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<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/stickers.html">Stickers</A> &amp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/forsale.html">stuff</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|<BR> </TD></TR></TABLE></td><td width="150" align=center valign="middle" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="font15"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/stickers.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/buyabumpersticker.jpg" border="0" width="138" height="23"></A> </td></tr></table><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="980" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="830" BGcolor="#dddddd" class="fonty"> <iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-new.html" height="32" width="830" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></TD><TD ALIGN="center" valign="middle" WIDTH="150" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/donations.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/makeadonation.jpg" border="0" width="138" height="23"></A> </TD></TR></TABLE><!-- end uniform header--> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="980" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="10" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonttnr"> </TD> <TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="10" BGcolor=white class="fonttnr">&nbsp;</TD> <TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="625" BGcolor=white class="fonta"> <!-- =news= --> <A NAME=16></A><BR> <table border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="20%" align="left"><tr><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="99%" class="font18" bgcolor=darkred> <NOBR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html"><font color=white><b>Monday<BR>Feb.&nbsp; 16, &nbsp;2009</b></font></A></NOBR></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonta">&nbsp;</td></tr></table> <!-- =1111111111= --> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-913></A> The Obama administration is again -- this is the second time -- arguing that due to "state secrets", a court should not hear a case involving the illegal acts of the Bush-Cheney administration. In <A HREF="http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/09/state_secrets/index.html">its first such argument</A>, Obama's people claimed "state secrets" to try to quash a lawsuit by five victims of Bush-Cheney's "extraordinary rendition", the program that kidnapped people and sent them to be tortured in other nations. And now, in the Obama administration's second claim of "state secrets", they're trying to kill a lawsuit filed by a Muslim charity that discovered it had been illegally wiretapped. I'll tell you what we <table border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="8" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="298" align="right"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"> <img src="http://unknownnews.org/protest35.jpg" border="1" width="298" height="224"> <p> There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. <i>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Elie&nbsp;Wiesel</i> </td></tr></table></td></tr></table> believe about this, and you tell me where our logic is faulty, OK? Republican, Democrat, Bush, Obama, the nouns don't matter to me -- a President who believes that Constitutional rights are trumped by claims of "state secrets", who believes that victims of clearly illegal abuse of power should have no legal recourse, is a President who should be impeached and removed from power. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/12/BA8615T51C.DTL">San&nbsp;Francisco&nbsp;Chronicle</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =torture= --><!-- == --><A NAME=wf-917></A> A Justice Department report on Bush-Cheney administration torture policies "is causing anxiety", we're told, among the Republican lawyers who approved the Bush-era waterboarding and other morally reprehensible "interrogation". If you believe (as we do) that torture should be punished per international law, then <i>Newsweek</i>'s article is a pleasant read, akin to a well-written short story. But sadly, in light of Obama's policy of "state secrets" (see above) it's hard to believe that there's any serious "anxiety" among Bush's people, and it seems unlikely that this investigation will lead to anything that smells even slightly like justice. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.newsweek.com/id/184801">Newsweek</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-156></A> The ACLU is arguing (persuasively, in our opinion) for the release of memos and documents relating to torture and "interrogation". &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.propublica.org/article/the-hunt-for-the-missing-missing-memos-090212">ProPublica</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <A NAME=sa-102></A> A long-time guard at the Guantanamo concentration camp is coming clean about what he saw and what he was part of. Army Private Brandon Neely describes "the arrival of detainees in full sensory-deprivation garb, he details their sexual abuse by medical personnel, torture by other medical personnel, brutal beatings out of frustration, fear, and retribution, the first hunger strike and its causes, torturous shackling, positional torture, interference with religious practices and beliefs, verbal abuse, restriction of recreation, the behavior of mentally ill detainees, an isolation regime that was put in place for child- <A NAME=fools&liars></A> <table border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="60%" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="40" class="fonty"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/foolsnliars.jpg" border="0" width="40" height="40"></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" class="fonta"><I><B>Fools and liars</B></I></TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="40" class="fonty"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/pinocchio.jpg" border="0" width="40" height="42"></TD></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><A HREF="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016892.php">Rush Limbaugh is still rooting for the complete collapse of the American economy</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/items/200902130016?f=h_latest">Limbaugh says on-line text of stimulus can't be searched -- has he never heard of "control-f" for find?</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2009/02/13/columnist-ann-coulter-defends-white-supremacist-group/">Coulter's new book defends white supremacist group</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/items/200902130022?f=h_latest">Fox's Cameron repeats lie that stimulus bill includes funds that will go to ACORN</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.newshounds.us/2009/02/14/bill_oreilly_attacks_appalachia.php">Fox's O'Reilly attacks Appalachia's drunks and "culture of poverty"</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/13/krauthammer-complain-bias/">Krauthammer, forgetting his long record of complaining about non-existent liberal bias, complains about non-existent liberal bias</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200902130020?show=1">Cunningham, Corsi still flogging Obama birth rumors</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200902130007?show=1">Williams' appearances on Fox News seem to violate NPR's code of ethics</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/items/200902120016?f=h_latest">Coulter, Beck help spread lie about health provisions in stimulus bill</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200902130005?show=1"><I>Washington Post</i> only quotes Republicans in its article about bipartisanship</A><BR> </td></tr></table></td></tr></table>detainees, and his conversations with prisoners David Hicks and Rhuhel Ahmed&nbsp;..." &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://harpers.org/archive/2009/02/hbc-90004409">Associated&nbsp;Press, distilled&nbsp;by&nbsp;Harper's</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-726></A> High-level leaders of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge are about to face their first public, UN-backed trial. Pol Pot basically got away with everything, unless you believe in afterlife justice -- he's been dead for a decade. But some members of his command crew might see justice, thirty years after committing their crimes against humanity. Perhaps there'd be a better chance of Bush-Cheney being prosecuted if they'd committed <i>their</i> crimes in a third world country rather than America. <nobr>&nbsp; --JR Mooneyham</nobr> &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5728762.ece">London&nbsp;Times</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=mm-536></A> Tainted by its well-earned reputation for war crimes and general brutality, Blackwater and its associated companies are rebrandfing themselves Xe. The nonsensical new name is supposed to be pronounced "Z", they say, but we'll continue pronouncing it 'Blackwater'. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/ap_on_bi_ge/blackwater_name_change_6">Associated&nbsp;Press</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =economy= --><A NAME=ta-817></A> One in nine American houses, condominiums and apartments are unoccupied, an all-time record. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090213/1avacancy13_st.art.htm">USA&nbsp;Today</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-817a></A> General Motors is considering a bankruptcy filing that would leave unions and retirees utterly screwed, but would allow incompetent executives to continue receiving their absurd salaries. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE51D1Q120090214">Reuters&nbsp;News&nbsp;Agency</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-121></A> Some of America's largest banks are also among its weakest -- effectively insolvent. But regardless of this and the growing consensus of many economists that these banks should be allowed to fail, that option seems to be entirely off the table to the Obama administration. It's also worth noting that the <i>New York Times</i> <A HREF="http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/nyt_chickens_out_on_insolvent.php">doesn't name any of the banks</A> it's reporting on. Is that because banks tend to buy big ads in newspapers? &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/ny-times-analysis-large-banks-brink-i">New&nbsp;York&nbsp;Times, distilled&nbsp;by Crooks&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Liars</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-854></A> In Japan in the 1990s, Japan's government responded too slowly to an accumulating economic mess, allowing their failing and crooked banks to continue doing business as usual. I've been seeing frequent allusions to this in American punditry, describing how it's similar to what's unfolding in America now, and how it stretched an economic slump into a decade-long recession. I'm not sure just how similar the problems are -- Japan, after all, has a manufacturing base that Americans should envy -- but the theory is explained well in this piece. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/article/9793.html">New&nbsp;York&nbsp;Times</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-842></A> The worldwide economic collapse could lead to "high levels of violent extremism" and "regime-threatening instability", and such dangers now represent America's greatest near-term security threat. So says America's Intelligence Czar, Dennis C. Blair. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/12/AR2009021202365.html?hpid=sec-nation">Washington&nbsp;Post</A>&nbsp;] <A NAME=think></A> <table border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="60%" align="right"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="40" class="fonty"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/thinker.jpg" border="0" width="40" height="40"></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" class="fonta"><I><B>It made me stop&nbsp;and&nbsp;think</B></I></TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="40" class="fonty"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/quesplanation.jpg" border="0" width="40" height="40"></TD></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR>"As with most explosions of fake outrage, the Michael Phelps affair asks us to feign anger at something we know is commonplace. A nation of tabloid readers is apoplectic that Brad and Jen divorced, even though one out of every two American marriages ends the same way. A country fetishizing "family values" goes ballistic over the immorality of Paris Hilton's sex tape ... and then keeps spending billions on pornography. And now we're expected to be indignant about a 23-year-old kid smoking weed, even though studies show that roughly half of us have done the same thing; most of us think pot should be legal in some form; and many of us regularly devour far more toxic substances than marijuana (nicotine, alcohol, reality TV, etc.)." <nobr>&nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/12/EDMU15SUFP.DTL">David Sirota</A>&nbsp;]</nobr><BR> <BR>"If they want to obstruct and filibuster while the economy is in free fall, the president should call their bluff and let them go at it. In the first four years after FDR took over from Hoover, the already decimated ranks of Republicans in Congress fell from 36 to 16 in the Senate and from 117 to 88 in the House. The GOP is so insistent that the New Deal was a mirage it may well have convinced itself that its own sorry record back then didn't happen either." " <nobr>&nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/pol/1035591731.html">Frank Rich</A>&nbsp;]</nobr><BR> <BR>"So far -- after two weeks in office -- the Obama team seems bent on a campaign to sustain the unsustainable at all costs, to attempt to do all the impossible things listed above. Mr. Obama is not the only one, of course, who is invoking the quest for renewed "growth." This is a tragic error in collective thinking. What we really face is a comprehensive contraction in our activities, especially the scale of our activities, and the pressing need to readjust the systems of everyday life to a level of decreased complexity." <nobr>&nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/2009/02/poverty-of-imagination.html">Jim Kunstler</A>&nbsp;]</nobr><BR> <BR>"To preserve what's left of our liberty, jury nullification is a good and powerful tool for checking government power. But since it is frequently discouraged by judges and prosecutors jealous of their prerogatives, it's generally exercised on the sly -- often by jurors unaware that they're doing exactly what was originally intended. For that reason, we'll likely never know exactly when nullification is being exercised. But we can celebrate it when we see it." <nobr>&nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-Liberties-Examiner~y2009m2d11-Jury-nullification-at-work-in-marijuana-gun-cases">J.D. Tuccille</A>&nbsp;]</nobr><BR> </td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-517></A> To Republicans, deficits are the problem that must be addressed immediately ... when Democrats are in power, but must be completely ignored when Republicans are in charge. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.gopolitico.com/2009/02/republicans-are-concerned-about.html">Go&nbsp;Politico</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-923></A> And as soon as the stimulus passed, Republicans in Congress began singing a different tune, bragging about how the bill would help in their local districts. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/62181.html">McClatchy&nbsp;Newspapers</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-410></A> In the futile attempt to gain bipartisan support for the economic stimulus bill, Republicans got concession after concession, and the legislation was recrafted and made worse and worse. And then, when Republicans in Congress en masse refused to vote for the compromise-laden bill, most of the changes they had demanded remained in the bill anyway. It's a rerun we've all seen too many times to count -- whether Republicans control Congress or Democrats do, Republicans get their way, over and over again. Heads they win, tails we lose, always. I&nbsp;try so very, very hard to believe what we're seeing isn't just a charade, but when every episode ends the same way it fuels the persistent suspicion that the debate, the faux filibusters, the compromise, the Sunday chat shows that never ask tough questions and never have guests that aren't reading off the same script, are all part of some grand sham. Of course, that's just silliness, and yet you know and so do I, that the next big debate in Congress will play out in the same way. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/if-republicans-demand-make-changes-bill">Crooks&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Liars</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-728></A> If you're wondering what the stimulus package offers ordinary Americans, here's an answer. We're confirmed cynics, but there's more here for real people than we expected. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://consumerist.com/5153777/what-the-stimulus-bill-has-for-everyday-americans">New&nbsp;York&nbsp;Times and Associated&nbsp;Press, distilled&nbsp;by&nbsp;Consumerist</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-1237></A> Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) successfully stripped protection for government whistleblowers from the stimulus bill. So as the bill's billions of dollars are spent, government workers understand that any attempt to bring graft, waste, and fraud to light could cost them their jobs. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.heralddeparis.com/no-whistleblower-protections-for-fed-workers-in-stimulus-bill-5/23598">ProPublica</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-537></A> The final version of the so-called stimulus package also includes more stringent salary and bonus caps for executives than Obama had proposed. We appreciate the gesture, though of course there will be ways around any pay caps, but it's really just another distraction. Cutting the salaries of boobs who've managed their companies into the ground doesn't mean much, if they're not fired and prosecuted and imprisoned, and if their companies aren't allowed to go bankrupt, aren't allowed to be replaced in the marketplace by better-managed firms. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/13/AR2009021303288.html?hpid=topnews">Washington&nbsp;Post</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =2222222222= --> <!-- =Bush-Cheney= --><A NAME=ta-618></A> 63% of Americans polled want an investigation of the Bush-Cheney administration's massive program of illegal wiretapping. That's pretty impressive, considering that mainstream media has <A HREF="http://www.atlargely.com/2009/02/lawrence-wright-on-bush-admin-wiretapping-journalists-and-whatever-happened-to-the-russell-tice-stor.html">emphatically resisted reporting</A> on the size, scope, and targets of the illegal spying. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/02/poll-majority-want-investigations-warrantless-wire">Electronic&nbsp;Frontier&nbsp;Foundation</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-655></A> Congressman John Conyers (D-Michigan), chair of the House Judiciary Committee, says there'll be no more stalling, and Karl Rove's subpoena for February 23 -- next Monday -- will stand. I&nbsp;have no confidence in Conyers' spine, so I&nbsp;fully expect another delay, but I'd absolutely love to be mistaken. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/another_development_in_the_ongoing.php">Talking&nbsp;Points&nbsp;Memo</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-118></A> A judge has now held Bush-era DoJ prosecutors in contempt of court, for their illegal refusal to share documents with former Senator Ted Stevens' (R-Alaska) defense attorneys. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/stevens/story/689563.html">Anchorage&nbsp;Daily&nbsp;News</A>&nbsp;] <A NAME=health></A><A NAME=science></A> <table border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="60%" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="40" class="fonty"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/medicine.gif" border="0" width="40" height="40"></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" class="fonta"><I><B>Health&nbsp;and science&nbsp;corner</B></I></TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="40" class="fonty"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/science.jpg" border="0" width="40" height="40"></TD></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><A HREF="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/ku-pam021309.php">Bad teeth can cause heart attacks, and may be as dangerous to your health as smoking</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/2009/holtgrave_truth_cost_utility.html">Smoking prevention campaign saving billions in smoking-related care</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://news.illinois.edu/news/09/0212history.html">Rote memorization of historical facts adds to collective cluelessness </A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19209185?dopt=Abstract">Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a Paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/02/louisiana_boycotts_science_sci.php">Louisiana boycotts science; scientists boycott Louisiana</A><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/02/chart-day-2142009">Warmer than usual winter, almost everywhere</A><BR> </td></tr></table></td></tr></table><BR><BR> <!-- =privacy= --><A NAME=mm-726></A> Police in Australia will be issued 500 mobile fingerprint readers, devices which collect fingerprints at traffic stops and minor arrests, etc., and instantly check those prints against the nation's automated fingerprint identification system. This strikes me as overly invasive, probably unreliable, and definitely creepy. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.smh.com.au/national/fingerprint-scanner-to-nail-villains-20090213-876a.html?page=-1">Sydney&nbsp;Morning&nbsp;Herald</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-726a></A> Cops in Austin, Texas are about to start using a similar device, though it seems to be tied in only with a fingerprint database they've bought, holding the prints of a million previously arrested people. Please note, that's <i>arrested</I> people, not people convicted of a crime. <nobr>&nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/13/0213fingerprints.html?imw=Y">Austin (TX) American-Statesman</A>&nbsp;]</nobr><BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-659></A> According to figures provided by the Department of Homeland Security, some 100,000 of the illegal immigrants deported in from 1998-2007 were the parents of American citizens. How's that for family values? &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://representingforeignnationals.blogspot.com/2009/02/immigration-policy-parents-of-us.html">New&nbsp;York&nbsp;Times, distilled&nbsp;by Law&nbsp;Office&nbsp;of&nbsp;Linda&nbsp;Friedman&nbsp;Ramirez</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =dc= --><A NAME=ta-805></A> This article suggests that Republicans are hoping to pilfer Social Security funds to scrounge up a few more billion for bailouts of faux capitalists. I&nbsp;don't think Barack Obama is stupid enough to fall for this, but if you'd asked me beforehand I&nbsp;wouldn't have thought he was stupid enough to appoint Judd Gregg Secretary of Commerce, or stupid enough to give Republicans all sorts of further tax cuts in a failed attempt to garner un-needed bipartisan support for an emergency program to divert a depression&nbsp;... &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.alternet.org/workplace/126898/?page=entire">AlterNet</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-805a></A> And speaking of the Obama administration's official dumping of Gregg, in the words of an un-named DC reporter, "I have never seen a White House statement that kicks someone in the balls that hard before." One wonders how many times Obama will let the Republicans hold the football and yank it away like Lucy in the 'Peanuts' strip before he'll understand that he's not playing the same game they're playing. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/02/obama-dumps-gregg-hard-and-angry.html">fivethirtyeight.com</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-645></A> Rep John Conyers (D-Michigan) has re-introduced his Fair Copyright in Research Works Act, a misleadingly-named bill which is described by fair use activists as being "to fair copyright what the PATRIOT Act was to patriotism". The bill would <A HREF="http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/newsletter/10-02-08.htm#nih">reverse current law</A> that provides relatively easy public access to scientific research that's publicly funded by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The new bill would make copyright law more restrictive, and be great for high-priced academic publishers that charge big bucks for access to published research, but it's bad news for people who want quick, easy access to research that's already been paid or by "we the people". &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/2009/02/conyers-bill-is-back.html">Open&nbsp;Access&nbsp;News</A>&nbsp;] <A NAME=mysterylinks></A> <table border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="275" align="right"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="255" class="fonta"><center><A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/mysterylinks.html"><b><i>Our mystery&nbsp;links</i></b></A><BR>(mostly just for fun)</center><BR>Links in <FONT COLOR=red><B>red</B></FONT> are not safe for work, and links in <FONT COLOR=magenta><B>pink</B></FONT> include audio and/or video.<center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/myslinks.html" width="275" height="225" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd">&nbsp;&nbsp;More:&nbsp;</SPAN><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/mysterylinks.html"><FONT COLOR=blue><B>unknownnews.org/mysterylinks.html</B></FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> </TD></TR></TABLE></td></tr></table> <BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-747></A> Perhaps it's time to rethink the Bush-era law authorizing raids on Holland to free American soldiers from prosecution for war crimes. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.alternet.org/rights/127080/?page=entire">Christian&nbsp;Science&nbsp;Monitor</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =3333333333= --> <!-- =afghanistan= --><A NAME=ta-448></A> At a Russkie event honoring veterans from the Soviet war on Afghanistan, numerous old soldiers remember what it was like to have their asses kicked. "Numbers don't solve anything," one old-timer says. "You can't put a soldier outside every house or a base on every mountain. We saw it ourselves, the more troops, the more resistance." President Obama, of course, thinks war on Afghanistan will turn out entirely different this time, because the invaders are Americans. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE51D1AD20090214">Reuters&nbsp;News&nbsp;Agency</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-333a></A> And attacks by American automated weapons continue killing people in Afghanistan, but you're supposed to be happy because the dead were Taliban, or so we're told in the first reports. Of course, that's what we're <i>always</i> told in the first reports. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-pakistan15-2009feb15,0,147335.story">Los&nbsp;Angeles&nbsp;Times</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =iraq= --><A NAME=sa-645></A> Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, says "approximately 24 soldiers" committed suicide in January -- more American troops than were killed in combat during that month. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Rieckhoff_Soldier_suicides_more_deadly_than_0213.html">The&nbsp;Rachel&nbsp;Maddow&nbsp;Show, distilled&nbsp;by&nbsp;Raw&nbsp;Story</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-542></A> Even though suicide bombings were virtually unheard of in Iraq prior to the American attack of 2003, such attacks in Iraq now account for more than half of "suicide terrorism" since 1981. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/14/iraq-attacks-account-for-more-than-half-of-global-terrorism-since-1981/">ThinkProgess</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =pakistan= --><A NAME=mm-333></A> US combat fatigues, Kevlar vests, military tool kits, weapons, and laptops loaded with restricted US military information are all available at discount prices on the black market in Pakistan. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.military.com/news/article/us-gear-ending-up-in-pakistan-markets.html?ESRC=eb.nl">Global&nbsp;Post</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-742></A> After arresting and allegedly torturing imams who expressed sympathy for Hamas and outrage about the Israeli attacks on Gaza, the Palestinian Authority's Minister for Religious Affairs says dozens of pro-Hamas imams in the West Bank will be fired. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304788691&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull">Jerusalem&nbsp;Post</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =corruption= --> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-106></A> Lots of questions remain about the implications and background operatives behind Halliburton's payment of $579-million (don't you <i>dare</i> call it a bribe) to have the Justice Department ignore bribes paid to Nigerians while Dick Cheney was running Halliburton. This is exactly the kind of chicanery that cries out for an open, honest, transparent investigation... the kind of investigation that won't happen unless a lot of Americans loudly demand it. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://harpers.org/archive/2009/02/hbc-90004408">Harper's</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <A NAME=sa-1149></A> The US military is now investigating allegations that its senior officers took millions of dollars in bribes to facilitate big-bucks military contracts. The news, of course, isn't the bribes, the news is only that the military is investigating. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/02/15-0">New&nbsp;York&nbsp;Times</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-1227></A> Peanut Corporation of America, the killer company that knowingly bolstered America's salmonella supply, has declared bankruptcy. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/13/AR2009021303420.html">Washington&nbsp;Post</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-225></A> Mississippi Circuit Judge Bobby DeLaughter has been indicted, charged with participating in a bribery scheme wherein the office of retired Senator Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) was going to help DeLaughter get appointed to the federal bench. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202428248915">Associated&nbsp;Press</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-543></A> Former corrupt Congressman Newt Gingrich is long gone, but he's still effectively running Republican strategy in the House. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/15/gingrich-stimulus-2/">ThinkProgess</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <A NAME=ta-702></A> Roland Burris (D-Illinois), the Senator appointed by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, now says he was asked to make a donation to Blagojevich while his nomination was being considered. Burris, you'll recall, had previously said the opposite -- in sworn testimony. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.garywong.org/2009/02/14/blago-camp-solicited-donation-from-burris/">New&nbsp;York&nbsp;Times, distilled&nbsp;by garywong.org</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-1144></A> The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has agreed to pay $25,000 for filing fake copyright violation claims under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which forced YouTube to take down videos posted by animal rights activists. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10163337-93.html">CNet&nbsp;News</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =health= --> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-329></A> A lot of non-profit hospitals make big profits, don't provide free health care for indigents, and pay their top executives Citibank-style salaries. That's according to an IRS study which thoughtfully doesn't cite any hospitals by name. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123446379679978451.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us">Wall&nbsp;Street&nbsp;Journal</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <A NAME=ta-500></A> Republicans in the Florida legislature took big bucks from a medical care administration outfit (read, racketeers) called WellCare Health Plans Inc., and in exchange the Republicans passed legislation ensuring higher profits for WellCare and crappier health care for Floridians. Business as usual in America, and anything that comes out of Obama's health industry driven "reforms" for health care will be just as good for the racketeers and just as bad for Americans' health. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-fl-wellcare-buyingin,0,1773163.story">Associated&nbsp;Press</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =4444444444= --> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-1140></A> Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. (R) has announced that he's in favor of civil unions for gay and lesbian people. Like Nate Silver, I'm not sure whether this reflects a sincere change of heart or a political calculation, but either way, it shows that even the Republican Party might be slowly forced into the 21st century. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www./2009/02/republican-governor-panders-on-gay.html">fivethirtyeight.com</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-541></A> Cuba has unveiled its own modifications to Linux, the operating system used on about 20% of that country's few computers. For Cuba, getting off Microsoft and onto Linux is truly a matter of national security. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Cuba-Launches-Own-Linux-Variant-to-Counter-US/?kc=rss">E&nbsp;Week</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- =5555555555= --> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-515></A> As Lisa Marie Pond was dying in Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital, staff kept her partner of 18 years from seeing her, because Janice Langbehn is a woman, too. Even after Langbehn jumped through all the hoops and produced a power of attorney document, her presence wasn't allowed. This is further evidence that "separate but equal" civil unions and power of attorney aren't enough -- gays and lesbians need full-fledged equal rights to marriage. And I'll add, I&nbsp;certainly hope Janice Langbehn wins her lawsuit and ends up owning the hospital. <nobr>&nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.nbc6.net/news/16706566/detail.html">Internet Broadcasting Systems</A>&nbsp;]</nobr><BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=hh-817></A> The proprietor of Leatherby's Family Creamery in Sacramento says he's not a hater. He just wants to make sure gay people can't get married, and he wishes customers would forget his $20,000 donation to Proposition 8 and instead come on in and order his banana splits. I'm 1,700 miles away, but even if Leatherby's was across the street I'd go out of my way to buy my ice cream somewhere else. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1627790.html">Sacramento&nbsp;Bee</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-951></A> Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has won a referendum that ends term limits and allows him to run for re-election at the end of his second term in 2012. The referendum passed with 54% of the vote, but I'm sure American commentators will describe this as a tyrant seizing even more dictatorial power. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7891856.stm">BBC&nbsp;News</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-1050></A> Here's how to get your TV, movies, and telephone service online, without messing with expensive cable or satellite service providers. Unlike most 'golly gee, try this!' pieces on the subject, this one actually offers a few names and details to help with such changes. <nobr>&nbsp; --JR Mooneyham</nobr> &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://techworlds.net/technology/forget-cable-tv-heres-how-to-get-your-tv-online">Tech&nbsp;Worlds</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-258></A> The weekly <i>Phoenix New Times</i> greets the city's pro basketball All-Star Game with a big, splashy cover story about the NBA's limits on player tattoos. Just one problem. The NBA has no tattoo limits for players, and the paper got completely punked. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.heatcity.org/2009/02/smudged-ink-new-times-says-it.html">Heat&nbsp;City</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-118></A> A Supreme Court press release says that Ruth Bader Ginsburg's cancer hasn't spread. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/justice-ginsburg-cancer-update-no-metastatis-lesion-proved-benign/">SCOTUS&nbsp;Blog</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-1047></A> Medical equipment wasn't properly sterilized between uses at two VA clinics, putting at risk thousands of vets who had colonoscopies or eye, ear, nose, or throat examinations in recent years. It's difficult to grasp the levels of incompetence suggested here. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/veterans_colonoscopies;_ylt=AvBBk3F1HlFM05nXdTY8b2QDW7oF">Associated&nbsp;Press</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=wf-158></A> The Bush-Cheney administration "supported the troops" by letting KBR expose National Guard soldiers to toxic and potentially carcinogenic water while stationed in Iraq. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_oregon_guard_chemicals_021109/">Associated&nbsp;Press</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=ta-501></A> In Arkansas, they're debating whether to repeal a law that prohibits packing heat in church, and instead allowing individual churches to set their own pollicies about whether worshippers can be armed. I&nbsp;support the right the bear arms, absolutely, but this is just absurdity. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/National/Guns_in_Church.html">Associated&nbsp;Press</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-901></A> In Tennessee, four Republican members of the state legislature have lent their support to the next moonbat legal filing over Barack Obama's citizenship. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.atlargely.com/2009/02/yes-the-truth-has-finally-come-out-republicans-are-from-mars.html">At&nbsp;Largely</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-1036></A> Not all bankers are bastards. Leonard Abess Jr., who used to own City National Bank of Florida, just sent enormous and unexpected bonuses to the bank's current and former employees, including grunt workers. "I saw that if the president doesn't come to work, it's not a big deal," he said, "but if the tellers don't show up, it's a serious problem." &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/v-fullstory/story/904842.html">The&nbsp;Miami&nbsp;Herald</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-827></A> Utah is the first state swindled by the "Nigerian email" scheme. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11691598">The&nbsp;Salt&nbsp;Lake&nbsp;Tribune</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-1256></A> We're supposed to think that <i>The Reader</i> is holocaust revisionism because it portrays a Nazi as something akin to a human being? I&nbsp;haven't seen the movie (it looks like unbearable twaddle), but the notion that big-budget moviemakers have made "an apologia for Nazi Germany" is as ludicrous as anything the holocaust revisionists have ever come up with. &nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/4624573/Kate-Winslets-Oscar-chances-hit-by-The-Reader-Nazi-accusation.html">London&nbsp;Daily&nbsp;Telegraph</A>&nbsp;]<BR><BR> <!-- == --><A NAME=sa-809></A> We live in an insane society -- it's a cliché and it's true. Crazy people commit sickening crimes all the time, making news that the mainstream media breathlessly report until random tragedies monopolize most local newscasts. The coverage itself often seems like another symptom of society's insanity, so we generally pay scant attention to such news. But some sickening crimes serve a larger purpose, and some vile killers want their acts to be more clearly understood. So meet Jim David Adkisson, the nut with a gun who shot several people in a Knoxville church last summer, killing two. He wants you to know why he did it, and why he chose to do his killing in a Unitarian church -- a broadly liberal denomination that avoids judgmental or prejudiced doctrine. He says he wanted to kill Democrats and liberals, and specifically wanted to kill the people described in right-wing liar Bernard Goldberg's best-known book, <i>100 People Who Are Screwing Up America</i>. When cops searched Adkisson's home after the murders, they <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Knoxville_Unitarian_Universalist_church_shooting">found the books</A> of Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, and Michael Savage. These and dozens of other right-wing pundits foam at the mouth with insults, exaggeration, anger, and flat-out lies, and it's propaganda with a purpose, but a lot of intelligent people just roll their eyes and never really ask what that purpose might be. Jim David Adkisson wants you to stop and think about the purpose, and his victims might want you to stop and think about it too. <nobr>&nbsp;[&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/feb/09/knoxville-church-shooter-was-hate-crime/">Knoxville News-Sentinel</A>&nbsp;]</nobr><BR><BR> <BR><center>Recommended sites for gathering unknown or underreported news:<BR> &nbsp;<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://mediamatters.org/">Media&nbsp;Matters</A>&nbsp; &nbsp;<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.propublica.org/">Pro&nbsp;Publica</A>&nbsp; &nbsp;<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://thinkprogress.org">ThinkProgress</A>&nbsp; &nbsp;<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/">Washington&nbsp;Monthly</A>&nbsp; &nbsp;<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.truthout.org/">TruthOut</A>&nbsp; </center> <BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="23%" class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-13.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.org/leftarrow.jpg" border="0" width="75" height="11"><BR>Older entries</A> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="54%" class="fonta"> Compiled by Helen&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Harry&nbsp;Highwater<BR>for&nbsp;<A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/">www.unknownnews.org</a></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="23%" class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-18.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/rightarrow.jpg" border="0" height="10" width="75"><BR>Newer entries</A></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=D-16></A><A NAME=dialogue></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="14%" bgcolor="dddddd" class="fonty"> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#D-16"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/dialogue-bubbles.jpg" border="0" width="75" height="75"></A></TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="86%" bgcolor="dddddd" class="fonta"><A HREF="#D-16"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <BIG><B>Readers' comments</B></BIG><BR><BR> <small><i>Please send your news tips, comments, and criticisms to &#60;<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com">unknownnews at inbox.com</A>&#62;. If&nbsp;that&nbsp;address ever fails, check <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/contact.html">our contact page</A> for our alternate email addresses.</i></small></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=16MAF1128></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#16MAF1128"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; WorldNetDaily.com -- or as I&nbsp;affectionately refer to it, cranknetdaily.com -- made page 1 of drudgereport.com today with this story (also picked up the day before at WRH):<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=88851">Federal obligations exceed world GDP...</A><BR><BR>There are several obvious points which ought to be stated:<BR><BR>1) The article is essentially correct. Federal obligations far into the future would require more than $50 trillion in the bank earning interest today to fully pay for them. Obviously those obligations will be reneged by various means including inflation, means testing and benefit reductions, if not outright disavowal, default, etc.<BR><BR>2) The GOP, Fox News, and various "conservative" political groups are now using truth as a political weapon against the Obama Regime. This is very effective, especially if mixed with a few untruths, slants and spin.<BR><BR>During the Clinton Regime WorldNetDaily was unstinting in its criticism of Clinton's flaws, crimes and bullsh*ttery, and managed to portray itself as a "Christian" "libertarian" information source. Then when Bush took office they disavowed all that and became apologists for war, empire, Zionism, tax cuttery, etc. They loved Bush for eight years. Now that Obama is in office they'll change colors and pretend to be small government, fiscal conservatives who want balanced budgets ... this is precisely the GOP playbook, and totally disregards the prior eight years of boondoggles, crimes and shamefully wasteful spending. Ditto for Fox News.<BR><BR>The sad part is that during the Bush Regime the Democrats refused to use the Truth to criticize Bush (we can only conclude that the Democrats were and are in agreement with the aims of the former Bush Regime and differ only in means used to obtain the desired ends.)<BR><BR>3) Knowing that the Federal government is totally bankrupt and can never repay its debts and obligations has informed many of our decisions during the last eight years. It is often hard to keep the Truth in mind but every once in a while we are reminded of the facts (such as the US trillion dollar fiscal budget deficit after just four months).<BR><BR>The government pretends that "inflation" does not exist at this time and is not a problem for the future. If you believe them you will be ripped off again during the coming years -- in a big way. You must prepare for the massive inflation which <i>will</i> occur in the next decade.<BR><BR>This is not idle speculation but a matter of life and death for millions of Americans -- the rich will grow richer and their lands and rents begin to appreciate again, and their paychecks increase, dividends rise, etc. For the poor and "middle class" the only truth will be debt slavery and a drastically reduced standard of living (only a chosen percentage will receive top quality health care -- perhaps as many as half, depending...) <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Mahdi Abdul Finkelstein &nbsp; </div></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=16MAM1017></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#16MAM1017"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; I have not studied this yet. Will definitely have to consider more fully and attempt to a) see if he is on target, and b) figure out timeframes (i suspect earliest US collapse date is like 2015 or 2020, not 2010!)<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2009/02/social-collapse-best-practices.html">Social collapse best practices</A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonta"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> It seems that I&nbsp;am enjoying my moment in the limelight, because I&nbsp;am one of the very few people who several years ago unequivocally predicted the demise of the United States as a global superpower. The idea that the USA will go the way of the USSR seemed preposterous at the time. It doesn't seem so preposterous any more. I&nbsp;take it some of you are still hedging your bets. How is that hedge fund doing, by the way?&nbsp;...<BR><BR>If there is one thing that I&nbsp;would like to claim as my own, it is the comparative theory of superpower collapse. For now, it remains just a theory, although it is currently being quite thoroughly tested. The theory states that the United States and the Soviet Union will have collapsed for the same reasons, namely: a severe and chronic shortfall in the production of crude oil (that magic addictive elixir of industrial economies), a severe and worsening foreign trade deficit, a runaway military budget, and ballooning foreign debt. I&nbsp;call this particular list of ingredients "The Superpower Collapse Soup." Other factors, such as the inability to provide an acceptable quality of life for its citizens, or a systemically corrupt political system incapable of reform, are certainly not helpful, but they do not automatically lead to collapse, because they do not put the country on a collision course with reality. Please don't be too concerned, though, because, as I&nbsp;mentioned, this is just a theory. My theory.<BR><BR>I've been working on this theory since about 1995, when it occurred to me that the US is retracing the same trajectory as the USSR. As so often is the case, having this realization was largely a matter of being in the right place at the right time. The two most important methods of solving problems are: 1. by knowing the solution ahead of time, and 2. by guessing it correctly. I&nbsp;learned this in engineering school -- from a certain professor. I&nbsp;am not that good at guesswork, but I&nbsp;do sometimes know the answer ahead of time.&nbsp;...</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <DIV align="right">Mary Ann M. &nbsp; </div></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=16BB324></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#16BB324"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Re <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-13.html#deepbreath">Helen's comments</A>, <i>"Let's take a moment for a deep breath and an obvious truth that's being ignored by everyone. Banks and businesses that are poorly run should be driven out of business by their mistakes. That's pretty much basic capitalism. But allegedly capitalist nations have let banks and businesses grow "too big to fail" -- so enormous that if they go under, they can take the entire economy under with them. This should never have been allowed to happen -- banks and businesses that are too big to fail are too big to exist, and should have been broken up into smaller banks and businesses years ago."</i><BR><BR>Yep. 20/20 hindsight. The most cynical thing I've done in years has been to invest recently in Citibank and GM. Which will probably backfire on me. Have you seen some version of this? GM is now holding a gun to the Fed's head:<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/story.aspx?guid=%7BD2483F8A%2D638A%2D4A2B%2D9EC2%2D428EE920D5E5%7D&siteid=rss">Report: GM to say, 'more aid or bankruptcy'</A> (WARNING: annoying flickering ad effect)<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=332304">REALLY brief synopsis, but no flickering</A><BR><BR> What, me worry? OK, here's my analysis, FWIW:<BR><BR>1) Citibank got caught with its tits in the wringer -- they hit upon a "one-stop banking" model that served them well during the boom years of the past decade (1997-2007), but clearly this concept cannot survive the current shakeout. Nonetheless, I&nbsp;bought when I&nbsp;saw <A HREF="http://waleedbintalal.com/">Prince Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud</A> raise his stake to over 5%. That guy is not stupid. Yet now the common stock is down to a bit over half of what it was then ($6.33/share). So am I&nbsp;a nitwit for buying Citibank? Hey, I'm still nostalgic about <i>parts</i> of Manhattan too, snort. Time will tell.<BR><BR>Problem is, at least for the short term, the market is so gun-shy about banks (esp. Citi, BofA, and Wells) that ANY bad news wipes out several weeks' worth of gains in, oh, fifteen minutes.<BR><BR>Since then, I've also invested in one mid-tier bank that I&nbsp;believe WILL regain its footing, once the stampeding herd once again catches its breath and learns again to separate the wheat from the chaff. Discernment.<BR><BR>Banks are neither "bad" nor "good" -- they're just another confidence racket. If you have the chance to make 'em pay you, rather than vice-versa, I&nbsp;say grab it; otherwise, move along and don't look back. Any time I&nbsp;can avoid dealing with banks, insurance companies, or gov't agencies, I&nbsp;pass. (Unfortunately, I'm stuck with the gov't due to the price of my meds. Yet Medicare is the closest thing we have to socialized medicine, and I'm no fool. Likewise, long-term disability is the closest I've ever gotten to a gov't "bailout." Take the money and run.)<BR><BR>2) As for GM, I&nbsp;think you're right -- it's too big and too American. They know they've got the Fed in a corner. Yes, it's a dinosaur, but I&nbsp;don't think we've heard the last of it for a while yet. When we do, it'll be like the fat lady singing the final note of the opera -- everyone will know and it'll be a funeral to remember. Right now, we're only approaching the end of Act Four. I&nbsp;bought my shares on a morning when I&nbsp;watched the price drop about 20% in half an hour, due to the market's panic. (Have I&nbsp;mentioned my balls of steel?) After a short ride up to over $4, it's back down to about what it was then: $2.69/share.<BR><BR>Problem is, see above re: Citibank. After this gun-to-the-head approach, GM has lost all credibility and will now inspire gun-shyness in the market for months to come. I&nbsp;predict that the current common share price ($2.50) will tank on Tuesday morning.<BR><BR>So maybe both of these, uh, venerable institutions (koff koff) will file Chapter 11 soon, and common stock investors like me will get wiped. It wouldn't surprise me. Until then, I'm studying how to play this game with greater foresight and less hindsight. I&nbsp;never invest more than I&nbsp;can afford to lose ($300 for Citi, and about $200 for GM). In any case, I'll live. Win some, lose some -- this has happened to me before. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Bill B. &nbsp; </div></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=14W755></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#14W755"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/10/electro-pulse-tech-could-de-ice-cars-in-seconds/">Electro-Pulse tech could de-ice cars in seconds</A><BR><BR>Notice no mention of the cost of this wondrous idea. I'm suddenly reminded of the cliché, "If you have to ask how much something costs, you can't afford it". And just what is the power source for this miracle of miracles? Put another way -- how long of an extension cord does one need? <BLOCKQUOTE><i> I'm sure the CEO of Citigroup will want one for his each of his chauffeurs, but even disregarding the cost, I&nbsp;would think that applying 20,000-kilowatts of electricity per square meter could occasionally have an explosive effect on a car's gas tank. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; H&amp;HH</i></BLOCKQUOTE> <center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1062797.html">World Jewish leaders tell Vatican Holocaust denial is a crime</A><BR><BR>When fanatics declare what is a crime it makes a mockery of the rule of law. <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.alternet.org/workplace/126898/?page=entire">Obama will fight with us to quash the campaign to loot Social Security -- right?</A><BR><BR>Does Obama have the experience to buck the con-artists? His inexperience in dealing with "THE ESTABLISHMENT" is going to be a formidable hindrance to his delusional belief in bipartisanship harmony. While his idealism may be charming it doesn't bode well for dealing with the wily Washington bureaucratic bozos.<br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090213/1avacancy13_st.art.htm">No one home: Record 1 in 9 housing units empty</A><BR><BR>I've traveled across this country as a full time RV'er from 1991 to 2007 and I've often marveled at the housing being built costing over $150,000. Just who makes enough in wages to be able to purchase these mini-castles? The "associates" working at Wal-Mart? Kmart.? Burger King or McDonalds? Nurses? Any one working for an hourly wage for that matter? As far as I&nbsp;can tell even if the housing bubble hadn't burst the only party who really owned these extravagant properties in the long run were the banks. The so called "home owner" actually was merely a renter. <center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-dodges-transparency-pledge-2009-02-14.html">Obama dodges transparency pledge</A><BR><BR>Whoa -- do people still believe campaign promises? If passing and signing legislation is the worst failure of the Obama Administration, I'll not get myself into a snit fit. <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.cnbc.com//id/29176966">Why are gas prices going up while oil keeps falling?</A><BR><BR> The roller coaster pricing of gas at the pump defies any logic or explanation. The price rising or falling depends solely on what the oil company manipulators think they can get away with. Every year the rise begins earlier as the spring season approaches, and by Memorial day the price is at the highest point the manipulators believe they can achieve without causing a public outburst.<BR><BR>Furthermore the closer a filling station is to the Interstate system the higher the price will be. Go down a mile or two from the interstate ramp and the price will be about 20 cents cheaper. Who's kidding who? The pundits kid themselves, not anyone who has to buy gas regularly. But the pundits have incomes that affords them to consider the price of gas a minor distraction.<BR><BR>At the filling station on the corner that I&nbsp;frequent, gas went in the past month from $1.53 to now $1.92. Yet in the same time period the price per barrel on the exchange has dropped from about $50 to now $38. Again, who's kidding who? But then green peppers are now 50 cents EACH at Wal-Mart so I&nbsp;guess it's just a relative value issue. Be assured by the first of May gas will be at $3.00 a gal. or as the pump will say $2.99... <BLOCKQUOTE><i> Can't argue that, but I'm charmed by your use of the term "filling station" -- a colorful colloquialism I&nbsp;haven't heard much since my dad passed away. Are you by any chance from Montana by way of the US Army, like dear old Dad? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; H&amp;HH</i></BLOCKQUOTE> Nope. Born and gonna die a buckeye. But I&nbsp;did do my duty as a patriotic citizen in the army. <center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1064257.html">Exposed: Tel Aviv man has 32 women and 89 children</A><BR><BR>Another religious nut. Doesn't religious tolerance have a limit? What really amazes me is that women keep falling for men's follies. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=14PC749></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#14PC749"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; First, I&nbsp;really appreciate the humor and insight in Doug Noland's recent article, <A HREF="http://www.prudentbear.com/index.php/commentary/creditbubblebulletin?art_id=10191">Post-bubble facts of life</A>. Regarding the futility of the post-credit bubble bailout process -- the government is... totally incapable of dealing with what they have unleashed... (my comment follows) <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonta"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Fundamentally, there's a complete lack of a coherent framework for even an attempt at gauging whether individual policies will be constructive to system adjustment or whether they will instead compound the damage. Without a credible analytical framework, there is not even a beginning point for thoughtful discussion of policy alternatives. Instead, the debate is predictably fought on political fronts. Ironically, in a period beckoning for cooperative bipartisan problem-solving, the process naturally regresses to irreconcilable ideological battles. When our Washington politicians come to a consensus view on the best course for post-Bubble policymaking, they can then move quickly to resolve global religious conflict and the abortion issue.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> Unlike the US government, the Chinese government has massive financial firepower, as well as a motivated workforce <NOBR>:-)</NOBR> We have recently read about the problems in China -- rioting workers, factory closures, etc -- but according to this chart of the Shanghai stock index, they've reached a bottom (a double dip is possible of course.) Note the <A HREF="http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?t=1y&s=000001.SS&l=off&z=m&q=l&c=">bowl-like formation</A>.<BR><BR> There are no "investable" instruments in the US 100% correlated to Shanghai, but FXI and GXC are reasonable, IMO (in combination.)<BR><BR>Gold and Silver (GLD, IAU, SLV and CEF) are OK too, but nothing goes straight up forever, and chasing is dangerous. Buy the dips...<BR><BR>Oil, drugs, mining, agriculture and food are also reasonable choices.<BR><BR>If nothing else, it is reasonable now to diversify "savings" -- while the dollar is still reasonably strong -- into different things (countries and asset classes,) and across time itself...<BR><BR>The US is in deep sh*t. If you have a passport it would be smart to just leave. The rest of us will get to work with what we have left <NOBR>:-)</NOBR> <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Pavel C. &nbsp; </div></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=14JR343></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#14JR343"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-02-12/the-sins-of-st-warren/">Add Warren Buffett to the list of people to blame for the financial crisis</A><BR><BR>Buffet wasn't an exec at Moody's, but an investor. So it seems easily plausible that he was unaware of the crookedness going on there.<BR><BR>Of course, I&nbsp;was dismayed by Buffet's sweetheart deal with the government over some of the failing companies last year, as well as him advising everyone to buy stocks in the face of the ongoing collapse. But even those things could still be chalked up to him trying to help out (while making a profit at the same time). Buffet's old enough and educated enough to remember people like J.P. Morgan stepping in and almost single-handedly plugging some financial black holes in US history. So maybe he fancied himself doing the same thing.<BR><BR>And although Buffet told everyone he didn't understand the derivatives market, so he was avoiding direct investment in it, I&nbsp;suspect he thought if anyone did understand it, it was Moody's. So he bought into the thing.<BR><BR>Although it's very tempting to jump onto Buffet for this, from everything I've seen him say and do over the past 10 years, I&nbsp;say he still deserves the benefit of a doubt here, based on what we know so far. For I&nbsp;believe I&nbsp;could have made the same mistakes myself in his place, while intending harm to no one. Also keep in mind there's plenty of Repubs who'd like to throw mud on Buffet for his statements of past years. <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2009/2/12/congressional-offices-dont-have-the-stimulus-bill-lobbyists-do.html">Congressional offices don't have the stimulus bill, lobbyists do</A><BR><BR> Now isn't that an inflammatory title? But of course it comes from <i>US News</i>' 'Washington Whispers' rumor mill, which I&nbsp;stopped reading maybe twenty years ago due to its nearly always wrong information. Yes, I&nbsp;often found the column enticing with its reports -- but it usually turned out to be entirely made up, later on.<BR><BR>Back decades ago when I&nbsp;stopped reading the hard copy version of this thing, I&nbsp;seem to remember <i>US News</i>S at least including a disclaimer on the page, which effectively said they took no responsibility for the content, because it might be 100% bull sh*t. But just now I&nbsp;looked at their online version and found no sign of such a disclaimer. I&nbsp;guess after Fox News won that court case with a judgement that news organizations can lie all they want with impunity, disclaimers for bullsh*t in mass media became obsolete. <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://i.gizmodo.com/5152676/ibm-patents-bionic-armor-that-gives-humans-ability-to-dodge-bullets">IBM patents bionic armor that gives humans ability to dodge bullets</A><BR><BR> This is laughable! Any educated professional worth his salt would know any movement fast enough to dodge a bullet that was effectively forced upon the human body would nearly always cause significant injuries -- even to well-toned athletes. I'm talking at the least strained and sprained muscles and ligaments and joints, if not outright tears and detachments. Dislocations. Maybe broken bones, too. Non-athletes would fare even worse.<BR><BR>I can imagine many cases where taking the bullet would be preferable to being mangled by this armor. This may turn out to be a public relations disaster for IBM if too many people scrutinize this announcement too closely. For IBM really should have known better. <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.alternet.org/workplace/126898/obama_will_fight_with_us_to_quash_the_campaign_to_loot_social_security_--_right/">Obama will fight with us to quash the campaign to loot Social Security -- right?</A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonta"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Behind closed doors, powerful interests are pushing Obama to tap Social Security to pay for bank bailouts. How he responds will shape his presidency.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dean-baker/the-economists-who-missed_b_166852.html">The economists who missed the housing bubble are coming after your Social Security</A><BR><BR> This sounds alarmingly similar to the last several mistakes Obama has made: so if present trends continue, he'll do this too. He already boosted military spending rather than cutting it. Looting the social programs is necessarily the other side of that coin.<BR><BR>It appears Rush Limbaugh may succeed beyond his wildest dreams: Obama may well join Republican ranks in de facto policies, if not overt party name.<BR><BR>Notice that John McCain was so hard-pressed to find anything to disparage about Obama's stimulus move that he had to pick something Obama did which was one of the things McCain himself pledged to do if elected(!) That's downright scary!<BR><BR>Obama's biggest problem seems to be he thinks he's smarter than everyone else. Ergo, so long as some slick characters can make Obama think their plan was originally his idea, it's a slam dunk.<BR><BR>It's a plot straight out of <i>The Beverly Hillbillies</i>. Which works well on someone who's obscenely confident (like an egotist who just won big in a Presidential election), OR ridiculously stupid (in the end, there's not much difference between the two states; so Obama may turn out to be the flip side of Bush Junior -- only not in a good way).<BR><BR>Oh yeah: this is God-awful speculation on my part. And I&nbsp;hope it's as wrong as it can possibly be!<BR><BR>But almost everything Obama has (and has not) done so far has raised my anxiety level. The lack of anything at all about universal healthcare is especially troubling. <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/13/glaxo-smith-kline-cheap-medicine">Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline pledges cheap medicine for world's poor</A><BR><BR> I believe the guy thinks Dems are going to come after Big Pharma, and he wants to play pre-emptive defense in the media. One cynical ploy: if Obama decides the US gov should be able to negotiate drug prices down like all other nations, this guy could say 'well, that means we'll have to balance it out by raising prices for poor countries worldwide'. <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://bradbrown.com/">Brad Brown</A><BR><BR> I don't quite know what to think about this blog. Some posts are so good they can rate as the best on the net. Thing is, he sometimes talks about doing illegal stuff in ways which seem highly plausible and workable -- and even documentary at times. With a little obvious humor thrown in for good measure (or perhaps to give the appearance his post is a parody or whatever, and not actual how-to's for outlaw behavior).<BR><BR> Examples:<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://bradbrown.com/?p=125">Save money. Live better at Target. Literally.</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://bradbrown.com/?p=84">Seven ways to become a better bank robber</A> <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/12/stimulus-depression-deficits-opinions-columnists_0213_bruce_bartlett.html">The real lesson of the New Deal: Deficits were too small, not too large.</A><BR><BR> I don't think rabid Repub dog Forbes Junior himself is going to like this piece. Unless I&nbsp;missed somewhere that it's supposed to support massive tax cuts for the rich. <br><br><center>== &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; == &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,607187,00.html">New wave of films tackle globalization head on</A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonta"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> A German politician said recently that people are now more afraid of their financial adviser than of al-Qaida. If the latest string of films dealing with the globalization, business and free market ideology are anything to go by, bankers and corporate executives are fast replacing terrorists as the baddies in the popular imagination.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR>Unfortunately, the mainstream media works hard to quash such developments everywhere they can. CNBC and Fox News especially so. You should have seen the squealing over capping executive pay! While in truth the only people outside US execs/market manipulators who make that much money are dictators like Saddam Hussein was, and the head of North Korea is today -- as well as the despotic heads of certain Middle-east nations. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">JR Mooneyham &nbsp;(<A HREF="http://www.jrmooneyham.com">www.jrmooneyham.com/</A>) &nbsp; </div></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=14HB229></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#14HB229"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Nouriel Roubini describes why nationalization of the big banks is logical -- and why Obama chose the chickensh*t route of doing the other thing...and will probably be forced to nationalize anyway within a year. my comments follow...<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/02/12-3">Nationalize insolvent banks</A>&nbsp; by Nouriel Roubini <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" class="fonta"><BR> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> On the other hand, if, as is likely, the current "fudging" strategy does not work, and most banks -- the major four and the a good number of the remaining regional banks -- all look clearly insolvent in six to 12 months, you can then take them all over, wipe out common and preferred shareholders and even force unsecured creditors to accept losses.<BR><BR>So, the current strategy -- Plan A -- may not work, and Plan B (or better, "Plan N," for nationalization) may end up the way to go later this year. Wasting another six to 12 months may risk turning a U-shaped recession into an L-shaped near-depression.<BR><BR>The political constraints the new administration faces -- and the remaining small probability that the current strategy may, by some miracle or luck, work -- suggest Plan A should be first exhausted before there is a move to Plan N.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> Obama gave a speech on Friday morning, mentioning how workers who lost their jobs THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN should get help paying for their health insurance. I&nbsp;thought, someone who got fired doesn't deserve medical care? Then he started talking about FDR and I&nbsp;realized that listening to this bullsh*t artist in real time is a waste of time. I&nbsp;muted the TV -- I&nbsp;can read the highlights of anything this guy says on the internet, no need to listen to a bunch of lies anymore.<BR><BR>Barack is incapable of leading the US in the right direction. And incapable of fulfilling his major campaign promises. And he is a bullsh*t artist who, every time he is asked about prosecuting the war criminals in the Bush Regime talks about "looking forward." There is NOTHING Obama can do that is not pre-approved by The Powers That Be. He is a lackey of the Monied Interests.<BR><BR>The sooner people realize that Obama is full of sh*t the sooner we can start demanding the Change We Deserve. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Hazel Burke &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> For the most part, your pessimism seems well-founded, but I&nbsp;wouldn't say Obama's incapable of doing the right thing and fulfilling his campaign promises. He's more capable than anyone we've seen in our lifetimes, but he seems to be ... disinterested? Or perhaps un-convinced it's necessary?<BR><BR>We're watching from a distance so it's impossible to say for sure, but I&nbsp;keep getting the impression that Obama wants to run things smoothly, with nary a ripple, or with as few ripples as possible. He talks smooth, and he wants to steer the ship of state smoothly, without making any waves. Problem is, if you don't make waves you're just drifting with the current. We need a frickin' tsunami of change and we need it in a hurry, and if he doesn't start changing things in this country, his smooth ripple-free waters are going to drown us all. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV><A NAME=16S351></A></BLOCKQUOTE> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#dddddd" class="fonta"> <A HREF="#16S351"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <i><B>2/17/2009:</B></i> &nbsp; Few of them act as though they are aware that nobody has the full set of dominoes, which if the Repugs keep hiding theirs, will make the game fall apart even more quickly.<BR><BR> Too many forces beyond the reach of humans are poised to crashing down on us. Some of them could lead to very long-lasting effects.<BR><BR>For myself, I am perturbed, disturbed and unnerved. For too many good reasons. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Siskiyousis &nbsp; </div><!-- reply --> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=16BA148></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.propublica.org/article/tarp-lives-treasury-continues-bank-investments-090213">TARP Lives! Treasury continues bank investments</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#16BA148"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Isn't a "TARP" something cops throw over a corpse at a crime scene, to keep ordinary people from seeing the spilled guts brains and blood? <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Barney A. &nbsp; </div></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=16M756></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-16.html#16M756"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; What can we do about cops in California who refuse to enforce any laws? There are millions of vehicles with no front license plate and that is illegal. They store tons of junk cars on their front lawns and in the street, and also store their basketball hoops in the street and play basketball all day in the street and make a lot of noise and obstruct traffic, endanger lives, etc, yet the cops and city, etc, do nothing about it and when we call they say it will take them three days to come out and all they do is drive around looking stupid and doing nothing all day. Maybe someone could set up a way to follow them around and see what they do all day. And see if they have junk cars in their yards or in the street or if they play basketball in the street. Thank you. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Mickey &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> The economy is cratering, the new President backs state secrets over human rights, he's about to ramp up the gruesome and unwinnable war on Afghanistan -- and the issues that trouble you are front license plates and junk cars on your neighbors' lawns? </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR></TABLE> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"> <I><B>More comments:</B></I> <BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0902-09.html#14JR225"><FONT COLOR=blue> JR Mooneyham replies to Helen & Harry</FONT></A> about internet over electric wires </TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=recent></A><BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="50%" class="fonty"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="300" border=2><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonty"><BR> &nbsp; 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</TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="96%" class="fonty"> © Helen & Harry Highwater and the individual authors.</center> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="2%" class="fonty"><!--WEBBOT bot="HTMLMarkup"startspan ALT="Site Meter"--><script type="text/javascript"language="JavaScript">var site="sm4unknownnews"</script><script type="text/javascript"language="JavaScript1.2" src="http://sm4.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=sm4unknownnews"></script><noscript><A HREF="http://sm4.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=sm4unknownnews"target=_top><img src="http://sm4.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=sm4unknownnews&refer=&hours=8&minutes=53&rtype=4" border=0 title="Site Meter" height="10" width="10"></A></noscript><!-Copyright (c)2000 Site Meter --><!--WEBBOT bot="HTMLMarkup"Endspan --></TD></TR></TABLE> </TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="5" BGcolor=white class="fonttnr">&nbsp;</TD> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="315" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="font14"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="300" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="1%" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="font14">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="57%" class="font14"><BR> <!-- Translation--> <form action="http://www.google.com/translate" ><script language="JavaScript"> <!-- document.write ("<input name=u value="+location.href+" type=hidden>") // --></script> <input name="hl" value="en" type="hidden"> <input name="ie" value="UTF8" type="hidden"> <input name="langpair" value="" type="hidden"> <input name="langpair" value="en|ar" title="Arabic" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagArab.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"> <input name="langpair" value="en|zh-CN" title="Chinese" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagChina.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"> <input name="langpair" value="en|fr" title="French" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagFrance.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"> <input name="langpair" value="en|de" title="German" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagGermany.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"> <input name="langpair" value="en|it" title="Italian" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagItaly.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"><BR> <input name="langpair" value="en|ja" title="Japanese" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagJapan.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"> <input name="langpair" value="en|ko" title="Korean" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagKorea.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"> <input name="langpair" value="en|pt" title="Portuguese" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagPortugal.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"> <input name="langpair" value="en|es" title="Spanish" src= "http://unknownnews.org/flagSpain.gif" onclick="this.form.langpair.value=this.value" height="16" type="image" width="23"> </form> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="42%" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="font13"> <A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/RSSfeed.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/RSS-button.gif" alt="Subscribe to our RSS feed" border="0" width="72" height="54"></A> </TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=today></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="300" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="300" class="fonty"> Like the URL says, this website is about "unknown news". 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Just a buck or two can make all the difference and help keep <I>Unknown News</I> alive.<BR><BR> <center><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/donations.html">Donations</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/advertising.html">Sponsorships</A> <BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/stickers.html">Stickers and stuff for sale</A> <BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/subscriptions.html">Subscriptions</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/wishlist.html">Wish list</A> <BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/credits.html">Thank you</A> </center><BR> <DIV align="right"><i><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/contact.html">Helen &amp; Harry Highwater</A></i> &nbsp; </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=wdwb></A><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="300" border=2><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="300" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"> <center><BIG><B>What we believe</B></BIG></center><BR> We believe in liberty and justice for all, so of course, we oppose many US government policies. This doesn't mean we're anti-American, redneck scum, pinko commies, militia members, or terrorist-sympathizers. It means we believe in freedom, as more than merely a cliché. <BR><BR> We believe you have the right to live your own life as you choose, and others have the equal right to live <I>their</I> lives as <I>they</I> choose. It's not complicated.<BR><BR>We believe freedom leads to peace, progress, and prosperity, while its opposite -- oppression -- leads to war, terrorism, poverty, and misery. <BR><BR> We believe it's preposterously stupid to hate people because of their appearance, their race or nationality, their religion or lack of religion, how they have sex with other consenting adults, etc. There are far more apropos reasons to hate most people. <BR><BR> We believe in questioning ourselves, our assumptions, each other -- and we especially believe in questioning authority (the more authority, the more questions). We believe obedience is a fine quality in dogs and young children, but not in adults. <BR><BR> Like America's right-wingers, we believe in individual responsibility, hard work to get ahead, and stern punishment for serious crimes. We believe big government should not be blindly trusted.<BR><BR> But unlike most right-wing leaders, we mean it. <BR><BR> Like America's left-wingers, we believe in equal treatment under law, war as a last (not first) resort, and sensible stewardship of natural resources. We believe big business should not be blindly trusted.<BR><BR>But unlike most left-wing leaders, we mean it. <BR><BR> Like libertarians, we believe it's wrong and <I>reprehensible</i> to arrest people for what they think, believe, look like, wear, eat, smoke, drink, inhale, inject, or otherwise do to themselves. <BR><BR> But unlike many libertarians, we're not obsessed with the gold standard, we don't believe incorporation is humanity's highest achievement, and we don't believe everything in life comes down to dollars and cents. We've read and enjoyed Ayn Rand's novels, but we understand that they're works of fiction.<BR><BR> We're skeptical, and we're sick of so-called 'journalists' who aren't skeptical at all. <BR><BR>A reader asks, what are our solutions? We propose no solutions except common sense, which is never common. We like the principles of democracy, and the ideals broadly described as 'American'. The US Constitution is a fine and workable framework for solutions, when it's actually read and thoughtfully understood by intelligent statesmen and women. So, no manifestos from us. We don't dream that big, and if there's one thing the world <i>doesn't</i> need it's yet another manifesto.<BR><BR>Our suggestion is: think. A fact-based instead of faith-based approach leads to solutions for most of the recurring issues of our time, from abortion to global climate change, pollution to universal health care, careful but real regulation of industry and economy, hunger, war, terror, human rights for humans not for corporations, science not religious doctrine in public schools, equal protection and prosecution under law, etc. Approach problems without glorifying stupidity, without demonizing intelligence, and answers usually come into focus. <BR><BR> These pages are published by <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.net/bighowdy.html">Harry and Helen Highwater</A>, happily married low-income nom de plumes and rabble-rousers from Madison, Wisconsin (with a few friends scattered around the world helping out). <BR><BR> We try to spotlight news that hasn't gotten enough (or appropriate) attention in American media, along with our opinions and yours. <BR><BR> We bang our keyboards against the wall, because it doesn't hurt as much as banging our heads. <BR><BR><center><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/bighowdy.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/Highwaters-oldtime.jpg" border="3" width="199" height="277"></A></center><BR> <DIV align="right"><i><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/contact.html">Helen &amp; Harry Highwater</A></i> &nbsp; <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd">&nbsp;&nbsp;(from <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/about.html">About <I>Unknown News</i></A>)&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> </TD></TR></TABLE> <BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="300" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="300" bgcolor=black class="fonttnr"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="300" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="300" bgcolor=white class="fonttnr"> <center><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/bill-of-rights.jpg" alt="U.S. Bill of Rights" border="0" width="280" height="157"></center><BR> <!-- 300x168 --> <b>The preamble</b><BR><BR> Congress of the United States begun and held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine. The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution expressed a desire in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.<BR><BR> Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several states as Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all or any of which articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Constitution. viz: Articles in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress and Ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.<BR><BR> <b>Amendment I</b><BR><BR> Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment II</b><BR><BR> A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment III</b><BR><BR> No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment IV</b><BR><BR> The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment V</b><BR><BR> No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment VI</b><BR><BR> In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment VII</b><BR><BR> In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment VIII</b><BR><BR> Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment IX</b><BR><BR> The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. <BR><BR> <b>Amendment X</b><BR><BR> The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR> <A HREF="https://secure.aclu.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2125&2125.donation=form1&s_src=UNW080001C00&s_subsrc=getinvolvedmenu_join_hp&JServSessionIdr006=wnbcqvc7x1.app20a"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/aclu_logo.gif" border="3" alt-"American Civil Liberties Union" width="190" height="74"></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonty"> <table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="50" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"> <A HREF="https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?id=36"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/thumbtack.jpg" border="0" width="40" height="40"></A> </td></tr></table><BR> <A HREF="https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?id=36">Help ACORN fight Republicans' lies</A></TD></TR></TABLE> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="10%" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="49%" class="fonty"> <A HREF="http://article31.org/"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/article31.gif" border="1" width="148" height="70"></A> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="4%" class="fonty"> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="37%" class="fonty"><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonty"> <table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="50" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"> <A HREF="http://www.actblue.com/"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/thumbtack.jpg" border="0" width="40" height="40"></A> </td></tr></table><BR> <A HREF="http://www.actblue.com/">Act Blue</A> </TD></TR></TABLE> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="295" border=2><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"> "A mind-blowing mix of<BR>fact and fantasy, hard science<BR>and well-grounded speculation, with concrete how-to info to top it all off -- resulting in some of the best and strangest stuff on Earth..."<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.jrmooneyham.com"><BIG><B>www.jrmooneyham.com</B></BIG></A> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <BR> <A NAME=columnists></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="280" border=2><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="270" class="fonty"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="260" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" valign="middle" WIDTH="250" class="fonta"><BR> <b>Columnists<BR>at <I>Unknown News</I></b><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-SherriB.html">Sherri B.</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-HazelBurke.html">Hazel Burke</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-PavelC.html">Pavel C.</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-TheCanadian.html">The Canadian</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-MrChuckles.html">Mr. Chuckles</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-ChrisD.html">Chris D.</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-Mahdi.html">Mahdi Abdul Finkelstein</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-KathyF.html">Kathy Fisher</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-LeonF.html">Leon Fisher</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-Happy.html">HappySysiphus</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-hh.html">Helen & Harry Highwater</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-JSMagruder.html">JS Magruder</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-JRMooneyham.html">JR Mooneyham</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-DrRuhs.html">Herb Ruhs, MD</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-Panther.html">Underground Panther<BR>in the Sky</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/archive-MadelineZane.html">Madeline Zane</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/previously.html"><I>Unknown&nbsp;News</I> archives</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/">Latest <I>Unknown News</I></A><BR><BR> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR> <A NAME=listenup></A><A NAME=radio></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="290" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" bgcolor=white WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="114" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="right" width="100%"><BR><BR> <A NAME=ANCHOR></A><A HREF="#radio"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/radio.jpg" border="0" width="94" height="161"></A> </td></tr></table> <BR><I>&nbsp;&nbsp;On the radio,<BR>we never miss ... </i><BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://airamerica.com/listen"><B>&nbsp;Rachel Maddow&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(Mon-Fri &nbsp; 6-8PM CT)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://dialup.novamradio.com:8000/live.m3u"><b>&nbsp;Mike Malloy&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(Mon-Fri &nbsp; 8-11PM CT)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://archive.wort-fm.org/xml/mf.xml"><B>&nbsp;Mel &amp; Floyd&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <i>&nbsp;&nbsp;And we often listen to ... </i><BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/logs.html"><B>&nbsp;As&nbsp;It&nbsp;Happens&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(Monday-Friday)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://airamerica.com/ondemand/show/6630"><B>&nbsp;David Bender&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.green960.com/podcast/peterbcollins.xml"><B>&nbsp;Peter B. Collins&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(Monday-Friday)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.wpr.org/webcasting/audioarchives_display.cfm?Code=dun"><B>&nbsp;Kathleen Dunn&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(Monday-Friday)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=5"><B>&nbsp;CounterSpin&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.democracynow.org/"><B>&nbsp;Democracy Now&nbsp;</B><BR>with Amy Goodman<BR>&nbsp;(Monday-Friday)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.whiterosesociety.org/content/hartmann/hartmann.xml"><B>&nbsp;Thom Hartmann&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(Monday-Friday)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://airamerica.com/listen"><B>&nbsp;Ron Kuby&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(Mon-Fri &nbsp; 2-5PM CT)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://will.illinois.edu/mediamatters/"><B>&nbsp;Media Matters&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.poliscifiradio.com/"><B>&nbsp;Poli Sci Fi Radio&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://politicsinmusic.podbean.com/feed/"><B>&nbsp;Politics in Music&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://radicalradio.org/"><B>&nbsp;Radical Radio&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.ringoffireradio.com/shows.asp"><B>&nbsp;Ring of Fire&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.kpfa.org/archives/index.php?show=128"><B>&nbsp;Sunday Sedition&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://www.harryshearer.com/news/le_show/"><B>&nbsp;Harry Shearer&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFADC"><A HREF="http://whiterosesociety.org/Werbe.html"><B>&nbsp;Peter Werbe&nbsp;</B><BR>&nbsp;(weekly)&nbsp;</A></SPAN> <BR><BR> <DIV align="right"><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd" class="font11">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="#radio"><FONT COLOR=blue>PERMANENT LINK</FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><BR> </TD></TR></TABLE> <BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" WIDTH=300 border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH=300 BGcolor=darkred class="fonty"><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="100%" BGcolor=ivory class="fonty"><B> Do we know the answers to <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/911.html">these questions about September 11?</a><BR><BR>Of course not. Nobody will know the answers until there's an open and honest investigation.<BR><BR>But anyone courageous enough to <I>think</I> can see that the pertinent questions for any serious "investigation" were never asked, let alone answered, by the official investigators.<BR><BR></B> <CENTER><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.net/stickers.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/911investigationsticker.jpg" border="3" width="233" height="78"></A></CENTER> <DIV align="right"><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd">&nbsp;&nbsp;More: &nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/911.html"><FONT COLOR=blue><B>unknownnews.org/911.html</B></FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR> <center><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-2996608746973398"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_ad_channel = ""; google_color_border = "8B0000"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "000000"; google_color_text = "000000"; google_color_url = "0000FF"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script></center><BR> </TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="10" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonttnr"> </TD> </TR></TABLE> </body> </html>