World-News

Aug 9 2007

Report by Rhys Griffiths


HOMEOWNERS in Temple Ewell said they felt "cheated" after the parish council failed to consult with them about the erection of a T-Mobile mast behind their houses.

Angry parishioners claimed that the first they knew about it was when its construction began last month.

As a result, residents said they were unable to express their concerns, particularly at the health risks to their families and the pupils at nearby Temple Ewell Primary School.

Read More...
http://tinyurl.com/328pwx

Inside Bush's Power Grab

by Aziz Huq, TheNation.com
http://ga3.org/ct/y720pgF1SRKn/



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=power+grab
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=surveillance
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Aziz+Huq

Kevin G. Hall and Robert A. Rankin report for McClatchy Newspapers: "Wild mood swings on Wall Street are nothing new, but the recent quaking in financial markets has a worrisome new wrinkle: It's being driven more by what isn't known than by what is. That's because a huge share of the money that's flowing through US financial markets is being invested by giant 'hedge funds' that aren't subject to much regulation. No one really knows what they own. And there's a chance that some of what they own is worthless."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907I.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Hedge+Funds

Diane Carman writes for the Denver Post: "Edith Williams is certain that her phone is being tapped, and nobody can convince her otherwise. I wouldn't dare try... After all, it doesn't matter whether the government actually is eavesdropping on Williams' phone calls - or yours or mine. Just knowing that some government goon can listen for any reason - or no reason at all - can make a person think twice about expressing dissent."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907F.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=eavesdropping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Diane+Carman

Susan Landau reports for The Washington Post: "To avoid wiretapping every communication, NSA will need to build massive automatic surveillance capabilities into telephone switches. Here things get tricky: Once such infrastructure is in place, others could use it to intercept communications. Grant the NSA what it wants, and within 10 years the United States will be vulnerable to attacks from hackers across the globe, as well as the militaries of China, Russia and other nations."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907D.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=FISA
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=National+Security+Agency
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=surveillance
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Susan+Landau

Aziz Huq writes for The Nation, "The Protect America Act of 2007--the title alone ought to be warning that unsavory motives are at work--is the most recent example of the national security waltz, a three-step Administration maneuver for taking defeat and turning it into victory."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907C.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=data-mining
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Aziz+Huq

Baubiologen und Umweltmediziner fordern die Einführung eines Grenzwertes für hochfrequente Strahlung von Energiesparlampen.

http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/25/25919/1.html



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Energiesparlampen

Im Juni veröffentlichte der Deutsche Journalistenverband einen Appell mit historischen Wurzeln, um gegen die Beschneidung der Meinungs- und Pressefreiheit durch die Bundesregierung zu protestieren - der Appell ist heute aktueller denn je.

http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/25/25924/1.html



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Pressefreiheit

Wegen ihrer Artenvielfalt werden sie auch Regenwald der Ozeane genannt. Nun wurde bekannt, dass sie noch schneller schrumpfen, als ihre Namensgeber.

http://www.heise.de/tp/blogs/2/94074

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0808-05.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Bernie+Sanders

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0809-06.htm

--------

Civil Rights Group Seeks Court's Spying Rulings

James Vicini reports for Reuters, "A US civil liberties group said on Wednesday it is asking a federal court to disclose its recent legal opinions on the Bush administration's authority to engage in secret wiretapping of Americans."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907B.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=ACLU
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/09/3077/



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=GOP
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Jesse+Jackson

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/09/3071/



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Nixon
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=John+Nichols

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/09/3084/



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Bruce+Dixon

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/09/3074/



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Obama
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=lobbyist

http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?list=type&type=135



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=CodePink

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/codepink/postcard.jsp?postcard_KEY=250



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=CodePink

Kara Oppenheim reports for The Hill, "Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Wednesday set an August 20 deadline for the Bush administration to produce documents related to the panel's probe of the National Security Agency's wiretapping program."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907M.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Leahy

Karissa Marcum reports for The Hill, "On Friday night, 12 senators missed the vote to expand the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, while 13 House members did not vote on Saturday and Sunday morning."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907L.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=FISA
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=surveillance

Peter Baker reports for The Washington Post, "President Bush said yesterday that he is considering a fresh plan to cut tax rates for US corporations to make them more competitive around the world, an initiative that could further inflame a battle with the Democratic Congress over spending and taxes and help define the remainder of his tenure."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907K.shtml

Jason Leopold reports for Truthout: "The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was enacted by Congress in 1978 after lawmakers discovered widespread abuses by the Nixon administration involving covert activities against American citizens. The legislation Congress passed last week, and signed into law by Bush, dismantles the safeguards Congress put into place nearly three decades ago."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907J.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=FISA
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Jason+Leopold

By Neeta Dutta

World wide worry: the potential health risk of WiFi internet has Haringey Council asking schools to use networks only when neccesary

School governors in Haringey have been advised to examine their WiFi internet access provision as health concerns about wireless technology intensifies.

Read More...
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/indepth/features/display.var.1606419.0.the_web_without_wires.php



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Wi-Fi
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Wi-Fi

MOST technology comes at a cost, and mobile phones are no exception. The ability to make and receive calls in the street, in the car or even at the top of a mountain is a wonderful thing, but the downside is the huge network of radio masts required to make the system function.

Not only are these masts often unsightly - despite the efforts of mobile phone companies to disguise them as trees or flagpoles - but some of us also suspect they are bad for our health.

Read More...
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/display.var.1605403.0.0.php

Fox News
by Mike Baker

08/08/07

This past week produced these two gems, one from the Republican side and one from the Democratic field of candidates: ‘There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will.’ That of course was from Barack Obama, who later came under fire from Pakistani government officials for his odd James Cagney impersonation. Apparently, the Pakistanis did some checking and confirmed that, yes, they are a sovereign nation and ally of the United States, making Obama’s comments somewhat inflammatory and, uhh, stupid...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292465,00.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Obama
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Musharraf
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Pakistan
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Mike+Baker

AlterNet
by Amy Goodman

08/08/07

Rupert Murdoch is looking like the cat that ate the canary with his successful takeover of Dow Jones & Co. and its flagship newspaper, The Wall Street Journal. Media conglomerates like Murdoch’s News Corp. are among the most powerful corporations on the planet. His papers beat the drums for war while distracting with gossip and glitz. Yet people are finding innovative ways to fight back, to demand independent, community-based media. One such effort that you can join is the movement to create new, full-power, noncommercial FM radio stations in the U.S. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The Federal Communications Commission will open a one-week window, Oct. 12-19, during which nonprofit community groups in the U.S. can file applications...

http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/59177/


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Murdoch
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Amy+Goodman

Disloyal Opposition
by JD Tuccille

08/08/07

Not surprisingly, questions are being raised (by me, among others) about Congress’s approval of the Bush administration’s wiretapping bill. The conventional wisdom is that Democrats won control of Congress on a wave of public revulsion toward the war in Iraq and related incursions into civil liberties here at home. The Republicans got booted so that Democrats could at least provide some legislative opposition to the Bush administration’s excesses. So why did the Democrats vote to expand the government’s power to spy on Americans’ without warrants?

http://www.tuccille.com/blog/2007/08/new-fans-for-wiretapping.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=spying
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=warrantless
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Tuccille

Mother Jones
by James K. Galbraith

08/07

Eight years ago in Austin, Texas, pio­neering climate economist Eban Goodstein drew a thin crowd speckled with hecklers, whose buttons demanded, ‘Show Me the Science!’ When he returned this year, the deniers were gone, the room packed, the mood serious. Thanks to Al Gore, people get the science. Now, they want to know what to do. To this, Republicans in Congress answer: nothing. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) has appointed six members to the new climate change committee. Most of them had been global-warming skeptics; now they’re policy skeptics. As Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) stated: ‘We must be careful not to enact policies that will unnecessarily impose a financial burden on American families.’ Their new button reads: ‘Show Me the Economics!’

http://tinyurl.com/2otgp6


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=warming+skeptics
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=John+Boehner
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=John+Shadegg
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=James+K.+Galbraith

Human Events
by Jacob Sullum

08/08/07

When you talk to your mother on the phone, do you have a reasonable expectation of privacy? I thought I had privacy, but apparently I don’t — at least not anymore — because my mother lives in Jerusalem. Under the inaptly named Protect America Act of 2007, which President Bush signed into law on Sunday, the federal government no longer needs a warrant to eavesdrop on phone calls or read e-mail messages between people in the United States and people in other countries. Unless the courts overturn this law or Congress declines to renew it when it expires in six months, Americans will have no legally enforceable privacy rights that protect the content of their international communications...

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21869


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=warrantless
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=eavesdropping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Jacob+Sullum

Salon
by Tim Shorrock

08/09/07

On one level, the engagement of the NGA and the U-2 flights over the Gulf Coast during Katrina were commendable efforts to use America’s vast surveillance powers for the safety and support of its citizens. But at the same time, the incident apparently marked the first time in history that U.S. intelligence agencies created to spy on foreign countries were deployed to collect extensive information on the U.S. ‘homeland.’ Their role during Katrina is just one aspect of an enormous domestic surveillance infrastructure put in place by the Bush administration ever since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks sparked a radical restructuring and expansion of America’s intelligence system. Although the full scope of domestic surveillance under Bush remains elusive, we now know from press accounts, lawsuits, and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and other top Bush officials’ descriptions and denials that the NSA has been involved in multiple domestic surveillance programs — in apparent violation of federal law — including spying on Americans’ telecommunications and Internet traffic, as well as data mining...

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/08/09/domestic_surveillance/


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=surveillance
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=National+Security+Agency
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Gonzales
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=spying
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=data+mining
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Tim+Shorrock

Reason
by Julian Sanchez

Like Bill Murray’s hapless weatherman in Groundhog Day, America is locked in a perpetual September 12, 2001. How else to explain this weekend’s frenzied passage of a sweeping amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), effectively authorizing the program of extrajudicial wiretaps first approved in secret by President George W. Bush shortly after the terrorist attacks of 2001? How else to make sense of a Democratic Congress capitulating to the demands of a wildly unpopular executive for yet another expansion of government surveillance powers, mere months after the disclosure of the rampant abuses that followed the last such expansion? The hasty passage of the massive USA PATRIOT Act, a scant 45 days after those attacks, was ill-considered but understandable. Six years later, however, the administration has grown comfortable with the prerogatives panic affords. And, perversely, it has learned that it can continue to wield those prerogatives even under a Democratic majority, provided it insists on regarding Congress always and only as a last resort...

http://www.reason.com/news/show/121797.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=FISA
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=surveillance
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Julian+Sanchez

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/6563/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=al-Maliki

Reuters reports that "The number of US beaches declared unsafe for swimming reached a record last year, with more than 25,000 cases where shorelines were closed or prompted health advisories, an environmental group reported on Tuesday."

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/080807ED.shtml

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6600AP_WST_Climate_Change_Sierra_Forests.html


Informant: Teresa Binstock

The Associated Press reports, "Coral reefs in much of the Pacific Ocean are dying faster than previously thought, according to a study released Wednesday, with the decline driven by climate change, disease and coastal development."

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/080807EB.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=coral+reefs

Jeremy Laurance, The Independent UK, writes, "After more than 20 million years on the planet, the Yangtze river dolphin is today officially declared extinct, the first species of cetacean to be driven from this planet by human activity."

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/080807EA.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Yangtze+dolphin

Bill Moyers Journal is rebroadcasting the show with constitutional scholar Bruce Fein, who wrote the first article of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, and The Nation's John Nichols, author of "The Genius of Impeachment."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080807V.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Bruce+Fein
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=John+Nichols
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Moyers
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=impeach
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=impeach

The Houston Chronicle's David Ivanovich reports: "More than 1,000 civilian contractors have been killed in Iraq since the US-led invasion more than four years ago, according to Labor Department records made available Tuesday."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080807R.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=contractors

9. August 2007

Zur Einführung einer zentralen Steuerdatei erklärt die stellvertretende Vorsitzende der Partei DIE LINKE, Katina Schubert:

Die Bekämpfung von Steuerhinterziehung zulasten der öffentlichen Haushalte und damit auch der sozial Benachteiligten ist dringend notwendig. Noch immer gilt Steuerbetrug mehr als Volkssport denn als Vergehen. Doch der Zweck heiligt auch hier nicht die Mittel. Eine zentrale Steuerdatei mit hoch sensiblen personenbezogenen Daten weckt bei staatlichen Institutionen und Privaten weitere Begehrlichkeiten nach Zugriff und Verwendung dieser Daten, die eben nicht dem Zwecke der Datenerhebung, nämlich der Ermittlung der Steuerlast dienen. Beispiele davon liefert die bundesdeutsche Geschichte genug: von den Verbindungsdaten der Telefongesellschaften über Passagierdaten der Fluggesellschaften bis hin zu den Mautdaten. Auch in der Steuergesetzgebung muss das vom Bundesverfassungsgericht in seinem Volkszählungsurteil begründete Recht auf informationelle Selbstbestimmung gelten. Das bedeutet, jede und jeder muss selbst über die erhobenen personenbezogenen Daten bestimmen können und wissen, welche Daten wer über sie oder ihn verfügt. Personenbezogene Daten dürfen ausschließlich für den Grund ihrer Erhebung genutzt werden. Für die Steuerdaten heißt das: Arbeitgeber haben in der Steuerdatei der Finanzämter nichts zu suchen. Und die Gefahr, dass eine bundesweite zentrale Steuerdatei eine Überwachungsdatei wird und damit Grundrechte verletzt, ist größer als die Möglichkeit, Steuerbetrug zu bekämpfen. Deshalb ist das der falsche Weg!

http://www.die-linke.de/presse/presseerklaerungen/detail/artikel/informationelle-selbstbestimmung-erhalten/



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Überwachung

Umweltinstitut München e.V. - Newsletter vom 9. August 2007

Der Skandaldiscounter Lidl kauft sich die Basic Supermärkte. Unsere Kritik haben wir in einer Pressemitteilung zum Ausdruck gebracht:

http://umweltinstitut.org/pressemitteilungen/2007/2007_08_02-495.html

Heute um 16 Uhr finden vor und in dem Basic Laden in der Westenriederstraße (nähe Isartorplatz) Fernsehaufnahmen (Bay. Fernsehen, Land und Leute, Sendetermin Sonntag, nach 18 Uhr) statt. Wer will, kann dort zu dieser Zeit mit einer Lidl-Tüte zum Einkaufen gehen und damit seinen Unmut zum Ausdruck bringen.

Eine Erhöhung des Anteils der Bioproduktion an der deutschen Landwirtschaft lässt sich nicht durch eine Beschleunigung des exorbitanten Wachstums von Basic (37% im letzten Jahr, gemessen am Umsatz) erreichen. Discounter wie Lidl gehören erfahrungsgemäß nicht zu verlässlichen Abnehmern. Sie sind dafür bekannt, dass sie ihre Lieferanten unter Druck setzen, bis die Bauern als Letzte in der Kette nur noch Preise erzielen, die unter ihren Gestehungskosten liegen. Basic wird durch die Kooperation mit Lidl keinesfalls Landwirte für eine Umstellung ihrer Betriebe gewinnen können. Wie der Vergleich mit Österreich mit einem viel höheren Anteil ökologisch wirtschaftender landwirtschaftlicher Betriebe zeigt, sind vielmehr geeignete politische Rahmenbedingungen und Förderprogramme gefragt.

Basic bezieht schon jetzt seine Waren weltweit. Ein globalisierter Biomarkt kann den Forderungen nach einer Ökologisierung unseres Lebens keinesfalls gerecht werden. „Bio“ muss mehr als nur gesund für die Verbraucher sein. „Bio“ muss auch ein Beitrag zum globalen Umweltschutz sein.

Inzwischen formiert sich weiterer Widerstand gegen den Ausverkauf der Biosupermärkte. Attac-München hat eine e-Mail Protestaktion organisiert, an der Sie sich beteiligen können:

http://www.attac-muenchen.org/seiten/Basic-Lidl


Harald Nestler Vorstand
Umweltinstitut München e.V.
Landwehrstr. 64 a
80336 München
http://www.umweltinstitut.org
hn@umweltinstitut.org



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Lidl

American Express Co. (AXP.N) agreed to pay $65 million for failing to detect drug-related money transactions laundered through a subsidiary over several years, U.S. authorities said on Monday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070807/bs_nm/financial_amex_dc


From Information Clearing House

Germany, which last week became the first European country infected by the woes in the American mortgage market, suffered another blow Monday when a Frankfurt-based asset management firm closed one of its funds to halt withdrawals by rattled investors.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/06/business/gbank.php


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=mortgage

In open court and legal filings it's referred to simply as "the Document." Federal officials claim its contents are so sensitive to national security that it is stored in a bombproof safe in Washington and viewed only by prosecutors with top secret security clearances and a few select federal judges.

http://tinyurl.com/3bwxxo


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping

An Iranian minister said he believed the United States had dropped the idea of attacking Iran but wanted to topple its leadership through what he called a "soft revolution".

http://tinyurl.com/3ckhtl


From Information Clearing House

President Pervez Musharraf said yesterday that discussion of U.S. military strikes against al-Qaida in Pakistan only hurts the fight against terrorism. Meanwhile, 10 people were killed as his troops bombarded militant hideouts in their strongest response yet to a month of anti-government attacks.

http://tinyurl.com/3c2a38


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Pakistan
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Musharraf

Ozawa says the U.S.-led operations, in which Japan currently participates, do not have United Nations Security Council authorization.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-08-08-voa21.cfm?rss=united


From Information Clearing House

A top member of the Iraqi prime minister's party says a law governing oil reserves should be delayed until occupation forces leave the country.

http://tinyurl.com/2mqczm


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Iraq+oil
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Big+Oil

Bush's backers are peddling a sunny view of the president's strategy -- despite Iraq's political chaos and soaring death counts.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/08/07/surge/


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Juan+Cole

Britain and the US are maintaining positive illusions about the situation in Iraq, but the unvarnished truth is less comfortable.

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/simon_tisdall/2007/08/iraqs_hall_of_mirrors.html


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Simon+Tisdall

The Bush administration is becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of an imminent British withdrawal from southern Iraq and would prefer UK troops to remain for another year or two.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2143879,00.html


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Iraq+withdrawal

The premier, who is a Shiite and is deemed a close ally of Iran's Shiite regime, said he would also discuss and sign a number of cooperation memorandums with Tehran. He did not elaborate.

http://tinyurl.com/2hjvlc


From Information Clearing House

Attacks on American-led forces using a lethal type of roadside bomb said to be supplied by Iran reached a new high in July, according to the American military.

http://tinyurl.com/296p9j


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=war+pimp+alert

Protests broke out in al-Tareq district in eastern Baghdad's predominately Shiite Sadr City, with demonstrators carrying the coffins of people killed during a US air strike on Wednesday morning, Iraqi state-run al-Iraqiya TV reported.

http://tinyurl.com/yr5ob2


From Information Clearing House

A Review By Stephen Lendman

Lundberg is firm in debunking the notion that America is a government of laws, not men. It's "palpable nonsense of the highest order," he said. Governments enacting laws are composed of men who lie, connive, misinterpret and pretty much operate ad libitum discharging their duties as they see fit for their own self-interest.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18143.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Stephen+Lendman

By Marcus Karr

How elegantly simple and effectively deceptive the method of revolution really is! All it takes is to convince the people of a serious and imminent threat, and then, with panic and fear sown in their hearts, they will hand over their liberties without thought or hesitation. The 'serious and imminent threat' of the hour, which is naught but hallucinated menace, has heretofore been of the strange and external variety: 'They' are 'over there', where we must meet them with courage and conviction, lest 'they' come 'over here' once again, and do us real harm. This myth has served its purpose well enough - we are occupying Iraq.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18144.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Marcus+Karr

By Norman Solomon

A grand total of two people in the entire Congress were able to resist a blood-drenched blank check for the Vietnam War. Decades later, a single Congress woman stood up after September 11, 2001 and voted against the gathering madness.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18147.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Barbara+Lee
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Norman+Solomon

By Mike Whitney

The War Dept.'s latest fraud appeared in this week's newspapers under the ominous-sounding headline: "US Kills Mastermind of Iraq Shrine" The article is similar to hundreds of other stories we've seen in the passed few years boasting of the murder of an "alleged" terrorist kingpin whose evil deeds have prevented democracy from flourishing in Iraq. Oh, please.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18140.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Mike+Whitney

By Chris Hedges

The war in Iraq is about to get worse -- much worse. The Democrats' decision to let the war run its course, while they frantically wash their hands of responsibility, means that it will sputter and stagger forward until the mission collapses. This will be sudden. The security of the Green Zone, our imperial city, will be increasingly breached. Command and control will disintegrate. And we will back out of Iraq humiliated and defeated.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18141.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Chris+Hedges

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18146.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Paul+Craig+Roberts

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/6565/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Chris+Floyd

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/131.html



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Burma

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/94034

Urteil: Alle Eigentümer müssen Mobilfunkmast zustimmen
http://www.telespiegel.de/news/07/0808-urteil-mobilfunkmast-eige.html

Abwehrrecht gegen Masten
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/artikel/868/127664/

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/6567/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

Exclusive By Sally Jones

RESIDENTS in a village near Worcester are launching a campaign against plans to site a mobile phone mast near a primary school.

T-Mobile UK Ltd has applied for planning permission to put the 15-metre high mast at Hallow Telephone Exchange. It would facilitate three 2G/3G antennas.

However, residents in Hallow are outraged at the plans and are calling on Malvern Hills District Council to throw out the application.Nicky Harper, a mother-of-two, said: "The mast is less than half a mile from the primary school and pre-school. I am very concerned about the health risks of siting it so close to schools. We do not know whether these things are safe as yet, which is extremely concerning.

"A mast was pulled down in Warwickshire in April this year due to a cluster of cancers and other serious illnesses occurring to people living near it."

Read More...
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/wnnewslatest/display.var.1603850.0.village_protest_against_mast.php



http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=cancer+cluster

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/6568/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=dollar+collapse
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Lieberman

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/6569/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Hiroshima
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Nagasaki
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Lawrence+S.+Wittner

http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=149495;article=112733



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=warrantless
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping

Greg Miller reports for The Los Angeles Times, "The director of national intelligence is supposed to be nonpolitical, but some lawmakers think the White House used McConnell for partisan purposes."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080807A.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=spying
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=McConnell

US-Regierung hat eine Falle in den Protect America Act eingebaut und sieht ihn sowieso nur als ersten Schritt an, der weiter ergänzt werden müsse.

http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/25/25915/1.html

Nach der World Meteorological Organization haben die Temperaturen im Januar und April wieder Rekorde eingestellt, während sich Hitze- und Niederschlagsrekorde in vielen Regionen ereignet haben.

http://www.heise.de/tp/blogs/2/94007

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0808-02.htm

--------

Tell Reid and Pelosi: “We Won’t Let Congress Fail Freedom”
by signing the petition
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=yTVykivuJFPuOLVvwVvmsg..



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=ACLU
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=warrantless
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0808-01.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=warrantless
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/08/3043/



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Robert+Scheer

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/08/3052



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Iraq+oil
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Big+Oil
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Robert+Naiman

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/08/3056



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=John+Pilger

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/08/3061/



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Iraq+oil
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Big+Oil
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Aaron+Glantz

Sacrée Planète Dossier: Téléphonie Mobile, Vrai danger pour la santé.
http://www.next-up.org/Newsoftheworld/PressReviewRevuePresse042007.php#2

http://ga3.org/ct/bp20pgF1aRKL/

--------

A left-right strategy to stop warrantless wiretapping

Open Left
by David Sirota

08/08/07

Democrats’ capitulation to the White House on the issue of warrantless wiretapping was a move designed to make them look “tough” but which ended up making them look pathetically weak. The Washington Post’s lede frames it best: ‘The Senate bowed to White House pressure last night and passed a Republican plan for overhauling the federal government’s terrorist surveillance laws, approving changes that would temporarily give U.S. spy agencies expanded power to eavesdrop on foreign suspects without a court order.’ In other words, Senate Democrats got muscled by the most unpopular president in contemporary American politics — and they got muscled into using their congressional majority to pass the minority party’s offensive proposal. This said, they still have a chance to fix things and regain an image of strength — but only if they now follow a high-profile alternative strategy...

http://tinyurl.com/277fzl


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=warrantless
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=eavesdropping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=surveillance
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Sirota

Anna Badkhen reports for The Boston Globe: "As more troops return from deployments, social workers and advocates expect the number of the homeless to increase, flooding the nation's veterans' shelters, which are already overwhelmed by homeless veterans from other wars."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080807O.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=homeless+veterans

Ted Glick writes for Truthout: "A climate 'tipping point' is a point beyond which it will be very difficult if not impossible to prevent catastrophic climate change - truly apocalyptic climate change.... It is unrealistic in the extreme to expect this Congress, under normal circumstances, to adopt the kind of legislation needed, given the power of the coal, oil and automobile industries over legislators of both parties. We need to make this fall a very 'unnormal' circumstance."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080807N.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Ted+Glick

Helen Fessenden reports for The Hill, "The CIA has been ordered to release by Labor Day a declassified summary of an internal report on the agency's performance prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, possibly shedding light on whether senior officials made fundamental lapses in judgment."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080807M.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=9/11

Elana Schor reports for The Hill, "Amid liberal anger over the Democrats' eleventh-hour accession to the White House on expanded eavesdropping authority, civil liberties groups are pressing the majority to rectify the situation soon or face a political backlash."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080807J.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wiretapping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=eavesdropping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Elana+Schor

from Reason to Freedom
by US Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX)

08/07/07

The federal government has a spending problem. Each year our current accounts balance gets worse and worse, and the amount of foreign held government debt has skyrocketed. Both Republicans and Democrats; conservatives, liberals and moderates, indeed nearly every single-member of the Washington political establishment, is addicted to one form of federal spending or another. Only when the American people absolutely demand that the spending spree be stopped, will their representatives in Washington stop using this issue as a political football to score public relations points, and finally face-up to the fact that we are a nation in a very precarious financial position, which demands real spending cuts in order to avoid bankrupting our next generation...

http://tinyurl.com/yokm5u


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Ron+Paul
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=recess
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=federal+spending

Slate
by Dahlia Lithwick

08/07/07

The half-birthday of the purge scandal’s explosion onto the front pages last February brings a new round of attempts to explain how Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is still collecting a government paycheck. Having taken several whacks at this puzzle myself, I appreciate the recent efforts of Massimo Calabresi, Tom Raum, Sidney Blumenthal, Dan Eggen and Amy Goldstein, the Economist, Ramzy Baroud, and the Artful Dodger. Each of these writers offers some variation on the theme that George Bush hangs on to Gonzales because the president is one or all of the following: 1) stubborn; 2) loyal; 3) terrified of the investigation and/or confirmation hearing that would follow from a Gonzales departure. They also frequently note that Gonzales is one or all of the following: 1) stubborn; 2) loyal; 3) conveniently and hilariously blundering; 4) the last line of defense between Karl Rove and the truth about what’s gone on at the White House in the last six years. Let’s say we can all now agree about why Gonzales still puts on a coat and tie every morning. The better question remains, why do Democrats in Congress allow him to keep his job?

http://www.slate.com/id/2171839/


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Gonzales
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Karl+Rove
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Dahlia+Lithwick

The Partial Observer
by James Leroy Wilson

08/02/07

The now-repentant Sullivan and Dreher helped give Bush the ‘political capital’ to invade Iraq. But at the end of the day, all they were guilty of was exercising their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. As are the unrepentant war supporters; Bill Kristol and Sean Hannity never killed anybody, whereas George Bush is responsible for starting a war that has killed hundreds of thousands. The people with the power are the ones responsible. That they get support from others for even their most foolish schemes only goes to show that the social system raises impressionable children to trust the State, and that habit of belief is hard to break...

http://partialobserver.com/article.cfm?id=2632


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=James+Leroy+Wilson
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Kristol
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Hannity

WorldNetDaily
by Pat Buchanan

08/07/07

We are committed to police the world — yet we have an Army that is ‘breaking,’ as presidential candidates bray about attacking Iran, a nation three times as large and populous as Iraq, and invading Pakistan, a Muslim nation of 170 million, with atom bombs. Whom are we kidding? U.S. foreign policy is bankrupt. We can’t cover our commitments with the ground forces we have. And a world watching America thrash about in Mesopotamia is beginning to recognize it and act upon it. While the federal deficit is only 2 percent of GDP, the surpluses of the 1990s are history, and we are steering toward an entitlement iceberg. … We do not have the forces to fight and win our wars, or defend present allies. We do not collect enough in taxes to fund the coming deficits in Medicare and Social Security...

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57028


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Pat+Buchanan

AntiWar.Com
by Justin Raimondo

08/08/07

There is a sinister campaign afoot to make the use of nuclear weapons, albeit miniaturized ‘bunker-busters,’ acceptable, and this, too, is part of the spreading Bizarro Effect: in a world ruled by moral inversion, the unthinkable is now being openly talked about and justified. In a further sign that the Bizarro Effect has taken over the national consciousness, Hillary refusing to rule out the possible mass killing of hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis and/or Afghans is now considered a move toward the ‘center,’ while Obama’s initial moral revulsion (quickly overcome) is considered a ‘radical’ deviation from the norm...

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=11418


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=bunker-buster
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Hillary
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Hiroshima
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Obama
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=com/justin

Guardian [UK]

08/07/07

The European Union is threatening to impose tit-for-tat entry restrictions on all US citizens travelling to Europe in response to new American laws designed to strengthen security at airports and prevent would-be terrorists entering the country. US tourists can now travel to Europe without a visa. Franco Frattini, justice and home affairs commissioner, is drawing up plans for an EU-wide system of ‘electronic travel authorisation’ (ETA) similar to that written into US law by President George Bush late last week as part of new homeland security rules proposed by the 9/11 commission and endorsed by Congress...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2143761,00.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

--------

Travellers from US face EU crackdown

US business travellers and tourists flying to the European Union are facing the threat of the same laborious registration requirements that Washington has demanded of Europeans in the latest US security crackdown.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f490402c-4518-11dc-82f5-0000779fd2ac.html


From Information Clearing House

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/6555/

Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

http://infowars.net/articles/august2007/070807Power.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=dictatorial

Jacqueline Lee, writing for Women's eNews, reports that "many women's votes are missing from the count. In the last presidential election, eight million women registered but did not vote; another 36 million potential female voters were not registered at all."

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/080707WA.shtml

Laura MacInnis of Reuters reports: "The world experienced a series of record-breaking weather events in early 2007, from flooding in Asia to heat waves in Europe and snowfall in South Africa, the United Nations weather agency said on Tuesday."

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/080707EA.shtml

Tim Starks, Congressional Quarterly, reports: "Despite the win President Bush scored on legislation expanding the administration's eavesdropping authority, Democrats appear determined to make it a temporary victory."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080707S.shtml



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Pelosi
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=eavesdropping
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=FISA

Iowa GOP Won't Allow a Privately Funded Manual Validation of Diebold Computers
http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Feature-Article.htm?InfoNo=022139


Informant: Cal

--------

Iowa GOP refuses to allow any Validation of Computer results
http://neworleans.indymedia.org/news/2007/08/10766.php

Iowa Straw Poll Verified (unverifiable 2nd to diebold/sequoia fixing machines) Information

C-SPAN AUDIO: GOP IOWA STRAW POLL — Radio Your Way:, Sat Aug 11 17:13 http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112789

Diebold = Iowa Straw Poll - Results Questioned — Watchman08, Sun Aug 12 01:02 http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112796

26,000 total Tickets sold - 14,302 votes tabulated — BradBlog, Sun Aug 12 01:30 http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112801

Google: Voting Machine Malfunction in Ames — Google:, Sun Aug 12 01:09 http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112798

Romney Jokes About Cheating in Poll — Watchman08, Sun Aug 12 01:18 http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112799

GOP IOWA STRAW POLL: SAM BROWNBACK — RADIO YOUR WAY, Sat Aug 11 17:36
http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112792

Iowa GOP holds huge straw poll — news.yahoo.com, Sat Aug 11 17:25 http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112790

Iowa Straw Poll results — Jon Roland, Sun Aug 12 00:21 http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112795

Ron Paul, Iowa and the Presidency — John Ray, Sun Aug 12 01:24 http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=149495;article=112800

RE: C-SPAN CALLERS IOWA STRAW POLL http://www.apfn.net/pogo25/L014I070811-IA-14.MP3

Romney Leadership Team Member Overseeing Straw Poll

I could certainly write volumes about this, but I think the facts paint the picture themselves.

The Iowa GOP is facing possible suit over their use of the same Diebold machines that were just de-certified. Story here.

They are claiming of course, that there is nothing to worry about since the voting procedure will be conducted with the assistance and oversight of the Story County Auditor's Office. Story here.

If we look here we see the Story County Auditor is Mary Mosiman.

Mary Mosiman also happens to be on Mitt Romney's "Romney for President Leadership Team".

So there you have it, the Story County Auditor who will take part in overseeing the voting on the questionable machines is part of a team dedicated to "help Governor Romney share his vision for America".

That's a blatant conflict of interest and this is something we cannot ignore.

PS. It's also worth noting that according to this article, Romney's Commonwealth PAC gave State Auditor David A. Vaudt $1,000 in 2004. http://vote-ron-paul-2008.blogspot.com/2007/08/romney-leadership-team-member.html


DrEd



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=GOP
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Diebold

I think everyone in the world should see it. J Debbie



http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1675742701629141259


From ufpj-news

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/august2007/070807_timeline_to_tyranny.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=tyranny

Unbekannte haben erneut zwei Anschläge auf einen Sendemast in Freisen verübt. Nach Polizeiangaben stieg damit die Zahl derartiger Anschläge in Freisen und der benachbarten Umgebung auf 18.

Bei den jüngsten Anschlägen auf den Sendemast in Freisen Ende Juni und Anfang Juli wurde ein Kabel durchtrennt. Allein dieser Mast wurde seit September letzten Jahres sechsmal sabotiert.

Zudem gab es Anschläge auf neun Masten im Kreis Kusel und einen im Kreis Birkenfeld. Die Polizei schätzt den entstandenen Schaden auf 150 000 Euro. Die Motive für die Anschläge sind unbekannt.

http://www.sr-online.de/nachrichten/30/669958.html

http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=149495;article=112703



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Ron+Paul

http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=149495;article=112690



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=executive+privilege

http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=149495;article=112689



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=impeach
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=impeach

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/6557/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Chomsky

by Jon Christian Ryter

This spells disaster for conservatives in 2008. Unless rank and file right-of-center Christians and social conservatives align behind a Republican candidate and avoid the pitfalls of throwing their vote away on a third party spoiler as they did in 1992 and 1996, the Democrats will not only win the White House in 2008, they will increase their seats in the House and Senate­perhaps to the extent of giving them a veto-proof Congress if GOP Congressmen and Senators continue to back President George W. Bush's illegal alien amnesty program and the North American Union......

http://www.newswithviews.com/Ryter/jon184.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=com/Ryter

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070807/ap_on_bi_ge/sept11_lawsuits


Informant: ranger116



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=9/11

The late surges have surprised traders, who don't see a catalyst for the jump. The gains may falsely indicate in easing in investor skittishness over a tightening of credit, when in fact concerns may still abound.

http://tinyurl.com/356jod


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=market+surge

A new law expanding the government's spying powers gives the Bush Administration a six-month window to install possibly permanent back doors in the nation's communication networks. The legislation was passed hurriedly by Congress over the weekend and signed into law Sunday by President Bush.

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/08/analysis-new-la.html


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=spying

The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasuries if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.

http://tinyurl.com/267s4n

--------

China Meets the World

Truthout's J. Sri Raman writes about his recent trip to China and focuses on the increased role in the economy of foreign businesses and enterprises. Raman describes a recently enacted contract labor law that deals with social conflict situations created by the functioning of multinational corporations.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/080907T.shtml


From Information Clearing House

--------

Tax and trade insanity

National Review
by Michael T. Darda

08/09/07

Seventy-seven years ago, members of Congress erected a tariff wall aimed at protecting American business concerns. The result was a stock market crash followed by drastic retaliatory tariffs and a shutdown of the global trading system. The 1932 Revenue Act made matters worse by massively raising marginal tax rates on domestic incomes. These blunders set the stage for the Depression and world war that followed. Current members of Congress appear to have let their history books collect dust: A raft of anti-China currency and tariff legislation is now widely supported by both political parties as the exigencies of political grandstanding subvert the ideals of sound policy. At the same time, Chinese government officials have threatened to dump some of the government’s $1 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities if Congress continues its currency bashing and tariff threats...

http://tinyurl.com/ysymd5


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=J.+Sri+Raman
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Michael+T.+Darda

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/08/13/070813fa_fact_mayer


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=interrogation

Two former lobbyists for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee say Condoleezza Rice was their informant on sensitive national security matters.

http://tinyurl.com/yrsea4


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=AIPAC
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Condoleezza+Rice
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=lobbyists

Things got a little testy at the Camp David Summit between Afghan President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and American President George Bush.

http://tinyurl.com/2to294


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Karzai

The logic that defends past nuclear atrocities is now used to support a strike against Iran.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2142921,00.html


From Information Clearing House



Looking Forward To Armageddon
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18165.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Armageddon
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=John+Hagee
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Lieberman
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Tom+DeLay
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Mehrnaz+Shahabi
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Max+Blumenthal

The president said Monday that Tehran is a destabilizing influence "wherever they are,'' including Afghanistan where the Taliban have staged a comeback.

http://tinyurl.com/2r8f7b


From Information Clearing House

The United States has more troops in Iraq now than at any previous time in the war, with around 162,000 members of the military in the country, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07328662.htm


From Information Clearing House

Iraq's political crisis worsened Monday as five more ministers announced a boycott of Cabinet meetings - leaving the embattled prime minister's unity government with no members affiliated with Sunni political factions.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/iraq/20070806-1329-iraq.html



Iraqis suffer as Maliki's coalition govt collapses

The latest boycott - by four ministers from a non-sectarian party - brought to 17 the number of members of the Shiite-led coalition to have walked out, tendered their resignations or withdrawn from cabinet meetings.

http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=22862&cat=2


From Information Clearing House



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=al-Maliki

"The British have basically been defeated in the south," the intelligence official told the Washington Post.

http://tinyurl.com/38bpym


From Information Clearing House

Video

Jim Cramer's breaks ranks and tells it likes it is.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18139.htm
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/132.html



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=market+meltdown

By Siegesmund von Ilsemann

Karsten Voigt, the German government's Coordinator for German-American Cooperation, was completely gobsmacked last week. How Washington could encourage democratic change in the Middle East by selling Saudi Arabia billions of dollars in weapons, he said, was "a huge question mark." The Islamic kingdom might be a US ally in name, but it wasn't "particularly democratic," said Voigt, and its oppressive family regime continued to be a fertile breeding ground for Islamic terrorists.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18132.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=regime+change

White Elephants

By Uri Avnery

Well, the Saudis are selling oil to the Americans for dollars. A lot of oil, a lot of dollars. The United States, with a huge gap in its balance of trade, cannot afford to lose these billions. So, in order to make it possible for the US to carry this burden, the Saudis must give back at least a part of the money. How quite simple: they buy American arms that they don't need.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18134.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Uri+Avnery

The peace movement is not united on Afghanistan, because many people think that it is a "good war." I believe no such thing and I promise you that I will be more vigilant about exposing that war crime, too."

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18136.htm

Click:



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Afghanistan

· 110,000 AK-47s
· 80,000 pistols
· 135,000 bits of armour

By Ewen MacAskill in Washington

The failure of the US to account for so many weapons is an embarrassment for the Bush administration after months in which it has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying weapons and explosives to the insurgents.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18133.htm



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=MacAskill

Der Artikel von Gabriele Kraft thematisiert neue Sozialgerichtsentscheidungen zum Thema Energiekosten, beschreibt die „Kostenexplosion” auf dem Energiemarkt mit der Folge der Bedarfsunterdeckung bei LeistungsbezieherInnen und zeigt überfällige Konsequenzen für die Praxis der Leistungsgewährung auf.

Das Sozialgericht Frankfurt hat hier eine weitreichende Entscheidung getroffen: die den Betrag von 20,74 Euro übersteigenden Stromkosten sind von den Leistungsträgern als Kosten der Unterkunft nach § 22 SGB II zu gewähren; im vorliegenden Fall also ein Betrag in Höhe von 20,26 Euro.

Im monatlichen Eckregelsatz von 345 Euro seien lediglich 8 % für Haushaltsenergiekosten der Wohnung vorgesehen, so das Gericht. Der darüber hinaus gehende Bedarf für die Stromversorgung müsse daher zu den Kosten der Unterkunft gezählt werden.

Kosten der Unterkunft, also etwa laufende Leistungen für Miete, sind von Seiten der Leistungsverpflichteten in Höhe der tatsächlichen Aufwendungen nach § 22 Abs. 1 S. 1 SGB II zu erbringen, allerdings, so der Zusatz im Gesetzestext, dass diese Leistungen „angemessen” sein müssen. Die Mietnebenkosten gehören generell zu den Leistungen für Unterkunft und Teile der Stromkosten zählen nach diesem Urteil zumindest teilweise dazu. http://www.tacheles-sozialhilfe.de/aktuelles/2007/stromkosten.aspx


Aus: SOGA-NEWSLETTER Nr. 8 - 32. Woche 2007

http://www.dgb.de/themen/themen_a_z/abisz_doks/s/soz_ungerechtigkeit.pdf

Der Schutz der Menschenwürde wie auch die Verwirklichung von Gerechtigkeit sind Aufgaben der Kirchen und der Gewerkschaften.

(1) Angesichts der aktuellen breiten und kontroversen Debatte über die künftige Entwicklung unserer Gesellschaft, halten wir eine kirchlich-gewerkschaftliche Initiative zur sozialen Frage für dringend erforderlich. Zu ihren Themen gehören insbesondere die Massenarbeitslosigkeit, die vielfach mangelhaften Bildungschancen, die zunehmende Verarmung von Bevölkerungsgruppen, die Perspektivlosigkeit junger und älterer Menschen sowie die verfestigte Spaltung der Welt in arme und reiche Nationen. Menschenwürde und Gerechtigkeit

(2) Der Schutz der Menschenwürde wie auch die Verwirklichung von Gerechtigkeit sind Aufgaben der Kirchen und der Gewerkschaften. Zwischen beiden hat es in Krisensituationen und Krisenzeiten von der örtlichen bis zur Bundesebene immer wieder Gemeinsamkeit und vielfältige Zusammenarbeit gegeben.

(3) Wenn die Würde des Menschen konsequent geachtet wird, kann gutes Leben und gerechte Gemeinschaft gelingen. Individualität und Respekt, Teilhabe und Wohlergehen, Freiheit und Solidarität als die zentralen Bedingungen von Menschenwürde machen es möglich.

(4) Seine Würde muss kein Mensch erbitten. Sie ist das Geschenk des Lebens. Als solches hat sie keinen Preis, aber den höchsten Wert - ein Leben lang. Sie macht jede und jeden einzigartig und unverzichtbar.

(5) Aber die Würde des Menschen ist ständig gefährdet. Deshalb müssen wir gegenseitig für sie einstehen und sie gemeinsam schützen, damit alle Menschen teilnehmen können an den sozialen, wirtschaftlichen und kulturellen Möglichkeiten des Lebens. Die Verletzung der Würde auch nur eines Menschen kann Auswirkungen für alle haben. Wer ein Unrecht zulässt, bahnt dem nächsten den Weg.

(6) Die Würde des Menschen verlangt nach sozialer Gerechtigkeit. In der vorrangigen Option für die Benachteiligten als Leitmotiv gesellschaftlichen Handelns erhält sie ihre klare Begründung, Rangfolge und Perspektive.

(7) Denn nur bei umfassender Verteilungsgerechtigkeit kommt es zu gemeinsamer Beteiligungsgerechtigkeit. Wirtschaftlichkeit und Menschlichkeit werden so in einem lebensdienlichen Gleichgewicht gehalten: Alle sollen genug haben; niemand darf nur zum Kostenfaktor oder gar für überflüssig erklärt werden. http://iab.de/asp/X_chronik/chrTab.asp?Tab=Links&Selektor=17#Ebene


Aus: SOGA-NEWSLETTER Nr. 8 - 32. Woche 2007

Eine Studie des Instituts für Arbeitsmarktforschung (IAB) belegt: Ein-Euro-Jobs verdrängen reguläre Beschäftigung auf dem ersten Arbeitsmarkt.

"Die Studie geht anhand eines Fixed-Effects-Modells der Jahre 2004 und 2005 des IAB-Betriebspanels der Frage nach, ob ein Zusammenhang besteht zwischen der Einführung der Ein-Euro-Jobs und der Entwicklung der Anzahl sozialversicherungspflichtiger Beschäftigung in den Einsatzbetrieben. In Ostdeutschland kann ein negativer Effekt der Ein-Euro-Jobs auf das Wachstum sozialversicherungspflichtiger Beschäftigung nachgewiesen werden. In Westdeutschland lässt sich ein vergleichbarer Effekt nicht identifizieren."

....Zudem werden Ein-Euro-Jobs als Instrument der Missbrauchsbekämpfung eingesetzt: als Test auf Arbeitsbereitschaft und Mittel gegen Schwarzarbeit - denn gegenüber Leistungsempfängern des Arbeitslosengeldes II besteht zum Teil ein latentes Misstrauen, dass Unterstützungsleistungen zu Unrecht in Anspruch genommen werden.

Doch das Dilemma ist groß: Mit der Bekämpfung des einen Misstrauens entsteht zugleich neues Misstrauen: die Angst vor Wettbewerbsverzerrungen und damit einhergehenden..... Nebeneffekten, den in der Arbeitsmarktökonomik dargestellten Substitutions-, Verdrängungs- und Mitnahmeeffekten. Arbeitsgelegenheiten entstehen schließlich nicht im luftleeren Raum, sondern in realen Betrieben. Gerade bei struktureller Arbeitslosigkeit und einer activation without work- Strategie müssen diese Stellen künstlich geschaffen und gefördert werden. Die Betriebe, in denen Arbeitsgelegenheiten eingerichtet werden – mögen sie auch im „öffentlichen Interesse“ handeln – sind ökonomischen Zwängen ausgesetzt und agieren als Akteure auf Güter-, Dienstleistungs- und Arbeitsmärkten.

Beschäftigungsförderung in Form von subventionierten Ein-Euro-Jobs und Trägerpauschalen sind politics against markets, intervenieren auf dem Markt und bieten Anreize für Missbrauch.... den ganzen Artikel finden Sie hier: http://www.iab.de/de/389/section.aspx/Publikation/k061214f15


Aus: SOGA-NEWSLETTER Nr. 8 - 32. Woche 2007

Landkreistag beunruhigt: Arbeitslosigkeit sagt bei Hartz IV wenig aus – soziale Problemlagen nehmen zu

„Die Zahl der Menschen, die von Hartz IV-Leistungen abhängig ist, hat einen absoluten Höchststand erreicht“, so Landrat Hans Jörg Duppré (Südwestpfalz) zu den Erfolgsmeldungen der letzten Woche zur Senkung der Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit und zu den aktuellen Arbeitslosenzahlen. Der Präsident des Deutschen Landkreistages (DLT) wies stattdessen auf die wachsenden sozialen Bedarfslagen hin: „Bei dem in den Medien vermittelten Bild besteht der Fehler darin, dass Hartz IV nur auf den Indikator der Arbeitslosigkeit verengt wird. Tatsächlich ist zu erwarten, dass die revidierten Daten zur Zahl der Hilfeemp-fänger im April dieses Jahres einen absoluten Höchststand mit gut 7,4 Mio. ausweisen werden.“ Beispielsweise fänden sich Maßnahmeteilnehmer mit mehr als 15 Wochenstunden (Ein-Euro-Jobber), Kranke oder Ausbildungsplatzsuchende nicht in der Arbeitslosenstatistik wieder, obwohl deren Lage oft nicht besser sei.

Obwohl es ein großer Erfolg sei, dass die Zahl der Kurzzeitarbeitslosen in den letzten zwölf Monaten um mehr als 23 % gesunken sei, habe die Zahl derer, die auch nach zwölf Monaten nicht den Einstieg in den Beruf geschafft haben, nur um 11 % abgenommen. „Die hohe Zahl an Hilfebedürftigen entwickelt sich zudem gegenläufig zur sinkenden Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit und nimmt beständig zu. Das muss nachdenklich machen“, so Duppré.

Die Arbeitslosigkeit erscheine als alleiniger Indikator für die sozialen Problemlagen nicht geeignet und verneble den Blick auf die Gesamtsituation. „Wenn die Arbeitslosenquote die Entwicklung bei Hartz IV nicht wiedergibt, sollten wir mehr auf die Zahl der Hilfeempfänger, deren Bedarfe und deren Struktur achten“, schlug Duppré vor. Die Betrachtung der falschen Indikatoren verstelle den Blick auf die zugrundeliegenden sozialen Problemlagen und daran zu orientierende Lösungsansätze. „Es wird endlich Zeit, dass wir uns den vielschichtigen Problem offen stellen und uns eingestehen, dass die Zahl der Personen wächst, die auf staatliche Hilfe angewiesen sind.“

Er mahnte deshalb erneut zur Vorsicht im Umgang mit Erfolgsmeldungen bei Hartz IV: „Das Risiko ist groß, dass verkündete Erfolge, die sich in der Lebenswirklichkeit einer großen Zahl von Hilfeempfängern nicht widerspiegeln, Verständnislosigkeit und Frustration statt Zuversicht auslösen“, so der Verbandspräsident abschließend. http://www.kreise.de/landkreistag/dlt-aktuell/pressetexte/pressetexte-2007/pt-07-07-31a.htm


Aus: SOGA-NEWSLETTER Nr. 8 - 32. Woche 2007

http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/08/house_moves_to_block_intel_bud.html


Informant: Steven L. Robinson

From ufpj-news

Close the School of the Americas
http://www.youtube.com/closethesoa


Informant: Frank

--------

We Will Not Be Silenced

I rarely forward things, but if you have speakers....Crank this up:
http://www.djpauledge.com/wewillnotbesilenced/index_secondmovie.html?tt=1%2E1


Mark G.



http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=School+of+the+Americas