McDonald’s Apologizes to Chinese Consumers for Food Safety Violations
By Helena Bottemiller
Just weeks after launching an advertising campaign focused on food and quality safety in China, McDonalds is under fire for local food safety violations. State-run China Central Television accused the company of selling chicken wings more than an hour and…
Obama agency rules Pepsi’s use of aborted fetal cells in soft drinks
constitutes ‘ordinary business operations’
By Ethan A. Huff,
(NaturalNews) The Obama Administration has given its blessing to PepsiCo to continue utilizing the services of a company that produces flavor chemicals for the beverage giant using aborted human fetal tissue. LifeSiteNews.com reports that the Obama Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has decided that PepsiCo’s arrangement with San Diego, CalSEC.-based Senomyx, which produces flavor enhancing chemicals for Pepsi using human embryonic kidney tissue, simply constitutes “ordinary business operations…
Yale researchers link cell phone use during pregnancy to behavioral problems in children
These behaviors bear a resemblance to what is found in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, known as ADHD, according to Taylor.
Researchers found that greater exposure to cell phone radiation led to more pronounced behavioral effects. “We did show clearly that this is dose responsive,” Taylor says.
He is also is quick to say the findings don’t mean people should give up their cell phones.
“I wouldn’t want to scare people, that’s very important,” Taylor says. “There are probably some levels of exposure that are safe. But it bears further study.”
Heart attacks without chest pain more common than thought, especially among women
By PF Louis,
(NaturalNews) The CDC reports that approximately 800,000 first time heart attacks occur annually. Ignoring iatrogenic deaths (death by medicine), heart disease is still the number one killer for both men and women. However, the common perception of chest pain or discomfort as a signal that a heart attack is occurring are less than one normally thinks, especially among younger women under 45. A study led by Dr. John Canto at the Watson Clinic in Lakeland, Florida, used medical records in a national…
Sweetened drinks increase risk of heart disease in men by twenty percent
By John Phillip,
(NaturalNews) Researchers publishing the results of a study in the prestigious American Heart Association journal Circulation have found that men who drank a 12-ounce sugar-sweetened beverage a day had a 20 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to men who didn’t drink any sugar-sweetened drinks. This should come as no surprise as sweetened (and calorie-free) beverages have come under scrutiny for contributing to increased risk of potentially fatal conditions such as diabetes, dementia, stroke…
High manganese levels making air breathing hazardous in some residential areas
By J. D. Heyes,
(NaturalNews) A new study has found there are higher levels of potentially toxic manganese in a number of residential neighborhoods that are located near industrial or manufacturing sites at various locations around the country. The study, conducted by researchers from Kansas State University (KSU), Columbia University and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, found varying levels of manganese in analyzed samples of airborne particulate…
By Kim Evans,
(NaturalNews) Adding fresh juices to your diet can be one of the best everyday things you can do for your health. This is the case because with juicing you can take in far more nutrients from fresh fruits and vegetables than you ever could just by eating them straight. And these nutrients both protect us from disease and boost our health and vitality. For example, it’s easy to consume the nutrients of a couple of pounds of carrots in a day if you juice them. And while carrots are well known to.
Colloidail silver the perfect mouthwash? Scientists find rinsing mouth with silver treats infections
By Jonathan Benson,
(NaturalNews) The amazing infection-treating properties of silver seem to be flooding the pages of scientific journals these days, as researchers, scientists, and medical experts are finally fessing up to the fact that this unique element possesses healing properties far superior to pharmaceutical antibiotics and drugs. And a new study published in the Society for Applied Microbiology journal Letters in Applied Microbiology reveals that silver is fully capable of killing yeast-based mouth infections…
By Aurora Geib,
(NaturalNews) Increasing vitamin D may now be a matter of life or death, as recent studies have shown that it may play a vital role in the fight against lung cancer. To date, lung cancer is one of the three most common cancers that kill men and women in developed countries with a statistic of one million deaths every year. Researchers from the University of California at San Diego discovered a correlative relationship between higher rates of lung cancer and less exposure to the sun. Cancer…
Canada Recalls Seven Months Worth of Frozen Ground Beef
By News Desk
After a series of earlier recalls, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has now recalled all ground beef from New Food Classics ( Establishment 761) that was processed between July 1, 2011 and Feb. 15, 2012 because it may be…
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and AllJuice International are advising customers not to consume certain AllJuice products because they may contain harmful glass fragments.There have been no injuries reported. The recalled juices, in 73 mL glass bottles, were distributed in…
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) expanded its warning issued on March 15, 2012 to include the Koh-Kae brand snack products listed below because the products contain milk not declared on the label. There have been no reported illnesses associated…
EMSC Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan
Mar 20 05:57 AM
4.9 30.0 MAP
USGS Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan
Mar 20 05:57 AM
4.7 27.6 MAP
GEOFON Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan
Mar 20 05:57 AM
4.6 10.0 MAP
EMSC Hindu Kush Region, Afghanistan
Mar 20 05:44 AM
4.4 187.0 MAP
USGS Hindu Kush Region, Afghanistan
Mar 20 05:44 AM
4.4 185.4 MAP
EMSC Eastern Turkey
Mar 20 05:39 AM
3.9 5.0 MAP
EMSC Eastern Turkey
Mar 20 05:32 AM
2.4 8.0 MAP
EMSC France
Mar 20 05:13 AM
2.4 4.0 MAP
EMSC Eastern Turkey
Mar 20 04:56 AM
2.9 3.0 MAP
EMSC Western Turkey
Mar 20 03:48 AM
2.5 5.0 MAP
EMSC Western Turkey
Mar 20 03:27 AM
2.7 6.0 MAP
EMSC Western Turkey
Mar 20 03:14 AM
2.7 5.0 MAP
USGS Nevada
Mar 20 02:32 AM
2.9 2.4 MAP
USGS Nevada
Mar 20 02:17 AM
3.5 3.4 MAP
USGS Central California
Mar 20 01:46 AM
2.5 5.6 MAP
USGS Hawaii Region, Hawaii
Mar 20 01:42 AM
2.6 0.1 MAP
EMSC Georgia (sak’art’velo)
Mar 20 01:22 AM
3.0 2.0 MAP
EMSC Western Turkey
Mar 20 01:05 AM
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USGS Dominican Republic Region
Mar 20 01:03 AM
3.4 43.1 MAP
EMSC Western Turkey
Mar 20 00:51 AM
2.8 5.0 MAP
EMSC Eastern Turkey
Mar 20 00:47 AM
3.0 7.0 MAP
USGS Nevada
Mar 20 00:45 AM
2.5 13.3 MAP
EMSC Western Turkey
Mar 20 00:43 AM
3.0 5.0 MAP
EMSC Western Turkey
Mar 20 00:39 AM
3.9 22.0 MAP
Nevada
(@ 3 km depth)M 3.5 weak shallow earthquake with epicenter located 15 km SSW from Hawthorne. Weak shaking will have felt by the people of Qualeys Camp, Wichman and Hawthorne region
02:17 UTC (local time Monday, March 19, 2012 at 07:17 PM @ epicenter)
Storms and Flooding
Australia
Townsville has been declared a disaster zone following a FREAK storm that left 60 homes and businesses with major structural damage. In the suburb of Vincent, the storm tore roofs from dozens of homes, uprooted trees and downed power lines. Many victims will be out of their homes for months. “These quiet suburban streets of Townsville have suffered a shocking and devastating event. Its force was obviously ferocious.” The people of Vincent were now facing a heartbreaking clean-up task on a scale not seen even after Cyclone Yasi last year.
State Highway 16 in Oklahoma closed due to heavy rainfall. Flash flooding also reported on some Oklahoma City and Norman roads
About 1,500 customers Oklahoma City were without power for whole day
A flash flood watch remains in effect through 7am Wednesday for the following counties: Tulsa, Adair, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Delaware, Haskell, Labette, Latimer, Le Flore, Mayes, McIntosh, Montgomery, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Rogers, Sequoyah, Wagoner and Washington
Texas
A tornado reported in southwest of San Antonio luckily causing no injuries
Tornado touches down in Texas, causing damage and injuries
(CNN) — A suspected tornado touched down in south-central Texas on Monday, the National Weather Service said, as a slow-moving line of storms brought high winds, heavy rains and large hail as it swept eastward.
More than 100 homes destroyed in Kashmir valley
Authorities have announced closure of all government and private educational institutions in Kashmir
Power outage since last night.
Some tourist rescued from Dal Lake
Karachi airspace temporarily shut down due to dust storm
Arkansas
Severe thunderstorm warning issued for eastern Sequoyah, eastern Adair, LeFlore and several counties in western Arkansas
Extreme Temperatures
Minnesota
White Bear Lake shook off the last of its winter ice Monday – it was THE EARLIEST ICE-FREE DATE ON RECORD for the lake, not at all surprising after ONE OF THE MILDEST WINTERS ON RECORD and 10 DAYS OF RECORD-SETTING MARCH WARMTH. “You could just watch it disappear. No snow, no insulation, lots of wind, and high temperatures.” The March 19 date for White Bear Lake was two days earlier than the previous record, set in 2000.
Ice had left lakes as far north as northern Chisago County by Monday. For many, it was also the earliest such occurrence, although few have records as long as White Bear, where the accounting goes back to 1928.
Lake Minnetonka, which breaks completely free of ice about the same time as White Bear, wasn’t quite there Monday. The record earliest date on Lake Minnetonka as March 11. That happened in 1878, the Year Without Winter.
Also ahead of schedule:
• Mosquitoes are out in the metro area – “pretty UNUSUAL for this time of year.” Dry conditions ought to keep the population down; rain could change everything.
• Lake Waconia went ice-free on Sunday, 25 days ahead of average, but six days later than the record-earliest date, set in 2000.
• Several species of butterflies have been flitting about, even in the Arrowhead, where they emerged last weekend, about 10 days ahead of normal. Woodchucks also emerged about two weeks early.
• Maple sap has continued to run even during recent warm nights. Sap usually either stops or becomes unsuitable for syrup-making during untimely warm spells, but the sap running now – although only 10 to 15 percent of what might be normal – should make good syrup.
• Shorebirds and other water-loving birds have migrated back to the metro area, slightly ahead of schedule. Many familiar species probably won’t be here for a while, because they either need insects to eat or wait for changes in daylight.
• Chorus frogs singing in Maplewood last week, well ahead of normal.
Arizona digs out from mega snow storm
The winter snow storm forced Arizona officials to temporarily close Interstate 40 and parts of Interstate 17. Both highways later reopened Sunday afternoon.
Insidious Scheme or Conspiracy Theory? - Agenda 21
By Desert Rose : Family Survival Protocol
Agenda 21
What is it and exactly what role does it play in the “Big Picture” of America’s future?
Many have said that this is simply a conspiracy theory. Well the greatest ally for dispelling ignorance and misconceptions is knowledge. So, is it possible that the conspiracy theory is actually conspiracy fact?
Now there is a question that makes you go hmmmmm………. Well let’s see what it’s all about shall we?
“A set of proposals, made at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development for the furtherance of world-wide, sustainable development. Agenda 21 sets out environmental strategies for the management of coasts, oceans, and water, the monitoring and reduction of chemical waste, the eradication of radioactive waste, and the conservation of natural vegetation and soils. This last proposal links with plans for the development of sustainable farming, and other socio-economic proposals include measures to improve health care, to reduce poverty, and to develop fair and environmentally friendly trade policies.
The aim is to promote global sustainable development at a more fundamental level than traditional aid programmes, based on common needs and interests, and on collective responsibility. Agenda 21, as agreed by national governments at Rio de Janeiro, is an action plan at all scales, requiring local governments to develop their own ‘Local Agenda 21’ in order to spread understanding of, and action for, sustainabledevelopment. “
Agenda 21 is an action plan of the United Nations (UN) related to sustainable development and was an outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. It is a comprehensive blueprint of action to be taken globally, nationally, and locally by organizations of the UN, governments, and major groups in every area in which humans directly affect the environment.
According to members of the Tennessee House Of Representatives
in the wording of their “House Joint Resolution 587″ which states as per The New American Article :
“The non-binding measure, House Joint Resolution 587, recognizesthe “destructive and insidious nature” of the controversial UN scheme — “a comprehensive plan of extreme environmentalism, social engineering, and global political control.” The bill easily sailed through the House on March 15 with 72 votes in favor, including at least six Democrats, and 23 votes against. “
The consensus being that the controversial plans are usually disguised using a variety of innocent-sounding terms such as “Smart Growth, Wildlands Project, Resilient Cities, Regional Visioning Projects, and various ‘Green’ or ‘Alternative’ projects,” the resolution points out. But Agenda 21 is dangerous nonetheless.
The UN Agenda 21 also describes “social justice” as “the right and opportunity of all people to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment,” the Tennessee bill points out, adding that such a radical vision would have to be accomplished “by socialist/communist redistribution of wealth.” Meanwhile, the legislation observes, Agenda 21 considers national sovereignty a “social injustice.”
As such, the measure recognizes the threat of the “insidious” UN plot and aims to expose Agenda 21’s “dangerous intent” to both the public and policymakers across America. “We hereby endorse rejection of its radical policies and rejection of any grant monies attached to it,” the resolution concludes.
“This United Nations Agenda 21 plan of radical so-called ‘sustainable development’ views the American way of life of private property ownership, single-family homes, private car ownership and individual travel choices, and privately owned farms all as destructive to the environment,” the resolution explains, echoing a measure adopted earlier this year by the Republican National Committee (RNC).
Republican state Rep. Glen Casada goes on to say:
“I think this planet carries me and the eight billion people that are here right now, just fine. And what these individuals want to do, they want to cap the number of people that this planet can have,”; “one-child” policy and its enforcement through forced abortions as among the many reasons why the UN plot to limit population is dangerous.“It is insidious and it should scare you if you love freedom,” Rep. Casada warned. “I’m sorry, but humans are not enemies to the planet. We need to be creating more energy, not consuming less.”
UN Earth Summit Secretary-General Maurice Strong claimed,
“Current lifestyles and consumption patterns of the affluent middle class — involving high meat intake, the use of fossil fuels, electrical appliances, home and work-place air-conditioning and suburban housing — are not sustainable,”
Two decades ago as Agenda 21 was ushered in.
Rep. Kevin Brooks stated to the press,
“It really is a problem that many Tennesseans do know about,”
“The responses we’ve received — emails, letters, phone calls, petitions signed by hundreds of Tennesseans saying, ‘Please protect us’ — that’s what we were elected to do.”
State House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner admitted,
“I didn’t know what Agenda 21 was, to be honest with you,”
“I had never heard of it before.”
Rep. Rick Womick referred to Agenda 21 as-
“a step-by-step methodical process that denies United States citizens their property rights.” He also blasted UN-inspired government overreach rearing its head in the state.
“And what we’re saying in this resolution is: No, you cannot come in our country, in our backyard, on our property and tell us what we can and cannot do with our private property,” Womick added on the House floor.
The Tennessee resolution will now go to the Senate for approval. At least two other state legislatures — New Hampshire and Georgia — have introduced similar measures this year. Others are expected to join the battle in the coming months as pressure continues to build. There have also been a growing number of local governments that have been dropping their controversial membershipsin ICLEI, saving taxpayer money and ensuring that UN “sustainability” schemes do not take root in their communities. More local governments will be joining the fight this year, as well.
Here we have an example with Texas Mayor Beth Van Duyne and City Manager Tommy Gonzalez have canceled their Agenda 21 memberships as can be seen here in this Activist Post Article :
The city of Irving, Texas has officially withdrawn its membership from ICLEI — the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. This NGO was established in 1990 and is the action division of the policies laid out under the UN’s Agenda 21 plan — the globalist initiative to usher in a post-industrial world for the 21st century through the creation of local laws and requirements for city planning that essentially erase personal property rights and even steal land under a “sustainable” umbrella.
The UN, meanwhile, is seeking to build more support for its agenda at an upcoming “sustainability” summit in June. The summmit, dubbed Rio+20, will be led by Secretary General Sha Zukang of the communist dictatorship ruling mainland China, and Executive Coordinator Brice Lalonde, a “Green” socialist from France.
Agenda 21 And The UN (Elites) Plan For YOUR Future – “Plannedopolis”
It beats a death camp, I guess, but the really scary part of this is that this was developed by an “eco” organization that thinks this is a good idea and that it would appeal to people.
Agenda 21 explained very well. Including implications it will have on humanity. Opinions within the video come in some cases from those that were in on the negotiations. Truly an interesting watch.
It seems that according to all the sources quoted here.,save one. The documentation presented and the opinion of many well informed and reasonable people this is indeed a calculated attempt at control. The slippery slope of lost rights and decaying freedoms of a once great nation? It seems that the road to ruin in this case is that of complacency and trust. Some would say laziness of the population at large to be vigilant and protective of those freedoms and rights we supposedly hold so dear.
Question is will the American people simply sit idly by and allow this to continue? Is it too late to correct? Do the people still have the strength of spirit and character to stand up and say no more. Agenda 21 is not the only scheme out there we have Codex Alimentarius, Rex 84, Garden Plot and a myriad of others that are out there. Some may well be conspiracy theories. However, just as in the case of Agenda 21 there are many who disavow the worries of those who saw the writing on the wall. I would venture to say that in these times it is not prudent to laugh simply because we do not understand or cannot fathom the evil intent behind these supposed theories.
The time has come to stop trying to be so damned intellectual , get off your high horses and understand that this will not get itself done. Someone has to stand up for the values that once made this Nation Great. What is happening now is heartbreaking to watch and yet no one sees. Why is that? No one worries. Is that possible? No one understands. The dumbing down caused by fluoride, aspartame, mercury, vaccines? I cannot say for sure, I can however say that I see it and it pains me that so many are so deeply asleep that they cannot see that which is right under their noses. Bickering back and forth about the right left paradigm.
Republican against Democrat instead of American standing alongside American in a fight for our very way of life. Have we forgotten what that is? Are we so far gone that we are no longer able to appreciate the wonderful Nation we once were. Not this police of the world and drone killer of women and children. Does that offend you? What offends me is that no one is offended by the innocent lives that are taken on a daily basis. Not offended by the wheeling and dealing that takes place behind closed doors, everyday. Deciding the future of the American people without their consent or input. The AUDACITY of those who are supposed to represent us ignoring our wishes and spreading hatred and resentment toward America throughout the world. That is what offends me.
I would wonder what people would do with this information. If knowing that Agenda 21 and others like it are real . Real and working everyday to erode and corrupt the very nature of all that we as Americans hold dear. Will this knowledge be enough to make you stand up and say “NO MORE, ENOUGH” and “NOT IN MY NAME”! Would we once again be able to do that as a Nation as our forefathers did once so very long ago? Or will we let all they sacrificed go for naught because we simply could not be bothered to care enough to stand up and be counted? For all our sakes I truly hope America can find it’s voice and it’s strength once again. To retrieve and reignite the fire that lived within all of us . So that once again those stars and stripes flowing in the breeze will remind us just how blessed we are and how much good we can do when we put our minds and our hearts into it.
The sad truth is if this is all real those who tried to warn us will not have the heart to say , “I told you so “, and those who did not listen will have no one to blame but themselves……….
Tennessee Lawmakers Pass Resolution Blasting UN Agenda 21
Legislation attacking the United Nations’ “Agenda 21” agreement as a radical socialist plot at odds with American liberty and values was approved overwhelmingly by members of the Tennessee House of Representatives last Thursday, sparking some criticism by far-left activists but widespread praise by conservative groups and Tea Party organizations across the nation.
New Obama Executive Order Seizes U.S. Infrastructure and Citizens for Military Preparedness
Brandon Turbeville
BlacklistedNews.com
In a stunning move, on March 16, 2012, Barack Obama signed an Executive Order stating that the President and his specifically designated Secretaries now have the authority to commandeer all domestic U.S. resources including food and water. The EO also states that the President and his Secretaries have the authority to seize all transportation, energy, and infrastructure inside the United States as well as forcibly induct/draft American citizens into the military. The EO also contains a vague reference in regards to harnessing American citizens to fulfill “labor requirements” for the purposes of national defense.
The Vetting – Holder 1995: We Must ‘Brainwash’ People on Guns
by Joel B. Pollak
Breitbart.com has uncovered video from 1995 of then-U.S. Attorney Eric Holder announcing a public campaign to “really brainwash people into thinking about guns in a vastly different way.”
Holder was addressing the Woman’s National Democratic Club. In his remarks, broadcast by CSPAN 2, he explained that he intended to use anti-smoking campaigns as his model to “change the hearts and minds of people in Washington, DC” about guns.
Holder’s Brainwashing Against Guns Foreshadowed Operation Fast and Furious
Yesterday, Breitbart.com revealed exclusive video of then-U.S. Attorney Eric Holder speaking to the Woman’s National Democratic Club, stating that he wanted to “brainwash” people against gun ownership.
The video reveals Attorney General Holder’s early, consistent, and strident enthusiasm for gun control legislation. He wanted schools to talk about anti-gun propaganda “every day, every school, and every level.”
Operation Fast and Furious — in which Holder’s Department of Justice (DOJ) smuggled guns illegally to Mexican drug cartels — could finally have provided Holder the material for that anti-gun curriculum.
Forecasting Wilting Government and Growing Economies
Wars and Rumors of War
SYRIA: Media Accuses Syrian Government of Collaborating with Al Qaeda. How the Media Refutes its own Lies…
The latest terrorist attack in Damascus is described by the media as yet another government sponsored initiative geared towards killing Syrian civilians.
The CTV-AP report of this tragic event resulting in 27 deaths and some 140 wounded is riddled with contradictions. First it acknowledges that the target of the attacks was government buildings including Air Force Intelligence and National Security buildings in Damascus:
Two explosions rocked the Syrian capital of Damascus Saturday … The twin suicide car bombs were aimed at intelligence and security buildings in the capital. (CTV, March 17, 2012, emphasis added)
Treasury submits report showing it has frozen $21.1 billion of terror organizations’ assets in 2011, including $12 million of al-Qaeda’s, $55 million of Iran’s accounts
Narcotic task force and child services steal children from California medical marijuana patients
On the morning of September 29, 2011, around 8 AM, the Butte Interagency Narcotic Task Force (BINTF) out of Butte, California, forced their way into the home of Jayme Walsh and his wife Daisy Bram.
The officers then arrested the two parents and with the help of Child Protective Services (CPS) and the Child Services Division of Butte County, seized their children.
WAR PLAN IRAN: Dispelling the Lies, Telling the Truth about Western Aggression in the Persian Gulf
GR ONLINE NEWS READER
by Finian Cunningham and Michel Chossudovsky
The year 2012 may become known as a watershed for humanity – the year when mankind was precipitated into a global conflagration involving nuclear weapons. The signs are indeed grimly ominous as formidable military forces converge on the Persian Gulf in the long-running stand-off between the United States and Iran.
On side with the US are its European allies in NATO, primarily Britain, Washington’s Middle East client states: Israel and the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf – all bristling with weapons of mass destruction. Recent naval exercises by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz have also displayed a fierce arsenal of missiles and military capability, and Iran has strategic alliances with Russia and China, both of whom will not stand idly by if their Persian partner is attacked.
As we have consistently analysed on Global Research, the conflict between the US-led powers and Iran has wider ramifications. It is part and parcel of Washington’s bid to engineer the social and political upheavals across the Arab World in order to redraw the region in its strategic interests. It is no coincidence that fresh from NATO’s conquest of and regime change in Libya, the focus has quickly shifted to Syria – a key regional ally of Iran. As Michel Chossudovsky has pointed out “the road to Tehran goes through to Damascus”. Regime change in Syria would serve to isolate Iran. Subjugating Iran and returning it to Western tutelage is the prize that Washington and its allies have been seeking for the past 33 years ever since their client the Shah, Mohammad Rezā Pahlavi, was deposed by the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
5 Politicians Pushing the US Closer to a Disastrous War With Iran
President Obama may be pushing back against the “loose talk of war,” but Congress sure isn’t.
Republican candidates for president have made Iran a top issue in their attacks on President Barack Obama. While US and Israeli intelligence have concluded that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon, Rick Santorum recently suggested that “the issue of the day come this fall” could be the existence of a “nuclear Iran,”
Global arms trade growth by a quarter is spurred by India
Fears of arms race in Asia as Stockholm peace institute data shows India is now biggest importer
The global arms trade has grown by nearly a quarter over the last four years, with new growth mainly in poorer countries and India now officially the world’s biggest importer of arms, research has revealed.
Statistics published on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute show that demand from emerging economies – in particular India – drove the volume of worldwide arms transfers between 2007 and 2011 to a level 24% higher than in the previous four years.
The Syrian regime has pointed the finger at Saudi Arabia and Qatar, saying the Arab states were involved in the chain of weekend terror blasts in Syria’s largest cities. The Gulf nations have been accused by Assad’s government of arming whoever carried out the attacks, which left around thirty people dead and dozens injured.
Sara Marusek, a Beirut-based researcher from Syracuse University talks to RT. She says the Syrian people are falling victim to Saudi Arabi and Qatar’s brutal tactics, to push their political agenda.
Environmental
France Bans GM Corn Amid Mass US Protests against Monsanto
by Rady Ananda
Amid mass US protests against Monsanto in mid-March, France imposed a temporary moratorium on the planting of Monsanto’s genetically modified corn, MON810.
“Due to the proximity of the planting season,” said Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire along with Francois Fillon, Minister for Ecology and Sustainable Development, in a press release on Friday, authorities “decided to take a precautionary measure to temporarily prohibit the cultivation of maize MON810 on the national territory to protect the environment.”
RIAA chief: ISPs to start policing copyright by July 1
Comcast, Time Warner, and Verizon are among the ISPs preparing to implement a graduated response to piracy by July, says the music industry’s chief lobbyist.
Megaupload Seizure Order “Null and Void” Says High Court
In another astonishing development in the Megaupload saga, a judge in New Zealand’s High Court has declared the order used to seize Kim Dotcom’s assets as “null and void”. The blunder, which occurred because the police applied for the wrong type of court order, means that the Megaupload founder could have his property returned.
Just when it seemed that the handling of the Megaupload case couldn’t get any more controversial, a development from New Zealand has taken things to the next level.
Texas Mayor Officially Cancels Agenda 21 Membership
The city of Irving, Texas has officially withdrawn its membership from ICLEI — the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. This NGO was established in 1990 and is the action division of the policies laid out under the UN’s Agenda 21 plan — the globalist initiative to usher in a post-industrial world for the 21st century through the creation of local laws and requirements for city planning that essentially erase personal property rights and even steal land under a “sustainable” umbrella.
One year on from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan’s northeast, details continue to emerge about how the crisis was much worse than the government and TEPCO originally let on.
Joining us to discuss the legacy of Fukushima is Helen Caldicott, a physician, author and radio host who has spoken out for decades about the deadly effects of nuclear radiation.
Midnight Climax: CIA’s MK-ULTRA LSD experiments in San Francisco
Newly released documents shed light on the San Francisco edition of the CIA’s notorious MK-ULTRA program (through which people were unwittingly given massive doses of LSD to see if the drug would be useful for brainwashing), which ran from 1953-1964. There’s lots of detail about MK-ULTRA’s work in NYC and Montreal, but the San Francisco operation has been shrouded in mystery.
Spies could use your TV to snoop on you, according to CIA director David Petraeus
Spies could now snoop on you through your TV, dispensing with the necessity of planting bugs in your room, according to CIA director David Petraeus.The CIA says it will be able to ‘read’ these devices via the internet – and perhaps even via radio waves from outside the home, Petraeus added. Everything from remote controls to clock radios can now be controlled via apps – and chip company ARM recently unveiled low-powered, cheaper chips which will be used in everything from fridges and ovens to doorbells.
Don’t want to be groped by the TSA or go through a body scanner? Just pay $100!
With their thoroughly reprehensible “grope-down” procedure, not to mention reportedly strip searching multiple elderly women, harassment of elderly terminal cancer patients and the severely mentally challenged, and the potentially dangerous and ludicrously costly naked body scanners (which can be circumvented with shocking ease), the TSA has become a bit of a joke in the United States.
Not to be outdone, they have now introduced a program which allows travelers to pay $100 to take part in a program where they are able to skip the degrading, dehumanizing procedures the rest of us are subjected to every time we’re unfortunate enough to travel by plane.
The State Integrity Investigation, a partnership between the Center for Public Integrity, Global Integrity and Public Radio International to measure the risk of corruption in every state, released full state report cards today. They include letter grades, reporter comments and research details, as well as each state’s rank among all 50 states.
See How Your State Ranks
The State Integrity Investigation is an unprecedented, data-driven analysis of each state’s laws and practices that deter corruption and promote accountability and openness. Experienced journalists graded each state government on its corruption risk using 330 specific integrity indicators. The Investigation ranked every state from one to 50. Each state received a report card with letter grades in 14 categories, including campaign finance, ethics laws, lobbying regulations, and management of state pension funds.
Internet service providers to launch biggest digital spying operation in history on July 12
Madison Ruppert, Contributing Writer
Activist Post
Internet service providers (ISPs) across the United States are set to voluntarily begin a digital surveillance operation so large that nothing can even come close in the history of espionage.
Starting on July 12, 2012, if you download software, videos or music which are potentially protected by copyright, you very well might find yourself targeted by any of America’s behemoth ISPs.
Possibly the most troubling aspect of this is that these corporations are putting these so-called anti-piracy measures in place on a wholly voluntary basis in accordance with a deal with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the Obama White House.
After that date, some users might find their bandwidth choked off completely until they sign some kind of agreement saying that they will not download materials which are potentially protected by copyright.
The RIAA and MPAA have been making a concerted effort to stifle internet freedom under the guise of fighting piracy across the world, largely with the help of the government of the United States.
This latest announcement is likely related to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) which was signed by Obama without any input from the people of the United States whatsoever.
The seemingly arbitrary July 12 deadline was announced by RIAA CEO and star lobbyist Cary Sherman to a conference in New York, according to CNET.
The digital surveillance operation is dubbed a “graduated response” scheme since supposedly users will have a bit of leniency afforded to them upon their first alleged infraction.
ISPs including AT&T, Time Warner Cable (which I myself am unfortunately forced to use due to a near monopoly in my market), Comcast, Cablevision, and Verizon, will be spying on the activities of users in an attempt to spot potential copyright infringement.
As I have previously pointed out, this would require something known as “deep packet inspection” wherein literally every bit of data is analyzed by the ISP.
For many people, this represents nothing less than an egregious and unacceptable breach of privacy, especially since people are monitored even when they do absolutely nothing wrong.
The so-called “graduated response” scheme, also known as the “six-strikes” plan goes something like this:
ISPs monitor all activity and data transfers of every single one of their customers.
If a subscriber is suspected of or found to be illegally downloading copyrighted content, said user receives a so-called “educational notice.” This notice informs them that IP addresses associated with their account have been linked to allegedly downloading copyrighted content illegally. The notice will likely outline the potential penalties for copyright infringement including fines of up to $150,000 per infringement.
If the customer continues the activities which resulted in the first notice, the ISP will continue to send “confirmation notices” in order to make sure that the user received the earlier notices.
If alleged copyright infringement continues, the ISP can then throttle the bandwidth of the user, essentially turning that cable connection you pay for into the equivalent of dialup, or potentially even cut off internet access completely. They could even restrict internet access to selected major websites like Facebook or Google and even share the information on alleged repeat offenders with other service providers. This could create a de facto internet blacklist which could prevent customers from getting internet service from any ISP after being labeled a “repeat offender.”
If the user agrees to stop sharing files which are allegedly protected by copyright, the ISP can then lift the restrictions. The actual details of this agreement are unclear at this point. Apparently, the user can still be subject to lawsuits for copyright infringement for their activities, which could be a highly lucrative income source for the entertainment industry with the help of ISPs who can pinpoint alleged acts of infringement and identify the individual engaging in such activities.
CNET reports that ISPs have the option to skip the so-called “mitigation measures” and as of yet none of the major providers have publicly committed to cutting off Internet access completely.
However, if the massive (and arguably undue) influence of the RIAA and MPAA continues to sway the big industry players, I wouldn’t be surprised if they started cutting off the Internet access of users for supposedly repeatedly sharing files which might by under copyright.
This is a fantastic way for ISPs and the entertainment industry to circumvent the failed attempts to pass the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and perhaps even go beyond what this legislation could be capable of.
The entertainment industry is clearly enthused by the prospect of monitoring every single bit of data transferred between Internet users, evidenced by the fact that they will pay most of the costs involved in the project.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), on the other hand, points out that the “graduated response” protocol is non-transparent and that copyright holders could exploit ISPs to target individuals even in cases where their claims might not be valid.
The EFF is also attempting to get ISPs to agree to claim reviews being conducted by a neutral third party as well as giving internet users a kind of “due process” before having their bandwidth throttled or being disconnected entirely.
For some, having their Internet connection throttled heavily or cut off completely could mean a major business setback, income loss, etc., and without some semblance of due process involved it would be very easy for the media giants to wreak havoc on Americans who work from home based on alleged copyright infringement.
The EFF similarly pointed out that the defenses provided to users against a claim of copyright infringement leave quite a bit to be desired.
Users are given only six predetermined defenses, “and even the six enumerated defenses are incomplete,” according to the EFF.
“For example, the ‘public domain’ defense applies only if the work was created before 1923 — even though works created after 1923 can enter the public domain in a variety of ways,” the EFF explained.
There has yet to be a coordinated outcry from the technology sector as there was in response to SOPA and PIPA, leading to blackouts and boycotts of the legislation’s supporters.
Hopefully we will see something similar, although honestly I would be surprised if companies like Google came out against this since this could be such a boon for government surveillance and Google has close government ties which just seem to get tighter.
I see this program as having the potential to be much more sinister than it seems, especially since the automatic monitoring of Internet activity requires an incredibly intrusive process like deep packet inspection.
This could also be used to better track the Internet activity of people who oppose the actions of the government of the United States, under the guise of combating domestic terrorism.
In a nation where just about anything can make you into a suspected terrorist in the eyes of the government, I would truly be surprised if they didn’t leverage this to their advantage.
Such technology could also help restrict access to certain websites with “objectionable” content, namely alternative news websites.
Worst of all, if the data collected by this system is stored indefinitely – which it seems it will be since they need to identify alleged repeat offenders – it could be used as yet another private sector partner for the United States government’s Big Brother activities.
However, this would make methods of intelligence collection like Google and Facebook (which has been busted spying on private text messages of users) seem like the equivalent of the now primitive manual eavesdropping.
Hopefully this plan can see widespread opposition leading to boycotts and massive financial pressure on the gigantic ISPs participating in the program. Perhaps if we can identify the Internet service providers who refuse to take part in the program and show them our support by patronizing them, the biggest ISPs will take note and back away from the scheme.
If you know of any ISPs who have come out publicly against this or voiced their opposition in one way or another, please make me aware of this by emailing me at Admin@EndtheLie.com.
I would love to help promote such an effort, but currently I am unaware of any alternatives, especially in my area where I have the choice of either no Internet or Time Warner Cable or paying exorbitant fees to get Verizon hooked up; but since Verizon is taking part as well, it would be completely pointless.
Help us push back against this unbelievably massive domestic surveillance apparatus and spread the word!
This article first appeared at End the Lie
Madison Ruppert is the Editor and Owner-Operator of the alternative news and analysis database End The Lie and has no affiliation with any NGO, political party, economic school, or other organization/cause. He is available for podcast and radio interviews. Madison also now has his own radio show on Orion Talk Radio from 8 pm — 10 pm Pacific, which you can find HERE. If you have questions, comments, or corrections feel free to contact him at admin@EndtheLie.com
