Freedom from Alaska!

Month: December 2008 Page 1 of 2

What We Say and What We Do

From: Democracy Now!

“We have brought torture,
cluster bombs, depleted uranium,
innumerable acts of random murder,
misery, degradation and death
to the Iraqi people and
call it ‘bringing FREEDOM
and democracy to the Middle East.'”

– Harold Pinter (1930-2008)

Read/Watch/Listen to Pinter’s Nobel Acceptance Speech

HeartQuotes: Forgiveness

“Forgiveness is choosing to love.
It is the first skill of self-giving love.”

– Mohandas K. Gandhi

Click for Mountaintop Version

Kucinich: UN should investigate Israeli Gaza strikes — “this…is disproportionate indiscriminate mass violence”

From: Raw Story

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) called for an independent investigation to be led by the United Nations into the recent eruption of violence between Israel and Hamas along the Gaza strip that has killed scores of innocent civilians.

Monday brought a third day of Israeli bombing Gaza in what the state is calling its “all-out” war on Hamas. So far, 345 people have been killed by the bombs. At least 57 of the dead are civilians, including 21 children, according to the UN.

Kucinich said he wrote to UN General Secretary Ban ki-Moon urging an “independent inquiry of Israel’s war against Gaza.” The Democratic lawmaker said Israel’s attacks are an example of “collective punishment,” which violates the Geneva Conventions.

“The perpetrators of attacks against Israel must also be brought to justice, but Israel cannot create a war against an entire people in order to attempt to bring to justice the few who are responsible. The Israeli leaders know better,” Kucinich said in a news release Monday. “The world community, which has been very supportive of Israel’s right to security and its right to survive, also has a right to expect Israel to conduct itself in adherence to the very laws which support the survival of Israel and every other nation.”

Kucinich compared the latest bombing campaign to Isreal’s earlier strikes at southern Lebanon targeted at Hezbollah. Then too, he said, civilians were killed, infrastructure was destroyed and lawlessness took hold in the country.

“All this was, and is, disproportionate, indiscriminate mass violence in violation of international law. Israel is not exempt from international law and must be held accountable,” he said. “It is time for the UN to not just call for a cease-fire, but for an inquiry as to Israel’s actions.”

President Bush, on the other hand, has signaled a continuation of his firm support for Israel.

Read Entire Article

Related: Slaughter in Gaza: Another Chapter in the Global Elite Master Plan

How Come Israelis Can Criticize Israel, But Americans Can’t?

From: George Washington’s Blog

There has been scathing criticism of Israel’s attack on Gaza in the Israeli press. For example, one of Israel’s leading newspapers, Haaretz, has run the following stories about the attacks:

Whether or not you agree with these opinions, the point is that they can be expressed in Israel.

In America, people are lambasted for even raising the issue of whether Israel could possibly do anything wrong.

Read Entire Article

My Favorite Phil Keaggy Song: “March of the Clouds”

Some songs go sideways. Many pull people down. But this rockets straight up — it’s so clean and pure — and infinite as to how high we can go!

[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vAd1QOk80bw]A 1-minute tribute from the stupendous middle section

[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ktUqHjXmk2Q]The March of the Clouds

A few of the YouTube comments:

“playing with the finger and the plectrum of God, he could calm an army of sauls.”

“This is the song that God plays at the cloud factory :)”

“If I had to define Phil Keaggy musically, I’d say this: His greatest talent and gift, I believe, isn’t just that he plays so well – its that he also knows exactly where and how to hang each note – as if he’s decorating with the music. He’s an artist more than a guitar player. He just paints with music.”

Phil Keaggy ‘Beyond Nature’ Clips — “Fare Thee Well” …

Apparently, these are from the VHS  tape, called “Phil Keaggy Acoustic Guitar Style,” put out by Music Source International.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0Ri3Y8XUJk]Fare Thee Well

Phil Keaggy ‘Wind and the Wheat’ Clips

Apparently, these are from the VHS  tape, called “Phil Keaggy Acoustic Guitar Style,” put out by Music Source International.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3iSiij98VY]The Wind and the Wheat

Report: U.S. Army Readying In Case Economic Recession Gets Ugly

From: Newsmax, U.S. Military Preparing for Domestic Disturbances

A new report from the U.S. Army War College discusses the use of American troops to quell civil unrest brought about by a worsening economic crisis.

The report from the War College’s Strategic Studies Institute warns that the U.S. military must prepare for a “violent, strategic dislocation inside the United States” that could be provoked by “unforeseen economic collapse” or “loss of functioning political and legal order.”

Entitled “Known Unknowns: Unconventional ‘Strategic Shocks’ in Defense Strategy Development,” the report was produced by Nathan Freier, a recently retired Army lieutenant colonel who is a professor at the college — the Army’s main training institute for prospective senior officers.

He writes: “To the extent events like this involve organized violence against local, state, and national authorities and exceed the capacity of the former two to restore public order and protect vulnerable populations, DoD [Department of Defense] would be required to fill the gap.”

Freier continues: “Widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities *in extremis to defend basic domestic order … An American government and defense establishment lulled into complacency by a long-secure domestic order would be forced to rapidly divest some or most external security commitments in order to address rapidly expanding human insecurity at home.”

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned last week of riots and unrest in global markets if the ongoing financial crisis is not addressed and lower-income households are beset with credit constraints and rising unemployment, the Phoenix Business Journal reported.

Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Rep. Brad Sherman of California disclosed that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson discussed a worst-case scenario as he pushed the Wall Street bailout in September, and said that scenario might even require a declaration of martial law.

* “In extremis is a Latin phrase meaning ‘in the furthest reaches’ or ‘at the point of death’, generally referring to grave or exceptional circumstances.”

Read Entire Article

HeartQuotes: Ducking Criticism

“To avoid criticism,
do nothing,
say nothing,
be nothing.”

– Elbert Hubbard

Click for an Exquisite Hummingbird Version

Gordon Giltrap plays “Drifter”

GORGEOUS song, AMAZING types of craft — but “BEST BEANS, BEST BLEND, BEST TASTE” — yeah, SURE.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8l2DWOsv8Q]

Gordon Giltrap: Appalachian Dreaming (studio take)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa0ERAittII]

Gordon Giltrap: Dodo’s Dream (layers on layers)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_tXI4GyFZw]

Quincy Jones: My Self-Worth

Transcribed by Jeff Fenske from The Tavis Smiley Show, 12/26/08

“Not one drop of my self-worth
depends on your acceptance of me.”

– Quincy Jones

Jim Rogers: Close the ‘Federal’ Reserve

[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6Eq7umY-ftY]

Tonight on ‘Coast’ 1st Hour: Life of Legendary Writer, C.S. Lewis

From: Coast to Coast AM

Friday, December 26

Open Lines
Host: Ian Punnett

First Hour: Will Vaus will discuss the life of legendary writer C.S. Lewis.

Coast to Coast AM is live nightly from 10pm to 2am Pacific.

[video] Why Jim Rogers Moved His Family Close to China

[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w84EiCt0Lqk] 2009 will be the year of Total decline for US Jim Rogers

Uploaded by on Dec 18, 2008

http://jimrogers1.blogspot.com

For more on Jim Rogers

http://jimrogersblog.co.cc

From: Wikipedia

In December 2007, Rogers sold his mansion in New York City for about 16 million USD and moved to Singapore. This is due mainly in his belief that this is a ground-breaking time for investment potential in Asian markets. Rogers’ first daughter is now being tutored in Mandarin to prepare her for the future, he says. “Moving to Asia now is like moving to New York City in 1907,” he said. Also, he is quoted to say: “If you were smart in 1807 you moved to London, if you were smart in 1907 you moved to New York City, and if you are smart in 2007 you move to Asia.” In an CNBC interview with Maria Bartiromo broadcast on May 5, 2008, Rogers said that people in Asia are extremely motivated and driven, and he wants to be in that type of environment so his daughters are motivated and driven. He said during that interview that, this is how America and Europe used to be. He chose not to move to Hong Kong or Shanghai due to the high levels of pollution causing potential health problems for his family. His second daughter was born in 2008.

From: Investorazzi.com

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that investor Jim Rogers is a huge fan of China. In fact, he’s so sold on its future that he moved his family from New York City to Singapore at the end of last year. Why Singapore and not China? I discussed this in Investorazzi’s sister blog, Boom2Bust.com, back on December 27 of last year. On Christmas Eve, CNN Money got the chance to speak to the CEO of Rogers Holdings. From that post:

CNN MONEY: Why move to Singapore and not Shanghai or Beijing? ROGERS: Well, we would like to move to China, but the air is so terrible, the pollution is so bad, that we can’t bring ourselves to do it. Everything works in Singapore. It’s an astonishing place. It’s got the best education system in the world. It’s got the best health care in the world. And it’s Chinese-speaking. Our 4-year-old daughter, Happy, goes to a school where they only speak Chinese. One of our motivations was that she continue to speak Chinese. It may not be as exciting as Shanghai or New York, but it’s exciting enough for me.

Fast forward to today. Sounds like Jim and his family are settling in just fine, according to a piece by Mak Mun San of the Singapore publication The Straits Times. In reference to Jim, his wife, Paige Parker, and their two daughters, five-year-old Hilton Augusta, or “Happy,” and three-month-old Beeland Anderson, the reporter wrote:

The couple sold their New York mansion and moved to Singapore last December so that Happy can learn Chinese in a Mandarin-speaking environment. Rogers, who co-founded the Quantum Fund with legendary investor George Soros in the 1970s, has repeatedly said he believes China will be the next great country in the world.

The best gift we can give our children is to let them learn Chinese and prepare them for the future,” he tells The Straits Times, while carrying the baby in his arms.

From: CNN Money

You mention the terrible pollution in China. Do environmental and political issues give you pause as you call this the Chinese century?

First of all, the environmental problems are a huge opportunity. Somebody’s going to make a fortune on that. I talk about that in the book and mention some of the companies that will be trying to address the problems. Can they solve their problems? There are going to be horrible setbacks along the way. There certainly were in America as we grew and boomed. In 1907 our whole system collapsed and went bankrupt. Turns out that was a good time to buy. That’s going to happen in China too. They will probably have political setbacks, environmental setbacks. I don’t know when they’re going to be, but take advantage of them.

Related:

Lessons for Life and Investing with Author, Investor Jim Rogers (on his treadmill) — More on why he moved his family to Asia. People aren’t waking up fast enough while America moves closer and closer to financial collapse, dictatorship and police state. Ron Paul and Gary Johnson are the only candidates who have the solutions, and they’re being ignored. Should we move to Asia?

Please explain to me again why we chose Barack Obama instead of Ron Paul?

I love this title!

From: OpEdNews

Here is another piece written by Ron Paul, and yet again he is correct to the infinite degree. He is a regular nostradamus as far as I’m concerned, predicting nearly every major catastrophe of the last 8 years and doing so years before they occurred. He predicted the Russian/ Georgian conflict would be a possible consequence of our invasion in Iraq (check) he predicted the housing collapse (check) he predicted the implosion of the banking system clear back in the 90s (check) he predicted the Iraq war would be an endless quagmire, and on and on and on. When no one listened and his clueless fellow Republicans had the nerve to laugh at him on stage, he still spoke the truth, and once again, he has been right all along. This time about the real agenda of Barack Obama and the mindless Democrats in Congress. More elite government, more spending, more inflation, less freedom, less prosperity, and a complete disregard for the voice of the people (bailouts, anyone?)

Read Entire Article

Ron Paul on Martial Law: “The stage is set for…a military dictatorship, and few seem to care”

[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7SbJZ_G-_C8]

Some of the least-noticed and least-discussed changes in the law were the changes made to the Insurrection Act of 1807 and to posse comitatus by the Defense Authorization Act of 2007. These changes pose a threat to the survival of our Republic by giving the President the power to declare martial law for as little reason as to restore public order. The 1807 act severely restricted the President in his use of the military within the United States borders, and the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 strengthened these restrictions with strict oversight by Congress. The new law allows the President to circumvent the restrictions of both laws. The Insurrection Act has now become the “Enforcement of the Laws to Restore Public Order Act.” This is hardly a title that suggests that the authors cared about or understood the nature of a constitutional Republic.

Now, martial law can be declared not just for insurrection, but also for natural disasters, public health reasons, terrorist attacks or incidents, or for the vague reason called “other conditions.” The President can call up the National Guard without congressional approval or the Governors’ approval, and even send these State Guard troops into other States.

The American Republic is in remnant status. The stage is set for our country eventually devolving into a military dictatorship, and few seem to care. These precedent-setting changes in the law are extremely dangerous and will change American jurisprudence forever if not revised. The beneficial results of our revolt against the King’s abuses are about to be eliminated, and few Members of Congress and few Americans are aware of the seriousness of the situation. Complacency and fear drive our legislation without any serious objection by our elected leaders. Sadly, though, those few who do object to this self-evident trend away from personal liberty and empire-building overseas are portrayed as unpatriotic and uncaring.

Though welfare and socialism always fails, opponents of them are said to lack compassion. Though opposition to totally unnecessary war should be the only moral position, the rhetoric is twisted to claim that patriots who oppose the war are not supporting the troops. The cliché “Support the Troops” is incessantly used as a substitute for the unacceptable notion of supporting the policy, no matter how flawed it may be.

Read/Watch Ron Paul’s Entire ‘Patriotism’ Speech, 5/22/07

Related: Washington Post: 20,000 More U.S. Troops To Be Deployed For “Domestic Security”

Trends Research: Top Trend # 8 — Little People Squeeze

From: Rense.com

Top Trend # 8:
Little People Squeeze

Cheri Van Deusen
12-22-8

“When people lose everything, and there’s nothing left to lose … they lose it.” -Gerald Celente

KINGSTON, NY — Among our TOP TRENDS 2009, The Trends Research Institute forecast an imminent onslaught of “Hassle Taxes” to be levied by governments at every level from local to federal.

Intended to make up for shortfalls in revenue brought on by the economic crisis, we predicted the taxes would “squeeze the already squeezed” while leaving the most wealthy relatively untouched.

Right on schedule, Governor David Paterson of New York proposed 130 new or sharply raised taxes on a broad range of items including: Soda pop, taxi rides, haircuts, movie tickets, music downloads. If the Paterson proposal is implemented, almost no aspect of daily life will be left untaxed.

New York is not alone … most states are imposing “hassle taxes” and raising property and school taxes despite dramatically declining home values.

While the unfair and burdensome taxes will fail to balance budgets, they will succeed in infuriating the general public ­ to such an extent that tax revolts will break out around the country, along with incendiary displays of both civil and uncivil disobedience.

Blind to the repercussions, governments do not recognize that revolution, not prosperity, is just around the corner.

That’s not all. Beyond tax revolts and civil disobedience , 2009 will be a tumultuous year.

Trends foreboding and trends promising:

The Collapse of ’09: Markets will tumble and major businesses will fail.

The Greatest Depression: Worse than the 1930’s Depression. Why?

Revolution: What will be the spark that ignites it? Who will fire the shot heard around the world?

Obamarama: High hopes, broken promises: Some victories, major failures.

Economic Slim-Fast: Like it or not, Americans will go on a spending diet and food diet.

Bush Gardens: Lawns out, Edible Landscaping in. Why Bush Gardens?

Whole Health Healing: 2009 marks a year of “attitude change” for the on-trend health aware.

Little People Squeeze: Politicians will put the financial squeeze on the already squeezed.

Regenerative Medicine: The time is ripe for stem cells to come out of the laboratory and into the clinic.

That’s Entertainment: Lifting spirits ­ and drinking them ­ will be big business and major pastimes during the Greatest Depression.

College Crash: Following the equity market meltdown, the real estate bust and the retail unraveling, comes the college crash.

To schedule an interview with Trends Research Institute Director, Gerald Celente, or for a copy of the Trends Journal’s Top Trends 2009, please contact:

Cheri Van Deusen
Media Relations
The Trends Research Institute
CvanDeusen@trendsresearch.com
www.trendsresearch.com
845.876.6700 Ext. 1

Paul Walter: America on the Brink — PREDICTIONS

An outline of what Paul predicts in this article

From: News with Views

PREDICTIONS

Political Correctness and Freedom of Speech

Religious Persecution and Sharia Law

Civilian National Security Force & Community Service

Re-distribution of Wealth and Economics

Retirement and Euthanasia

Forced Vaccinations

Food Shortages

Population Control and the Environment

Unopposed Compliance

Second Amendment

Conclusion

I was at awe when I came to America that a country existed on this planet where a person could own their own business. Through hard work, the sky was the limit! I love America, and that is why I hate to see it descend into the very socialism my family fought so hard to escape from.

Read Entire Article

HeartQuotes: Light

“People are like stained-glass windows.
They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,
but when the darkness sets in,
their true beauty is revealed only
if there is a light from within. “

– Elizabeth Kübler-Ross

Click for the Banff National Park Version

Celente: Top Trends Of 2009

From: Rense.com

Top Trends Of 2009
By Gerald Celente

12-18-8

KINGSTON, NY — Exactly one year ago, The Trends Research Institute alerted you to an impending economic crisis we named, the “Panic of ’08.” Last year we wrote:”In 2008, Americans will wake up to the worst economic times that anyone alive has ever seen. And they won’t know what hit them. “

Our forecast was right on target. Few others saw the Panic coming. As former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin declared (November 29, 2008,) “Nobody was prepared for this.”

Mr. Rubin’s statement was incorrect. We were prepared, and we prepared our Trends Journal ® subscribers.

Now, in our “Top Trends of 2009,” we forecast “The Collapse of ’09,” which in turn will spiral into the “Greatest Depression” the worst economic conditions America has ever experienced.

That’s not all. Beyond economics, 2009 will be a tumultuous year. Trends foreboding and trends promising:

The Collapse of ’09: Markets will tumble and major businesses will fail.

The Greatest Depression: Worse than the1930’s Depression. Why?

Revolution: What will be the spark that ignites it? Who will fire the shot heard around the world?

Obamarama: High hopes, broken promises: Some victories, major failures.

Economic Slim-Fast: Like it or not, Americans will go on a spending diet and food diet.

Bush Gardens: Lawns out, Edible Landscaping in. Why Bush Gardens?

Whole Health Healing: 2009 marks a year of “attitude change” for the on-trend health aware.

Little People Squeeze: Politicians will put the financial squeeze on the already squeezed.

Regenerative Medicine: The time is ripe for stem cells to come out of the laboratory and into the clinic.

That’s Entertainment. Lifting spirits ­ and drinking them ­ will be big business and major pastimes during the Greatest Depression.

College Crash: Following the equity market meltdown, the real estate bust and the retail unraveling, comes the college crash.

Cheri Van Deusen
The Trends Research Institute
CvanDeusen@trendsresearch.com
www.trendsresearch.com
845.876.6700 Ext. 1

Rogers: The Elite Are Turning A Recession Into A Depression

From: Prison Planet

Veteran investor Jim Rogers warns that the policies of central banks and politicians are turning what would have been a recession into a new great depression, and that Barack Obama’s taxation agenda will only make the problem much worse.

Speaking to Bloomberg News, Rogers said that the crisis would at least be the worst since the second world war and that “it could well be” as bad as the great depression.

1929 was the stock market bubble which popped, we were going into a recession and then the politicians around the world starting making horrendous mistakes which turned it into a depression, it would have been just a normal recession otherwise but the American politicians and the European politicians – everyone got in on the act and that seems to be happening this time too,” said Rogers.

Rogers labeled it “unfathomable” what central banks were doing and totally at odds with the lessons of history, adding that President elect Barack Obama’s intention to impose protectionism and taxation of capital would fuel a depression.

If that happens, it’s all over,” warned Rogers, adding that the same thing will happen to the U.S. as happened to Britain between 1918 and 1939, which went from being the richest and most powerful country in the world to being a shambles. China would replace America as the great superpower in the 21st century, said Rogers.

Read Entire Article, Watch Clip

Celente: Facing the Greatest Depression, People Will Go Berserk — “When people lose everything, and have nothing to lose, they lose it”

Transcribed by Jeff Fenske from Coast to Coast AM, 12/19/08

Gerald Celente, Trends Research Institute:

Following the Collapse [of 2009]; then, following the Greatest Depression, we’re going to see Revolution.

And all you have to do is look what’s going on over there in Greece. This isn’t about a 15-year-old kid getting shot. This is about pent up anger, particularly among the young people who have a futureless future. And they’re looking at the corruption in the government, the scandals, and they’ve had it.

There’s a saying that we have—I’m originally a Bronx boy: ‘When people lose everything, and have nothing to lose, they lose it.’

And the people in this country think that social unrest only happens in other countries. It’s going to happen here when you have the homeless, the helpless and the hungry out on the streets. What happened in Chicago, with the workers refusing to leave the factory, you’re going to start seeing more and more of it.

We’re going to see a revolution in this country, and these are the beginning phases.”

As a result of the revolution, Celente considers secession movements to be a very real possibility: America splitting up into pieces.

Had Only America Known: U.S. & Russian Intelligence Assassinated General Patton, Who Wanted to Free Eastern Europe Before Coming Home

Wow! I listened to the author of Target: Patton: The Plot to Assassinate General George S. Patton interviewed on Coast to Coast AM, dumbfounded, wondering that if vets like my own father had known in the ’50s and ’60s that our own government (the intelligence agency before the CIA, the OSS) intentionally had General Patton killed, would the United States of America be in the dire situation it’s in today?

Had only this important revelation come out earlier, America may still be the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The author, Robert K. Wilcox, stated that our government with the media had painted a rosy picture of Russia, so most Americans didn’t know of Stalin’s atrocities and the Gulags. Among other things, Patton wanted to drive Russia out of Eastern Europe, and apparently, he was going to blow the whistle about the thousands of POWs that Robert thinks ended up dying in these very Gulags.

Patton’s popularity was huge in the US. He could have easily swayed American opinion against Stalin, so our own government decided to take this “loose canon” out, possibly in collusion with Russia.

This is a great interview!

From the Inside Flap of Target: Patton”:

He was the most controversial American general in World War II–and also one of the most successful, courageous, and audacious. As a post-war administrator of defeated Germany, he sounded alarm bells about the dangers of Soviet encroachment into Europe. Politically, he was a lightning rod–an outspoken conservative who continually embarrassed his superiors with his uncensored, undiplomatic, and unrestrained comments to the press. He was General George S. Patton Jr., old Blood and Guts.

In 1945, shortly before he was to fly home to the states as a conquering hero, he was involved in a mysterious car crash that left him partially paralyzed.

Two weeks later, just as his doctors were about to send him home to finish his recovery, he was dead.

The army ruled the car crash an accident, his death natural. Yet witness testimony on the crash conflicted, key players in the incident disappeared, official reports vanished, soldiers were ordered to keep silent, and there was no autopsy performed on the body.

Read More at Amazon

Related:

Did Eisenhower Order OSS Chief To Murder Patton?

Dr. Stan Interviews Robert Wilcox, “Target: Patton—The Plot to Assassinate General George S. Patton”

General George S. Patton was assassinated to silence his criticism of allied war leaders claims new book

President Eisenhower’s role in the CIA plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of Congo, Patrice Lumumba, in 1960-61

The CIA, Eisenhower and the Assassination of the Democratically Elected Leader of Congo, Patrice Lumumba, 1961

[Video] “Death: Colonial Style”: The CIA, Eisenhower, the Belgians and the Assassination of the Democratically Elected Leader of Congo, Patrice Lumumba, 1961

Cheney admits authorizing detainee’s torture

From: The Raw Story

Monday, outgoing Vice President Dick Cheney made a startling statement on a nation-wide, televised broadcast.

When asked by ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl whether he approved of interrogation tactics used against a so-called “high value prisoner” at the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison, Mr. Cheney, in a break from his history of being press-shy, admitted to giving official sanctioning of torture.

“I supported it,” he said regarding the practice known as “water-boarding,” a form of simulated drowning. After World War II, Japanese soldiers were tried and convicted of war crimes in US courts for water-boarding, a practice which the outgoing Bush administration attempted to enshrine in policy.

“I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared, as the agency in effect came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn’t do,” Cheney said. “And they talked to me, as well as others, to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it.”

Read Entire Article with Video

Media Distorts the News: CNN Omits the Most Persuasive Words the Shoe Thrower Said

In the excerpt below, CNN includes only three of the twenty-one words (when translated) that al-Zaidi yelled, leaving out those that would pull Americans’ heartstrings most to more fully realize who we’ve actually killed in Iraq:

“This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.”

Omission is perhaps the most widely used technique to manipulate public opinion — what they don’t tell us.

But CNN also employs substitution. Many would not see the lack of quotes in the words they add:

“who launched the 2003 invasion of Iraq.”

The actual quote was much more powerful!

From: CNN

Al-Zaidi threw his shoes at Bush, while Bush and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki were holding a Sunday news conference after the president’s surprise visit to Baghdad. The journalist was dragged to the ground, hustled out of the room and arrested.

Shouting as he was dragged to the floor, the reporter called his shoe-throwing — a traditional insult in Arab culture — a “farewell kiss” to a “dog” who launched the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

From: Democracy Now!

In Baghdad, a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was interrupted when an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President Bush. The shoes almost hit Bush in the head.

The journalist, Muntadar al-Zaidi, screamed in Arabic, “This is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.”

It’s what they don’t say.

Related: Meet the Man Who Threw His Shoes at Bush. Are We Getting It Yet?

Ron Paul: Bailouts Will ‘Destroy the Dollar’

From: Newsmax

Paul has called for abandoning the Federal Reserve System and returning the nation to a gold and silver standard. He told Newsmax why.

It’s not so much that gold is perfect, it’s that paper is insane. To give politicians and bureaucrats and secret bankers the license to counterfeit money and create money out of thin air is destined to fail, and it has. That’s why we’ve had this financial bubble develop since the linkage to gold has been severed in 1971…

“Now they’re trying desperately to print and spend, but the bubble was overwhelming and the bursting of this bubble is something they can’t contain. It would never happen under a gold standard because there would be no legal right for our central bank to spend money and create money out of thin air. The arrogance of it all is unbelievable.

“If we continue doing what we’re doing now, we will literally destroy the dollar.”

Paul, who is a physician, was critical of Obama’s stated aim of developing a national health care plan. He said: “He has no money. Where is he going to get the money?

“He has no intention of bringing our troops home. He’s talked a little about Iraq, but we’re maintaining a world empire to the tune of a trillion dollars a year. He wants more troops in Afghanistan … You have to save some money someplace.…

Paul was especially popular on college campuses during his most recent presidential campaign. Martella asked: “Did you sort of feel like a rock star when you spoke to college students?”

Paul responded: “No, not really.:..

Read Entire Article

Noam Chomsky: The Truth About Obama’s Neocon Cabinet

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atki1GHaES4]

Meet the Man Who Threw His Shoes at Bush. Are We Getting It Yet?

From: Democracy Now!

In Baghdad, a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was interrupted when an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President Bush. The shoes almost hit Bush in the head.

The journalist, Muntadar al-Zaidi, screamed in Arabic, “This is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.”

From: CNN

Muntadhar al-Zaidi’s feelings were influenced by watching the agony suffered by everyday Iraqis. Most of the reporter’s stories focused on Iraqi widows, orphans, and children, said the brother.

Sometimes the 29-year-old journalist would cry. Moved by the tales he reported of poor families, he sometimes asked his colleagues to give money to them. On most nights, he returned to his home in central Baghdad after reporting from Sadr City, one of the country’s most violent slums and the epicenter of several of the war’s pitched battles.

Muntadhar al-Zaidi’s reporting for Egypt-based independent television Al-Baghdadia was “against the occupation,” his brother said. The journalist would occasionally sign off his stories “from occupied Baghdad.”

From: AlterNet

The AP also reports that al-Zeidi was kidnapped by gunmen while on assignment as a journalist in a Sunni district of Baghdad. he was also arrested by American soldiers. Al-Zeidi is a 28-year-old unmarried Shiite.

He was freed unharmed three days later after Iraqi television stations broadcast appeals for his release. At the time, al-Zeidi told reporters he did not know who kidnapped him or why, but his family blamed al-Qaida and said no ransom was paid.

In January he was taken again, this time arrested by American soldiers who searched his apartment building, his brother, Dhirgham, said. He was released the next day with an apology, the brother said.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYnMp-CnYNc]

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