Thursday, May 31, 2012
City is transferring $45 million from JPMorgan Chase to First Niagara - City of Buffalo - The Buffalo News
The City of Buffalo is withdrawing $45 million from JPMorgan Chase and depositing the money with First Niagara Financial Group, City Comptroller Mark J.F. Schroeder announced Wednesday.
The Buffalo Sewer Authority funding will earn 0.30 percent interest, more than the 0.25 percent interest rate it had been getting with JPMorgan, Schroeder said in a written statement.
The move follows concerns about JPMorgan raised with the Common Council by members of the Occupy Buffalo movement, who asked that the city withdraw its deposits from the institution.
"Not only will the funds earn more interest with First Niagara, a major local employer headquartered in Buffalo, but it also sends a crystal-clear message to JPMorgan Chase that the City of Buffalo is not happy with their business practices," Schroeder said.
JPMorgan Chase revealed a $2 billion trading loss earlier this month, and its Main Place Tower offices were the site of an October demonstration by Occupy Buffalo and other groups critical of its foreclosure practices.
Schroeder said he has been looking into concerns about JPMorgan since taking office in January, but he could not take an action if it would cause the city to lose money.
"Fortunately, we were able to find an interest rate that would make the city more money than what it was earning with JPMorgan Chase," he said in the statement.
Council President Richard A. Fontana, Majority Leader Demone A. Smith, Delaware Council Member Michael J. LoCurto and South Council Member Christopher P. Scanlon each offered statements supporting the move in a news release from Schroeder's office
read full article here City is transferring $45 million from JPMorgan Chase to First Niagara - City of Buffalo - The Buffalo News
The Buffalo Sewer Authority funding will earn 0.30 percent interest, more than the 0.25 percent interest rate it had been getting with JPMorgan, Schroeder said in a written statement.
The move follows concerns about JPMorgan raised with the Common Council by members of the Occupy Buffalo movement, who asked that the city withdraw its deposits from the institution.
"Not only will the funds earn more interest with First Niagara, a major local employer headquartered in Buffalo, but it also sends a crystal-clear message to JPMorgan Chase that the City of Buffalo is not happy with their business practices," Schroeder said.
JPMorgan Chase revealed a $2 billion trading loss earlier this month, and its Main Place Tower offices were the site of an October demonstration by Occupy Buffalo and other groups critical of its foreclosure practices.
Schroeder said he has been looking into concerns about JPMorgan since taking office in January, but he could not take an action if it would cause the city to lose money.
"Fortunately, we were able to find an interest rate that would make the city more money than what it was earning with JPMorgan Chase," he said in the statement.
Council President Richard A. Fontana, Majority Leader Demone A. Smith, Delaware Council Member Michael J. LoCurto and South Council Member Christopher P. Scanlon each offered statements supporting the move in a news release from Schroeder's office
read full article here City is transferring $45 million from JPMorgan Chase to First Niagara - City of Buffalo - The Buffalo News
Pagosa Springs Daily News: In the Line of Fire, Part One
read full article here Pagosa Springs Daily News: In the Line of Fire, Part One
"The Little Sand Fire, which was started by lightning on Sunday, May 13, is now estimated at 77 acres in size... The naturally ignited wildfire is currently being managed for its natural resource benefits in a remote, defined area."
— Official U.S. Forest Service press release, Wednesday, May 23
Once again, the little town of Pagosa Springs awoke to the smell of smoke. Today, Thursday, May 31 — eighteen days after the first reports of a wildfire in the rugged hills above the Little Sand Creek, about 14 air miles from downtown Pagosa Springs — the fire continues to burn, and has grown in size to more than 3,700 acres. Smoke and ash continue to fill the air just west of the Piedra River bridge, maybe two miles from some of my friends' homes at the north end of Piedra Road up in Hinsdale County.
The fire is currently about eight miles from our little suburban community at Hatcher Lake.
"The Little Sand Fire, which was started by lightning on Sunday, May 13, is now estimated at 77 acres in size... The naturally ignited wildfire is currently being managed for its natural resource benefits in a remote, defined area."
— Official U.S. Forest Service press release, Wednesday, May 23
Once again, the little town of Pagosa Springs awoke to the smell of smoke. Today, Thursday, May 31 — eighteen days after the first reports of a wildfire in the rugged hills above the Little Sand Creek, about 14 air miles from downtown Pagosa Springs — the fire continues to burn, and has grown in size to more than 3,700 acres. Smoke and ash continue to fill the air just west of the Piedra River bridge, maybe two miles from some of my friends' homes at the north end of Piedra Road up in Hinsdale County.
The fire is currently about eight miles from our little suburban community at Hatcher Lake.
David Einhorn Slams Ice Cream Cone in Warren Buffett’s Face | Survivalist Investor
David Einhorn Slams Ice Cream Cone in Warren Buffett’s Face
“Let blockheads read what blockheads wrote,” Warren Buffett once said.
The man who loves being photographed with his favorite prop, an ice cream cone, also said this about gold:
Gold gets dug out of the ground in Africa, or someplace. Then we melt it down, dig another hole, bury it again and pay people to stand around guarding it. It has no utility. Anyone watching from Mars would be scratching their head.
Since the earth is a place for humans, those unique creatures of the cosmos who have sought gold for 5,000 years, and who’ve eaten Warren Buffett’s See’s peanut brittle more recently, what Buffett’s hypothetical Martians have to do with making his case against owning gold is telling, as well as nonsensical and manipulative, strongly suggesting that people who buy gold are foolish and are laughed at by Buffett’s imaginary Martians.
He’s right; fiat currency isn’t dug out of the ground; it’s printed, created out of thin air, everywhere, and that same Martian would wonder why it has any value at all to us silly humans. And what value is there in See’s peanut brittle other than people like to eat it.
Gold has no utility? Who categorized gold as an investment in a power company or auto firm? Indians of India find spiritual value in owning gold, for one thing, and there’s about a billion of them, at last count. Why do Indians like gold? Why do people like sunsets? Many people don’t like See’s peanut brittle, but they like gold and sunsets. Maybe Buffett is truly different from the majority of the human race.
In a great post by David Cohen on DeclineOfTheEmpire.com, titled, Sociopaths in America,he writes:
. . . some proportion of the population is “sick” and there’s nothing you can do about it. However, a Decent Society uses a multitude of checks & balances to rein in conscienceless people, to prevent them from running amuck. But in America, the most dangerous inmates are now running the asylum. These elaborate controls on immoral (unethical) behavior have been lifted. (This is often called deregulation or regulatory capture.) The corrupt politicians have rewritten the laws in such a way as to make it legal to rip people off. There is no longer any fear of punishment.
read full article here David Einhorn Slams Ice Cream Cone in Warren Buffett’s Face | Survivalist Investor
You 'Bear' Beware, You Better Take Care by Richard Russell
You 'Bear' Beware, You Better Take Care by Richard Russell
Russell comment – I consider the April-May action to be a continuation of a primary bear market that started on October 9, 2007 with the Dow at 14,164.53. We are now dealing with the latter part of the primary bear market that began in 2007. Subscribers should now follow a course of utmost caution. (The bear confirmation is particularly valid because nobody seemed to notice it nor did any analyst appear to be aware of it. I know of no analyst or advisor who stated that we had seen a primary bear signal!) For evidence, see charts of the Dow and the Transports below!
As for gold, I think it will be under pressure for a while, but before this bear market is over, gold will embark on a major bull move. The current correction in gold will test every "gold-bug's" nerves. The preferred gold position is to be in bullion gold coins.
Below, new high in the Dow on May 1.
Because of the importance of the Bear Signal, this article was posted early in the holiday weekend for the benefit of subscribers who are early readers. The "Market Action" portion has been added and is posted below.IMPORTANT – Dow Theory – The D-J industrial Average recorded a high of 13,279.32 on May 1, 2012. This Dow high was not confirmed by the Transports. The two averages then turned down and broke below their April lows. This action confirmed that a primary bear market is in progress – it was a textbook bear signal.
Russell comment – I consider the April-May action to be a continuation of a primary bear market that started on October 9, 2007 with the Dow at 14,164.53. We are now dealing with the latter part of the primary bear market that began in 2007. Subscribers should now follow a course of utmost caution. (The bear confirmation is particularly valid because nobody seemed to notice it nor did any analyst appear to be aware of it. I know of no analyst or advisor who stated that we had seen a primary bear signal!) For evidence, see charts of the Dow and the Transports below!
As for gold, I think it will be under pressure for a while, but before this bear market is over, gold will embark on a major bull move. The current correction in gold will test every "gold-bug's" nerves. The preferred gold position is to be in bullion gold coins.
Below, new high in the Dow on May 1.
The Possibility of a Ron Paul Third-Party Run for President by Scott Lazarowitz
We are certainly at a crossroads in America, with Election 2012. The political ruling class has usurped many of our rights away, and stolen much of the private wealth and capital that had provided jobs and opportunities and had raised the standard of living more than in any other society.
But the farce that these elections continue to be merely reinforces my point that such elections are mere rearranging of deck chairs.
The Ron Paul people have been following the rules at the state conventions and winning delegates to go to the national convention, while, apparently, the Romney people have been allegedly engaging in cheating and dirty tricks, the latest of which has been in my dreaded state, the People’s Republic of Massachusetts.
But why Ron Paul is trying to get the nomination of a party that has been a socialist-neocon-central planning party for 150 years, I’ll never know.
The convention will be a Romney-coronation police state nightmare, especially for those who are there on behalf of Paul.
As Lew Rockwell advised, it may even be a good idea that the Ron Paul delegates not even attend the convention, for their own safety.
My prediction is that Ron Paul’s delegates will not be treated well there, and there will most certainly be agents provocateurs trying to provoke some kind of disruption that would then be blamed on Ron Paul.
And if the nominating process actually does go to a second ballot in which Ron Paul delegates then give Romney a real challenge, the Ron Paul people will be accused of cheating, as though they didn’t legitimately win their delegate status.
But is all this worth it, especially given how within the national Republican Party many people are still hostile to Ron Paul’s message of freedom, personal responsibility, and peace?
That is why I still believe that Ron Paul should run as a third party candidate.
read full article here The Possibility of a Ron Paul Third-Party Run for President by Scott Lazarowitz
But the farce that these elections continue to be merely reinforces my point that such elections are mere rearranging of deck chairs.
The Ron Paul people have been following the rules at the state conventions and winning delegates to go to the national convention, while, apparently, the Romney people have been allegedly engaging in cheating and dirty tricks, the latest of which has been in my dreaded state, the People’s Republic of Massachusetts.
But why Ron Paul is trying to get the nomination of a party that has been a socialist-neocon-central planning party for 150 years, I’ll never know.
The convention will be a Romney-coronation police state nightmare, especially for those who are there on behalf of Paul.
As Lew Rockwell advised, it may even be a good idea that the Ron Paul delegates not even attend the convention, for their own safety.
My prediction is that Ron Paul’s delegates will not be treated well there, and there will most certainly be agents provocateurs trying to provoke some kind of disruption that would then be blamed on Ron Paul.
And if the nominating process actually does go to a second ballot in which Ron Paul delegates then give Romney a real challenge, the Ron Paul people will be accused of cheating, as though they didn’t legitimately win their delegate status.
But is all this worth it, especially given how within the national Republican Party many people are still hostile to Ron Paul’s message of freedom, personal responsibility, and peace?
That is why I still believe that Ron Paul should run as a third party candidate.
read full article here The Possibility of a Ron Paul Third-Party Run for President by Scott Lazarowitz
The Secret Kill List by Andrew P. Napolitano
The Secret Kill List by Andrew P. Napolitano
The leader of the government regularly sits down with his senior generals and spies and advisers and reviews a list of the people they want him to authorize their agents to kill. They do this every Tuesday morning when the leader is in town. The leader once condemned any practice even close to this, but now relishes the killing because he has convinced himself that it is a sane and sterile way to keep his country safe and himself in power. The leader, who is running for re-election, even invited his campaign manager to join the group that decides whom to kill.
This is not from a work of fiction, and it is not describing a series of events in the Kremlin or Beijing or Pyongyang. It is a fair summary of a 6,000-word investigative report in The New York Times earlier this week about the White House of Barack Obama. Two Times journalists, Jo Becker and Scott Shane, painstakingly and chillingly reported that the former lecturer in constitutional law and liberal senator who railed against torture and Gitmo now weekly reviews a secret kill list, personally decides who should be killed and then dispatches killers all over the world – and some of his killers have killed Americans.
We have known for some time that President Obama is waging a private war. By that I mean he is using the CIA on his own – and not the military after congressional authorization – to fire drones at thousands of persons in foreign lands, usually while they are riding in a car or a truck. He has done this both with the consent and over the objection of the governments of the countries in which he has killed. He doesn't want to talk about this, but he doesn't deny it. How chilling is it that David Axelrod – the president's campaign manager – has periodically seen the secret kill list? Might this be to keep the killings politically correct?
Can the president legally do this? In a word: No.
The president cannot lawfully order the killing of anyone, except according to the Constitution and federal law. Under the Constitution, he can only order killing using the military when the U.S. has been attacked, or when an attack is so imminent and certain that delay would cost innocent American lives, or in pursuit of a congressional declaration of war. Under federal law, he can only order killing using civilians when a person has been sentenced lawfully to death by a federal court and the jury verdict and the death sentence have been upheld on appeal. If he uses the military to kill, federal law requires public reports of its use to Congress and congressional approval after 180 days.
The U.S. has not declared war since World War II. If the president knows that an attack on our shores is imminent, he'd be hard-pressed to argue convincingly that a guy in a truck in a desert 10,000 miles from here – no matter his intentions – poses a threat to the U.S. so imminent and certain that he needs to be killed on the spot in order to save the lives of Americans who would surely die during the time it would take to declare war on the country that harbors him, or during the time it would take to arrest him. Under no circumstances may he use civilian agents for non-judicial killing. Surely, CIA agents can use deadly force to protect themselves, but they may not use it offensively. Federal laws against murder apply to the president and to all federal agents and personnel, wherever they go on the planet.
Since 9/11, the United States government has set up national security systems that function not under the Constitution, not under the Geneva Conventions, not under the rule of law, not under the rules of war, not under federal law, but under a new secret system crafted by the Bush administration and personally directed by Obama, the same Obama who condemned these rules as senator and then extended them as president. In the name of fighting demons in pick-up trucks and wars that Congress has never declared, the government shreds our rights, taps our cellphones, reads our emails, kills innocents abroad, strip searches 87-year-old grandmothers in wheelchairs and 3-year-old babies in their mothers' arms, and offers secrecy when the law requires accountability.
Obama has argued that his careful consideration of each person he orders killed and the narrow use of deadly force are an adequate and constitutional substitute for due process. The Constitution provides for no such thing. He has also argued that the use of drones to do his killing is humane since they are "surgical" and only kill their targets. We know that is incorrect. And he has argued that these killings are consistent with our values. What is he talking about? The essence of our values is the rule of law, not the rule of presidents.
Reprinted with the author's permission.
The Secret Kill List
by Andrew P. Napolitano
Recently by Andrew P. Napolitano: What If We Have Only Memories of Freedom?
| | |
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We have known for some time that President Obama is waging a private war. By that I mean he is using the CIA on his own – and not the military after congressional authorization – to fire drones at thousands of persons in foreign lands, usually while they are riding in a car or a truck. He has done this both with the consent and over the objection of the governments of the countries in which he has killed. He doesn't want to talk about this, but he doesn't deny it. How chilling is it that David Axelrod – the president's campaign manager – has periodically seen the secret kill list? Might this be to keep the killings politically correct?
Can the president legally do this? In a word: No.
| |
Since 9/11, the United States government has set up national security systems that function not under the Constitution, not under the Geneva Conventions, not under the rule of law, not under the rules of war, not under federal law, but under a new secret system crafted by the Bush administration and personally directed by Obama, the same Obama who condemned these rules as senator and then extended them as president. In the name of fighting demons in pick-up trucks and wars that Congress has never declared, the government shreds our rights, taps our cellphones, reads our emails, kills innocents abroad, strip searches 87-year-old grandmothers in wheelchairs and 3-year-old babies in their mothers' arms, and offers secrecy when the law requires accountability.
Obama has argued that his careful consideration of each person he orders killed and the narrow use of deadly force are an adequate and constitutional substitute for due process. The Constitution provides for no such thing. He has also argued that the use of drones to do his killing is humane since they are "surgical" and only kill their targets. We know that is incorrect. And he has argued that these killings are consistent with our values. What is he talking about? The essence of our values is the rule of law, not the rule of presidents.
Reprinted with the author's permission.
May 31, 2012
Andrew P. Napolitano [send him mail], a former judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, is the senior judicial analyst at Fox News Channel. Judge Napolitano has written six books on the U.S. Constitution. The most recent is It Is Dangerous To Be Right When the Government Is Wrong: The Case for Personal Freedom. To find out more about Judge Napolitano and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit creators.com.Copyright © 2012 Andrew P. Napolitano
chunkee-munkee: How to Keep Your Home Clean Naturally by Joseph Me...
chunkee-munkee: How to Keep Your Home Clean Naturally by Joseph Me...: How to Keep Your Home Clean Naturally by Joseph Mercola Jeanne McLaughlin is a building biologist certified by the Interna...
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Dead on arrival? Dutch Parliament kills ACTA before EU vote — RT
Lawmakers in Holland have voted to strike down the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), slammed by many as a free speech and information access choker. Dutch MPs have also ruled the government will never sign any such agreement.
The Dutch parliamentarians have opted not to wait for the EU’s vote on ACTA which is set for June, with consultations kicking off already this Thursday.
"The treaty should be taken off table, whatever the decision the European Parliament should take," said MP Kees Verhoeven, a major sponsor of Tuesday’s motion in the Dutch Parliament.
Lisa Neves Goncalves, a spokeswoman for the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, said the government had earlier this year stated it would not sign off on the treaty until it was clear it did not breach the Dutch or EU constitution.
As the controversial bill is making its slow way through the EU Parliament, the UK Pirate Party, the Open Rights Group (ORG) and the French La Quadrature Du Net are calling for more anti-bill rallies.
"The votes this Thursday, in three of the Committees responsible for offering 'Opinions' on the treaty, will really affect whether the European Parliament ultimately rejects ACTA or not. It is important that your MEP understand people's concerns. And calling your MEP will help make this happen," says the Open Rights Group in a blog post.
ACTA is an international agreement aimed at protecting intellectual property. It somewhat resembles the US’s Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which was shelved by lawmakers after protests.
read full article here Dead on arrival? Dutch Parliament kills ACTA before EU vote — RT
The Dutch parliamentarians have opted not to wait for the EU’s vote on ACTA which is set for June, with consultations kicking off already this Thursday.
"The treaty should be taken off table, whatever the decision the European Parliament should take," said MP Kees Verhoeven, a major sponsor of Tuesday’s motion in the Dutch Parliament.
Lisa Neves Goncalves, a spokeswoman for the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, said the government had earlier this year stated it would not sign off on the treaty until it was clear it did not breach the Dutch or EU constitution.
As the controversial bill is making its slow way through the EU Parliament, the UK Pirate Party, the Open Rights Group (ORG) and the French La Quadrature Du Net are calling for more anti-bill rallies.
"The votes this Thursday, in three of the Committees responsible for offering 'Opinions' on the treaty, will really affect whether the European Parliament ultimately rejects ACTA or not. It is important that your MEP understand people's concerns. And calling your MEP will help make this happen," says the Open Rights Group in a blog post.
ACTA is an international agreement aimed at protecting intellectual property. It somewhat resembles the US’s Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which was shelved by lawmakers after protests.
read full article here Dead on arrival? Dutch Parliament kills ACTA before EU vote — RT
“Important” – Get Out of Stocks, Says Richard Russell | Survivalist Investor
By Dominique de Kevelioc de Bailleul
Octogenarian and 53-year financial markets veteran from Loyola, California, Richard Russell, announced it’s time to get out of stocks—pronto! The market expects a Greek exit of the EMU and further trouble from the other PIIGS, according to him.
In his latest missive, the venerable Russell stated that the 80-year old Dow Theory market-timing indicator he has plied throughout his newsletter writing career has triggered another “textbook bear signal” and advised his subscribers to avoid the stock market at this time.
“IMPORTANT — Dow Theory — The D-J industrial Average recorded a high of 13,279.32 on May 1, 2012,” Russell began his latest addition of Dow Theory Letters. “This Dow high was not confirmed by the Transports. The two averages then turned down and broke below their April lows. This action confirmed that a primary bear market is in progress — it was a textbook bear signal.”
Russell’s remarks come off the heels of another respected market watcher Marc Faber of the Gloom Boom Doom Report, who told CNBC, Friday, he’s “100 percent” confident of a global recession next year.
Considering stocks discount expectations of the future—with recent signs of a feeble economic recovery rolling over once again—the rally in stocks from the March 2009 lows could be an echo of a similar bear market rally of 1935-7, during the Great Depression. But by the second quarter of 1937, the rally fizzled out and stocks sold off sharply, taking the Dow down approximately 50 percent from the rebound rally high.
“This bear market will be deeper and longer than most people think,” Russell said in a Mar. 29, 2009 speech at a banquet in his honor. “People got optimistic too quick” about stocks, and added, “none of the characteristics of a major bottom” are in place for a major bear market bottom.
read full article here “Important” – Get Out of Stocks, Says Richard Russell | Survivalist Investor
Octogenarian and 53-year financial markets veteran from Loyola, California, Richard Russell, announced it’s time to get out of stocks—pronto! The market expects a Greek exit of the EMU and further trouble from the other PIIGS, according to him.
In his latest missive, the venerable Russell stated that the 80-year old Dow Theory market-timing indicator he has plied throughout his newsletter writing career has triggered another “textbook bear signal” and advised his subscribers to avoid the stock market at this time.
“IMPORTANT — Dow Theory — The D-J industrial Average recorded a high of 13,279.32 on May 1, 2012,” Russell began his latest addition of Dow Theory Letters. “This Dow high was not confirmed by the Transports. The two averages then turned down and broke below their April lows. This action confirmed that a primary bear market is in progress — it was a textbook bear signal.”
Russell’s remarks come off the heels of another respected market watcher Marc Faber of the Gloom Boom Doom Report, who told CNBC, Friday, he’s “100 percent” confident of a global recession next year.
Considering stocks discount expectations of the future—with recent signs of a feeble economic recovery rolling over once again—the rally in stocks from the March 2009 lows could be an echo of a similar bear market rally of 1935-7, during the Great Depression. But by the second quarter of 1937, the rally fizzled out and stocks sold off sharply, taking the Dow down approximately 50 percent from the rebound rally high.
“This bear market will be deeper and longer than most people think,” Russell said in a Mar. 29, 2009 speech at a banquet in his honor. “People got optimistic too quick” about stocks, and added, “none of the characteristics of a major bottom” are in place for a major bear market bottom.
read full article here “Important” – Get Out of Stocks, Says Richard Russell | Survivalist Investor
Gold Seeker Closing Report: Gold and Silver End Slightly Higher
Gold Seeker Closing Report: Gold and Silver End Slightly Higher
Close | Gain/Loss | |
Gold | $1564.80 | +$6.00 |
Silver | $27.94 | +$0.05 |
XAU | 155.36 | -0.19% |
HUI | 420.47 | +0.32% |
GDM | 1222.26 | +0.21% |
JSE Gold | 2475.91 | -42.86 |
USD | 83.06 | +0.64 |
Euro | 123.67 | -1.32 |
Yen | 126.46 | +0.67 |
Oil | $87.82 | -$2.94 |
10-Year | 1.625% | -0.106 |
T-Bond | 149.65625 | +1.84375 |
Dow | 12419.86 | -1.28% |
Nasdaq | 2837.36 | -1.17% |
S&P | 1313.32 | -1.43% |
New Kansas Law Bans Use of Foreign Law
Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas has signed a law, which takes effect on July 1, 2012, intended to keep Kansas courts from relying upon Islamic sharia law. The language of the new law does not specifically mention sharia; rather, it states that courts and administrative tribunals cannot use any foreign law as a legal basis for its rulings if that foreign law would not grant to all parties involved the same rights that would have existed under federal or state constitutions.
Stephen Gele of the American Public Policy Alliance in Michigan said: “This bill should provide protection for Kansas citizens from the application of foreign laws. The bill does not read, in any way, to be discriminatory against any religion.” The organization’s website also states: "America has unique values of liberty which do not exist in foreign legal systems, particularly Shariah Law."
Sherriene Jones-Sontag of Governor Brownback’s office issued a statement emphasizing that point, noting that the new law “makes clear that Kansas courts will rely exclusively on the laws of our state and our nation when deciding cases and will not consider the laws of foreign jurisdictions." She added: “This disturbing recent trend of activist judges relying upon the laws of other nations has been rejected by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both the Kansas House and Senate."
The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that similar laws have been considered in 20 states. Arizona, Louisiana, and Tennessee have already enacted laws similar to the new Kansas law. Oklahoma approved a ballot initiative in 2010 which explicitly banned the use of sharia law by amending the state constitution. The measure received over 70 percent the vote, but federal courts have enjoined the implementation of this ballot measure.
Muslim groups, particularly CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), have threatened litigation. Ibrahim Hooper of CAIR asserts discrimination, noting of Governor Brownback’s signing the bill: “If he claims it has nothing to do with Shariah or Islamic law or Moslems, the he wasn’t paying attention.”
Supporters of the bill, however, have noted that there is already a divorce case in Sedgwick County, Kansas, in which the husband has asked the court to divide marital property according to sharia law, based upon existing marriage contract writing according to Islamic law.
read full article here New Kansas Law Bans Use of Foreign Law
Stephen Gele of the American Public Policy Alliance in Michigan said: “This bill should provide protection for Kansas citizens from the application of foreign laws. The bill does not read, in any way, to be discriminatory against any religion.” The organization’s website also states: "America has unique values of liberty which do not exist in foreign legal systems, particularly Shariah Law."
Sherriene Jones-Sontag of Governor Brownback’s office issued a statement emphasizing that point, noting that the new law “makes clear that Kansas courts will rely exclusively on the laws of our state and our nation when deciding cases and will not consider the laws of foreign jurisdictions." She added: “This disturbing recent trend of activist judges relying upon the laws of other nations has been rejected by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both the Kansas House and Senate."
The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that similar laws have been considered in 20 states. Arizona, Louisiana, and Tennessee have already enacted laws similar to the new Kansas law. Oklahoma approved a ballot initiative in 2010 which explicitly banned the use of sharia law by amending the state constitution. The measure received over 70 percent the vote, but federal courts have enjoined the implementation of this ballot measure.
Muslim groups, particularly CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), have threatened litigation. Ibrahim Hooper of CAIR asserts discrimination, noting of Governor Brownback’s signing the bill: “If he claims it has nothing to do with Shariah or Islamic law or Moslems, the he wasn’t paying attention.”
Supporters of the bill, however, have noted that there is already a divorce case in Sedgwick County, Kansas, in which the husband has asked the court to divide marital property according to sharia law, based upon existing marriage contract writing according to Islamic law.
read full article here New Kansas Law Bans Use of Foreign Law
Petitioners Challenge "Outrageous Secrecy" of Bradley Manning Trial
If one were to judge the potential for harm to the United States government by the amount of openness at a suspect’s trial, then Washington has much more to fear from Bradley Manning than from alleged 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
As we have reported previously, the federal government has published a complete and verbatim transcript of the hearings recently conducted in the case of Mohammed and the so-called “Gitmo 5.” There isn’t a single insult or inquiry that was part of that proceeding that isn’t obtainable by anyone — reporter or citizen.
The same cannot be said, however, of the court martial hearing the case against PFC Bradley Manning. To date, the Department of Defense has kept all documents relating to the Manning prosecution under lock and key and has refused to allow anyone to access those files.
Nevertheless, a few intrepid organizations have tried (so far in vain) to penetrate the thick veil of secrecy shrouding the Manning trial. The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) is one of the handful of media and civil rights groups (including Salon’s Glenn Greenwald, who has followed this story since the beginning) that have petitioned the Pentagon for a peak at the Manning dossier.
In its request submitted to the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals, the CCR and its fellow petitioners made the following point of a potential violation of constitutional freedom being perpetrated by the federal government should the secrecy continue:
Although the public may attend portions of Pfc. Manning’s court-martial proceedings (notably excluding Rule 802 conferences), public access to documents has been inexplicably denied in what is arguably one of the most controversial, high profile court-martials since the trial of LT William Calley for the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, and the most important case involving the alleged disclosure of classified information since the Pentagon Papers. Indeed, the restrictions on access to these basic documents in the case have made it exceedingly difficult for credentialed reporters to cover the proceedings consistent with their journalistic standards and obligations.
And:
These restrictions not only plainly violate the First Amendment and the common law, they undermine the very legitimacy of this important proceeding.
In defense of their claim of First Amendment abridgement on the part of the Army, the petitioners present the following analysis of First Amendment legal requirements.
The First Amendment requires public access unless the government demonstrates that closure is necessary to further a compelling government interest and narrowly tailored to serve that interest, and the Court makes specific findings that closure is warranted. The government bears a similarly high burden in attempting to limit public access to documents filed in connection with criminal proceedings….
In United States v. Manning, the press and public have not had access to any of the government’s motions, responses to defense briefs, or filings in the case beyond the initial charges – even in redacted form. No transcripts of any proceedings in the case have been published – even for proceedings that occurred in open court. Nor have any orders of the Court been published. The government has not provided – and cannot provide – any legal basis for withholding these documents from the public. Nor does it appear that the Court made any of the requisite findings that could support closing these proceedings or denying access to the documents at issue, or provided notice of such envisioned closures and opportunity to object to the press and public.
Petitioners Challenge "Outrageous Secrecy" of Bradley Manning Trial
When The Derivatives Market Crashes (And It Will) U.S. Taxpayers Will Be On The Hook
Warren Buffett once said that derivatives are "financial weapons of mass destruction", and that statement is more true today than it ever has been before. Recently, JP Morgan made national headlines when it announced that it was going to take a 2 billion dollar loss from derivatives trades gone bad. Well, it turns out that JP Morgan did not tell us the whole truth. As you will see later in this article, most analysts are estimating that the losses will eventually be far larger than 2 billion dollars. But no matter how bad things get for JP Morgan, it will not be allowed to fail. JP Morgan is the largest bank in the United States, so it is essentially the "granddaddy" of the too big to fail banks. If JP Morgan gets to the point where it is about to collapse, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve will rush in to save it. Because of this "security blanket", banks such as JP Morgan feel free to take outrageous risks. Today, JP Morgan has more exposure to derivatives than anyone else in the world. If they win, they win big. If they lose, U.S. taxpayers will be on the hook. Not only that, but thanks to Dodd-Frank, U.S. taxpayers are on the hook for bailing out the major derivatives clearinghouses if there is ever a major derivatives crisis. So when the derivatives market crashes (and it will) you and I will be left holding a gigantic bill.
Derivatives almost caused the complete collapse of insurance giant AIG back in 2008. But instead of learning our lessons, the derivatives bubble has gotten even larger since that time.
A Bloomberg article that was published last year contained a great quote from Mark Mobius about derivatives....
When The Derivatives Market Crashes (And It Will) U.S. Taxpayers Will Be On The Hook
Derivatives almost caused the complete collapse of insurance giant AIG back in 2008. But instead of learning our lessons, the derivatives bubble has gotten even larger since that time.
A Bloomberg article that was published last year contained a great quote from Mark Mobius about derivatives....
When The Derivatives Market Crashes (And It Will) U.S. Taxpayers Will Be On The Hook
Washington’s Hypocrisies by Paul Craig Roberts
The US government is the second worst human rights abuser on the planet and the sole enabler of the worst – Israel. But this doesn’t hamper Washington from pointing the finger elsewhere.
The US State Department’s “human rights report” focuses its ire on Iran and Syria, two countries whose real sin is their independence from Washington, and on the bogyman-in-the-making – China, the country selected for the role of Washington’s new Cold War enemy.
Hillary Clinton, another in a long line of unqualified Secretaries of State, informed “governments around the world: we are watching, and we are holding you accountable,” only we are not holding ourselves accountable or Washington’s allies like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the NATO puppets.
Hillary also made it “clear to citizens and activists everywhere: You are not alone. We are standing with you,” only not with protesters at the Chicago NATO summit or with the Occupy Wall Street protesters, or anywhere else in the US where there are protests. (ref)
The State Department stands with the protesters funded by the US in the countries whose governments the US wishes to overthrow. Protesters in the US stand alone as do the occupied Palestinians who apparently have no human rights to their homes, lands, olive groves, or lives.
Here are some arrest numbers for a few recent US protests. The New York Daily News reports that as of November 17, 2011, 1,300 Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested in New York City alone. Fox News reported (October 2, 2011) that 700 protesters were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge. At the NATO summit in Chicago last week, 90 protesters were arrested (Chicago Journal).
In the US some protesters are being officially categorized as “domestic extremists” or “domestic terrorists,” a new threat category that Homeland Security announced is now the focus of its attention, displacing Muslim terrorists as the number one threat to the US. In September 2010, federal police raided the homes of peace activists in Chicago and Minneapolis. The FBI is trying to concoct a case against them by claiming that the peace activists donated money to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. As demanded by Israel, the US government has designated the PFLP as a terrorist group.
In Chicago last week, among the many arrested NATO protesters with whom the State Department does not stand are three young white americans arrested for “domestic terrorism” in what Dave Lindorff reports was “a warrantless house invasion reminiscent of what US military forces are doing on a daily [and nightly] basis in Afghanistan.” If the US government, which stands with protesters everywhere except in America, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Palestine, can make this into a terrorism case, the three americans can be convicted on the basis of secret evidence or simply be incarcerated for the rest of their lives without a trial.
Meanwhile the three american “domestic terrorists” are being held in solitary confinement. Like many of the NATO protesters, they came from out of town. Brian Church, 20 years old, came from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Jared Chase, 27, came from Keene, New Hampshire. Brent Betterly, 24, came from Oakland Park, Florida. Charged with providing material support for terrorism, the judge set their bail at $1.5 million each.
read full article here Washington’s Hypocrisies by Paul Craig Roberts
The US State Department’s “human rights report” focuses its ire on Iran and Syria, two countries whose real sin is their independence from Washington, and on the bogyman-in-the-making – China, the country selected for the role of Washington’s new Cold War enemy.
Hillary Clinton, another in a long line of unqualified Secretaries of State, informed “governments around the world: we are watching, and we are holding you accountable,” only we are not holding ourselves accountable or Washington’s allies like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the NATO puppets.
Hillary also made it “clear to citizens and activists everywhere: You are not alone. We are standing with you,” only not with protesters at the Chicago NATO summit or with the Occupy Wall Street protesters, or anywhere else in the US where there are protests. (ref)
The State Department stands with the protesters funded by the US in the countries whose governments the US wishes to overthrow. Protesters in the US stand alone as do the occupied Palestinians who apparently have no human rights to their homes, lands, olive groves, or lives.
Here are some arrest numbers for a few recent US protests. The New York Daily News reports that as of November 17, 2011, 1,300 Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested in New York City alone. Fox News reported (October 2, 2011) that 700 protesters were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge. At the NATO summit in Chicago last week, 90 protesters were arrested (Chicago Journal).
In the US some protesters are being officially categorized as “domestic extremists” or “domestic terrorists,” a new threat category that Homeland Security announced is now the focus of its attention, displacing Muslim terrorists as the number one threat to the US. In September 2010, federal police raided the homes of peace activists in Chicago and Minneapolis. The FBI is trying to concoct a case against them by claiming that the peace activists donated money to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. As demanded by Israel, the US government has designated the PFLP as a terrorist group.
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Meanwhile the three american “domestic terrorists” are being held in solitary confinement. Like many of the NATO protesters, they came from out of town. Brian Church, 20 years old, came from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Jared Chase, 27, came from Keene, New Hampshire. Brent Betterly, 24, came from Oakland Park, Florida. Charged with providing material support for terrorism, the judge set their bail at $1.5 million each.
read full article here Washington’s Hypocrisies by Paul Craig Roberts
Are Capital Controls Coming to America? by Gary North
Are capital controls coming to the United States? They may be for Switzerland, The Swiss National Bank has announced that it is considering the imposition of controls. But these will be controls on euro accounts being shifted into Swiss francs.
Why would a central bank impose controls on money flowing in? Because this will raise the market price of francs in relation to euros. The central bank is dominated by mercantilist thinking. A rising currency is seen as a liability. Why? Because exporters are hit by the falling value of the foreign currency. Foreigners must pay more to buy francs to buy Swiss goods.
Most nations that have ever imposed capital controls have imposed them on the "outflow" of money. I put "outflow" in quotation marks, because there is no outflow of money.
Digits do not flow across borders the way that goods and people do. Ownership of digital accounts in one nation's banks get traded for digital accounts in foreign nations' banks. The money supply does not change. What changes are the owners of the digits on the various bank accounts. Ownership of digital money shifts. The people trying to exchange dollars for some other currency must find sellers of that currency who are willing to sell. But the total amount of dollars in domestic bank accounts does not change, nor does the total amount of foreign currency digits in foreign bank accounts. Central banks and fractional reserves establish the domestic money supply. Foreign exchange markets do not. This is not widely understood.
To try to stop the shift in owners of U.S. dollar accounts, the government could impose export controls in the form of taxes on dollar transfers of ownership. Or the government could declare it illegal for holders of dollar accounts in American banks to exchange ownership for non-dollar accounts in foreign banks.
Could this happen here? One of my subscribers posted these questions:
Why would a central bank impose controls on money flowing in? Because this will raise the market price of francs in relation to euros. The central bank is dominated by mercantilist thinking. A rising currency is seen as a liability. Why? Because exporters are hit by the falling value of the foreign currency. Foreigners must pay more to buy francs to buy Swiss goods.
Most nations that have ever imposed capital controls have imposed them on the "outflow" of money. I put "outflow" in quotation marks, because there is no outflow of money.
Digits do not flow across borders the way that goods and people do. Ownership of digital accounts in one nation's banks get traded for digital accounts in foreign nations' banks. The money supply does not change. What changes are the owners of the digits on the various bank accounts. Ownership of digital money shifts. The people trying to exchange dollars for some other currency must find sellers of that currency who are willing to sell. But the total amount of dollars in domestic bank accounts does not change, nor does the total amount of foreign currency digits in foreign bank accounts. Central banks and fractional reserves establish the domestic money supply. Foreign exchange markets do not. This is not widely understood.
To try to stop the shift in owners of U.S. dollar accounts, the government could impose export controls in the form of taxes on dollar transfers of ownership. Or the government could declare it illegal for holders of dollar accounts in American banks to exchange ownership for non-dollar accounts in foreign banks.
Could this happen here? One of my subscribers posted these questions:
How likely is it we will see capital controls put in place prohibiting financial assets from leaving the U.S.? If that happened, how might this damage one's personal wealth remaining in the U.S.? What is the likelihood of a forced repatriation order mandating the return of off-shore assets to the U.S.? It has been reported that: "Just this week, two of the most powerful U.S. congressmen – Barney Frank and Sander Levin – released a letter they'd sent to U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, expressing their concerns over future U.S. free trade agreements if the government doesn't address capital controls. The headline of the letter is: Frank and Levin Call on Administration to Clarify Position on Capital Controls. Frank and Levin have long been concerned that the language in U.S. trade and investment treaties was too restrictive and did not leave adequate flexibility for governments to use controls to stem the massive flows of speculative capital that can exacerbate economic crises. The congressmen specifically state they want additional power to restrict the flow of capital into and out of the United States... their letter stated: We request an official written statement of U.S. policy on the Administration's interpretation that the scope and coverage of the 'prudential exception' in U.S. free trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties grants parties the ability to deploy capital controls on the inflow or outflow of capital without being challenged by private investors." It seems capital controls will be implemented, although I am not real clear what damages to personal wealth this will cause. Also, what is the probability of a forced repatriation order? If the government goes that far we can be sure it would be very damaging to one's assets.read full article here Are Capital Controls Coming to America? by Gary North
Google deliberately stole information but executives 'covered it up' for years | Mail Online
Google is facing an inquiry into claims that it deliberately harvested information from millions of UK home computers.
The Information Commissioner data protection watchdog is expected to examine the work of the internet giant’s Street View cars.
They downloaded emails, text messages, photographs and documents from wi-fi networks as they photographed virtually every British road.
It is two years since Google first admitted stealing fragments of personal data, but claimed it was a ‘mistake’.
Now the full scale of its activities has emerged amid accusations of a cover-up after US regulators found a senior manager was warned as early as 2007 that the information was being captured as its cars trawled the country but did nothing.
Around one in four home networks in the UK is thought to be unsecured – lacking password protection – allowing personal data to be collected. Technology websites and bloggers have suggested that Google harvested the information simply because it was able to do so and would later work out a way to use it to make money.
The slow reaction of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to deal with the data theft is in direct contrast to the vigorous efforts of watchdogs in Germany, France and even the Czech Republic.
The fact that the Government was at the same time courting executives at Google opens up uncomfortable questions about its relationship with the company.
read full article here Google deliberately stole information but executives 'covered it up' for years | Mail Online
The Information Commissioner data protection watchdog is expected to examine the work of the internet giant’s Street View cars.
They downloaded emails, text messages, photographs and documents from wi-fi networks as they photographed virtually every British road.
It is two years since Google first admitted stealing fragments of personal data, but claimed it was a ‘mistake’.
Now the full scale of its activities has emerged amid accusations of a cover-up after US regulators found a senior manager was warned as early as 2007 that the information was being captured as its cars trawled the country but did nothing.
Around one in four home networks in the UK is thought to be unsecured – lacking password protection – allowing personal data to be collected. Technology websites and bloggers have suggested that Google harvested the information simply because it was able to do so and would later work out a way to use it to make money.
The slow reaction of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to deal with the data theft is in direct contrast to the vigorous efforts of watchdogs in Germany, France and even the Czech Republic.
The fact that the Government was at the same time courting executives at Google opens up uncomfortable questions about its relationship with the company.
read full article here Google deliberately stole information but executives 'covered it up' for years | Mail Online
House to Vote on Ron Paul Bill to Audit the Federal Reserve
GOP leadership in the House of Representatives announced that legislation to thoroughly audit the secretive Federal Reserve, a wildly popular measure pushed by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) for decades, will come up for a floor vote in July. Honest-money advocates and pro-transparency activists celebrated the news as a historic opportunity to rein in the central bank, which has come under heavy fire — especially in recent years — for debasing the U.S. dollar, manipulating markets, and showering big banks with trillions in bailouts.
The legislation, H.R. 459, already has over 225 co-sponsors in the House including an impressive roster of senior Democrats and Republicans, some of whom chair important committees. In the Senate, however, a similar bill has only about 20 co-sponsors so far, forcing Audit-the-Fed activists to wage a massive campaign aimed at exposing Senators who refuse to support transparency at the shadowy central bank. Polls in recent years revealed that four out of five Americans support auditing the Fed.
“The Fed has proven it cannot be trusted and must be audited. While the banksters’ dangerous schemes have been going on for years, the bailouts exposed the trillions being stolen from the American people,” noted Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a sponsor of the Senate legislation and the son of Congressman Ron Paul. “It is time to Audit the Fed. Time to shine a bright spotlight on the largest theft in American history.”
But victory in what Sen. Paul called this “vital effort to rein in the Federal Reserve” will not be easy, he noted. The establishment is already fighting back hard against the plan in an effort to shield the controversial institution from public scrutiny. And as the battle heats up, the Fed and its supporters will not give up easily.
“As we enter this critical time, we have an unprecedented chance to finish this fight and finally hold the Fed accountable for all it has done to wreck our economy and endanger our nation,” Sen. Paul concluded. “Don’t let this opportunity slip away.”
read full article here House to Vote on Ron Paul Bill to Audit the Federal Reserve
The legislation, H.R. 459, already has over 225 co-sponsors in the House including an impressive roster of senior Democrats and Republicans, some of whom chair important committees. In the Senate, however, a similar bill has only about 20 co-sponsors so far, forcing Audit-the-Fed activists to wage a massive campaign aimed at exposing Senators who refuse to support transparency at the shadowy central bank. Polls in recent years revealed that four out of five Americans support auditing the Fed.
“The Fed has proven it cannot be trusted and must be audited. While the banksters’ dangerous schemes have been going on for years, the bailouts exposed the trillions being stolen from the American people,” noted Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a sponsor of the Senate legislation and the son of Congressman Ron Paul. “It is time to Audit the Fed. Time to shine a bright spotlight on the largest theft in American history.”
But victory in what Sen. Paul called this “vital effort to rein in the Federal Reserve” will not be easy, he noted. The establishment is already fighting back hard against the plan in an effort to shield the controversial institution from public scrutiny. And as the battle heats up, the Fed and its supporters will not give up easily.
“As we enter this critical time, we have an unprecedented chance to finish this fight and finally hold the Fed accountable for all it has done to wreck our economy and endanger our nation,” Sen. Paul concluded. “Don’t let this opportunity slip away.”
read full article here House to Vote on Ron Paul Bill to Audit the Federal Reserve
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
25 Signs That The Smart Money Has Completely Written Off Southern Europe
read full article here 25 Signs That The Smart Money Has Completely Written Off Southern Europe
When it comes to the financial world, it is important to listen to what the "smart money" is saying, but it is much more important to watch what the "smart money" is actually doing. The ultra-wealthy and those that run the biggest financial institutions on the planet are far more "connected" to what is really going on in financial circles behind the scenes than you and I could ever hope to be. But if we watch their behavior we can get clues as to what they think is about to happen. As is the case with so many other things, if you want to figure out what is really going on in Europe, just follow the money. And right now, money is rapidly flowing out of southern Europe and into northern Europe. In fact, some large corporations are now pulling the money that they make in Greece during the day out of the country every single night. It is becoming increasingly clear that the upper crust of the financial world considers a Greek exit from the euro to be "inevitable" and that it also considers much of the rest of southern Europe to be a lost cause. Unfortunately, a financial collapse across southern Europe is also likely to trigger another devastating global recession.
Even though all the warning signs were there, very few people actually expected to see the kind of financial crisis that we saw back in 2008.
But it happened.
Now very few people actually expect another "Lehman Brothers moment" to happen in Europe although the warning signs are all around us.
Sadly, most people never want to believe the truth until it is too late.
The following are 25 signs that the smart money has completely written off southern Europe....
#1 Lloyd's of London is publicly admitting that it is rapidly making preparations for a collapse of the eurozone.
#2 According to the New York Times, top global law firms are advising their clients to withdraw all cash and all other liquid assets from Greece....
When it comes to the financial world, it is important to listen to what the "smart money" is saying, but it is much more important to watch what the "smart money" is actually doing. The ultra-wealthy and those that run the biggest financial institutions on the planet are far more "connected" to what is really going on in financial circles behind the scenes than you and I could ever hope to be. But if we watch their behavior we can get clues as to what they think is about to happen. As is the case with so many other things, if you want to figure out what is really going on in Europe, just follow the money. And right now, money is rapidly flowing out of southern Europe and into northern Europe. In fact, some large corporations are now pulling the money that they make in Greece during the day out of the country every single night. It is becoming increasingly clear that the upper crust of the financial world considers a Greek exit from the euro to be "inevitable" and that it also considers much of the rest of southern Europe to be a lost cause. Unfortunately, a financial collapse across southern Europe is also likely to trigger another devastating global recession.
Even though all the warning signs were there, very few people actually expected to see the kind of financial crisis that we saw back in 2008.
But it happened.
Now very few people actually expect another "Lehman Brothers moment" to happen in Europe although the warning signs are all around us.
Sadly, most people never want to believe the truth until it is too late.
The following are 25 signs that the smart money has completely written off southern Europe....
#1 Lloyd's of London is publicly admitting that it is rapidly making preparations for a collapse of the eurozone.
#2 According to the New York Times, top global law firms are advising their clients to withdraw all cash and all other liquid assets from Greece....
So their advice is blunt: Remove cash and other liquid assets from Greece and prepare to take a short-term hit on any other investments.
“My personal view is that it is irrational for anyone, whether a corporation or an individual, to be leaving money in Greek financial institutions, so long as there is a credible prospect of a euro zone exit,” said Ian M. Clark, a partner in London for White & Case, a global law firm that has a team of 10 lawyers focusing on the issue.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Security in the Suburbs | Ready Nutrition
Security in the Suburbs | Ready Nutrition
If you live in suburbia, security starts from the inside out. Your home should be a fortress, although not so blatantly that it catches the attention of casual passers-by, making them wonder, “What’s in there?” Some simple updates can harden your domicile against intruders.
If you live in suburbia, security starts from the inside out. Your home should be a fortress, although not so blatantly that it catches the attention of casual passers-by, making them wonder, “What’s in there?” Some simple updates can harden your domicile against intruders.
- Doors should be sturdy and steel core. The frame around the door is equally important. Even the strongest door will not hold up to a determined intruder if it is seated in a flimsy frame. Look for a sturdy steel door-jam. Always use at least 3 inch screws to anchor the components of your door and its frame.
- Install hardware for a door bar. Envision the bars reinforcing doors in medieval castles or on barns. By installing brackets into studs on either side of doors to the exterior of the house, you can have a bar that goes across the door from side to side. The bar can be a very heavy piece of wood, or it can be iron or another metal. Unless you are in a high crime neighbourhood, this barricade would not be necessary under normal situations. However, during a SHTF scenario, it will make your doors virtually impenetrable without the aid of a battering ram with a team of burly men behind it.
- Secure your windows. Particular attention should be paid to windows on the ground floor. Install a sturdy piece of wood cut to fit so that the window cannot be raised from the outside. Consider coating windows with a shatterproof film. Keep valuables out of sight from the windows. If your door has a window in it, or if it has sidelights, a piece of decorative metal grid work can easily be screwed in over the window, making it impossible for an intruder to break the window and reach through to unlock the door.
- Install motion lights around the perimeter of your home. If they are solar-powered they will also work in a SHTF and grid-down scenario.
- Practice defensive landscaping. Use thorn-bearing plants around your home to make ground floor windows less vulnerable to access.
- Install cameras. Even fake cameras give criminals the feeling they are “being watched” – just make sure they are the kind with a light on them.
- Beware of dog. People who don’t have a furry friend can still make use of this tactic by posting signs on their property. Criminals are looking for easy targets – fending off a growling canine can be dangerous for them and also draws attention to them. Often, they will choose a different home to rob based on this factor alone.
- Fence your yard. Enclosing your entire property with a fence is a deterrent. Doorbells and cameras can be installed at the gate, giving you a safer distance from those who come to your home. This added layer of distance can make a home invasion-style attack far more difficult to perpetrate. If the top of the fence is “decoratively” spiked, it serves to make it difficult for someone to jump or climb the fence.
- Get to know your neighbors. If you don’t already know your neighbors well, take the time to be more outgoing. Say hello when you see them outside, compliment their landscaping and do little things to be helpful.
- Have a party. Another good way to pull the community together is through social interaction. Organize a block party or host a barbecue as a way to help people become better acquainted. Getting to know your neighbors better is not only a good way to make allies, it’s a good way to subtly identify those who might be a problem in an emergency situation.
- Organize a neighborhood watch. If you and your neighbors are already accustomed to looking out for one another, it won’t require as much additional organization if disaster strikes.
- Make a plan. If some of your neighbors are like-minded, you might be able to do some advance planning, like choosing the most defensible property as a place to send the children, creating defense strategies for your cul-de-sac or figuring out the best way to patrol your immediate area.
- Don’t forget the importance of OPSEC. No matter how much you like your neighbors, never put all your cards on the table. Be sure to keep some things private, like your food stores, back-up weapons, caches and ammo stores. If desperate people have to one day make decisions between their families or their neighbors, you can be certain that family will win every time. They cannot take what they do not know about.
House to Vote on Ron Paul Bill to Audit the Federal Reserve
House to Vote on Ron Paul Bill to Audit the Federal Reserve
GOP leadership in the House of Representatives announced that legislation to thoroughly audit the secretive Federal Reserve, a wildly popular measure pushed by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) for decades, will come up for a floor vote in July. Honest-money advocates and pro-transparency activists celebrated the news as a historic opportunity to rein in the central bank, which has come under heavy fire — especially in recent years — for debasing the U.S. dollar, manipulating markets, and showering big banks with trillions in bailouts.
The legislation, H.R. 459, already has over 225 co-sponsors in the House including an impressive roster of senior Democrats and Republicans, some of whom chair important committees. In the Senate, however, a similar bill has only about 20 co-sponsors so far, forcing Audit-the-Fed activists to wage a massive campaign aimed at exposing Senators who refuse to support transparency at the shadowy central bank. Polls in recent years revealed that four out of five Americans support auditing the Fed.
“The Fed has proven it cannot be trusted and must be audited. While the banksters’ dangerous schemes have been going on for years, the bailouts exposed the trillions being stolen from the American people,” noted Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a sponsor of the Senate legislation and the son of Congressman Ron Paul. “It is time to Audit the Fed. Time to shine a bright spotlight on the largest theft in American history.”
But victory in what Sen. Paul called this “vital effort to rein in the Federal Reserve” will not be easy, he noted. The establishment is already fighting back hard against the plan in an effort to shield the controversial institution from public scrutiny. And as the battle heats up, the Fed and its supporters will not give up easily.
“As we enter this critical time, we have an unprecedented chance to finish this fight and finally hold the Fed accountable for all it has done to wreck our economy and endanger our nation,” Sen. Paul concluded. “Don’t let this opportunity slip away.”
Experts and economic analysts have long said that if citizens understood what was really going on behind closed doors at the privately owned central bank, a tsunami of outrage would almost certainly force politicians to shut down the Fed and restore honest money once and for all. Even a watered-down audit, passed as part of the broader Dodd-Frank financial-reform bill, exposed blatant conflicts of interest among top Fed officials as well as some $16 trillion in Fed bailouts to big banks around the world.
Public outrage was unprecedented. Millions of Americans who had never even seriously contemplated the institution or its functions demanded reform. And lawmakers, political candidates, and grassroots organizations — realizing that there was no way the cat was going back in the bag — eventually jumped on the bandwagon, too.
“This historic moment is only possible thanks to your relentless pressure. Now we must turn up the heat to secure victory — first in the House and then in Harry Reid’s U.S. Senate,” wrote Vice-President Matt Hawes of the freedom-promoting Campaign for Liberty, one of the organizations leading the public battle for an audit that is planning a huge operation to make sure the legislation becomes law. “Now, we just need to show Congress the American people demand action on the Audit the Fed bill.”
GOP leadership in the House of Representatives announced that legislation to thoroughly audit the secretive Federal Reserve, a wildly popular measure pushed by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) for decades, will come up for a floor vote in July. Honest-money advocates and pro-transparency activists celebrated the news as a historic opportunity to rein in the central bank, which has come under heavy fire — especially in recent years — for debasing the U.S. dollar, manipulating markets, and showering big banks with trillions in bailouts.
The legislation, H.R. 459, already has over 225 co-sponsors in the House including an impressive roster of senior Democrats and Republicans, some of whom chair important committees. In the Senate, however, a similar bill has only about 20 co-sponsors so far, forcing Audit-the-Fed activists to wage a massive campaign aimed at exposing Senators who refuse to support transparency at the shadowy central bank. Polls in recent years revealed that four out of five Americans support auditing the Fed.
“The Fed has proven it cannot be trusted and must be audited. While the banksters’ dangerous schemes have been going on for years, the bailouts exposed the trillions being stolen from the American people,” noted Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a sponsor of the Senate legislation and the son of Congressman Ron Paul. “It is time to Audit the Fed. Time to shine a bright spotlight on the largest theft in American history.”
But victory in what Sen. Paul called this “vital effort to rein in the Federal Reserve” will not be easy, he noted. The establishment is already fighting back hard against the plan in an effort to shield the controversial institution from public scrutiny. And as the battle heats up, the Fed and its supporters will not give up easily.
“As we enter this critical time, we have an unprecedented chance to finish this fight and finally hold the Fed accountable for all it has done to wreck our economy and endanger our nation,” Sen. Paul concluded. “Don’t let this opportunity slip away.”
Experts and economic analysts have long said that if citizens understood what was really going on behind closed doors at the privately owned central bank, a tsunami of outrage would almost certainly force politicians to shut down the Fed and restore honest money once and for all. Even a watered-down audit, passed as part of the broader Dodd-Frank financial-reform bill, exposed blatant conflicts of interest among top Fed officials as well as some $16 trillion in Fed bailouts to big banks around the world.
Public outrage was unprecedented. Millions of Americans who had never even seriously contemplated the institution or its functions demanded reform. And lawmakers, political candidates, and grassroots organizations — realizing that there was no way the cat was going back in the bag — eventually jumped on the bandwagon, too.
“This historic moment is only possible thanks to your relentless pressure. Now we must turn up the heat to secure victory — first in the House and then in Harry Reid’s U.S. Senate,” wrote Vice-President Matt Hawes of the freedom-promoting Campaign for Liberty, one of the organizations leading the public battle for an audit that is planning a huge operation to make sure the legislation becomes law. “Now, we just need to show Congress the American people demand action on the Audit the Fed bill.”
» Defense Department Seeks Legal Authority to Deploy Reservists onto American Streets Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!
Susanne Posel
Infowars.com
May 26, 2012
Thanks to Posse Comitatis, the US military are forbidden from responding on the streets of America whenever the whim is announced.
The Posse Comitatus Act, Section 1385, states that only under “circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress” can the military presence on American streets is allowed.
Yet, if the Defense Department has their way, a new authorization act will give them the power to order the armed forces to be used against the American public.
Air Force reservists are slated to be the new response team for domestic disturbances. Disseminated from Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and other reserve agencies, these men and women could be called to be first response to natural disasters within the US. The legislation would extend mobilizations for indeterminate periods of time.
The AFRC affirms that reservists are traditionally not used in “homeland disaster response”. The governors of individual states can request the National Guard’s assistance during a natural disaster when local law enforcement becomes overwhelmed.
Our reservists have been asked and often volunteer to assist after disasters hit the homeland,” said Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., chief of Air Force Reserve and AFRC commander. “Mobilizing needed reservists will help sustain their support for longer periods and make operations more efficient. We mobilize reservists to handle contingencies overseas, so it makes sense that we do that to take care of our own country.”
Because of the specialized training that reservists are given in dealing with disasters, the US government has decided they would be perfect as a first response team.
read full article here» Defense Department Seeks Legal Authority to Deploy Reservists onto American Streets Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!
Infowars.com
May 26, 2012
Thanks to Posse Comitatis, the US military are forbidden from responding on the streets of America whenever the whim is announced.The Posse Comitatus Act, Section 1385, states that only under “circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress” can the military presence on American streets is allowed.
Yet, if the Defense Department has their way, a new authorization act will give them the power to order the armed forces to be used against the American public.
Air Force reservists are slated to be the new response team for domestic disturbances. Disseminated from Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and other reserve agencies, these men and women could be called to be first response to natural disasters within the US. The legislation would extend mobilizations for indeterminate periods of time.
The AFRC affirms that reservists are traditionally not used in “homeland disaster response”. The governors of individual states can request the National Guard’s assistance during a natural disaster when local law enforcement becomes overwhelmed.
Our reservists have been asked and often volunteer to assist after disasters hit the homeland,” said Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., chief of Air Force Reserve and AFRC commander. “Mobilizing needed reservists will help sustain their support for longer periods and make operations more efficient. We mobilize reservists to handle contingencies overseas, so it makes sense that we do that to take care of our own country.”
Because of the specialized training that reservists are given in dealing with disasters, the US government has decided they would be perfect as a first response team.
read full article here» Defense Department Seeks Legal Authority to Deploy Reservists onto American Streets Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!
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