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<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/cops.html">Bad cops</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/debunk.html">Debunked</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/dialogue.html">Dialogue</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/diy.html">Do-it-yourself</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/DrRuhs.html">Dr Herb Ruhs</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/">Latest update</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/oldnews.html">Old news</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/wow.html">Words of wisdom</A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|</TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE> <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="635" BGcolor=white class="fonta"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="6" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="20%" align="left"><tr><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="99%" class="font18"> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/dialogue.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/dialogue-bubbles.jpg" border="0" width="127" height="127"></A></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonta">&nbsp;</td></tr></table> <BR><center><BIG><B><I>Our dialogue page</i></b></center><BR> <SPAN class="fontsm"><i>We welcome readers' comments, questions, or criticisms. Our email is&nbsp;&#60;<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com">unknownnews at inbox.com</A>&#62;, and if that address ever fails you can&nbsp;also reach us at <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/contact.html">these back-up email addresses</A>.</i></SPAN></TD></TR></TABLE> <center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/dailydialogue.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxx below at 0906-23-d.html xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <!-- =dialogue --></A><A NAME=01-d></A><A NAME=30SJ155></A> <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/0906-23-d.html#01-d"><font color=white><b>Wednesday<BR>July&nbsp; 1, &nbsp;2009</b></font></A></NOBR></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonta">&nbsp;</td></tr></table> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#30SJ155"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; "Supreme Guide" or "Supreme Leader" &#151; which is it? Marie K. uses the term "Supreme Guide" in her "<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#29MK903">The reporting on Iran's election: what a lot of crap!</A>" and abbreviates it as SG in the rest of the article. She explains the Supreme Guide is called "the Leader" by Press TV.<BR><BR>I was curious whether the term "Supreme Leader" is part of the propaganda of the western media, a glorified term to make it appear Ali Khamenei wields much more power than he actually does. Such is not the case. "Supreme Leader" is the title which appears prominently on <A HREF="http://www.leader.ir/">his official website</A>.<BR><BR>I got nowhere Googling "Supreme Guide." I found the link all the way at the bottom of the Wikipedia page on <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Leader_of_Iran">the Supreme Leader</A>.<BR><BR>"Guide" has a warm and fuzzy connotation. Sacajawea he's not! <BR><BR><DIV align="right">SirJ &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=30AH1223></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#30AH1223"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; FYI, I really like the new weekly U.N. format.<BR><BR>One reason is the review of the prior week's events, which can easily be lost due to the daily news overload. Nice to know that someone out there is keeping score <NOBR>:-)</NOBR><BR><BR>I also like the format because it goes beyond aggregation. You tell us What the news is, Why it matters and What you think and feel about it. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Austin&nbsp;Heiber &nbsp; </div><BR> P.S. In an unrelated matter, I think my early "I hate Obama" opinion is being proven correct. The weight of evidence is now almost irrefutable. We were lied to and then sold down the river by Obama. This is completely disheartening of course, but diagnosing the problem is the first step in finding solutions.<BLOCKQUOTE><i> Thanks for the kind words, a real boost here. You have correctly ascertained what we're trying to do.<BR><BR>The big-picture problem, as I see it, is that enormous corporations control virtually all of American media and politics. Polls keep suggesting that most Americans lean to the left, but the left simply isn't allowed a meaningful voice. The first step in any real solution is breaking up big media, but that won't be allowed or even proposed by anyone anywhere near power. Instead we get Barack Obama, who's tragically, almost comically as far to the left as any "mainstream" American politician is allowed to be &#151; a centrist with a charismatic style and an occasional shoulder-twitch to the left, and he's portrayed as a radical, a Marxist. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <A NAME=29C947></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#29C947"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; This editorial from the NY Times kinda irked me. Thought I'd pass along to you, if you haven't seen it already&nbsp;...<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/opinion/28sun2.html?_r=1&th&emc=th">Call it obstructionism</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> In a burst of activity before adjourning on Friday for a two-week recess, the Senate confirmed 12 nominees for important positions in the Obama administration. That is the good news. Unfortunately, there are still 21 nominees for important posts awaiting confirmation.<BR><BR>Most of the stranded nominees have long since had hearings and majority approval by Senate committees and meetings with lawmakers. None of the nominees have been tainted by scandal or had their core competence questioned. And yet, they remain unconfirmed &#151; one for more than three months and several others for more than a month &#151; mainly because of holds, often anonymous and unexplained, by Republican senators.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <DIV align="right">Custodian at <A HREF="http://platypusmaximus.blogspot.com/">Platypus Maximus Media Filter</A> &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> This is the Republican way &#151; they'll do whatever they can to thwart the opposition, starting with lies about everything and certainly, with no hesitation, using all procedural possibilities. In every meaningful way, the Republicans' mantra is not about good or bad governance but just about getting rich, staying rich, and stickin' it to the Democrats.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And it's not, as the corporate-controlled media likes to pretend, the same on both sides of the aisle. Democrats simply don't operate the same way. As we've seen over the past eight years, Democrats are about accommodation, not opposition, and so American <i>right v. left</i> politics is a gang of cutthroats and street fighters against a gentlemen's bridge club. The outcome is always about what you'd expect from such a match. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> You are sure right. It took a long time, but the true dirty character of the GOP as architected by the School of Lee Atwater and further propagated by Karl Rove, et. al., has finally been revealed more vividly than ever before. We are seeing more clearly today what this has created. For me, it started with the polarization of the real GOP "base" in the Sarah Palin rallies leading up to the election. Now, of course, we have none other than Rush Limbaugh as the true voice of the party: bigoted, angry, antagonistic, inherently dishonest&nbsp;...<BR><BR>I suppose it's nice to see how this is increasingly exposed for being a big pot of lies, and how the GOP is in utter chaos and disarray.<BR><BR>But somehow, some way, I can't help feeling like more danger is on the way. Ya know? <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Custodian at <A HREF="http://platypusmaximus.blogspot.com/">Platypus Maximus Media Filter</A> &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=29JRM802></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#29JRM802"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/06/27/preventive_detention/index.html">Obama contemplates Executive Order for detention without charges</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> There has now emerged a very clear &#151; and very disturbing &#151; pattern whereby Obama is willing to use legal mechanisms and recognize the authority of other branches only if he's assured that he'll get the outcome he wants. If he can't get what he wants from those processes, he'll just assert Bush-like unilateral powers to bypass those processes and do what he wants anyway. In other words, what distinguishes Obama from the first-term Bush is that Obama is willing to indulge the charade that Congress, the courts and the rule of law have some role to play in political outcomes as long as they give him the power he wants. But where those processes impede Obama's will, he'll just bypass them and assert the unilateral power to do what he wants anyway (by contrast, the first-term Bush was unwilling to go to Congress to get expanded powers even where Congress was eager to give them to him; the second-term Bush, like Obama, was willing to allow Congress to endorse his radical proposals: hence, the Military Commissions Act, the Protect America Act, the FISA Amendments Act, etc.).</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> As I wrote months ago in an <i>Unknown News</i> comment, this is indeed a dangerous thing, that I would hope Obama works with Congress to limit so that future Bush/Cheneys won't be able to repeat their atrocities. That being said, I hope to God Obama uses this power first to pass a decent healthcare reform measure we poor people can afford and live with (and pay for it with massive defense cuts), over all the opposition from Republicans, corrupt Democrats, and evil corporations. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><A HREF="http://www.jrmooneyham.com">JR Mooneyham</A> &nbsp; </div><BR> <HR NOSHADE><BR> <!-- =dialogue --></A><A NAME=29-d></A><A NAME=29MAF827></A> <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/0906-23-d.html#29-d"><font color=white><b>Monday<BR>June&nbsp; 29, &nbsp;2009</b></font></A></NOBR></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonta">&nbsp;</td></tr></table> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#29MAF827"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; The US government has devolved into a gigantic Ponzi Scheme. We're now in the final phase of a Ponzi collapse, with the difference with private Ponzi Schemes being the government's ability to ruthlessly print money and avoid prosecution...of themselves. Like every Ponzi Scheme, the perps deny *everything* emphatically and accuse others of lying or of being ignorant of the true fact.<BR><BR>They'll keep lying right up until the very end.<BR><BR>There is still time to avoid another 50% decline in the value of the US dollar. How soon that happens is unknowable, but certainly other the next 10 years we'll see the purchasing power of the buck drop by a minimum of 50%, possibly 75%.<BR><BR>I like CEF (see CentralFund.com) now on pullbacks because it is HQ'd in Canada...which is where the gold and silver is vaulted. GLD, SLV, GDX and IAU aren't shabby either, though physical possession of actual coins is the starting point for TEOTWAWKI planning.<BR><BR>Also, go to Everbank.com for foreign currency denominated CDs and savings accounts...FDIC insured. Ask to speak with Chris Gafney, VP at the World Markets desk if you have any questions.<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.prudentbear.com/index.php/creditbubblebulletinview?art_id=10244">It is Economic</A>&nbsp; by Doug Noland <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> Annual growth in Financial Sector borrowings surpassed $1.0 TN in 2004, before almost reaching $2.0 TN in 2007. This was the massive expansion of system Credit that inflated asset prices, incomes, corporate profits, and government receipts. This Credit explosion was at the heart of economy-wide structural transformation to consumption, services, de-industrialization and massive imports &#151; not to mention incredible financial leveraging and speculation. And once grossly inflated, it is a very difficult and painful process to return a system to a more even keel.<BR><BR>Greenspan can claim it's a political problem and warn against increased statism. Yet the real dilemma today and going forward is the maladjusted "Bubble Economy" structure that fends off systemic breakdown only through $2.0 TN-plus annual Credit growth. Of course, our politicians have not sat idly as the Credit system buckled and the economy lurched downward. And, indeed, it was Greenspan more than any other individual that was responsible for the public's blind faith in Washington policymakers' capacity to resolve any and all financial and economic problems. As always, politicians have a propensity to try to inflate their way out of jams.&nbsp;...<BR><BR>I see ominous parallels to the mortgage/Wall Street finance Bubbles with today's Government Finance Bubble. First, the scope of "federal" government marketable debt issuance &#151; approximately $2.0 TN annually &#151; has quickly reached massive proportions. Especially since little of this ("non-productive") debt is financing real economic wealth creation, there is a rapid deterioration in the quality of debt being sold. There are clear Ponzi Finance dynamics in play. I would argue that the massive deficit spending has sustained incomes (May Personal Incomes up 1.3% y-o-y), purchasing power and general confidence in our system. But only ongoing massive fiscal stimulus will sustain the current maladjusted economic structure, while this massive inflation of government Credit will over time have problematic inflationary consequences. Acute underlying systemic fragility is masked only by the massive issuance of government "money-like" Credit. The issue is, at its core, more financial and economic than political.<BR><BR>One of the challenges of analyzing Bubbles is appreciating that powerful forces inherently arise to perpetuate them longer than one would have initially believed analytically probable. The tech Bubble went to incredible extremes &#151; and then "doubled." Ditto for the mortgage/Wall Street finance Bubble. As an analyst, however, I've got to assume that the marketplace is today much keener to the problematic nature of Ponzi Finance Dynamics.</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <DIV align="right">Mahdi&nbsp;Abdul&nbsp;Finkelstein &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=27Wig741></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/26/white-house-drafts-execut_n_221705.html">White House drafts executive order to allow indefinite detention of terror suspects</A><BR><BR> The Executive Order is the modern version of Royal Decree. <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.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#27Wig741"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Does anyone have a clue as to why the Minnesota Supreme hasn't ruled on the Coleman-Franken case? There seems to be a total blackout of information of this issue. <A HREF="http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_12663139?nclick_check=1">This brief bit</A> from a St. Paul paper is all I've been able to find. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> Courts move at their own leisurely pace, which often looks like no movement at all. With the US Supreme Court there's often a lag of months between hearing arguments and making the wrong decision, and it's probably the same in Minnesota.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Just as an aside, can you imagine the barrage of bleating we'd be hearing from Republicans if it appeared that a Republican had won a Senate seat, but Democrats used every legal trick in the book to delay the Republican's seating? Of course, it's a rhetorical question &#151; it's inconceivable that Democrats would be at all stubborn about anything. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> The announcement was expected over a week ago. No media has questioned why the announcement has disappeared. As you say courts move at their discretion but the sudden silence is deafening. The long delay in certifying that election is past rationalization.<BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> Can you imagine the barrage of bleating we'd be hearing from Republicans if it appeared that a Republican had won a Senate seat, but Democrats used every legal trick in the book to delay the Republican's seating for eight friggin'' months? Of course, that's a rhetorical question &#151; it's inconceivable that Democrats would be at all stubborn about anything. I'm a little surprised that the Democratic Party hasn't asked Franken to concede. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> Not to belabor the point but it just strikes me that all this time has past since the Minnesota Supreme Court heard the appeal and the MSM has not been curious about why the delay in a ruling. The bloggers have even ignored the matter. For a time the coverage was front page material. Now total silence. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> Yup. I dunno what's taking so long. Looks pretty much like an open-and-shut case from here.<BR><BR>From grade school I remember some lessons about taxation without representation, which as I recall was supposed to be a bad thing. Minnesotans have been taxed without a big chunk of their representation since January, and they're been ridiculously patient about it. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <A NAME=29MK903></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#29MK903"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <i>The reporting on Iran's election: what a lot of crap!</i>&nbsp; For me the last few weeks have been very busy as I've read MANY articles about Iran and learned a lot by checking out the sources of some of the articles. Obviously, from the title I only found SOME of the reporting useful while a lot of it involved lies and propaganda or presented conjecture or very biased info. You also notice all sorts of double-standards &#151; e.g. one for the US and another for Iran. I hope that I can do a better job of it. Sorry, it's not shorter.<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://informationclearinghouse.info/article22882.htm">This Paul Craig Roberts article</A> WAS useful and does note "the orchestrated disinformation pumped out by the western media" that he says is "so transparent that it is impossible to believe that any informed person or government is taken in. One cannot avoid the conclusion that the West wants the 1978 [--1979] Iranian Revolution overthrown and intends to use deception or violence to achieve that goal." He also included info. that indicates that Twitter was spammed by just a few very active accounts opened on June 13, 2009, and that on "June 14 the <i>Jerusalem Post</i> already had an article on the new twitter." Actually, Iranians aren't even into using Twitter.<BR><BR> His article and other useful ones indicate that it is a number of neocons and the so-called National Endowment for Democracy (NED) who are interested in causing a coup in Iran. Since his article came out, it has become clear that the real puppet the US wants to install could be the former Shah's son, Reza Pahlavi.<BR><BR> As for the vandalism that occurred in Iran, the videos I've seen show gang-like groups and not the demonstrators. Roberts has this to say, "we know that the US funds terrorist organizations inside Iran that are responsible for bombings and other violent acts. It is likely that these terrorist organizations are responsible for the burning buses and other acts of violence that have occurred during the demonstrations in Tehran."<BR><BR> He also offers some info. that fits with a lot of the better info. I've read that explains why "in Iran's system, election fraud has no purpose." That's "because a small select group&nbsp;... [the 12 jurist members of the Guardian Council (GC)] select the candidates who are put on the ballot" from hundreds for the presidency and from thousands for the elections of the members of parliament and members of the city and village councils. In fact, this screening of candidates only began in the early '90s after Ayatollah Khomeini died, in 1989, and it is considered questionable by Iranians themselves. The GC's main functions are like those of a supreme court &#151; it interprets the constitution and determines the constitutionality of the bills passed by Iran's parliament.<BR><BR> Anyway, things DID calm down after the Supreme Guide (Press TV uses, "the Leader") Khamenei unusually spoke at the Friday prayers a week after the election, and it now seems that there will be no coup, but as Roberts says the Iranian government did lose legitimacy "in the eyes of the outside world."<BR><BR> Of course, I doubt that many of the people who condemn Iran's government even know about the tyranny of the Pahlavi dynasty, how the current government functions, or that Iran's government is still one of the few Middle Eastern governments that actually carries out meaningful elections. So I turned to Wikipedia to find out a few details.<BR><BR> From 1906 until the revolution, Iran's government was a constitutional monarchy. However, when the former Shah's father overthrew the former dynasty in 1923 with British assistance and started his own Pahlavi dynasty, he also turned Iran's parliament into a rubber stamp organization after getting it to declare him Shah in 1925. A young Mohammed Mossadegh voted against him becoming the Shah and was incarcerated at one point. Over time others got murdered. Then, in 1941 the WWII allied powers, the British and Russians, got the first Pahlavi Shah to abdicate and be replaced by his son. Then, in 1951 the parliament named Mossadegh the Prime Minister (PM).<BR><BR> With a young Shah, Mossadegh had the chance to become a powerful PM and he did given his popularity based on obtaining the parliament's vote to nationalize Iran's oil--because the British oil company, now BP, had refused Mossadegh's offer of a 50-50% profit sharing deal. Despite fair compensation being offered, Britain struck back by getting Iran's sales of oil blocked--causing hardship and problems for Mossadegh.<BR><BR> Then came the MI6 and CIA coup that got Mossdegh replaced in 1953 with a CIA selected puppet PM and that made sure the Shah's power got beefed up with a US funded army and a secret police force, SAVAK. Because the coup didn't go completely smoothly, the Shah fled for a brief time. Mossadeh was imprisoned and then released to spend the rest of his life under house arrest. During the coup itself, "fake anti- and pro-monarchy protesters, both paid by [Kermit] Roosevelt (as he reports in his book, cited), violently clashed in the streets, looting and burning mosques and newspapers, leaving almost 300 dead." Hmmmmm, sounds familiar.<BR><BR> Then, in 1963 Khomeini began speaking out against the Shah and was arrested that year, which provoked 3 days of major riots that were met with deadly force. Hundreds, some say thousands, were killed. In 1964 Khomeini was sent into exile. The following 14 years saw disputes with Iraq, inflation and then austerity measures to end it that together badly increased the gap between the rich and the poor, the fining and jailing of merchants for high prices, and SAVAK murders especially of influential religious and leftist leaders, i.e. antagonizing just about every group in society. As Wikipedia says, "the Shah's regime was seen as oppressive, brutal, corrupt, and extravagant."<BR><BR> Two deaths in 1977 blamed on SAVAK &#151; one a son of Khomeini (Oct. 1977) and the other a popular intellectual who combined Shia and leftist ideas and emphasized the goal of social justice, a goal Ahmadinejad also focussed on during his recent campaign speeches--got the large and soon to be frequent anti-Shah demonstrations and strikes going. If demonstrators got killed by the army, which is what kept happening, then there would be marches to honor the dead after 40 days of mourning. This started a cycle of demonstrations that got bigger and bigger.<BR><BR> Finally, the Shah-declared martial law on Sept. 7, 1978, but the next day there were protests around the country again met with deadly force causing many deaths, some sources (not Wikipedia) indicate a total of over 4000 that day. The next day things were quiet, but then strikes by workers never allowed unions started spreading fast in all sectors. In Dec. 1978, two religious days brought millions to the streets again. Night-time protests began, too. In Jan. 1979 the Shah left Iran, and on Feb. 1, 1979 Khomeini returned to be welcomed by several million Iranians. There was some worry that the Shah would return as he did before--this played a part in the hostage-taking.<BR><BR> Those best able to organize the country under a new constitution and system were the already organized clergy who wanted a system without a monarchy &#151; a republic where clerics were NOT part of the government. However, their guidance related councils and the Supreme Guide (SG) himself while technically not a part of the 3 branches of the government obviously DO have the ability to influence them: (1) the executive &#151; the president, his cabinet of 21 ministers and their departments/ministries, and the 10 vice-presidents and their organizations (2) the legislative &#151; Iran's 290-member parliament, and (3) the judicial &#151; with a variety of courts.<BR><BR> It seems that Khomeini's style, as the first SG, was a stabilizing force because he tended to remain aloof from major political controversies and only get involved when issues got deadlocked. Related to the various factions that got going, he had to see that none of them destabilized the system. Thus, his job was to get the factions to work together or balance them so that the system remained unified/viable.<BR><BR> In fact, the first 10 years were a struggle. There were counter- revolutionary plots and those considered involved got arrested and killed. There was also the trumped up by the US 8-year Iran-Iraq War that led to the deaths of huge numbers of Iranians (and Iraqis) &#151; started so that Iran's main oil producing province Khuzestan could be taken. I'm still reading up on both the plots and the war.<BR><BR> Then, there are the Iranians that left Iran before or in the early days after the revolution. They basically fall into two groups that for different reasons desire the fall of the current system. Some are from the families that were part of the Shah's oligarchy and some are from the families of the leftists that hoped for a different sort of revolution. It seems clear to me that before the revolution neither group was able to come up with ideas that really took hold. The mass of Iranians did NOT want a monarchy that wasn't really constitutional nor did they want a Marxist influenced republic. They actually chose an Islamic republic with Islamist leftists involved. Thus, I find the constant criticism these two diaspora Iranian groups dish out along with their tendency to take US taxpayer money to pay for their media efforts, or more, less than admirable.<BR><BR> Iran's clerics were and I assume still are people that offer a variety of interpretations of the very long legacy of Shia Islamic thought, and Khamenei, Iran's 2nd. SG, has backed a new generation of leaders, Ahmadinejad is one of them, who are not clerics. With this election it seems that this new generation of leaders is making gains that others don't like. This is another topic that I am continuing to read about.<BR><BR> SO, I assume that Iran's system basically HAS worked for Iranians and that no one has the right to disregard their sovereignty. They also have an interesting rather social democratic constitution. I've included some of its articles below. At this point, their system's had 30 years to prove itself &#151; has it? I'm still looking into the answer to that question.<BR><BR> From the Iranian Constitution:<BR><BR> (1) Article 23: The investigation of individuals' beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.<BR><BR> (2) Article 28: Everyone has the right to choose any occupation he wishes, if it is not contrary to Islam and the public interests, and does not infringe the rights of others. The government has the duty, with due consideration of the need of society for different kinds of work, to provide every citizen with the opportunity to work, and to create equal conditions for obtaining it.<BR><BR> (3) Article 29: ... The government must provide the foregoing services [e.g. retirement, unemployment, disability, and absence of a guardian benefits, medical care and treatment] and financial support for every individual citizen by drawing, in accordance with the law, on the national revenues and funds obtained through public contributions.<BR><BR> (4) Article 30: The government must provide all citizens with free- education up to secondary school, and must expand free higher education to the extent required by the country for attaining self- sufficiency.<BR><BR> (5) Article 38: All forms of torture for the purpose of extracting confessions or acquiring information are forbidden. Compulsion of individuals to testify, confess, or take an oath is not permissible; and any testimony, confession, or oath obtained under duress is devoid of value and credence. Violation of this article is liable to punishment in accordance with the law.<BR><BR> (6) Article 44: The economy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to consist of three sectors: state, cooperative, and private, and is to be based on systematic and sound planning. The state sector is to include all large-scale and mother industries, foreign trade, major minerals, banking, insurance, power generation, dams and large-scale irrigation networks, radio and television, post, telegraph and telephone services, aviation, shipping, roads, railroads and the like; all these will be publicly owned and administered by the State. The cooperative sector is to include cooperative companies and enterprises concerned with production and distribution, in urban and rural areas, in accordance with Islamic criteria. The private sector consists of those activities concerned with agriculture, animal husbandry, industry, trade, and services that supplement the economic activities of the state and cooperative sectors. Ownership in each of these three sectors is protected by the laws of the Islamic Republic&nbsp;...<BR><BR> (7) Article 47: Private ownership, legitimately acquired, is to be respected. The relevant criteria are determined by law.<BR><BR> (8) Article 49: The government has the responsibility of confiscating all wealth accumulated through usury, usurpation, bribery, embezzlement, theft, gambling, misuse of endowments, misuse of government contracts and transactions, the sale of uncultivated lands and other resources subject to public ownership, the operation of centers of corruption, and other illicit means and sources, and restoring it to its legitimate owner; and if no such owner can be identified, it must be entrusted to the public treasury. This rule must be executed by the government with due care, after investigation and furnishing necessary evidence in accordance with the law of Islam.<BR><BR> (9) Article 50: The preservation of the environment, in which the present as well as the future generations have a right to a flourishing social existence, is regarded as a public duty in the Islamic Republic. Economic and other activities that inevitably involve pollution of the environment or cause irreparable damage to it are therefore forbidden.<BR><BR> (10) Article 152: The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is based upon the rejection of all forms of domination, both the exertion of it and submission to it, the preservation of the independence of the country in all respects and its territorial integrity, the defense of the rights of all Muslims, non-alignment with respect to the hegemonist superpowers, and the maintenance of mutually peaceful relations with all non-belligerent States.<BR><BR> (11) Article 153: Any form of agreement resulting in foreign control over the natural resources, economy, army, or culture of the country, as well as other aspects of the national life, is forbidden.<BR><BR> (12) Article 154: The Islamic Republic of Iran has as its ideal human felicity throughout human society, and considers the attainment of independence, freedom, and rule of justice and truth to be the right of all people of the world.&nbsp;... <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Marie K. &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=27TL300></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#27TL300"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Wow, just thinking about no TV remotes gives me the shakes. Not just channel changing but the Mute button. I mute out commercials as much as possible (also when Larry Kudlow, Obama or any government official begin to speak <NOBR>:-)</NOBR><BR><BR>I too am reflective now. The era we are in might be called an interregnum. Certainly it is like the eye of a hurricane. Example A:<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/25/AR2009062504299.html">CBO paints dire portrait of long-term revenue, spending</A><BR><BR>That demonstrates that government spending is *completely* out of control.<BR><BR>The new defense budget of $550 billion just got passed and includes money for the F-22 Raptor which Obama said he would veto (not gonna happen.) The F-22 hasn't even been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. But it is a sort of military jobs program (probably costing millions for each job "saved".) The $130 billion for Iraq/Afghanistan is ridiculously large &#151; multiply by 10 and you've got the "too expensive" universal healthcare plan which supposedly is unaffordable.<BR><BR>I also believe that others, like Al Qaeda and North Korea are pushing the US to continue massive war spending because it makes us go bankrupt just that much faster. In 2014 or so the Social Security begins paying out from the trust fund due to Baby Boomer retirement payments exceeding the FICA withholding amounts, so the budget deficits just continue to get worse and worse from here on out; the Democrats are scared silly of raising taxes and can be counted on to not do anything about the budget deficits prior to the 2012 election. The only thing that can change behavior by Congress and the President is another financial catastrophe, likely involving a plummeting dollar and skyrocketing interest rates (which could happen quickly but not necessarily soon according to Soros' Theory of Reflexivity.)<BR><BR>Therefore, I am now in reflective mode. Pondering deeply. The time for action is here but I don't see a plan of action for me. So I have to do some computations. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Theo&nbsp;Lipschitz &nbsp; <A NAME=28Sisk738></A></div><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"> <A HREF="#28Sisk738"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <i><B>6/28/2009:</B></i> &nbsp; Can I ask you just why the thought of tv without a remote disturbs you?<BR><BR>I know that all of the guys I have known since the remote came into common use seem to view it as intended for their own grip &#151; commando tv style... just imagine, not only no Mute button but &#151;<BR><BR>NO tv at all.<BR>NO internet.<BR>NO CD players.<BR>NO cell phones.<BR>NO PHONES at all.<BR>and so on and etc... <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Siskiyousis &nbsp; </div><!-- reply --> </TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=27C826></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#27C826"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Gotta tell ya: that is a terrific <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-26CD.html">piece on health care reform by Chris D.</A> Very nice, indeed. Also, noticed today that you guys <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/mysterylinks.html">mystery-linked</A> <A HREF="http://platypusmaximus.blogspot.com/2009/06/reality-shows-save-yourself.html">the Reality TV Post</A> , and just by virtue of that, I've gotten 32 visitors today. Which, for me, is a LOT. You guys are too kind.<BR><BR>Many thanks, <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Custodian at <A HREF="http://platypusmaximus.blogspot.com/">Platypus Maximus Media Filter</A> &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> I'm sure Chris D. will appreciate the compliment as much as I do, which is lots. As for the mystery link, hey, sending people to something worthwhile is the whole idea, so it's we who thank you. Hug. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <HR NOSHADE><BR> <!-- =dialogue --></A><A NAME=27-d></A><A NAME=26Wig209></A> <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/0906-23-d.html#27-d"><font color=white><b>Saturday<BR>June&nbsp; 27, &nbsp;2009</b></font></A></NOBR></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonta">&nbsp;</td></tr></table> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#26Wig209"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/world/middleeast/26maliki.html?_r=2&ref=global-home">Premier casting US withdrawal as Iraq victory</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> "We will not ask them to intervene in combat<BR>operations related to maintaining public order," [Prime</TD></TR></TABLE> <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">Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki] said in an interview with <i>Le Monde</i> published last week. <BR>"It is finished."</TD></TR></TABLE><BR>Good. Don't ask for any help, Maliki. Bring 'em home. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=26JRM141></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#26JRM141"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ag9sosR7ZW3g">Wall Street sets campaign on 'populist overreaction'</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> Wall Street's largest trade group has started a campaign to counter the "populist" backlash against bankers, enlisting two former aides to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to spearhead the effort.</TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=morecomments></A><table border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="8" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="55%" 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%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><I><B>More comments:</B></I><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#25JSM415"><FONT COLOR=blue> JS Magruder replies to Helen & Harry</FONT></A> <DIV align="right">about emergency preparedness</div> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#26JR702"><FONT COLOR=blue> John R. replies to Chris D.</FONT></A> <DIV align="right">about universal health care</div> </td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <BR> You're about to see a public relations makeover in the media of the bankers who brought us all to financial ruin &#151; so as to blunt the push for new regulations on their behavior. <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; ==</center><br> <A HREF="http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_3374702.html">Luxury yachts offer pirate hunting cruises</A> <BR><BR>Apparently it's legal for rich people with "grenade launchers, machine guns and rocket launchers" onboard state-of-the-art yachts (which can also include their own helicopters, submarines, and missile batteries, as well as other subsidiary surface vessels, according to other sources) to hunt poor people in small motorboats armed with rifles and handguns off the coast of Africa.<BR><BR>Well, at least the prey here may be roughly as intelligent as their hunters, plus have at least the chance of a lucky return shot &#151; which are two things captive pheasants on farms routinely shot by people like ex-VP Cheney don't. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><A HREF="http://www.jrmooneyham.com">JR Mooneyham</A> &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=26CD922></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#26CD922"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Considering the track record of the United States in regards to rigged elections and meddling in the affairs of foreign governments, non-involvement is about the most productive thing the USA can do. I mean it. The world does not see you as a beacon of freedom and democracy, I'm starting to wonder if that was EVER the case. Iran won't welcome American troops as liberators any more than the Afghan or Iraqi people did.<BR><BR>Think about the LAST time you guys screwed with Iran's leadership, the Shah was installed and that guy was a shameless crook. And the whole thing was over bloody oil! To be fair, that was more Britain's doing than anything else. The British became furious with Iran for nationalizing the oil reserves and stripping control of Iran's resources from British companies. But it was eventually the CIA's rather overt covert involvement that sounded the death knell for Iranian democracy. You'd better believe Eisenhower got himself a fat slice of the spoils from the Oil Conglomeration deal. A deal so sour that it inspired the ultra-right-wing revolution overthrowing the Shah and installing the Ayatollah as supreme leader with religious authority.<BR><BR>Besides, you've got bigger problems right now. Like Kim Jong Il. You know, the guy that HAS nukes and isn't shy about sending missiles over other countries? Oh that's right, North Korea doesn't have several billion dollars in foreign assets to seize. America, please grab your government by the balls and tell them exactly what you want. The guys you're electing to speak for you are making you look bad.<BR><BR>Real bad. <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> Calling it Canadian-style Healthcare is slightly dishonest. To be perfectly blunt Canada has for several years been moving away from public healthcare in a move to be more like the US and it is costing us dearly. BC is just ahead of the curve in that regard, labeling the move away from our once admired universal coverage to the unimaginably costly debacle that has been labeled Public-Private-Partnerships. Gordon Campbell, Premier of BC and a man I so desperately want to punch in the face, met with the Governor of California to discuss P3's and how they'd 'benefit' the American people. A respectable enough actor, Schwarzenegger, but his grasp of reality is somewhat lacking. If either man actually looked at the effects of the creeping privatization on British Columbians they'd be getting a severely different impression.<BR><BR>Gordo and Arnie live in a very exclusive alternate reality just big enough for two. It'd be romantic if their political cavorting didn't result in the Provincial/State budgets being flushed down the toilet into insurance companies that pretend like they're universal healthcare and let the name get the blame. I don't know how bad it is in other provinces, but here the taxes that formerly paid all medical fees have been transferred to a series of for-profit organizations that double-dip between the government provided budget and up-front fees. They're self-regulating bodies that answer to no-one, skirting the bounds of the law or breaking it outright knowing their victim is utterly helpless to fight back.<BR><BR>The most horrific part of this ill conceived notion is that we are legally required to pay into this bullshit, we can't opt out of insurance we know won't cover us and secondary insurance is rarely provided by employers anymore. The laws that formerly required employers to carry some form of insurance plan for their employees have been rolled back. Apparently they were bad for business and detrimental to the economy. *Cough* Bullshit! *Cough* The decision was not unlike the recently quashed movement to raise the minimum wage from $8/hr to $9/hr, which would incidentally STILL be the lowest minimum wage in Canada.<BR><BR>The BC political arena is so rife with robber-barons and madmen it might actually give Washington a run for it's money. Oh well. That's my problem, not yours.<BR><BR>I might as well issue a general warning while I'm on the subject. From my personal experiences, Public-Private-Partnerships are without exception nightmarish clusterfucks riddled with corruption, mismanagement, and legal loopholes the Private half of the partnership use as cock-rings to rape the Public up the ass. And they've got diseases that make the clap seem pleasant.<BR><BR>Of all the P3's forced on us I think 'Public' transit has got to be the worst. Upon clearing out the elected transit authority in favor of a panel of business moguls and metamorphosing to Translink, the board doubled their own salaries before plunging transit deep into debt. Bus fares have tripled, a fleet of malfunctioning buses was fast-tracked to construction, and heavy taxes were put in place in rapid succession. While not government regulated or affiliated Translink and other P3 outfits have the power to tax Canadian citizens! Our property taxes have increased significantly as a direct result. Transit is inarguably worse than it was before those highwaymen started robbing us and yet it is still considered a public service. We can't opt out of the taxes that feed this monstrous Medusa, we can't just switch companies or take our business elsewhere, Translink doesn't actually answer to the government and since transit is too important a service to jeopardize or boycott the board doesn't feel like they really have to answer to their customers either.<BR><BR>So to any Californians tuning in: If the Governator brings up Public-Private-Partnerships and dresses them up as a step towards universal healthcare or guaranteed public services FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING DEEMED HOLY DON'T DO IT!<BR><BR>Don't make the same mistake we've been making... Repeatedly. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Chris D. &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> Yup and double-yup. Public-private-partnerships, or P3s as you cutely call them, are virtually always just a way for the so-called private sector to raid the government's till. Maybe I'm forgetting the exceptions that prove the rule, but all I see &#151; constantly &#151; are public-private-partnerships that build new big-box stores, underwrite franchisees for McDonald's and Burger King, or otherwise screw over little people and make America worse. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <A NAME=26EI927></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#26EI927"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Couple of related items.<BR><BR>California. Monitoring of the legislature's progress in resolving the deficit indicates to me &#151; guesstimate &#151; that although a majority of legislators (Democrats) has arrived at a solution/fix, because the proposal includes a variety of taxes, the bill would be vetoed by The Governator, even if it achieved the 2/3 majority needed for tax increases. Also, it appears that The Governator and the Repuglican legislators are planning to force their "no new taxes" ideology all the way. This means that unless the Democrats follow the script and screw their constituents, the state will actually stop making some payments. Curiously, or not, state employees and their paychecks are not going to be cut further. Instead, healthcare, schools and welfare will be cut. This situation reminds me of Reagan's lockout union-busting of the air traffic controllers. Either The Governator forces the unwilling to do the unspeakable to the unrepresented or The Governator is tarred and feathered. I.E. This is do or die time for The Governator's career. Stay tuned.<BR><BR>US. Quite doomed. Really FUBARed. There is no other way to see it. At best, devolution. Evacuate the Titanic. As The Governator has shown, the Fearless Leaders are quite willing, even happy, to push the widows and orphans out of the lifeboats to save their pathetic careers in "public service". Obama remains either completely clueless or an unindicted co-conspirator. The difference is moot. Continue to prepare for TEOTWAWK.<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.kitco.com/ind/Wieg_cor/roger_jun252009.html">Gold prepares for The Big One</A>&nbsp; by Roger Wiegand <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Emma Ibbers &nbsp; </div><BR> <HR NOSHADE><BR> <!-- =dialogue --></A><A NAME=25-d></A><A NAME=24SB945></A> <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/0906-23-d.html#25-d"><font color=white><b>Thursday<BR>June&nbsp; 25, &nbsp;2009</b></font></A></NOBR></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonta">&nbsp;</td></tr></table> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#24SB945"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Watching the news, reading blogs, and assessing the overall out and out screams of rage that are echoing around this country I have to wonder the following:<BR><BR>1.&nbsp; Did you (American citizens) really think one politician was going to be able to appease every one of millions of peoples ideas of how things should "go"?<BR><BR>2.&nbsp; Did you honestly think that the corrupt would suddenly change their ways?<BR><BR>3.&nbsp; Did you suddenly think that all the wrongs and ills of society would magically change when people can't even stand their next door neighbors much less anyone else?<BR><BR>4.&nbsp; Are you really enraged &#151; or afraid &#151; or both?<BR><BR>Or ...<BR><BR>Have you now truly realized that by spending a lifetime of arguing and making excuses instead of risking your lives to have the lifestyles you thought you were "guaranteed" by governmental creed that you are well and truly done?<BR><BR>This country is on a trip into the toilet. The rest of the world has already gone through it and come out on the other side.<BR><BR>I wonder what things would have looked like if there was a lot more action and a lot less venting. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Sherri B. &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=24Wig934></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#24Wig934"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <A HREF="http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/pitw/2009/06/governor_goes_hiking_sparks_po.php">South Carolina paper smells kidnapping as Governor goes on a hike</A><BR><BR>I can think of a lot of politicians who should take a hike. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=24BC658></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#24BC658"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; A few days ago "Fight Club" was shown on TV, for the bazillionth time and I decided to check out the novel by Chuck Palahniuk to see how closely the movie matched the book.<BR><BR>Went down to the library. Checked out "Fight Club", "Survivor", and "Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey". Couldn't put 'em down...<BR><BR>Palahniuk's work is like nothing else you are going to ever read, especially "Rant". Your mind is going to be messed with, big time. If you aren't rethinking your Consensual Reality after reading these books, then an alien time-travelling space monkey didn't travel to Earth from the past to save the future by preventing Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston from breaking up. Or something only Chuck Palahniuk could imagine ... something involving space monkeys, probably...<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://chuckpalahniuk.net/author/bibliography">chuckpalahniuk.net/author/bibliography</A> <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Billie&nbsp;Cavanaugh &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> The movie <i>Fight Club</i> was dang good and I'm doing a burst of reading right now, so I'm putting <i>Rant</i> at the top of my list. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <A NAME=23bl935></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#23bl935"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Re <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/19/BAC3189PQJ.DTL">Judge tosses laws restricting recruiters</A><BR><BR> Won't somebody please think of the children? <BR><BR><DIV align="right">blergh &nbsp; </div><BR> <HR NOSHADE><BR> <!-- =dialogue --></A><A NAME=23-d></A> <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/0906-23-d.html#23-d"><font color=white><b>Tuesday<BR>June&nbsp; 23, &nbsp;2009</b></font></A></NOBR></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%" class="fonta">&nbsp;</td></tr></table> <A NAME=21Willow754></A> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#21Willow754"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Numerous commentators of the heretofore named classes of the "Bears" and Republicans are labeling the Obama Regime and its drones in Congress as "socialists". The implication is that Barack Obama is pursuing a Venezuelan path which, if you have not been tracking closely, involves President-For-Life Hugo Chavez nationalizing everything in sight. Is it accurate to call the "democratic" Obama a "Socialista"? Or should we label him and his cronies <A NAME=morecomments></A><table border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="8" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="50%" 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%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><I><B>More comments:</B></I><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-08-d.html#22Arry829"><FONT COLOR=blue> 'Arry replies to Helen & Harry</FONT></A> <DIV align="right">about reliable sources</div> </td></tr></table></td></tr></table> opportunistic sellouts? Or something in between?<BR><BR>In my view of things, we should not worry about the precise name given to the peculiar form of government ruling over us now. What it actually <i>does</i> is far more important than what it says it is doing or what it says about itself. In regards to the deeds of the Obama Regime there is at best, a miniscule sliver of Change We Can Believe In. In the major areas of Monetary/Fiscal policy, war and "defense", constitutionally protected liberties, and economic oversight, the Obamaites can be seen as Consolidators working to maintain the Bush Regime's gains for the Overclass while minimizing givebacks. There is no evidence whatsoever that Barack Obama is a "peace" president, a capitalist or a "Christian", and there is much evidence that he, like Bush, is a figurehead who has delegated his brains and his balls to the true rulers of the United States.<BR><BR>Specifically, in regards to being a socialist, recall that the US now owns and controls Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, GM, and Citigroup. Of these, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the most deadly to Americans as they control, along with the FHA and Ginnie Mae (other government sponsored enterprises) more than half of all home mortgages in the US, and that they continue to incur massive losses. Not just that, but they are operating in Enron fashion with debts and losses reported separately from the US balance sheet and budget even though they are more than 99% owned by the US government. Worse even, there is no plan in the Obama Regime to institute the necessary changes to undo the US's ownership and re-privatize them.<BR><BR>And why not? Because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are so big and such losers that to rely on private markets to fulfill their responsibilities would crash the American economy. To privatize them would mean wiping out most of their bondholders, something that the Obama Regime has been unwilling to do to bondholders of major financial institutions; when there was a choice between taking trillions of taxpayer money and requiring bond investors to incur losses, the Obama Regime has chosen to pay the bond holders &#151; the exception being GM and Chrysler, in which case the unions were deemed more politically valuable to the regime, and bondholders got hit.<BR><BR>In short, there is no reason to ascribe an ideology to the Obama Regime and Congress. Power, wealth and re-election are their motives and this framework of interlocking goals is the only reasonable way to see things. Unfortunately for the rest of us, the System as it is now constructed is dysfunctional in the extreme, and what is good for our Rulers is destructive to the republic.<BR><BR>The combination of massive deficits and aggressive militarism will combine within a brief period (no more than ten years) to radically impoverish average Americans. And as the Regime is stuck in overseas quagmires of its own choosing, we can expect an increasingly authoritarian police state at home to protect our Rulers from their own fears of us &#151; for if the underclasses did to them what they have/are/will be doing to us, there would be a new form of government:<BR><BR>"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. &#151; That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, &#151; That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Willow &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=22Leo528></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#22Leo528"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; The other night I banged my shin on a coffee table which had been moved (I don't use lights in the house at night, doy...) It started bleeding heavily right away so I cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol, then shredded a clean shift and used the sleeve to tie around it as a temporary bandage. Then I had to drive down to f*cking Safeway at 10:30 PM to buy bandages and Neosporin. A cut like that needs to be dressed, if not stitched, and it is potentially bad if it gets infected... (Fortunately, the gash is looking good and is filling in nicely with no infection whatsoever. I'm changing the bandage twice a day, reapplying the Neosporin and before showering I tape over the bandage to keep it from getting wet.)<BR><BR>So... I propose that everyone include proper first aid supplies in their TEOTWAWKI kits. Figure on needing not just a small box of Band-Aids, but enough so that a wound dressing can be changed daily for up to a week. Also include a few big bandages, plus some gauze and tape... Peroxide and rubbing alcohol are really cheap, and should be on hand for normal use, so just buy extra to make sure to never run out.<BR><BR>What else should be in the kit? <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Leopold &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> Glad you're recovering, and yes, definitely, <I>everyone</i> should have a stockpile of emergency supplies (think of it as a do-it-yourself insurance policy) including at least a month's worth of food and water (more if you have the space). That means <i>lots</i> of water jugs, dry rice and beans, salt, sugar, powdered lemon and powdered onion (even the blandest food can be made palatable with those four spices), peanut butter, and canned food and a few can openers. Helpful hint: Before there's an emergency, get in the habit of rotating the food and water from your stockpile into your ordinary day-to-day pantry, so the supplies in your stockpile are always fresh or weeks or months (not years) old.<BR><BR>Your emergency stockpile should include a box full of first aid supplies including bandages, oodles of wrap and splint stuff, bleach (for disinfectant and water purification), surgical suture kit, and all the pills you need (pain, allergies, caffeine, vitamins, prescriptions, etc.).<BR><BR>Other stuff you should have on hand: at least two radios and two flashlights with lots of spare batteries (remember to rotate &#151; use and replace &#151; batteries so they're fresh, or consider a hand-crank radio and flashlight), poop pail with plenty of toilet paper (old newspapers are fine in a pinch), spare glasses or contacts if you wear either, a weapon for self-defense and a bigger weapon for hunting with more ammo for both than seems reasonable, whistle, knives, axe, shovel, wrench, pliers, hammer & nails, screwdrivers and screws, compass, local map, thermometer, Swiss army knife, towels, lighter and waterproof matches (magnesium flint bar is better), candles, lots of ordinary bar soap (for dishes, clothes, hair, etc.), eating utensils, cookware, needles & threads, scissors, tweezers, two hand-held mirrors, combs, toothbrushes (toothpaste is overrated), small wind-up clock, re-usable shopping-type canvas bags, a strong mesh bag or two (for washing clothes), tent kit (lightweight painter's tarp, rope, big metal or strong plastic stakes), sleeping bag and/or plenty of blankets, pillows, sturdy chairs and table, spare socks shoes and undies, dust masks, winter jacket with hood, boots, cold-weather gloves, backpacks, safety pins, fishing wire, duct tape, pet food & pet carrier if you have a pet, real-world contact list (assume the internet will be gone), <i>lots</i> of pens and paper, envelopes and stamps, bug repellant, sunscreen, sunglasses, garbage bags, chess set, at least two frisbees (or whatever low-tech amusement you enjoy), a couple of hundred bucks in fives and tens, and a few good books (DIY medical and handyman stuff, book on regional edible plants, varmint skinnin' and cookin' instructions, some personal favorites for re-reading, etc.).<BR><BR>What have I forgotten? </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> What do you do with the bag, hang it in a creek?<BR><BR><DIV align="right">Leopold &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> Yup, half-fill the bag with laundry and soak it in a pond, tub, or creek, occasionally agitating with a stick or shake. A little soap is optional if the clothes are especially grungy/grimy, but not really necessary. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i><A NAME=25JSM415></A> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"> <A HREF="#25JSM415"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <i><B>6/25/2009:</B></i> &nbsp; Good list. I like the Frisbee advice.<BR><BR>If you don't use bottled water regularly, those cheap plastic jugs start to decompose and leak. Better to get the soda drinkers in your life to save the hard plastic bottles (probably full of the dreaded hard plastic poison in their own right) so you can fill them with water. All the better if they are BPA free. These will last better. You should also try to keep them from direct contact with a cement floor (like a basement or garage). If you have room for a palette, that's ideal-if not, use some cardboard.<BR><BR>I like to keep super-glue around for cuts that won't respond to gauze and pressure. Obviously it isn't great for a big gaping wound that needs stitches, but if you've ever sliced your hand open on a file folder, you know what I'm talking about.<BR><BR>A bottle of eye wash is helpful, or at least an eye cup.<BR><BR>Lastly, there's a childproofing product that has probably saved my shins more times than the kiddo's noggin. It is a long strip of foam with two sided sticky tape inside that contours to the edges of tables. Come to think of it-I don't even know why I own a coffee table. All I've ever done is walk into it. I guess I'm sentimental about it because it belonged to my parents and it has a cabinet storage space underneath where my mother used to stash the booze. I can't believe she thought we wouldn't notice it ...then again, I can't believe she didn't notice we'd watered down her Black and White. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">JS Magruder &nbsp;(<A HREF="http://whynotresist.blogsome.com/"><B>whynotresist.blogsome.com</B></A>) &nbsp; </div><!-- reply --><BLOCKQUOTE><i> Appreciated. I've bloodied myself and the coffee table a dozen times and I'm going to look for that padding tape. Wish they'd just make tables and such with rounded corners. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> </TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=23ST1037></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-23-d.html#23ST1037"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; Oooby gooby globby slobby dumdum dam liberal loser. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Stanley T. &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> I prefer the term progressive, but other than that your assessment is accurate. Good work, sir. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <A NAME=20BB559></A><HR NOSHADE> <BLOCKQUOTE><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-08-d.html#20BB559"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <i><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-16.html#tctt-135">Eli Lilly & Co. will eventually negotiate a small fine</A> without admitting any wrongdoing. That would that be the expected end, the normal "punishment" for such crimes, in a society of, for, and by corporations, where people are second-class citizens who can't even count on getting the medicine they pay for.</i></BLOCKQUOTE> Merck publishes its own "medical journal" touting its own drugs ...and passing it off as "peer review" ...<BR><BR>BIG PHARMA is out of control! <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Blue Bunting &nbsp; </div><BR> <A NAME=20Wig354></A><HR NOSHADE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0906-08-d.html#20Wig354"><FONT COLOR=blue>#</FONT></A>&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/19/no-maam-for-boxer/?source=newsleories-today_more_news_carousel">Sen. Boxer to officer: Don't call me ma'am</A><BR><BR>Much ado about nothing. I watched the incident and all Senator Boxer did was ask that she be referred to as senator. He agreed and that was the end of it. It seems the MSM has time to nit-pick insignificant things like this but can't find time to cover in depth the information covered in the hearing.<BR><BR>What bugs me more than this minor tiff is the continual referring to ex-elected (and appointed for that matter) officials by the honorific titles after they no longer hold that office. Referring to someone as Senator, Governor, Mayor or Judge after they no longer are in that office smacks (to me at least) as an obsequious deference. <BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> On the past-due honorific, I share some of that annoyance you feel. If I'm having a conversation with an ex-Governor (fat chance) I'll probably refer to him/her as Governor because "Former Governor" is a mouthful and a first name basis seems inappropriate if we're not friends. What I've sometimes seen and consider far more disturbing, almost misleading, is when the ex-leaders are introduced or discussed by pundits as if they're still holding their former titles, like "Governor Howard Dean" or President Bill Clinton". To me that's over the top adulation, more respect than anyone who's not a god deserves. But I suppose that's just my opinion and I'm aware that it's weird on my part.<BR><BR>As for the Pelosi thing, it looks to me like an odd character quirk, but I've seen much odder. Also, always remember that when you're reading the <i>Washington Times</i> you're reading the newspaper equivalent of Fox News. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> Is there something wrong with using Mr./Ms/Mrs if one wants to avoid to much a familiarity. Of course in Deans case one can call him Dr. Dean. He's still a practicing doctor at least I think he still has a license to practice. Don't we all have odd quirks.<BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> Nothing wrong with Mr/Ms/Mrs, but there's also nothing particularly wrong with referring to a retired Judge as Judge, or an ex-mayor as Mayor. It's an awfully minor thing, and if an ex-Mayor took offense at being called Mr or Ms I'd think he/she was batty. I dunno. Let's apply the Muhammad Ali rule: call people what they want to be called. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> Ok. I guess I consider it just a disgusting Tory residual. It smacks of royalty obeisance. I come from a long line of Yankee rebels.<BR><BR><DIV align="right">Wig &nbsp; </div><BLOCKQUOTE><i> I can understand that perspective entirely. Nothing wrong with it. Almost wish I shared it. Certainly there's nothing more to my perspective on such honorifics than royalty obeisance, right you are. It's a bit unpleasant to see it in myself, but there I am, stuck with such silliness in my own dang head. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i>Helen & Harry Highwater</i></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <HR NOSHADE><center><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="625" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"><BR> <iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/support-wide.html" width="625" height="550" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></TD></TR></TABLE></center> <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/0906-08-d.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.org/leftarrow.jpg" border="0" width="75" height="11"><BR>Older dialogue</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/0906-23-d.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/rightarrow.jpg" border="0" height="10" width="75"><BR>Newer dialogue</A></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <center>|&nbsp;&nbsp; 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We post a once-weekly <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/">page of news</a> that merits more attention, all from mainstream, professional journalists, or (rarely) other sources we trust entirely.<BR><BR><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?<BR><BR>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.<BR><BR>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> &nbsp;&nbsp;(from <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/about.html">About <I>Unknown News</i></A>)&nbsp;&nbsp;</div> </TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=help></a><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" bgcolor=white WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><BR><center><B>You can help</b></center><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If the news frustrates or angers you, please, <A HREF="http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml"><b>contact your elected officials.</b></A> Seriously. 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We try to avoid coding practices that intentionally frustrate or annoy readers. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><i><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/contact.html">Helen &amp; Harry Highwater</A></i> &nbsp; </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> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="300" border=2><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonty"> <iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/blogroll.html" width="295" height="2000" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="auto" frameborder="0"></iframe> <DIV align="right"><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/kissback.html"><FONT COLOR=blue><B>unknownnews.org/kissback.html</B></FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><BR> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="300" border=2><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonty"> <iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/recentthanks.html" width="295" height="2000" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="auto" frameborder="0"></iframe> <DIV align="right"><BR> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dddddd">&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/credits.html"><FONT COLOR=blue><B>unknownnews.org/credits.html</B></FONT></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><BR> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=8><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="white" class="fonta"> <center><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/bill-of-rights.jpg" alt="U.S. Bill of Rights" border="0" width="270" height="151"><A NAME=preamble></A></center><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <!-- 300x168 --> 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>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><A NAME=FirstAmendment></A><BR> <b>The First Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><A NAME=SecondAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Second Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><A NAME=ThirdAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Third Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><A NAME=FourthAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Fourth Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><A NAME=FifthAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Fifth Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><A NAME=SixthAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Sixth Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><A NAME=SeventhAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Seventh Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><A NAME=EighthAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Eighth Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. <BR><A NAME=NinthAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Ninth Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. <BR><A NAME=TenthAmendment></A><BR> <b>The Tenth Amendment</b><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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><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="5" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonttnr"> </TD> </TR></TABLE> </body> </html>