Brain scanning may be used in security checks
Distinctive brain patterns could become the latest subject of biometric scanning after EU researchers successfully tested technology to verify identities for security checks.
Iraq Violence Up As Target Date Nears for Troop Pullout From Cities
Six weeks before the target date for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraqi cities – and amid a recent spike in violence -- it remains unclear how many troops will stay on, but Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Sunday that a “responsible” redeployment would not affect security.
GM CEO: Bankruptcy Likely; Firm May Leave Detroit
General Motors is open to considering moving its headquarters from Detroit, selling off U.S. plants and even renegotiating parts of its restructuring plan with its major union, the new chief executive said Monday.
NO Economic Recovery, Multiple Raging Economic Storms
By Martin Weiss
Any economist fixated on so-called “signs of a recovery” needs to have his head examined. As I’ll prove to you in a moment, the hard-nosed reality is that five major economic cyclones are in progress at this very moment.
Your Govt. at Work (Video)
Outrage over the possibility that President Obama could allow mining on America’s protected lands. Conservationists say this may be a new administration, but it’s continuing what they say are the ’same old policies’.
Vaccine: Coming to a farm stand near you
How about a little vaccine with your corn on the cob? I’m wondering if there is going to be any room left for actual corn in corn once scientists get done adding pesticides, fertilizers and now possibly vaccines to the genetic makeup of corn.
THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION MYTH.
Netanyahu is biding his time waiting and manoeuvring behind the scenes for an opportunity to strike Zionism’s enemies.
Is America about to go broke?
Government obligations for Social Security and Medicare may soon exceed the combined net worth of every household and nonprofit organization in the country.
Obama wins business support for health care reform
President Obama will announce Monday that he has secured the commitment of several industry groups to do their part to rein in the growth in health care costs.
‘Stellar Wind’ routinely eavesdropped on journalists and public officials
By Wayne Madsen
The warrantless National Security Agency (NSA) electronic eavesdropping program known to only a handful of Bush administration officials by its code name, Stellar Wind, and by a few other Justice Department officials only as “The Program,” routinely intercepted the communications and transactional data, including credit card usage, of journalists and public officials, according to sources familiar with the program.
Al Gore's Endgame: "Deniers" are now the majority
The global warming "deniers" and "skeptics" are now the majority. The public is waking up! Only 34% still believe the myth that "humans cause global warming."The Easter Bunny will soon be polling higher
Mother arrested for failing to take child to dentist
A US mother has been arrested on a charge of child neglect after authorities say she did not seek dental care for her child who showed advanced tooth decay.
Judge: Amish couples must leave their homes
Cambria County Judge Norman Krumenacker today ordered two Amish couples to leave their homes by 10 a.m. Monday or face eviction by the sheriff because they’ve not complied with sewage and building code regulations.
Hate Crime Legislation - Back Door to Censorship
An extension of the Hate Crimes law recently passed the House of Representatives which will essentially codify into national law the "speech codes" that are smothering academic freedom on college campuses today. This law is the back door method Obama and his fellow socialists will use to stifle free speech in this country, as explained in an informative article by Jerry Kane at American Daughter.
News You Missed
Maybe, Even, Were Supposed To Miss
By William E. Merritt
In this post-9/11 world, the takeover of a United States embassy by foreign nationals is the kind of thing you’d think you’d hear about – even of a not-very-important embassy in a minor African country. You’d think.
Somali pirates guided by London intelligence team, report says
The Somali pirates attacking shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are directed to their targets by a "consultant" team in London, according to a European military intelligence document obtained by a Spanish radio station.
On Afghanistan-Pakistan: Stop "Helping"
By Ron Paul
While much of the country’s attention is on other issues, a serious situation is developing in Pakistan that threatens to plunge us into another fruitless and bloody war. It is very frustrating to see that many who were so vehemently against the wars of the last administration have suddenly lost interest in foreign policy simply because we were promised change.
Food Freedom Under Attack! HR 759 is in Committee & worse than HR 875
HR 759 has eclipsed HR 875 as a danger to America's small farmers. Currently in committee, and more likely to pass, NOW is the time to act to stop this threat to our freedom to buy, grow and eat real foods. A vote is expected by Memorial day.
Rep. Peter King plots terrorist act
Vocal gun rights advocates, people who remind others of the intent of the Founders and a primary purpose behind the Second Amendment, are facing a new threat.
Emirates detains sheik on torture allegations
The United Arab Emirates has detained a member of the country's ruling family while prosecutors investigate allegations that he tortured another man.
Senators Urge Obama To Block Release Of New Detainee Abuse Photos
Civil libertarians are condemning a call by two influential U.S. senators for the White House to block the impending release of photographs showing detainees being abused by U.S. military personnel at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and at other American detention facilities in the Middle East and elsewhere.
U.S. gets tough on Canadian border
The administration says security should be as stringent as on the Mexican frontier. Border residents and Canadian officials disagree, saying the terrorism threat is exaggerated.
UK plans smart meter revolution to cut energy cost
Every household in Britain should by 2020 be able to cut its energy bills and carbon footprint using "smart meters" and handheld devices to control energy use closely, the government said on Monday.
Imminent Global Stock Market Crash to Support U.S. Dollar
The suckers rally is simply the loading and winding of a catapult meant to throw the dollar upward as the stock market spring unwinds at the moment chosen by the PPT, which moment has already been telegraphed to Illuminist insiders for their continued looting of the sheople and for the filthy aggrandizement of their growing mountain of ill-gotten gains.
Microsoft Plans to Sell Debt in Inaugural Offering
Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest software maker, plans to sell 5-, 10- and 30-year debt in its first bond offering, taking advantage of its top credit ratings to help fund a share buyback and technology investments.
Pope in Israel calls for Palestinian homeland
Pope Benedict XVI called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland immediately after he arrived in Israel Monday, a stance that could put him at odds with his hosts on a trip aimed at improving ties between the Vatican and Jews.
British govt hits historic poll lows
The British government hit record opinion poll lows on Sunday as more details of lawmakers' expenses, detailing lavish spending on everything from home improvement to pest control, emerged in the press.
White House: Budget deficit to top $1.8 trillion
With the economy performing worse than hoped, revised White House figures point to deepening budget deficits, with the government borrowing almost 50 cents for every dollar it spends this year.
Iraqi PM tells Pelosi: We don’t need US troops in our cities
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki assured visiting US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday that his country's security will be unaffected by the planned American troop withdrawal from Iraqi cities.
U.S. journalist in Iran freed from prison
Authorities released Iranian American journalist Roxana Saberi from a Tehran prison today after an Iranian appeals court suspended her sentence on an espionage charge, said an Iranian judiciary official.
Muslim nations 'would recognise Israel' in peace deal
Jordan's King Abdullah has said the US is preparing an ambitious Middle East peace plan between Israel, the Palestinians, Syria and Lebanon in return for diplomatic recognition of Israel from the world's Muslim nations.
Israel 'using tourist sites to assert control over East Jerusalem'
Israel is quietly extending its control over East Jerusalem in alliance with rightwing Jewish settler groups, by developing parks and tourist sites that would bring a "drastic change of the status quo in the city", according to two Israeli groups.
Obama’s Middle East Imperialism
By Shamus Cooke
The velvet gloves are off and the reality of Obama’s Middle East plans are being revealed: a bare-fisted pummeling of Afghanistan and Pakistan — with Iraq’s fate yet to be determined.
The danger of drugs … and data
A fascinating court case in Australia has been playing out around some people who had heart attacks after taking the Merck drug Vioxx. This medication turned out to increase the risk of heart attacks in people taking it, although that finding was arguably buried in their research, and Merck has paid out more than £2bn to 44,000 people in America – however, they deny any fault.
'Electronic Police State' report cites U.S.
In what may be the first assessment of its kind, a private company that offers a range of privacy products for computers and other technology is ranking the United States No. 6 in the world for having the most aggressive procedures for monitoring residents electronically.
Pakistani President Won't Tell USA Where Nukes Kept
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said his country isn’t adding to its nuclear arsenal and doesn’t have to disclose the location of its weapons to the U.S.
South Florida cop caught on video kneeing submissive suspect
According to the witness:
“He looked around. He looked up and obviously thought no one was looking, then he just grabbed the kid. I saw his hands were behind. He was already in a submissive position. And he just got down and just kneed him, probably two or three times,” said the witness, who did not want to be identified.
Florida police use motorised paragliders
Officers in the town of Palm Bay are being sent aloft on motorised paragliders to act as spies in the sky, in a first-of-its-kind mission codenamed Operation Soar.
UN’s Ban Ki Moon comes to the defence of Israel
A United Nations inquiry concluded that Israel’s military forces carried out direct and intentional strikes on its premises during the assault on Gaza earlier this year. Israel was therefore responsible for the deaths and injuries of UN personnel and civilians, as well as extensive damage to its property.
Concerns white phosphorus used in Afghan battle
Doctors voiced concern over "unusual" burns on Afghan villagers wounded in an already controversial U.S.-Taliban battle, and the country's top human rights groups said Sunday it is investigating the possibility white phosphorus was used.
Last SLA inmate released from California prison
The last captured member of the Symbionese Liberation Army, the radical 1970s-era group notorious for bank robberies, killings and the kidnapping of newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst, was released from prison Sunday, a corrections official said.
Frank Rich: Eternal vigilance needed to stop DOD propaganda
An old Pentagon report, previously used to defend a questionable Bush administration PR practice, has been rescinded. Rachel Maddow is joined by Frank Rich, New York Times columnist and author of the book The Greatest Story Ever Sold.
Science agency to review FBI's anthrax inquiry
The National Academy of Sciences said Friday it will review the lab work behind the FBI's conclusion that Army scientist Bruce Ivins was responsible for the anthrax mailings that killed five people in 2001.
Karzai in move to share power with warlord wanted by US
ONE of Afghanistan’s most wanted terrorists is to be offered a power-sharing deal by the government of President Hamid Karzai as the country’s warlords extend their grip on power.
1.2m Pakistanis on the move
THE military has ordered all civilians out of the Swat Valley as Pakistan braces for a protracted "guerilla war" between a conventional army and Taliban militants skilled in counter-insurgency.
Iran Turning to China for Air Defense System
Tehran will now turn to China for the HongQi-9/FD-2000 system which reportedly combines elements “borrowed” from the Russian S-300 and the American MIM-104 Patriot system, according to the Iranian news agency.
The masterpiece that killed George Orwell
Probably the definitive novel of the 20th century, a story that remains eternally fresh and contemporary, and whose terms such as "Big Brother", "doublethink" and "newspeak" have become part of everyday currency, Nineteen Eighty-Four has been translated into more than 65 languages and sold millions of copies worldwide, giving George Orwell a unique place in world literature.
Russia warns foes in Soviet-style show of might
Russia on Saturday sternly warned its foes not to dare attempt any aggression against the country, as it put on a Soviet-style show of military might in Red Square including nuclear capable missiles.
Court upholds GPS tracking by police
Wisconsin police can attach GPS to cars to secretly track anybody's movements without obtaining search warrants, an appeals court ruled Thursday.
Memos shed light on CIA use of sleep deprivation
Though widely perceived as more effective and less objectionable than other interrogation methods, memos show it's harsher and more controversial than most realize. And it could be brought back.
Flashback - Hersh: Children sodomized at Abu Ghraib, on tape
Hersh gave a speech last week to the ACLU making the charge that children were sodomized in front of women in the prison, and the Pentagon has tape of it. The speech was first reported in a New York Sun story last week, which was in turn posted on Jim Romenesko's media blog
G20 police 'used undercover men to incite crowds'
An MP who was involved in last month's G20 protests in London is to call for an investigation into whether the police used agents provocateurs to incite the crowds.
Third U.S. Swine Flu Death Reported
An unidentified man in his 30s from Snohomish County in Washington state is the third person in the United States to die from swine flu, state health officials said late Saturday.
Moving toward Drug Legalization
By Jacob G. Hornberger
Since the drug warriors no longer have any legitimate intellectual arguments to sustain their position, what are the biggest obstacles we face to bringing about an end to the drug war? Money and power. There are lots of people making money off the drug war, and they are rich, powerful, and influential.
Swine flu toll tops 50
The death toll from swine flu topped 50 on Saturday as Costa Rica reported its first fatality from the virus and Japan and Norway joined a growing list of nations with confirmed cases.
NATO war games hinder U.S.-Russia ties: Putin
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said NATO military exercises in Georgia did not help efforts to rebuild Moscow's relations with the United States in comments published on Sunday.
Sir Allen Stanford may have been a US government informer
Secret documents seen by Panorama show both governments knew in 1990 that the Texan was a former bankrupt and his first bank was suspected of involvement with Latin American money-launderers.
CENSUS WORKERS NOW ENGAGING IN UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY?
The U.S. Census Bureau has been overstepping the U.S. Constitution’s requirements for a simple enumeration of the citizens for years, but their current plans to mark the GPS location of every address in the U.S. is just the latest in a long list of usurpations of the General Government’s Constitutional authority.
Hackers Obtain 160,000 Records from University
Personal records for approximately 160,000 students and alumni at the University of California at Berkeley were accessed by hackers between October 2008 and April 2009, the school announced Friday.
The hackers attacked the school's health services center, gaining access to peoples' Social Security numbers, health insurance information, and non-treatment medical information like immunization records and doctors' names.
Afghan students protest against civilian casualties
Chanting "Death to America!" and weeping as they prayed, hundreds of Kabul university students marched on Sunday in protest against U.S. air strikes last week that Afghan officials say killed more than 100 civilians.
'No talks until Mumbai plotters booked'
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Saturday the peace process with neighbouring Pakistan would remain on hold unless it prosecuted those behind last year’s attacks on Mumbai, AFP reports. Pakistan and India began a slow-moving peace process in February 2004 but it came to a halt after New Delhi blamed the November attacks, in which 166 people were killed, on the Pakistan-based militant organisation Lashkar-i-Taiba.
FBI agent slams review of Lockerbie conviction
THE Scottish legal body which cast doubt on the safety of the Lockerbie bomber's conviction has been condemned for carrying out a "woefully inadequate" investigation by the American FBI agent in charge of the case.
The Report from Iron Mountain” Revisited
By Richard C. Cook
What impresses me in the current financial crisis is the near-total failure of so-called progressives to appreciate the magnitude of what is going on or the level of intelligence behind it. How many will say, for instance, that the crash was deliberately engineered by the creation then destruction of the investment bubbles of the last decade?
Short Sales: Banks Blocking Way Out Of Foreclosure Crisis
Miller points his finger at securitization. Once the mortgages are bundled and sliced up into different pieces, known as tranches, the owners of the pieces get paid back according to a certain pecking order. Senior investors get paid back first and if there's a loss, the most junior investors won't get anything. It's those investors who are blocking short sales.
"The people with the least senior tranches have no reason to agree to the modification because they take a complete loss and the people in the most senior tranches don't lose anything. So they've managed to structure their mortgages in a way that makes it almost impossible to modify or sell short," said Miller.
Toyota suffers biggest loss in 72 years
The manufacturer, which has plants in 27 countries and regions around the world, revealed a net loss of 437bn yen (£3bn) for the financial year ending 2009. Last year the company generated a net income of 1.72 trillion yen.
Germany moves to outlaw paintball
The German government says it plans to ban combat games such as paintball, in response to a recent school shooting.
The new measures being proposed to parliament also include tighter gun control rules and give officials the right to conduct checks on gun owners.
Obama move on abortion funds riles both sides
President Obama called for overturning a decade-old ban on publicly funded abortions in the District as part of his budget proposal Thursday, but did not overturn the national ban on federal funding, thus angering advocacy groups on both sides of the volatile issue.
Texas rape victims billed (Video)
Texas rape victims suffer more indignation when they receive delinquent bills from hospitals for their own rape kits.
High School 1957 vs. 2009
Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck’s gun rack.
1957 – Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2009 – School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
Spying on anti-war protestors: US Army Concept of Operations for Police Intelligence Operations
The document presents a 60 page For Official Use Only intelligence manual from the US Army's Military Police School. Among other matters, the document reveals that the US Army is using structuring tricks to work around intelligence oversight rules that would normally prevent domestic spying and hoarding of data on anti-war protesters
Flashback - The Pentagon's New Spies
The military has built a vast domestic-intelligence network to fight terrorism -- but it's using it to track students, grandmothers and others protesting the war
Sorensen, of course, is the best known presidential speechwriter of the 20th century, if only on the strength of “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
But I was reminded by reading Sorensen’s engaging new autobiography this week that the speechwriter also became one of President John F. Kennedy’s closest national security advisers in the wake of the CIA’s disastrous invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in April 1961.
“Long after the operation’s failure,” Sorensen writes, “secret minutes emerged of a November 15, 1960, CIA meeting — prior to briefing the new president-elect — in which the CIA’s own reviewers concluded that the invasion was ‘unachievable — [with no] internal unrest earlier believed possible — nor will [Castro’s] defense permit the type [of] strike planned,’ the minutes said.”
Of course, CIA bosses were telling Kennedy the invasion was a slam-dunk.
Patent for killer chip denied in Germany
A Saudi inventor's proposal to insert semiconductors subcutaneously in visitors and remotely kill them if they misbehave will not be patented in Germany.
Newspaper: Cartel leader threatens deadly force on U.S. police
The reputed head of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel is threatening a more aggressive stance against competitors and law enforcement north of the border, instructing associates to use deadly force, if needed, to protect increasingly contested trafficking operations, authorities said.
"The Greatest Boondoggle in History": Banks Buoyed at Taxpayers' Expense
The PPIP is the "greatest boondoggle in the history of the world," says Black, a former bank regulator who was counsel to the Federal Home Loan Bank Board during the S&L crisis. As occurred during the S&L era, Black says the PPIP will allow banks to exchange "trash for cash" and turn "real losses into faulty gains."
If the goal of Tim Geithner and other regulators was "to rip off the American taxpayer for the benefit of the least-deserving wealthiest people you can imagine, well - mission accomplished," Black says.
More Acorn Voter Fraud Comes to Light
Democrats are split on how to deal with Acorn, the liberal "community organizing" group that deployed thousands of get-out-the-vote workers last election. State and city Democratic officials -- who've been contending with its many scandals -- are moving against it. Washington Democrats are still sweeping Acorn abuses under a rug.
Beware of Obamanomics
By Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
In 1920–21, the United States faced a grave economic crisis, worse than the first year of the Great Depression. Double-digit unemployment and a 21 percent decline in production over the previous twelve months greeted the new president.
Don’t Be Fooled by Inflation
By Peter Schiff
Strike up the band, boys, happy days are here again! Recently released short-term economic data, including unemployment claims, non-farm payrolls, home sales, and business spending, which had been so unambiguously horrific in February and March, are now just garden-variety awful. With the Wicked Witch of Depression now apparently crushed under the house of Obamanomics, the Munchkins of Wall Street have sounded the all clear, pushing the Dow Jones up 25% from its lows. But the premature conclusion of their Lollipop Guild economists, that the crash of 2008/2009 is now a fading memory, is just as delusional as their failure to see it coming in the first place.
