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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="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="980" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"> <iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/submenu.html" height="32" width="980" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></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"> <A NAME=2></A><!-- =unk --><BR> <!-- bank robber --><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="120" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/bankrobber.gif" alt="picture of bank robber" border="0" width="100" height="95"></td></tr></table> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#2><font color=black><BIG><B>Geithner wants more trillions <nobr>for more TARPs</nobr></B></BIG></font></a> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Congressman Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are pushing draft legislation that would <A HREF="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/10/tarp-never-ends">make the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) an ordinary part of the nation's economic life</A>. Under the legislation, the President and Treasury Department would have an ongoing power to declare any bank "too big to fail" and supply federal bailout funds &mdash; without any serious public debate or oversight.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Anyone with the sense God gave a bowl of tomato soup understands that you don't solve the "too big to fail" problem by giving government more power to shovel more trillions of dollars down the black hole of Wall Street. You solve the problem by breaking up super-colossal financial institutions into much smaller, saner, better regulated institutions that can go belly-up without blowing up the entire economy, and by having real regulation and prosecution when the rules are ignored. <A NAME=health></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%"><BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><center><B><i>Health care hell in America</i></B></center> <!-- health --><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="122" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/healthish.jpg" alt="health care sucks in America" border="0" width="102" height="127"></td></tr></table> <BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; The House has finally unveiled its health care reform legislation, and it's <A HREF="http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/10/house_bill_wins_over_progressives.php">better than the Senate version</A> and <A HREF="http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/489881/pelosi_s_not_so_robust_public_option">better than nothing, but</a> it's certainly <A HREF="http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/editorial/article_d34c4ea8-f7fe-5d31-8e9f-25068f703e3a.html">hard to get enthused about it</a>. There's jubilation from some on the Left that the public option is in it, but that's only by virtue of <A HREF="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miles-mogulescu/the-public-option-in-cong_b_340501.html">redefining "public option" so that it's meaningless</a> (and <A HREF="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jgOz8rrr0bRS-5uXUPrtH9d0w7UQD9BME0R80">calling that "robust"</a>).<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You could scratch your head bald trying to figure out how Dems think they can run for re-election on this alleged accomplishment. The leaderless Democrats have half-heartedly stumbled toward something they can tell people is health care reform, when of course it's just designed to protect and bolster insurance industry profits. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Congressman Alan Grayson (D-Florida) has begun <A HREF="http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/cspanjunkie/congressman-grayson-stories-those-who">reading true stories of health-care catastrophes</A> in Congress. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/65911582.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O">Despite paying $499 per month for what they thought was health insurance</A>, Anthony and Mary Lloyd had no health insurance at all. </td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Police can legally <A HREF="http://trueslant.com/KashmirHill/2009/10/30/federal-judge-rules-that-police-can-search-your-e-mail-without-telling-you/">search your email without letting you know</A>, according to a ruling by Judge Michael Mosman (appointed by Bush43 2003). Your email is routed through internet service providers (ISPs), so all that's necessary to Judge Mosman's mind is a search warrant served on the ISP &mdash; the sender and recipient are irrelevant.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You're probably thinking that this is absurd and unconstitutional, because, of course, it is. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Merck's marketing of Gardasil, its vaccine against the human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer, is unethical, which, for Merck, is not a big surprise. The drug was approved for pre-teen girls without being tested on pre-teen girls, which to my thinking can only be explained as, money buys the approval that drug giants like Merck want. Think about that, and <A HREF="http://health.usnews.com/blogs/on-women/2009/08/20/gardasil-side-effects-tough-to-monitor.html">the possible side effects</a>, before signing your daughter up for the shots. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <I>Jonathan Turley:</I>&nbsp; It appears that there is no limit to [US] hypocrisy on torture. While blocking any criminal investigation or prosecution of American officials for our torture program, the Obama Administration is demanding to question the Sri Lankan Army Chief Sarath Fonseka over <A HREF="http://jonathanturley.org/2009/11/02/obama-administration-finally-investigates-torture-oh-wait-it-is-in-sri-lanka/">allegations of the torture in Sri Lanka</A>. <!-- =civil liberties --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <I>Ted Rall:</I>&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.rall.com/2009/10/syndicated-column-obamas-real-death.html">Obama could still personally order a government agency to murder you</A>. Which is weird. But not nearly as weird as the fact that you probably don't care enough to do something about it. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; FBI agents who arrived at a secret CIA jail overseas in September 2002 found <A HREF="http://rawstory.com/2009/10/fbi-documents-reveal-secret-cia-prisoners-manacled-ceiling/">prisoners  manacled to the ceiling</a> and subjected to blaring music around the clock, according to documents newly released after Freedom of Information Act requests by the American Civil Liberties Union (<A HREF="http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FJ_donationhome&s_subsrc=top_donate_hp">donate</A>) and Judicial Watch (<A HREF="https://www.judicialwatch.org/donate">donate</A>). <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Judge Michael Mihm (appointed by Reagan 1982) <A HREF="http://jonathanturley.org/2009/10/30/sleeper-agent-given-low-sentence-by-judge-outraged-by-abuses-of-the-united-states/">chopped 15 years off the sentence</A> of al Qaida "sleeper agent" Ali al-Marri because of the "abusive conditions and treatment" al-Marri got while he was imprisoned in South Carolina. I'm falling short of understanding what it means to be a "sleeper agent" &mdash; it seems to mean that al-Marri "trained in al Qaida camps and stayed in al Qaida safe houses" and had "regular contact" with two of the endless fleet of people we're told were <nobr>9/11</nobr> masterminds, all long before <nobr>9/11/2001</nobr>.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So having known and spent time with these people is his crime, which seems to me is literally guilt by association. Al-Marri was apparently involved in credit card fraud, a real crime, but that's mentioned only way, way down at the bottom of <A HREF="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=7090152">this article</A>.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; President George Bush ordered this schmuck held as an enemy combatant, with no trial, no Constitutional rights, for more than five years, and that seems a far greater crime than anything al-Marri's done. <BR><BR><!-- Hooray!--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="116" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/hooray.jpg" alt="Hooray!" border="0" width="101" height="117"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; A Bush-the-elder-era rule banning HIV+ foreigners from traveling to America has been <A HREF="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/10/30/obama_to_announce_end_to_hiv_t.html?wprss=44">rescinded by the Obama administration</A>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; More good news: The Obama administration has <A HREF="http://www.newsweek.com/id/219818">cut funding for "abstinence-only" education</A>, a Bush-Cheney pet project that <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/04121402abstinence.html">accomplished nothing and killed kids</a>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Only one faculty member at the University of Akron had <A HREF="http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/10/29/akron">the spine and human decency</A> to quit over the school's new policy claiming the right to collect DNA samples from employees. That really says a lot about the University of Akron, doesn't it? <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota) has proposed <A HREF="http://washingtonindependent.com/65719/ellison-introduces-national-same-day-voter-registration-bill">legislation allowing voter registration at the polls, nationwide</A>. The Republicans will, of course, never allow this to pass, since it would make voting easy and they greatly prefer that voting be something just difficult and complicated enough to discourage people who don't have spare time for trips to the voting office, who tend to be folks less educated or simply less white than their average Republican voter. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; The Pentagon won't expressly deny that its Bush-Cheney era program of propagandizing Americans has ended, and there's <A HREF="http://rawstory.com/2009/10/pentagon-officials-confirm-bush-propaganda-program-ended/">evidence suggesting that it hasn't</A>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A Tennessee judge has ruled that <A HREF="http://jonathanturley.org/2009/10/29/big-brothers-tennessee-judge-strips-blogger-of-anonymity-in-defamation-case/">an anonymous blogger's identity should be revealed</A>, and I gotta say, it sounds like a sensible ruling. I like a wide-open internet, but nobody wants open season on the kind of stuff this anonymous blogger was posting. <A NAME=quote></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%"><BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="0" 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" alt="'The Thinker' statue" 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" alt="Stop and think" border="0" width="40" height="40"></TD></TR></TABLE> <i><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "From healthcare to torture to the economy to war, Obama has reneged on pledges real and implied. So timid and so owned is he that he trembles in fear of offending, of all things, the government of Turkey. Obama has officially reneged on his campaign promise to acknowledge the Armenian genocide. When a president doesn't have the 'nads to annoy the Turks, why does he bother to show up for work in the morning?" <DIV align="right"><A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucru/20091029/cm_ucru/mrobamaresignnow/print">Ted Rall</A></div></i> </td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <!-- =2=Level 2 =BushCheney--> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; After a long legal battle, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (<A HREF="https://secure.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/CREW/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=1299&t=Redesign.dwt">donate</A>) won the release of notes from then-Vice President Dick Cheney's interview with the FBI about his knowledge and involvement in the leaking the name of a CIA agent, Valerie Plame. (Plame, in case you've forgotten or (more likely) the media never made it clear, was a long-time covert CIA operative working on eliminating weapons of mass destruction, but to guys like Cheney weapons of mass destruction weren't as important as destroying the career of Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joe Wilson, who had tried to debunk some of the Bush-Cheney administration's more atrocious lies leading up to the war on Iraq.)<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So what's in the notes, what did Cheney have to say? You'll be utterly un-startled to learn that Cheney was <A HREF="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/10/22-things-dick-cheney-cant-remember-about-plame-case">either suffering from Alzheimer's</A> at the time or lying his ass off when he told the FBI he couldn't remember much of anything. <!-- =business=wall street=economy=corporations --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <I>The New York Times</I> tells us that the White House and some members of Congress are yakking about ways to cut the deficit, and they're considering "<A HREF="http://www.theledger.com/article/20091101/ZNYT02/911013003/1058/YOURTOWN26?Title=Democrats-Push-for-Plan-to-Cut-Deficit">a bipartisan commission that could force tax increases and spending cuts</A>".<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If Obama's willing to pursue bipartisanship (which means, do what Republicans want) down this musty cavern, I would ask only that we all stop reciting the canard the Barack Obama is a smart guy. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aGR8yTH2eLwY&pos=1">CIT Group has filed bankruptcy</A> after taking $2.3-billion in federal bailout money, so that a couple trillion bucks down the drain. And again, to belabor the obvious, couldn't they (and the other bailed-out financial giants) have gone bankrupt more efficiently and affordably <I>without</I> those bailout billions? <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; McClatchy has a sliver of the story Matt Taibbi wrote a few months ago, about how <A HREF="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/77791.html">Goldman Sachs steered the American economy toward ruin</a> and made a bundle doing it. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/091028/world/us_wal_mart_caskets">Wal-Mart has started selling caskets and urns</A>, at prices calculated to undercut funeral homes. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Louisville Slugger is <A HREF="http://deadspin.com/5393135/the-beginning-of-the-end-for-aluminum-bats">liable for a baseball player's death</A> from being hit by a line drive. Sounds silly at first thought, but I think the jury got it right <nobr>--</nobr> the ball had been hit by an aluminum bat, and those metal bars are designed to produce harder hits than old-fashioned wooden baseball bats. That's a factor the judge and jury took into account.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Before <A HREF="http://www.nndb.com/people/226/000025151/">Bud Selig</a> stunk up the place I was a big baseball fan, and while aluminum bats haven't yet brought their annoying pings to the big leagues, the sooner aluminum bats are taken out of the game the better. <!-- =world --> <BR><BR><!-- =Afghanistan --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagAfghanistan.gif" alt="Afghanistan" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; Afghan opposition leader <A HREF="http://www.truthout.org/1101096">Abdullah Abdullah has pulled out of this week's Presidential run-off</A> in Afghanistan, just days before the election was scheduled to be stolen. The election was promptly cancelled and incumbent <A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/world/asia/03afghan.html?_r=2&hp">US-puppet Hamid Karzai declared the winner</a>. <BR><BR><!-- =France--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagFrance.gif" alt="France" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; Former French President Jacques Chirac has been ordered to <A HREF="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8333352.stm">stand trial for corruption</A>. Again we see that nations all over the world have no problem prosecuting former leaders for their criminality. Is it only in America that leaders are <I>absolutely</i> above the law? <BR><BR><!-- =Honduras --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagHonduras.gif" alt="Honduras" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; In a deal brokered by the US State Department, "interim President" Roberto Micheletti says <A HREF="http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=10&year=2009&base_name=a_diplomatic_coup_for_the_obam">ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya can return to the presidency</A>, presumably as a relatively powerless figurehead. <BR><BR><!-- =Pakistan --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagPakistan.jpg" alt="Pakistan" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; If it wasn't so murderous, callous, and stupid, it would almost be funny to see Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taking questions in Pakistan, and repeatedly refusing to comment when Pakistanis ask why <A HREF="http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/nov2009/paki-n02.shtml">the US keeps making deadly and clumsy drone attacks and killing hundreds and hundreds of innocent Pakistanis</A>. <BR><BR><!-- =UK=England --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagUK.jpg" alt="United Kingdom" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; UK Home Secretary home secretary Alan Johnson has <A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/oct/30/david-nutt-drugs-adviser-sacked">fired the Chair of the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs</A>, Professor David Nutt, because Nutt stated the obvious -- that <A HREF="http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/drugs-chief-alcohol-more-dangerous-than-ecstasy-lsd-and-cannabis-14544981.html">booze is more dangerous than drugs like ecstasy, LSD and cannabis</A>. <BR><BR><!-- =Israel=Palestine --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagIsraelPalestine.jpg" alt="Israel/Palestine" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; The real problem in relations between Israel and Palestine is <A HREF="http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=127972&d=2&m=11&y=2009">those pesky Palestinians</A>, or so says the Obama administration. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says that Israel's continued building of sprawling suburbs on Palestinian land shouldn't prevent negotiations, and President Obama says only that Israel should build its suburbs with "restraint". Unsurprisingly, Palestinian leaders are not finding the Obama era very impressive. <!-- =journalism=media --> <BR><BR><!-- =Iran --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagIran.jpg" alt="Iran" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; Media and politicians in western nations continue to <A HREF="http://hominidviews.com/?p=3644">mischaracterize the uranium enrichment plant that's under construction</A> in Iran, with descriptions that make it sound as if (a) the plant is up and running and (b) there's something clandestine and shadowy about the way Iran voluntarily revealed its plans. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <I>The New York Times</I> has, for what may be the first time in living history, called a sitting member of Congress a "wing nut". The recipient of this insult, though, isn't one of the numerous Republicans who've implied or stated that Obama is a Marxist or fanned fears with imaginary "death panels" or anything like that. Nope, <A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/blog/200911020004">the first wingnut in Congress</A>, according to <I>The Times</I>, is Alan Grayson (D-Florida). Grayson, of course, is the Democrat who's spoken bluntly on health care reform, but if he's said something that's nutty I've missed it. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Congressman Alan Grayson (D-Florida) was mistaken to compare Republicans' cruelty on health care to Neanderthals. The anthropological evidence suggests that Neanderthals, unlike Republicans, <A HREF="http://afarensis99.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/an-open-letter-to-rep-alan-grayson/">took care of the sick and injured</A>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <I>Newsday</i>, the Long Island daily, has <A HREF="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004031001">disappeared on-line behind a paywall</A>. It's a better-than-average newspaper, and we can see <A HREF="http://www.theawl.com/2009/10/a-graphic-history-of-newspaper-circulation-over-the-last-two-decades">the logic of paywalls</a>, but we'll miss <i>Newsday</i>.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Postscript: As a result of the firewall, <A HREF="http://www.poynter.org/forum/view_post.asp?id=14000">one of <I>Newsday</i>'s best-known columnists has quit</a>. <A NAME=04420></A><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.seattlepi.com/tvguide/411708_tvgif30.html">Someone took a shot at Lou Dobbs' house</A>. Cops say the bullet struck the siding on his house, and they're analyzing it. Dobbs' typically overheated and paranoid response is, "If anybody thinks we're not engaged in a battle for the soul of this country right now, you're sorely mistaken." More likely it was <A HREF="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/isabel-macdonald/nj-law-enforcement-appear_b_339696.html">an errant shot from a hunter</a>, as Dobbs apparently lives near the woods and such misfires are not uncommon in the neighborhood. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; The <A HREF="http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/white-house-pushback-on-ap-story-on-stimulus/">White House responds well and thoroughly in debunking</A> numerous misleading bits and pieces from an AP hit-job on the stimulus, which <A HREF="http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/30/news/economy/Stimulus_jobs_created/index.htm?postversion=2009103007">seems to be working</a> better than I'd expected. <!-- =politics-as-usual=DC-Democrats=Republicans=Dems=Reps --> <A NAME=04410></A><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Seven, count 'em <A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/29/AR2009102904699.html?hpid=topnews">seven members of "a powerful House subcommittee in control of Pentagon spending" are under investigation</A>. That's the good news, and I'm typing this with fingers crossed that (assuming they're guilty, which is a safe assumption when we're discussing members of Congress) all seven will soon be imprisoned. The bad news, though, is that the investigation is being conducted by the House Ethics Committee, so every time you read the word "investigation" you should raise your fingers in air quotes or some other familiar gesture. Having the House Ethics Committee investigate House members is like having a corrupt cop's co-workers investigate complaints against their beer buddies.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bottom line: The harshest punishment you'll see resulting from this investigation will be mild embarrassment and seven public apologies. If you're keeping score at home, the Congressmiscreants under investigation are Norm Dicks (D-Washington), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), James Moran (D-Virginia), the ever-corrupt John Murtha (<font color="#cccccc">D</font>-Pennsylvania), Todd Tiahrt (R-Kansas), Peter Visclosky (D-Indiana), and C.W. Bill Young (R-Florida). <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Steve Miller, CEO of the coal industry lobby group American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, committed <A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/29/accce-lies-underoath/">clear and unambiguous perjury before Congress</A> on Thursday. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Corrupt US Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan, who was a holdover from the Bush-Cheney administration to the Obama administration, <A HREF="http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/21469498/detail.html">has resigned</A>, presumably so she can run for Congress. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Teetering at the brink of impeachment, Governor Mark Sanford (R-South Carolina) has written a piece about <A HREF="http://www.mediaite.com/print/mark-sanford-on-ayn-rand-in-newsweek-a-fountainhead-of-huh/">the glory of Ayn Rand and the futility of government</A> for <I>Newsweek</I>. There are times and this is one of them, when the absurdity of it all exceeds my vocabulary. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A mere three and a half months after being nominated as Surgeon General, the eminently-overqualified Dr <A HREF="http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS186360+30-Oct-2009+BW20091030">Regina Benjamin gets the gig.</A> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A new book by Obama's 2008 campaign manager reveals that Obama <A HREF="http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1932963,00.html">considered Hillary Clinton for Vice President</A> longer and more seriously than most media accounts at the time indicated. I am not surprised <nobr>--</nobr> it's in keeping with Obama's now-better-known character as an eternal compromiser. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) imagines some <A HREF="http://washingtonindependent.com/65802/harkin-lieberman-has-something-to-lose">Democratic Party retribution for Senator Joe Lieberman</A> (I-Connecticut)'s latest stab in the back for Dems. Is Harkin hallucinating, naive, or just making up crap he knows Dems want to hear but also knows will never happen?<BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Lieberman, meanwhile and predictably, will be <A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/30/lieberman-2010/">campaigning for Republicans</a> next year. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_web_in_five_years.php">The web will be mostly in Chinese</A> in five years, says Google's CEO. <!-- =stupidity --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; This just in, and it's science so pay attention: You're not only not supposed to spank your children, you're also <A HREF="http://whynotresist.blogsome.com/2009/10/25/now-we-cant-bloody-scream-at-them-either/">not supposed to raise your voice and never supposed to lie to them</A>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://uggabugga.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-crowd-size-estimate-for-september.html">The crowd estimate for the tea party protest in DC</A> on September 12 keeps growing, and is now at four to five million (if you believe <A HREF="http://www.nndb.com/people/848/000206230/">Orly Taitz</A>). <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; The new <A HREF="http://deadspin.com/5393033/why-your-stadium-sucks-yankee-stadium?skyline=true&s=x">Yankee Stadium</A> is apparently quite a monstrosity, and I don't doubt it. I've been to two of the new generation of big league ball parks, San Francisco's "Pac Bell" and Milwaukee's "Miller", and they're both (to my aesthetic sense) unbearably phony, with an unpleasant plastic and concrete ambiance that says <I>fake</i> far more than it says <I>baseball</i>. Then again, as with the crap kids call music and the crap on TV and at the movie theaters, I'm obviously not the target audience any more. <A NAME=04Unsigned401></A><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; It's perhaps heresy to say it, but <A HREF="http://entertainment.oneindia.in/hollywood/top-stories/scoop/2009/polanski-vida-samantha-sex-victim-301009.html">Gore Vidal is a flaming arsehole</A>. <!-- =environment --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A Brit lists <A HREF="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/ungreen_in_the_usa.php">five things he hates about America</A>, and I agree on about three and a half.<BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; To nobody's surprise, alleged Christian leader <A HREF="http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/pat-robertson-denounces-hate-crimes">Pat Robertson remains a clueless liar</A>, believed and respected by millions of devout followers. <!-- =personal --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; American physicist Axel Mellinger has <A HREF="http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/10/29/Physicist-makes-high-res-Milky-Way-photo/UPI-72581256846920/">stitched together thousands of astronomical photos</a> to make <A HREF="http://141.209.165.197/~axel/mwpan2/">a clickable, navigable representation of the Milky Way</a>. It is somewhat smaller than actual size, but man, it's hypnotically impressive once you click in as close to the stars as you can get. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Christianity in America could use <A HREF="http://www.shuckandjive.org/2009/10/gay-cooties-and-busybodies.html">a few more ministers like Pastor John Shuck</A>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; I saw an ad for James Cameron's <I>Avatar</i> a few weeks ago. It looked like insufferable claptrap, a Disneyesque love story about doe-eyed aliens in love, and I muttered under my breath that they'd have to pay me to get me to see it. Well, now I've seen <A HREF="http://unrealitymag.com/index.php/2009/10/30/new-avatar-trailer-gives-me-hope/">a preview that's aimed more at adults</A> and, criminy, it looks smart and maybe even political. OK, I'm there. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; You might not know about <A HREF="http://www.nndb.com/people/124/000178587/">King Gillette</A>, inventor of the disposable razor. <!-- =hattip --> <A NAME=thanks></A><BR><BR><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="138" align="right"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="center" width="100%"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/thankyou.jpg" border="0" width="130" height="72"></td></tr></table>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A tip o' the hat to <A HREF="http://www.jrmooneyham.com">JR Mooneyham</A>, <A HREF="http://jonathanturley.org/">Jonathan Turley</A>, <A HREF="http://hominidviews.com/">Hominid Views</A>, Sherri&nbsp;B., Cassandra, Joseph&nbsp;D., Joe&nbsp;G., Lon Garm, J.S. (not the Watergate felon) Magruder at <A HREF="http://whynotresist.blogsome.com/">Why Not Resist?</A>, SirJ, Bill&nbsp;T., Wig, the letter Z, big-time mags <A HREF="http://www.motherjones.com/"><i>Mother Jones</i></A> and <A HREF="http://www.thenation.com/"><i>The Nation</i></A>, and <A HREF="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/"><i>Washington Monthly</i></a>, big time blogs <A HREF="http://crooksandliars.com/">Crooks & Liars</A>, <A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/">Media Matters</A>, <A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/">ThinkProgress</A>, our first home at <A HREF="http://pitas.com/">pitas.com</a> (1999-2003), and the love of my life (who prefers to remain anonymous). <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <i>Updated today:</i>&nbsp; Our <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/cops.html">bad cops page</A>, <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/debunk.html">it's been debunked</A>, <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/mysterylinks.html">mystery links</A>, and <A HREF="http://unknownnews.org/rwradicals.html">the right-wing's calls to violence</A>.&nbsp; <i>Next update:</i>&nbsp; Probably Monday the 9th, or sooner if something big and newsy happens. <BR><A NAME=dialogue></A><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/0910-26.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.org/leftarrow.jpg" alt="arrow pointing left" border="0" width="75" height="11"><BR>Older news</A><BR><BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#dialogue"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.org/leftarrow.jpg" alt="arrow pointing left" border="0" width="75" height="11"><BR>Older comments</A></TD><TD ALIGN="center"VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="54%" class="fonta">Compiled by Helen&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Harry&nbsp;Highwater<BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.org/logo.gif" alt="UNKNOWN NEWS" width="150" height="31" border="0"></A><BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html">Monday, Nov. 2, 2009</A></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="23%" class="fonta"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-09.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/rightarrow.jpg" alt="arrow pointing right" border="0" height="10" width="75"><BR>Newer news</A><BR><BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-09.html#dialogue"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/rightarrow.jpg" alt="arrow pointing right" border="0" height="10" width="75"><BR>Newer comments</A></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="625" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="560" class="fonta"> <BIG><B><I><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#disqus_thread"><font color=blue>Post comments</font></a></I></B></BIG><BR> <BR><SPAN class="fonta">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <I>We welcome readers' comments, questions, or criticisms, and now <B>you can post your own comments</b> via the form below, like a zillion other weblogs have allowed for years. Spam won't be tolerated, we're impatient with wingnuttery, and our readers are too intelligent to insult each other.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you'd rather send comments by email (or if the software doesn't work on your computer &mdash; javascript is required), no problem. We'll still prep and publish incoming emails that seem pertinent, same as we always have. As always, though, it might take us a day or two, and if it's not intended for publication please say so plainly.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you're posting through the form below, coding is unnecessary but light HTML works. URLs will become clickable links, &lt;I&gt; and &lt;/I&gt; turn italics on and off, and the software recognizes new lines so you don't need &lt;BR&gt;s and &lt;P&gt;s.</i><DIV align="right"><I>Helen & Harry Highwater</i><BR><A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com">unknownnews@inbox.com</A></div> <A NAME=dialogue></A><BR> <div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/unknownnews/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/unknownnews/?url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a></SPAN></TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="65" class="fonta">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><!-- =comments= --><I>Comments on previous entries:</I><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#30SB353"><FONT COLOR=blue> J.R. Magruder replies to Sherri B.</FONT></A> about parenthood<BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#02SB1105"><FONT COLOR=blue> Sherri B. replies to J.S. Magruder</FONT></A> about chilling and parents<BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05SB822"><FONT COLOR=blue> Sherri B. replies to Helen & Harry et al</FONT></A> about Gardasil<BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#30SJ233"><FONT COLOR=blue> SirJ replies to Helen & Harry</FONT></A> about Gardasil and Dr Diane Harper<BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#30Wig238"><FONT COLOR=blue> Wig replies to Heidi P. and Sherri B</FONT></A> about the gender fickle syndrome<BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#04Wig433"><FONT COLOR=blue> Wig replies to Elliot Cook</FONT></A> about a lesbian in a tuxedo<BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#04Wig426"><FONT COLOR=blue> Wig replies to Helen & Harry</FONT></A> about a lesbian in a tuxedo<BR> <BR> <!-- =dialogue= --> <A NAME=06JB722></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#06JB722><font color=black><BIG><B>Wall 2.0</B></BIG></font></a><BR>by<b> Jim B.</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091105/ap_on_en_mu/eu_germany_mtv_europe_awards_u2">Outrage over wall blocking free U2 Berlin concert</a><BR><BR>A new Berlin Wall is created! Ha!<BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#06JB722"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, Nov. 6, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=06CD712></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#06CD712><font color=black><BIG><B>The definition of marriage</B></BIG></font></a><BR>by<b> Chris D.</b><BR><BR> It's come to my attention that the state of Maine has just put the ki-bosh on gay marriage, and others are attempting to follow suit. The issue had slipped under my radar for a while, but I think it's about time I got pissed off about it again.<BR><BR>This might be the indignant, self-rightous bastard in me talking but how about putting forth a proposal to end the legal benefits of marriage for straight couples? Several pretenses can be used, such as the separation of church and state, and equalizing married and unmarried individuals in the eyes of the law. (You don't seem to have as much stature in today's society unless you're hitched.)<BR><BR>This will generate one of two outcomes, and both of which can be turned to an advantage.<BR><BR>First off, if it's challenged by the same jackwipes that decided to bar homosexuals from marrying based on their religious beliefs they will be forced to defend marriage without the benefit of waving a bible around. If successful, they'll have to apply the same arguments to once again preventing gays from marrying. If marriage, stripped of it's religious significance is a 'right' to them, then it's a 'right' to anyone wishing to share their lives together.<BR><BR>Second, if it actually passes, then it's acknowledging that married couples are no better than the rest of us and won't be getting the breaks denied to bachelors and bachelorettes. The only non-religious argument I've heard against gay marriage, (which is still pretty damned weak,) is that people will try to jump on the band wagon for benefits. i.e. two straight men moving in together, claiming marriage, and getting a tax break. (Oh, like a man and woman wouldn't do that?) If the legal benefits: tax-breaks, inheritance, child support, etc aren't available to gay men and women then why should it be available to any other people who married out of convenience? 'Yeah, you can get married, but it doesn't mean a damned thing anymore.' This will piss everyone off, and will likely stir a little more action than what we've seen as people will stand to lose something from this argument. Most people will unfortunately shrug off anything that doesn't directly and detrimentally affect them. <br><br><center><hr noshade width="200"></center><br> And back to our regularly scheduled ranting:<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/65911582.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O">Health coverage 'plan' was no insurance at all</a><BR><BR>Ah, America. The shining star of freedom and true home of Capitalism. Where else can you offer absolutely nothing for a price tag a hippo would choke on and not get arrested? No goods are exchanged, no services are rendered, and yet you can still get paid. Gift certificates only valid on certain days at participating locations, which happen to expire within the month. Fire insurance that covers neither man-made disasters such as arson and accidental grease fires or "Acts of God" such as lightning strikes or freak coincidences. Credit cards that can charge you interest on any purchase you make and additionally apply a fee for not having a balance owing at the end of the month. Full medical coverage that doesn't actually cover your medical bills because at the last second the sales rep convinced you that you had to switch to a similar plan (which is in no way the similar to the one you researched and agreed to) that instead offers a discount, (at participating locations, which is none) on hospital bills you still have to pay yourself. Oh, by the way you don't actually qualify for this plan, though I'm still letting you pay into it... And it's non-refundable. So sorry.<BR><BR>Okay, if this is legal then perhaps we shouldn't prosecute alleged con artists for duping people into pyramid, ponzi, and other empty-promise investment schemes. Basically, they're the same thing. The offer of a thousand and one promises with no real substance, subject to the old bait and switch at any given time. When caught, it's your own stupid fault for not noticing.<BR><BR>It was all in the fine print of the contract. (That was never sent to you and you wouldn't have read anyway because I 'explained' the legalese for you. Even if you had read it the convoluted and deliberately vague language would have been all but indecipherable and so open to interpretation as to render the entire document meaningless in a court of law as far as promised services are concerned.) <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#06CD712"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, Nov. 6, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=06SJ629></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#06SJ629><font color=black><BIG><B>Flu vaccine totally ineffective in 3 out of 4 patients</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> SirJ</b><BR><BR> The manufacturers of the flu vaccine admit that it is ineffective in a portion of the population. One maker, CSL Biotherapies, Inc. , acknowledges that it is ineffective in 3 out of 4 people aged 18 - 65 and ineffective in 83% of those over 65. I don't know the definition of "effective" or "associated with protection from influenza." Those terms may mean less than they appear at first glance. However, it is stunning to me to read that the MANUFACTURER admits his vaccine is useless in 3 out of 4 people.<BR><BR>Here's a gem of a quote from the makers of Aflura, CSL Biotherapies, Inc., which is at the bottom of <A HREF="http://www.afluria.com/">their main page</A>: <I>"no controlled clinical studies have demonstrated a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with Afluria."</i><BR><BR> How are they able to get this approved by the FDA when they have NO clinical study to show it is effective? I smell a scam.<BR><BR>Excerpt from <A HREF="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/05/Swine-Flu-Vaccine- Ingredients.aspx">an article at mercola.com</A>: <I>"Specific levels of HI antibody titers post-vaccination with inactivated influenza virus vaccine have not been correlated with protection from influenza virus. In some human studies, antibody titers of 1:40 or greater have been associated with protection from influenza illness in up to 50% of subjects."</i><BR><BR>You will find that paragraph in all the vaccine inserts.<BR><BR>What that paragraph says, is that the vaccine only works in half, or less, of those individuals who attain the specified level of seroconversion after vaccination. The FDA defines seroconversion as achieving an antibody titer of 1:40.<BR><BR>This means that if a vaccine was 100 percent effective at achieving this level of seroconversion, it would protect up to 50 percent of the recipients of the vaccine.<BR><BR>But none of the vaccines are 100 percent effective at achieving seroconversion. <A HREF="http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UC M182401.pdf">CSL's vaccine insert</A> (PDF), for example, (see pages 11-12), states that their H1N1 vaccine provides seroconversion for: 48.7 percent of people aged 18-65 34 percent for seniors, 65 and older That means that, at best, their vaccine works in one out of every four people! (49 percent of 50 percent). Which, of course, means that the vaccine does NOT work in three out of every four people& <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#06SJ629"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, Nov. 6, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <!-- =reply--><A NAME=06SJ629-HH></A><BR><A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#06SJ629-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>I dunno, SirJ. I'd need a lot more grounding to understand what the numbers mean, and a lot more interest to get the grounding. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#06SJ629-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; &nbsp; Friday, Nov. 6, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=05Siskiyousis454></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05Siskiyousis454><font color=black><BIG><B>Why haven't Americans revolted?</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Siskiyousis</b><BR><BR>The shocking thing is that the most recent financial disaster is being treated as separate and unique, but the same criminals were guilty in each case. The companies should be dis-incorporated!<BR><BR>But instead the Obama Regime is using them as his policy advisors and staff! The whole thing is mind boggling. Why haven't Americans revolted, just started guillotining every executive wearing a suit and tie? <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05Siskiyousis454"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=05HS335></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05HS335><font color=black><BIG><B>An informed wager</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Howard Sprague</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idCNL543122320091105?rpc=44">Dutch pull Pfizer vaccine batch after 3 deaths</a><BR><BR> According to the article three Dutch babies died within two weeks of receiving vaccinations of Prevenar to prevent invasive pneuomococcal disease. There is as yet no proof that the Pfizer vaccine batch is defective and according to the article, five to ten Dutch babies die every year after receiving vaccinations.<BR><BR>I am sending this article as a dose of reality to show that people who worry about vaccinations do have a firm grasp on well-founded concerns based in objective reality. Personally, I do believe that concerns about adjuvants in vaccines such as the swine flu vaccine are well-founded and it is preferable to get the adjuvant-free vaccines. Thimerosol is another concern because it contains mercury. Everything in life is a gamble, and getting vaccinated for a serious life-threatening disease is get that many people will want to make &mdash; just as not getting vaccinated is a bet. The thing is to make an informed wager. If the person administering the vaccination is a lying bullshit artist who claims the vaccine is adjuvant and thimerosol free and you know from looking at the brand name and packaging that you are being lied to then you have just cause for refusing the shot &mdash; you should only accept the shot from someone who is an honest dealer who gives you the facts up front and is not a flaky bungling idiot. Get the facts, think about it, then place your bet. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05HS335"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <!-- =reply--><A NAME=05HS335-HH></A><BR><A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05HS335-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>You said it and I agree, there are valid concerns. There is of course and always a risk by the nature of what vaccinations are &mdash; they're injecting itty-bitty sick critters into your arm. Thimerosol is a related issue and that brings an added risk. And these are real risks, things to be aware of. I've done my reading of the risks and when you say it's a gamble and everything's a gamble, you're exactly right. <BR><BR>But your blanket statement that "people who worry about vaccinations do have a firm grasp on well-founded concerns based in objective reality" suggests to me that you're not getting the same insane emails we get. Trust me or Google around, but some of the people arguing loudly against vaccinations have no grasp, no well-founded concerns, and no objective reality. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05HS335-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; &nbsp; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=05Drew55></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05Drew55><font color=black><BIG><B>Rats</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Drew Farmington</b><BR><BR>According to the novel, "Illegal" by Paul Levine &mdash; author of great novels such as "Kill All The Lawyers" &mdash; rats cannot vomit. That is why, when a rats encounters a strange food it eats just a little bite. Then, if it doesn't die, the next time it comes back that way it eats the whole thing.<BR><BR>This story reminded me of Goldman Sachs and the other Wall Street crime syndicates who took just a little bite of Enron. That humongous scandal produced remarkably few jail terms for Wall Streeters, though it nearly brought down the financial system, and the fines and settlements paid by the fraudster banks and brokerages were minuscule in comparison to the damage. The post-Enron environment was essentially a massive whitewash designed to bury the truth of the criminal involvement of most big financial system players as well as most of the Washington D.C. politicians. So, since the rats didn't die, they came back and tried to eat the entire financial system. Curiously, the Obama Regime has sought almost no punishments for the guilty but has perpetuated the mega-trillion dollar bailout schemes of the Bush Regime.<BR><BR>What will the rats try to eat next, the whole planet?<BR><BR>But back to Goldman Sachs. They were recently exposed as having been big time peddlers of crap mortgage paper securities to everyone else while at the same time betting massively that the shit they were selling would go to zero.<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=74&jumival=465">How Goldman secretly bet on the U.S. housing crash</A><BR><BR> Their <A HREF="http://www.politickernj.com/chris-christie-governor/32553/his-wall-street-way-corzine-fought-tax-breaks-enron-raises-taxes-new-j">involvement with Enron</A> was just as epic. (Curiously, ex-governor Corzine is an ex-Goldman Sachs bigshot was well as a member of the I-Love-Enron fan club...)<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/2009/conflicts-of-interests-financial-services-enron-economy">The conflicts of interests in financial services</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0119-06.htm">The United States of Enron</A> <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05Drew55"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=05TL757></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05TL757><font color=black><BIG><B>Wonder why?</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Theo Lipschitz</b><BR><BR> Man beaten to death, pronounced dead 5 minutes after arrival at hospital &mdash; <A HREF="http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/2301084.html">parents sent bill for $29,186.50</a>.<BR><BR> Wonder why this f*cking country is going broke? <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05TL757"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=04SB444></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04SB444><font color=black><BIG><B>Why the railroad?</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Sherri B.</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iCtxl6V1MEjlR3lQnwGUgEjDHvsAD9BO4QFG2">Buffett's Berskire buying Burlington Northern RR</a><BR><BR>Why not buy an airline (fleet of airlines) or future flight technologies? Why the railroad?<BR><BR>The regular person in me is just thinking he's playing the "invest in America" game.<BR><BR>The news obsessed part of me looks at his past investments and wonders why such an outdated mode of investment.<BR><BR>The anarchist/paranoid part of me thinks that Warren may understand that in the event of an incredibly large economic crash/attack/war the railroads will be THE way to get things managed.<BR><BR>Hmmm... <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04SB444"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <!-- =reply--><A NAME=04SB444-HH></A><BR><A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04SB444-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>Warren Buffett is one of the few billionaires who doesn't strike me as thoroughly evil, and I tend to think he knows what he's doing. I'd split my ballot between your "regular person" and your "anarchist/paranoid", and either way, Berkshire Hathaway comes out ahead. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04SB444-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; &nbsp; Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=04JW410></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04JW410><font color=black><BIG><B>I cry foul</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> John W.</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04410">Corruption investigation in the House</A><BR><BR> I don't believe, without a substantial amount of evidence, that Marcy Kaptur is involved in anything close to a pay-to-play scandal over Pentagon lobbyists. This is the woman who stared down JP Morgan Chase in her district for failing to do anything about skyrocketing foreclosures. She went on Bill Moyers and described how the bank(s) lied to her, set up meetings and never showed, tried to intimidate her with veiled threats and so on. In a now famous floor speech, she told Americans being evicted by the banks to refuse to leave their homes because no one in power was willing to back the simple idea of negotiating payments. Many pundits say she was openly advocating breaking the law. Of course she wasn't. She was simply saying unless the bank can produce the note to your house, eviction is impossible because no owner has been established. If she can stand up to the most powerful force on the earth, the banking cabal, I think she can hold her own with one defense lobbying firm.<BR><BR>Love you guys to death, though. I've been a reader for about a decade now. Seen many different looks to the site but always the same square- nosed approach to truth and common sense. <br><br><center><hr noshade width="200"></center><br> Re <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04420">taking a shot at Lou Dobbs' house</a><BR><BR>Excerpt:&nbsp; <I>More likely it was _an errant shot from a hunter, as Dobbs apparently lives near the woods and such misfires are not uncommon in the neighborhood</I><BR><BR>Besides, Dobbs babbles like a turkey. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04JW410"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <!-- =reply--><A NAME=04JW410-HH></A><BR><A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04JW410-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>I barely know anything about Congresswoman Kaptur, so I won't dispute you as you stick up for her. A lot of us like our Congresscritters. I even rather like mine, despite all evidence that I shouldn't, and she's not even under investigation.<BR><BR>Thanks for the kind words. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04JW410-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; &nbsp; Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=05JW805></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05JW805><font color=black><B>Reply from John W.:</B></font></A><BR><BR>Actually, she's not my Rep. I used to live about 90 minutes from her district. She represents the decimated economy of northern Ohio, specifically Toledo and its 'burbs. I have been very impressed with her every time I've seen her speak. It is apparent she is animated by deep convictions. Perhaps she is guilty of something. And if so, shame on her. But I remain optimistically skeptical. And I hold her in the same esteem as I do Alan Grayson who isn't perfect either. But I cut a lot of slack for people who stick their necks out these days. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05JW805"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- =reply--><A NAME=05JW805-HH></A><BR><A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05JW805-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>I like "optimistically skeptical". Like it, and envy it. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05JW805-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; &nbsp; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=04Wig419></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04Wig419><font color=black><BIG><B>Quick to slap</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Wig</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=128017&d=3&m=11&y=2009">Clinton moderates statement on settlements</A><BR><BR>Excerpt:&nbsp; <I>Moussa said Arab states shared the Palestinian position that resuming negotiations was futile without a freeze on settlement expansion.  I am telling you that all of us, including Saudi Arabia, including Egypt, are deeply disappointed ... with the results, with the fact that Israel can get away with anything without any firm stand that this cannot be done, Moussa told reporters.</I><BR><BR>Too late for damage control. Actions speak louder than words. The U.S. is quick to slap sanctions on other countries that defy our insistence on compliance with International Law and UN Resolutions but consistently vetoes any regarding Israel. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04Wig419"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=04Unsigned402></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04Unsigned402><font color=black><BIG><B>Gored</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Unsigned</b><BR><BR>Re <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04Unsigned401>Gore Vidal</A>, thanks for the link; dumping his books. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#04Unsigned402"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=03DS455></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#03DS455><font color=black><BIG><B>Just frickin' sick of it</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Deep South</b><BR><BR>Even disregarding the obvious fact that the public option will be anything but robust and limited to a tiny sliver of Americans, is anyone else just frickin' sick of the word "robust"? <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#03DS455"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- =e1 --> <A NAME=03EI451></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#03EI451><font color=black><BIG><B>Karma ran over his dogma</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Emma Ibbers</b><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/02/dhe-individual-market/">Former McCain adviser nervous about moving into the individual health insurance market he once touted</A><BR><BR>Excerpt:&nbsp; <I>Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a senior policy adviser to Sen. John McCain s (R-AZ) presidential campaign,  remains unemployed  and his COBRA health coverage is running out, the Washington Post reports.  Irony of ironies, it gets worse. Holtz-Eakin, who is about to start shopping for insurance on the individual market, is 51. And he has one of those pesky  preexisting conditions that insurance companies often cite in denying coverage.</i><BR><BR> He seems to think that it is just a matter of paying a higher monthly fee to get "insured". Most likely it is a matter of filling out applications and then getting rejected completely... <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#03EI451"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=02Siskiyousis10149></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#02Siskiyousis10149><font color=black><BIG><B>Public service</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Siskiyousis</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://crosscut.com/2009/11/01/flip-side/19329/">Humor: The noble public service<BR>of Goldman Sachs</A><BR><BR>Nice little touch of Black Humor, there Dudski.<BR><BR>I cannot laugh all the way to the Bank myself; unfortunately, they still sittin' on my bucks. Thass gonna change.<BR><BR>When I goin' to be laughing all the way to the coffee can is when the gov't falls because they cannot beg, borrow, nor steal any more money. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#02Siskiyousis10149"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=02Diego238950></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#02Diego238950><font color=black><BIG><B>PR office position</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Diego238</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://jonathanturley.org/2009/11/02/obama-administration-finally-investigates-torture-oh-wait-it-is-in-sri-lanka/">Obama administration finally<BR>investigates torture! ...<BR>Oh wait, it s in Sri Lanka</A><BR><BR>Sri Lanka's government is despicible so I don't mean this literally, but I'd love to offer their PR office my advice on phrasing a response to the US's demand that they come clean about torture. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#02Diego238950"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=02Wig1111></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#02Wig1111><font color=black><BIG><B>Building our infrastructure around the globe</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Wig</b><BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j76qwMZk05IEjIFYrYclWnkC5ihAD9BMU80O0">Already the main Afghan war hub, Bagram is growing</A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Plans are under way to build a new, $22 million passenger terminal and a new cargo yard costing $9 million. To increase cargo capacity, a new parking ramp supporting the world's largest aircraft is to be completed this spring. Elsewhere at Bagram, construction has begun on permanent brick-and mortar housing for troops and headquarters for military units, according to Lt. Col. Troy Joslin, chief of Bagram's operations.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR>We can find money to spend on our global infrastructure but can't find money to invest in health care reform here at home. <A HREF="Doc?docid=0AcgNdj985-ICZGhqcTdoZG1fMTNmMjhuZHFneg&hl=en">Palestinians slam US about-face</A><BR><BR>Obama's "change" in Middle East peace initative is DOA. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#02Wig1111"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=01OG426></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#01OG426><font color=black><BIG><B>Not a dime</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Oscar the Grouch</b><BR><BR>So long as Joe Lieberman is "Democrat" enough to caucus with Democrats in the Senate, I'm not "Democrat" enough to give the Democrats a dime.. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#01OG426"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=01Wig312></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#01Wig312><font color=black><BIG><B>Cozy jobs</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Wig</b><BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5giSH29njFnKe-r4c1Brh_ptgBWIQD9BM8ENO0">Ford workers reject contract changes</A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Chaison said Ford asked for too much too soon after workers already agreed to concessions earlier this year. He also said Ford lacked credibility because its financial situation wasn't as dire as GM's or Chrysler's. "They made such a strong case about not going to bankruptcy court and turning the corner, so they couldn't go to the workers and say, 'We need this to turn the corner,'" he said.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> The union leadership today is more concerned about maintaining their own cozy jobs than protecting the rank and file from management's shredding of forty years of hard won gains in both wage and work place rules. <br><br><center><hr noshade width="200"></center><br> <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#30DM242">Fisker's plan to build hybrid cars retailing for $40K</A><BR><BR>Will the employees of the Delaware plant have a wage base that will enable them to afford that $40,000 dollar car? <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#01Wig312"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=31GG117></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31GG117><font color=black><BIG><B>Dead government walking</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Gordon Griswold</b><BR><BR>Here is another sickening article about the hurricane of destruction that is the US and its War Of Terror on the rest of the world! <BR><BR><A HREF="http://news.antiwar.com/2009/10/30/dismissive-clinton-not-getting-through-to-pakistanis/">Smug Clinton "not getting through" to Pakistanis</a><BR><BR> I've included two sickening articles about the US Federal, State and Local government bankruptcies in progress plus an article stating that federal civilian employees earn wages plus benefits twice the average private sector wage.<BR><BR>Add it all together and it seems inarguable to me that the US has become a "Rogue State" and that it is in the process of failing as a going concern &mdash; within not so long the empire of overseas military bases will blow away like grains of sand in a desert storm, and government debts and promises will be reneged upon as literally unpayable by any means short of "weimarization".<BR><BR>As evidence of the con game of denial going on now just consider the Obama Regime's proposed 10 year budget deficit total of an additional $9 trillion dollars. Isn't it clear that they are pretending that that could really be doable and workable, esp. piled on top of the existing $12 trillion of debt and a collapsing dollar.<BR><BR> There's no point in forwarding additional articles of this sort. The system will continue until it reaches a breaking point, and until then everyone will pretend that the US government is not a chronically deceptive, murderously criminal syndicate. Time to get out of the way of the giant's falling corpse! <br><br><center><hr noshade width="200"></center><br> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.sprott.com/Docs/MarketsataGlance/MAAG_10_2009.pdf">Dead government walking</A> (PDF)<BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> In case you failed to catch it in our previous articles this year, we thought we d state it outright for our readers this month: the United States Government is on a trajectory to default on their obligations. In its current fnancial condition, it will not be able to fund its forecasted budget defcits and unfunded Social Security and Medicare promises on top of its current debt obligations. This isn t offcial yet, and we don t know when the market will react to it, but there is no longer any doubt about the extent of their trajectory. There simply isn t enough taxing power, value creation or outside capital willing to support its egregious spending.&nbsp;...<BR><BR>Three years later, the fnancial condition of the US government is completely untenable. The projected US defcit from 2009 to 2019 is now slated to be almost $9 trillion dollars. How on earth does anyone expect them to raise this capital? As we stated in a previous article, in order to satisfy US capital requirements, all existing investors would have had to increase their US bond purchases by 200% in fscal 2009. Foreigners, however, only increased their purchases by a mere 28% from September 2008 to July 2009 &mdash; far short of what the US government required. The US taxpayer can t cover the difference either. According to recent estimates, tax revenue from all sources would have to increase by 61% in order to balance the 2010 fscal budget. Given that State government income tax revenues were down 27.5% in the second quarter, the US government will be lucky just to maintain its current level of tax revenue, let alone increase it.<BR><BR>The bottom line is that there is serious cause for concern here &mdash; and don t be fooled into thinking this crisis will fx itself when (and if) the economy recovers.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/10/the_coming_public_pension_nigh.html">The coming public pension nightmare</A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> With all the fiscal problems created by Barack Obama, the public pension crisis cannot be laid at his doorstep. That's because public unions &mdash; police, firefighters, teachers, state and local workers, and transit employees &mdash; have been gouging cities and states for years, sweetening their pensions at taxpayer expense until a nightmare is now on the horizon; the inability of cities and states to pay for these diamond-studded pension plans.<BR><BR>And that will eventually mean a taxpayer bailout to end all taxpayer bailouts.<BR><BR>Forget rising federal taxes. The rate of increase that will be necessary to pay for these pensions in the near future will necessitate massive increases in taxes along with massive borrowing. There's just no way around it &mdash; unless the union's current defined benefit plans can be renegotiated to reflect reality.<BR><BR>That's not likely to happen. What makes these plans so enormously expensive is the early retirement feature and the number of years one must work to be vested, or eligible for payments. Some of these plans are so generous that a retiring public worker at age 55, after having worked only 10 years (or less) in the system, is eligible for 75% or more of their highest salary - for life. Add to that the practice of ginning up salary for workers who will retire in a couple of years and what should be public service becomes public rape of the taxpayer.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A HREF="http://themessthatgreenspanmade.blogspot.com/2009/10/stunning-wages-and-benefits-for-federal.html">Stunning wages/benefits for federal workers </A> <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31GG117"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=31Wig900></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31Wig900><font color=black><BIG><B>At least she's trying</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Wig</b><BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.truthout.org/1031096">Pakistanis to Clinton: War on Terror is not our war</A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> After three days of encounters with America-bashing Pakistanis -- who rejected her contention that the U.S. and Pakistan face a common enemy -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday that "we're not getting through.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> Perhaps madam secretary they're not getting through to us. Understanding is a two way street.<BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> One tribesman bluntly told her: "Your presence in the region is not good for peace.&nbsp;...<BR><BR>Clinton put her case directly to the public Friday in televised appearances in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, fielding angry questions about the alleged activities of U.S. contractor Blackwater in Pakistan, the tough conditions that came with a $1.5 billion-a-year American aid package and alleged U.S. favoritism toward Pakistan's archenemy, India.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> Do we continue to be "The Ugly American" in our strident foreign policy initiatives? At least she's trying to explain our reasoning behind our policy. But the Bush/Cheney arrogance has left a scar on us that may be hard to erase. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31Wig900"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=31Cust703></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31Cust703><font color=black><BIG><B>The big public option sell-out</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Custodian</b> at <A HREF="http://platypusmaximus.blogspot.com/">Platypus Maximus Media Filter</A><BR><BR>The big public option sell-out is really pissin' me off. In Texas, we can be assured we'll be "opted out" by Gov. Rick Perry, or Kay Bailey Hutchison if she thwarts his reelection bid next year. And Texas has more uninsured than any other state. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31Cust703"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <A NAME=31Cust703-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31Cust703-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>We are being sorely shafted by the Democrats' "health care reform", and for many, many thousands of Americans it'll be a fatal shafting. But it'll be terrific for UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint, and that's all that matters to our elected Perrys and Hutchisons, Baucuses and Liebermans, Smowes and Obamas, et al. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31Cust703-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=31Cust130></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31Cust130><font color=black><B>Reply from Custodian:</B></font></a><BR><BR> Yep. I'm finally there &mdash; utterly disillusioned with Obama. I kept wanting to believe there was some kind of magical method to his continuing dance with the status quo and all the Republican sucker punches, but now I've gone ahead and burst my own bubble. Go ahead and get it over with, ya know?<BR><BR>The Democrats are finally in a position to do something and their resolve is made of straw. And they're nearly as bought and sold by the insurance lobby as the 'publicans. Good thing Teddy isn't around to see this, after all.<BR><BR>I'm sure Texans will need health insurance even more after Gov. Perry's War of Secession. Good times are here to stay, eh? <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31Cust130"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <A NAME=31Cust130-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31Cust130-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>There's this weird popular misconception, perpetuated by media and memory of times long gone, that the Democrats are the party of the Left. Of course, they're not. There's no party representing the Left (except the Greens, who have nobody in Congress), which is shall we say peculiar, since my reading of polls is that the Left is the biggest segment of the political spectrum in this country.<BR><BR>Republicans represent the Far and getting farther Right, and Democrats are the party of the middle of the road, eternal compromise and compromise some more (or the party of dithering, to use Dick Cheney's terminology). The Left is utterly frozen out, because most of the Left's agenda would reduce the opportunity for corporate graft and theft, which Dems and Republicans back in unison. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31Cust130-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=01Cust849></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31Cust130><font color=black><B>Reply from Custodian:</B></font></a><BR><BR> You are so right. I've always said that Clinton was the best Republican president since Eisenhower. Obama carries the centrist torch. At least Obama made a feeble effort for a public option, as opposed to the byzantine, co-opped monstrosity Billary failed to set loose in '93, but you gotta wonder now if it wasn't just a toothless gesture to his left-wing benefactors. Sure looks that way.<BR><BR>The criminal ease in which the insurance lobby has exacted its green-backed will upon Capital Hill and nakedly called in its favors before all of our eyes continues to be a sickening spectacle. In hindsight, I suppose we were screwed on this deal as soon as the health insurance lobbyists began writing the new legislation for us.<BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31Cust130"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=31JC1029></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31JC1029><font color=black><BIG><B>Clowns</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Joshua Cresse</b><BR><BR> Fed civ worker pay double private worker pay. And pay+bennies increased MASSIVELY since 2000.<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/08/24/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent/">article</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/08/26/federal-pay-response-to-the-critics/">rebuttals to federal employee feedback to original article</A><BR><BR> I guess that explains why illegal govt. orders are obeyed slavishly <nobr>--</nobr> there would be no WAY for most of these clowns to earn even 1/2 as much in real jobs!!!<BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#31JC1029"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=30DM245></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30DM245><font color=black><BIG><B>My favorite federal department</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> David M.</b><BR><BR>Re <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#30DM242">DOE's loan to Fisker Automotive</A><BR><BR>Maybe someday someone will have a use for the closed-down plants in Dayton, Ohio. I was so happy when I saw this article that I emailed Dr. Steven Chu, the Secretary of Energy, to give him a pat on the back:<BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta">Doctor Chu,<BR><BR>I am tremendously pleased to read that the Department of Energy is loaning money to Fisker for building of its "Nina" electric car. Best of all, in my opinion, is their plan to purchase a closed General Motors plant for production use. Now this is a use of tax-payers' money that I can support! The Department of Energy is now officially my favorite federal department.<BR><BR>Keep up the good work, </TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30DM245"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --><A NAME=30DM245-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30DM245-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>Dunno if DOE's my favorite federal department <nobr>--</nobr> I like the National Parks <nobr>--</nobr> but I like Chu and DOE's improved a lot since it was nothing but a cheerleader for nuclear power ... </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30DM245-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=30MAF700></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30MAF700><font color=black><BIG><B>360-degree view of the Milky Way</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Mahdi Abdul Finkelstein</b><BR><BR> Story:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/10/29/Physicist-makes-high-res-Milky-Way-photo/UPI-72581256846920/">Physicist makes high-res Milky Way photo</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://home.arcor.de/axel.mellinger/">website</A><BR><BR> <A HREF="http://home.arcor.de/axel.mellinger/mwpan2_Aitoff_1200x600.jpg">photo (54kb)</a><BR><BR> I saved off a copy of the jpg and made it the "wallpaper" on my new windows machine. Looks great against a black background.<BR><BR> After pondering it for about a day now I had this idea that if there is/were a God then the smartest move s/he could/have made would be to create one intelligent species per galaxy -- as you can see from the photo that would leave room for millions of different intelligent species all safely separated from each other by about a gajillion miles... (assuming that intergalactice warp drives are "impossible"). <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30MAF700"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <A NAME=30MAF700-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30MAF700-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR><I>Truly</I> an impressive accomplishment, and here's <A HREF="http://141.209.165.197/~axel/mwpan2/">a direct link to the navigation tool</a>. Mesmerizing, like a trip to the planetarium without the admission fee.<BR><BR>Your theory that God left plenty of room for a tiny number of i9ntelligent species is interesting. I wonder where the intelligent species for our sector of the universe is hiding out. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30MAF700-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=30MAF701></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30MAF701><font color=black><B>Reply from Mahdi Abdul Finkelstein:</B></font></a><BR><BR>In our oceans singing whale songs. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#ANCHOR"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=30TU307></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30TU307><font color=black><BIG><B>That bullsh*t about global warming</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Tom U.</b><BR><BR>I am disappointed and kind of pissed off by your seeming acceptance of that bullsh*t about global warming. I thought you were better than that, you seem like an intelligent person so I would expect that you'd show a little skepticism for the Big Money scam and Big Science lies. No great loss and no need to respond. I'll be reading more openminded stuff. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30TU307"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <A NAME=30TU307-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30TU307-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>Believe me, I won't bother to reply. Ran out of words on the topic long ago. But <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/GlobalClimateChange.html">here's our form letter on global climate change</A>, for you to ignore at your leisure. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#30TU307-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <!-- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx below is duped at 0910-26.html xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --> <A NAME=29></A><!-- =unk --><BR> <!-- Spying (cartoon) --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="135" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/spying.gif" alt="spying" border="1" width="120" height="183"></td></tr></table> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29><font color=black><BIG><B>The CIA wants to be your "friend"</B></BIG></font></a> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; The Central Intelligence Agency's "investment arm" has purchased a stake in Visible Technologies, a company that makes software for <A HREF ="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/10/exclusive-us-spies-buy-stake-in-twitter-blog-monitoring-firm">monitoring social media like Facebook and MySpace</A>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; This isn't from some tiny racist group, it's part of a poll conducted by Zogby International: <I>"Federal Communications Commission Chief Diversity Czar Mark Lloyd wants the FCC to <A HREF="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/10/zogby-again-polls-on-misleading.html">force good white people in positions of power in the broadcast industry to step down to make room for more African-Americans and gays</A> to fill those positions. Do you agree or disagree that this presents a threat to free speech?"</i> And need I add, that's not what the FCC is doing <nobr>--</nobr> it's just another lie.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.olearyreport.com/media/pdf/X-OlearyZogbyReport-102609.pdf">Another question in the same survey</a> (PDF) is framed to include another hate-based lie: <I>"Some experts believe [hate crimes legislation] could lead to ... the prosecution of religious preachers, talk show hosts or political activists who speak against homosexuality or transsexuals."</i> Of course, no experts believe any such thing, but it sure sounds scary.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It's neither unknown nor news, but by design, the American right-wing have framed myriad issues in lies and hatred. It's <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/rwradicals.html">already led to violence</a>, and it's going to lead to more. <!-- =civil liberties --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; In California, <A HREF="http://rawstory.com/2009/10/marijuana-legalization-expected-ballot-california/">an initiative to legalize possession of small quantities of marijuana</A> is being signed onto at a pace that virtually ensures it'll be on the ballot next November. Pot activist Richard Lee says  Voters are ripping the petitions out of our hands, in a good way. <!-- =business=wall&nbsp;street=economy=corporations --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/10/tim_geithner_chared_13_billion.html">Timothy Geithner's main qualification to be Secretary of the Treasury</A> was that he had experience ripping off US taxpayers, to the tune of $13-billion. <A NAME=health></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%"><BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><center><B><i>Health care hell in America</i></B></center> <!-- health --><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="122" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/healthish.jpg" alt="health care sucks in America" border="0" width="102" height="127"></td></tr></table> <BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Just how crappy will so-called health care reform be? <A HREF="http://ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/10/toward_a_conservative_public_option.php">Ezra Klein explains</A>: "For the real liberals, the public option was already a compromise from single-payer. For the slightly less radical folks, the public option that's barred from partnering with Medicare to maximize the government's buying power was a compromise down from a Medicare-like insurance plan. For the folks even less radical than that, the public option that states can "opt out" of is a compromise from the straight public option. Access to the public option will be a political question settled at the state level. It is not a settled matter of national policy.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "In many ways, this is a fundamentally conservative approach to a liberal policy experiment. It's only offered to individuals eligible for the insurance exchanges, which is a small minority of the population. The majority of Americans who rely on employer-based insurance would not be allowed to choose the exchanges. From there, it is only one of many options on the exchange, and only in states that choose to have it. In other words, it has been designed to preserve the status quo and be decided on the state level. Philosophically, these are major compromises liberals have made on this plan. They should get credit for that."<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yeah, they should get credit, all right, though 'blame' seems a better word. 90% of Americans will be prohibited from dropping the insurance swindle. The "liberals" who did this to America, starting with President Obama and working down the DC roster, have doomed thousands of Americans to die, but they're poor Americans so they don't matter. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.doublex.com/section/news-politics/health-insurance-woes-my-22000-bill-having-baby">Health insurance woes: My $22,000 bill for having a baby... and I had coverage for maternity care!</A> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.denverpost.com/frontpage/ci_13636522">Insurance companies routinely charge women up to 50% more</a> than men. Because they're women. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/10/sign_the_social_contract.html">Roger Ebert has something to say</A> about health care reform, and as usual he says it pretty well. </td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Geithner's latest picadillo is <A HREF="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&;sid=abvqTkQC.Ft4">handing GMAC a check for at least $2.8-billion</A> in its <I>third</i> government bailout. Cripes, how many lifelines do they get on <I>Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?</i> Seriously, people, there will be no end to the looting of the treasury until the looters are arrested, and Geitner should be one of the first hauled off in handcuffs. <A NAME=28BL1114></A><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Matt Taibbi returns to Wall Street, and again <A HREF="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/30481512/wall_streets_naked_swindle/print">it's a wild and infuriating series of swindles</A>. I get the impression America's economy is about 60% Ponzi scheme, and that might be an optimistic guess. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Despite the US Chamber of Commerce's "<A HREF="http://www.uschamber.com/press/releases/2008/december/081208_abuse.htm">Campaign Against Frivolous Lawsuits</a>", they're <A HREF="http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/chamber_suing_yes_men_for_commercial_identity_thef.php">suing the Yes Men</A> for "commercial identity theft" over last week's fake press conference. <A NAME=30DM242></A><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Fisker Automotive, a California-based maker of plug-in hybrid cars, has received a <A HREF="http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/old-gm-plant-gives-fisker-us-electric-car-making-base">$528.7 million loan from the US Department of Energy</A>. Their plan is to buy an abandoned GM plant in Delaware, and build 75-100,000 cars annually, which they're hoping to retail for $40,000. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/10/american-bankers-association-protest-michigan-avenue-chicago-showdown.html">Delightful-sounding protest</A> of the American Bankers Association convention in Chicago. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <I>The San Francisco Chronicle</i>'s management is <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/27/BUDV1AAV94.DTL">overjoyed that circulation is down 25%</a>, and I can see their logic. ... <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; This guy started <A HREF="http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/man_about_town.php">a one-man newspaper in Seattle</A>, after he was laid off by the <I>Seattle Post-Intelligencer</i>. <!-- =world --> <BR><BR><!-- =Afghanistan --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagAfghanistan.gif" alt="Afghanistan" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &nbsp;&diams;&nbsp; Ahmed Wali Karzai, the drug-kingpin brother of Afghan puppet leader Hamid Karzai, has reportedly <A HREF="http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/20370">been on the payroll of the Central Intelligence Agency for years</A>. The <A HREF="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-28/the-karzai-brothers-fight-back/2/">Karzai brothers, of course, deny everything</a>, but the revelation could make stealing the coming run-off election a little more difficult. Stateside, of course, it's a reminder of the CIA's long-time and curiously close connection to drug trafficking, a topic rarely mentioned with a straight face in mainstream media since the days of <A HREF="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/october96/crack_contra_11-1.html">Gary Webb</a>.<BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; As President Obama ponders what to do about his war in Afghanistan, <A HREF="http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091028/ZNYT03/910283022/1109/SPORTS?Title=U-S-to-Protect-Populous-Afghan-Areas-Officials-Say">the <I>New York Times</i> reports</A>&nbsp; that the internal debate is  no longer over whether to send more troops, but how many more will be needed. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <I>The Onion</i> nails it: <A HREF="http://www.theonion.com/content/news/u_s_continues_quagmire_building">US continues quagmire-building effort in Afghanistan</A>.<BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Someone else who understands the situation is Matthew Hoh, a US Foreign Service officer assigned to Afghanistan, who's <A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/26/AR2009102603394_pf.html">quit in protest</A>, saying that the US military presence in that country infuriates and fuels the anti-US attitude there. Kudos to Hoh for grasping what's been obvious for years, and a more serious cyberhandshake for having the integrity to distance himself from the moral hellhole America's digging there.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What strikes me strangest, though, is how amazingly serious the entire chain of command seems to have taken Hoh's resignation, trying to talk him out of quitting and even offering him a job in Washington <nobr>--</nobr> when he's been in the Foreign Service for less than a year. Is the Foreign Service that desperate for bodies to man their posts?&nbsp; <BR><BR><!-- =Canada--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagCanada.jpg" alt="Canada" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; A Canadian court is hearing testimony from intelligence operatives in the matter of Abdullah Khadr, a Canadian that the American CIA tried to have kidnapped into custody, but the request was so beyond the pale that Canadian and Pakistani authorities refused to cooperate. There was no real evidence against Khadr until he started confessing, which led to an understandable suspicion that he'd been tortured or coerced. But since Khadr's case is being heard in Canadian courts instead of American courts, <A HREF="http://harpers.org/archive/2009/10/hbc-90005986">intelligence operatives are being compelled to testify</A> instead of being shielded by "state secrets" claims. <BR><BR><!-- =China--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagChina.jpg" alt="China" border="1" width="50" height="30"><BR><BR><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagCuba.jpg" alt="Cuba" border="1" width="50" height="30"><BR><BR><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagIraq.jpg" alt="Iraq" border="1" width="50" height="30"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; In China, <A HREF="http://sun-zoo.com/chinageeks/2009/10/27/attack-those-who-seek-audience-with-higher-ups/">whistleblowing is seriously frowned upon</A>. <BR><BR> &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-10-26-voa45.cfm">Fidel Castro's sister</A> says she was also an operative for the US CIA. <BR><BR> &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/27/iraq-nuclear-reactor-programme">Iraq wants to rebuild at least one of its nuclear reactors</A> desptroyed in the first blisteringly stupid American war against that country. If I understand the standards of modern international hypocrisy, everyone in the western world is now supposed to become <I>very concerned</i> and talk about the necessity of war, or in this case, re-war. <!-- =environment --> <BR><BR><!-- =Environment --><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="65" align="left"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><img src="http://unknownnews.org/flagGreenWorld.gif" alt="Take care of Mother Earth" border="1" width="50" height="40"></td></tr></table> &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/2987821/Save-the-planet-eat-a-dog">The carbon footprint of a large dog</A> is about the same as that of a large car.&nbsp; <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Toyota has developed two <A HREF="http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ariel-schwartz/sustainability/toyota-creates-its-own-flower-species-gobble-harmful-gases">new flower species engineered to eat pollutants</A>. <!-- =journalism=media --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Nothing groundbreaking here, but it's <A HREF="http://www.pcworld.com/article/174540/wikileaks_leader_talks_of_courage_and_wrestling_pigs.html">an interesting article on Wikileaks</A>, the good guys who help whistleblowers get their word out. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A few days ago, an Arizona newspaper, <A HREF="http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/146308">the <I>East Valley Tribune</i>, reported</a> that Supreme Court Justica Antonin Scalia had said he wouldn't have signed on to <I>Brown v. Board of Education</i>, the landmark court decision that began desegregation of public schools in America. Turns out the newspaper and its reporter, Howard Fischer, got it wrong, and that's not what Scalia said.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What's more curious than the flub is <A HREF="http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2009/10/27/scalia/index.html"><I>Salon</i> writer Alex Koppelman's response</A> <nobr>--</nobr> he critizes bloggers by genre and by name for not doublechecking what they read in a newspaper, while he doesn't criticize or even <i>name</i> the newspaper or reporter responsible for getting it wrong.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The <I>East Valley Tribune</i> is an ordinary, mainstream newspaper, and its reporter, Fischer, has been around for a long time (in <A HREF="http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2003/05/12/story2.html">unrelated coverage</a> he's described as "chief correspondent for Capitol Media Services in Phoenix, [who] writes for both the <A NAME=quote></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%"><BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="0" 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" alt="'The Thinker' statue" 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" alt="Stop and think" border="0" width="40" height="40"></TD></TR></TABLE> <i><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Obama is an unindicted criminal nominally in charge of a massive criminal enterprise armed with nuclear bombs. His words amount to lies in the face of his deeds. When he appears on TV turn off the sound unless you want to receive the latest dose of propaganda from a mafioso." <DIV align="right"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27JK607">Jeff Koyre</A></DIV></i> <br><center><img src="http://unknownnews.org/horizontal.jpg" border="0" width="50" height="20"></center> <i><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I have long thought that one of the main reasons we see politicians and policy makers scrambling madly to prop up the [Wall Street] greedheads is sheer, unadulterated panic that if they regulate this "magical" segment of the economy (financial services) that accounted for 40% of business profits before the crash, they will have nothing left. And it's a serious worry. When you have a mature economy like ours that's so heavily concentrated in paper pushing, gambling and middle man transactions that ridiculous risk is required to keep standing still, you have a big problem." <DIV align="right"><A HREF="http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/what-do-we-make-by-digby-campaign-for.html">Digby at Hullabaloo</A></DIV></i> </td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <I>Tribune</i> and Gannett-owned <I>The Business Gazette</i>"). But Fischer and <I>The Tribune</I> get a pass from <I>Salon</i>'s Koppelman, who only blames bloggers and says they should have looked "for a primary source -- video, audio or a transcript from the event" or called the Supreme Court for comment before publishing what Scalia was reported to have said. Yeah, he actually wrote that.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I don't know whether having his head up his ass is a chronic condition for Koppemnan or whether he just had a bad day, but the way it works is: Reporters write up the news as it happens, and bloggers comment on the news. Note the distinction. Reporters for mainstream media are paid to check the facts and get the story right. Bloggers aren't. And bloggers who <i>are</i> paid, of course, become reporters when they get a paycheck, and should be held to reporters' standards.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm a full-time janitor, a part-time writer for another website, and a blogger on my own website. I'm a responsible blogger but it ain't my job to ring up the Supreme Court for confirmation every time Scalia is reported as having said something stupid. The Supreme Court might take my call, but it's unlikely they'll return my call or answer my questions because I'm not a reporter. Bloggers who spread unfounded rumors and make stuff up deserve all the criticism in the world, but bloggers who believe and comment on a perfectly plausible newspaper report aren't doing anything shoddy <nobr>--</nobr> they're blogging, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; The Moonie-owned and far-right <I>Washington Times</i> reports with slack-jawed surprise that the Obama administration is rewarding big donors with White House access, like every other administration since the White House was built. Predictably, the <A HREF="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/steele-calls-for-investigation-of-white-house-fundraising.php">Republican Party is shocked, shocked</a>, and calling for an investigation. For reasons I don't understand, <A HREF="http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/obama_using_the_white_house_as_a_fundraising_tool.php">Talking Points Memo</a> also thinks this is news. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; I don't think this is necessary for any even moderately intelligent person, but we all have a dingbat, doofus, or drunk in the family or at work, and Media Matters has taken the trouble to compile this list, so here's <A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/columns/200910270002">30 reasons why Fox News is not legit</A>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/blog/200910270013"><I>Politico</i> continues to suck</A>. It's basically Fox Lite. <!-- =politics-as-usual=DC-Democrats=Republicans=Dems=Reps --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/10/filibusters-and-holds">From <I>Mother Jones:</I></A>&nbsp; The Republican effort to block Obama's nominees to federal judgeships is, truly, without precedent. In the past there have always been a few high-profile fights, as well as a general slowdown toward the end of most presidencies when the minority party hopes that a few months of stalling will allow them to take office and fill the vacancies themselves. It's not pretty, but not surprising either.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But this presidency is different. Republicans are holding up everyone, and they're doing it during Obama's first year. Not a single appellate judge has gotten a vote yet. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; President Obama has appointed former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) as co-chairman of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board. Hagel is the <A HREF="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_10/020675.php">seventh Republican named to a high-level White House position</A>, further proof that Obama is the most divisive, partisan, Marxist, fascist President America's ever had and he refuses to have anything to do with Republicans <nobr>--</nobr> or at least, that always seems to be the Republicans' line.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Back here in reality, meanwhile, Obama is always, always, always reaching a friendly hand to the rightwingers, which by nature of human anatomy means that the Left sees only his backside and buttocks. &nbsp;&nbsp; <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Senator Joseph Lieberman (R-Connecticut) says he'll <A HREF="http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/65203-lieberman-says-public-plan-must-be-off-the-table-to-win-his-vote">filibuster health care reform</A> if it includes a public option and blah blah, please nudge me if I fall asleep. Every pundit and blogger who's Dem-friendly is furious but why waste the emotion? What's the surprise? He's Joe Lieberman, and whatever label he wears, he's been a Republican for decades, working against whatever decent Democrats want, but he's always welcome to caucus with Democrats because ... well, I've never figured that out. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Congressman Paul Broun (R-Georgia) has <A HREF="http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/102409/new_508293130.shtml">introduced legislation to privatize Medicare</A>. It's not going to happen, of course, but this is Broun waving his freak flag for the other freaks. He's best known for comparing Obama to Hitler and stating that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (<font color="#cccccc">D</font>-California) and Senator Harry Reid (<font color="#cccccc">D</font>-Nevada) are plotting martial law for America, so what it probably means is that Broun's about to announce he's running for President. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Congressman Alan Grayson has apologized for calling a lobbyist a whore</A>, and it just makes me roll my eyes, almost as much as <A HREF="http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/143565/grayson_issues_apology_for_calling_woman_a_%22%3Bwhore,%22%3B_weiner_apologizes_for_calling_grayson_bad_food_--_and_why_they%27re_both_jerks">this politically correct response</a>. Yes, whore is a "gendered term" and ought to be used only rarely and accurately, but let's get real <nobr>--</nobr> the word is also a synonym for lobbyist (female or male) and you can count me as one woman who wasn't offended when it's used in that way. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A <A HREF="http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=cqmidday-000003230928">gas station owned by former President Jimmy Carter's dead brother Billy</A> will become a national historical site. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee say that the Central Intelligence Agency <A HREF="http://thehill.com//homenews/house/65027-pelosi-claim-that-cia-lied-validated-by-intel-panel">has lied to Congress at least five times since 2001</A>. Will there be any repercussions or prosecutions? Perhaps you misunderstood <nobr>--</nobr> these are <I>Democrats</i>. These are people like Senator John Kerry (D-Massachusetts), who's been in DC since Reagan was President but remains so stupid, ignorant, or corrupt that he's saying he's <A HREF="http://washingtonindependent.com/65561/john-kerry-does-not-like-being-misled">surprised he was lied to</a>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; This is <A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrPCicGcoIQ">an amusing ad from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee</A>, recasting the nonstop-no Republicans as a PC in a Mac commercial. It's amusing, that is, so long as you don't remember how willingly, almost eagerly the Democrats have capitulated to almost all of the Republicans' "no"s. <!-- =stupidity --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-California) has sent <A HREF="http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/10/28/schwarzenegger_sends_a_message.html">a cleverly vulgar veto message</a>, which seems like something a character in a Schwarzenegger movie might do. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A spokeswoman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says they're investigating how an actor hired by Kentucky Fried Chicken and dressed as <A HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6444738/KFCs-Colonel-Sanders-tricks-his-way-into-UN-to-pose-for-official-photo.html">Colonel Sanders breached UN security</A> for an unannounced photo op handshake with the president of the UN General Assembly.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I think I can explain it: The actor's white, old, and doesn't appear at all Muslim, and to a lot of people's mindset that's far more important than any security check. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XivhwO_zWWg&;;">I wonder how many times this dog had to be beaten</A> before it learned to reject treats "from Obama". <!-- =personal --> <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; You've seen <I>National Geographic</i>'s instantly iconic photo of grieving chimpanzees at the passing of an elder chimp, but to fully appreciate it you need to <A HREF="http://blogs.ngm.com/blog_central/2009/10/the-story-behind-our-photo-of-grieving-chimps.html">read the backstory</a>. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <I>A brief note from the editrix:</I>&nbsp; I like blogs, especially well-written little blogs that don't get the attention they deserve. If you're reading or writing a good blog on news or politics or a great blog on just about any other topic and it's not a blog everyone in the world's heard of, I'd appreciate it if you'd <A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com">let us know</A>. <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="58%" align="right"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="left" width="100%"><BR><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="6%" background="http://www.unknownnews.org/vertical.jpg">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="94%" class="fonta"><A NAME=nndb></A>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; You might not know about <A HREF="http://www.nndb.com/people/278/000178741/">Erle P. Halliburton</A>. <!-- =hattip --><BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; A tip o' the hat to <A HREF="http://www.jrmooneyham.com">JR Mooneyham</A>, <A HREF="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com">fivethirtyeight.com</A>, <A HREF="http://eb-misfit.blogspot.com/">Just an Earth-Bound Misfit,&nbsp;I</A>, <A HREF="http://unreasonablefaith.com/">Unreasonable Faith</A>, Sherri&nbsp;B., Cassandra, Joseph&nbsp;D., Joe&nbsp;G., Lon Garm, J.S. (not the Watergate felon) Magruder at <A HREF="http://whynotresist.blogsome.com/">Why Not Resist?</A>, SirJ, Bill&nbsp;T., Wig, the letter Z, big-time mags <A HREF="http://www.motherjones.com/"><i>Mother Jones</i></A> and <A HREF="http://www.thenation.com/"><i>The Nation</i></A>, and <A HREF="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/"><i>Washington Monthly</i></a>, big time blogs <A HREF="http://crooksandliars.com/">Crooks & Liars</A>, <A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/">Media Matters</A>, <A HREF="http://thinkprogress.org/">ThinkProgress</A>, our first home at <A HREF="http://pitas.com/">pitas.com</a> (1999-2003), and the love of my life (who prefers to remain anonymous). <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams;&nbsp; <i>Updated today:</i>&nbsp; Our <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/cops.html">bad cops page</A>, <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/debunk.html">it's been debunked</A>, and <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/mysterylinks.html">mystery links</A>.&nbsp; <i>Next update:</i>&nbsp; Probably&nbsp;Monday, or sooner if something big and newsy happens. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;<BR>&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;<BR>&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></DIV></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="3%" class="fonta">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="97%" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=2><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta" bgcolor="#eeeeee"><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="110" align="right"><tr><TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="font18"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/dialogue.html"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/dialogue-bubbles.jpg" border="0" width="110" height="110"></A></td></tr></table><center><B><i>Dialogue</i></b></center><BR><SPAN class="fonta">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <i>We welcome readers' comments, questions, or criticisms. Just send us an email &#60;<A HREF="mailto:unknownnews@inbox.com">unknownnews at inbox.com</A>&#62;, and if it adds to the dialogue we'll publish it.</i>&nbsp; <span class="fonty"><i>If that email address ever fails you can also reach us at <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/contact.html">these back-up addresses</A>.</i></span> <BR><BR><center><HR NOSHADE width="200"></center><BR> <!-- =comments= --><I>Comments on previous entries:</I><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#27HP602"><FONT COLOR=blue> Heidi Papademetriou replies to Wig</FONT></A> <DIV align="right">about a lesbian's tuxedo</div> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#28MT349"><FONT COLOR=blue> Mark T. replies to Helen & Harry</FONT></A> <DIV align="right">about newborn DNA collection</div> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#28SB424"><FONT COLOR=blue> Sherri B.&nbsp; replies to Helen & Harry</FONT></A> <DIV align="right">about authentic parents</div> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#28SB403"><FONT COLOR=blue> Sherri B. replies to Wig</FONT></A> <DIV align="right">about the lesbian in a tuxedo</div> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#28SB417"><FONT COLOR=blue> Sherri B. replies to Wig</FONT></A> <DIV align="right">about white guys and terrorists</div> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE><BR></td></tr></table> <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.org/horizontal.jpg" border="0" width="265" height="20"></div> <!-- =dialogue= --> <A NAME=29SB933></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29SB933><font color=black><BIG><B>On the public option</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Steve B.</b><BR><BR>First I'd like to compliment you on the wonderful site. I've read it for a while now regularly. You offer news and comment without ranting. Thank you.<BR><BR>There are lots of alternative health care plans from around the world being discussed now. I'd like to mention one about which I've seen very little in the news or the blogs.<BR><BR>I have lived in Germany for the last twenty years. Their system deserves a bit of attention. It bridges the "socialistic" NHS in England and the scorched-earth, capitalistic system now in America and may be more palatable to the public as a whole. There is a "gesetzliche Krankenkasse" (a public, mandated health insurance) that everybody, with very few exceptions, has to belong to. It covers basically everything. It is regulated by the government and provided by private companies. Its coverage is very good on all counts, but if you wish you can add other policies privately. It's administered just the way that American Social Security works: It is deducted as a percentage of your salary with your employer matching your contribution. There are systems in place for self-employed artists that take the place of your employer, and there are no exceptions or restrictions for prior or present conditions. The effect that it has on the on the health care system as a whole is huge.<BR><BR>An anecdote: In 1996 I suddenly had Pneumonia. It showed no noticeable symptoms until it became life-threatening. I was one of those who fell through the cracks and showed up at the emergency room, unable to breathe and without insurance. They put me into the intensive care unit and kept me under sedation for about a week while they pumped various ugly fluids out of my lungs and kept me on an intravenous diet of antibiotics. Then a week under observation and I was discharged. There were questions of how I would pay for the bill, and I was afraid I would be financially ruined. When I finally received the bill it was about $4000 complete--hospital, doctors, drugs, everything! Except for the "Drainage" there was no operation, and except for antibiotics and observation there wasn't much to be done, but what would a week in intensive care and a further week in the hospital have cost in America?<BR><BR>Wouldn't a plan like that be of interest to Americans? It's regulated and mandated, and you can extend it (at extra cost) to your heart's and pocketbook's content. The insurance companies are constantly complaining (from their penthouses and Mercedes) that there isn't enough money to go around, and they occasionally get rate hikes. The demographics and longer life spans coupled with lower birth rates just about require that, but the system works. People get health care and don't go bankrupt. It even includes mental health, nursing homes (Kur) and alternative medicine (Acupuncture, Chiropractic, etc.) with appropriate paper work from your GP. It works. Enough said. Thanks for your time, and keep up the good work, Steve B <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29SB933"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <A NAME=29SB933-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29SB933-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>Sure sounds good to me. Sounds like a health care system, something America doesn't have.<BR><BR>Oh, and as for the price of a week in intensive care in an American hospital, I can't even hazard a guess, but the answer is undoubtedly bankruptcy. When I was in the emergency room for about half an hour a few years ago the bills came to several thousand dollars. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29SB933-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=29TL809></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29TL809><font color=black><BIG><B>Doctorow does it again</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Theo Lipschitz</b><BR><BR>New <A HREF="http://www.boingboing.net/2009/10/28/makers-my-new-novel.html">Cory Doctorow novel</a>, available by <A HREF="http://craphound.com/makers/download/">free downloads</a>!<BR><BR> They'll probably have this at your local library... eventually...if you care to dare the public cold and flu viruses... I went to the libary last Friday at 9AM and it was "baby day" with a big read-aloud, mommies with baby carriages...it was like a baby convention...there was a murmuring roar of babies at all times...SCARY... and on Monday I came down with a virulent cold...was doing fine all morning reading and walking outside by the pool, then in the afternoon, bang, all stuffed up, and the rest is history.<BR><BR>Anyway, I liked his last book VERY much -- <A HREF="http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/"><I>Little Brother</i></A>, his best to date. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29TL809"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=29EI848></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29EI848><font color=black><BIG><B>Corporate crimewave twofer, government aiding and abetting</B></BIG></font></a><BR>by<b> Emma Ibbers</b><BR><BR>GM's (ex) finance unit, GMAC, is asking for a third bailout. Supposedly, GMAC was vital to the US auto industry... According to Bloomberg, the US will <I>not</i> force management changes... (You've got to be shitting me! This is corporate welfare. If we don't see hundreds of executives headed to Sing Sing soon, then this whole fucking thing is a fraud and the American people have just cause to call up their representatives and go bugfuck apeshit about the ongoing crime wave in the government.)<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&;sid=a7d8lS35GYvw">GMAC may receive third bailout from U.S. government</A><BR><BR>Another crime against humanity... OK, fine, the vaccine may work but with a high incidence of deadly side effects. HOWEVER, prescribing the vaccine to young children in the absence of safety trials is criminal, and I predict this is going to cause projectile vomiting one day in the Merck boardroom. <br><br><center><img src="http://unknownnews.org/horizontal.jpg" border="0" width="100" height="20"></center><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/10/25/top_stories/doc4ae4b76d07e16766677720.txt">Gardasil researcher drops a bombshell</A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Dr. Diane Harper, lead researcher in the development of two human papilloma virus vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, said the controversial drugs will do little to reduce cervical cancer rates and, even though they re being recommended for girls as young as nine, there have been no efficacy trials in children under the age of 15.&nbsp;...<BR><BR>However, at this point, Dr. Harper dropped an even bigger bombshell on the audience when she announced that,  There have been no efficacy trials in girls under 15 years. Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil, studied only a small group of girls under 16 who had been vaccinated, but did not follow them long enough to conclude sufficient presence of effective HPV antibodies.<BR><BR>This is not the first time Dr. Harper revealed the fact that Merck never tested Gardasil for safety in young girls. During a 2007 interview with KPC News.com, she said giving the vaccine to girls as young as 11 years-old  is a great big public health experiment. <BR><BR>At the time, which was at the height of Merck s controversial drive to have the vaccine mandated in schools, Dr. Harper remained steadfastly opposed to the idea and said she had been trying for months to convince major television and print media about her concerns,  but no one will print it. </TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29EI848"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <A NAME=29EI848-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29EI848-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>I'm doubtful about your second article, about Diane Harper and HPV vaccines. It's probably a descendant of the misleading </I>London Express<i> article <A HREF="http://www.gardasilhpv.com/2009/10/dr-diane-harper-badly-misquoted-on.html">rebutted rather reasonably here</a>. At <A HREF="http://www.med.umkc.edu/informatic_medicine/Faculty/harper.shtml">Harper's website</A> she mentions having contributed to the development of Cervarix and Gardasil, which is different from the article's first-sentence claim that she was "lead researcher", and made me question everything that followed.<BR><BR>I'm also doubtful because the newspaper, </I>The Philadelphia Bulletin<i>, is not what most folks would consider a serious newspaper; it's an underfinanced once-weekly revival of a daily paper that ceased publication decades ago. The article's author is <A HREF="http://www.lhla.org/breaking-news/brinkmann-bio.htm">Susan Brinkmann</a>, who seems to be wildly Catholic &mdash; she's a staff writer at something called </I>Living His Life Abundantly & Women of Grace<i>, she's big on "building up the Church and tearing down the culture of death", and she wrote a book purportedly debunking the work of Alfred Kinsey.<BR><BR>I don't know enough about Gardasil to have much of an opinion, but I've marveled at the drug's quick and widespread acceptance and use and I'm skeptical enough that if I had a daughter I'd do some research before subjecting her to the shot. I'm curious to know what Harper </I>really<i> has to say 'cuz she seems like a straight-shooter, but the </I>Express<i> seems to have mangled her words badly and I don't trust </I>The Bulletin<i>. I'm not curious enough to pester Doc Harper with an email, but her email address is at her website, if you want to ask her about the testing. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29EI848-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=29EI849></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29EI849><font color=black><B>Reply from Emma Ibbers:</B></font></A><BR><BR> Well, I'm taking it as true-until-proven-otherwise. For one thing, viruses are hard to treat, at best. For example, why isn't there a vaccine for colds? And why doesn't Gardasil protect against all HPV? Also, I have lost faith in the "goodness" of most pharamceutical companies, and though I still own a couple hundred shares of Merck, I wouldn't consider buying more because this smells like another class action lawsuit coming.<BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29EI849"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=29EI849-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29EI849-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>The story is plausible and we're agreed that the Big Pharma companies are criminal entities, but the author of that article is a nutball and for me that's a dealbreaker. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29EI849-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=30SJ233></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#30SJ233><font color=black><B>Reply from SirJ:</B></font></a><BR><BR>Was Diane Harper the lead researcher or not? <A HREF="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/19/cbsnews_investigates/main5253431.shtml">CBS News refers to Diane Harper</a> as "one of the lead researchers for the Merck drug."<BR><BR>"Dr. Harper agrees with Merck and the CDC thatGardasil is safe for most girls and women. But she says the side effects reported so far call for more complete disclosure to patients. She says they should be told that protection from the vaccination might not last long enough to provide a cancer protection benefit, and that its risks &mdash;  small but real &mdash; could occur more often than the cervical cancer itself would." <BR><BR><A HREF="http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/10/25/top_stories/doc4ae4b76d07e16766677720. txt "><I>The Philadelphia Bulletin</i>'s article</a> appears remarkably similar to <A HREF="http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/mos/mos_159gardasilvaccine.html">this from lifeissues.net</A>, which is carefully footnoted. The text of the controversial London Express article is available at <A HREF="http://forum.prisonplanet.com/index.php?topic=138519.0">Prison Planet</A> . You can easily see that the Bulletin article is no decendent of the <I>London Express</i>' writeup. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#30SJ233"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <A NAME=30SJ233-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#30SJ233-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>If she was the lead researcher Dr Harper would probably say so on <A HREF="http://www.med.umkc.edu/informatic_medicine/Faculty/harper.shtml">her web page</A>, and she doesn't. I'm interested in what she has to say about Gardisol, but only when I can believe that what I'm reading is what she's had to say, and sorry SirJ, but at lifeissues.net and prisonplanet.com I don't believe much of anything. As I was telling <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-16.html#28MT349-HH>Mark T.</a> on a different topic a few days ago, I'm not going to spend (waste) much time on wingnut websites.<BR><BR>But there's a but! But <A HREF="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/19/cbsnews_investigates/main5253431.shtml">that CBS News article</a> you sent is helpful, and aids my understanding of Dr Harper's complaints. Appreciated, definitely. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#30SJ233-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=31SJ851></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31SJ851><font color=black><B>Reply from SirJ:</B></font></a><BR><BR> Dr. Harper doesn't need to toot her horn on her webpage. Others do it for her, as this excerpt from <A HREF="http://www.nvic.org/Events/speakers.aspx">http://www.nvic.org/Events/speakers.aspx</A> demonstrates:<BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> Dr. Harper has participated in the national guideline meetings to discuss the implications of HPV on women s cervical health over the past 10 years. It is from these three major guidelines that all the professional societies, ACOG, AAFP, AAP, etc., have developed their society-specific guidelines for cervical cancer screening.<BR><BR>Dr. Harper is the leading international expert on HPV vaccines having worked with both Merck and GSK to develop Gardasil and Cervarix in phase II and phase III trials. She has published the sentinel work on both vaccines and is an on call consultant to WHO for HPV vaccine policy in developing countries. She serves as an international grant reviewer for the UK and for the EU Research Councils. She has been instrumental in guiding the course of HPV vaccination around the world.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> The following two excerpts match the Bulletin's write-up on Harper's statements about the HPV vaccine. They don't strike me as wing-nut websites.<BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://health.usnews.com/blogs/on-women/2009/03/30/is-gardasil-more-effective-in -older-teens.html:">Is Gardasil more effective in older teens?</A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Harper told me then that the vaccine's efficacy hadn't been tested in anyone under age 16, and she wasn't sure whether it even worked in preteens.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT"VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/503/27/">HPV vaccine researcher blasts mandatory marketing</A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Dr. Harper, a scientist, physician, professor and the director of the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire, said: "It is silly to mandate vaccination of 11 &mdash; to 12-year-old girls There also is not enough evidence gathered on side effects to know that safety is not an issue."<BR><BR>All of her trials have been with subjects ages 15 to 25. "This vaccine has not been tested in little girls for efficacy. At 11, these girls don't get cervical cancer &mdash; they won't know for 25 years if they will get cervical cancer."<BR><BR>Dr. Harper said, Merck was required to put together a database on the efficacy in children beforeGardasil was approved. But instead, the company put together four study sites that "are not necessarily representative, and may not even have enough numbers to determine what they need to know."<BR><BR>She believes the ideal way of administering the new vaccine is to offer it to women ages 18 and up. At the time of their first inoculation, they should be tested for the presence ofHPV in their system. If the test comes back negative, then schedule the follow-up series of the three-part shots.<BR><BR>But if it comes back positive? "Then we don't know squat, because medically we don't know how to respond to that," Harper said.<BR><BR>She said that vaccinating little girls now is not going to protect them later. Since it can take a decade or more to even manifest itself asdysplasia, the HPVs against which this vaccine works may infect a little girl at the age she needs the vaccine most &mdash; meaning she will have to have a booster at the right point in time or she will not be protected. And, remember, it won't work at all if she was positive for the virus when she was inoculated in the first place.<BR><BR>Merck knows this, Harper said. "To mandate now is simply to Merck's benefit, and only to Merck's benefit," she said. Dr. Harper said, she's been trying for months to convince major television and print media to listen to her and tell the facts about the usefulness and effectiveness of this vaccine. "But no one will print it," she said.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31SJ851"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <A NAME=31SJ851-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#31SJ851-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>We're agreed that the relative merits and dangers of Gardasil for young girls are out of whack. That's unknown news that merits reading and sharing, and it's <A HREF="http://health.usnews.com/blogs/on-women/2009/03/30/is-gardasil-more-effective-in -older-teens.html:">the </I>US News & World Report<i></A> article that we'll be linking to. Thanks for sending it.<BR><BR>To me there's a mile-wide difference in credibility between <i>US News</i> on one hand and the article, author, and </i>The Bulletin</I> on the other, but if you don't see the difference or don't think the difference is important that's OK too. Agreement is not required. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.orgre/0910-26.html#31SJ851-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=01SJ300></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#01SJ300><font color=black><B>Reply from SirK:</B></font></a><BR><BR>Of the articles I've linked to, I would rate the CBS article as the best. The US News article is very good, but I don't believe a sentence late in that article, "Certainly, it's fine to follow the government's recommended guidelines to get girls vaccinated at the preferred age of 11 or 12" is reflective of Dr. Harper's views.<BR><BR>This is what Dr. Harper said in <AHREF="http://www.offtheradar.co.nz/vaccines/34-merck-hpv/53-researcher-diane-harper-blasts-gardasil-hpv -marketing.html">offtheradar.co.nz</a>: "This vaccine should not be for 11 year old girls", she reiterated. "It's not been tested in little girls for efficacy. at 11, these girls don't get cervical cancer &mdash; they won't know for 25 years if they will get cervical cancer." <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#01SJ300"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- =e3 --> <A NAME=05SB822></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05SB822><font color=black><B>Reply from Sherri B.:</B></font></A><BR><BR>Kudos to Dr.Harper for issuing the alert on the product she "helped" out with during the safety and effectiveness studies. It sounds to me like a big old case ofCYA before the truth hits the fan.<BR><BR>My problems with Gardasil's handling of the HPV issue are...<BR><BR>(From <A HREF="http://health.rutgers.edu/hpv/">Rutgers</a>):&nbsp; <I>The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV ) is the cause of both genital and non-genital warts. This is a very common family of viruses. There are actually more than 100 different strains ofHPV. Of these, approximately 30 exist in the genital area and can cause genital warts (condyloma acuminata ). These 30 strains can be further broken down to "high" and "low" risk strains.<BR><BR>High risk strains may cause changes in a Pap smear which may rarely progress to cancer. There are approximately 13 high-risk strains ofHPV , of which two (16 & 18) are believed to cause about 70% of all cervical cancer. Low risk strains sometimes cause changes in a Pap smear, but do not progress to cancer. Of the low-risk strains, two (6 &11) are most likely to cause genital warts.</I><BR><BR>Then it goes on to say: <I>Limitations: Vaccination will help prevent infection withHPV, but will not treat an infection that is already present. Once infected with a strain of HPV, immunity to that strain typically develops. However, even in someone already infected with HPV, the vaccine may still make sense as it can protect against other strains of HPV. The vaccine protects against the most common strains of HPV, but not others. Since not all strains are covered, regular gyn exams and Pap smears are still necessary.<BR><BR>Administration and side effects: A total of three shots given over six months (0, 2, 6 months). Side effects are typically mild (local pain or redness, low grade fevers, nausea, dizziness)<BR><BR>Who is it recommended for? Girls/women between the ages of 9-26 While there is an advantage if it is given before sexual activity has begun (to insure no prior infection withHPV), there is still a benefit in giving to women who may have already been infected with HPV as it will protect against other strains.</I><BR><BR>Oh and finally:<BR><BR><I>Most people "cure" themselves &mdash; usually without ever knowing that they were infected. This would be the usual treatment for those women found to haveHPV on routine testing or with mildly abnormal Pap smears. <BR><BR>So...four out of "more than" 100 strains (Rutgers not saying anything about possible mutations of said strains or what "more than 100 strains" signifies) and the assertion(You have to take thepharma companies word) that the four they are protecting women from are truly the right four to stop them from getting cancer(2 of the 4 strains) and warts(2 of the 4 strains).<BR><BR>So a person gets this shot, after reading the disclaimer saying it might not fully protect everyone, does not prevent all types of cervical cancer, and does not protect against diseases caused by otherHPV types. Then has to hope that after this shot none of the other different strains manifest or the person drops from the lovely side effects &mdash; the long term effects of which have not been evaluated.<BR><BR>Nice.<BR><BR>Back to Dr.Harper: "She says data available forGardasil shows that it lasts five years; there is no data showing that it remains effective beyond five years."<BR><BR>So what happens after five years? Do tell.... <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html#05SB822"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=29Wig152></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29Wig152><font color=black><BIG><B>Government phishing</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Wig</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/27/iraq-nuclear-reactor-programme">Iraq goes nuclear with plans for new reactor programme</A><BR><BR>Isn't this where we came in? <br><br><center><img src="http://unknownnews.org/horizontal.jpg" border="0" width="100" height="20"></center><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.alternet.org/rights/143461/how_could_it_be_against_the_law_to_spread_public_information_/">How could it be against the law to spread public information? </A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> "In Iran, demonstrators were lauded for using it," he said. "Now that it is being used here for identical purposes it is being criminalized."</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR>In the police state the government has the freedom. This fellow's crime reminds me of the motorist flashing his headlights to inform oncoming traffic that a patrol car is ahead laying hidden to catch speeders .While the driver flashing his headlights considers himself doing a good deed for a fellow driver the police consider the practice aiding and abetting a criminal act. <br><br><center><img src="http://unknownnews.org/horizontal.jpg" border="0" width="100" height="20"></center><BR> <A HREF="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/29/republicans-seek-probe-of-white-house-perks/?source=newsletter_must-read-stories-today_photo_feature">Republicans seek probe of White House perks</A><BR><BR>Aside from the baloney hype of a transparent profile, the Republican claptrap about investigating the White House after the zzzzzzzz they offered during the Bush/Cheney secret operation is laughable. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#29Wig152"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=28BL1114f></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28BL1114f><font color=black><BIG><B>The national Ponzi scheme</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Blulady</b><BR><BR>Re <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28BL1114">America's economy is about 60% Ponzi scheme</A><BR><BR>I have forgotten where you guys live, but from here in Washington State it feels like the national Ponzi scheme is about 60% of the economy... and then there is the underground economy: drugs and trading: about 25%. Doesn't leave much for the rest of us to live on does it. We have 1% of the national wealth, and 98% of the population must live on that. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28BL1114f"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><!-- r --> <A NAME=28BL1114f-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28BL1114f-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></A><i><BR><BR>Sure seems to me that Tim Geithner is doing far more damage than Charles Ponzi ever did. At least Ponzi gave his marks the opportunity to say no, and only swindled those who bought his line. Geithner et al are swindling all of us.<BR><BR>Oh, and we live in Wisconsin, but we forget it too, sometimes. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28BL1114f-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><A NAME=28BL11115></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28BL11115><font color=black><B>Reply from Blulady:</B></font></A><BR><BR>As the stand in for Alan Greenspan, he's doing what he was sent in to do. <I>Rape the USA.</i> <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28BL11115"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=28Wig1127></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28Wig1127><font color=black><BIG><B>Always the fly in the ointment</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Wig</b><BR><BR><A HREF="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/lieberman-sure-id-filibuster-a-health-care-reform-bill.php?ref=fpblg">Lieberman: Sure, I'd filibuster a health care reform bill with a public option</a><BR><BR>Did anyone think Lieberman would do otherwise/ Actually I don't care because the so called public option being offered is a sham. The only thing that makes any sense as health care reform is the single pay concept. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28Wig449"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=28RH431></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28RH431><font color=black><BIG><B>Bordered on the absurd</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Robert H.</b><BR><BR>Re <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28RH428>Bongwater conviction in Minnesota</A><BR><BR>Minnesota's highest court must have been high when they ruled that 2-1/2 tablespoons of bong water constituted an illegal mix of drugs. This was based on the testimony of a narcotics officer that bong water is often saved to be drank or injected by the user. The minority dissent wrote that the ruling "does not make sense and bordered on the absurd". The lady facing the charges is now facing a seven year prison term rather than a $300.00 fine. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28RH431"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><!-- r --> <A NAME=28RH431-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28RH431-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></a><i><BR><BR>Hopefully the publicity over this stupidity will make someone somewhere in the state's judiciary stop and reconsider. Do keep us posted, please. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28RH431-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=28SB357></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28SB357><font color=black><BIG><B>New names</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Sherri B.</b><BR><BR>This isn't new. My husband's grandpa (Italian) did the same thing <nobr>--</nobr> for the military. <BR><BR><A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_trouble_in_taos">Hotel owner tells Hispanic workers to change names</A> <BR><BR><center><img src="http://unknownnews.org/horizontal.jpg" border="0" width="100" height="20"></center><BR> I must make it a point to get my hands on whatever it is these people are smoking.<BR><BR><A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20091027/pl_politico/28764">What if Bush had done that?</A><BR><BR>I just love it... <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28SB357"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><!-- r --> <A NAME=28SB357-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28SB357-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></a><i><BR><BR></i>Politico<i> is a Republican house organ, they have crap like this every day and it's just a waste of time to even bother debunking it. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28SB357-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><A NAME=28SB358></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28SB358><font color=black><B>Reply from Sherri B.:</B></font></A><BR><BR>I didn't even want to debunk it. Just looking at it makes me contemplate acid. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#28SB358"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></div><HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=27KR302></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27KR302><font color=black><BIG><B>The "Czar list"</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Ken R.</b><BR><BR>I received this in an email from a family member thought it might be something you guys might want to look into if you haven't already. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27KR302"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><!-- r --> <A NAME=27KR302-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27KR302-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></a><i><BR><BR>Appended under your email is a long list of President Obama's "czars", with some Fox News-style overwrought exaggeration about how "The O Man has greatly increased the number of 'Czars'" and why this is worrisome. It isn't. <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/debunk-frame.html#20090906">This is a non-issue</a>. Picture me sighing but I am </i>trying<i> to be cordial and polite. As a rule I don't pay attention to emails that spread lies, and I would suggest that you also pay no attention to emails that spread lies.<BR><BR>In skimming toward the bottom of your email to see if you or someone had added something to suggest that you know you're being lied to, I noticed that the email's authors are spreading at least three vile and sickening lies about Kevin Jennings, an Obama appointee who's in charge of making schools safer for kids. The claim that Jennings counseled a 15-year-old who was having sex with an adult was <A HREF="http://mediamatters.org/research/200910050018">debunked about a month ago</a>, but being demonstrably untrue doesn't stop smears. I won't bother addressing the email's other smears about Jennings, since they're so over-the-top implausible that, cordially, only a fool could believe them. </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27KR302-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><A NAME=27KR303></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27KR303><font color=black><B>Reply from Ken R.:</B></font></a><BR><BR>I assure you I did not put this together. It was sent by a family member that lives in California and they go out of there way in that state to discredit Obama any chance they get.<BR><BR>I only sent you this because I am a big fan of your website and I thought it would be something you could look into, and discredit or confirm, which you have done. When I first saw it that was the very thing I thought of was fox snooze. I did a little investigating myself and found nothing to give this any credit.<BR><BR>I thank you for your time on this. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27KR303"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><A NAME=27KR303-HH></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27KR303-HH><font color=black><B>Reply from Helen & Harry:</B></font></a><i><BR><BR>Ah, thanks so much for not taking my grumpiness personally. Some days I get so weary of all the crap and today's one of them but no insult was intended. Big hug! </i><BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27KR303-HH"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=27JK607></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27JK607><font color=black><BIG><B>Let them eat cake</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Jeff Koyre</b><BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://vdare.com/roberts/091025_next_crisis.htm">Are you ready for the next crisis?</A><BR><BR><I>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Evidence that the US is a failed state is piling up faster than I can record it.<BR><BR>One conclusive hallmark of a failed state is that the crooks are inside the government, using government to protect and to advance their private interests.<BR><BR>Another conclusive hallmark is rising income inequality as the insiders manipulate economic policy for their enrichment at the expense of everyone else.&nbsp;...<BR><BR>The Banksters are still in charge.<BR><BR>Is there another country in which in full public view so few so blatantly use government for the enrichment of private interests, with a coterie of "free market" economists available to justify plunder on the grounds that "the market knows best"?<BR><BR>A narco-state is bad enough. The US surpasses this horror with its financo-state.<BR><BR>As Brooksley Born says, if nothing is done, "it ll happen again."<BR><BR>But nothing can be done. The crooks have the government.</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> Between all of *this* and Obama's coverups of Bush crimes of torture, etc., there is no escaping the *fact* that Obama is an unindicted criminal nominally in charge of a massive criminal enterprise armed with nuclear bombs. His words amount to lies in the face of his deeds. When he appears on TV turn off the sound unless you want to receive the latest dose of propaganda from a mafioso. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27JK607"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <A NAME=27Willow615></A><BR> <A HREF=http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27Willow615><font color=black><BIG><B>Public officials ignorantly wagering w/public money</B></BIG></font></a><BR> by<b> Willow</b><BR><BR>This article just completely outrages me:<BR><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" bgcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonta"><TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <A HREF="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&;;sid=aBarSkIcch2k">Back-door taxes hit Americans with public financing in the dark</A><BR><BR><i>Excerpt:&nbsp;</I> Salvatore Calvanese, the treasurer of Springfield, Massachusetts, for four years, had a ready defense for why he risked $14 million of taxpayer money on collateralized-debt obligations laden with subprime mortgages in 2007.<BR><BR>He didn t know what he was buying, he says, and trusted the financial professionals who sold them and told him they were safe.<BR><BR> I thought they were money markets that were just paying more, Calvanese said in an interview.  Nobody ever used the term  CDO, and I am not sure I would have known what that was anyway. &nbsp;...</TD></TR></TABLE></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="25" class="fonty">&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE><BR> Anyone playing at home wises up quickly after getting "cornholed" a few times. It ain't funny losing your own money because you were a big stupid dummy. That's how the game is supposed to go, with Rules, and Consequences For Actions; capital migrates from the dumb, stupid shits to the informed, smart(er) people. But to have these clusterfucks in the public arena is an outrage. These schmoes should be taken out behind the barn... and then get fed to the hogs... Salvatore Calvanese should be standing on the street holding a tin cup begging.<BR><BR>Caveat Emptor -- Let the buyer beware -- is a very old saying. Doesn't anyone pay attention to the Rules of the Games they are playing anymore? OK, fine, every generation needs to go through their "learning process". After that, well, getting charged overdraft fees and 29% interest on credit cards can be blamed on the customers as much as the banks. <BR><BR><DIV align="right"><SPAN style="background-color:#eeeeee">&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp; <A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0910-26.html#27Willow615"><font color=blue>Permalink</font></A> &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV><!-- r --> <HR NOSHADE> <!-- LAST THING and DAILY DIALOGUE BREAK --><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/frames-short.html" height="32" width="600" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"&nbsp; frameborder="0"></iframe></center><HR NOSHADE> <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/0910-26.html#dialogue"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.org/leftarrow.jpg" alt="arrow pointing left" border="0" width="75" height="11"><BR>Older comments</A></TD><TD ALIGN="center"VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="54%" class="fonta"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.org/logo.gif" alt="UNKNOWN NEWS" width="150" height="31" border="0"></A><BR><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-02.html">Monday, Nov. 2, 2009</A></TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="23%" class="fonta"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/0911-09.html#dialogue"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/rightarrow.jpg" alt="arrow pointing right" border="0" height="10" width="75"><BR>Newer comments</A></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><center><HR NOSHADE width="535">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; <HR NOSHADE width="535"></center><BR> <A NAME=thanksmore></A><center><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="300" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"> <center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/support-wide.html" width="600" height="550" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center></TD></TR></TABLE></center> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="2%" class="fonty">&nbsp; </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="96%" class="fonty"> © &nbsp;Helen & Harry Highwater and the individual contributors. </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><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="5" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonttnr">&nbsp;</TD> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="310" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="font14"> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="300" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="48%" 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" border=1> <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" border=1> <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" border=1> <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" border=1> <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" border=1><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" border=1> <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" border=1> <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" border=1> <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" border=1> </form> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="middle" WIDTH="52%" 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>&nbsp; <A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.twitter.com/unknownnews"><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/twitter.jpg" alt="Follow us on Twitter" border="1" width="54" height="54"></A> </TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=casualties-box></A> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="290" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" bgcolor=black WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"> <iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/casualtieslog.html" width="100%" height="115" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe> </TD></TR></TABLE> <A NAME=today></A><A NAME=wdwb></A><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="295" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="300" bgcolor=white class="fonta">Like the URL says, this website is about unknown news.&nbsp; We try to track news that merits more attention, only 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="295" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" bgcolor=white WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><center><B>You can help</b></center><BR> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If the news frustrates or angers you, please, find a group, plan a picket, and become an <I>active</i> activist. These are some of the key groups we're involved with&nbsp;...<BR><BR> <center><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></center><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="220" border=1><TR> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" 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<BR>the Right-wing's&nbsp;lies</A><BR><BR></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="3%" class="fonty"> </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="middle" 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/page/blueamerica08"><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/page/blueamerica08">Act<BR>Blue</A><BR><BR> </TD></TR></TABLE> </TD><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="7%" class="fonty"> </TD></TR></TABLE> <BR>... but you should join a group that cares about the issues you care about. If you can't your find the group you want to join, you can <A HREF="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/140535&referer=brief_results">organize that group yourself</a>. Yes, you really can. <BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Also, it sounds hokey and futile, but it can actually help if you <A HREF="http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml"><b>contact your elected officials.</b></A> We recommend sending a post card &mdash; emails and petitions are too easy to ignore, and letters to politicians are often held for weeks for x-rays and security screenings. The brevity of a post card forces you to make your point concisely, makes it more likely your message will be read, and makes a quicker and often deeper impression, especially amidst the daily flood of emails and form letters every member of Congress receives.<BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As for our work on the website, we try <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="72" align="right"><tr><td class="fonty" vAlign="top" align="right" width="100%"><BR><img src="http://www.unknownnews.net/begging.jpg" border="0" width="62" height="110"></td></tr></table> not to whine too much or too loudly, but we are poor and this site eats a lot of time and especially <I>money</I>. 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><BR><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">www.jrmooneyham.com</A> </TD></TR></TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE></center></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=height></A> <A NAME=cops></A><A NAME=cops-box></A><!-- =cops= --><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/policelog.html" width="295" height="1800" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="auto" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="375" bgcolor=blue class="fontbox"><TABLE CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff" class="fontsm"><I>Scroll down or click for more&nbsp;</I><BR><A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/cops.html"><B>unknownnews.org/cops.html</B></A>&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE></td></tr></table><BR> <A NAME=debunk></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" class="fonta"><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/debunk-frame.html" width="295" height="1800" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="auto" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="375" bgcolor=black class="fontbox"><TABLE CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff" class="fontsm"><I>Scroll down or click for more&nbsp;</I><BR><A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/debunk.html"><B>unknownnews.org/debunk.html</B></A>&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE></td></tr></table><BR> <A NAME=oldnews></A><A NAME=unymhm></A><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" bgcolor="#eeeeee" WIDTH="100%" class="fonty"><TABLE CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="center" VALIGN="center" WIDTH="100%" BGcolor="#eeeeee" class="fonty"><center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/oldnews-frame.html" width="295" height="1800" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="auto" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="295" bgcolor=darkred class="fontbox"><TABLE CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR><TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor="#ffffff" class="fontsm"><I>Scroll down or click for more&nbsp;</I><BR><A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/oldnews.html"><B>unknownnews.org/oldnews.html</B></A>&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr></table><BR> <TABLE CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="295" border=0><TR> <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="100%" bgcolor=white 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>&nbsp;&nbsp;Links in <FONT COLOR=red><B>red</B></FONT> are not safe for work, and<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;links in <FONT COLOR=magenta><B>pink</B></FONT> include audio and/or video.<center><iframe src="http://www.unknownnews.org/myslinks.html" width="295" height="225" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><DIV align="right"><A HREF="http://www.unknownnews.org/mysterylinks.html">... more mystery links</A>&nbsp;</div></TD></TR></TABLE><BR> <A NAME=introduction></a><TABLE CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="8" WIDTH="295" border=1><TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="300" bgcolor=white class="fonta"> <B><I>If you're new to Unknown News,</I></B>&nbsp; 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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="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="1800" 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="1800" 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; 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