations, including Canada Post, Via Rail, the Royal Canadian Mint and the agency that oversees security at Canada's airports. The government signalled its intent to sell Crown assets last fall, but it was only in the federal budget that it identified the four ministerial portfolios to be reviewed first: Finance, Indian and Northern Affairs, Natural Resources, and Transport and Infrastructure."  

Prototype of Microsoft's secret 'iPhone killer' mobile stolen from executive's pocket [02/20/09 ]  "The handset, dubbed the iPhone killer, was snatched from the pocket of an executive just hours after the launch of the handset was announced." 

UK: Car industry in meltdown: loss of 100,000 jobs and production plunges by 58%  [02/20/09 ]  "Britain's car industry was in meltdown today as new figures showed production has halved in 12 months and amid warnings a UK plant employing 100,000 may collapse."

Oklahoma House Votes 83 to 13 to Restore Sovereignty [02/20/09 ]  "On Wednesday the Oklahoma House of Representatives became the first state legislative body this year to pass a resolution affirming its "sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution."    Doesn't it make you wonder who didn't vote for it?

Analysis suggests U.S. defense spending needs restraint [02/20/09 ]  "Congress should push the Pentagon to restrain defense spending, as there is no rival conventional force that requires a Cold War budget, an analysis suggests."  What a novel idea.

Ecuador expels U.S. Diplomat, accused of meddling with internal workings of national police  [02/20/09 ]  "Ecuador's foreign minister announced here Wednesday that U.S. Embassy First Secretary Mark Sullivan is being expelled for interfering in the internal workings of the Andean nation's police."

Bailout talks hit bump as taxman seeks $500-million from Chrysler [02/20/09 ]  "The federal government has slapped a $500-million charge against Chrysler Canada Inc. as part of a high-stakes tax battle that is complicating government bailout negotiations for the troubled auto maker ... The reassessment, one of three issued against the company between 2002 and 2005, targeted the pricing of automobiles and parts that crossed the border between Chrysler Canada and its Detroit parent."

Bond Trading Highest Since ‘07 as Credit Freeze Thaws  [02/20/09 ]  "Corporate bond trading in the U.S. is rising to the highest level in two years, adding to evidence that credit markets are thawing even with stocks off to their worst start since the 1920s." 

Chicago Mayor Daley Vows A Surveillance Camera on Every Corner By 2016  [02/20/09 ]  " ... Mayor Daley has argued that security and terrorism won’t be an issue if his Olympic dreams come true because, by 2016, there will be a surveillance camera on every street corner in Chicago." Note: Total insecurity and immaturity demands total control of others in order to save face and preserve power. 

Wholesale inflation takes biggest jump in 6 months  [02/20/09 ]  " ... Inflation at the wholesale level surged unexpectedly in January, reflecting sharply higher prices for gasoline and other energy products."  Related: Consumer prices up slightly on higher energy costs

Get Ready for Mass Retail Closings  [02/20/09 ]  "About 220,000 stores may close this year in America, says our guest, retail consultant Howard Davidowitz of Davidowitz & Associates. As more Americans save and spend less, it's clear there's too much retail space. Just visit Web site DeadMalls.com and track retail's growing body count. And luxury retailers? They're on "life support," Davidowitz says. Among the brand name stores Davidowitz says are in trouble: Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany Jeweler, Zale Corp.
Saks, J.C. Penney, and Sears."    

Holder: US a 'nation of cowards' on racial matters  [02/19/09 ]  "Eric Holder, the nation's first black attorney general, said Wednesday the United States was "a nation of cowards" on matters of race, with most Americans avoiding candid discussions of racial issues. In a speech to Justice Department employees marking Black History Month, Holder said the workplace is largely integrated but Americans still self-segregate on the weekends and in their private lives. "Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards," Holder said. Race issues continue to be a topic of political discussion, but "we, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race."  Note: You mean, like what the Israeli's are doing to the Palestinians and Arabs? 

Swiss Bank to Give Up Depositors' Names to Prosecutors  [02/19/09 ]  "In a significant break from Switzerland's tradition of banking secrecy, UBS AG will turn over the names of about 250 account holders as soon as Thursday as part of a $780 million settlement with U.S. prosecutors. UBS must abide by terms of the settlement or risk being indicted, in what's known as a deferred prosecution agreement. The U.S. government has conducted a wide-ranging tax-evasion probe over the Swiss bank's offshore private-banking services for wealthy Americans ..."  Related: Brown targets Switzerland in global tax haven crackdown

Rumsfeld prosecution could set precedent  [02/19/09 ]  "There is now enough evidence to try former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for war crimes, Manfred Nowak, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture, recently told "Frontal 21," a German television program."

Democracy Now Update: Arizona Sheriff Faces Civil Rights Probe  [02/19/09 ] [30:00] Extensive video clip. Great!! Allegations of Undermining Law Enforcement with Controversial Focus on Immigration.  Related: The Law Goes After Joe Arpaio -- the Most Abusive Sheriff In America  [02/17/09 ]  

Florida: buried under a backlog of 95,000 concealed weapons permit request applications [02/19/09 ]  "People in Florida are fearful of the economic future, and one way they are coping is by buying guns."

Ahmadinejad rejects oil money report about a missing $1 billion in oil revenues [02/19/09 ]  "Iran's president criticizes recent reports about a missing $1 billion in oil revenues, saying such actions 'mar' the government's image."  Related: Iran to sign $5B gas deal with France "Iran says that by March 20 it will finalize a $5 billion deal with France's Total to develop one phase of the South Pars gas field." 

Ehud Barak: It's hard for us to bomb Iran when you're talking to them [02/19/09 ]  "Israel says US-Iran talks should be "short" since the use of military force against Iran during the negotiations would be "difficult."   Chutzpah

UK: Surveillance will cost more than £34 billion say Convention on Modern Liberty  [02/18/09 ]  "The cost of running Britain’s state-run databases over the next ten years has soared to £34 billion, according to estimates from a new campaign against what it called the surveillance society." 

Judge Refuses to Toss Charges in Blackwater Case  [02/18/09 ]  "U.S. District Judge Ricardo Urbina denied two motions to dismiss the case against the five men accused in a September 2007 shooting that left 17 Iraqis dead and another 20 wounded in a busy Baghdad intersection. The five argued that they are not subject to U.S. civilian criminal laws because they were working overseas under a contract with the State Department to help provide security for diplomats. A legal loophole says only contractors who work for or support the Defense Department can be prosecuted in U.S. courts for crimes committed overseas. ..."

TN: 'Islamic subversion' alleged by former FBI special agent at presentation by nutcase religious group  [02/18/09 ]  "During a presentation at the Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, former FBI agent John Guandolo briefed law enforcement and Homeland Security personnel about groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, which he claims is working with other Islamic groups to slowly implement Shariah, also known as Islamic law, which encompasses all areas of life. Guandolo worked in the FBI since 1996, including nine years as a member of its SWAT team."   Note: This is precisely why church and state are separate in the Constitution - to prevent the development of delusional and dangerous dynamics like this. 

Obama officials meet U.S. Jews to explain their Durban II policy   [02/18/09 ]  "Officials from the Obama administration met with U.S. Jewish leaders on Monday to explain why the government has decided to participate in planning the controversial World Conference Against Racism, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported. Jerusalem fears that the "Durban II" summit, set to be held in Geneva this April, will be used by Arab nations and others as a forum to criticize Israel as was its predecessor in 2001. The closed-door talks were led by the White House and the State Department, according to the JTA, and the content of the meeting was off-the-record. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Monday appealed to the U.S. not to participate in the UN-sponsored conference. Speaking before a delegation of visiting American Jewish leaders, Livni said that "Israel expects the free world not to participate in Durban II." Israel and Canada have announced they are boycotting the April 20-24 conference in Geneva, a follow-up to an acrimonious meeting in 2001. European Union (EU) countries including Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands are under pressure from Jewish lobbies to follow suit. But they have stayed engaged while struggling to tone down a final UN text to be issued by the conference, diplomats say. The 2001 World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban was meant to lay down a blueprint for nations to address sensitive issues. Israel and the United States walked out in protest over a draft text branding Israel as a racist and apartheid state, language that was later dropped"

Hillary..You’ve Got Some Splanin’ To Do  [02/18/09 ]  "Hillary Clinton's financial disclosure for the year 2007 shows that the former first lady liquidated her entire equity portfolio, approximately $20 million, in may 2007. Her market timing was almost perfect as she sold all of her stocks only 500 points and 5 months before the market peak. Is Senator Clinton a star investor or did she know something?"  

Ahmadinejad calls for new world order [02/18/09 ]  "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for a new world order based on new ideas, saying the era of tyranny has come to a dead-end. In an exclusive interview with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Ahmadinejad noted that it is time to propose new ideologies for running the world. He said the time of tyrannical regimes is over and arrogant powers can no longer proceed with business as usual since their capitalism-based economies are collapsing. "Tyrannical regimes will not last forever and they will reach their end sooner or later," Ahmadinejad stated. The president said people across the globe are fed up with the slogans of the arrogant powers ..."

Famous Chimp Shot Dead After Being Drugged Up on Xanax and Mauling Owners Friend  [02/18/09 ]  "A 200-pound domesticated chimpanzee who once starred in TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola was shot dead by police after a violent rampage that left a friend of its owner badly mauled. Sandra Herold, who owned the 15-year-old chimp named Travis, wrestled with the animal after it inexplicably attacked her friend Charla Nash, 55. Watch video from ABC about what happened Monday ... Stamford police Capt. Richard Conklin told reporters the chimp was acting so agitated earlier that afternoon that Herold gave him the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in some tea. Conklin also suggested the animal may have attacked Nash because she was wearing her hair differently and perhaps wasn't recognized. Police said the Herolds told them the chimpanzee was toilet trained, dressed himself, took his own bath, ate at the table and drank wine from a stemmed glass. He also brushed his teeth using a Water Pik, logged onto the computer to look at pictures, and watched television using the remote control."  But, the Xanax pushed him over the edge.

5 Tons Of Bombs Stolen From Gaza [02/18/09 ] "Five tons of unexploded bombs have been stolen from Gaza under Hamas' guard, according to the United Nations and reported by the AP ..." 

US judges admit taking kickbacks [02/17/09 ] "Two US judges charged with taking more than $2m (£1.4m) in kickbacks from a privately-run detention centre have pleaded guilty to fraud. The judges face sentences of more than seven years. The judges in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, have both been suspended. They have pleaded guilty to honest services fraud and tax fraud ..." 

  5 states challenge employer credit checks  [02/17/09 ] "Amid skyrocketing layoffs and mortgage foreclosures, several states and the federal government are pushing new rules to stop employers from unfairly screening out job applicants who can't pass a credit check. Five states are considering laws that would restrict credit checks by employers. Stuart Ishimaru, President Obama's acting chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), is a vocal critic of the checks and has called for the agency to begin issuing guidelines on how such checks should be carried out. Bills by Lesser and Oshiro aim to eliminate many credit checks by requiring employers to prove they are vital to hiring. "Employers do the checks routinely without showing there's any connection to the job," said state lawmaker Michael Benjamin, a New York Democrat, whose bill would restrict credit checks. Missouri and Texas are considering restrictions. Washington state enacted restrictions in 2007, the year Ishimaru told a government hearing that employee credit checks could violate civil rights law. Employers most often run credit screening on people seeking jobs with access to money, such as tellers, cashiers and finance officers, New York City employment lawyer Adam Klein said. Post-9/11 security concerns have fueled a growth in the checks. The Transportation Security Administration is considering requiring credit checks for 1 million workers with access to secured areas of airports ... Lester Rosen of Employee Screening Resources, a California firm: "the checks aren't infallible. A person with credit problems may be a great performer," Rosen said, "because they need the job."

  NY: Man Who Started TV Network to Improve Muslims' Image Beheads Wife [02/17/09 ]  "Orchard Park police are investigating a particularly gruesome killing, the beheading of a woman, after her husband — an influential member of the local Muslim community — reported her death to police Thursday."  Geeze. Say, is 'beheading' something that is taught, or is it a natural talent? Some people do it like they're making a sandwich ... "oh, well, that's what I can do, behead a relative, today."

  Blago's Brother Asks Burris for Campaign Cash  [02/17/09 ]  "Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother solicited U.S. Sen. Roland Burris for up to $10,000 in campaign cash before Blagojevich named Burris to the coveted post -- something Burris initially failed to disclose under oath before an Illinois House impeachment panel, records and interviews show. Burris acknowledges being hit up for the money in a new affidavit he has sent to the head of the House committee that recommended Blagojevich be removed from office. The affidavit is dated Feb. 5 -- three weeks after Burris was sworn in to replace President Obama in the Senate."

  America's Second Largest Mall Owner May Declare Bankruptcy [02/17/09 ]  "General Growth Properties Inc., the U.S. shopping mall owner with $900 million in loans due yesterday, remains in talks with its lenders, a spokesman said. "We continue to talk to all of our lenders, and as soon as we have something to announce, we will do so," Tim Goebel, a spokesman for the Chicago-based company, said yesterday in an interview."

Mississippi House Votes to Ban Ticket Cameras; Missouri and Maryland Protest [02/17/09 ] "Mississippi state House votes 117-3 to ban red light and speed cameras. Public protest against photo ticketing grows in Maryland and Missouri. A near-unanimous Mississippi state House of Representatives voted Wednesday to ban red light cameras and speed cameras while anti-camera citizen protest movements gathered steam in other parts of the country. Mississippi state Representative Edward Blackmon, Jr. (D-Canton) inadvertently kicked off the effort when he introduced a measure designed to give legislative approval to the use of photo enforcement so long as ticket records were not shared with insurance companies. Blackmon's proposal was a clever way to encourage the city councils of Columbus, Jackson, McComb, Natchez, Southaven and Tupelo, all of which have approved red light camera ordinances, in the guise of placing limitations on automated ticketing machines ..."  Related: Connecticut Governor Plans to Charge Drivers $171 Million "Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell (R) is proposing a budget that increases the financial burden on drivers by $171 million in order to close the state's growing $850 million deficit. Rell's plan increases license and registration fees, imposes freeway speed cameras and assesses new charges on speeding tickets. If implemented, the programs would represent a permanent and steadily increasing source of revenue for the state." Colorado Looks to Double Speed Camera Revenue  "With municipal budgets tight across the state of Colorado, members of the General Assembly are looking to offer relief. The Colorado state Senate Transportation Committee voted 4-3 on Thursday to boost the cost of a speed camera ticket from $40 to $75. The measure, Senate Bill 143, also extends the reach of photo ticketing to include nearly any road that runs through the state." 

Rahm Emanuel embroiled in a new series of ethics inquiries   [02/17/09 ] "News broke last week that Rahm Emanuel, now White House chief of staff, lived rent- free for years in the home of Rep. Rosa De Lauro (D-Conn.) - and failed to disclose the gift, as congressional ethics rules mandate. But this is only the tip of Emanuel's previously undislosed ethics problems. One issue is the work Emanuel tossed the way of De Lauro's husband. But the bigger one goes back to Emanuel's days on the board of now-bankrupt mortgage giant Freddie Mac."    Note: Another issue is the attempted monetization of every aspect of life.  Truly Orion mindset.

Draconian DRM Revealed In Windows 7   [02/17/09 ] "A few days' testing of Windows 7 has already disclosed some draconian DRM, some of it unrelated to media files. A legitimate copy of Photoshop CS4 stopped functioning after we clobbered a nagging registration screen by replacing a DLL with a hacked version. With regard to media files, the days of capturing an audio program on your PC seem to be over (if the program originated on that PC). The inputs of your sound card are severely degraded in software if the card is also playing an audio program. This may be the tip of the iceberg. Being in bed with the RIAA is bad enough, but locking your own files away from you is a tactic so outrageous it may kill the OS for many persons. Having failed to learn any lessons from the VISTA debacle, Microsoft continues their arrogant attitude that installation of their product means they own your machine." 

Mexican Mafia Members Charged With Racketeering Conspiracy, Firearms and Drug Offenses  [02/17/09 ]  "A grand jury in San Diego has handed down 14 indictments, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California has filed two criminal complaints, charging 36 defendants with a federal racketeering conspiracy, firearm offenses and drug trafficking violations, according to a report submitted to the 14,000-member National Association of Chiefs of Police." 

Australian bushfire arson suspect is volunteer firefighter  [02/17/09 ]  "The Victorian man accused of lighting one of the fatal Australian bushfires which devastated parts of south-eastern Australia last weekend has been named as 39-year-old Brendan James Sokaluk. Sokaluk, who is believed to have been a volunteer firefighter, is charged in relation to the Churchill-Jeerelang fire in the West Gippsland region, 100 miles east of the Victorian capital of Melbourne. The Churchill bushfire burned out more than 30,000 hectares of land. It was one of many fires which devastated Victoria on Saturday, February 7, killing 181 people and razing over 1800 homes. Scores of people remain missing. He has been charged with one count of arson causing death, one count of intentionally lighting a bushfire and one count of possessing child pornography ..." Note: He doesn't sound Victorian to me. Related:  Environmentalists played a role in disastrous Australia fire

Obama to sign stimulus bill Tuesday in Denver  [02/17/09 ]  "U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday hailed congressional approval of a $787 billion economic stimulus bill as a "major milestone on our road to recovery" and the White House said he would sign the legislation on Tuesday in Denver. "I will sign this legislation into law shortly, and we'll begin making the immediate investments necessary to put people back to work," Obama said, savoring his biggest legislative victory since taking office on Jan. 20."

On The Effort To Remove Denver Int'l Airport's Blue Mustang With Glowing Eyes  [02/17/09 ]  "Anyone who has been out to Denver International Airport has seen the "Blue Mustang" sculpture leading to the terminal. Rachel Hultin wants to see the huge blue statue with its red glaring eyes removed from its current location ... The "Mustang" was commissioned in 1992 but was delayed by structural changes and because the creator, Luis Jimenez, had health problems. Jimenez died in his Hondo, N.M., studio in June 2006 after he was pinned under a section of the sculpture that came loose from a hoist. The mustang was finally installed last year after Jimenez's staff members and family members helped complete his work."  Related: Denver’s International Airport: In a word, it’s creepy (with video)

Australia: Drought Tax Fiends Flush With New Scheme  [02/16/09 ]  "Householders would be charged for each flush under a radical new toilet tax designed to help beat the drought. The scheme would replace the current system, which sees sewage charges based on a home's value - not its waste water output. CSIRO Policy and Economic Research Unit member Jim McColl and Adelaide University Water Management Professor Mike Young plan to promote the move to state and federal politicians and experts across the country. "It would encourage people to reduce their sewage output by taking shorter showers, recycling washing machine water or connecting rainwater tanks to internal plumbing to reduce their charges, ''Professor Young said ..."

Livni: Give up half of 'Land of Israel'  [02/16/09 ]  "Tzipi Livni, who hopes to be appointed Israel's prime minister-designate, said Monday Israel must give up considerable territory in exchange for peace with the Palestinians, drawing a clear distinction with her rival, Benjamin Netanyahu ... Livni told the U.S. Jewish leaders that Israel must take the initiative and come forward with its own peace plan to head off international programs. "Any plan put on the table will not be in our interest," she said."

Iran, Russia to Boost Defense Cooperation  [02/16/09 ]  "Tehran and Moscow are to review ways to enhance military cooperation during an upcoming visit to Russia by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar. According to the Iranian defense ministry, Najjar is scheduled to travel to Moscow on Monday to discuss military and technical cooperation and review implementation of agreements already signed by the two countries. He is also slated to pay a visit to Russian defense industries. The Iranian defense minister is also due to discuss possibility for more military agreements between Tehran and Moscow in his meetings with Russian officials ..."

CDC Vaccine Adviser Made $29 Million Or More After Using Role to Create Market  [02/16/09 ]  "There is nothing improper about receiving compensation for a patented innovation; but the extraordinary valuation placed on CHOP’s patents raise concerns over Offit’s use of his former position on the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to help create the market for rotavirus vaccine -- to effectively vote himself rich."

Government pension agency braces for recession   [02/16/09 ]  "The deepening recession spells trouble for a little-known government corporation that insures the pensions of 44 million workers and retirees. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. already has an $11 billion deficit that seems sure to grow larger as Corporate America suffers through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. With companies reporting shortfalls in their pension funds, it's all but certain that the PBGC will be forced to take over the pension plans of a rising number of bankrupt businesses."

European banks' toxic debts risk overwhelming EU governments  [02/16/09 ]  "The toxic debts of European banks risk overwhelming a number of EU governments and may pose a “systemic” danger to the broader EU banking system, according a confidential memo prepared by the European Commission."

Alleged ‘brains’ of £360m fraud, former Israeli army officer, Mossad, says he is victim  [02/16/09 ]  "The alleged “brains” behind a suspected £360 million fraud in Langbar International, an AIM-listed cash shell, has insisted that he was the victim of a “great fraud”. Abraham Hochman, 56, denied any involvement in an alleged swindle that left shareholders with big losses. Mr Hochman, who is a financier from Argentina, and five other men were arrested last month by Spanish police, who were acting on a request by the British Serious Fraud Office, which has been investigating Langbar since 2005. The former Israeli army officer is said to have boasted to police that he was once a member of the Israeli secret service. Mr Hochman, whose whereabouts were unknown for years until his arrest, lives near Barcelona ..."

UK: Unemployment forecast to reach 3 million before next election  [02/16/09 ]  "Britain's leading employers' organisation warned Gordon Brown yesterday that unemployment would crash through three million, just ahead of the likeliest date for the next general election."

Russia's super-rich down to last few billions as fortunes slip away  [02/16/09 ]  "The financial crisis has hit Russia's oligarchs hard, with most losing sizeable chunks of their fortunes. A few years ago they were multibillionaires - now they are simply billionaires." 

China:  Beijing sets out on chaos offensive  [02/16/09 ]  "As the Chinese government fights to resuscitate the economy, it faces the even more daunting task of maintaining social stability, with issues like rising unemployment and a number of upcoming sensitive anniversaries threatening to spark violent dissent. In an effort to keep the forces of trouble at bay, Beijing has publicized its tough take on the law-and-order situation"  Note: And then there is the drought.  Related: China on the brink "A strongly rising stock market in Shanghai and full restaurants and malls in Beijing suggest China's citizens are being spared the pain of the world economic downturn. The reality, and it is worsening, is hidden further inland, and at the other end of the income league ..."  

US still has its Kyrgyzstan base covered  [02/16/09 ]  "It's easy to believe that the reason for Kyrgyzstan wanting to shut down the United States Manas military base near the capital is Russia's US$300 million sweetener to Bishkek. But other factors are in play, and it could be some time before - if ever - the 1,000 US personnel pack up and leave ..."

Everyone wants a piece of the Afghan war  [02/16/09 ]  "Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will be allowed to negotiate with Tehran on an individual basis to have their supplies for Afghanistan transported via Iran. This dramatically increases Iran's influence in this region. At the same time, China is entertaining members of Pakistan's main Islamist political party in a bid to strengthen its relations with key players. And in Islamabad, leaders are imposing their own terms and conditions to fight the American war in Afghanistan ..."  Related:  Whistling past the Afghan graveyard  "In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the question is no longer whether the United States is in command, but whether it can get out in time. If not, don't expect the other pressed powers of the planet to help out. The Europeans are already itching to get out of town. The Russians, the Chinese, the Iranians, the Indians ... who exactly will ride to the rescue? Perhaps it would be prudent to stop hanging out in graveyards."

Roubini tells Geithner to nationalise US banks  [02/16/09 ]  "Nouriel Roubini – the man feted with having foreseen the financial crisis before almost any of his peers – has warned that the US Treasury Secretary must go significantly further than his detail-light bail-out plan delivered last week, and argues that the Obama administration should move swiftly to take public ownership of those major US banks which are failing. Professor Roubini, who worked with Mr Geithner in the Clinton administration, told The Daily Telegraph: "Many US banks are insolvent, even the major ones." While nationalisation is "a politically- charged decision" which needs to handled carefully, he said it needs to take place "sooner rather than later" for the sake of the wider economy ..." 

Graham: Nationalizing Banks Should Be On The Table  [02/15/09 ]  "In a gloomy segment about the financial sector on ABC'S This Week, two self-avowed fiscal conservatives said that the U.S. Government should at least consider nationalizing the country's banking system as a means of moving beyond the current lending crisis. "This idea of nationalizing banks is not comfortable," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). "But I think we've got so many toxic assets spread throughout the banking and financial community, throughout the world, that we're going to have to do something that no one ever envisioned a year ago, no one likes. To me, banking and housing are the root cause of this problem. I'm very much afraid any program to salvage the banks is going to require the government... I would not take off the idea of nationalizing the banks." The remark prompted a bewildered smile of sorts from fellow panelist Maxine Waters (D-CA) who said, to no one in particular, "We have come a long way .... While Graham was supported in his assessment by Waters and Rep. Peter King (R-NY), both of whom said nationalization should remain on the table, he found opposition from his Democratic counterpoint on the panel, Chuck Schumer. "I would not be for nationalizing," said the New York Senator, whose constituency includes the epicenter of the U.S. banking industry. "I don't think government is good at making these decisions ..." Note: Bullshit! If Schumer says no, it means that is what ought to be done.

'US shouldn't interfere in Israeli politics'  [02/15/09 ]  "The US and American Jewish leaders should not interfere in the makeup of the next Israeli government, the head of the umbrella organization of American Jewish groups said Sunday ..."

Israel: UN Conference on Racism 'Will Be Platform to Bash Israel'  [02/15/09 ]  "Israeli diplomat Dan Gillerman has urged Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd not to send a delegation to a United Nations forum on racism, saying it will be used as a platform to bash Israel. In an interview with The Age, Mr Gillerman, who was Israel's ambassador to the United Nations from 2003 until September last year, also strongly rejected calls for war crimes investigations against Israeli commanders involved in the recent Gaza offensive. Speaking from his office in Tel Aviv ahead of a scheduled visit to Australia at the end of the month, Mr Gillerman said the 2009 UN World Conference Against Racism, also known as "Durban II", to be held in Geneva in April, was a charade. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni announced in November that Israel would boycott the conference because "it was turning once again into an anti-Israeli tribunal". Last month Canada (Bronfman controlled) announced that it was also boycotting the conference. France, Britain and the Netherlands may also pull out, while the United States is still considering whether to reverse the Bush administration's decision not to attend. "I think that the (fewer) enlightened Western civilised societies attend the conference, the more it will be seen as the stage for anti-Semitism, racism and Israel-bashing that it is," Mr Gillerman said."  The US State Department said it would send diplomats next week to participate in preparatory meetings for the World Conference Against Racism, which is set to be held in Geneva, Switzerland in April. 

Police: Israel's kingmaker corrupt to bone  [02/15/09 ]  "Israeli officials say they have gathered sufficient evidence to charge hawkish politician Avigdor Lieberman with money laundering. "The police source said there was no doubt about money laundering," Dep.-Cmdr. (ret.) Boaz Guttman, a former National Fraud Unit investigator quoted a senior police source as saying The Jerusalem Post, reported. "But he refused to talk about bribery." Lieberman, the leader of Yisrael Beiteinu party, is under investigation over using Cypriot bank accounts for money laundering. He is also suspected of involvement in fraud and bribery. Guttman, however, said there would be a long way before of the Israeli politician could be indicted, because prosecutors would have to overcome a series of hurdles. Officials fear that the veteran politician who is known for his hard line stances might hinder the proceedings to buy time. Prosecutors must also ask a Knesset committee to strip Lieberman from his parliamentary immunity."

Israeli FM Tzipi Livni refuses to join governing coalition led by Likud rival Benjamin Netanyahu [02/15/09 ]  "We went to elections and we won," said Livni, whose Kadima Party won 28 of 120 parliament seats in last week's general elections. "You don't need to be a math genius to know that 28 is more than 27." "Kadima should be asked to form a government, but there may be other scenarios," she said. "We will serve the public in forming the government or in the opposition." 

Iranian bioweapon researcher dies suspiciously  [02/15/09 ]  "A US-based Iranian doctor working to discover an antitoxin therapy of biological weapons has purportedly died a "suspicious death." One of the leading bioweapon researchers and a regular keynote speaker at international conferences, Dr. Nasser Talebzadeh Ordoubadi died on Saturday in what his doctors described as a "suspicious death". 

Executive Accountability Act of 2009 Introduced  [02/15/09 ]  "U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., has introduced legislation that would impose fines or prison time on presidents or executive-branch officials who "knowingly and willfully" mislead Congress to gain authorization to use U.S. military forces." 

Federal obligations exceed World Gross Domestic Product  [02/15/09 ]  "As the Obama administration pushes through Congress its $800 billion deficit-spending economic stimulus plan, the American public is largely unaware that the true deficit of the federal government already is measured in trillions of dollars, and in fact its $65.5 trillion in total obligations, which exceeds the gross domestic product of the world."  Note: Actually, it's worse than that. The total debt load, due to the derivatives, is about $1,500 trillion. 

Iraq Corruption Investigation Broadens To Include Senior American Military Officers  [02/15/09 ] "Federal authorities examining the early, chaotic days of the $125 billion American-led effort to rebuild Iraq have significantly broadened their inquiry to include senior American military officers who oversaw the program, according to interviews with senior government officials and court documents. Court records show that last month investigators subpoenaed the personal bank records of Col. Anthony B. Bell, who is now retired from the Army but who was in charge of reconstruction contracting in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 when the small operation grew into a frenzied attempt to remake the country’s broken infrastructure. In addition, investigators are examining the activities of Lt. Col. Ronald W. Hirtle of the Air Force, who was a senior contracting officer in Baghdad in 2004, according to two federal officials involved in the inquiry. It is not clear what specific evidence exists against the two men, and both said they had nothing to hide from investigators. Yet officials say that several criminal cases over the past few years point to widespread corruption in the operation the men helped to run."

Hamas: No link between truce and Shalit   [02/15/09 ] "Hamas says Israel is using the issue of detained Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as a pretext to stall the Egyptian-brokered truce negotiations."  Related: Olmert: No Gaza truce without 'Gilad Shalit'  [02/14/09 ] Note: But, the Israelis themselves killed Shalit. See Israel rains bombs on 'own soldier'  [01/13/09 ] "The Hamas military wing has revealed that Tel Aviv has launched airstrikes against a house where a captured Israeli soldier was kept."  

Conyers issues second Rove subpoena  [02/15/09 ]  ""House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) has issued a second subpoena in his efforts to compel former White House adviser Karl Rove to testify before his panel. Conyers issued the legal summons to Rove Friday demanding that he appear for a Feb. 23 hearing relating to allegations that the Bush administration improperly politicized the Justice Department."

Final Economic Stimulus Bill Permits Americans' Personal Health Information to Be Sold for Research and Public Health Purposes WITHOUT Patients' Consent  [02/14/09 ]   "The final economic stimulus bill permits Americans' personal health information to be exchanged and sold -- without patients' consent -- for research and public-health purposes, warns the Institute for Health Freedom (Washington, DC) and Citizens' Council on Health Care (Saint Paul, MN). The bill also mandates the plan for each American to have a single electronic health record by 2014, without opt-out or patient consent provisions .... privacy advocates urge all Americans and policymakers to carefully examine the Final Conference Report, Part A on the economic stimulus bill, pdf page 296 (p. 11) and pdf pages 391-395 (pp. 106-110)." To get these, see the House Appropriations Committee website

UK: William Foxton, British Investor In Madoff Scheme, Kills Himself [02/14/09 ]   "A retired British army major killed himself after losing his life savings in the alleged fraud perpetrated by U.S. financier Bernard Madoff, his son said Friday.

Lieberman claims Israeli loyalty proposal 'finds support' in U.S. [02/14/09 ]   "Lieberman, 50, has proposed requiring a loyalty oath as a condition of Israeli citizenship. Those who refuse -- Arab or Jewish -- would have their citizenship revoked, though they’d be permitted to remain in the country as permanent residents. Marc Stern, the acting co-executive director of the American Jewish Congress, noted that American Jews historically have been skeptical of or against loyalty oaths. He also pointed out that Lieberman’s proposal would require all citizens to take loyalty oaths, not merely oaths by those seeking to become citizens." Note:  Back to the future. No, it doesn't find support. American Jews, in general, really don't care much for Israel, and are not citizens of Israel, so there's no reason for 'loyalty, which only ever comes up when a tyrant in is charge. 

Israeli case established precedent that there is no defense in obeying illegal orders  [02/14/09 ]   "....In August 1949, an army unit stationed at Nirim in the Negev shot an Arab man and captured a Bedouin girl with him. Her name and age remain unknown, but she was probably in her mid-teens. For 54 years the fate of a young Bedouin girl who disappeared in the Negev desert was relegated to rumour and a single entry in the diary of David Ben-Gurion, the prime minister of the fledgling Israeli state..." 

US banks under pressure from forensic hit-teams [02/14/09 ] "Forensic inspectors from at least four federal agencies will soon begin combing through asset registers, trading ledgers and balance sheets at the 18 or so biggest US banks. Line by line, the inspectors will tot up billions of dollars in liabilities."

(U.S. Has Caused) Global Economy To Be Top Threat to U.S., Spy Chief Says  [02/14/09 ] "The new director of national intelligence told Congress on Thursday that global economic turmoil and the instability it could ignite had outpaced terrorism as the most urgent threat facing the United States."  Note: Welcome to the "War Against Ourselves", 2009-2012 

Shortage of Critical Commodities Seen Already [02/14/09 ] "Maybe you thought that less trade with China would mean fewer choices of lawn gnomes at Walmart this summer. And since you've recently sworn off, who cares anyway. Turns out China is also a leading provider of the raw materials used to make critical pharmaceutical drugs. We'll have fewer of those too and, in some cases, none at all ... The active ingredient of OxyContin® is thebaine, an alkaloid compound distilled from opium. By law, it cannot be stored so each year's crop size is determined by expected sales. However, it's only February so the shortage in the US is not due to Asian exporters' supplies having run out ... The shortage of leucovorin, a generic used in the treatment of colon cancer, is so acute that many cancer patients are receiving lower-than-prescribed dosages or none at all. According to suppliers, the shortage is due to "manufacturing" delays. In an interview with Forbes, Michael Katz, chair of a committee of patients that advises the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), said, "I've never heard of anything like it," nor had any of the doctors in the group. There is a fear that shortages will occur more frequently with generic drugs because the margins are so thin. Leucovorin is also called folinic acid, which is derived from vitamin B and, like most vitamins, vitamin B comes from China."

FBI strained by fraud probes [02/14/09 ] "The FBI is investigating 38 cases of corporate fraud or financial institution wrongdoing tied to the economic crisis, and the federal bailout watchdog has already opened several criminal probes, officials told Congress Wednesday."

Army recruiters describe nightmare of job [02/14/09 ] "Staff Sgt. Daren Stewart remembers driving down a rural road in Arkansas and thinking how easy it would be to jerk the wheel and flip his car into a ditch. The 27-year-old Iraq war veteran says he wasn’t suicidal. He just figured that injuring himself was the only way he could get any time off from his job as an Army recruiter. “I would rather spend three years straight in Iraq, without coming home, without a break, than ever be a recruiter again,” said Stewart, who recruited in Hot Springs, Ark., from 2005 to 2008. Five-hundred miles away in Houston, the suicides of four Army recruiters from a single battalion have focused lawmakers and veterans advocates on the enormous stress endured by soldiers tasked with refilling the ranks of the all-volunteer military during wartime. In response to the deaths, the Army will suspend all recruiting nationwide Friday to focus on leadership training, suicide prevention and the health of its 8,900 recruiters. The Army Inspector General also is examining working conditions throughout U.S. Army Recruiting Command."

Israel Treated Gaza Like Its Own Private Death Laboratory for US Weapons Testing [02/14/09 ] "Israel tested out a "focused lethality" weapon that minimizes explosive damage to structures while inflicting catastrophic wounds on its victims."

Fraud probe into UK firm's role in collapse of world's largest insurer AIG [02/14/09 ] "A fraud investigation was launched last night into a UK firm’s alleged criminal involvement in the multi-billion-pound collapse of the world’s largest insurer. The probe by the Serious Fraud Office into AIG Financial Products will focus on those with ‘inside knowledge’ of the collapse."

Blackwater to change name to ‘Xe’   [02/13/09 ] "Blackwater Worldwide is abandoning its tarnished brand name. Blackwater officials said Friday its family of two dozen business will now operate under the name Xe (zee), pronounced like the letter “z.” The decision comes as part of an ongoing re-branding effort that grew more urgent following a September 2007 shooting in Iraq that left at least a dozen civilians dead ..."

US intel confirms again, Iran not developing nukes   [02/13/09 ] "The new chief of US intelligence has confirmed the findings of a 2007 intelligence report that Iran has no nuclear weapons program. Dennis Blair told the Senate Intelligence Committee that his organization has assessed that Tehran does not have nuclear weapons design and weaponization work. A National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), issued in November 2007 by the sixteen US intelligence agencies, clarified that Iran was not pursuing a nuclear weapons program. The 2007 intelligence report was widely seen as a setback for Bush administration efforts to pressure Iran and halt its nuclear program." 

U.S. now sees Iran as 'pursuing nuclear bomb'  [02/12/09 ] "In a reversal since a 2007 report, U.S. officials 'expect the Islamic Republic to reach development milestones this year'." [Suddenly, for no apparent reason, with no evidence] "Little more than a year after U.S. spy agencies concluded that Iran had halted work on a nuclear weapon, the Obama administration has made it clear that (now) it believes 'there is no question that Tehran is seeking the bomb.' ... U.S. officials said that although no new evidence had surfaced to undercut the findings of the 2007 estimate, there was growing consensus that it provided a misleading picture and that the country was poised to reach crucial bomb-making milestones this year. Obama's top intelligence official, Dennis C. Blair, the director of national intelligence, is expected to address mounting concerns over Iran's nuclear program in testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee today. When it was issued, the NIE stunned the international community. It declared that U.S. spy agencies judged "with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program."  Related: Senate Select Cmte. on Intelligence Confirmation Hearing for Dir. of National Intelligence  [02/12/09 ] - Video [120:37] Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) chaired a Senate Select Committee confirmation hearing for Adm. Dennis Blair, President Obama's nominee for Director of National Intelligence. Washington, DC : 2 hr. 37 min. 

Militarizing Police Depts. With Bailout Money  [02/12/09 ] "The United States Conference of Mayors has assembled the most ridiculous and repulsive example of government excess I think I have ever seen. Here is a PDF file of the document which stretches to 344 pages. One of the most alarming features of this civic gluttony is the gift list request for funds to buy military SWAT assault equipment for police forces like the examples offered here by Texas blogger and Reason.com contributor, Trey Garrison: Frisco wants $125,000 for an armored vehicle and $200,000 for a mobile command vehicle.” 

Pa. judges accused of jailing kids for cash  [02/12/09 ] "For years, the juvenile court system in Wilkes-Barre operated like a conveyor belt: Youngsters were brought before judges without a lawyer, given hearings that lasted only a minute or two, and then sent off to juvenile prison for months for minor offenses. The explanation, prosecutors say, was corruption on the bench. In one of the most shocking cases of courtroom graft on record, two Pennsylvania judges have been charged with taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to send teenagers to two privately run youth detention centers."

Home prices plunge to 30-year low  [02/12/09 ] "Home prices fell 12.4% during the fourth quarter of 2008, the largest year-over-year decline since the National Association of Realtors began keeping comprehensive records in 1979."

UK: Millions face 'stealth tax' on heating bills to subsidise 'green energy'  [02/12/09 ] "Millions of families face yet another hike in heating bills to pay for a massive expansion of green energy. Ministers say that the money raised will subsidise solar panels, wind turbines and wood-burning boilers for hundreds of thousands of homes. But critics warn that the levy is an 'insidious' stealth tax that will hammer households at a time of rising unemployment, falling incomes and economic uncertainty."  

Pakistan says it arrests Mumbai attack plotters  [02/12/09 ] "Investigators had also discovered some funds transferred from Italy and Spain were used to finance the attack, and Austrian telephone sim cards were used. Malik spoke too of a link, possibly an Internet domain, to Houston in the United States."   Texas, eh?

Declassified DoD Documents Suggest Detainees Were Tortured to Death   [02/12/09 ] "Newly declassified Defense Department documents describe a pattern of “abusive” behavior by U.S. military interrogators that appears to have caused the deaths of several suspected terrorists imprisoned at a detention center in Afghanistan in December 2002, just two days after former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld authorized the use of "enhanced interrogation" techniques against prisoners in that country."

Bankers yield to lawmakers  [02/12/09 ] "US banking chiefs yesterday yielded to demands by angry members of Congress and agreed to suspend mortgage foreclosures for at least three weeks to give the US government time to finalise its financial rescue plans. The move, which will freeze repossessions on 1m US homes, came as eight Wall Street leaders came face-to-face with the public outrage over their banks' role in the financial crisis. Members of Congress attacked their bonuses, lending practices and perks at a tense hearing in Washington. Vikram Pandit, chief executive of Citigroup, responded to the criticism by saying he would slash his salary, which totalled $1m last year, to $1 and forgo bonuses until the troubled financial services group returns to profitability ..."

LaRouche Webcast: February 11, 2009  MP3  [02/12/09 ] [120:38]  Comments on the bailout and what's happening. 

Female FBI officer 'tortured Mumbai terror attacks suspect with sex'  [02/12/09 ] "A female FBI officer tortured a suspect in the Mumbai terrorist attacks by performing a sex act on him during interrogation, it has been claimed." 

Mass. regulator to yank Madoff feeder fund's licenser [02/11/09 ] "Massachusetts' top securities regulator moved on Wednesday to stop Cohmad Securities Corp from doing business in the state after the company funneled millions of dollars from clients to Bernard Madoff."

Israel election outcome rotates around  whims of Avigdor Lieberman, corrupt former nightclub bouncer [02/11/09 ] "Tzipi Livni [the bitch from hell] , the leader of Israel's Kadima party, held talks with the far-Right politician who has become the country's "kingmaker" as she fought to become prime minister. Livni, a centrist, won the narrowest of victories in Tuesday's general election – taking 28 seats, more than any other party. But the total block of Right-wing factions will have an overall majority in the new Knesset, or parliament. The choice will rest with Israel's new kingmaker – Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, who won 15 seats and seized the balance of power. Mr Lieberman, a former nightclub bouncer who is being investigated in connection with several alleged financial offences, has denounced Israel's Arab minority as a "fifth column" and stated that all 1.4 million of them should be subjected to a "loyalty test"....."

Letters To Leaders at Congress.org makes it clear what the consensus is on Bank Bailouts. NO! [02/11/09 ]  Note: Congress has ceased serving its function according to the law, and they're not about to do the will of the population without a lot of overt demonstration of disapproval.

Leahy: Investigate Bush Now [02/11/09 ] "Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy insisted on Monday in firm and passionate terms that a comprehensive investigation be launched into the conduct of the Bush administration, saying anything less would prevent the country from moving forward. Speaking at a forum at Georgetown University, the Vermont Democrat suggested the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission to uncover the "misdeeds" of the past eight years. "Many Americans feel we need to get to the bottom of what went wrong," said Leahy. "I agree. We need to be able to read the page before we turn the page." The Senator also stated that Attorney General Eric Holder never gave assurances to Republican Senators that he would not prosecute Bush administration officials who may have been involved in illegalities such as authorizing torture or warrantless wiretapping ..."

Rationing Air Travel Proposed By UK Environment Czar [02/11/09 ] "The UK's so-called "environment czar" last week raised the possibility of rationing air travel, limiting UK citizens to just a few vacation trips abroad by air per year in order to reduce the impact of carbon dioxide emissions. Adair Turner, chairman of the independent Committee on Climate Change that advises UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, made the proposal before Parliament's Environmental Audit Select Committee on Feb. 5. In remarks widely reported by UK media, Turner said, "We will have to constrain demand in an absolute sense with people not allowed to make as many journeys as they could in an unconstrained manner." The proposal was strongly condemned by Flying Matters, a UK-based coalition of airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and other aviation- and tourism-related groups. "One always suspects with these half-baked proposals that the people who put them forward really intend them to apply to ordinary people, many of whom have only recently gained access to air travel, rather than to themselves," the organization said in a statement ..."

Livni Leads in Israeli parliamentary election  [02/11/09 ] "Israel's Kadima party is leading the parliamentary election by a narrow margin over former premier Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, TV exit polls say." 

UN moves to charge Israel with war crimes  [02/11/09 ]  "The United Nations moves to set up a commission to look into Israeli war crimes and respond to its human rights violations in Gaza. After the United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNRWA) compound became the target of GPS-guided Israeli mortars on January 15, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned "in the strongest terms this outrageous attack" and called for an inquiry into suspected Israeli war crimes. Japanese Ambassador Yukio Takasu, who currently holds the presidency of the Security Council, said late on Monday that Ban had told a closed-door briefing in the council that the UN had set up a commission as a preliminary step to look into Israeli damage to UN premises. Diplomats have expressed skepticism as to whether a Security Council inquiry would take place, saying they thought it unlikely that Israel's ally the United States, which has a veto in the council, would allow the 15-nation body to adopt the report as its own. The UN move to launch a probe into suspected Israeli war crimes comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor in The Hague announced earlier last week that a "preliminary analysis" was launched to review the military conduct of Israeli forces participating in the offensive against the Gaza Strip. The ICC prosecutor's office said it had received 210 communications from individuals and non-governmental organizations regarding the recent events in Gaza. The criminal case is expected to focus on the Israeli atrocities, including charges of using disproportionate force, white phosphorous bombs and depleted uranium in the densely- populated area. Amid reports of profound human sufferings, Israel continues to reject the fact that it has imposed a humanitarian crisis among the battle-hardened 1.5 million population of Gaza and denies committing war crimes in the embattled Strip." 

Idiot Congressman Wants To 'Shore Up Banks' With Pension Funds  [02/11/09 ] "Mr. Ackerman, Democrat of New York, is sponsoring legislation that would allow public pension funds to pool some of their money and use it to create a sole-purpose entity that would buy $50 billion to $250 billion worth of preferred stock in America’s banks. That would strengthen the banks’ balance sheets and, Mr. Ackerman hopes, get them lending again."   Idiot! He knows nothing about anything to do with economics or the real scoop. 

Bush Pentagon systematically targeted and mistreated journalists as a part of Rumsfeld propaganda program  [02/11/09 ] "In an important speech delivered at the University of Kansas, Associated Press head Tom Curley charged that the Bush Pentagon had systematically targeted and mistreated journalists as a part of a propaganda program developed by Donald Rumsfeld."

Champagne, lobster and caviar: Robert Mugabe plans binge in land of hunger  [02/10/09 ]  "It is the 85th birthday of President Mugabe this month and the zealots of his Zanu (PF) party are determined that it should be an occasion that their great leader will never forget. Hundreds of cattle, goats and sheep would also be slaughtered for the lavish one-day celebration. In recent days they have been out soliciting “donations” from corporate Zimbabwe and have drawn up a wish list that is scarcely credible in a land where seven million citizens survive on international food aid, 94 per cent are jobless and cholera rampages through a population debilitated by hunger. The list includes 2,000 bottles of champagne (Moët & Chandon or ’61 Bollinger preferred); 8,000 lobsters; 100kg of prawns; 4,000 portions of caviar; 8,000 boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates; 3,000 ducks; and much else besides. A postscript adds: “No mealie meal” — the ground corn staple on which the vast majority of Zimbabweans survived until the country’s collapse rendered even that a luxury. Those who prefer to give in cash, not kind, are invited to send “donations” of between $45,000 and $55,000 to a US dollar bank account in the name of the 21st February Movement, a youth organisation controlled by Zanu (PF) and named after the date of the President’s birthday. Western diplomats and aid workers were stunned when shown the list. “It’s just appalling. It’s like they are either completely oblivious to what’s happening in their country, or completely impervious and just don’t care,” said one. “It’s shocking and obscene,” said another, who noted that lobsters were unobtainable in Zimbabwe and would have to be flown in. Mr Mugabe’s birthday parties are seldom understated affairs. The celebration two years ago featured 20,000 guests in the Mboka football stadium in the city of Gweru, which was shown on national television. It featured giant cakes, children in brightly coloured sashes mingling with the “elite” and a speech by the President denouncing homosexuality ..." 

Lawmakers And Congressional Staff Laugh At Administration During Bailout Briefing  [02/10/09 ]  "Administration officials were greeted with sarcasm and laughter Monday night when they briefed lawmakers and congressional staff on Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's new 'financial-sector bailout project', according to people who were in the room. The laughter was at its height when Obama officials explained that the White House planned to guarantee a wide swath of toxic assets -- which they referred to as "legacy assets" -- but wouldn't be asking Congress for money. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), a bailout opponent in the fall, asked the officials to give Congress the total dollar figure for which they were on the hook. The officials said that they couldn't provide a number, a response met by chuckling that was bipartisan, but tilted toward the GOP side. By guaranteeing the assets, Geithner hopes he can persuade the private sector to purchase a portion of them ..."  Related: Dow Down 300 Points Following Geithner's Speech | Senate Passes Obama's Economic Recovery Plan | Rachel Maddow Probes Incoherent Ben Nelson On Stimulus Cuts  

Geithner Vs. Axelrod: Treasury Secretary Blocks Severe CEO Pay Limits  [02/10/09 ]  "The Obama administration’s new plan to bail out the nation’s banks was fashioned after a spirited internal debate that pitted the Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, against some of the president’s top political hands ..."

Pentagon's Burrowed Bush Loyalists May Have Leaked Detainee Information To Press   [02/10/09 ]  "... One day after President Barack Obama signed an executive order to close down the detention center at Guantanamo within a year, the New York Times ran a front page story detailing how a released detainee from that facility had gone on to help head a local al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen. The timing seemed suspicious. Then, last week, word came from the Associated Press that "three senior Pentagon officials tapped by the Bush administration to oversee detainee policy at Guantanamo Bay remain on the job despite President Barack Obama's order to reverse course." That revelation was enough to prompt Sen. Dianne Feinstein to ask Defense Secretary Robert Gates to investigate the "burrowing" of political appointees to career positions. It also has some foreign policy hands wondering whether that late January Times story was leaked by Bush loyalists as a way of sending a signal to the new president. "The question isn't so much that [these burrowed employees] will have their hands on policy, because the Obama people have a pretty firm grip on it," said a Democrat outside of the administration. "The problem is they have their hands on information and can cause a problem as a result. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sources from inside the Pentagon that released that information." According to the source, officials at the Pentagon would have access to information regarding legal cases against detainees, documentation of interrogations, and intelligence on detainees admitted to and released from Guantanamo. "Allegations of improper 'burrowing' of political appointees to career positions are very troubling to me," Feinstein wrote in her letter to Gates. "This is especially disconcerting within the Office of Detainee Affairs due to the nature of the policy recommendations that office provides regarding Guantanamo." Larry Korb, a defense specialist for the Center for American Progress and former Reagan official, voiced these concerns even before the burrowing came to light ..."  Related: Petraeus Leaked Misleading Story On Pullout Plans: IPS Analysis

Netanyahu: Israel Is About to Make a Misjudgment as Disastrous as Gaza  [02/10/09 ]  "In a few days, it looks likely to re-elect Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister once again. This is a man calling for the violent re-occupation of Gaza to "liquidate" its elected government. This is a man who says he will "naturally grow" the West Bank settlements. This is a man who says he will "never" negotiate over Jerusalem, or the Golan Heights, or control of the West Bank water supply. This is a man who says establishing a Palestinian state would leave Israel with "an existential threat and a public relations nightmare reminiscent of 1938 Czechoslovakia." This is a man who Yitzhak Rabin's widow says helped to incite his murder. The political beneficiaries of Operation Cast Lead have been Israel's hard-right. The opinion poll numbers have surged for Netanyahu's Likud and for the even more extreme Avigdor Lieberman, a Russian immigrant was openly advocates the ethnic cleansing of Arabs. They say the only problem with the 23-day bombing of Gaza -- killing 410 children, and hugely strengthening Hamas -- is that it didn't go far enough. The world needs to urgently look at these individuals and ask how this came to pass. Everybody agrees that the key to understanding Netanyahu lies with his father, Benzion. He is a distinguished scholar of medieval history who believes the world is eternally and ineradicably riddled with genocidal anti-Semitism ..."

CA: U.S. judges seek massive 55,000 prisoner release to save money  [02/10/09 ]  "... Trend-setting California, the Golden State, has an immense prison system responsible for nearly 170,000 inmates, and their care has become a major political and budget issue as officials weigh multibillion costs of improved facilities against death and illness behind bars."  Note: California doesn't have a labor shortage; they have a job shortage which will get worse when 55,000 inmates are released ...  never mind those who will have to commit another crime to get sent back to where they can have a bed and something to eat. It happens all the time.

WA: Nursing and boarding homes are forcing out sick, elderly and frail residents to save money  [02/10/09 ]  "As health care costs rise and Medicaid rates lag behind, nursing and boarding homes are forcing out sick, elderly and frail residents in what advocates say is a growing trend. No official data exist on eviction counts, but discharge complaints have climbed to record highs."

U.S. Unemployment reached a true value of around 18% in January 20009  [02/10/09 ]  "... The Household Survey shows that 832,000 people lost their jobs in January and 806,000 in December, for a two month reduction of Americans with jobs of 1,638,000. The unemployment rate reported in the US media is a fabrication. Williams reports that "during the Clinton Administration, ‘discouraged workers’ those who had given up looking for a job because there were no jobs to be had--were redefined so as to be counted only if they had been ‘discouraged’ for less than a year. This time qualification defined away the bulk of the discouraged workers. Adding them back into the total unemployed, actual unemployment, [according to the unemployment rate methodology used in 1980] rose to 18% in January, from 17.5% in December." In other words, without all the manipulations of the data from a government that lies to us every time it opens its mouth, the US unemployment rate is already at depression levels ..."

The Israeli Torture Template  [02/10/09 ]  "... With mounting evidence that a shadowy group of former Israeli Defense Force and General Security Service (Shin Bet) Arabic-speaking interrogators were hired by the Pentagon under a classified "carve out" sub-contract to brutally interrogate Iraqi prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, one only needs to examine the record of abuse of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners in Israel to understand what Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld meant, when referring to new, yet to be released photos and videos, he said, "if these images are released to the public, obviously its going to make matters worse."

Highway Piracy: Texas police terrorize and illegally strip motorists of their property  [02/09/09 ]  "A two-decade-old state law that grants authorities the power to seize property used in crimes is wielded by some agencies against people who never are charged with — much less convicted of — criminal activity. Law enforcement authorities in this East Texas town of 1,000 people seized property from at least 140 motorists between 2006 and 2008, and, to date, filed criminal charges against fewer than half, according to a review of court documents by the San Antonio Express-News. Virtually anything of value was up for grabs: cash, cell phones, personal jewelry, a pair of sneakers, and often, the very car that was being driven through town. Some affidavits filed by officers relied on the presence of seemingly innocuous property as the only evidence that a crime had occurred ... The state’s asset seizure law ... is a built-in incentive for unscrupulous, underfinanced law enforcement agencies to illegally strip motorists of their property. Some lawmakers, fed up with calls from irate constituents, say enough is enough. Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, said the state’s asset forfeiture law is being abused by enough jurisdictions across the state that he wants to rewrite major sections of it this year. “The idea that people lose their property but are never charged and never get it back, that’s theft as far as I’m concerned,” he said. Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, believes some law enforcement agencies in his cash-strapped district in the Rio Grande Valley have become so dependent on the profitable seizures that they routinely misapply the state’s civil forfeiture law. The law forbids a peace officer at the time of seizure to “request, require or in any manner induce any person ..... to execute a document purporting to waive the person’s interest in or rights to the property.”

CA: Welfare recipients in San Bernardino County stand to lose their monthly cash benefits as early as March  [02/09/09 ]  "The state's historic $42 billion budget crunch has forced the State Controller's Office to delay an estimated $3.3 billion in payments to California counties, taxpayers and various state agencies. San Bernardino County spends about $30 million in state funds every month to administer cash payments to welfare recipients. But the state's deferment plan is thwarting the county's effort to continue the program. County spokesman David Wert said the county has enough state money to fund the program through February, but after that, it is uncertain what will happen. "And that's a horrific prospect. People who need help now more than ever won't get it," Wert said. "This is why it's important for the state to get it's act together, because real people are going to suffer." On Tuesday, Gary Ovitt, chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, said the county does not have the funding stream to pay for state-funded welfare programs. Wert said that if the county were to fund such programs from its own reserves, the county would go bankrupt in a matter of months. On Tuesday, Los Angeles County supervisors declared its own Boston Tea party, threatening to withhold county revenues from the state in order to pay for local health and social services. The same day, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted to sue the state to prevent it from shifting the financial burden onto the county for the provision of state-funded services. And in Sacramento County, officials announced they too planned to file a lawsuit against the state and Controller John Chiang for withholding millions of dollars - most of it for social service programs. A coalition of six counties, including San Bernardino and Riverside, will meet with state legislators next Thursday in Sacramento to rattle the cage and discuss possible options ..."

Netanyahu Warns Obama on Talks as He Challenges Livni  [02/09/09 ]  "Even before Benjamin Netanyahu finds out whether he will be Israel’s next prime minister, he is sending a message to President Barack Obama that he won’t be pushed around ..."

UK gov't official in 'anti-Semitism storm'  [02/09/09 ]  "A top UK Foreign Office official has been arrested on suspicion of an anti-Semitic outburst at a gym, the Daily Mail reported Monday. Rowan Laxton, who is head of the South Asia Group at the Foreign Office, was watching TV reports of the IDF offensive in Gaza while on an exercise bike at a gym when he was allegedly heard shouting: "Fucking Israelis, fucking Jews," and saying that IDF soldiers should be wiped off the face of the earth, the UK newspaper reported. After a police complaint was filed, Laxton was arrested on suspicion of inciting religious hatred through threatening words and behavior. He was bailed until late March, said the Mail. Laxton has worked extensively in the Middle East and has been deputy ambassador to Afghanistan ... When contacted by the British newspaper, Laxton denied his remarks were anti-Semitic but declined comment when asked if they were anti-Israeli."  Note: I think they were just 'anti-terrorist". Let them chew on that. 

Man reads Rolling Stone satirical piece on how to build a nuke and lands in Gitmo  [02/09/09 ]  "A British ‘resident’ held at Guantanamo Bay was identified as a terrorist after confessing he had visited a ‘joke’ website on how to build a nuclear weapon, it was revealed last night. Binyam Mohamed, a former UK asylum seeker, admitted to having read the ‘instructions’ after allegedly being beaten, hung up by his wrists for a week and having a gun held to his head in a Pakistani jail. It was this confession that apparently convinced the CIA that they were holding a top Al Qaeda terrorist ..."

 UK: Boy born with 24 fingers and toes  [02/09/09 ]  Note: Now, this would have either been the inventor of the 'foot piano', the greatest sweater-knitter in the universe, or someone to run from if you were ticklish.

 Iran ready to cooperate with U.S. on global issues - Ahmadinejad  [02/09/09 ]  "Iran is ready to cooperate with the new U.S. administration in tackling global issues on the basis of "mutual respect," the Iranian president said on Friday. "Iran announces its readiness to welcome genuine and correct changes in polices conducted by the new U.S. administration, and to cooperate with Washington on the resolution of urgent global problems in an atmosphere of mutual respect and fairness," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a meeting with the newly appointed Swiss ambassador to Iran." 

 North Korea: on the brink of war or new dialogue?  [02/09/09 ]  "On January 30, North Korea announced that all military-political agreements with Seoul were no longer valid. This implies that North Korea will now discuss regional security issues with the new U.S. Administration instead ..."

 Pakistan's Khan on Mossad 'hit list'  [02/09/09 ]  "Israel's notorious spy agency, Mossad, plans to kidnap or kill Pakistan's famous nuclear scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan and his colleagues." 

 Criminal cases against judges, prosecutors, politicians and lawyers tripled in Russia in 2008  [02/09/09 ]  "An increasing number of ‘untouchable’ officials are finding themselves in court in what’s seen as a victory in the battle against corruption." 

 Ecuador's president orders U.S. diplomat expelled    [02/08/09 ]  "President Rafael Correa on Saturday ordered the expulsion of a top U.S. diplomat he accused of suspending $340,000 in annual aid because Ecuador would not allow the U.S. to veto appointments to the anti-smuggling police. Ecuador's leftist president said the U.S. official, Armando Astorga Jr., announced the suspension of aid to the anti-contraband police in a Jan. 8 letter that also demanded they return all donated equipment — including vehicles, furniture, cameras and phones. Correa said Astorga also said in the letter addressed to Ecuador's police chief that $160,000 in annual aid to the Human Trafficking Unit "is being reconsidered." "Mr. Astorga, Keep your dirty money! We don't need it. Here there is sovereignty and dignity," Correa said during his weekly radio address, calling the American "insolent and foolish ..."

 Venezuela arrests police, guard in false flag synagogue attack   [02/08/09 ]  "Venezuelan investigators on Sunday said seven police agents and four civilians were arrested in connection with an attack on a synagogue that sparked international condemnation. The Venezuelan public prosecutor's office said the civilians included at least one security official from the synagogue and that all had been captured in raids over the weekend. "These people were apprehended during raids carried out between Saturday and the early hours of Sunday in different parts of Caracas. They will all be charged by the Public Prosecutor's office," the office said in a statement." Related:  [02/02/09 ] Chavez condemns attack on Caracas synagogue (It was his police all the time)  

 IA: Texas-based company accused of exploiting disabled; state closes home   [02/08/09 ]  "Federal police, state health inspectors and county prosecutors descended on this eastern Iowa town over the weekend, launching a major investigation into the care and treatment of a group of mentally retarded men and ordering an emergency evacuation of the men's living quarters ... Since the late 1970s, Henry's Turkey Service has been shipping mentally retarded men from Texas to Iowa to work in the West Liberty plant. Henry's has acted as the workers' employer, landlord and caregiver — paying the men a reduced wage for their work at the plant and then deducting from their pay the cost of room, board and care. Payroll records indicate the men are left with as little as $65 per month in salary ..."

 Growing current in Israeli politics is calling for the outright killing of Palestinians   [02/08/09 ]  "His name is Avigdor Lieberman and he is widely expected to be the main surprise of the Israeli elections, slated to take place 10 February. Many Israeli intellectuals dub Lieberman as the secular equivalent of Meir Kahana, the slain founder of the Kach terrorist group who advocated genocidal ethnic cleansing of non-Jews in Israel-Palestine. Kahana was assassinated in Manhattan, New York, in 1990 shortly after giving a speech in which he called for the annihilation and expulsion of Palestinians from “the Land of Israel”. According to most opinion polls, Lieberman’s party, Yisrael Beiteinu, or “Israel is our Home”, is projected to win 16-17 Knesset seats out of 120 making up the Israeli parliament. This would allow Yisrael Beiteinu to overtake the Labour Party, led by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, to become the third largest party in the Israeli political system, after the Likud and Kadima parties. Lieberman’s party will likely be a chief coalition partner in the next Israeli government."

 300,000 children 'at risk' in Israel from domestic abuse, incest  [02/08/09 ]  "A Welfare Ministry report released on Sunday reveals that in 2008 some 309,141 children were living in homes that place them at risk. The report finds some 2000 children were hospitalized due to domestic abuse during 2008. The report also indicates a continuing decline in the number of youths serving in the army. In 2007, 76 percent of male teens and 59 percent of female teens were drafted to the IDF, while in 1992 the figures stood at 83 percent and 67 percent accordingly. Meanwhile the number of youths' suicide attempts has increased according to the report. In 2007 nearly 700 teens, 73 percent of them females, were hospitalized after attempting to commit suicide. In seven of these cases the youths were under the age of nine." Related: 421 children reported victims of incest | Israeli Education Ministry report shows increased sexual violence in schools | 100,000 children in Israel have been sexually assaulted   

 TN Cop Guilty of Kidnapping and Robbing Dealers, Reselling Drugs   [02/08/09 ]  "A federal jury in Memphis, Tenn., today found Arthur Sease IV, a former Memphis Police Department officer, guilty on forty-four counts of civil rights, narcotics, robbery and firearms offenses, Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Laurenzi for the Western District of Tennessee announced. The evidence at trial showed that from November 2003 through April 2006, Sease conspired with other Memphis police officers to use their authority as law enforcement officers, including their service weapons, to rob suspected drug dealers of cash, cocaine and marijuana. Sease and his co-conspirators would then resell the stolen drugs for their own profit. The government introduced proof of 16 separate robberies, as well as one attempted robbery. In each robbery, Sease or another uniformed Memphis police officer, would pull over a car containing suspected drug dealers and steal whatever drugs and cash that they found. According to evidence presented at trial, Sease conspired with other Memphis drug dealers to arrange drug deals so that he could rob the other dealers when they arrived. On one occasion, evidence showed that Sease had a co-conspirator resell cocaine that Sease had stolen from one drug dealer to another drug dealer. Sease then pulled the buyer’s car over, stole the cocaine again and resold it. Sease and his co-conspirators kidnapped several drug dealers in an effort to get them to set up additional drug deals for Sease to rob ..."

 NY Undercover cops busted in fake cocaine arrest; innocent men collared to boost cops pay, prestige  [02/08/09 ]  "A pair of undercover cops were indicted Thursday for boosting their arrest figures and their paychecks by busting four innocent men on bogus cocaine charges ..."   

 NYPD officer caught in drug scandal takes plea, dishes on corrupt cops [02/08/09 ]  "An NYPD officer snared in a drug scandal took a plea Thursday and started dishing dirt about other corrupt cops, sources said. Police officer Jerry Bowens, 42, accepted the deal yesterday in a closed Brooklyn courtroom, police and law enforcement sources said. The 13-year veteran was indicted in June as part of a corruption probe into the Brooklyn South narcotics squad. "It was a pretty dirty place, with a lot of cops doing lots of things, and he knows about it," a law enforcement source said. Bowens, lawyer Edward Mandery and prosecutors were behind closed doors for about 20 minutes in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Details of the plea were not made public. Bowens and Sgt. Michael Arenella, 32, were charged last year with stealing crack off a drug suspect and giving cash and crack to an informant. The "suspect" was an undercover NYPD officer running a sting ..." 

 Ex-NYPD cop indicted on charges he drugged, raped woman in Greenburgh [02/08/09 ]  "A retired New York City police detective accused of drugging and raping a woman at a Greenburgh motel has been indicted on felony kidnapping, rape and assault charges."

 Drunken NJ cop mows down women, injures man [02/08/09 ]  "Police say a drunken off-duty New Jersey police officer mowed down a couple as they crossed a street in lower Manhattan, killing the women and critically injuring her boyfriend."  Related: Police Kill Family Dog During Raid Based on Bad Tip: Dept in Denial - Lawsuit Pending

 UK: British Bank Rewards Corporate Bankers Who Callously Destroy the Lives of Others   [02/08/09 ]  "Barclays Bank is ready to award bonuses of up to £1.1 million to corporate bankers who pulled the plug on Woolworths and other leading high street names ... Although the collapse of Woolworths came at a high cost to the company’s 30,000 workers, the six lenders to the retailer recovered all their money when the business was put into administration, the best possible result for Barclays’ shareholders ..."  Note: And screw 30,000 + people. These bankers ought to be hung in Piccadilly Circus.

 Kellogg, Brown & Root LLC wins contract despite criminal probe of deaths   [02/08/09 ]  "Halliburton spinoff and Defense contractor KBR Inc. has been awarded a $35 million Pentagon contract involving major electrical work, even as it is under criminal investigation in the electrocution deaths of at least two U.S. soldiers in Iraq. The announcement of the new KBR contract came just months after the Pentagon, in strongly worded correspondence obtained by The Associated Press, rejected the company's explanation of serious mistakes in Iraq and its proposed improvements. A senior Pentagon official, David J. Graff, cited the company's "continuing quality deficiencies" and said KBR executives were "not sufficiently in touch with the urgency or realities of what was actually occurring on the ground." "Many within DOD (the Department of Defense) have lost or are losing all remaining confidence in KBR's ability to successfully and repeatedly perform the required electrical support services mission in Iraq," wrote Graff, commander of the Defense Contract Management Agency, in a Sept. 30 letter. Graff rejected the company's claims that it wasn't required to follow U.S. electrical codes for its work on U.S. military facilities in Iraq. KBR has said it would cost an extra $560 million to refurbish buildings in Iraq used by the U.S. military, including Saddam Hussein's palaces, which among other problems are based on a 220-volt standard rather than the American 120-volt standard ..."

Kellogg, Brown & Root LLC prepares to admit bribery  [02/08/09 ]  "Court papers filed in Houston on Friday show Kellogg, Brown & Root LLC is preparing to plead guilty to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for promising and paying tens of millions of dollars in bribes to officials in Nigeria in exchange for engineering and construction contracts between 1995 and 2004. The government filed a criminal information in federal court, a document which is often used as part of a plea deal. KBR, a major engineering and construction services company with operations around the world, was split off as a separate public company from Halliburton in 2007. KBR spokeswoman Heather Browne said the company had no comment Friday and referred to KBR's quarterly SEC filing last October. In that document, KBR said Halliburton "agreed to indemnify us for, among other things, liabilities unrelated to our business, for certain other agreed matters relating to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations ... and for other litigation matters related to Halliburton's business." 

 (Belief-system hobbled) Italians face 'constitutional crisis' over 'coma woman'   [02/08/09 ]  "The Italian government has been plunged into a constitutional crisis over the fate of a 38-year-old woman who has been in a coma for the past 17 years. Eluana Englaro was left in a vegetative state after a car crash in 1992. After a decade-long court battle, doctors reduced her nutrition on Friday in preparation for removing her feeding tubes, which her father claims would be in accordance with her wishes ..."

 'CIA' warns Obama that 'British terrorists are the biggest threat to the US'   [02/08/09 ]  "American spy chiefs have told the President that the CIA has launched a vast spying operation in the UK to prevent a repeat of the 9/11 attacks being launched from Britain. They believe that a British-born Pakistani extremist entering the US under the visa waiver programme is the most likely source of another terrorist spectacular on American soil. Intelligence briefings for Mr Obama have detailed a dramatic escalation in American espionage in Britain, where the CIA has recruited record numbers of informants in the Pakistani community to monitor the 2,000 terrorist suspects identified by MI5, the British security service. A British intelligence source revealed that a staggering four out of 10 CIA operations designed to thwart direct attacks on the US are now conducted against targets in Britain."  Note: Panetta hasn't been the CIA chief for a week and suddenly this bullshit statement; that it's part of a greater agenda is certain, perhaps the beginning of a dynamic which will result in a false flag op, later. Related: CIA has launched a large-scale espionage operation in the UK

 Bishop defends 'right to question' (Holocaust)  [02/08/09 ]  "British Bishop Richard Williamson says his research compels him to avoid resorting to "emotions" on his questions regarding the Holocaust. Williamson -- who raised hackles in the Jewish community after claiming that Nazis did not use gas chambers to murder Jews -- said Sunday that he would delve deeper into historical evidences surrounding the Nazi Jewish Holocaust in World War II. "Since I see that there are many honest and intelligent people who think differently, I must look again at the historical evidence," Der Spiegel quoted him as saying in a Saturday email. "It is about historical evidence, not about emotions. And if I find this evidence, I will correct myself. But that will take time," added the senior member of the Saint Pius X circle. Williamson asserted that he is convinced of the accuracy of his previous comments, saying his arguments are squarely based on comprehensive studies he conducted in the 1980s."  Note: All this is really about Israel maintaining the position that they have the right to control the planet and the thoughts of everyone on it. Related:  'Holocaust denier' cleric refuses to recant views  Note:  "It should be obvious to any objective observer that this debate has totally abandoned any pretext of reality and has degenerated into a contest of who can bludgeon whom into believing as they are told to believe. Notice that none of the defenders of the orthodoxy suggest the obvious step of an objective assessment of the available factual data; the chemical tests of the surviving buildings, DNA tests on the soap and lampshades, new ground penetrating radar scans not only of Treblinka but every other site claimed to hold mass graves, DNA tests on the remains of victims in the Ukraine mass graves to determine of they really are Jews or executed Russians. It's always about clubbing those who question into submission.'

 1980's State Dept Analyst Says Netanyahu Will Convince Obama That Iran Attack is the 'only solution' [02/08/09 ]  "Aaron David Miller, the US State Department's top analyst in the 1980s, said Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to convince President Barack Obama that a military attack is the only solution to the Iranian nuclear issue ... Israeli leaders, who have in their possession the sole nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, have intensified their go-to-war rhetoric against Iran in the run-up to Tel Aviv's elections set for February 10. Israeli election frontrunner Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that his first mission, if elected prime minister, would be to "thwart the Iranian threat" once and for all."  Note: Of course, all these people are delusional 'pre-crimers'.

 Lawmakers in 20 states may move to reclaim state sovereignty   [02/07/09 ]  "As the Obama administration attempts to push through Congress a nearly $1 trillion deficit spending plan that is weighted heavily toward advancing typically Democratic-supported social welfare programs, a rebellion against the growing dominance of federal control is beginning to spread at the state level. So far, eight states have introduced resolutions declaring state sovereignty under the Ninth and Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, including Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington. Analysts expect that in addition, another 20 states may see similar measures introduced this year, including Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Nevada, Maine and Pennsylvania." 

 Schwarzenegger's historic furlough of more than 200,000 state employees   [02/07/09 ]  "With Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's historic furlough of more than 200,000 state employees set to begin today, a major labor union warned that the state is ill-prepared to handle the work stoppage. Leaders of SEIU Local 1000, which represents at least 80,000 employees being furloughed, reviewed dozens of memos directed to state workers by management this week and concluded the directives are rife with "chaos and contradictory information." "There's mass confusion," union President Yvonne Walker said, adding that many employees late Thursday didn't know if they should show up for work today because they were unsure if their workplace would be open ..."

 UK: For 7 years’ service, council boss gets a whopping £100,000 pension   [02/07/09 ]  "A council boss who quit after just seven years received a £297,000 lump sum and a guaranteed pension of nearly £100,000 a year."

 Rupert Murdoch: $US6.4 billion net loss for the second quarter [02/07/09 ] Good. I heard Silverstein lost money via Madoff, too.

 AP CEO: Bush Turned Military Into Propaganda Machine  [02/07/09 ]  "The Bush administration turned the U.S. military into a global propaganda machine while imposing tough restrictions on journalists seeking to give the public truthful reports about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Associated Press chief executive Tom Curley said Friday. Curley, speaking to journalists at the University of Kansas, said the news industry must immediately negotiate a new set of rules for covering war because "we are the only force out there to keep the government in check and to hold it accountable."

 U.S. pump prices on the rise as refiners cut back  [02/06/09 ]  "The break embattled U.S. consumers have been getting at the gas pumps may be ending as refiners slash fuel production to improve sagging profits. At least seven U.S. refiners have announced fuel production cuts as a result of weak profits stemming from softening demand, including Valero Energy Corp and ConocoPhillips -- the nation's two biggest fuel producers. As of the end of January, refiners were running their plants at just 82.5 percent of capacity -- four percentage points below last year, according to government figures. "There is too much capacity to make gasoline in this environment," Valero Chief Executive Bill Klesse said last week. "If the industry doesn't balance supply with demand we will have negative margins as we had in December. Consumer advocates argue the production cuts are unfair to American motorists. "The oil industry is taking advantage of consumers and policy makers are doing nothing about it," said Mark Cooper, director of research at the Consumer Federation of America. "At times when household budgets are really stretched, this kind of price increase can hurt," he said."

 Pentagon Increases Propaganda Budget [02/06/09 ]  "As it fights two wars, the Pentagon is steadily and dramatically increasing the money it spends to win what it calls "the human terrain" of world public opinion. In the process, it is raising concerns of spreading propaganda at home in violation of federal law. An Associated Press investigation found that over the past five years, the money the military spends on winning hearts and minds at home and abroad has grown by 63 percent, to at least $4.7 billion this year, according to Department of Defense budgets and other documents. That's almost as much as it spent on body armor for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2004 and 2006. This year, the Pentagon will employ 27,000 people just for recruitment, advertising and public relations - almost as many as the total 30,000-person work force in the State Department. "We have such a massive apparatus selling the military to us, it has become hard to ask questions about whether this is too much money or if it's bloated," says Sheldon Rampton, research director for the Committee on Media and Democracy, which tracks the military's media operations. "As the war has become less popular, they have felt they need to respond to that more."

 Strep infections may have killed most people during the 1918 influenza pandemic  [02/06/09 ]  "Strep infections and not the flu virus itself may have killed most people during the 1918 influenza pandemic, which suggests some of the most dire predictions about a new pandemic may be exaggerated, U.S. researchers said on Thursday. The findings suggest that amassing antibiotics to fight bacterial infections may be at least as important as stockpiling antiviral drugs to battle flu, they said. Keith Klugman of Emory University in Atlanta and colleagues looked at what information is available about the 1918 flu pandemic, which killed anywhere between 50 million and 100 million people globally in the space of about 18 months. Some research has shown that on average it took a week to 11 days for people to die -- which fits in more with the known pattern of a bacterial infection than a viral infection, Klugman's group wrote in a letter to the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases ..."

 Irish economy 'worst hit in Eurozone'  [02/06/09 ] [2:54] "For 15 years, Ireland's economy boomed, but today it is the country most severely hit by recession in the Eurozone. Every five minutes, a job is lost. When the property bubble burst, Irish banks had to pay the price. In Limerick, computer giant Dell is shedding 1900 jobs, closing its plant and moving to Poland. Ireland's deputy prime minister presents students with business awards, but with unemployment at 8%, students are worried about their future.The government is about to take some unpopular decisions - Irish tax payers will soon be handed a large bill. The French took to the streets for far less; how the Irish respond remains to be seen."  Note: It's payback time for Ireland for not kowtowing to the EU. 

 Peter Schiff: Stimulus Bill Will Lead to "Unmitigated Disaster"  [02/06/09 ] [8:00] "The fiscal stimulus bill being debated in Congress not only won't help the economy, it will make the recession much worse, says Peter Schiff, president of Euro Pacific Capital. Schiff scoffs at the notion the economic decline is starting to level off and concedes no government action means a "terrible" recession. But the path of increased government intervention will lead to "unmitigated disaster," says Schiff, who gained notoriety in 2007-08 for his prescient calls on the housing bubble and U.S. stocks. The problem, he says, is the government is trying to perpetuate a "phony economy" based on borrowing and spending. With the U.S. consumer tapped out, the government is "now taking on the mantle" of consumer of last resort, he continues, predicting the bond bubble will soon burst - if it hasn't already - ultimately leading to a collapse of the dollar and an "inflationary depression worse than anything any of us have ever seen." If nothing else, Schiff is an nonpartisan critic of American policymakers, comparing President Bush to Herbert Hoover and President Obama to FDR, and neither in a favorable way."  Note: Everything the government is doing suppresses production and savings. The "Ponzi economy' needs to collapse and be replaced by production ( jobs), savings, and less consumption.  Related: US unemployment expected to rocket

 UK: Personal bankruptcies hit new record"  [02/06/09 ] "Firms dealing with Britain's debt problems warned tonight that one in 60 people were facing insolvency after the latest government figures showed that a collapsing economy led to record personal bankruptcies and a 50% jump in company failures late last year."

 UK Spends Billions On High Tech IDs, without budgeting for a single card reader  [02/06/09 ]  "Basically, they are set to roll out these cards to government officials and then on to private citizens as a way for the authorities to to protect identities and safeguard borders—but not a single police station, border entry point, or job center has a reader capable of extracting information from the card’s biometric chip ..."

 Arrests made in what could be biggest investment scam in Japanese history  [02/06/09 ]  "It is a bizarre tale of a bedding company, a megalomaniac businessman and a make-believe currency. And today it culminated in a series of arrests in what could be the biggest investment scam in Japanese history. Kazutsugi Nami, the chairman of L&G, which stands for Ladies & Gentlemen, a bankrupt bedding supplier, and 21 other executives are suspected of defrauding hundreds of thousands of investors of at least $1.4bn (£1bn) over the past eight years ..."

 Britain Heads To Deepest Slump In 60 Years  [02/06/09 ]  "The sharpest plunge in consumer spending since the Second World War will drive Britain this year into its deepest economic slump for 60 years, according to the country's leading economic research institute. The headlong retreat from the high street by consumers is set to reach a scale not seen for generations, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research says in a bleak assessment of Britain's worsening prospects." 

  China Outraged As India Bans All Toy Imports  [02/06/09 ]  "India has banned all imports of toys from China for six months, in the first major example of protectionism following the financial crisis." 

 New Hampshire On Verge Of Secession?  [02/06/09 ] "A RESOLUTION affirming States’ rights based on Jeffersonian principles .... copies of this resolution be transmitted by the house clerk to the President of the United States, each member of the United States Congress, and the presiding officers of each State’s legislature."

 Unhappy voters jam Capitol Hill phone lines  [02/06/09 ]  "The recent debate over the nearly $900 billion economic stimulus plan and revelations of tax problems by three Obama administration appointees have voters angrily jamming phone lines on Capitol Hill to air their frustrations to their elected representatives."

 Idiot Pelosi - Pass Stimulus Or '500M Will Lose Jobs'  [02/06/09 ]  "Pelosi says that if legislators don't move quickly to pass President Barack Obama's stimulus package, "500 million Americans lose their jobs". According to her, this sobering scenario will occur every month without proper government action. However, according to the US census bureau, the current population of residents in the country stands at about 305,000,000 ..."

 Book dealer jailed for plundering Rothschild library  [02/06/09 ]  "A book dealer who stole rare volumes valued at more that £230,000 from the Rothschild family after being hired to catalogue its private collection was jailed roday for two years and four months. David Slade, 59, admitted taking more than 30 books belonging to the millionaire Sir Evelyn de Rothschild over a four-year period from the Rothschilds’ library at their Ascott House estate near Wing, Buckinghamshire. He then sold them at auction, never arousing suspicion because of his sterling reputation in the book world."   

 Netanyahu vows to topple Hamas  [02/06/09 ]  "Benjamin Netanyahu, widely tipped to become Israel's prime minister after elections next week, has vowed to topple the Hamas movement in Gaza, calling the Palestinian group an "Iranian proxy". Addressing the annual Herzliya security conference on Wednesday, Netanyahu said: "In the end of the day there will be no choice but to remove the Iranian threat in Gaza. There will be no escape from toppling the Hamas regime which is the Iranian proxy in the Gaza Strip," he said. "This is the real threat we are facing."   Note: It's clear that Netanyahu is insane.

 Israeli Crimes in Gaza  [02/06/09 ]  "...People in Gaza described a silent bomb which is extremely destructive.  The bomb arrives as a silent projectile at most with a whistling sound and creates a large area where all objects and living things are vaporized with minimal trace.  We are unable to fit this into conventional weapons but the possibility of new particle weapons being tested should be suspected ... Bunker busters and implosion bombs have been used . There are buildings especially the 8 storey Science and Technology Building of the Islamic University of Gaza which had been reduced to a pile of rubble no higher than 5-6 feet ..."

 California faces 'grimmest water situation ever  [02/06/09 ]  "'Drought causes the state's agriculture industry to disappear while residents continue to consume water at high levels."

 China declares drought emergency  [02/06/09 ]  "The Chinese government has declared an emergency and allocated nearly $60m to battle the country's worst drought in 50 years."  Related: Drought Threatens Chinese Wheat Crop

 CIA nominee 'will forbid rendition'  [02/06/09 ]  "Leon Panetta, the nominee to head the US's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), has said he will not permit the rendition of detainees to foreign countries for the purpose of torture."

 US senate vote on stimulus stalls  [02/06/09 ]  "The US senate has failed to vote on Barack Obama's $900bn economic stimulus plan despite the president's call to move quickly to avoid a "catastrophe" as unemployment figures rose to the highest levels since 1982."

 Israelis Beats Crew, Expels Gaza Aid Ship   [02/06/09 ]  "Israel has expelled 10 activists and journalists after detaining them for hours and seizing their cargo ship that was trying to deliver aid to Gaza. Al Jazeera's Salam Khoder, who was among the group, said she and some of the others on board were beaten by Israeli forces before being taken to a police station in Ashdod and interrogated."

 U.S. Troops In Black Helicopters Invade New Orleans, Drop Bombs   [02/06/09 ]  "The New Orleans Police Department, along with 150 active duty U.S. troops, are currently engaging in what they describe as “military training” as black helicopters whizz around the city dropping bombs in the latest example of Americans being incrementally conditioned to accept a state of de facto martial law."

 US Treasury in plans for record debt sale   [02/05/09 ]  "The US Treasury on Wednesday opened the floodgates of government bond issuance, revealing plans for a record debt sale in February and more frequent auctions in the months to come. The announcement came amid growing fears about US government deficits and sent the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rising to 2.95 per cent, up from just over 2 per cent at the end of December."   What if no one comes to the sale?

 Detainee 'just skin and bones' after six years in custody   [02/05/09 ]  "In July 2002, Mohamed was secretly flown to Morocco, where he spent 18 months in what he called a "torture chamber". He says he was beaten, scalded and blasted with music for hours at a time, and his genitals were repeatedly sliced with a razor blade. "When I later sat across from him in the cell, he described how psyops methods were worse than [the mutilation]," his lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, has written. "He could anticipate physical pain, he said, and know that it would eventually end. But the experience of slipping into madness as a result of torture by music was something quite different. 'Imagine you are given a choice,' he said. 'Lose your sight or lose your mind."  

 40% of Japanese investors think there is a risk of a US default   [02/05/09 ]  "I don't know how much of this is related to the $815 billion stimulus, or whatever it is we're proposing to spend this week. There are other reasons to worry about US debt, like the downturn, the dollar, and our entitlement problems. But when the citizens of a country with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 1 and more than a decade of economic stagnation behind them start complaining that you're not such a good credit risk, it's time to start worrying."

 Israelis forced mother to choose which of her children would die   [02/05/09 ]  "Out of all the devastation I have seen so far, there is one story in particular that I think the world needs to hear. I met a mother who was at home with her ten children when Israeli soldiers entered the house. The soldiers told her she had to choose five of her children to “give as a gift to Israel.” As she screamed in horror they repeated the demand and told her she could choose or they would choose for her. Then these soldiers murdered five of her children in front of her. The concept of “Jewish morality” is truly dead. We can be fascists, terrorists, and Nazis just like everybody else." 

 Israeli forces capture Lebanese aid ship   [02/05/09 ]  "Israeli forces have reportedly boarded a Lebanese aid ship bound for the Gaza Strip, taking the vessel to an undisclosed destination. UPDATE: the pirated ship was taken to Ashdod."

 Israel demands U.S. "action", wants talks kept short: 'Time running out for attack on Iran' -Israeli expert   [02/05/09 ]  "Israel has a year in which to attack Iran's nuclear facilities preemptively, an Israeli legislator and weapons expert said on Wednesday. Israeli forces could pull off successful strikes independently, Isaac Ben-Israel said, though these would only delay, rather than end, Iran's progress towards atomic weaponry. Echoing Israeli government assessments, shared by some in the West, that Iran is about a year away from acquiring enough enriched uranium for a warhead, he said a window for last-ditch military action was closing. "Last resort means when you reach the stage when everything else failed. When is this?" Ben-Israel, a retired general and former senior Defence Ministry official, told an Israeli security conference in Herzliya. "Maybe a year, give or take." Iran says its atomic programme is peaceful but Western nations suspect it could be used to make bombs. Its virulently anti-Israel rhetoric has stirred fears in the Jewish state, believed to have the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal. However Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, said this week Iran would face technical and political hurdles if it sought to build nuclear arms and there was "ample time" to deal with the issue. "Even if I go by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence, the estimations (are)... we're still talking about two to five years from now" for Iran to have nuclear weapons capacity, he said."

 International Criminal Court to consider Gaza investigation   [02/05/09 ]  "In a move that could inject a new international actor into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the International Criminal Court will examine requests to investigate alleged war crimes during the recent combat in the Gaza Strip, its chief prosecutor said Wednesday. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the  Netherlands- based court, said he had decided to consider an investigation after the Palestinian Authority accepted the jurisdiction of the court last week."   Related: Irish Civil Society Calls For Boycott of Israel  Will the Mossad now create bombings in Ireland as revenge?

 Bailed-out Royal Bank of Scotland bankers set for millions in bonuses   [02/05/09 ]  "UK Financial Investments (UKFI), the Treasury-run body that holds the Government’s RBS stake, is understood to have given its blessing in principle to limited payments, although it has yet to see the details. “There’s no blanket objection to bonuses, but they are subjecting them to intense scrutiny,” said one well-placed source. “The [bonus] numbers will be very large and very difficult for the general public to understand.”

 US Accused of Blackmail over Terror Trial Evidence   [02/05/09 ]  "Barack Obama's government was accused of "blackmail" after it emerged that America had threatened to withdraw co-operation in terrorist cases if a UK court ordered the disclosure of secret torture evidence."

 Protection Racket: Obama Gets Tough to Shield Bush Torturers   [02/05/09 ]  "The comely mask of the new regime was torn away -- once again -- in a scandal that exploded in Britain on Wednesday. With unprecedented harsh language, two of Britain's high court judges revealed that both Bush and Obama officials have strong-armed the British government to quash evidence of the torture of a UK resident held captive in the American concentration camp on Guantanamo Bay. The judges said that the Bush-Obama officials threatened to stop sharing intelligence about terrorist threats against Britain unless the Brits played ball and stopped court hearings in the case of Binyam Mohamed ... Given this grave threat to British lives, the clearly angry judges said they had no choice but to stop the proceedings after the extraordinary intervention of UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who delivered the U.S. ultimatum. Once the story broke, the unctuous Miliband denied that his American masters had issued a direct threat. But the judges -- stalwart even stodgy Establishment figures both -- were clear about what had happened. As the Guardian and the BBC report: ..."

 Cheney warns of nuclear attack on United States under Obama   [02/05/09 ] "Mr. Cheney’s evidence? None whatsoever. It was just yet another way for him to justify the repugnant policies he helped put in place for the treatment of detainees after the 9/11 terrorist attacks."  Related: Dick Cheney is a Liar

 Goldman Sachs CFO seeks to repay TARP funds After Realizing Strings Too Restrictive   [02/05/09 ]  "Goldman Sachs Group Inc Chief Financial Officer David Viniar said the bank is keen to avoid restrictions it agreed to after receiving funds from the U.S. government late last year and it is looking to pay the money back as soon as possible."

 Pope's brother: Angela Merkel is stupid for intervening in Holocaust row   [02/04/09 ]  "The Pope’s brother derided the German Chancellor as “irrational” today after Angela Merkel became the first world leader to criticise the Vatican for welcoming a Holocaust denier back into the church. Georg Ratzinger, a Roman Catholic priest, said his brother’s critics were “stupid and ill-informed” for suggesting that Pope Benedict XVI was wrong to rehabilitate an ultra-conservative British bishop who denies that millions of Jews were killed under Adolf Hitler."   Note: Many side shows are populated by small minds. This is one of them. 

 AR Lexus Hybrid Car Explosion, Malfunction? Physician Critical  [02/04/09 ]  "The chairman of the Arkansas Medical Board was critically injured Wednesday in an apparent explosion after he got into his vehicle, according to CNN affiliate WMC-TV."

 UK Study: Too much television can make children 'mentally ill'  [02/04/09 ]  "....A new wide-ranging survey into British childhood, produced for the Children's Society. It says that children are part of a new form of consumerism, with under 16 year-olds spending £3 billion of their own money each year on clothes, snacks, music, video games and magazines. The report claims that some advertisers "explicitly exploit the mechanism of peer pressure, while painting parents as buffoons" and that in its most extreme form, advertising persuades children that "you are what you own" ... This "media-driven consumerism" is having a negative effect on a child's wellbeing, the report says. It highlights a study into the effect of consumerism on the psychological wellbeing of 10-13 year-olds. That study found: "Other things being equal, the more a child is exposed to the media (television and Internet), the more materialistic she becomes, the worse she relates to her parents and the worse her mental health." ... It claims that the upward trend of violence in the media in general, is making children violent and causing tension within the family. The report says: "We know from controlled studies that exposure to violence can breed violence. "So it seems likely that the upward trend in media violence is helping to produce the upward trend in violent behaviour – and also the growth of psychological conflict in family relationships...."

 Minot base crew commander found dead [02/04/09 ]  "The body of a missile combat crew commander from the Minot Air Force Base was found by police, and the cause of his death is under investigation, the Air Force says."

 Times Of London: "The Most Ambitious Arms Reduction Talks With Russia For A Generation" [02/04/09 ]  "President Obama will convene the most ambitious arms reduction talks with Russia for a generation, aiming to slash each country’s stockpile of nuclear weapons by 80 per cent. The radical treaty would cut the number of nuclear warheads to 1,000 each, The Times has learnt. Key to the initiative is a review of the Bush Administration’s plan for a US missile defence shield in Eastern Europe, a project fiercely opposed by Moscow." 

 President of company responsible for peanut-butter poisonings serves on board that sets USDA quality standards  [02/04/09 ]  "In a startling revelation on Saturday, the Atlanta Journal Constitution said the president of Peanut Corp., Stewart Parnell, serves on an industry advisory board that helps the U.S. Department of Agriculture set quality standards for peanuts."  

 Record 19 Million U.S. Homes Stood Vacant in 2008 [02/04/09 ]  "A record 19 million U.S. homes stood empty at the end of 2008 and homeownership fell to an eight-year low as banks seized homes faster than they could sell them. The number of vacant homes climbed 6.7 percent in the fourth quarter from the same period a year ago, the U.S. Census Bureau said in a report today. The share of empty homes that are for sale rose to 2.9 percent, the most in data that goes back to 1956. The homeownership rate fell to 67.5 percent, matching the rate in the first quarter of 2001. The worst U.S. housing slump since the Great Depression is deepening as foreclosures drain value from neighboring homes and make it more likely owners will walk away from properties worth less than their mortgages. About a third of owners whose home values drop 20 percent or more below their loan principal will “hand the keys back to the bank,” said Norm Miller, director of real estate programs for the School of Business Administration at the University of San Diego. “When you’re underwater and prices continue to fall, you tend to walk,” Miller said in an interview. “It’s a downward spiral that’s tough to stop because it feeds on itself. Foreclosures encourage other foreclosures and falling prices discourage buying.” 

 Belgium Cuts Off Israel [02/04/09 ]  "Belgium, upset at how Israel has been responding to Hamas rocket attacks, and fearful of losing business in the Middle East, has banned the export of weapons to Israel. Belgium has been selling Israel about $5 million worth of light weapons each year. Belgium is the home of FN and other long-time manufacturers of such arms. But Belgium sells far more of these weapons to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Belgium also accuses Israel of using child (under 18) soldiers (you can enter the Israeli armed forces at 17, but only for non-combat jobs until you are 18)."

 Man killed by 'exploding mobile phone' [02/04/09 ]  "A man has died after his mobile phone exploded, severing a major artery in his neck, according to reports. The man, thought to be a shop assistant in his twenties at a computer shop in Guangzhou, China, died after he put a new battery in his phone. It was believed that he may have just finished charging the battery and had put the phone in his breast pocket when it exploded. According to the local Chinese daily Shin Min Daily News, the accident happened on January 30 at 7.30pm. An employee at the shop told Chinese media that she heard a loud bang and saw her colleague lying on the floor of the shop in a pool of blood. The employee said the victim had recently changed the battery in his mobile phone. Local reports said that this was the ninth recorded cellphone explosion in China since 2002. In the most high profile recent incident, in June 2007, a 22-year-old welder, Xiao Jinpeng, died from chest wounds when his mobile phone exploded while he was at work at an iron mill in Gansu province." 

 86 Israeli war criminals are now wanted by international courts, says Raji Al-Sourani [02/03/09 ]  "Palestinian human rights activist Raji Al-Sourani has disclosed Wednesday that at least 86 Israeli military officers were now wanted by a number western courts for their role in the holocaust in the Gaza Strip. In a forum held in this regard in the Egyptian capital Cairo, Sourani accused the European governments of adopting unfair stand over the Israeli massacres in Gaza Strip, opining that such behavior would bring the world back to the " law of the jungle." He said that a number of lawsuits were filed by international human rights organizations against Israeli military officers before courts in Britain, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Spain over their role in the brutal war on Gaza, underlining that 86 of those officers were now wanted by those courts."

 Africa’s heads of state elect Libyan leader as chairman of 53-nation bloc for one-year period   [02/03/09 ]  "Libyan leader Moamer Gathafi was Monday elected chairman of the African Union at a summit of the 53-nation bloc in the Ethiopian capital. Gathafi was elected "by the heads of state in a closed-door session, for a one-year period," AU spokeswoman Habiba Mejri-Sheikh said. Gathafi has been a keen supporter of the notion of forming a continent wide government to create a "United States of Africa", but the idea failed to get backing in a closed door debate at the summit on Monday. Leaders decided instead to consider ways of expanding the mandate of the existing AU Commission, which will be renamed the AU Authority." 

 Iran puts first home-built satellite in orbit   [02/03/09 ]  "Iran has placed its first home-built satellite in orbit using a Safir-2 rocket. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made Iran's scientific development one of the main themes of his presidency, asserting that the country has reached a peak of progress despite international sanctions and no longer needs to depend on foreign states for help. Iran has pursued a space programme for several years, and in October 2005 a Russian-made Iranian satellite named Sina-1 was put into orbit by a Russian rocket."  Note:  Iran may not be totally forthcoming, based on some of their past claims and lousy photoshopping efforts. They have tended to inflate their capabilities.

 Illinois makes major Israel Bonds purchase  [02/03/09 ]  "The state of Illinois has purchased $10 million worth of Israel Bonds."

 RCMP agent concedes key role in set-up, running of terrorist training camp  [02/03/09 ]  "The young man's lawyers called Mr. Shaikh this week to recap his work infiltrating a group of young extremists, first as a CSIS informant, but ultimately as a police agent. Posing as a committed jihadist, he gave the group tips on countersurveillance, led paramilitary training exercises, and even bought a rifle for a ringleader (before getting rid of it, unfired)."

 U.S. partner, not Hamas, firing rockets into Israel  [02/03/09 ]  "With Hamas signaling it is willing to enter a cease-fire with Israel, it was the U.S.-backed Fatah party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas whose so-called military wing took responsibility for a barrage of rockets and mortars fired from the Gaza Strip today."  Related:  Israel strikes Gaza after 'militant' rocket fire "Israel threatened "harsh and disproportionate" retaliation after Gaza militants fired at least 10 rockets and mortar shells across the border Sunday and warplanes later bombed the area where Hamas smuggles in weapons from Egypt through tunnels. The flare-up raised the risk of growing violence in the days leading up to Israel's parliamentary elections on Feb. 10." Note: Which is precisely why I think it is Mossad stooges firing the rockets into Israel. Israel vows another war on Gaza | Abbas slams Hamas, demands PLO recognition 

 Dissent beginning to spread across Russia  [02/02/09 ]  "The Kremlin's rule is beginning to look much shakier than at any time since Vladimir Putin came to power, after a series of protests in cities across its vast landmass this weekend by Russians disgruntled about the economy. And as the country starts to feel the effects of the global credit crunch, there are also signs of a growing rift between Prime Minister Putin, and his hand-picked successor as President, Dmitry Medvedev. In Vladivostok, 2,000 protesters took to the streets, with some carrying banners reading "Kremlin, we are against you", and other people chanting directly for the removal of Mr Putin. The Pacific port city, seven time zones away from Moscow, has become a focal point for dissent after riot police broke up a march last year over car imports and detained 100 people. Saturday's demonstration, under the watchful eye of the police, passed off peacefully. Nearly every major city had a street rally, and though most were low key, the unusual scale of dissatisfaction is likely to worry the authorities. The Russian economy has been hit hard by falling oil prices, many oligarchs have seen billions of pounds wiped off the value of their shares, and ordinary Russians are feeling the pinch as factories struggle to stay afloat and companies lay off employees. ."   Related: 20M China Unemployed Raise Unrest Risk

 Daschle earned $220,000 from health care industry he would regulate as Health Secretary  [02/02/09 ]  "Tom Daschle collected nearly a quarter of a million dollars in fees in the last two years speaking to leaders of the industry President Barack Obama wants him to reform as the administration's health secretary."

 People robbing banks, murdering and suicides in this Economic Depression  [02/02/09 ]  "Pushed past their breaking points, people are robbing banks to pay the rent, setting homes on fire -- even taking their own lives. The body count is still rising. For months on end, marked by bankruptcies, foreclosures, evictions, and layoffs, the economic meltdown has taken a heavy toll on Americans. In response, a range of extreme acts including suicide, self-inflicted injury, murder, and arson have hit the local news. By October 2008, an analysis Here of press reports nationwide indicated that an epidemic of tragedies spurred by the financial crisis had already spread from Pasadena, California, to Taunton, Massachusetts, from Roseville, Minnesota, to Ocala, Florida."

 Free markets and the large corporations: The Race to the Bottom  [02/02/09 ]  "The wave of strikes across the country should come as no surprise. Popular anger is overcoming complacency and fear. The recession is exposing the true nature of the British economy. We are a country that has been ransacked by the free flow of capital. The strikes are not about xenophobia, they're about large corporations and free markets that are out of control." 

 Violent unrest rocks China as crisis hits  [02/02/09 ]  "The collapse of the export trade has left millions without work and set off a wave of social instability."

 Change We Can Believe In: Obama to Expand CIA Rendition Program  [02/02/09 ]  "Under executive orders issued by Obama last week, the CIA still has authority to carry out what are known as renditions, or the secret abductions and transfers of prisoners to countries that cooperate with the U.S."

 Google Ocean: mysteries of the seafloor are mapped for the first time [02/02/09 ]  "At a high-profile event in San Francisco, Google is expected to announce the addition of vast amounts of underwater imagery and seabed maps to the Google Earth project. The move will take Google Earth closer to its aim of creating a complete digital representation of the planet."

 Stiglitz Criticizes Bad Bank Plan as Swapping ‘Cash for Trash’  [02/02/09 ]  "Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz said any decision by President Barack Obama to establish a so-called bad bank to rid financial companies of toxic assets risks swelling the national debt. Obama’s administration is moving closer to buying the illiquid assets currently clogging bank’s balance sheets and preventing them from boosting lending, people familiar with the matter said this week." 

 Davos Delegates in ‘Denial’ as $25 Trillion of Wealth Vanishes [02/02/09 ]  "Regret is cheap for some delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Redemption for their role in the worst economic wreck since the Great Depression comes at a steeper cost. “Nobody in Davos wants to get near a negative like redemption,” said Robert Dilenschneider, chief executive officer of the Dilenschneider Group, a public relations firm in New York. “But the truth is that everyone here is part of the problem, and the public will soon begin demanding a pound of flesh.”

 Japan sewage yields more gold than top mines  [02/02/09 ]  "A sewage treatment facility in central Japan has recorded a higher gold yield from sludge than can be found at some of the world's best mines."

 Pre-9/11: the covert war on American soil – against Israel  [02/02/09 ]  "You really have to hand it to the Israelis: they are nothing if not blatant. Their response to Fox News reporter Carl Cameron's devastating exposé of Israel's massive spy operation in the US can hardly be repeated with a straight face. Mark Regev, a spokesman at the Israeli embassy in Washington is quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying: "The report on Fox News contains no quoted source, it has in no way demonstrated anything more than anonymous innuendo, and should be regarded accordingly. Israel does not spy on the United States of America." 

 UK Investigation: Delving into the truth of corporate taxes   [02/02/09 ]  "The Guardian reports on its investigation which reveals corporate tax avoidance on a gargantuan scale. Respectable FTSE 100 companies, household brands that are cornerstones of Britishness, have for years deprived British citizens of potentially billions - all done legally by battalions of super-accountants and lawyers."

 British Pound Collapsing Under Weight of Bankrupt Banks Liabilities   [02/02/09 ]  "We learned last week that the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will probably post somewhere near $41 billion in losses for 2008. This puts it in-line to be the largest annual loss by a British company. We also learned the U.K. government will up its stake in RBS to 70%. This intended move sent tremors rippling through the entire U.K. banking system. Talk is that RBS will be required to loan out certain amounts of money to “credit worthy” borrowers. This “creeping nationalization,” as Bloomberg called it, isn't sitting well with investors." 

 Florida, Maryland, Utah Banks Shut as Financial Crisis Deepens   [02/02/09 ]  "Banks in Florida, Maryland and Utah were closed yesterday as regulators wrapped up the busiest month for failures since the housing slump began in 2006. Ocala National Bank in Florida and Suburban Federal Savings Bank of Crofton, Maryland, were shut by federal regulators, according to statements sent by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. MagnetBank of Salt Lake City was seized by the Utah Department of Financial Institutions. The banks had total assets of $876.4 million and deposits of $790 million. Six banks have failed this month as tumbling home prices and a 16-year high in unemployment boost foreclosures. The FDIC classified 171 banks as “problem” in the third quarter, a 46 percent jump from the previous period amid the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression. Regulators closed 25 U.S. banks last year, the most since 1993, draining money from the FDIC deposit insurance fund, which had $34.6 billion as of Sept. 30." 

 Governments across Europe tremble as angry people take to the streets  [02/01/09 ]  "France paralysed by a wave of strike action, the boulevards of Paris resembling a debris-strewn battlefield. The Hungarian currency sinks to its lowest level ever against the euro, as the unemployment figures rise. Greek farmers block the road into Bulgaria in protest at low prices for their produce. New figures from the biggest bank in the Baltic show that the three post-Soviet states there face the biggest recessions in Europe ... Exactly 20 years ago, in serial revolutionary rejoicing, they ditched communism to put their faith in a capitalism now in crisis and by which they feel betrayed. The result has been the biggest protests across the former communist bloc since the days of people power ... Europe's time of troubles is gathering depth and scale. Governments are trembling. Revolt is in the air ..."

 U.S. Nixes Blackwater Contract For Iraq  [02/01/09 ]  "The State Department will not renew Blackwater Worldwide's contract to protect American diplomats in Iraq when it expires in May, a senior U.S. official said Friday. The official told The Associated Press that the contract will expire because of the Iraqi government's decision to deny Blackwater a license to operate. The Iraqis informed the State Department last week of the cancellation, which was made amid lingering outrage over a September 2007 shooting in Baghdad's Nisoor Square that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead." 

 Blackmail Lurks Behind Media Blackout on NSA Wiretapping  [02/01/09 ]  "Why hasn't the press--aside from MSNBC--covered Russell Tice's revelations? First, because we have no "press" any more, if "press" means gritty reporters who chase down stories without fear or favor. Instead we have "media," which is a Corporate product that enthusiastically supports the American Empire. Remember Iraq? Millions of us marched because we could taste the propaganda and lies. But the Corporate Media blacked us out and boomed the lies. Alterman & Zornick continue: Of course, this is hardly the first time that the mainstream media has looked the other way toward NSA spying. The NSA’s surveillance of U.N. diplomats in New York before the invasion of Iraq didn’t get much mainstream attention when the story broke (in Britain), nor since. But one might imagine that the direct spying on journalists themselves would excite more attention, particularly given the self-interested aspects of the question and the constitutional complications it raises. Tice’s tantalizing tip was mentioned again on Rachel Maddow’s show, as well on Chris Matthews’, and Michael Calderone blogged about it on the Politico. But that’s it. Clearly something deeply disturbing lurks beneath these revelations, and with Bush gone from office, it’s hard to understand just what is preventing journalists from seeking the truth about this program more energetically. The only thing they have to fear is fear itself."  Background: Whistleblower exposes spying on Americans "Whistleblower exposes spying on Americans Former analyst at the National Security Agency, Russell Tice, reveals exclusively to Countdown's Keith Olbermann that American journalists were specifically targeted by the Bush administration for surveillance."

 400 richest Americans’ incomes doubled under Bush  [02/01/09 ] "Bloomberg reports that, according to recently released data, “the average tax rate paid by the richest 400 Americans fell by a third to 17.2 percent through the first six years of the Bush administration and their average income doubled to $263.3 million.”

 Former Interior Official Pleads Guilty to Accepting Kickbacks  [02/01/09 ]  "A former Interior Department official pleaded guilty yesterday to accepting $15,000 in kickbacks from an insurance company in exchange for arranging meetings with government officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands. "

 Wall Street Bonuses: It’s Theirs and They’re Not Apologizing  [02/01/09 ]  "... It was rather remarkable on Friday how many white shirts denied getting a bonus altogether when they were asked. Indeed, if the data obtained by reporters in the district was any measure, there is no telling where that $18 billion really went. What can be told, however, is that President Obama is substantially less popular on Wall Street this week than he was last week. Words like “outrageous,” “shameful” and “the height of irresponsibility” — especially when applied to a man’s paycheck — tend not to make you many friends. “I think President Obama painted everyone with a broad stroke,” said Brian McCaffrey, 55, a Wall Street lawyer who was on his way to see a client. “The way we pay our taxes is bonuses. The only way that we’ll get any of our bailout money back is from taxes on bonuses. I think bonuses should be looked at on a case by case basis, or you turn into a socialist ...”

 Kuwaiti bank reimburses Madoff losses  [02/01/09 ]  "The National Bank of Kuwait has fully reimbursed all its clients who lost money in the alleged $50bn Ponzi scheme run by New York broker Bernard Madoff, banking sources said."

Homelessness surges as funding falters  [02/01/09 ] "Providers to the poor try to stretch meager resources to meet growing need."

 DEA quits Bolivia on Morales' order  [02/01/09 ]  "The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has removed all its agents from Bolivia, complying with orders by President Evo Morales, officials said. The DEA began pulling agents out several weeks ago and the last agents left Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reported. The development comes even as Bolivian officials say coca cultivation and cocaine processing are growing. Morales ordered the DEA out in November, more than three decades after the DEA began working there. He expelled U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg last year and the Bush administration has decertified Bolivia's anti-drug campaign. Citing senior law enforcement officials, the Times reported this is the first time the DEA has been ordered to pull its entire operation out of a country."

 Hundreds of angry New Yorkers protest in front of venue for AIPAC dinner  [02/01/09 ]  "AIPAC held a dinner in New York yesterday to raise funds to support the ongoing holocaust in Gaza and the rest of Occupied Palestine." They weren't the only ones there.