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Congressman Ron Paul: ‘End the Fed’ Now
Source: CNS News Submitted: 12/04/2008
“They (the Federal Reserve Banks) are the official counterfeiters,” Paul told CNSNews.com. “The Constitution says only gold and silver can be used as legal tender. Printing paper money or creating money with a computer is not permissible, and economically it’s a disaster.”

Several thousand demonstrators rallied in 45 cities around the country on the Saturday before Thanksgiving trying to draw attention to Paul's "End the Fed Campaign" and to collect 1 million signatures by Jan. 22, 2009 to present to the new Congress in support of his proposed legislation.  Read full article »
FBI agents stage sting to snare corrupt cops
Source: AP Submitted: 12/04/2008
CHICAGO – Duffel bags stuffed with cocaine were delivered by plane to an out-of-the-way suburban airport while two sheriff's officers provided security. A police officer stood by to guard the cash and keep out the riffraff at a poker game where $100,000 changed hands. And a drug dealer was told squad cars marked "sheriff" and "sheriff's police" might be available on a "freelance" basis to provide protection for his deliveries.

Such tales of law enforcement gone awry emerged in court papers Tuesday as federal prosecutors unveiled a series of elaborate sting operations aimed at officers who hired out to ride shotgun for drug deals and other criminal activities.

Fifteen officers and two other men who had pretended to be law enforcement officers were charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine or heroin or both.  Read full article »
The Federal government hates competition. You've got to admit it's a good racket. Especially the part where they can actually fly the drugs in, distribute the drugs, protect the "dealers" and always have the fallback excuse of being "deep undercover." (In the RARE event that something they can't control gets in the way.)
Flashback: A Coverup That Won’t Stay Covered
Source: Lew Rockwell Submitted: 12/04/2008
CNN recently reported that "the Justice Department is re-examining its investigation into the 1995 death of a federal prisoner that the victim’s family alleges was murder at the hands of the government."

The victim was Kenneth Michael Trentadue.

At 7 AM on August 21, 1995, officials from the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s office arrived at the new Oklahoma City Federal Transfer Center for the body of a man recently picked up for parole violation who allegedly was a suicide by hanging. The astonished state officials saw a body with scalp split to the skull in three places, throat slashed, and a body completely covered in blood, bruises and burns.

As law requires, the officials asked to see the cell in which the alleged suicide occurred. Federal officials pulled rank and refused on the grounds that a federal investigation was underway. A federal investigation was not underway.  Read full article »
See also: "In the Matter of Kenneth Michael Trentadue"

Part 1
http://www.mccurtain.com/cgi-bin/okcscript.cgi?record=1464

Part 2
http://www.mccurtain.com/cgi-bin/okcscript.cgi?record=1463

part 3
http://www.mccurtain.com/cgi-bin/okcscript.cgi?record=1462

part 4
http://www.mccurtain.com/cgi-bin/okcscript.cgi?record=1461

part 5
http://www.mccurtain.com/cgi-bin/okcscript.cgi?record=1460
Next terror attack on US will originate from Pakistan
Source: Yahoo India Submitted: 12/03/2008
--The US says the tribal areas in northwest Pakistan, where the government exerts little control, are a haven for militants from both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.  Read full article »
And out of nowhere, there is a new boogieman to justify an escalation of "US involvement" in the region.

Whether or not the "next attack" actually comes from Pakistan, Afghanistan, or FalseFlagistan is, of course, totally irrelevant. Whatever the Obama admin says will be taken as gospel and former opponents of unilateral acts of US aggression will fall ominously silent. (Not all of them - some will certainly stand in loud / vocal support.) -A TINY minority will remain intellectually consistent.
While our attention is elswhere . . .
Source: JoePlummer.com Submitted: 12/03/2008
--Can you remember when our biggest concerns were . . .

* The war in Iraq and the threat of war
with Iran
* The Patriot Act
* Torture
* Habeas corpus
* Warrantless spying
* The REAL ID Act

It was just a few months ago. Do we still care about these things? We should. These issues are now more dangerous than ever, because . . .When our attention is diverted elsewhere, the sins of the past become entrenched.

The media and the politicians have set a new agenda -- the economy....

--Politicians exploit the crises they create to make us forget about their past transgressions. To win in the long term we must think strategically, and resolve to remove this particular sleight-of-hand from the politicians' bag of tricks.  Read full article »
Please "get involved" with Downsize DC. Make a $5.00 monthly pledge, forward their newsletters, join the thousands of monthly users who write our "representatives" using Downsize DC's electronic lobbying system.

...this is great organization doing important work on a small budget. They will put your support to good use.
Pentagon To Deploy 20,000 Troops On US Soil
Source: Washington Post Submitted: 12/01/2008
The Pentagon's plan calls for three rapid-reaction forces to be ready for emergency response by September 2011. The first 4,700-person unit, built around an active-duty combat brigade based at Fort Stewart, Ga., was available as of Oct. 1, said Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., commander of the U.S. Northern Command.  Read full article »
Linked to "digg" for comments.
Supporters of the "Federal Reserve System"
Source: JoePlummer.com Submitted: 12/01/2008
...A good prosecutor picks out the best evidence to make his / her case. The real "case" to be made here (in my opinion) is that our fractional reserve banking system is a predatory and dangerous system. It benefits the few at the expense of the many and it is "The Fed" (sitting at the top of the banking system) that directs everything. All the evidence needed to make this case is readily available.

...apologists can ALWAYS deny the nefarious "intent / motive" of those running the Fed...but in the end, it isn't the claimed intent / motive that matters; it's the results.

The Fed Chairman might really believe in the system and he might pull all the levers and push all the buttons he thinks he's supposed to...or, he might know EXACTLY what he is doing; he might know exactly who it will hurt and who it will benefit. In the end, that isn't the main issue. What's most important is that he not have the power, as a believer or conspirator, to do it.  Read full article »
Texas DA reveals evidence against Cheney
Source: Raw Story Submitted: 11/30/2008
--Guerra showed us the Vice President's financial disclosure from last year and it shows he owned shares in the Vanguard Group. Guerra estimates Cheney has $85 million invested in Vanguard and in turn, into the prison companies.

"The problem you have is he now has a direct interest," said Guerra. And according to Guerra, it's a direct interest in making sure the prison companies stay in business.  Read full article »
Legalize Marijuana? And give up all that "private prison profit?" You must be joking.

Far better (more profitable) to jack up "minimum sentences" as high as possible. Ya, let's do that instead.
The Power To Destroy
Source: Lew Rockwell Submitted: 11/30/2008
It’s 2:00 AM. You are aroused from your slumber by the sound of someone’s pounding on your front door. You stumble to the door and open it to find three men in expensive, pin-striped suits who haul you off to a warehouse and, under the threat of "sleeping with the fishes," force you to fork over thousands of dollars to purchase food, clothing, medicine, and other necessities that they promise to donate to the less fortunate – although at that moment you wonder if anyone could possibly be less fortunate than you. The thugs then return you to your humble abode, warning you that they will return to "help" you engage in further "charity" in the future.  Read full article »
Simple physics proves NIST's WTC-7 report wrong (Video)
Source: YouTube Submitted: 11/28/2008
.  Watch here »
And let's not forget the molten iron found in both the WTC dust and steel removed from the WTC site. -It too proves the "official government explanation" is physically impossible.
http://joeplummer.com/the_evidence_is_in.html
FlashBack: The terrorist attack on flight 455
Source: National Security Archive Submitted: 11/28/2008
Washington D.C. May 10, 2005 - Declassified CIA and FBI records posted today on the Web by the National Security Archive at George Washington University identify Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles, who is apparently in Florida seeking asylum, as a former CIA agent and as one of the "engineer[s]" of the 1976 terrorist bombing of Cubana Airlines flight 455 that killed 73 passengers.

The documents include a November 1976 FBI report on the bombing cited in yesterday's New York Times article "Case of Cuban Exile Could Test the U.S. Definition of Terrorist," CIA trace reports covering the Agency's recruitment of Posada in the 1960s, as well as the FBI intelligence reporting on the downing of the plane. The Archive also posted a second FBI report, dated one day after the bombing, in which a confidential source "all but admitted that Posada and [Orlando] Bosch had engineered the bombing of the airline." In addition, the posting includes several documents relating to Bosch and his suspected role in the downing of the jetliner on October 6, 1976.  Read full article »
Dozens of People Killed in Mumbai Attacks
Source: WSJ Submitted: 11/27/2008
At least 101 people were reported killed in blasts and gun attacks across south-central Mumbai late Wednesday evening, as unidentified terrorists took hostages in two of the area's most popular hotels for business travelers and tourists.

Police and gunmen were exchanging occasional gunfire at Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels and an unknown number of people were held hostage, said A.N. Roy, a top police official. Officials said at least six militants had been killed since the overnight attacks began around 9:30 p.m. Pradeep Indulkar, a senior official at the Maharashtra state Home Ministry said 101 people were killed and 287 injured.  Read full article »
If this is blamed on Pakistan it will justify an escalation of "US involvement" in that country. They're already calling it "India's 9/11." How convenient is that? "Pakistani-funded terrorists go on a rampage” justifying a policy of intervention that has already been decided on. –wonders never cease.
On Operation Gladio (and other state-sponsored false flag attacks)
Source: Uruknet Submitted: 11/27/2008
--"You had to attack civilians, the people, women, children, innocent people, unknown people far removed from any political game. The reason was quite simple: to force…the public to turn to the state to ask for greater security."

This was the essence of Operation Gladio, a decades-long covert campaign of terrorism and deceit directed by the intelligence services of the West – against their own populations.

Hundreds of innocent people were killed or maimed in terrorist attacks – on train stations, supermarkets, cafes, offices – which were then blamed on "leftist subversives" or other political opponents. The purpose, as stated above in sworn testimony by Gladio agent Vincenzo Vinciguerra, was to demonize designated enemies and panic the public into supporting ever-increasing powers for government leaders – and their elitist cronies.  Read full article »
FDA Scientists Revolt Against Corrupt Food & Drug Officials
Source: Natural News Submitted: 11/25/2008
A group of scientists working in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health division has revolted against the corrupt managers of its own department, accusing them of committing crimes...(They claim) "There is extensive documentary evidence that managers at CDRH have corrupted and interfered with the scientific review of medical devices."

--The letter from the FDA's own scientists goes on to say, "It is evident that managers at CDRH have deviated from FDA's mission to identify and address underlying problems with medical devices before they cause irreparable harm, and this deviation has placed the American people at risk."  Read full article »
U.S. Pledges Top $7.7 Trillion to Ease Frozen Credit
Source: Bloomberg Submitted: 11/24/2008
Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. government is prepared to provide more than $7.76 trillion on behalf of American taxpayers after guaranteeing $306 billion of Citigroup Inc. debt yesterday. The pledges, amounting to half the value of everything produced in the nation last year, are intended to rescue the financial system after the credit markets seized up 15 months ago.  Read full article »
The Austrians Were Right
Source: Ron Paul Submitted: 11/23/2008
--Today, a major economic crisis is unfolding. New government programs are started daily, and future plans are being made for even more. All are based on the belief that we’re in this mess because free-market capitalism and sound money failed. The obsession is with more spending, bailouts of bad investments, more debt, and further dollar debasement. Many are saying we need an international answer to our problems with the establishment of a world central bank and a single fiat reserve currency. These suggestions are merely more of the same policies that created our mess and are doomed to fail.

At least 90% of the cause for the financial crisis can be laid at the doorstep of the Federal Reserve. It is the manipulation of credit, the money supply, and interest rates that caused the various bubbles to form. Congress added fuel to the fire by various programs and institutions like the Community Reinvestment Act, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, FDIC, and HUD mandates, which were all backed up by aggressive court rulings.

The Fed has now doled out close to $2 trillion in subsidized loans to troubled banks and other financial institutions. The Federal Reserve and Treasury constantly brag about the need for “transparency” and “oversight,” but it’s all just talk — they want none of it. They want secrecy while the privileged are rescued at the expense of the middle class.  Read full article »
Almond Growers Sue USDA to Halt Mandatory Chemical Fumigation
Source: Natural News Submitted: 11/22/2008
--Since the USDA's ruling in 2007, organic almond growers in California have been economically devastated by the mandatory fumigation of almonds. Because USDA rules don't apply to almonds being imported from other countries, however, the industry has seen a huge shift away from U.S. growers and towards almond growers in Spain and other countries. Some American almond farmers have even called the USDA's decision "a plan to destroy the U.S. almond industry and put small organic farmers out of business."

On The USDA's plot to deceive consumers over "raw:"

The mandatory almond fumigation requirement is seen by health-conscious consumers as not merely bizarre, but downright fraudulent. That's because the USDA's regulations allow fumigated and pasteurized almonds to be labeled "raw," thereby intentionally deceiving the consuming public and instantly destroying consumer trust in the labeling of all almonds.
  Read full article »
Is this change? Clintonites and Neocons to Watch for in Obama's White House
Source: Alternet Submitted: 11/21/2008
-- His plan to escalate the war in Afghanistan;

-- An Iraq plan that could turn into a downsized and rebranded occupation that keeps U.S. forces in Iraq for the foreseeable future;

-- His labeling of Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a "terrorist organization;"

-- His pledge to use unilateral force inside of Pakistan to defend U.S. interests;

-- His position, presented before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), that Jerusalem "must remain undivided" -- a remark that infuriated Palestinian officials and which he later attempted to reframe;

-- His plan to continue the War on Drugs, a backdoor U.S. counterinsurgency campaign in Central and Latin America;

-- His refusal to "rule out" using Blackwater and other armed private forces in U.S. war zones, despite previously introducing legislation to regulate these companies and bring them under U.S. law.

Obama did not arrive at these positions in a vacuum. They were carefully crafted in consultation with his foreign policy team. While the verdict is still out on a few people, many members of his inner foreign policy circle -- including some who have received or are bound to receive Cabinet posts -- supported the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Some promoted the myth that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. A few have worked with the neoconservative Project for the New American Century, whose radical agenda was adopted by the Bush/Cheney administration. And most have proven track records of supporting or implementing militaristic, offensive U.S. foreign policy.  Read full article »
Join the "End The Fed" Rally this Saturday
Source: Campaign For Liberty Submitted: 11/20/2008
November 20, 2008

Right now, Americans are looking for answers as our nation undergoes another economic crisis. It is a key component of our message that the Federal Reserve system lies at the heart of these financial problems. This weekend, activists will gather at Fed branches across the country to call for the end of the Federal Reserve System and for a return to sound money.

Ron Paul will be speaking around 12:30 pm central at the Houston "End the Fed" rally on Saturday, and while these rallies are not C4L-sponsored events, we wanted to make sure you were aware of this grassroots effort. The organizers of "End the Fed" have provided us with event background and website information, which is included below.

While enjoying the festivities if you are able to attend, please keep in mind that the organizers are promoting a peaceful event. Anything along the lines of vandalism or violence will only discredit the movement and set back our efforts to reform our nation's monetary system.

The battle to reclaim our Republic is just beginning, and it is a fight that we can and will win if we stick together and work hard.

Matt Hawes
Campaign for Liberty  Read full article »
Campaign for Liberty sent the letter above - I've linked directly to the "End The Fed" website
KashKari grilled on bailout (Partial - Audio)
Source: Prison Planet Submitted: 11/18/2008
.  Listen here »
Panel finds widespread Gulf War illness
Source: Rome News Submitted: 11/17/2008
--The panel focused its research on comparing the brain and nervous system of healthy adults with those of sick Gulf War vets, as well as analyzing changes to the neuroendocrine and immune systems.

It found that in terms of brain function, exposure to pesticides and the PB pills hurts people’s memory, attention and mood. Some people, it notes, are genetically more susceptible to exposures than others.

About half of Gulf War personnel are believed to have taken PB tablets during deployment, with the greatest use among ground troops and those in forward positions.  Read full article »
Study Confirms Genetically Modified (GM) Crops Threaten Human Fertility and Health Safety
Source: ResponsibleTechnology.org Submitted: 11/15/2008
--A book by author Jeffrey M. Smith, Genetic Roulette, distributed to members of congress last year, documents 65 serious health risks of GM products, including similar fertility problems with GM soy and GM corn: Offspring of rats fed GM soy showed a five-fold increase in mortality, lower birth weights, and the inability to reproduce. Male mice fed GM soy had damaged young sperm cells. The embryo offspring of GM soy-fed mice had altered DNA functioning. Several US farmers reported sterility or fertility problems among pigs and cows fed on GM corn varieties. Additionally, over the last two months, investigators in India have documented fertility problems, abortions, premature births, and other serious health issues, including deaths, among buffaloes fed GM cottonseed products.  Read full article »
Celente Predicts Revolution, Food Riots, Tax Rebellions By 2012
Source: Prison Planet Submitted: 11/13/2008
The man who predicted the 1987 stock market crash and the fall of the Soviet Union is now forecasting revolution in America, food riots and tax rebellions - all within four years, while cautioning that putting food on the table will be a more pressing concern than buying Christmas gifts by 2012.

Gerald Celente, the CEO of Trends Research Institute, is renowned for his accuracy in predicting future world and economic events, which will send a chill down your spine considering what he told Fox News this week.

Celente says that by 2012 America will become an undeveloped nation, that there will be a revolution marked by food riots, squatter rebellions, tax revolts and job marches, and that holidays will be more about obtaining food, not gifts.  Read full article »
Another great article that everyone should pay close attention to.

If you're interested in supporting the work of those who are out there "digging this information up," please consider subscribing to http://prisonplanet.tv

And if you're ready to buy some long-term storable food, this is a reputable company that
I've purchased nearly all of my supplies (food and other important items) from:
http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-3137413-10363748
Obama’s Civil Defense Program
Source: Prison Planet Submitted: 11/12/2008
--Asked by Smith about the universal service plan and whether people would have to live in military barracks, Emanuel laughed before responding, “We’re going to have universal civil defense training, somewhere between the ages of 18 to 25 you will do three months of training….but there can be nothing wrong with all Americans having a joint similar experience of what we call civil defense training or civil service in service of the country, in preparation, which will give people a sense of what it means to be an American.”

In response to the point that the program was significantly expanded in comparison to what the U.S. government already has in place, Emanuel responded, “Guess what - we have a lot more challenges so we are going to need a lot to do it.”  Read full article »
Government To Confiscate 401(k)s and IRAs For Mandatory Savings Tax?
Source: Prison Planet Submitted: 11/12/2008
--Would the government risk a widespread revolt and potential riots by confiscating 401(k)s and IRAs? They probably wouldn’t brazenly do it under that banner, but in the name of financial reform and saving the economy, Americans could find their voluntary retirement savings stolen and replaced by a government promise of a completely devalued mandatory savings account.  Read full article »
FDA Set to Approve Genetically Engineered Animals
Source: Natural News Submitted: 11/11/2008
(NaturalNews) Genetically Engineered grains have been in existence for several years, amidst many concerns from various organizations and individuals. Now, the FDA is set to approve Genetically Engineered Animals to be introduced into the food chain.  Read full article »
On Aspartame and Aspartic Acid
Source: Answers.com Submitted: 11/11/2008
The artificial sweetener aspartame has been the subject of a vigorous public controversy regarding its safety and the circumstances around its approval. A few studies have recommended further investigation into the possible connection between aspartame and diseases such as brain tumors, brain lesions, and lymphoma.[1][2][3] These findings, combined with alleged conflicts of interest in the approval process, have engendered vocal activism regarding the possible risks of aspartame.[4][5]

--Aspartic Acid: Food contains aspartic acid as an amino acid bound to proteins. Approximately 40% of aspartame (by mass) is broken down into aspartic acid. Because aspartame is metabolized and absorbed very quickly (unlike aspartic acid-containing proteins in foods), it is known that aspartame can spike blood plasma levels of aspartate to very high levels.[23][35] Large spikes in blood plasma aspartate levels have not been seen when ingesting natural foods.

Aspartic acid belongs to a class of chemicals that in high concentrations act as an excitotoxin, inflicting damage on brain and nerve cells. High levels of excitotoxins have been shown in hundreds of animal studies to cause damage to areas of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier and a variety of chronic diseases arising out of this neurotoxicity.[36][37]  Read full article »
Brown says time to build global society
Source: Reuters Submitted: 11/10/2008
LONDON (Reuters) - The international financial crisis has given world leaders a unique opportunity to create a truly global society, Prime Minister Gordon Brown will say in a keynote foreign policy speech on Monday.

In his annual speech at the Lord Mayor's Banquet, Brown -- who has spearheaded calls for the reform of international financial institutions -- will say Britain, the United States and Europe are key to forging a new world order.

"The alliance between Britain and the U.S. -- and more broadly between Europe and the U.S. -- can and must provide leadership, not in order to make the rules ourselves, but to lead the global effort to build a stronger and more just international order," an excerpt from the speech says.  Read full article »
From "Meet The System:"

"By weakening us financially, those who control our monetary system are incrementally increasing their leverage. A wealthy, proud, and independent nation would never willingly surrender its sovereignty and ability to choose its own destiny. An economically devastated nation, chaotic and struggling to maintain social order is another story all together."
Forget the Honeymoon - Obama's picks are "troubling" to say the least
Source: AntiWar Submitted: 11/09/2008
--He's mean, he's ultra-partisan, and he's a fully-paid up member in good standing of the War Party: during the Democratic primaries in 2006, when Emanuel headed up the Dems' congressional operation, he backed pro-war candidates over antiwar Democrats every time.

--When the House Democratic majority passed a military appropriations bill slated for Iraq, a clause that would have prohibited an attack on Iran without a vote in Congress was deleted at the instigation of Emanuel and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. When Rep. John Murtha presaged the popular rebellion against the Iraq war by coming out against it in no uncertain terms, Emanuel urged Pelosi to refrain from endorsing his call for withdrawal, arguing that it would hurt the Democrats politically.  Read full article »
In 2000, Bush campaigned on a platform of "no nation building" a "humble foreign policy" and "limited government."

As soon as he got into power, he began hiring NeoCons; “men” with ZERO respect for Bush’s platform. (In fact, the NeoCons were well known / ARE well known for being openly hostile to the promises that won Bush the Presidency.)

History repeating itself?

Or, to put it another way: If you campaigned on "getting rid of the porn industry," why in the world would you (as soon as you took power) begin putting porn stars, porn producers, porn distributors, and diehard fans of porn into positions of power?
Should Kids Be Able to Graduate After 10th Grade?
Source: Yahoo News Submitted: 11/07/2008
High school sophomores should be ready for college by age 16. That's the message from New Hampshire education officials, who announced plans Oct. 30 for a new rigorous state board of exams to be given to 10th graders. Students who pass will be prepared to move on to the state's community or technical colleges, skipping the last two years of high school. (See pictures of teens and how they would vote.)

Once implemented, the new battery of tests is expected to guarantee higher competency in core school subjects, lower dropout rates and free up millions of education dollars. Students may take the exams - which are modeled on existing AP or International Baccalaureate tests - as many times as they need to pass. Or those who want to go to a prestigious university may stay and finish the final two years, taking a second, more difficult set of exams senior year. "We want students who are ready to be able to move on to their higher education," says Lyonel Tracy, New Hampshire's Commissioner for Education. "And then we can focus even more attention on those kids who need more help to get there."  Read full article »
-If you ask me, this is an excellent idea.

I despised government "education" for a variety of reasons, but I might not have chosen my own "early graduation route" (dropped out so I could just get my GED later on) had there been a program that enabled me to "officially graduate" early.

That said, the idea that the government should get its hands on kids at an even earlier age is NOT a good idea. Read "The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America" and you'll believe as I do: The less time the state has to experiment on your kids the better.
Advancing the New World Order - Under Obama (Audio)
Source: Prison Planet Submitted: 11/06/2008
.  Listen here »
From the the understandably pessimistic audio segment above, to the cautiously optimistic interview below (Lew Rockwell / Andrew Napolitano) the important thing to remember is to judge Obama by his ACTIONS, not his words.
Greater Respect for Civil Liberties Under Obama? (Audio - Recommended)
Source: Lew Rockwell Submitted: 11/05/2008
Lew Rockwell interviews Judge Andrew Napolitano, Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst and author of "Nation of Sheep" and "Constitutional Chaos: What Happens When the Government Breaks Its Own Laws."  Listen here »
Barack Obama elected 44th president
Source: MSNBC Submitted: 11/04/2008
Barack Obama, a 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois, shattered more than 200 years of history Tuesday night by winning election as the first African-American president of the United States.

A crowd of 125,000 people jammed Grant Park in Chicago, where Obama addressed the nation for the first time as its president-elect at midnight ET. Hundreds of thousands more — Mayor Richard Daley said he would not be surprised if a million Chicagoans jammed the streets — watched on a large television screen outside the park.  Read full article »
If Rudy Giuliani would have won the Presidency, I would have gone insane.

Hillary Clinton would have had nearly the exact same effect.

John McCain would have been third and the least upsetting to me (for a variety of reasons - not the least of which is what it says about the declining power / ignorance of "racism") is Obama.

No, I did not vote for Obama. (I believe Ron Paul is the only person who would have aggressively attacked the corrupt system that’s destroying our country.) That said, I do have some hope Obama will live up, at least partially, to the “promise of hope” he campaigned on. He can start by repealing / ending all of the unconstitutional abuses of power enjoyed by the Bush administration. God forbid, he might even consider holding the administration accountable for its crimes against our country (and the rest of the world.)

If he does not address these and other VERY important issues; if he only uses his superior wit and charm to "sell America" on bigger / more intrusive and abusive government, if he only uses his position of power to surrender more of our national sovereignty to global interests (weakening the protections enshrined in Constitution and Bill of Rights) then he will be an even greater threat than Bush and Cheney. We'll find out soon enough.
Federal hordes pillage Mongol property
Source: DownsizeDC.org Submitted: 11/03/2008
--Civil asset forfeiture was already wrong. The government has no right to seize property without a trial and conviction. But now Judge Cooper and the Justice Department have taken it to a whole new level . . .

* An organization could lose its trademark because of the alleged crimes of some of its members.
* Normal asset forfeiture only seizes property alleged to have been used for illegal purposes, but now the government can take property simply because it sports the wrong logo!
* People completely unrelated to any indictment are now having their property seized too!

Civil asset forfeiture already violates the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Amendments to the Constitution. Now it endangers the First Amendment too. Government officials could trump-up charges against any organization they don't like, seize its name, and put it out of business!  Read full article »
From Downsize DC's "End Asset Forfeiture" page:

"Let's be clear about what civil asset forfeiture is not:

* It's not confiscation of contraband or illegal goods
* It's not property that has been withheld as evidence during a criminal investigation.
* It's not a fine or restitution imposed on someone duly convicted of a crime

Civil asset forfeiture instead refers to legal property or cash owned by individuals not charged with any crime, which is nevertheless seized by law enforcement agents who merely suspect it was used in a crime.

* If tens of thousands of dollars in cash are found in a person's home, it is automatically suspected of having been used in drug dealing, because no "normal" person would have that much cash lying around. "Odd or eccentric people", who distrust banks and keep their savings at home, are at risk.
* If trace amounts of marijuana are found in a vehicle, the vehicle may be seized, even if the owner was unaware that any drugs were transported in the vehicle.

The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA), was intended to correct some of the worst abuses. (More information on the history of Civil Asset Forfeiture and CAFRA are found on our Background page.) But abuses and outrages continue . . ."

You can send your message here:

https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/99
Avoid Flu Shots, Take Vitamin D Instead
Source: Lew Rockwell Submitted: 11/01/2008
--Vaccination coverage among the elderly increased from 15% in 1980 to 65% now, but there has been no decrease in deaths from influenza and pneumonia (Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2008;178:527–33). As one vaccine researcher puts it, "I think the evidence base [for mortality benefits from flu shots] we have leaned on is not valid" (Lancet Infect Dis 2007;7:658–66).

There is also a lack of evidence that young children benefit from flu shots. A systematic review of 51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;1:CD004879).

--After officials select the three strains of flu virus that they think are most likely to be circulating during the next winter season (they picked the wrong ones last year), vaccine makers grow the viruses in fertilized chicken eggs, with 500,000 eggs per day (each examined by hand) for up to eight months. Formaldehyde is used to inactivate the virus. It is a known cancer-causing agent. Aluminum is added to promote an antibody response. It is a neurotoxin that may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. Other additives and adjuvants in the flu vaccine include Triton X-100 (a detergent), Polysorbate 80, carbolic acid, ethylene glycol (antifreeze), gelatin, and various antibiotics – neomycin, streptomycin, and gentamicin – that can cause allergic reactions in some people.  Read full article »
Government orchestrates violence – government gets what it wants
Source: Prison Planet Submitted: 10/30/2008
--Cossiga, former Italian President, Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, and one of the founders of the Operation GLADIO covert intelligence unit, encouraged Silvio Berlusconi and current Minister of the Interior Robert Maroni to “do what I did when I was Minister of the Interior,” namely infiltrate what so far have been relatively peaceful demonstrations, radicalize them, start riots, then engender public support for a heavy-handed police response.

Cossiga’s full statement translated reads as follows.

“Maroni should do what I did when I was Minister of the Interior. University students? Let them do what they want. Withdraw the police from streets and universities, infiltrate the movement with provoking agents ready for anything ["agenti provocatori" is the Italian term] and let them devastate shops, put fire to the cars and put cities to the sword for ten days.

Then, strengthen by people’s support, the sound of the sirens from ambulances will have to overwhelm that from the police and carabinieri [italian military police]. Law enforcement officers should pitilessly beat the shit out of protesters and send them all to the hospital..."  Read full article »
Fluoride Added To Children’s Milk In Schools Throughout UK City
Source: Prison Planet Submitted: 10/30/2008
--While Fluoride has been proven to have a minimal effect in the prevention of tooth decay, the negative effects of the chemical are legion according to several medical studies, far outweighing any positive aspects.

A recent Scientific American study “Concluded that fluoride can subtly alter endocrine function, especially in the thyroid — the gland that produces hormones regulating growth and metabolism.”

The report also notes that “a series of epidemiological studies in China have associated high fluoride exposures with lower IQ.”  Read full article »
Alex Jones had Steve Watson on to talk about the article above - you can listen here:
http://tree3.com/sound/aj/fluoride10.29.08.mp3
Socialist or National Socialist? Take Your Pick
Source: Lew Rockwell Submitted: 10/29/2008
--So here’s your choice on election day: McMussolini (as Ilana Mercer calls him) or ObaMarx. Take your pick. Or do the patriotic thing and stay home. Don’t vote. It only gives them a reason to claim that "the people have spoken" and that they have a "mandate" to ruin our country.  Read full article »
John Stossel's mighty megaphone (Recommended)
Source: DownsizeDC.org Submitted: 10/29/2008
If you oppose fiat currency and centralized government banking, and would like to abolish the Federal Reserve and legal tender laws in favor of free market banking and free market money . . .

And you think the best way to achieve these things is to put the right people -- people who believe as you do -- in positions of power, then . . .

It would have been reasonable to assume, prior to seeing him in action, that Alan Greenspan was the "right person" to head the Federal Reserve.

You could have justifiably assumed, based on Greenspan's previous writings and statements, that he would use his position to not only control the damage done by the Fed, but also to argue for its abolition.

None of these things happened. Instead, the opposite happened. Greenspan betrayed every economic principle he had previously professed. Putting a presumed "right person" in a position of power did not have the right result.  Read full article »
Well written - many excellent points. Check it out and, if you can, please support Downsize DC. A monthly pledge of $5 or $10 goes a long way in this organization.
How Merck made a killing
Source: Prospect Magazine Submitted: 10/28/2008
--The average community physician in the US does not have time to read medical journals in detail. They rely much more on the visits of drug company sales representatives. Merck had assigned 3,000 US salespeople to Vioxx. They were coached on how to move the conversation from chat about sports or the weather onto healthcare and then Merck products. They were taught how to identify and focus on the physicians who appeared to be the "thought leader" in a department or hospital, and offer them speaking engagements, provided they delivered "favourable yet balanced" opinions on Vioxx. If a doctor asked about heart risks, the reps were told not to mention the Vigor results. Instead, they brought out a pamphlet stating that patients on other painkillers were eight times more likely to die from heart attacks. The figure came from a series of small trials in which heart problems had not even been properly monitored. An FDA expert later described the pamphlet as "scientifically inappropriate" and "ridiculous." But that was not until 2005, when the drug had been withdrawn.

--What do the Vioxx documents tell us? The obvious answer is that the regulation of drugs is a mess. Merck handed over much of the data required by the FDA and its British equivalent, yet still the dangers were not spotted until too late. There is a simple way to fix this. Every aspect of every drugs study involving humans should be made public. It would have been far harder for Merck to have been selective about the results of the Vioxx trials if the raw data had been placed in a public database. When Merck's marketing department made claims about Vioxx's safety, anyone with an interest in the answer would have been able to check the real data, and the dangers of the drug would have become clearer years earlier.

The documents also tell us something about scientists and human nature. It is no surprise that marketing divisions spin results, but we expect scientists to be objective. This assumption is dangerous. The company's researchers did not receive an edict from the board demanding a cover up, or an email suggesting the deaths of patients be ignored. In fact, several senior Merck staff say their own relatives were taking Vioxx up until its withdrawal. The problem was that so many scientists at Merck stood to gain if Vioxx did well. When it came to judging risks, risks that in many cases were borderline and could be ascribed to other causes, they were unable to make the right call.  Read full article »
Scientists Erase Specific Memories in Mice
Source: Yahoo News Submitted: 10/26/2008
--According to Tsien, the animal study illustrates how the targeted erasure of specific memories might be genetically triggered in a controlled and harmless manner.

The authors stressed that their work is in its infancy, but they believe it opens up the theoretical possibility of therapeutic applications for humans down the road. Memory erasure might help relieve trauma among people plagued by fearful memories, such as those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for example.  Read full article »
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