Here is an example of an absurd news story... see if you can figure out what is wrong with this 'reported' story and why we're in trouble. Hint: If the rising prices at the pump reflect the rising costs that ExxonMobil are seeing themselves, then their profits will not be going up. However, if ExxonMobil are simply charging more and more without their costs (the cost of crude oil) going up, then their profits should go up. So let's see... which is it?
Surging oil prices helped drive quarterly profits for US energy giant ExxonMobil to 10.36 billion dollars, the latest in a string of mammoth profit reports that have drawn fire for the industry.
The second-quarter profit was up 36 percent from a year ago and approached the company's all-time record profit of 10.71 billion dollars that was believed to be one of the biggest for any company. Stoked by skyrocketing crude-oil prices, ExxonMobil's net profit in the quarter to June came to 1.72 dollars per share. That handily beat Wall Street forecasts for an earnings figure of 1.64 dollars.
Total revenues in the three months rose 11.8 percent from the same quarter of 2005 to 99 billion dollars.
In Congress, Democratic lawmakers said the sky-high profits reflected misplaced policies by the adminstration of George W. Bush.
"Americans are paying near-record gas prices, oil companies are reaping billions in profits, but the response from the Oil Men in the White House and the Republicans in Congress has been billions for Big Oil and a backhand to the American people," Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said Thursday.
CLICK HERE for the FULL STORY
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
These are remarkable and dangerous times.
Just five years ago, there were no wars in the oil-rich Persian Gulf or the Middle East. Nor were there any wars in nearby regions that could impact them. None.
Now, there are four:
War #1. Afghanistan, heating up dramatically in recent months, with a major resurgence of the Taliban.
War #2. Iraq, sinking rapidly into a full-scale civil war, now claiming at least 100 lives each day.
War #3. Gaza and West Bank, suddenly transformed from a low-level rebellion into an all-out conflict.
War #4. Lebanon, just starting to explode, with shocking new surprises on the near horizon.
Possible War #5. Iran vs. the U.S. or Israel.
Now, there are four:
War #1. Afghanistan, heating up dramatically in recent months, with a major resurgence of the Taliban.
War #2. Iraq, sinking rapidly into a full-scale civil war, now claiming at least 100 lives each day.
War #3. Gaza and West Bank, suddenly transformed from a low-level rebellion into an all-out conflict.
War #4. Lebanon, just starting to explode, with shocking new surprises on the near horizon.
Possible War #5. Iran vs. the U.S. or Israel.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Peace prize winner 'could kill' Bush
How nuts has the world become? Check this: a Nobel Peace Prize Winner wants to kill George Bush... and the children she is saying this to clap and cheer her statements! No, I kid you not! This woman is insane, the Nobel Peace Prize Award has become insane, and you should be afraid.. be very afraid!
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Annabelle McDonald
July 25, 2006
NOBEL peace laureate Betty Williams displayed a flash of her feisty Irish spirit yesterday, lashing out at US President George W.Bush during a speech to hundreds of schoolchildren.
Campaigning on the rights of young people at the Earth Dialogues forum, being held in Brisbane, Ms Williams spoke passionately about the deaths of innocent children during wartime, particularly in the Middle East, and lambasted Mr Bush.
"I have a very hard time with this word 'non-violence', because I don't believe that I am non-violent," said Ms Williams, 64.
"Right now, I would love to kill George Bush." Her young audience at the Brisbane City Hall clapped and cheered.
CLICK HERE for the FULL STORY
------------
Annabelle McDonald
July 25, 2006
NOBEL peace laureate Betty Williams displayed a flash of her feisty Irish spirit yesterday, lashing out at US President George W.Bush during a speech to hundreds of schoolchildren.
Campaigning on the rights of young people at the Earth Dialogues forum, being held in Brisbane, Ms Williams spoke passionately about the deaths of innocent children during wartime, particularly in the Middle East, and lambasted Mr Bush.
"I have a very hard time with this word 'non-violence', because I don't believe that I am non-violent," said Ms Williams, 64.
"Right now, I would love to kill George Bush." Her young audience at the Brisbane City Hall clapped and cheered.
CLICK HERE for the FULL STORY
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Dear Muslims: What Is It That You Don’t Understand?
By: Amil Imani
We, the non-Muslims—the infidels, heathens, unbelievers, apostates, enemies of Allah, najis (soiled), as you prefer to call us—would like to know what is it that you don’t understand and what is it that makes you behave so badly toward us? You blame us for your problems and believe if we embrace Islam and help establish the Islamic Ummeh the earth would be cleansed of us, transformed to paradise, and all your problems disappear?
Respectfully, we disagree. We believe that you and your system of belief are at the core of your problems; that you need to critically examine the facts rather than conveniently blame others for your ills. Keep in mind that beliefs and ideas make people human, that beliefs are roadmaps of life. To the extent that the roadmap is rational and enlightened, the path of life is illumined, pitfalls are avoided and obstacles are removed. The terrain of life has greatly changed since the roadmap of Islam was given to the wondering primitives of Arabian Peninsula.
The twenty first century presents great challenges and opportunities that demand new ways of thinking and behaving. The doctrine of Islam may have been appropriate for the dessert dwellers of some 1400 years ago, the people you yourselves stigmatize as “The Ignorant.” It is dysfunctional today to say the least. As a matter of fact, Islam went astray from the very beginning and inflicted a great deal of suffering on both its followers as well as those who resisted its advance.
Early on, Prophet Muhammad explicitly said, “There is no compulsion in religion.” He further confirmed that admonition, “For you, your religion; and for me, my religion.” Why is it that as soon as you gathered enough power, you violated those exhortations and set out to force your belief and way of life on others at the point of the sword? You further conveniently ignored your own teaching by unsheathing your sword at “the people of the book”—Jews and Christians. You spared them death only if they converted or consented to pay you backbreaking religious taxes of Jazyyeh.
Your cruel successful subjugation of the people of the Arabian Peninsula whetted your appetite for further conquests. You ventured into the civilized world—to Persia, the Levant, Spain, and eventually to the gates of Vienna. Cruelty and terror were your instruments of policy—weapons you liberally use today whenever and wherever you are able.
Contempt and hostility toward non-Muslims living under your rule as well as those outside of your domain have characterized your attitude and behavior throughout the history. Isn’t enough is enough? Is it not now the time to stand back and take a good look at what is the root cause of this pathological state of affairs?
Life is precious. It is to be protected, nurtured and celebrated. Mankind is moving, perhaps at a glacier pace, toward reconciliation, ever-expanding inclusiveness without any group or ideology imposing itself on others. Any attempt against this trend of unity in diversity is doomed to failure, as exemplified by the demise of fascism and communism. Your charter, the Quran, for most parts, preaches discrimination, death and imposition of its dogma on everyone. Islam, just like fascism and communism, is a dysfunctional ideology that needs to be abandoned. Humanity has matured considerably since the time of Muhammad. In order to continue its forward march, mankind must follow a roadmap appropriate for its age and state of development. It is foolish to insist that a book written over 1400 years ago must serve as the one and only guide for humanity.
Progress thrives in a marketplace of free ideas, where beliefs and viewpoints, not people, clash. It is through the unimpeded clash of ideas that the best decisions and actions are reached. Islam is anathema to this invaluable principle. By forcing itself on any and all people it could, Islam violated this vital principle and it aims to continue to do so to this day. Islam’s inflexible and intolerant dogmatism is at the heart of Islamic world’s stagnation and backwardness. It is evident that staying put, so to speak, does not allow going forward. It is not the non-Muslim world, the convenient scapegoat, but Islam itself which is the culprit for your chronic ills.
The non-Muslims of the twenty first century treasure freedom in all its forms and are not going to lend their necks passively to the yoke of blind obedience and imitation.
Is the present argument too difficult to understand? Is it too threatening to the security of your mindset to concede its validity? Please have the courage and take that fateful step. Leave Islam, as many of us “apostates” have done, and inhale the life-nurturing fragrance of freedom. Islam is a slaveholder. It feels that it owns you; it condemns you as apostate to be beheaded if you dare to leave its chains. The non-Muslims, by contrast, respect you as a free human and support your inalienable right to believe whatever you want to believe—even if it is a non-belief. If you still wish to wrap yourself in your suffocating security blanket—Islam—please keep it to yourself and refrain from forcing it on others.
Amil Imani is an Iranian born American citizen and pro-democracy activist who resides in the United States of America. Imani is a poet, writer, literary translator, novelist and an essayist who has been writing and speaking out for the struggling people of his native land, Iran. He maintains a website at http://amilimani.com/index
We, the non-Muslims—the infidels, heathens, unbelievers, apostates, enemies of Allah, najis (soiled), as you prefer to call us—would like to know what is it that you don’t understand and what is it that makes you behave so badly toward us? You blame us for your problems and believe if we embrace Islam and help establish the Islamic Ummeh the earth would be cleansed of us, transformed to paradise, and all your problems disappear?
Respectfully, we disagree. We believe that you and your system of belief are at the core of your problems; that you need to critically examine the facts rather than conveniently blame others for your ills. Keep in mind that beliefs and ideas make people human, that beliefs are roadmaps of life. To the extent that the roadmap is rational and enlightened, the path of life is illumined, pitfalls are avoided and obstacles are removed. The terrain of life has greatly changed since the roadmap of Islam was given to the wondering primitives of Arabian Peninsula.
The twenty first century presents great challenges and opportunities that demand new ways of thinking and behaving. The doctrine of Islam may have been appropriate for the dessert dwellers of some 1400 years ago, the people you yourselves stigmatize as “The Ignorant.” It is dysfunctional today to say the least. As a matter of fact, Islam went astray from the very beginning and inflicted a great deal of suffering on both its followers as well as those who resisted its advance.
Early on, Prophet Muhammad explicitly said, “There is no compulsion in religion.” He further confirmed that admonition, “For you, your religion; and for me, my religion.” Why is it that as soon as you gathered enough power, you violated those exhortations and set out to force your belief and way of life on others at the point of the sword? You further conveniently ignored your own teaching by unsheathing your sword at “the people of the book”—Jews and Christians. You spared them death only if they converted or consented to pay you backbreaking religious taxes of Jazyyeh.
Your cruel successful subjugation of the people of the Arabian Peninsula whetted your appetite for further conquests. You ventured into the civilized world—to Persia, the Levant, Spain, and eventually to the gates of Vienna. Cruelty and terror were your instruments of policy—weapons you liberally use today whenever and wherever you are able.
Contempt and hostility toward non-Muslims living under your rule as well as those outside of your domain have characterized your attitude and behavior throughout the history. Isn’t enough is enough? Is it not now the time to stand back and take a good look at what is the root cause of this pathological state of affairs?
Life is precious. It is to be protected, nurtured and celebrated. Mankind is moving, perhaps at a glacier pace, toward reconciliation, ever-expanding inclusiveness without any group or ideology imposing itself on others. Any attempt against this trend of unity in diversity is doomed to failure, as exemplified by the demise of fascism and communism. Your charter, the Quran, for most parts, preaches discrimination, death and imposition of its dogma on everyone. Islam, just like fascism and communism, is a dysfunctional ideology that needs to be abandoned. Humanity has matured considerably since the time of Muhammad. In order to continue its forward march, mankind must follow a roadmap appropriate for its age and state of development. It is foolish to insist that a book written over 1400 years ago must serve as the one and only guide for humanity.
Progress thrives in a marketplace of free ideas, where beliefs and viewpoints, not people, clash. It is through the unimpeded clash of ideas that the best decisions and actions are reached. Islam is anathema to this invaluable principle. By forcing itself on any and all people it could, Islam violated this vital principle and it aims to continue to do so to this day. Islam’s inflexible and intolerant dogmatism is at the heart of Islamic world’s stagnation and backwardness. It is evident that staying put, so to speak, does not allow going forward. It is not the non-Muslim world, the convenient scapegoat, but Islam itself which is the culprit for your chronic ills.
The non-Muslims of the twenty first century treasure freedom in all its forms and are not going to lend their necks passively to the yoke of blind obedience and imitation.
Is the present argument too difficult to understand? Is it too threatening to the security of your mindset to concede its validity? Please have the courage and take that fateful step. Leave Islam, as many of us “apostates” have done, and inhale the life-nurturing fragrance of freedom. Islam is a slaveholder. It feels that it owns you; it condemns you as apostate to be beheaded if you dare to leave its chains. The non-Muslims, by contrast, respect you as a free human and support your inalienable right to believe whatever you want to believe—even if it is a non-belief. If you still wish to wrap yourself in your suffocating security blanket—Islam—please keep it to yourself and refrain from forcing it on others.
Amil Imani is an Iranian born American citizen and pro-democracy activist who resides in the United States of America. Imani is a poet, writer, literary translator, novelist and an essayist who has been writing and speaking out for the struggling people of his native land, Iran. He maintains a website at http://amilimani.com/index
Hezbollah are already here - In America
Sheeple thought of the day: "Hezbollah is not my problem."
You think Hezbollah is only Israel's headache? Wake up. Iranian Hezbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli's threat on Tuesday to dispatch 2,000 operatives "to every corner of the world to jeopardize Israel and America's interests" is more than just idle Islamic heavy-breathing.
The Jew-hating terrorists of Hezbollah who call themselves the "party of God" are already here. In America. Plotting attacks. Raising money. Slipping through the cracks.
Click HERE for the FULL STORY
You think Hezbollah is only Israel's headache? Wake up. Iranian Hezbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli's threat on Tuesday to dispatch 2,000 operatives "to every corner of the world to jeopardize Israel and America's interests" is more than just idle Islamic heavy-breathing.
The Jew-hating terrorists of Hezbollah who call themselves the "party of God" are already here. In America. Plotting attacks. Raising money. Slipping through the cracks.
Click HERE for the FULL STORY
Cry Babies From Lebanon
Currently the United States is evacuating Americans from Beirut. Free. No charge. This includes food, lodging, medical care, and transportation. Now I just have to ask one question... why are there 25,000 Americans in Beirut to begin with? It's only a stones throw from one of the worlds hot spots... and an area of constant crisis. What are all these people doing there? Not like this is a commercial hub or an industrial center...
Then, as I watched the news this morning, these "Americans" were mostly all complaining about "what took the U.S. so long", and "we didn't have luxury accomodations", and "they forced us on to a ship I didn't like". Well, exxxxccccuuuuusssseeee ME!!!
Who's stupid idea was it to bail these people out for FREE anyway? Oh yeah... of course... the "liberals" Nancy Pelosi and pals. We'll just TAX the American public for the expenses and bail these 25,000 so-called "Americans" out. Typical.
I dunno... Why in the world are there 25,000 so-called "Americans" in Beirut?
Then, as I watched the news this morning, these "Americans" were mostly all complaining about "what took the U.S. so long", and "we didn't have luxury accomodations", and "they forced us on to a ship I didn't like". Well, exxxxccccuuuuusssseeee ME!!!
Who's stupid idea was it to bail these people out for FREE anyway? Oh yeah... of course... the "liberals" Nancy Pelosi and pals. We'll just TAX the American public for the expenses and bail these 25,000 so-called "Americans" out. Typical.
I dunno... Why in the world are there 25,000 so-called "Americans" in Beirut?
Rosarito officers beheaded last week
By Anna Cearley
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
June 30, 2006
TIJUANA – Mexico's top federal prosecutor yesterday said police connections with organized crime may have contributed to the beheadings of three Rosarito Beach police officers last week.
“What we are seeing is that organized crime is penetrating many police groups, and this is the line of investigation that we have,” Mexican Attorney General Daniel Cabeza de Vaca said during a news conference at the Hotel Camino Real.
Cabeza de Vaca stopped short of saying whether the officers and a civilian who was killed with them were believed to have been involved in organized crime.
The bodies of the four men were found in Rosarito Beach and their heads were found in Tijuana on June 21 in what has been widely interpreted as a sign of rivalries between drug-trafficking groups, who typically form links with certain law enforcement officials.
Click HERE for full story
and
http://www.plantek.us/
----
My comment:
Excuse me but... isn't this a huge news worthy story? Silence from the networks. Lets see... Law Enforcement officers beheaded, occuring on or near the Mexican border, and known illegals from the Middle East crossing into the US. And no one thinks this story should be FRONT PAGE?
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
June 30, 2006
TIJUANA – Mexico's top federal prosecutor yesterday said police connections with organized crime may have contributed to the beheadings of three Rosarito Beach police officers last week.
“What we are seeing is that organized crime is penetrating many police groups, and this is the line of investigation that we have,” Mexican Attorney General Daniel Cabeza de Vaca said during a news conference at the Hotel Camino Real.
Cabeza de Vaca stopped short of saying whether the officers and a civilian who was killed with them were believed to have been involved in organized crime.
The bodies of the four men were found in Rosarito Beach and their heads were found in Tijuana on June 21 in what has been widely interpreted as a sign of rivalries between drug-trafficking groups, who typically form links with certain law enforcement officials.
Click HERE for full story
and
http://www.plantek.us/
----
My comment:
Excuse me but... isn't this a huge news worthy story? Silence from the networks. Lets see... Law Enforcement officers beheaded, occuring on or near the Mexican border, and known illegals from the Middle East crossing into the US. And no one thinks this story should be FRONT PAGE?
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Where is the Rage
Here is an outrageous commentary from an individual named Michael Payne... he writes commentary for the OnlineJournal. He is asking, in his commentary, where the outrage is? Where is the rage? Please read his commentary:
"We are all part of an American society that continues to silently watch as our government pursues a foreign policy that threatens the very future of our democracy. A large segment of this society is currently in a state of conditioned silence. It watches as America is undergoing radical changes that are transforming this nation into an instrument of world domination with the objective of controlling this planet's energy resources. The overriding question is: what will bring this society out of this state of conditioned silence -- does it have the will or any desire to say, "Enough is enough, we will accept no more?" Or have the American people completely lost their will to dissent? It seems that we have become a society that no longer may know what is right versus what is just plain wrong. We collectively watched the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq. Then came the "shock and awe" and the complete destruction of the city of Fallujah. We began to hear the bizarre stories of the inhuman torture of prisoners at Abu Grahib and Guantanamo. Now we are beginning to hear details of the horrendous story about the village of Haditha, a potential time bomb of immense proportions. The senseless deaths of our military and Iraqi civilians continue each and every day; this is complete madness! Is Big Brother wiretapping you and me? Does anyone care? America remains in a state of conditioned silence."
My reaction to this commentary is simple. One word: Bullcrap. What a load full of bullcrap!
First, don't say 'we are all part of a society watching silently'... because we are not ALL part of society that stands mute as we rush headlong into some perceived danger brought about by the current administration. This might be YOUR view Mr. Payne, but it is NOT the view of millions of Americans. So don't try your little trick with the word ALL in your diatribe.
Second, you are wrong to state that 'a large part of society is in a state of conditioned silence'. What? Everyone is a mind-numbed robot except for you? You happen to be the only one with a clear view and intelligence? What arrogance! Typical LIBERAL mentality at work here. You have the accurate vision for all the rest of us. You dolt! We are NOT in a state of conditioned silence... we are simply in agreement that the REAL threat to our democracy is from terrorists and rogue nations with nuclear weapons and the lack of enough resources to keep going.
Third, you state that this nation is turning "into an instrument of world domination". Huh? Well, that answers my next question about your knowledge of American history... you must have been skipping classes out smoking dope. Fool... we've always been about America First. Where have you been? So, my advise is for you to move to Canada, leave, scram, if you hate your own country so much.
Fourth, you question our ability to see right from wrong. Typical. If it isn't a liberal's way, then it's wrong. So much for real liberalism and understanding and open minded thinking. Typical.
Fifth, you bring up Abu Grahib and state (in your opinion) that "inhuman torture" occured there. Dude, you have NO CLUE what torture is. I am here to tell you that what occured in Abu Grahib was no worse than typical fraternity hazing right here in the United States. Oooohhh... stand on a box with a bag on your head and fake wires attached to your fingers... ooohh so inhuman so horrible. Oohhh my, a human pyramid... oh how horrible. And to think, cheerleaders do this self-torture all the time. You idiot... that's hazing, NOT TORTURE. Torture HURTS and KILLS and inflicts REAL SUFFERING. Stress and anguish and hurt feelings are NOT TORTURE. Moron! My guess is, you were a Momma's boy growing up. Probably a single child. In High School you probably fancied yourself an elitist thinker while you hit on the bong. Perhaps your parents were rich or wealthy and you got everything you wanted and maybe even they had a maid or you had a nanny.
Dude... think about what dear old Saddam did to his own people: nerve gassed them, dipped the, alive in acid baths, electrocuted them (for real you idiot), cut off limbs, killed family members. And... it's obvious you're OK with this huh? You sick perverted bastard! It's only when your own country 'stresses' out an enemy combatant that you become unhinged and cry foul with all the pent up hatred you must be carrying around in your tiny dark heart. It's just fine for Saddam, huh! Shows your true colors... this exposes you for what you are. An evil, country hating, close minded, self-centered moron. Finally... you state this is complete madness? Dude, you're looking at yourself in the mirror!
Click HERE to read this idiot's rant about how he hates America
"We are all part of an American society that continues to silently watch as our government pursues a foreign policy that threatens the very future of our democracy. A large segment of this society is currently in a state of conditioned silence. It watches as America is undergoing radical changes that are transforming this nation into an instrument of world domination with the objective of controlling this planet's energy resources. The overriding question is: what will bring this society out of this state of conditioned silence -- does it have the will or any desire to say, "Enough is enough, we will accept no more?" Or have the American people completely lost their will to dissent? It seems that we have become a society that no longer may know what is right versus what is just plain wrong. We collectively watched the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq. Then came the "shock and awe" and the complete destruction of the city of Fallujah. We began to hear the bizarre stories of the inhuman torture of prisoners at Abu Grahib and Guantanamo. Now we are beginning to hear details of the horrendous story about the village of Haditha, a potential time bomb of immense proportions. The senseless deaths of our military and Iraqi civilians continue each and every day; this is complete madness! Is Big Brother wiretapping you and me? Does anyone care? America remains in a state of conditioned silence."
My reaction to this commentary is simple. One word: Bullcrap. What a load full of bullcrap!
First, don't say 'we are all part of a society watching silently'... because we are not ALL part of society that stands mute as we rush headlong into some perceived danger brought about by the current administration. This might be YOUR view Mr. Payne, but it is NOT the view of millions of Americans. So don't try your little trick with the word ALL in your diatribe.
Second, you are wrong to state that 'a large part of society is in a state of conditioned silence'. What? Everyone is a mind-numbed robot except for you? You happen to be the only one with a clear view and intelligence? What arrogance! Typical LIBERAL mentality at work here. You have the accurate vision for all the rest of us. You dolt! We are NOT in a state of conditioned silence... we are simply in agreement that the REAL threat to our democracy is from terrorists and rogue nations with nuclear weapons and the lack of enough resources to keep going.
Third, you state that this nation is turning "into an instrument of world domination". Huh? Well, that answers my next question about your knowledge of American history... you must have been skipping classes out smoking dope. Fool... we've always been about America First. Where have you been? So, my advise is for you to move to Canada, leave, scram, if you hate your own country so much.
Fourth, you question our ability to see right from wrong. Typical. If it isn't a liberal's way, then it's wrong. So much for real liberalism and understanding and open minded thinking. Typical.
Fifth, you bring up Abu Grahib and state (in your opinion) that "inhuman torture" occured there. Dude, you have NO CLUE what torture is. I am here to tell you that what occured in Abu Grahib was no worse than typical fraternity hazing right here in the United States. Oooohhh... stand on a box with a bag on your head and fake wires attached to your fingers... ooohh so inhuman so horrible. Oohhh my, a human pyramid... oh how horrible. And to think, cheerleaders do this self-torture all the time. You idiot... that's hazing, NOT TORTURE. Torture HURTS and KILLS and inflicts REAL SUFFERING. Stress and anguish and hurt feelings are NOT TORTURE. Moron! My guess is, you were a Momma's boy growing up. Probably a single child. In High School you probably fancied yourself an elitist thinker while you hit on the bong. Perhaps your parents were rich or wealthy and you got everything you wanted and maybe even they had a maid or you had a nanny.
Dude... think about what dear old Saddam did to his own people: nerve gassed them, dipped the, alive in acid baths, electrocuted them (for real you idiot), cut off limbs, killed family members. And... it's obvious you're OK with this huh? You sick perverted bastard! It's only when your own country 'stresses' out an enemy combatant that you become unhinged and cry foul with all the pent up hatred you must be carrying around in your tiny dark heart. It's just fine for Saddam, huh! Shows your true colors... this exposes you for what you are. An evil, country hating, close minded, self-centered moron. Finally... you state this is complete madness? Dude, you're looking at yourself in the mirror!
Click HERE to read this idiot's rant about how he hates America
Sleeper Cells Being Activated??
17 July 2006: Operatives of the Lebanese Islamic terrorist organization Hezbollah, the same group presently firing missiles into Israel and labeled as one of the most dangerous Islamic terrorist group in the world, are believed "to be planning to activate sleeper cells located in New York and other larger cities inside the U.S." to stage attacks Americans. "The FBI and Justice Department have launched urgent new probes in New York and other cities targeting members of the Lebanese terror group." Law-enforcement and intelligence officials stated that "about a dozen hard-core supporters of Hezbollah have been identified in recent weeks as operating in the New York City area (alone)."
The above appeared in an article published in The New York Post on May 22, 2006. Not surprisingly, that very same information was verified through several sources within law enforcement agencies and agents contacted by the Northeast Intelligence Network this weekend.
One federal law enforcement official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated, “We are very concerned about sleeper-cell activation due to the current ‘effervescent’ situation between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel.” The same source confirmed that there is “active surveillance of known surveillance operatives” in New York, and added that surveillance is also being conducted by agents in other U.S. cities.
Click HERE for the FULL Story
The above appeared in an article published in The New York Post on May 22, 2006. Not surprisingly, that very same information was verified through several sources within law enforcement agencies and agents contacted by the Northeast Intelligence Network this weekend.
One federal law enforcement official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated, “We are very concerned about sleeper-cell activation due to the current ‘effervescent’ situation between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel.” The same source confirmed that there is “active surveillance of known surveillance operatives” in New York, and added that surveillance is also being conducted by agents in other U.S. cities.
Click HERE for the FULL Story
Hezbollah Threat to US Taken Seriously
Agents seized at border, while Iranians
ID targets to 'end Anglo-Saxon civilization'
WASHINGTON – The Iranian-sponsored terrorist organization Hezbollah' threats to attack U.S. interests around the world are being taken seriously by U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials who say the group's agents have attempted illegal entry into the country through the southern border and have staked out 20 potential sensitive targets that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boasted could "end Anglo-Saxon civilization," Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin reports.
"We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year," Hezbollah spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli told Reuters yesterday. "They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardize Israel and America's interests. We are only waiting for the supreme leader's green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War III … we welcome it."
Click HERE to read the FULL STORY
ID targets to 'end Anglo-Saxon civilization'
WASHINGTON – The Iranian-sponsored terrorist organization Hezbollah' threats to attack U.S. interests around the world are being taken seriously by U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials who say the group's agents have attempted illegal entry into the country through the southern border and have staked out 20 potential sensitive targets that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boasted could "end Anglo-Saxon civilization," Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin reports.
"We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year," Hezbollah spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli told Reuters yesterday. "They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardize Israel and America's interests. We are only waiting for the supreme leader's green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War III … we welcome it."
Click HERE to read the FULL STORY
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Three War Forecast
Anthony and I are in Brazil to attend my nephew’s wedding. We fly back tonight.
When I planned this trip, I welcomed it as a chance to get away for a relaxing weekend — to escape the daily bombardment of news about Iran, Iraq, Gaza and Lebanon.
Instead, it feels as though we jumped into the thick of the melee: vicious, coordinated attacks by criminal gangs throughout the state of São Paulo.
From the moment we stepped into our taxi at São Paulo’s airport, the driver talked incessantly about nothing else: Scores of municipal buses torched. Dozens of police stations and public buildings bombed. Shopping centers, auto dealerships, parking lots — all trashed.
As we sped down the highway to the city, he ranted excitedly, turning his head in our direction to punctuate each sentence. My first thought was to tell him to pay more attention to the road. My second was to question his sources. But both thoughts were wiped away by what happened next.
A billowing column of smoke darkened the brightly lit city skyline just ahead. Within seconds we could see its source on the other side of the median — a large city bus consumed by flames that leaped three stories into the air.
Had it been I-95, traffic would be backed up for miles in both directions. But on Brazil’s highways, unless lanes themselves are blocked, no one slows down. The bus had been pulled off to the shoulder. Police cars and fire engines, stretched thin by the other attacks all over town, had not yet arrived. So traffic flowed uninterrupted and we zoomed by with no delay.
But I was in shock. This was obviously no longer the same, tranquil, nonviolent Brazil of my childhood. The bustling cities of Brazil’s most prosperous industrial state have been infected by a single, underlying disease: Coordinated violence. Inexplicable destruction. Senseless bloodshed.
Thank God most of the gangs here are not targeting human life; they shoo all the passengers off each bus before torching it. And thank God, after 48 hours of havoc, the gang leaders called off the attacks just as abruptly as they began.
But what’s coming next? And what lessons can be learned from this apparently inexplicable event?
7 Critical Lessons for
American Investors
To you, what’s happening in São Paulo may appear irrelevant of distant. But nothing could be further from the truth.
First, violent, coordinated attacks are a worldwide phenomenon: France, Britain, Spain. The Levantine, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent. In each case, the political agenda may be different. But the strategies and tactics are too similar to ignore.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen tactics prevail over ideology. The same thing happened three decades ago when student rebellions spread across the globe from Berkeley ... to the Sorbonne ... to Tokyo and Pusan ... Caracas and São Paulo. Each rebellion had different goals. But all readily implemented copycat tactics.
Second, most police forces are hopelessly unprepared. The attacks are coordinated with military precision. Only an equally coordinated army is capable of fending them off.
Third, the economy is paralyzed. In São Paulo, municipal buses stopped running, two million commuters were left stranded and business was virtually shut down. We saw the same thing happen in New York, London, Madrid and Mumbai.
Fourth, violence itself can easily catch fire like a raging epidemic. Once it erupts in one major metropolis, it often spreads to others in the region. We saw this in France last year. We see it in Iraq every day. And this past week in the state of São Paulo, it was abundantly evident as well.
Fifth, despite all the risks, as long as it doesn’t affect their daily lives directly, most people are inclined to plod through their regular routines as if nothing were happening. We’re equally guilty of this pattern. After the first day of the São Paulo attacks, we went out to dinner in an upscale neighborhood. After dinner, we dropped Anthony and his friend at a club. São Paulo’s vibrant night life seemed unaffected.
On the surface, this may sound reassuring. But in reality, it’s a symptom of another troubling aspect of this phenomenon. As the crisis escalates step by step, most people become inured, consoling themselves in the belief that “it couldn’t possibly get any worse.”
And alas, it’s that complacency which often helps opens the door to each new phase: First, attacks on strategic economic targets ... then military targets ... and ultimately “soft” civilian targets without regard to human life.
Sixth, when an insurgency, a rebellion or a war reaches critical mass, military goals come first regardless of any impacts on economic infrastructure or financial markets.
In Iran, president Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Khamenei knew that their nuclear gamesmanship would hurt exports and slice points off their GDP. But their long-term geopolitical goal — to lead the Muslim world — prevailed.
They also know that if they follow through on their recent threats to choke off the supply of oil to the West, it could gut their own oil revenues. But their geopolitical objective — to retaliate against any UN sanctions — will take precedence.
Click HERE to read the FULL ARTICLE
When I planned this trip, I welcomed it as a chance to get away for a relaxing weekend — to escape the daily bombardment of news about Iran, Iraq, Gaza and Lebanon.
Instead, it feels as though we jumped into the thick of the melee: vicious, coordinated attacks by criminal gangs throughout the state of São Paulo.
From the moment we stepped into our taxi at São Paulo’s airport, the driver talked incessantly about nothing else: Scores of municipal buses torched. Dozens of police stations and public buildings bombed. Shopping centers, auto dealerships, parking lots — all trashed.
As we sped down the highway to the city, he ranted excitedly, turning his head in our direction to punctuate each sentence. My first thought was to tell him to pay more attention to the road. My second was to question his sources. But both thoughts were wiped away by what happened next.
A billowing column of smoke darkened the brightly lit city skyline just ahead. Within seconds we could see its source on the other side of the median — a large city bus consumed by flames that leaped three stories into the air.
Had it been I-95, traffic would be backed up for miles in both directions. But on Brazil’s highways, unless lanes themselves are blocked, no one slows down. The bus had been pulled off to the shoulder. Police cars and fire engines, stretched thin by the other attacks all over town, had not yet arrived. So traffic flowed uninterrupted and we zoomed by with no delay.
But I was in shock. This was obviously no longer the same, tranquil, nonviolent Brazil of my childhood. The bustling cities of Brazil’s most prosperous industrial state have been infected by a single, underlying disease: Coordinated violence. Inexplicable destruction. Senseless bloodshed.
Thank God most of the gangs here are not targeting human life; they shoo all the passengers off each bus before torching it. And thank God, after 48 hours of havoc, the gang leaders called off the attacks just as abruptly as they began.
But what’s coming next? And what lessons can be learned from this apparently inexplicable event?
7 Critical Lessons for
American Investors
To you, what’s happening in São Paulo may appear irrelevant of distant. But nothing could be further from the truth.
First, violent, coordinated attacks are a worldwide phenomenon: France, Britain, Spain. The Levantine, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent. In each case, the political agenda may be different. But the strategies and tactics are too similar to ignore.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen tactics prevail over ideology. The same thing happened three decades ago when student rebellions spread across the globe from Berkeley ... to the Sorbonne ... to Tokyo and Pusan ... Caracas and São Paulo. Each rebellion had different goals. But all readily implemented copycat tactics.
Second, most police forces are hopelessly unprepared. The attacks are coordinated with military precision. Only an equally coordinated army is capable of fending them off.
Third, the economy is paralyzed. In São Paulo, municipal buses stopped running, two million commuters were left stranded and business was virtually shut down. We saw the same thing happen in New York, London, Madrid and Mumbai.
Fourth, violence itself can easily catch fire like a raging epidemic. Once it erupts in one major metropolis, it often spreads to others in the region. We saw this in France last year. We see it in Iraq every day. And this past week in the state of São Paulo, it was abundantly evident as well.
Fifth, despite all the risks, as long as it doesn’t affect their daily lives directly, most people are inclined to plod through their regular routines as if nothing were happening. We’re equally guilty of this pattern. After the first day of the São Paulo attacks, we went out to dinner in an upscale neighborhood. After dinner, we dropped Anthony and his friend at a club. São Paulo’s vibrant night life seemed unaffected.
On the surface, this may sound reassuring. But in reality, it’s a symptom of another troubling aspect of this phenomenon. As the crisis escalates step by step, most people become inured, consoling themselves in the belief that “it couldn’t possibly get any worse.”
And alas, it’s that complacency which often helps opens the door to each new phase: First, attacks on strategic economic targets ... then military targets ... and ultimately “soft” civilian targets without regard to human life.
Sixth, when an insurgency, a rebellion or a war reaches critical mass, military goals come first regardless of any impacts on economic infrastructure or financial markets.
In Iran, president Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Khamenei knew that their nuclear gamesmanship would hurt exports and slice points off their GDP. But their long-term geopolitical goal — to lead the Muslim world — prevailed.
They also know that if they follow through on their recent threats to choke off the supply of oil to the West, it could gut their own oil revenues. But their geopolitical objective — to retaliate against any UN sanctions — will take precedence.
Click HERE to read the FULL ARTICLE
Foreign ownership of U.S. airlines?
Bush ready to defy Congress' ban despite pilots' fears of another Dubai ports deal.
The Department of Transportation, acting under President Bush's orders, is preparing to issue an administrative ruling that would open U.S. airlines up to foreign ownership, despite specific prohibitions and warnings from Congress, as well as predictions by pilots that another Dubai ports controversy is in the offing.
The proposed ruling puts the Air Line Pilots Association, or ALPA – the largest airline pilot union in the world representing 61,000 pilots who fly for 40 U.S. and Canadian airlines – at odds with the Bush administration.
The administration is determined to comply with European Union demands presented in the November 2005 "open skies" negotiations. (So-called "open skies" agreements are bilateral or multilateral agreements that liberalize the rules for international aviation markets and minimize government intervention.)
The EU is threatening to delay the signing of an open skies treaty unless the U.S. changes restrictions on the percentage of a U.S. airline that can be foreign-owned. The U.S. currently has 74 bilateral open skies agreements, none of which require any rule changes on the foreign ownership of U.S. airlines.
Click Here for the FULL STORY
The Department of Transportation, acting under President Bush's orders, is preparing to issue an administrative ruling that would open U.S. airlines up to foreign ownership, despite specific prohibitions and warnings from Congress, as well as predictions by pilots that another Dubai ports controversy is in the offing.
The proposed ruling puts the Air Line Pilots Association, or ALPA – the largest airline pilot union in the world representing 61,000 pilots who fly for 40 U.S. and Canadian airlines – at odds with the Bush administration.
The administration is determined to comply with European Union demands presented in the November 2005 "open skies" negotiations. (So-called "open skies" agreements are bilateral or multilateral agreements that liberalize the rules for international aviation markets and minimize government intervention.)
The EU is threatening to delay the signing of an open skies treaty unless the U.S. changes restrictions on the percentage of a U.S. airline that can be foreign-owned. The U.S. currently has 74 bilateral open skies agreements, none of which require any rule changes on the foreign ownership of U.S. airlines.
Click Here for the FULL STORY
Monday, July 17, 2006
Ex-CIA chief: Bomb Syria!
Woolsey says Damascus, Iran think U.S. 'nation of cowards'
The Full Story
As violence continues to escalate between Israel and Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, the former head of the Central Intelligence Agency says the U.S. should now take military action against Syria, which, along with Iran, is believed to be backing Hezbollah.
"I think we ought to execute some airstrikes against Syria, against the instruments of power of that state, against the airport, which is the place where weapons shuttle through from Iran to Hezbollah and Hamas," James Woolsey said. "I think both Syria and Iran think that we're cowards. They saw us leave Lebanon after the '83 Marine Corps bombing. They saw us leave Mogadishu in '93."
The former CIA chief, now a vice president for the global consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, said it is much too soon to talk about a realistic end to the fighting.
"I think the last thing we ought to do now is to start talking about cease-fires and a rest," he said.
"Iran has drawn a line in the sand. They've sent Hezbollah and Hamas against Israel. They're pushing their nuclear weapons program. They're helping North Korea, working with them on a ballistic missile program. They're doing their best to take over southern Iraq with [radical Shiite cleric] Muqtada al-Sadr and some of their other proxies. This is a very serious challenge from Iran and we need to weaken them badly, and undermining the Syrian government with airstrikes would help weaken them badly."
The Full Story
As violence continues to escalate between Israel and Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, the former head of the Central Intelligence Agency says the U.S. should now take military action against Syria, which, along with Iran, is believed to be backing Hezbollah.
"I think we ought to execute some airstrikes against Syria, against the instruments of power of that state, against the airport, which is the place where weapons shuttle through from Iran to Hezbollah and Hamas," James Woolsey said. "I think both Syria and Iran think that we're cowards. They saw us leave Lebanon after the '83 Marine Corps bombing. They saw us leave Mogadishu in '93."
The former CIA chief, now a vice president for the global consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, said it is much too soon to talk about a realistic end to the fighting.
"I think the last thing we ought to do now is to start talking about cease-fires and a rest," he said.
"Iran has drawn a line in the sand. They've sent Hezbollah and Hamas against Israel. They're pushing their nuclear weapons program. They're helping North Korea, working with them on a ballistic missile program. They're doing their best to take over southern Iraq with [radical Shiite cleric] Muqtada al-Sadr and some of their other proxies. This is a very serious challenge from Iran and we need to weaken them badly, and undermining the Syrian government with airstrikes would help weaken them badly."
War may explode all across Mideast
Once again, Lebanon is burning. Once again, rockets are raining down on northern Israel. Once again, the region that has seen war erupt on average every six years since 1948 stands on the brink of conflagration, one that could engulf the entire Middle East in dangerous new ways.
As Israel presses its offensive against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement deep into Lebanese territory and Hezbollah defiantly launches missiles over the border, U.S. and Lebanese officials are predicting no early end to a crisis that many fear could rapidly escalate out of control.
With their act of bravado in seizing two Israeli soldiers last week, Hezbollah guerrillas unleashed a volatile brew of competing agendas, sectarian rivalries and unresolved hostilities that extend far beyond tiny Lebanon, to include Iran, Syria, the Palestinian territories and the continuing war in Iraq.
"The situation in the Middle East can get out of control very quickly. What seems like a border flare-up can turn into a regional conflict in a matter of days," said Michael Oren, a military historian and senior fellow at the Shalem Center, a Jerusalem academic institute.
"I think this can be seen as the beginning of a regional conflict," he added. "How can you stop it? There doesn't seem to be a diplomatic option."
This is not yet a regional war. But the conflict has moved far beyond the usual cross-border spats that regularly embroil Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah guerrillas.
Israel has hinted that Syria could be next unless Hezbollah is restrained. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has warned that an attack on Syria would be viewed as an attack on Iran. Hezbollah has declared that it is ready for "open war."
Full Story Here
As Israel presses its offensive against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement deep into Lebanese territory and Hezbollah defiantly launches missiles over the border, U.S. and Lebanese officials are predicting no early end to a crisis that many fear could rapidly escalate out of control.
With their act of bravado in seizing two Israeli soldiers last week, Hezbollah guerrillas unleashed a volatile brew of competing agendas, sectarian rivalries and unresolved hostilities that extend far beyond tiny Lebanon, to include Iran, Syria, the Palestinian territories and the continuing war in Iraq.
"The situation in the Middle East can get out of control very quickly. What seems like a border flare-up can turn into a regional conflict in a matter of days," said Michael Oren, a military historian and senior fellow at the Shalem Center, a Jerusalem academic institute.
"I think this can be seen as the beginning of a regional conflict," he added. "How can you stop it? There doesn't seem to be a diplomatic option."
This is not yet a regional war. But the conflict has moved far beyond the usual cross-border spats that regularly embroil Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah guerrillas.
Israel has hinted that Syria could be next unless Hezbollah is restrained. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has warned that an attack on Syria would be viewed as an attack on Iran. Hezbollah has declared that it is ready for "open war."
Full Story Here
U.S. lawmen outgunned along Mexican border
Bad guys have superior firepower, can eavesdrop on communications of American law enforcement
Hundreds of rounds of automatic-weapons fire rained down on South Texas sheriff's deputies and Border Patrol agents from the Mexican side of the border as they investigated a horror story told by two American brothers who fled across the Rio Grande fearing for their lives.
Several Hidalgo County deputies and at least four Border patrol agents were met with a sustained hail of gunfire alternating from the south to the east and lasting nearly 10 minutes, the officers said.
Yet, not a single shot was returned by the deputies or the Border Patrol officers last Wednesday night because they were outmanned and outgunned – a condition increasingly common along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border, say law enforcement officials.
"This is one of the reasons that I do not allow my deputies to patrol the riverbanks or levies close to the river," explained Sheriff Lupe Treviño, "because we do know there are drug gangs and human trafficking gangs that will not hesitate to shoot in our direction to get us out of the area."
U.S. police officers and Border Patrol agents facing superior firepower from drug cartels, criminal street gangs and human smugglers based in Mexico? Yes, say law enforcement officials – and the situation is getting worse, not better.
Sigifredo Gonzales Jr., sheriff of Zapata County, Texas, recently testified in startling detail before a congressional committee how his officers are facing overwhelming odds in any confrontation with the criminal gangs who consider the border their turf.
"The cartels operating in Mexico and the United States have demonstrated that the weapons they possess can and will be used in protecting their caches," he said. "One informant familiar with the operations of these cartels mentioned to us that the weapons we use are water guns compared to what we will have to come up against if we ever have to. These cartels, known to frequently cross into the United States, possess and use automatic weapons, grenades and grenade launchers. They are also experts in explosives, wiretapping, counter-surveillance, lock-picking and GPS technology. They are able to monitor our office, home and cellular phone conversations. The original members of this cartel were trained in the United States by our government."
Gonzales was one of several law enforcement officials who testified before the Committee on House International Relations Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation on what they see as a serious terrorist threat at the Mexican border.
These powerful criminal gangs would not think twice about bringing terrorists or even weapons of mass destruction into the U.S. if the price was right, the officials agreed. Some of them believe they have already arrived.
"We continue to believe that terrorists have expressed an interest and a desire to exploit the existing vulnerabilities in our border security to enter or attack the United States," said Gonzales.
Some also believe that, for operational reasons, an undetected, illegal entry into the U.S. by al-Qaida agents, is preferable to a legal entry.
"For years we have seen individuals enter the country illegally," Gonzales testified. "However, recently, we feel that many of these persons are no longer entering the country to look for legitimate employment. We are now seeing that many of these persons are members of ruthless and violent gangs. All of us are concerned that the border with Mexico is being used as the front door to this country and that terrorists are already in our back yard."
He said many illegal immigrants from "countries of special interest" are attempting to blend in with the mostly Mexican population moving across the border.
"In May of this year my office received information that the cartels immediately across our border are planning on threatening or killing as many police officers as possible on the United States side," he said. "This is being planned for the purpose of attempting to 'scare us' away from the border. It is very possible these cartels may form the nexus, or have already formed one, with members of al-Qaida and other terrorist groups."
Gonzales mentioned that officers along the border have found many tell-tale signs of terrorist traffic – including Middle East currency and clothing and a jacket with patches from countries where al-Qaida is known to operate.
Full Story Here
Hundreds of rounds of automatic-weapons fire rained down on South Texas sheriff's deputies and Border Patrol agents from the Mexican side of the border as they investigated a horror story told by two American brothers who fled across the Rio Grande fearing for their lives.
Several Hidalgo County deputies and at least four Border patrol agents were met with a sustained hail of gunfire alternating from the south to the east and lasting nearly 10 minutes, the officers said.
Yet, not a single shot was returned by the deputies or the Border Patrol officers last Wednesday night because they were outmanned and outgunned – a condition increasingly common along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border, say law enforcement officials.
"This is one of the reasons that I do not allow my deputies to patrol the riverbanks or levies close to the river," explained Sheriff Lupe Treviño, "because we do know there are drug gangs and human trafficking gangs that will not hesitate to shoot in our direction to get us out of the area."
U.S. police officers and Border Patrol agents facing superior firepower from drug cartels, criminal street gangs and human smugglers based in Mexico? Yes, say law enforcement officials – and the situation is getting worse, not better.
Sigifredo Gonzales Jr., sheriff of Zapata County, Texas, recently testified in startling detail before a congressional committee how his officers are facing overwhelming odds in any confrontation with the criminal gangs who consider the border their turf.
"The cartels operating in Mexico and the United States have demonstrated that the weapons they possess can and will be used in protecting their caches," he said. "One informant familiar with the operations of these cartels mentioned to us that the weapons we use are water guns compared to what we will have to come up against if we ever have to. These cartels, known to frequently cross into the United States, possess and use automatic weapons, grenades and grenade launchers. They are also experts in explosives, wiretapping, counter-surveillance, lock-picking and GPS technology. They are able to monitor our office, home and cellular phone conversations. The original members of this cartel were trained in the United States by our government."
Gonzales was one of several law enforcement officials who testified before the Committee on House International Relations Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation on what they see as a serious terrorist threat at the Mexican border.
These powerful criminal gangs would not think twice about bringing terrorists or even weapons of mass destruction into the U.S. if the price was right, the officials agreed. Some of them believe they have already arrived.
"We continue to believe that terrorists have expressed an interest and a desire to exploit the existing vulnerabilities in our border security to enter or attack the United States," said Gonzales.
Some also believe that, for operational reasons, an undetected, illegal entry into the U.S. by al-Qaida agents, is preferable to a legal entry.
"For years we have seen individuals enter the country illegally," Gonzales testified. "However, recently, we feel that many of these persons are no longer entering the country to look for legitimate employment. We are now seeing that many of these persons are members of ruthless and violent gangs. All of us are concerned that the border with Mexico is being used as the front door to this country and that terrorists are already in our back yard."
He said many illegal immigrants from "countries of special interest" are attempting to blend in with the mostly Mexican population moving across the border.
"In May of this year my office received information that the cartels immediately across our border are planning on threatening or killing as many police officers as possible on the United States side," he said. "This is being planned for the purpose of attempting to 'scare us' away from the border. It is very possible these cartels may form the nexus, or have already formed one, with members of al-Qaida and other terrorist groups."
Gonzales mentioned that officers along the border have found many tell-tale signs of terrorist traffic – including Middle East currency and clothing and a jacket with patches from countries where al-Qaida is known to operate.
Full Story Here
Sunday, July 16, 2006
"This is World War III," Gingrich said.
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich says America is in World War III and President Bush should say so. In an interview in Bellevue this morning Gingrich said Bush should call a joint session of Congress the first week of September and talk about global military conflicts in much starker terms than have been heard from the president.
"We need to have the militancy that says 'We're not going to lose a city,' " Gingrich said. He talks about the need to recognize World War III as important for military strategy and political strategy.
Gingrich said he is "very worried" about Republican's facing fall elections and says the party must have the "nerve" to nationalize the elections and make the 2006 campaigns about a liberal Democratic agenda rather than about President Bush's record.
Gingrich says that as of now Republicans "are sailing into the wind" in congressional campaigns. He said that's in part because of the Iraq war, adding, "Iraq is hard and painful and we do not explain it very well."
But some of it is due to Republicans' congressional agenda. He said House and Senate Republicans "forgot the core principle" of the party and embraced Congressional pork. "Some of the guys," he said, have come down with a case of "incumbentitis."
Gingrich said in the coming days he plans to speak out publicly, and to the Administration, about the need to recognize that America is in World War III.
Read the Article
"We need to have the militancy that says 'We're not going to lose a city,' " Gingrich said. He talks about the need to recognize World War III as important for military strategy and political strategy.
Gingrich said he is "very worried" about Republican's facing fall elections and says the party must have the "nerve" to nationalize the elections and make the 2006 campaigns about a liberal Democratic agenda rather than about President Bush's record.
Gingrich says that as of now Republicans "are sailing into the wind" in congressional campaigns. He said that's in part because of the Iraq war, adding, "Iraq is hard and painful and we do not explain it very well."
But some of it is due to Republicans' congressional agenda. He said House and Senate Republicans "forgot the core principle" of the party and embraced Congressional pork. "Some of the guys," he said, have come down with a case of "incumbentitis."
Gingrich said in the coming days he plans to speak out publicly, and to the Administration, about the need to recognize that America is in World War III.
Read the Article
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
STORMS LURKING ON THE HORIZON
For those of you too young to remember, the Y2K scare was about an esoteric little programming glitch that existed almost universally in older "legacy" computer systems around the world. The glitch in essence would have prevented older systems from recognizing the date beyond 12/31/99, and this, it was widely believed, would have pranged the interdependent complex institutions and public services that ran on these
computers.
There was fear that everything from municipal sewage treatment plants, to international banks, to big electric grids, to government agencies would stumble, that equipment for running these things would be badly damaged in the process, and that financial records would be lost on a broad basis.
As it turned out, very little happened on New Years Day, 2000. Scoffers exulted in their righteous rightness. The truth, though, was that immense sums of money had been spent - hundreds of billions worldwide - and countless work hours put in by programmers to avert the problem. It was a problem with a very definite deadline, and they made the deadline.
The Y2K event would have been a harsh lesson in the diminishing returns of technology and especially over-investments in complexity. Ironically, the work done, and the new equipment purchased by companies, institutions, and agencies may have played a major role in the tech boom of the late 1990s - which, of course, eventuated in the tech bust that immediately followed.
My own involvement in Y2K in the early days of blogging derived from my observation that a lot of knowledgeable tech people were taking the Y2K problem seriously, and yakking about it on the Net, and so I concluded the issue deserved attention. In retrospect, I also suppose that the one thing nobody really knew was how the programmers working on their own individual projects around the world were coming along, because a lot of that work and expenditure was going on in secret - big government agencies, big companies, and big utilities did not want to scare the public, queer their stock values, or let on about the difficulties involved in fixing the problem. And of course, the inter-connectivity of many of these complex systems - banks especially - was precisely the scariest part of the problem, meaning that it would not be okay for some of them to fix their problems and some of them to fail. As it happened, enough of them fixed their problems - at great cost - and there were no cascading failures. Score one for advanced civilization.
Now that I have written a book titled The Long Emergency, there is a new wave of disappointment gathering - that life, as we know it has not come to an immediate end, and I am being reproached for suggesting that we have some problems. Of course, that was never the point, as a reflection on the book's title ought to suggest. One funny element of this is that the reproach reached a crescendo the very week that crude oil prices reached record levels above $75 a barrel.
So this might just be a good point to step back and ask where we are now at mid-year, 2006. In January, I predicted that the U.S. economy would get into a lot of trouble, specifically that the Dow would melt down to around 4000 and that we would see carnage on the real estate scene. When you figure in inflation, the Dow has just gone sideways for six months. What is propping it up?
Last week I referred to Doug Noland's theory that investments in alternative fuels and technology are starting a new boom. I doubt this can work as a prop to support the huge losses in previous misinvestments. For instance, sooner or later General Motors will go up in a vapor for its failure to sell cars, pure and simple.
In any case, we are faced with the essential problem of ever-increasing prices for far less net energy. That is a recipe, perhaps, for an American perestroika, but not for continuing to benefit from the old arrangements. And so far, America at all levels, in leadership and the public, resists the sort restructuring we require. For example, we are still systematically starving and dismantling the railroad system instead of rebuilding it. There is still plenty of time left in 2006 for the stock
market to start reflecting the true character of our phony-baloney economy - namely that it is based on consuming goods and resources without producing things of value.
It is my observation that the housing market is tanking broadly and steeply around the nation. In my own town, a mini "hot market," there have never been so many "for sale" signs planted in so many yards (and remaining there month after month). Some even have "price reduced" shingles added to them. But there remains mutual reinforcement between the sellers and their realtor agents to keep a happy face on the situation (to avoid panic selling).
Since house prices here, in a tourist town, are falling when the tourist season has hardly gotten underway, I have to surmise that the local market is in deep trouble. A few months from now when the tourists depart, and the last golden leaves flutter down from the maples, I expect we'll see psychological capitulation among the sellers and their realtor cheerleaders.
The energy picture, as alluded to above, is certainly cause for concern. Oil prices are creeping up relentlessly into territory that will, at least, stall the consumption orgy among the Wal-Mart shoppers. We are one hurricane or one geopolitical incident away from an energy trauma. The natural gas supply situation is another storm lurking on the far horizon.
So, here at high noon of 2006, I'll stand pat with what I have said more than once: we have already entered the zone of The Long Emergency.
Regards,
James Howard Kunstler
for The Daily Reckoning
The Daily Reckoning
computers.
There was fear that everything from municipal sewage treatment plants, to international banks, to big electric grids, to government agencies would stumble, that equipment for running these things would be badly damaged in the process, and that financial records would be lost on a broad basis.
As it turned out, very little happened on New Years Day, 2000. Scoffers exulted in their righteous rightness. The truth, though, was that immense sums of money had been spent - hundreds of billions worldwide - and countless work hours put in by programmers to avert the problem. It was a problem with a very definite deadline, and they made the deadline.
The Y2K event would have been a harsh lesson in the diminishing returns of technology and especially over-investments in complexity. Ironically, the work done, and the new equipment purchased by companies, institutions, and agencies may have played a major role in the tech boom of the late 1990s - which, of course, eventuated in the tech bust that immediately followed.
My own involvement in Y2K in the early days of blogging derived from my observation that a lot of knowledgeable tech people were taking the Y2K problem seriously, and yakking about it on the Net, and so I concluded the issue deserved attention. In retrospect, I also suppose that the one thing nobody really knew was how the programmers working on their own individual projects around the world were coming along, because a lot of that work and expenditure was going on in secret - big government agencies, big companies, and big utilities did not want to scare the public, queer their stock values, or let on about the difficulties involved in fixing the problem. And of course, the inter-connectivity of many of these complex systems - banks especially - was precisely the scariest part of the problem, meaning that it would not be okay for some of them to fix their problems and some of them to fail. As it happened, enough of them fixed their problems - at great cost - and there were no cascading failures. Score one for advanced civilization.
Now that I have written a book titled The Long Emergency, there is a new wave of disappointment gathering - that life, as we know it has not come to an immediate end, and I am being reproached for suggesting that we have some problems. Of course, that was never the point, as a reflection on the book's title ought to suggest. One funny element of this is that the reproach reached a crescendo the very week that crude oil prices reached record levels above $75 a barrel.
So this might just be a good point to step back and ask where we are now at mid-year, 2006. In January, I predicted that the U.S. economy would get into a lot of trouble, specifically that the Dow would melt down to around 4000 and that we would see carnage on the real estate scene. When you figure in inflation, the Dow has just gone sideways for six months. What is propping it up?
Last week I referred to Doug Noland's theory that investments in alternative fuels and technology are starting a new boom. I doubt this can work as a prop to support the huge losses in previous misinvestments. For instance, sooner or later General Motors will go up in a vapor for its failure to sell cars, pure and simple.
In any case, we are faced with the essential problem of ever-increasing prices for far less net energy. That is a recipe, perhaps, for an American perestroika, but not for continuing to benefit from the old arrangements. And so far, America at all levels, in leadership and the public, resists the sort restructuring we require. For example, we are still systematically starving and dismantling the railroad system instead of rebuilding it. There is still plenty of time left in 2006 for the stock
market to start reflecting the true character of our phony-baloney economy - namely that it is based on consuming goods and resources without producing things of value.
It is my observation that the housing market is tanking broadly and steeply around the nation. In my own town, a mini "hot market," there have never been so many "for sale" signs planted in so many yards (and remaining there month after month). Some even have "price reduced" shingles added to them. But there remains mutual reinforcement between the sellers and their realtor agents to keep a happy face on the situation (to avoid panic selling).
Since house prices here, in a tourist town, are falling when the tourist season has hardly gotten underway, I have to surmise that the local market is in deep trouble. A few months from now when the tourists depart, and the last golden leaves flutter down from the maples, I expect we'll see psychological capitulation among the sellers and their realtor cheerleaders.
The energy picture, as alluded to above, is certainly cause for concern. Oil prices are creeping up relentlessly into territory that will, at least, stall the consumption orgy among the Wal-Mart shoppers. We are one hurricane or one geopolitical incident away from an energy trauma. The natural gas supply situation is another storm lurking on the far horizon.
So, here at high noon of 2006, I'll stand pat with what I have said more than once: we have already entered the zone of The Long Emergency.
Regards,
James Howard Kunstler
for The Daily Reckoning
The Daily Reckoning
Monday, July 10, 2006
A "Non-Event" if it Doesn't Kill Hundreds
Houston police and the federal Transportation Security Administration disagree over who is responsible for allowing a man with what appeared to be bomb components board an aircraft at Hobby Airport last week.
A search of the man's baggage revealed a clock with a 9-volt battery taped to it and a copy of the Quran, the report said. A TSA screener examined the man's shoes and determined that the "entire soles of both shoes were gutted out."
A police officer was summoned and questioned the man, examined his identification, shoes and the clock, then cleared him for travel, according to the report.
A TSA screener disagreed with the officer, saying "the shoes had been tampered with and there were all the components of (a bomb) except the explosive itself," the report says.
FBI Special Agent Stephen Emmett in Atlanta said agents there investigated the passenger.
"It was looked at and deemed a non-event," Emmett said, declining to give further details.
Link
I say this is just insane... a non-event... right!
A search of the man's baggage revealed a clock with a 9-volt battery taped to it and a copy of the Quran, the report said. A TSA screener examined the man's shoes and determined that the "entire soles of both shoes were gutted out."
A police officer was summoned and questioned the man, examined his identification, shoes and the clock, then cleared him for travel, according to the report.
A TSA screener disagreed with the officer, saying "the shoes had been tampered with and there were all the components of (a bomb) except the explosive itself," the report says.
FBI Special Agent Stephen Emmett in Atlanta said agents there investigated the passenger.
"It was looked at and deemed a non-event," Emmett said, declining to give further details.
Link
I say this is just insane... a non-event... right!
Something gone very wrong
Big fuss in Hollywood... July 9th. Let me get this straight. There was an "Anti-Illegal Immigration" march that broke out into violence. The marchers were attacked (as I understood the news articles) by "counter-protestors". In the United States.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=local&id=4349432
I don't even know where to start on this one except to seriously consider that mass insanity has broken out.
"Illegal immigration". The term "illegal" says it all, right? An illegal immigrant is a citizen of another country who has arrived here illegally and/or is staying here illegally. This is breaking the law. This is a federal offense. This is not even a new law. OK, this seems soooooo simple to understand. Right?
The marchers, in our news piece, were carrying American flags and protesting with legal permits because the current federal laws are not being enforced. Oh, they exist, they're on the books, but they are not being enforced. They used to be, for sure, but they aren't anymore.
As I think about this, when have citizens ever had to march because the Unites States wasn't upholding its own federal laws?
OK, I'll say it again: "Citizens of this country" are upset and having to resort to marching in the streets because our country refuses to follow the law and deport ILLEGAL immigrants who are NOT citizens of this country. And... to make matters all the more insane and utterly dangerous: the streets were lined with COUNTER PROTESTORS.
The "counter protestors" in this situation are individuals that opposes 1) the upholding of the laws of this nation, 2) the idea that illegal immigrants are ILLEGAL, and 3) are willing to bring VIOLENCE to LEGAL citizens of this country because they WANT the LAW upheld. This is the ugly face of anarchy... staring right at us... one inch from our face. We can smell the stench.
The marchers (remember, those who want the laws kept) were called RACIST and attacked.
OK, stand back and think about what has just been said here. Contemplate for a second. And, if you do NOT feel a shiver of fear rising up your spine, then you obviously are unable to think clearly or you have an anti-America agenda. Take your pick. We are watching the sanctioning of anarchy... by our own government. This is precedent setting. This is the fall of America - brought to you by your own government.
Specifically: You can thank Ted Kennedy for getting this ball rolling back in the late 60's and early 70's. Congressional records bear that out. Then you can thank your current administration for turning their backs and looking the other way. Obviously party affiliation matters not in this issue - It's all about money. It's all about selling the country out for a few dollars more. It's all about selling you out.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=local&id=4349432
I don't even know where to start on this one except to seriously consider that mass insanity has broken out.
"Illegal immigration". The term "illegal" says it all, right? An illegal immigrant is a citizen of another country who has arrived here illegally and/or is staying here illegally. This is breaking the law. This is a federal offense. This is not even a new law. OK, this seems soooooo simple to understand. Right?
The marchers, in our news piece, were carrying American flags and protesting with legal permits because the current federal laws are not being enforced. Oh, they exist, they're on the books, but they are not being enforced. They used to be, for sure, but they aren't anymore.
As I think about this, when have citizens ever had to march because the Unites States wasn't upholding its own federal laws?
OK, I'll say it again: "Citizens of this country" are upset and having to resort to marching in the streets because our country refuses to follow the law and deport ILLEGAL immigrants who are NOT citizens of this country. And... to make matters all the more insane and utterly dangerous: the streets were lined with COUNTER PROTESTORS.
The "counter protestors" in this situation are individuals that opposes 1) the upholding of the laws of this nation, 2) the idea that illegal immigrants are ILLEGAL, and 3) are willing to bring VIOLENCE to LEGAL citizens of this country because they WANT the LAW upheld. This is the ugly face of anarchy... staring right at us... one inch from our face. We can smell the stench.
The marchers (remember, those who want the laws kept) were called RACIST and attacked.
OK, stand back and think about what has just been said here. Contemplate for a second. And, if you do NOT feel a shiver of fear rising up your spine, then you obviously are unable to think clearly or you have an anti-America agenda. Take your pick. We are watching the sanctioning of anarchy... by our own government. This is precedent setting. This is the fall of America - brought to you by your own government.
Specifically: You can thank Ted Kennedy for getting this ball rolling back in the late 60's and early 70's. Congressional records bear that out. Then you can thank your current administration for turning their backs and looking the other way. Obviously party affiliation matters not in this issue - It's all about money. It's all about selling the country out for a few dollars more. It's all about selling you out.
It's WWIII, and the U.S. has run out of ideas!
Last week's headlines prove the point: North Korea fires missiles, Iran talks of nukes again, Iraq carnage continues, Israel invades Gaza, England observes one-year anniversary of subway bombing. And, oh, yes, the feds stop a plot to blow up tunnels under the Hudson River.
World War III has begun.
It's not perfectly clear when it started. Perhaps it was after the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War ended. Perhaps it was the first bombing of the World Trade Center, in 1993.
What is clear is that this war has a long fuse and, while we are not in the full-scale combat phase that marked World Wars I and II, we seem to be heading there. The expanding hostilities mean it's time to give this conflict a name, one that focuses the mind and clarifies the big picture.
The war on terror, or the war of terror, has tentacles that reach much of the globe. It is a world war.
While it is often a war of loose or no affiliation, and sometimes just amateur copycats, the similar goals of destruction add up to a threat against modern society. Even the hapless wanna-bes busted in Miami ordered guns and military equipment from a man they thought was from Al Qaeda. Islamic fascists are the driving force, but anti-American hatred is a global membership card for any and all who have a grievance and a gun.
The feeling that the wheels are coming off the world has only one recent comparison, the time when America's head-butt with communism sprouted hot spots from Cuba to Vietnam. Yet ultimately the policy of mutual assured destruction worked because American and Soviet leaders didn't want their countries hit by nuclear bombs.
Such rational thinking is quaint next to the ravings of North Korean nut Kim Jong Il and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They both seem to be dying to die - and set the world on fire.
And don't forget Osama Bin Laden's declaration that it is the duty of every Muslim to acquire a "Muslim bomb." Is there any doubt he would use it if he had it?
I sound pessimistic because I am. Even worse than the problems is the fact that our political system is failing us. Democratic Party leaders want to pretend we can declare peace and everything will be fine, while President Bush is out of ideas. Witness Bush now counseling patience and diplomacy on North Korea. This from a man who scorned both for five years.
But what choice does he have now that the pillars of his post-9/11 foreign policy are crumbling? As Harvard Prof. Joseph Nye argues in Foreign Affairs magazine, Bush's strategy of "reducing Washington's reliance on permanent alliances and international institutions, expanding the traditional right of preemption into a new doctrine of preventive war and advocating coercive democratization as a solution to Middle Eastern terrorism" amounted to a bid for a "legacy of transformation."
The first two ideas have been repealed. The third brought Hamas into power and has so far failed to take root in Iraq or anywhere else.
I believed Iraq was the key, that if we prevailed there, momentum would shift in our favor. Now I'm not sure. We still must prevail there, but Iraq could mean nothing if Iran or Bin Laden get the bomb or North Korea uses one.
Meanwhile, I'm definitely not using any tunnels.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/col/story/433519p-365242c.html
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