A CHANGE IN OUR SCHEME FOR REPORTING ON RELEVANT CRUSTAL AND VOLCANIC ACTIVITIES

http://www.huttoncommentaries.com/ECNews/ECN1.html


Informant: V

May 1: May Day Rally for Jobs, Not War - Bring the Troops Home Now!

Union Square 1 pm

Join us May 1 to say, "Jobs, Not War!" Thousands of working people, trade unionists, veterans, youth, and antiwar activists will take to the streets on May Day--International Workers Day--to demand jobs, housing, and education, not war and occupation.

http://www.TroopsOutNow.org


On March 19, thousands of activists, students, veterans, and community organizers joined in a historic march from Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park to Central Park to demand an end to the illegal occupation of Iraq.

The turnout for this demonstration confirms that the antiwar movement has entered into a new phase of organizing against the war. It confirms that the greatest attention must be paid to reaching out to communities most impacted by the war and by the policies of the Bush Administration. These communities are the targets of the budget cuts. They are also targeted by military recruiters, who exploit economic hardship with false promises of opportunity. As a result, the children of these communities are dying disproportionately in Iraq, paying the ultimate price for a policy of greed and empire.


Next Step: May Day

On May 1 the Troops Out Now Coalition and the NYC Million Worker March are calling for a Jobs, Not War! - Bring the Troops Home Now! rally in Union Square, NYC.

May Day grew out of the struggle of working people in this country more than 100 years ago for an 8-hour workday with a full day's pay. All over the world, working and poor people march on May Day to send the message that workers are united and have the right to a job, a living wage, health care, housing and education. Workers have a right to pensions and social security. Immigrant workers and the unemployed should have the same rights. On May Day 2005, let's bring back that fighting spirit.

This is an important opportunity to link the struggle against the war with the struggle for jobs, healthcare, and education here at home.

Now, more than ever, the antiwar movement needs to be in the streets to oppose the Bush Administration's agenda of endless war. Two years ago, George W. Bush took the U.S. into war under the pretense that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Now, his Administration is claiming that Iran and North Korea possess weapons of mass destruction. It is important that we expose any talk of removing the threat of nuclear weapons as just another justification for a pre-emptive war against the people of Iran and Korea.

As the Bush Administration gears up for new military adventures, working people at home are under attack, as budgets for education, housing, and healthcare are slashed, the cost of living rises, and jobs are disappearing.

For more than 100 years, May Day has been a day for working people to be in the streets, united in the struggle for jobs, healthcare, and housing. Join us in the streets, May 1 in Union Square!


What you can do:

1) Endorse the May 1 Rally: http://www.troopsoutnow.org/may1endorse.html

2) Help get the word out. Download flyers at
http://troopsoutnow.org/literature.html

3) Donate: http://www.troopsoutnow.org/donate.html

4) Organize transportation from your area:
http://www.troopsoutnow.org/volunteer.html

Pass It On: Bolton In His Own Words

by StopBolton.org

Listen to Bush's nominee for U.N. ambassador as he shows just how little he cares for international institutions:

http://www.stopbolton.org/bolton_ad_lg.wmv


Source: http://www.tompaine.com/index.php#passiton

by Mark Trahant, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The latest numbers on the economy show Bush's America to be increasingly unequal and unsustainable.

http://www.tompaine.com/opinion/?dateid=20050405#004337

http://prisonplanet.com/articles/april2005/040405powerelite.htm


Informant: Our bill of rights

Prison Planet | April 5 2005
http://prisonplanet.com/index.html

From a reader.....

This weekend I watched "The Final Cut" with Robin Williams. I don't remember this movie when it was released in theaters but I was surprised that I haven't seen or heard anything about it until now.

From the film's website:

"A Zoe Chip is placed in your brain at birth to record your entire life. When you die the footage from your life is edited into a "Rememory" - a film shown at your funeral pieced together by an editor. A toy for the privileged, Zoe Chips are changing the face of human interaction, but there are those who are against this emerging technology, and believe that memories are meant to fade."

As you can conclude from the above synopsis this film is propaganda for the coming implantable chip (Verichip?). It also makes it a point to paint the Zoe chip protesters as "religious crazies".

http://www.finalcutfilm.com/

'The Final Cut' - More Hollywood NWO Propaganda
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/april2005/050405finalcut.htm


Informant: Our bill of rights

e-Mail: information@soziale-bewegung.de Telefon: 0341-463 99 79; Fax: 0341-463 99 78, Internet: http://www.soziale-bewegung.de/Aktionen.htm

Am 7. März 2005 hat unsere Bedarfsgemeinschaft, bestehend aus mir und meiner Partnerin einen Fortzahlungsantrag auf Arbeitslosengeld II bei der Agentur für Arbeit gestellt. Ich bin Langzeitarbeitsloser, meine Partnerin Dialysepatientin und EU- Rentnerin.

Am Freitag 1. April hätte ich regulär Arbeitslosengeld II erhalten müssen. Der gestellte Antrag war jedoch gar nicht bearbeitet worden, folglich hatte ich noch keinen Arbeitslosengeld-II-Bescheid; also kein Geld, weder für den Lebensunterhalt noch für die Miete.

Meine Partnerin, die mit ihrer Rente für meinen Lebensunterhalt mit aufkommen muss, bekam daraufhin Existenzängste. Außerdem war es für sie nicht einsehbar, dass sie für die Unfähigkeit der Agentur nun bestraft wird.

Deshalb begab sie sich am Vormittag auf das Sozialamt, welches für Rentner zuständig ist, um nachzufragen, was jetzt passieren muss, damit wenigstens das Geld für die Miete gezahlt wird. Mein Vermieter will die Miete nämlich immer pünktlich haben. Im Sozialamt bekam sie aber nur zu hören: „Uns interessiert ihre Miete nicht und im Übrigen sind sie ein Schmarotzer der Gesellschaft, genau wie ihr asozialer Partner“. Da geriet sie offensichtlich in Panik und in einer Art Kurzschlusshandlung schnitt sie sich auf dem Sozialamt die Pulsadern auf. Sie wurde ins Parkkrankenhaus gebracht. Erst am Nachmittag teilte mir das Sozialamt in unverschämter Weise mit: “Wir haben ihre Partnerin zwangseinweisen lassen“, ohne auch nur im geringsten mitzuteilen, was geschehen war. Am Abend erfuhr ich dann im Krankenhaus, was wirklich geschehen war.

Am Montag den 4. April ging ich dann gegen 8:00 Uhr zur Agentur für Arbeit. Ich hatte mir geschworen, ich gehe nicht ohne Geld aus dem Amt. „Bewaffnet“ mit einem Schreiben des Bundesbeauftragten für den Datenschutz, dem Grundgesetz, dem BGB und der Visitenkarte eines Anwaltes setzte ich mich um 9. 00 Uhr in das Zimmer der Bearbeiterin. Im Amt angekommen sagte ich: „Ich verlasse die Agentur für Arbeit erst, wenn ich meinen ALG-II-Bescheid und Geld erhalten habe. Ich verweise auf Artikel 34 des Grundgesetzes und im Zweifelsfall rufe ich meinen Anwalt an. Die Polizei können sie gern holen. Im Knast brauche ich nämlich kein Geld“. Die Polizei wurde nicht geholt, aber ein Ordner der Agentur setzte sich ganz dicht neben mich. Ich kam mir vor wie ein Untersuchungshäftling. Die Bearbeiterin sagte dann: „Sie sind in Widerspruch gegen ihren vorherigen Bescheid gegangen und da haben wir keine Akten, folglich können sie kein Geld bekommen“. Ich konterte: „1. habe ich ein Widerspruchsrecht. 2. Hat der erste Bescheid nichts mit dem zweiten zu tun. Und 3. Ist die drei Monate Bearbeitungsfrist für meinen ersten Widerspruch längst überschritten, weswegen ich dazu schon eine entsprechende Untätigkeitsklage beim Sozialgericht eingereicht habe und nun schweige ich und warte bis ich den Bescheid und das mir zustehende Geld bekomme.“ Man versuchte dann einige plumpe Provokationen gegen mich. Ich schwieg aber beharrlich.

Gegen 13 Uhr kam dann die Wende: „Wir kommen Ihnen entgegen und bearbeiten den Vorgang, denn die Akten haben wir nun doch gefunden. Wir sind ja kulant.“ – Blanker Zynismus. Gegen 14 Uhr hatte ich einen Bescheid und eine Barauszahlung der vollen Leistung für den April.

Meine Partnerin wurde am 6. April aus dem Krankenhaus entlassen. Es ist ein Skandal, wie man uns in unbedachte Handlungen treibt, wie Strafgefangene und Aussätzige behandelt und uns obendrein noch die paar Euro, welche zum Leben nicht reichen, streitig macht.

[Der Text wurde für die Veröffentlichung als Handzettel anonymisiert und der Ort des Geschehens weggelassen.]

Bitte sendet uns Eure Berichte an: information@soziale-bewegung.de
Viele von denen, die noch beschäftigt sind, glauben nicht, was derzeit passiert.

Click here to watch now!
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/your_moment.html

Watch an inspiring 60 second video spot promoting the work and vision of The Peace Alliance and the Department of Peace Campaign .

Help spread the word!
Forward this email to anyone who might be interested in learning more. http://www.ThePeaceAlliance.org/your_moment.html

Spot written and produced by Adam Klugman. -- Thank you!
Flash animation by Eric Blumrich.

05.04.05

Der Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), Landwirte und Imker haben davor gewarnt, das Gentechnikgesetz weiter zu verwässern. Nachdem bereits der öffentliche Zugang zum Standortregister eingeschränkt worden sei, drohe nun bei den Verhandlungen zwischen Bundesrat und Bundestag zum Gentechnikgesetz Teil zwei auch noch die Aufweichung der Haftungsregeln. Landwirte und Bienenzüchter befürchten große finanzielle Einbußen durch den Einsatz der Gentechnik in der Agrarwirtschaft.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:

http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=10814

April 4, 2005

Despite the U.S. Senate's recent vote to include Arctic drilling in its budget resolution, our fight to save the Arctic Refuge is far from over.

In the weeks to come, there will be many more opportunities for you to take action to stop this assault on America's greatest wildlife refuge.

In the meantime, the NRDC Action Fund is hard at work exploding many of the myths that the oil lobby and the Bush administration are trying to sell Congress and the American people. First and foremost is their claim that drilling in the Arctic Refuge would disturb only 2,000 acres of wildlife habitat in the 1.5-million-acre coastal plain.

Check out the map below to see for yourself why oil development could easily industrialize and despoil the entire expanse of this irreplaceable sanctuary for wildlife. Clicking on the map will take you to a larger map and a fuller explanation on the Action Fund website.

While you're at the website, you can help spread the word about this mortal threat to the Arctic Refuge by forwarding a message from Robert Redford to your friends, family and colleagues. We need to mobilize an army of concerned people for the fight ahead.

The Senate's approval of a budget resolution is just the first round in what promises to be a drawn-out battle. To complete its raid on the Arctic, both houses of Congress must now agree on both a budget resolution and a budget reconciliation bill -- something they have been unable to do in recent years due to controversies over deficit spending and other issues.

The NRDC Action Fund will be fighting at every step of the way to prevent passage of any final budget agreement that includes Arctic drilling. I know we can count on you to stand with us.

Sincerely,

John H. Adams
NRDC Action Fund

To view a full size map and complete explanation, please click on the map below:
http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/arcticmap.asp

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050404085711742
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1451100,00.html


From ECOTERRA Intl.

http://tinyurl.com/4o856

--------

Accusations and Smear

An Interview with Professor Ward Churchill (Part 1 of 5)

by Joshua Frank

Ward Churchill is a professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and recently came under fire for an article he wrote following September 11, 2001 titled, "Some Push Back." He is also the author of numerous books, including On the Justice of Roosting Chickens and A Little Matter of Genocide. Churchill recently sat down with Joshua Frank to discuss his ordeal, and this is the first part of their five-part interview....

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Sept05/Frank0919.htm

Olympic National Forest Begins Ramping Up Timber Sale Volume, Proposes to Log Mount Walker and Surrounding Area

The Forest Service proposed on March 22, 2005 to initiate a huge timber sale on Mount Walker, Mount Turner, and Rocky Brook Valley in the Northeast section of the Olympic National Forest. Known as the Jackson Thin, this sale would encompass up to 3,200 acres. The sale would additionally entail up to 9 miles of new logging road construction – much of it on Mount Walker, a popular destination for hikers, sightseers, and their families. How we wish this was merely an April Fools’ joke, but it’s serious as a bad case of stomach flu.

The Forest Service claims the project would thin the forest in such a way that would “accelerate” the development of old-growth characteristics. But this is like cutting a long-distance runner’s arms off in a foolhardy attempt to reduce her wind resistance. Much of the forest targeted for thinning, including that found on Mounts Walker and Turner, has been growing without interference since a late-19th century fire. It now sports big trees and irreplaceable wildlife habitat, and is within only a few decades of becoming genuine old growth all on its own – without any help from Forest Service bureaucrats. If chainsaws and bulldozers are allowed in these native forests, their maturation and beauty will be set back dramatically.

This is the beginning of the Olympic National Forest’s desire, discussed publicly several times over the past year, to increase the timber volume level three times over what has been allowed in the Northwest Forest Plan. The long, dark shadow of George W. Bush is being cast on Olympic National Forest.

We can’t allow this to happen. The Jackson Thin is still in its early stages of planning, so it’s critical that interested folks weigh in and contribute their opinions now. The Forest Service must hear from a broad spectrum of people that their plans are completely unacceptable.

We all know that Olympic National Forest is one of the crown jewels of the Great Northwest, so it’s high time the Forest Service started managing it that way.

Talking points when communicating with the Forest Service:

· Olympic National Forest already has over 2,000 miles of decaying logging roads. No more logging roads should be built, even if the Forest Service’s public relations machine falsely calls them “temporary” roads. Enough is enough!

· The Forest Service should stay out of century-old forest stands, like those found on Mount Walker and Mount Turner. These forests are maturing and diversifying naturally, and will only be wrecked by cutting out thousands of their trees and slicing them up with new logging roads.

Thank you! Direct your comments, no later than April 21, to:

Yewah Lau
Olympic National Forest
1835 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Suite A
Olympia, WA 98512
(360) 956-2402
comments-pacificnorthwest-olympic-hoodcanal@fs.fed.us

To see a copy of the Forest Service’s scoping letter on Jackson Thin,
click below.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/projects-nu/jackson-thinning/jackson-scoping-letter2.pdf


Informant: Deane

Another environmental watchdog in China bares its fangs as Singapore-based logging giant APP is hit with charges of unlawful tree clearing. A student protest in China has also targetted supermarkets stocking APP products

http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=3614

The State Forestry Administration has taken official action against the company and its operations in the south-western province of Yunnan.

"The investigation is not finished yet, but we have indeed spotted illegal logging in an APP project after initial investigation. We believe that both APP and local governments are responsible for the violation," Wang Zhuxiong, a senior SFA official told the official newsagency Xinhua.

The news comes in the wake of a damning report by Greenpeace on the company’s tree felling practices in Yunnan, which was released last November. The environmental group claims that APP sequestered a 1.8 million acre plot in, intensively clear-felled it and replaced it with plantation crops.

Greenpeace says this is an example of APP’s “international record of illegal logging” and is evidence that it is “repeating its traditional practice of clearing natural forest for plantations in Yunnan.

Despite the fact that the company signed an understanding with provincial authorities, Greenpeace claims that there is no felling permit and that APP’s operations violate China’s Forestry Law.

APP was quoted in a Xinhua article as saying the company only targeted wasteland.

Similarly, the company’s relationship with environmental group WWF in Indonesia eventually dissolved on the basis of similar disagreements over what is “degraded” forest and thus open for logging, and what is wilderness and thus off-limits.

An APP spokesperson in China contacted by Ethical Corporation referred us to an earlier statement which outlined the company’s environmental approach.

The statement argues that the company has been pushing for a “forest-pulp-paper integration” scheme which, they argue “ensures that we have full control over the entire paper-making process – from the planting of trees for sustainable raw materials to the use of eco-friendly technology for processing pulp and paper.”

The statement also says the company has invested in a range of technologies to reduce environmental impacts.

“We share the same objective as those who are concerned for the environment – to protect our habitat, the earth. At the same time, we recognise that the only way to protect our natural resources and benefit the community is through a sustainable economic model,” it says.

No direct reference is made to the pending legal action.

Environmental shift

The case highlights a shift in environmental consciousness in China.

At a general level, it is evidence that the government appears prepared to allow environmental NGOs some leeway to target both foreign and local companies, as well as local government officials.

The enormous increase in numbers of conservation groups in the country looks to have been encouraged by Beijing authorities who perhaps see these groups as acting as the sharp edge of environmental reforms, which many in the government are keen to pursue.

In this way, green groups in China may be emerging as de facto environmental regulators, highlighting problems and spotting trouble areas, whilst not sapping government resources.

At a more specific level, the case may be the first example of a foreign company being taken to court on environmental grounds, says Xinhua. While no action has yet been served on the company, commentators are watching closely as it may become a foundation for company-government relations in regard to environmental sustainability.

If charged and convicted, APP operatives face harsh punishment. Under Chinese law, illegal deforestation carries a maximum seven year jail term.

At this stage, environmental officials are certainly talking up the case. "No violator will escape punishment when the investigation is finished," said Wang, deputy director of the Forest Resources Management Department under the SFA, at a national conference on cracking down on deforestation activities in Beijing.

The announcement comes as a mass student protest in China stage a Day of Action in six cities to call on the company to cease their “destructive logging practices”, according to a statement.

The students will be boycotting APP products and will be asking companies to follow. Protestors took up positions in front of supermarket shelves featuring APP products in Beijing, Hefei, Nanning, Lanzhou, Harbin and Chengdu. Passing shoppers were told of the company’s forestry operations in Yunnan and elsewhere.

However, many environmentalists are approaching the possibility that China may be tidying up its timber industry with some caution.

While such cases as this may indicate a strengthening of legislation, many are concerned that the country’s industry is simply exporting the problems elsewhere by buying in lumber from countries such as Russia or Indonesia, where environmental standards are limited and from where illegal wood smuggling is common.

Write to James Rose at James.Rose@ethicalcorp.com


Informant: Deane

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2004/05/31/story2.html

--------

360 million Chinese without safe drinking water, chronic urban shortages

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/138972/1/.html


Informant: Deborah Barrie

Veranstaltungshinweis

19. Nürnberger Mediengespräch

RFID-Chips: Werden Bürgerinnen und Bürger ausspioniert?
Peter Lokk im Gespräch mit padeluun vom Bielefelder Datenschutzverein FoeBuD e.V.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) sind winzige Chips mit Antenne, die eine eindeutige Seriennummer enthalten, die über Funk abgefragt werden kann. RFID-Etiketten sollen bei Industrie und Handel die Strichcodes ablösen und in Produkte eingearbeitet werden, beispielsweise in Kleidung. Sie können ohne Sichtkontakt aus einiger Entfernung ausgelesen werden. Es entstehen riesige Datenbanken mit Bewegungsprofilen. Datenschützer befürchten eine neue Dimension von Überwachung, Kontrolle und Manipulation.


Ort, Zeit:

Nürnberger Bildungszentrum
Gewerbemuseumsplatz 1, 90403 Nürnberg
8. April 2005, 19.00 bis 21.00 Uhr, Eintritt frei!

Auskunft erteilt:
Peter Lokk
Tel. 089 1675106 (Montag, Dienstag)
Tel. 0911 2315821 (Mittwoch, Donnerstag)

Eine Aussendung von:

FoeBuD e.V. c/o Art d'Ameublement, Marktstr. 18, D-33602 Bielefeld
Tel: 0521-175254, Fax: 0521-61172, http;//www.foebud.org


Großer Lauschangriff, Schnüffelchips, Videoüberwachung
Da kann man kann ja doch nichts gegen machen? Irrtum.

bY CHRIS MILLS

12:00 - 05 April 2005

Anti-phone mast campaigners have reacted with disappointment to a Government announcement promising more research into the future development of base stations. A short statement was issued late last night by Planning Minister Yvette Cooper promising the commissioning of "more research into the future development of mobile phone mast networks".

The research will look at the potential for increasing sharing of mast sites between the major phone companies.

National planning chiefs will also look at the effectiveness of the Sitefinder database which is supposed to list all base stations in the UK and their emission levels.

Planning Minister Yvette Cooper said: "It is important to identify the future direction of mobile phone technology in order to inform policy development and to respond to public interest in this area."

The Echo revealed earlier this year how the number of masts nationwide had doubled to more than 50,000 since 2001 when the Stewart Report was published recommending the adoption of a "precautionary principle".

Jenny Wright, who has led a campaign against two masts within 100 metres of her home near Broadclyst, said: "If they stop putting the masts on top of our homes, schools and hospitals, then they can share whatever sites they want.

"I'm sure the Government has only come out with this because of the election."

This is Exeter

5/4/05

A massive vote-rigging scandal by agents of the ruling political party in Britain has been exposed.

An extensive and systematic fraud was carried out during the last year's election by agents of Prime Minister Tony Blair's political party, the "Labour Party", involving "intimidation", "bribery", "vote-buying", impersonation", and a "vote-forging factory" and even the burning of opposition votes.

The British government routinely criticises elections in certain foreign countries in their diplomatic black-list, although like the USA the UK turns a blind-eye to electoral fraud when it occurs under client regimes.

The British mass media declared the recent election recent in Zimbabwe a fraud, citing opposition leaders and official British and American sources, but failed to explain why or provide any evidence.

In any Weststern democracy the system prevents ordinary people from obtaining power by ensuring that only candidates who are either extremely wealthy or backed by an established political party stand any chance of winning.

http://www.theinsider.org/mailing/article.asp?id=1085

Cohre - "Center on Housing Rights And Evictions" - hat eine ausführliche (englische) Dokumentation vorgelegt, die eine Gesamtbilanz der Stadtplanungs- und Vertreibungspolitik (neudeutsch: Segregation) von der Gründung der Stadt bis heute darstellt. Sie zeigt, neben vielem anderen, das sich die Situation der Armen in der Stadt nicht verändert hat - auch die Argumente der Stadtplaner kaum: Zuviel Müll, zu gefährlich, keine Reparatur möglich, es muss neu gebaut werden. Eine Lektion - auch in Sachen Politik "progressiver" Regierungen. Und auch für von gar nicht progressiven Regierungen Betroffenen, wie etwa in Hartz-County. Die Dokumentation "Any Room for the Poor? - Forced Evictions in Johannesburg" vom 17.Februar 2005 bei Cohre:
http://www.cohre.org/downloads/ffm-johannesburg-lo.pdf


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 24, Eintrag 2

by Stephen Moore

Heartland Institute

04/05

You know that fiscal sanity has flown south for the winter when Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy are throwing eggs at the Republicans for their budgetary recklessness. Kennedy has been on a tirade about how George Bush took a $200 billion budget surplus and converted it into a $400 billion deficit. President Bush released his 2006 budget of the United States government on February 7. Bush requested just over $2.6 trillion in spending. That's $2,600,000,000,000. If a Democrat proposed a budget this size, Republican fiscal hawks would squawk to the rafters of the Capitol Dome in protest. This is more money than the federal government spent in its first 120 years combined!

http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16780


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

by Paul Craig Roberts

CounterPunch

04/04/05

The opposition party does not oppose. The Bush administration has given Democrats more opportune targets than President Clinton's sexcapade with Monica Lewinski provided Republicans. But the Democrats are too weak to capitalize on the political opportunities. The failures of Democrats and Republicans offer chances to libertarians. But libertarians are politically impotent. Their ideology and abstract commitments are perceived as taking precedence over the wellbeing of their fellow citizens...

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts04042005.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

by Mark Leon Goldberg

The American Prospect

04/04/05

By now, John Bolton's crass assessment of the utility of 10 floors of the UN building in New York is well known. Known, too, is his disdain for the very idea of international law and his dealings with foreign agents. Indeed, in his decades in and out of public service and think tankdom, he has developed a reputation as one of Washington's less diplomatic figures. ... The challenge for Democrats is to prove Bolton's radicalism. ... But Bolton has fought this battle before. In Bush's first term, he narrowly won confirmation as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security. ... If he wins confirmation this time around, it will likely be because he's able to convince the moderate Republicans that ... he'll serve only as a steward of Bush's agenda at the United Nations and will not pursue his own agenda. And that may just work, for he's hoodwinked the committee with that line before...

http://www.prospect.org/web/view-web.ww?id=9437


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

by Irwin M. Stelzer

The Weekly Standard

04/04/05

Because we have to borrow from overseas to finance our appetite for imports, foreigners now hold 45 percent of all Treasury IOUs, some $2 trillion in Treasury bonds and notes. Which brings us to China. The increasingly belligerent foreign policy of the Chinese regime, including warnings to Australia about its American alliance, and stepped-up threats to Taiwan, has set nerves jangling in Washington, and focused geopolitical types on an issue that has until now concerned only trade experts. America's trade deficit with China hit $162 billion last year, the largest ever recorded with a single country. As a result, China has vaults filled with America's IOUs...

http://tinyurl.com/4tosq


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

by W. James Antle III

The American Conservative

While some of the post-election chatter about values voters was exaggerated, the designation describes a real and growing electoral phenomenon. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly four out of five white evangelical Christians supported President Bush in 2004, representing more than a third of all ballots cast for him. When traditionalist Catholics and members of other conservative religious communities are factored in, it becomes clear that the voters usually lumped together under the banner of the Religious Right form the largest single constituency of today's Republican Party. As the euphoria from November begins to fade, however, some conservative Christians are starting to ask hardheaded questions about how much clout they are getting in return for their stalwart support... (for publication 04/11/05)

http://www.amconmag.com/2005_04_11/cover.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

by Melinda Pillsbury-Foster

Liberty For All

04/05/05

A growing number of Americans from all parties now believe that the recently past presidential election was, in fact, stolen. If that is true, and the evidence points to this conclusion, then it may be that America will never again have an election that allows Americans to truly change their government. It is not unreasonable to be frightened. Most Americans are uneasy. Libertarians, more aware than most, have confronted the problems of encroaching government for more than a generation now and the fruits of our labors in the vineyards of politics have been a scant and bitter harvest. What we have been doing did not work...

http://www.libertyforall.net/2005/april17/rebooting.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

by Scott Horton

AntiWar.Com

04/05/05

It is easy to be a cheerleader for empire. 'We're winning the War on Terror!' Many Americans apparently believe that the military will keep the rest of the world (which they see as inexplicably perturbed at us) at bay, and that we may continue pretending our choice of direction secures our long-term security. In the past, it may have been easy to imagine America and its Constitution lasting many more lifetimes, but it is becoming harder to suspend disbelief as the body count, price tag, and growing resentment wrought by our current adventures continue to mount. More Americans seem to be catching on. Empire weakens us. By definition, empire means overextension, dependence on the conquered, debt, taxes, and highly centralized power. None of these things are conducive to a lasting, limited republic. The 'father of the Constitution,' James Madison, said as much...

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/horton.php?articleid=5455


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Save this somewhere:
http://omega.twoday.net/files/truth_resource

Firms may be asked to share masts

New research is to be carried out into mobile phone technology, and the location and use of mobile phone masts, the government has announced.

A study will examine whether the number of cell phone "relay stations" can be reduced by firms having to share them.

Ministers are already reviewing the planning procedure for the masts.

The announcement follows several reports suggesting the masts may represent a health risk and a number of protests in areas where they are built.

Ofcom probe

In January scientists from the National Radiological Protection Board warned that young people were at greatest risk from the potentially-harmful health effects of mobile phone emissions.

Professor Sir William Stewart, who headed the study, said children under eight should not use mobile telephones at all.

The board also said more research could be done into mobile phone masts and suggested the location of the masts could be subject to independent review.

"It is important to identify the future direction of mobile phone technology in order to inform policy development and to respond to public interest in this area," Planning Minister Yvette Cooper said.

The study will assess whether Ofcom provides adequate information about current mast locations.

Other studies have highlighted the possible dangers of using mobile telephones.

A study by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden published last year concluded that long-term mobile phone users had nearly double the risk of getting a tumour on a nerve connecting the ear to the brain.

EU-funded research has found mobile phone radiation could damage DNA cells.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4411117.stm


Informant: Sylvie

Within the last two hours, a new ‘spike’ has registered on the Kp Index. This will be a good opportunity to see if “unusual” earthquake or volcanic activity occurs. I highlight “unusual” because anything else could be explained away as “nominal” and would most likely be correct.

So what would determine “unusual”? I would say geographical areas less likely to experience earthquakes. It could also be large or ‘mega’ quakes anywhere on Earth. It is really hard to say. This is going to be a difficult area of research to prove a 72 hour causal effect. But lets just see what happens in the next two days.

When it comes to volcanoes, this may be less cumbersome to discern. I would say a sudden and unexpected eruption such as what happened with Mount St. Helens on March 7th would qualify. I would also keep a close eye on active or semi-dormant super-volcanoes such as Toba, Yellowstone, and Long Valley .

This is area of research is so new, I would measure it in weeks and months, not years or decades. That’s right folks, you are witnessing the birth of a new area of study as it unfolds “live” and most cases in ‘real time’ as I interview the top minds in the field of solar weather and earth science. This could not be more exciting, and potentially most explosive.

So why now? Well I would have to state the most obvious. 1) It could be as simple as someone asking the right questions. Yes, just becoming aware of current events and asking why. And believe me folks, I am hot on the trail and will continue to do just that. 2) The reason may not only be asking the right questions, but what drew my attention to begin this line of research. This is to say there may in fact be something occurring in this very time that was not present before. As we all have learned, a galactic super wave or gamma ray burst occurred some 50,000 light years away which was so intense, when the wave hit the Earth’s magnetic field, the sky become brighter than the moon in the middle of the night.

Dr. Stefaan Poedts: ESA (European Space Agency) Lead Scientist on plasma astrophysics is one of the top scientists in the world in the area of galactic waves. His research is situated in the field of computational and nonlinear Magnetohydrodynamics with applications in 'solar astrophysics'. He is particularly interested in MHD (magnetic hydro dynamics) wave dynamics (generation, propagation, and dissipation) of coronal loops, coronal holes, galactic and extra-galactic jets, and galactic and accretion disks and in the nonlinear dynamics of Coronal Mass Ejections and super-fast magnetized flows around comets, moons, and planets and the MHD shock interactions in such flows (related to space weather and earth science).

As you heard ‘live’ in my interview on the ECTV ‘Radio Hour’, Dr. Poedts supports my premise of a possible connection between a ‘spike’ in the Kp Index and its possible corraltion to seismic or volcanic activity. He goes further in suggesting it could be some sort of cosmic influence interaction with the Earth’s core.

Now lets take a look at it from a more ‘esoteric’ or metaphysical perspective.

Mahala , one of our contributing editors we host on our “Earth Astrology” page said the following:

“The energies have been really different since the tsunami last December. Could this change in energy have to do with the gamma ray burst that happened just 44.6 hours after the tsunami? This gamma ray burst was 100 times more intense than any burst that had been previously recorded, equaling the brightness of the full Moon. This burst originated from SGR1806-2 which is a neutron star and is located about 10 degrees northeast of the Galactic center and about 45,000 light years from us. In Paul LaViolette's book titled Earth Under Fire he presents evidence that a strong gravity wave might be expected to travel forward in front of a galactic superwave and would be the first to arrive here. He points out that such gravity waves could induce substantial tidal forces on Earth during their passage that could induce earthquakes and cause polar axis torquing effects. Isn't that exactly what happened on December 26, 2004? There could also have been other events associated with that quake.

We are still reeling from the effects of that Gamma Ray Burst. That burst hit the moon first, and then it bounced off and hit the Earth's ionosphere, which caused it to light up. This burst was very high frequency energy and the Earth is still shaking and quaking from it. On December 26, there were 17 major 6 and 7 point earthquakes recorded. By December 27, about 30 quakes were recorded, not only in the Sumatra area, but all over the world, and it's still quaking.

From ECTV/Breaking News

And so, that's exactly what we're doing!

Thanks to our supporters, this week we're running the largest television ad campaign in our history to drop the hammer on Congressional corruption. Our new TV ad runs this week for hundreds of thousands of households full of Tom "the Hammer" DeLay's own constituents and colleagues -- and it's already building the groundswell of support needed for Congress to finally wash its hands of Tom DeLay!

The ad was a huge hit last week when it rolled out for national and local media. It was aired and discussed on major TV shows (including CNN's 'Crossfire' and 'Inside Politics', Fox News' 'The Big Story', and PBS's 'Lehrer News Hour'), scores of newspapers (like The New York Times, Washington Post, Houston Chronicle and USA Today), and some of the nation's most popular blogs (including MyDD.com, AmericaBLOG.com and TalkingPointsMemo.com).

The ad's news coverage alone exposed the real face of Tom DeLay to millions of Americans, and has already opened up a greatly needed public discussion on the corruption now tolerated among the Republican leadership. Check out all of the great media coverage here:

http://action.ourfuture.org/ctt.asp?u=1742757&l=86202

The political fallout from the ad's debut is already making waves. According to a recent Zogby poll, support for DeLay has "slipped drastically" in his very conservative Texas district. [1] And House Republicans, like Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT), are beginning to openly question moral integrity of DeLay -- their appointed leader. Democrats too, like Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), have broken the silence and started to publicly challenge DeLay.

Together, we've launched an assault that will ultimately leave Tom DeLay scrambling for his leadership position. And, we don't plan to let up.

The battle to purge Congress of DeLay's leadership is far from over. DeLay has assembled a powerful group of radical right wing lobbyists and spin doctors to defend his corruption and protect his power. In the coming days -- as our ad continues to run throughout Houston and Washington -- we will confront their attempts to counter the overwhelming evidence of DeLay's corruption. And next week, we will announce our next offensive -- now in the works. Stay tuned...

http://action.ourfuture.org/ctt.asp?u=1742757&l=86214

Thank you again,

Ellen S. Miller, Deputy Director
Campaign for America's Future


[1] Levine, Samantha & Stinebaker, Joe. "DeLay is losing support, poll finds." Houston Chronicle. April 3, 2005. (http://action.ourfuture.org/ctt.asp?u=1742757&l=86215)

Sitting in Saddam Hussein's palace they can stare over the parapets but that is as much as most will ever see of Iraq

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article8448.htm

Classified documents show the former US military chief in Iraq personally sanctioned measures banned by the Geneva Conventions.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article8446.htm

One of the biggest private security firms in Iraq has created outrage after a memo to staff claimed it is 'fun' to shoot people.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article8449.htm

An alcoholic cousin of an aide to Ahmed Chalabi has emerged as the key source in the US rationale for going to war in Iraq. According to a US presidential commission looking into pre-war intelligence failures.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article8456.htm

Savaged by dogs, Electrocuted With Cattle Prods, Burned By Toxic Chemicals, Does such barbaric abuse inside U.S. jails explain the horrors that were committed in Iraq?

By Deborah Davies

They are just some of the victims of wholesale torture taking place inside the U.S. prison system that we uncovered during a four-month investigation for BBC Channel 4 . It’s terrible to watch some of the videos and realise that you’re not only seeing torture in action but, in the most extreme cases, you are witnessing young men dying.

Warning this video contains images and descriptions of violent and degrading treatment, which may distress some viewers.

Click here to watch this documentary. Windows Media.
http://informationclearinghouse.info/article8451.htm

http://www.mind-trek.com/practicl/tl16a.htm


Informant: Tim White

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/11153908.htm

Posted on Wed, Mar. 16, 2005

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A divided federal appeals court on Wednesday reinstated five lawsuits claiming that the cell phone industry has failed to protect consumers from unsafe levels of radiation.

The class-action lawsuits seek to force cell phone manufacturers to provide headsets, which they say could reduce risks of brain tumors. They also seek punitive damages.

The lawsuits originally were filed in state courts in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia and Louisiana but were consolidated and transferred to federal court in Baltimore.

Judge Catherine Blake dismissed the lawsuits last March, ruling that federal standards regulating wireless phones -- including uniform national limits on radiation emissions -- pre-empt the state law claims.

A panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Blake's ruling in a 2-1 decision. Four of the cases were returned to state courts and one to federal district court for further proceedings.

Several studies have found no adverse health effects from cell phones.

Omega: but there are many studies which found health effects:
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

Among plaintiffs' claims were that the industry's actions violated various state laws on consumer protection, product liability, implied warranty, negligence, fraud and civil conspiracy.

``We have thoroughly examined the claims ... and one thing is clear: the elements of each of the claims depend only on the resolution of questions of state law,'' Judge M. Blane Michael wrote in the majority opinion, which was joined by Judge Michael Luttig.

Judge Jackson L. Kiser dissented, saying the claims require the courts to explore the adequacy of the Federal Communications Commission's radiation emission standards.

``It is well-settled that a suit to invalidate a federal regulation arises under federal law,'' Kiser wrote. ``... This thinly disguised attack on the validity of the FCC standards raises a substantial federal question.''

Neither Michael R. Allweiss, lawyer for the plaintiffs, nor cell phone industry attorney Kenneth W. Starr immediately returned phone calls seeking comment.


Informant: Ingrid Scherrmann

Study:
http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/30219/story.htm

http://www.sundayherald.com/48867


Informant: NHNE

04/02/05

It is simply not true that the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq was the result of 'bad intelligence.' In the most significant sense, that decision had nothing at all to do with the quality of the intelligence they were getting. The decision was one of policy -- a decision that depended 'not upon available facts but upon judgment.' As the Star-Tribune editorial points out, the Clinton administration had virtually the same intelligence -- yet came to a different conclusion altogether with regard to the proper course of action. But this tactic serves an important purpose: it passes blame off to another party, and in effect lets the administration off the hook. The administration thus hopes to insulate itself from examination, criticism and accountability. It's as if the administration is saying: 'The intelligence made us do it.'"


http://coldfury.com/reason/?p=322

from The Light of Reason, by Arthur Silber


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

04/03/05

After 46 years in the U.S. Senate -- including a 12-year stint as Democratic leader -- Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia sees himself as its protector and defender, a guardian of its history and traditions. A co-author of a four-volume tome of Senate history, Byrd, 87, comes to work each day with a tiny leather-bound copy of the Constitution in his left breast pocket. 'I've forgotten more about the rules and procedures than most senators will ever know,' he said last week. When lawmakers resume work Monday, the Senate is headed for a showdown over a Republican-led drive to end the minority Democrats' use of the filibuster in blocking President Bush's judicial nominees...

http://tinyurl.com/3oy5e

from Houston Chronicle


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

04/03/05

A new organization created to defeat President Bush's plans for Social Security intends to open a television ad campaign this week depicting the proposal as the tip of an iceberg that will cut benefits and raise the national debt. Erik Smith, a spokeman for ProtectYourCheck.org, said the group will spend nearly $1 milion to show the commercial on cable stations nationally over the next three weeks. Other ads will follow on broadcast stations, he said, aimed at individual lawmakers of both parties. The new organization is the latest entry into what has become something of an extention of last year's presidential campaign...

http://tinyurl.com/44ngw

from USA Today


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

04/02/05

Montana lawmakers overwhelmingly passed what its sponsor called the nation's most strongly worded criticism of the federal Patriot Act on Friday, uniting politicians of all stripes. The resolution, which already galloped through the Senate and passed the House 88-12 Friday, must survive a final vote before it officially passes. Senate Joint Resolution 19, sponsored by Sen. Jim Elliott, D-Trout Creek, says that while the 2005 Legislature supports the federal government's fight against terrorism, the so-called Patriot Act of 2001 granted authorities sweeping powers that violate citizens' rights enshrined in both the U.S. and Montanan constitutions. ... Elliott, a Democrat and rancher from northwestern Montana, sponsored the resolution, but it garnered support from Republicans on the far right of the political spectrum. ... Twelve representatives -- all Republicans -- voted against the measure...

http://tinyurl.com/5huj8


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Women collecting wood in eastern Kenya

Kimani Chege

1 April 2005

Source: SciDev.Net

[NAIROBI] Widespread use of wood as a household fuel in sub-Saharan Africa will cause ten million premature deaths by 2030 and make a significant contribution to climate change, says a study published in Science today (1 April).

The study predicts that unless African households adopt cleaner, more efficient fuels, the equivalent of 6.7 billion tonnes of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide will be released into the atmosphere by 2050.

This represents 5.6 per cent of Africa's total expected emissions.

In 2000, nearly 470 million tonnes of wood were consumed in sub-Saharan African homes in the form of firewood and charcoal. Per capita, this is more than is used in any other region in the world.

For instance, China and India together used nearly one-third less in the same year despite a combined population that is more than three times that of sub-Saharan Africa.

As well as contributing to climate change by emitting greenhouse gases, wood burning poses a significant threat to human health in general, and to the health of women and children in particular.

The study, led by Daniel Kammen, director of the renewable and appropriate energy laboratory at University of California Berkeley, United States, estimates that unless patterns of fuel use are changed, about eight million children and two million women will die prematurely of pulmonary disease by 2030.

Kammen says it is essential to research and adopt safer and less polluting fuel supplies across Africa.

Switching to fossil fuels such as kerosene and liquid petroleum gas would reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by African households by between one and ten per cent, and delay up to 3.7 million deaths, says the study.

However, high costs put such fuels beyond the reach of many people in sub-Saharan Africa.

The other alternative is to use more charcoal instead of wood. This would also reduce the number of predicted deaths but it could nearly double greenhouse gas emissions.

Kamman says that the most practical solution would be to combine sustainable forest management with more efficient kilns for making charcoal and stoves.

According to his team's predictions, this approach could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from household fuel use by up to 65 per cent and prevent three million premature deaths.

Anthony Kariuki, a senior officer at Kenya's National Environmental Management Authority, told SciDev.Net that the act that established his organisation provides incentives for companies and individuals working on environmentally friendly technologies. He said it would support novel methods of burning charcoal in Kenya.

He added, however, that the organisation's policy is to reduce the use of charcoal because of its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

Related SciDev.Net articles:
Cooking with wood 'contributes to climate change'

Source: http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=2022&language=1


From ECOTERRA Intl.

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/SciencevsDemocracy.php
http://tinyurl.com/5d9u6

Trust Us, We're Experts: How Industry Manipulates Science
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/618577/

The Great Betrayal: Fraud in Science
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/394532/

http://tinyurl.com/3l5jv


Informant: Sylvie

David Dickson and Ehsan Masood

4 April 2005

Last week's report of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment provides a timely reminder of the plight facing the global environment. But its scare tactics could alienate those whose support is needed to reverse current trends.

Ever since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provided the scientific trigger that led to the Kyoto Protocol on reducing carbon emissions, other bodies have sought to emulate its success.

Supporters of organisations such as the InterAcademy Council, for example, have used the IPCC experience to argue the case for similar initiatives in other scientific fields where, it is often claimed, a global scientific consensus should, almost automatically, form the basis for global action.

Such has been the case with the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, which presented its main report last week (see Healthy ecosystems 'critical in the fight against poverty'). The idea for such a report is some ten-years old. It began when scientists working for a group of international non-governmental organisations, led by the US-based World Resources Institute in Washington, DC, decided that they needed to get a message across to politicians and decisions makers, particularly in developing countries.

The message in question is that dramatic changes in policy and lifestyles are required if the current destruction of ecosystems — defined as 'a community of species and the physical environment in which they live' — is to be halted, if not reversed.

The issues addressed in the assessment are obviously vital for the future of human life on the planet. In particular, those responsible for its compilation point out — with considerable justification — that a degraded ecosystem increases the difficulty of communities escaping from the trap of poverty; polluted drinking water increases the risk of diseases, just as degraded soil makes food production more difficult. Indeed the report makes the important point that reversing ecosystem decline is essential for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Scientific focus

Furthermore we live in a society where shock tactics are often required to communicate simple ideas in a sufficiently dramatic fashion to attract the interests of news editors and headline writers. Indeed the importance attached to operating in this way reflects how the media has become a prime channel for communicating information to policymakers.

The problem with the assessment, however, is that, unlike those produced at regular intervals by the IPCC, there is no clear scientific focus that leads directly to a policy agenda. In the case of global warming, the scientific community has been able to establish a consensus on critical issues at the heart of the debate, namely that man-made global warming is occurring at a particular rate, and that certain consequences are likely unless this process is stopped.

The ecosystem report, in contrast, spreads its net more widely. The result is a much broader picture. But it also means that attempts to simplify the assessment's message tend to slip into statements about human life being in peril from an unspecific threat, perhaps best characterised as human lifestyle. This may make for good headlines that talk of the world being, as one newspaper put it, being "on the brink of disaster". But, in itself, it does not necessarily provide good pointers for policymakers wanting to know what practical steps need to be taken, and how urgently.

Important messages

The value of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) lies in the way that it highlights the many different ways in which natural ecosystems are under threat. The litany it recites is certainly a grim one, ranging from warnings about the algal blooms caused by excessive use of nitrogen fertilisers, to the fact that 60 per cent of the 'ecosystem services' looked at in the assessment — each loosely defined as the benefits that humankind obtains from ecosystems — are currently being degraded or used unsustainably.

Thus even though the assessment contains no new data, it provides a valuable synthesis of much available knowledge on species and ecosystems that already exists with bodies such as the Food and Agricultural Organization (which has some of the best data on forests), as well as the 'Red List' of threatened species.

Equally important is the way that the report emphasises that one of the main reasons for the widespread destruction of biodiversity is that, in a materialistic, growth-oriented society, biodiversity tends too often to be seen as a 'free' resource that is there for the taking. Attaching a price to environmental resources, argue environmental economists, would immediately reduce the pressure on them (in a similar fashion to the way that introducing a charge for cars entering the centre of London has dramatically reduced both traffic congestion and air pollution in the British capital).

Finally, the MA will have done much to energise ecosystems research in developing countries. Abdul Hamid Zakri, co-chair of the MA board, points out that about 30 per cent of its 1,400 scientists are from developing countries — and that much of the work for the report was done at the local level in developing countries.

Dangers of 'meta-messaging'

The problem is that the 'meta-messages' in the report can become disconnected from policymaking on the ground. Part of the reason for this strategy has been historical. Although the MA was formally carried out after a request from UN secretary-general Kofi Annan in 2000, its origins lie five years earlier.

In 1995, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with the help of conservation groups, published a comprehensive inventory of species and ecosystems called The Global Biodiversity Assessment (GBA). This was intended to inform policymaking in biodiversity, particularly through the new UN Biodiversity Convention that had been signed at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, three years earlier.

But when the convention met for its fourth annual conference in Bratislava, Slovakia in 1998, delegates – most of whom came from developing countries — rejected this assessment, arguing that its advice was redundant given that the convention already had its own separate scientific advisory body.

There was also concern among developing countries that endorsing the GBA would in effect also allow international conservation groups a voice in their development — which they feared would mean more emphasis on conservation and less on development.

The GBA's rejection left its authors frustrated, and soon afterwards a number of them — as well as other scientists and conservationists — began to plan what would become the MA, an even more comprehensive scientific assessment. This would seek to include officials from all of the UN conservation-related conventions right from the outset, and emphasise the links between species, ecosystems and quality of life. In doing so, it would be more difficult for developing countries to ignore and thus, hopefully, avoid the fate of the GBA.

The result is a document that — like the report of the Millennium Task Force on Environmental Sustainability — argues that the MDGs will not be achieved unless ecosystem decline is reversed. (The overlap is not surprising, given the overlapping membership of the two bodies). Both are guided by a belief that this environmental sustainability is very much an orphan within the broader MDGs, and needs its own awareness campaign of which the MA is a part.

But the impact of the MA on policymakers and policymaking in developing countries remains unclear. This is no longer because of the involvement of conservation groups; almost ten years on from the GBA, many now play a major role in environmental protection in developing countries. It is more because of uncertainty over how the results will relate to discussions taking place in the context of the implementation of individual UN treaties, such as conventions on wetlands, biodiversity, etc. Indeed, in this respect, there seems to be a risk that the authors have not learned their lesson from the failure of the GBA report to excite policymakers back in 1995.

Practical steps needed

Some critics also fear that the MA may not make a significant impact outside the scientific community, as it contains too many messages. Others complain that the main report was too large-scale an exercise to be meaningful to national and local-level policymakers, and has been dominated by an excitement with data gathering, rather than placing the data in a real-world political context, which means working with officials in governments, etc., and listening to the needs of users.

It is now more than 30 years since Dennis Meadows and colleagues issued similar warnings about imminent global catastrophe in their book The Limits to Growth, published in 1972. At that time, the warning that the world was using up its 'natural capital' was based on the finite nature of physical resources. But the apocalyptic scenarios predicted failed to materialise, partly as a result of new resource finds (such as natural gas), partly because of steps that have since been taken to reduce the use of raw materials through a combination of pricing and — just as important — scientific and technological ingenuity.

The warnings in the MA report are very similar to those heard 30 years ago. The main difference is that, this time, what is held to be in finite supply is the ability of ecosystems to provide socially-valuable services. And, just as with the earlier warning, what is now needed is a set of policy measures designed to curtail ecosystem damage, linked to appropriate scientific and technological innovations that can chart a more environmentally-friendly way forward.

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is at its most valuable when it sets out what some of these developments are likely to look like, placing them in either a national or regional context. The regional study of ecosystems services in Southern Africa, for example, one of a series of regional inputs into the main assessment, eschews sloganising for a pragmatic assessment of the links between ecosystems and human wellbeing in the region. It emphasises the need to ensure that the scales of environmental management need to be matched to ecosystem processes, and that the trade-offs — where promoting one benefit can lead to a decrease in other benefits — needs to be carefully handled.

In contrast, the impact of the assessment is most at risk when it falls into hubristic sloganising along the lines of "scientists have shown that…", with the rider that "governments must therefore …" . The IPCC may have been able to get away with this approach largely due to the unique nature of the issue that it addressed, namely the scientific basis of man-made climate change. For other disciplines to try to emulate this approach risks undermining efforts to ensure that poverty alleviation and ecosystem preservation go hand-in-hand.

Photo Credit: Greenpeace South-East Asia

Dossiers: CLIMATE CHANGE
http://www.scidev.net/dossiers/index.cfm?fuseaction=dossierItem&Dossier=4

SOURCE: http://www.scidev.net/Editorials/index.cfm?fuseaction=readEditorials&itemid=153&language=1

ECOTERRA Intl.

During the past months I have participated in many hearings on the issue of mobile phones and towers. The latest one organized by the commune of Nacka, near Stockholm in Sweden. Next month there will be one for the MPs in the Swedish Parliament, and in March a similar one in the Danish Parliament.

All these meetings have the same procedure in common: There will be talks from representatives from the telecommunication industries, the ministries, expert panels that advise the government, the industry and sometimes, but not necessarily, from consumer organisations and independent persons. Afterwards there will be a debate.

Let us see what these official advisory panels have in common. They are nominated by the body they are working for and the members marketed as experts in their field and qualified scientists. Their reports and talks never contain one negative remark on the product they have to evaluate. Consequently only scientific material that ive a positive opinion of the product in question is included in their reports.

About scientific articles that find negative effects in their product, their standard remarks are: "Of course we know about these studies, but we choose not to include them in our evaluation - they have not been duplicated or reproduced by others - we could never obtain the same results when we tried to duplicate these studies - nobody else has ever obtained these results - the work is bad and has been criticized by others - it is published in low-level and obscure journals - the work was done by bad scientists."

They never insist that scientific studies that only show positive effects of the product should be duplicated or reproduced. They always complain that they need more money for their research. They say that this research should be paid by the industry that produces this product.

It is sad, because they represent governmental bodies, that should take care of the population's well-being and health. Some of these experts were once independent, honest scientists. Of course life has become more pleasant for them after they got engaged in industry-funded research.

So are the private or non-funded scientists just dumb fools, because they would like to be able to look themselves in the eyes each morning when they look into the mirror?

As to the outcome of these hearings, this can be very varying and dubious. Most politicians have already a pre-formed opinion and will not change it. All we can is to rely on a critical, unbiased and engaged population that are able to think for themselves.

In the meantime the debate in the Danish communes goes on about 3G and the towers. The number of communes that decide to put a stop to the raising of 3G towers, is growing.

Supplemental remarks

The pharmaceutical industry has been using these practices for decades. This is described in a recent article in the British Medical Journal by Dave Sackett and Andy Oxman, who invented the firm HARLOT (=How to achieve positive results without actually lying to overcome the truth), where they describe these malpractices in science. It certainly applies to the mobile phone industry too.

Another trait in governmental experts: they claim to be able to evaluate all kinds of scientific research, though it is completely outside their scope.

Sianette Kwee

--------

DELAY-TACTIC AND CREATING ILLUSIONS

http://www.amta.org.au/default.asp?Page=300

Comments

DELAY-TACTIC AND CREATING ILLUSIONS: NO - RESULTS OF LATEST DUTCH REVIEW OF RESEARCH INTO EME EFFECTS OF MOBILE PHONES.

1. There are no-health-based reasons in mobile telephony?:

“The permit limit for microwave radiation has not been determined by doctors and biologists, based on trials on animals and humans, but by technicians and solely from the amount of radiation it takes to warm up a bag of sugar water with 1 degree Celsius.”

“The present threshold level for microwave radiation is more than 10.000 times higher than the level where serious cell changes and damage on the DNA takes place.”

* “Microwave radiation is about to turn young cell phone users into premature senile weaklings within this decade.”

2. “Delay tactic” and creating illusions:

“Both government reports recommended further research on a number of areas requiring further clarification.”

Dr. George Carlo, (October 1999). "I am concerned that the wireless industry is missing a valuable opportunity by dealing with these public health concerns through politics, creating illusions that more research over the next several years helps consumers today, and false claims that regulatory compliance means safety. The better choice by the wireless industry would be to implement measured steps aimed at true consumer protection."

3. Cellular violence:

Microwave radiation is a silent killer eating your life away

An operating mobile phone can be detected 100 km’s away. Human brain waves are disturbed and distorted within a distance of 90 metres from a cell phone.

It is dangerous to health to stay within 400 m from a mobile base station, especially for children, youth, elderly or sick people.

3.1. There are no health based reasons for limiting the use of mobile phones by children?

“Children and youth are about three times more exposed and vulnerable to irreversible damage from microwave radiation because their brain, immune system and organisms are not fully developed.”

CONCLUSION: REGULATORY AND CONSUMER BACKLASH?

Dr. George Carlo. (October 1999). "I am especially concerned about what appear to be actions by a segment of the industry to conscript the FCC, the FDA and The World Health Organization with them in following a non-effectual course that will likely result in a regulatory and consumer backlash."

Message from Dr Miguel Muntané

--------

ACTU Digest is now available

The ACTU's latest OH&S Digest is now available:
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/digest_of_occupational_health_and_safety.pdf The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the peak national body representing over 2 million trade union members. Other countries take note.....

Don Maisch

and

NEWSPEAK: Redefining the Precautionary Principle for the Cellphone Industry
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/redefining_precautionary_principle.pdf

Comments by Dr Miguel Muntané:

WORDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN "BRAIN DEATH"?

NEWSPEAK: REDEFINING THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE FOR THE CELLPHONE INDUSTRY

"NEWSPEAK" far from being a fictional medium of expression, is alive and well in the ongoing Cellphone controversy.

SUMMARY: WORDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN “BRAIN DEATH”?

NEWSPEAK: Its vocabulary was so constructed as to give exact and often very subtle expression to every meaning that a Party member could properly wish to express, while excluding all other meaning.

1. The invention of new words

2. Eliminating undesirable words

3. Stripping such undesirable words as remained of unorthodox meanings, and so far as possible of all secondary meaning whatever."

OLDSPEAK: Forgotten, a heretical thought -- that is, a thought diverging from the principles of IngSoc -- literally unthinkable, at least so far as thought is dependent on words.

REDEFINING THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE FOR THE CELLPHONE INDUSTRY

1. OLDSPEAK AND PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE:

The application of "precaution" recognizes that the absence of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing decisions where there is a risk of serious or irreversible harm."

"We conclude therefore that it is not possible at present to say that exposure to RF radiation, even at levels below national guidelines, is totally without potential adverse health effects, and that the gaps in knowledge are sufficient to justify a precautionary approach."

2. NEWSPEAK AND “IS NOT, BY DEFINITION”

The Dutch take Newspeak one step further. They discussed the adoption of the Precautionary Principle which they re-define as:

"The Precautionary Principle is not, by definition, the same thing as taking measures to reduce exposure. It can also include other actions." The Committee states, "carrying out further research...together with monitoring scientific developments and publishing its findings...are adequate steps in the current context of precautionary measures."

3. FURTHER RESEARCH ... FOLLOWING A NON-EFFECTUAL COURSE?

Dr. George Carlo, (October 1999). "I am concerned that the wireless industry is missing a valuable opportunity by dealing with these public health concerns through politics, creating illusions that more research over the next several years helps consumers today, and false claims that regulatory compliance means safety. The better choice by the wireless industry would be to implement measured steps aimed at true consumer protection."

Dr. George Carlo. (October 1999). "I am especially concerned about what appear to be actions by a segment of the industry to conscript the FCC, the FDA and The World Health Organization with them in following a non-effectual course that will likely result in a regulatory and consumer backlash."

TRUE CONSUMER PROTECTION IS TO REDUCE ONLY BY 10,000 THE PRESENT MICROWAVES EXPOSURE INTO THE BRAIN

Dr. Neil Cherry (27 Oct. 2000) “Leif Salford’s research on microwaves and the Blood Brain Barrier is probably very relevant. The BBB protects the brain from toxins and viruses. About 2 minutes on a cell phone can open the BBB and allow toxins, including prions, into the brain”.

* 2 minutes on a cell phone can open the BBB !

Source: http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega290104.htm



Trust Us, We're Experts: How Industry Manipulates Science
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/618577/

The Great Betrayal: Fraud in Science
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/394532/

Date: 04/2005

Text voluntarily without stressings In a declaration, the Department of the Environment emitted a significant warning against the increase in the cellular number of revolutions of telephonie and the possible risks on health which theirs are associate. The ministry had received prealable complaints of anxious citizens, protesting that the turns were built in the night and that they could not, by consequent, discuss their localization. The year before, more than 800 turns of telephonie cellular were built in Israel, carrying the total number to 6365. The majority of these turns are installation by Pelephone, Partner or Cellcom. During the establishment of these turns, a monitoring of radiations is effective, in two times. Before the installation, the ministry evaluates the sector of construction considers and makes sure that the level of radiation remains inferior on the level authorizes. After the establishment of the tower, the ministry continues to supervise the level of radiation. However, according to researchers' who study the effects of the electromagnetic waves emitted by the mobile telephones and the turns as well as the dangers incurred by the man, it is too early to emit conclusions.

Sources: The Jerusalem Post
http://www.achats-prestations.com/actualites/resultat_recherche_ref.asp?ref=219


Informant: Sylvie

Translation French-English machinable

http://www.traprockpeace.org/can_nyu_04april05.html


Informant: Charles Jenks

From ufpj-news

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145176&command=displayContent&sourceNode=144906&contentPK=12153451


Informant: Sylvie

John Prados, TomPaine.com

How the president manipulated America. Twice.
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/intelligent_manipulation.php?dateid=20050404

Sister Helen Prejean, The New York Times

The nun of Dead Man Walking fame applauds John Paul II's opposition to the death penalty.

http://www.tompaine.com/opinion/?dateid=20050404

Hypersensitivity Symptoms Associated with Electromagnetic Field Exposure
http://www.mthr.org.uk/research_projects/hypersensitivitysymptoms.htm
http://www.countrysideonline.co.uk/newsruralenvironment-1301.htm

Volunteers tested on phone mast 'dangers'
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/12/13/nmast13.xml

Omega: What reliable results can we expect from research which is jointly funded by the Government and mobile phone industry?

A major study into the safety of phone masts is being carried out by scientists at the University of Essex.

Dr Rod Williams is among more than 260 volunteers who will be tested.

Dr Williams, who used to run a business making millions of pounds, believes the illness which has stopped him working is down to electromagnetic waves.

If researchers find a link, the medical profession will have to recognise that electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome exists.

IT specialist Dr Williams, 39, of Braintree, Essex, began feeling unwell seven years ago.

Dr Ron Williams:
If you have a business meeting you can't make decisions or work you way through issues... it is totally debilitating.

His job meant he has had a high exposure to mobile phones and LCD screens and he originally thought his illness was the early symptoms of the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

"It affects where you can go because if you go to an environment where a lot of people are using mobile phones, I will get a headache immediately after that.

"If you turn up somewhere and have a business meeting you can't make decisions or work you way through issues. It is totally debilitating."

Now he can only use a computer because he has swapped a monitor for a projector and uses an infra-red keyboard.

In the study participants sit surrounded by pyramid-shaped foam which absorbs radio frequencies. The mast sits behind a screen.

Blood pressure and stress levels are monitored while the participants complete basic tasks during four sessions. Neither they nor the researcher knows whether the mast is turned on or off each time.

Dr Stacy Eltiti, of the university's psychology department, said: "Every five minutes we interrupt them and get them to tell us how they are feeling at that time so we can get a picture to see if there are any changes - and we are also doing the physiological measurements continuously."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/4402597.stm

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In England testen Freiwillige die Gefahren von Mobilfunkmasten

Nic Fleming, Health Correspondent
(Filed: 13/12/2004)
In einer Übersetzung von Evi Gaigg

Freiwillige wollen sich jetzt einer Serie von Tests als Teil einer Hauptstudie in Sachen Gesundheitsgefährdung durch Mobilfunkantennen unterziehen. Bei den ersten von 264 Leuten werden die Funktionen Aufmerksamkeitspanne und Erinnerungsvermögen getestet, während sie den Signalen eines Mobilfunktransmitters ausgesetzt sind. Das £328,000 teure Forschungsprojekt findet im Electromagnetic und Health Laboratory an der Universität von Essex statt, welches letzten Monat geöffnet wurde, um zu erforschen, wie Menschen durch elektromagnetische Felder (EMFs) betroffen sind.

Die Hälfte der freiwilligen Testpersonen sind Leute, welche berichten, dass sie besonders auf Quellen von EMF empfindlich reagieren. Die anderen bilden eine Kontrollgruppe. Während verschiedener Sitzungen werden sie Signalen von einer laufenden Basisstation, einem neuen 3G-Masten und einem Scheinsender ausgesetzt. Ohne dass man ihnen sagt, welche der drei Anlagen eingeschaltet ist, werden sie eine Reihe von Aufgaben zu erfüllen haben, um die kognitiven Funktionen zu testen.

Dr. Stacy Eltiti, ein ranghöherer Forscher bei diesem Projekt sagte: „Eine Menge Leute sind besorgt über die potenziellen Wirkungen von Mobilfunkmasten auf die Gesundheit.“ Es wird interessant sein zu sehen, ob die Exposition die gleichen Wirkungen auf jedermann haben werden.“

Während vom Hauptharst der wissenschaftlichen Meinung dies nicht akzeptiert wird, glauben einige Forscher, dass Menschen sicher an „Elektrohypersensitivität“ leiden, in einer Weise, die Kopfschmerzen, Übelkeit und Erbrechen durch die EMFs von Computern, Mikrowellen und Mobilfunkmasten verursachen.

Es wird erwartet, dass es über Grossbritannien verteilt, bis zum Ende des nächsten Jahres 50 000 Mobilfunkstationen geben wird, die 50 Millionen Handys im Land versorgen werden, Die meisten Wissenschafter weisen den Gedanken, dass diese Anlagen einen gesundheitsschädigenden Effekt auf die Menschen haben zurück, denn ihre Feldstärken betragen nur einen Bruchteil von jenen in den Sicherheits-Richtlinien.

Nur Wärmeeffekte berücksichtigt

Jedoch sagen die Gegner und einige Forscher, dass die Richtlinien nur die Wärmeeffekte berücksichtigen. Dr. Gerard Hyland, ein früherer medizinischer Leiter an der Warwick Universität sagt: „Die Sicherheitsrichtlinien sind inadäquat, denn sie schauen nur darauf, welche Hitzeeinwirkungen Mikrowellen zeigen.“ „Strahlung, die von der Technologie erzeugt wird, kann Menschen auf viele Arten beeinträchtigen.“

Lisa Oldham, Leiterin der Widerstandsgruppe „Mast Sanity“ sagte: „Wir haben Krebs-Cluster rund um die Masten gefunden, Leukämie, Hodgin, Brustkrebs, nicht zu reden von Symptomen wie Übelkeit, Kopfschmerzen und Nasenbluten. „Die Wissenschafter sagen, es gebe keine schlüssigen Beweise. Und was pflegten sie einst zu sagen über Asbest und Rauchen?“

Forschung wird einmal mehr von der interessierten Industrie bezahlt

Die neue Forschung wird gemeinsam durch die Regierung und die Industrie als Teil der £7.4 Millionen-Forschungsprogramme der Telekommunikations- und der Gesundheits-Forschung gesponsert. Vor 4 Jahren hat ein Komitee unter dem Vorsitz von Sir William Stewart festgehalten: „ Es gibt kein generelles Risiko für die Menschen, die in der Nähe von Basisstationen leben und für solche, die nur einem Teil der in den Richtlinien festgelegten Grenzwerte ausgesetzt sind."

Das Komitee hat dennoch eine Vorsorgemethode für den Gebrauch von Mobiltelefonen und die Mobilfunktechnologie empfohlen und auch für weitere Forschung.

Ein Sprecher der Mobil Operators’s Association behauptete:
Im Februar letzten Jahres, hat die Radiocommunications Agency einen Rechenschaftsbericht zu den Emissionsgrenzwerten für Masten in der Nähe von 82 Schulen und 27 Spitälern ausgearbeitet. Der Stärkste hatte ein 700 fach tieferes Level als der Maximalgrenzwert. (Grenzwert von England. red) Ein Sprecher der Mobil Operators’s Association behauptete: „ Das Abwägen der Beweise zeigt, dass es keine Risiken für die Bevölkerung gibt, die in der Nähe von Basisstationen wohnt.

Die Website http://www.sitefinder.radio.gov.uk kann dazu benutzt werden,um zu sehen, wo in irgendeiner Nachbarschaft in Grossbritannien Mobilfunkstationen stehen. Indem man jeden Mast anklickt, lässt sich die Übertragungsstärke, die Betreibergesellschaft und die Höhe feststellen.

http://www.gigaherz.ch/870/

Hinweis:

Für den Inhalt der folgenden Meldung ist nicht die Verivox GmbH sondern der Autor Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern verantwortlich.

Volksbegehren "Mobilfunk" (PM 139/05 vom 04.04.05)

Volksbegehren "Für Gesundheitsvorsorge beim Mobilfunk" beim Innenministerium beantragt

Am 4. April 2005 wurde der Antrag auf Zulassung eines Volksbegehrens "Für Gesundheitsvorsorge beim Mobilfunk" im Bayerischen Staatsministerium des Innern übergeben. Das Innenministerium prüft nunmehr die gesetzlichen Voraussetzungen für die Zulassung des Volksbegehrens. Hält es diese für nicht gegeben, legt es den Antrag dem Bayerischen Verfassungsgerichtshof vor, der dann über die Zulassung zu entscheiden hätte. Bejaht hingegen das Innenministerium die gesetzlichen Voraussetzungen, macht es das Volksbegehren innerhalb von sechs Wochen ab Antragseingang, also bis spätestens 16. Mai 2005 im Bayerischen Staatsanzeiger bekannt. Zugleich legt es die zweiwöchige Frist fest, innerhalb der die Eintragungen für das Volksbegehren vorgenommen werden können. Die Eintragungsfrist beginnt frühestens acht, spätestens zwölf Wochen nach der Veröffentlichung im Staatsanzeiger. Weitere Informationen zum Thema Volksbegehren sind unter http://www.stmi.bayern.de/buerger/wahlen/volksbegehren abrufbar.

Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern
Pressestelle
Pressesprecher: Michael Ziegler
Telefon: (089) 2192 ?2114
Telefax: (089) 2192 ?12721
E-Mail: presse@stmi.bayern.de

Quelle: pressrelations.de
Aufgenommen am: 04.04.2005 um 13:00:05
Verantwortlich: Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern

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34.000 Unterschriften für Mobilfunk-Volksbegehren

Das angestrebte Volksbegehren gegen den Wildwuchs von Mobilfunkmasten hat die erste Hürde genommen. Am Montagmittag überreichte die Umweltpartei ödp in München im bayerischen Innenministerium rund 34.000 Unterschriften für das Volksbegehren. Ziel sei es, die Aufstellung von Mobilfunkmasten künftig einem öffentlichen Genehmigungsverfahren zu unterziehen.

Mit dem angestrebten Volksbegehren soll nach dem Willen der Initiatoren zugleich die Gesundheitsvorsorge im Landesentwicklungsplan verankert werden. Der ödp-Landesvorsitzende Bernhard Suttner sagte bei der Übergabe der Unterschriften: "Wir wollen, dass die Mobilfunkbetreiber ihre Sendemasten nicht länger hinstellen können, wo sie wollen." Nach derzeitiger Rechtslage haben Kommunen beim Bau von Mobilfunk-Masten kein Mitspracherecht, da Sendemasten bis zu einer Höhe von zehn Metern genehmigungsfrei sind. Unterstützt wird das Volksbegehren auch von den Freien Wählern, 59 Bürgerinitiativen, 95 Bürgermeistern und 600 Ärzten und Apothekern.

Eintragungsfrist wohl im Juli

Das Innenministerium hat nun sechs Wochen Zeit, die gesetzlichen Voraussetzungen für die Zulassung des Volksbegehrens mit dem offiziellen Titel "Gesundheitsvorsorge beim Mobilfunk" zu prüfen. Bei positivem Ausgang setzt das Ministerium eine 14-Tages-Frist für die Durchführung des Volksbegehrens fest. Innerhalb dieser Zeit müssen sich dann zehn Prozent der bayerischen Wähler - rund 900.000 Menschen - in Unterschriftenlisten eintragen. Nach Einschätzung der ödp wird diese Eintragungsfrist voraussichtlich für Juli anberaumt.

http://www.br-online.de/bayern-heute/artikel/0504/04-mobilfunk/index.xml

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"Bei Sende-Anlagen mitreden"

NEUMARKT. Zum ersten Treffen von Unterstützern für das Volksbegehren "Gesundheitsverträglicher Mobilfunk" konnte ödp-Kreisvorsitzender Josef Neumeyer die Vertreter einiger Bürgerinitiativen begrüßen. Weitere hatten ihre Unterstützung telefonisch zugesagt.

Neumeyer stellte den aktuellen Stand vor. Rund 34.000 Unterschriften für das Volksbegehren „Gesundheitsvorsorge beim Mobilfunk“ reicht die ödp zusammen mit den Freien Wählern Bayern und Bürgerinitiativen am Montag im Bayerischen Innenministerium ein. Die ödp hat als Initiatorin des Volksbegehrens den weiteren Verlauf bewusst auf eine überparteiliche Ebene gehoben. Die Freien Wähler Bayern e.V., 59 Bürgerinitiativen, 95 Bürgermeister sowie rund 600 Ärzte und Apotheker unterstützen bislang das Volksbegehren.

Neumeyer wies noch mal deutlich darauf hin, dass sich das Volksbegehren nicht gegen den Mobilfunk generell richtet, sondern einzig darum, dass die Gemeinden bei der Standortwahl von Sendeanlagen die Gesundheitsvorsorge berücksichtigen können. Der Profit von Betreibern darf nicht allein für die Standortwahl ausschlaggebend sein.

Erich Weber stellte das Ziel des Vortrages am 15. April dar: Der Vortrag zeigt an konkreten Beispielen auf, was Gemeinden heute bereits durch ein positives Standortkonzept tun können und wie die Rechte der Gemeinden durch das Volksbegehren für einen gesundheitsverträglichen Mobilfunk künftig verbessert werden sollen. Bürgermeister und Gemeindevertreter dürfen nicht hilf- und rechtlos sein, wenn es um den Gesundheitsschutz ihrer Bürger geht, hieß es.

Die aktuelle "Feinstaub-Diskussion" wurde als Parallele diskutiert. Sie zeige, wie nach vielen Jahren der Untätigkeit jetzt die Verantwortung zwischen Städten, Land und Bund herumgeschoben werde. Messungswerte über den Grenzwerten würden verschwiegen. Gesundheit würde dem Wirtschaftswachstum untergeordnet. Die Folgekosten würden die kurzfristigen Vorteile um ein Vielfaches übersteigen.

Es wurde beschlossen, möglichst viele Verantwortliche in den Gemeinden auf den Vortrag am 15. April im Johanneszentrum in Neumarkt direkt anzusprechen und weitere Partner für die Unterstützung des Volksbegehrens zu gewinnen.

http://www.neumarktonline.de/ar2/2252.php

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Genehmigungspflicht

Volksbegehren gegen Handy-Antennen

Bei der Aufstellung von Mobilfunk-Antennen hat die Stadt kaum ein Mitspracherecht. Daher will die ÖDP nun per Volksbegehren eine Genehmigungspflicht für die Sendemasten einführen. Für München allerdings würde diese Neuregelung wenig ändern.

Von Christoph Henn

„99,9 Prozent der Antennen sind weniger als zehn Meter hoch“, sagt Henrik Jörgens vom Referat für Gesundheit und Umwelt der Stadt München und weist damit auf ein sehr entscheidendes Längenmaß hin. Sofern ein Mobilfunksender diese Höhe nicht überschreitet und die Strahlungs-Grenzwerte eingehalten werden, hat die Stadt kein Mitspracherecht.

Jeder Hausbesitzer kann dann selbst entscheiden, ob er es Mobilfunkbetreibern erlaubt, auf seinem Dach eine oder mehrere Antennen zu errichten. Als Gegenleistung erhält er vom Mobilfunkbetreiber 5000 bis 8000 Euro jährliche Nutzungsgebühr. Dabei spielt es keine Rolle, ob sich etwa eine Schule oder ein Kindergarten in unmittelbarer Nähe befindet.

Die ÖDP hingegen hält „den weiteren unkontrollierten Ausbau des Mobilfunknetzes für bedenklich“ und weist auf Erkenntnisse hin, worauf Mobilfunkstrahlung der Gesundheit schaden kann. Deshalb beantragt die Partei zusammen mit den Freien Wählern und Bürgerinitiativen ein Volksbegehren mit dem Ziel, die bayerische Bauordnung so zu ändern, dass künftig alle Sendemasten genehmigungspflichtig sind. Die erste Hürde dazu wurde gestern mit der Übergabe von 34.000 Unterschriften im Bayerischen Innenministerium genommen.

Anlagen werden mehrfach genutzt

Zumindest auf den ersten Blick scheint das geplante Volksbegehren für München besonders relevant zu sein. An 930 Standorten in der Landeshauptstadt haben die Mobilfunkbetreiber derzeit 6730 Einzelantennen in Betrieb. Diese setzen sich zusammen aus 4402 Sendern für die herkömmlichen, so genannten GSM-Netze und 2328 Antennen für den neuen UMTS-Standard. Vor allem der Ausbau des letzteren ist dafür verantwortlich, dass die Zahl der Mobilfunksender in den vergangenen Monaten stetig angestiegen ist: Im Juni 2003 gab es in München mit 5099 Antennen noch rund 25 Prozent weniger Sender.

Dass die Zahl der Stationen im gleichen Zeitraum nur um etwa 15 Prozent gestiegen ist, liegt daran, dass die meisten Anlagen mehrfach genutzt werden. „Etwa 75 Prozent der UMTS-Antennen werden an Standorten angebracht, die bereits für GSM-Sender benutzt werden“, erklärt Referats-Sprecher Jörgens. Aus diesem Grund erwarte er nicht, dass die Zahl der Sendemasten in München noch spürbar anwachsen wird. „Wir haben praktisch eine Abdeckung von 100 Prozent.“

Bestandschutz für bereits genehmigte Sendemasten

Insofern käme der Vorstoß der ÖDP, selbst wenn er Erfolg haben sollte, für München zu spät. Denn das Volksbegehren bezieht sich lediglich auf die zukünftige Errichtung von Sendeanlagen. Es sieht nicht vor, bereits bestehende Masten, die sich etwa in der Nähe von Schulen befinden, ab- und sie an unbedenklicheren Stellen wieder aufzubauen. „Was einmal genehmigt wurde, genießt in unserem Rechtsstaat Bestandsschutz“, sagt Peter-Michael Schmalz vom Volksbegehren-Koordinationsbüro.

Das gelte auch für die Erweiterung bestehender Masten, welche in München derzeit den Regelfall darstellt. „Es stimmt, dass in Großstädten weniger neue Masten entstehen werden als im ländlichen Bereich“, räumt Schmalz ein. Er setze aber auf einen „Solidaritätseffekt“, zu dem auch München beitragen könne.

Auf eine völlig andere Möglichkeit, die Belastung durch Handy-Strahlung zu verringern, weist Heidrun Schall vom „Informationszentrum gegen Mobilfunk“ hin. „Ein vernünftigerer Umgang mit dem Handy – damit wäre es schon getan.“ Schall beobachtet mit Sorge das auch durch UMTS wachsende Angebot an so genannten Diensten für Mobiltelefone, über die sich etwa Filme ansehen oder Bestellungen erledigen lassen. Wer sein Handy ständig und unüberlegt nutze, trage damit ebenso zur Strahlenbelastung bei wie die Sendeantennen.

(SZ vom 05.04.2005)

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/artikel/570/50520/

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05.04.2005

MOBILTELEFONE / ÖDP will Volksbegehren

Mobilmachung gegen die Masten

Die ÖDP hat 34 000 Unterschriften für ein Volksbegehren gegen Mobilfunkmasten beim Innenministerium eingereicht. Die CSU spricht von "Spiegelfechterei".

Mit einem Volksbegehren will die ÖDP schärfere Vorschriften für die Aufstellung von Mobilfunkmasten im Freistaat durchsetzen. Dazu reichte die konservative Umweltpartei gestern rund 34 000 Unterschriften beim bayerischen Innenministerium ein. Dieses muss jetzt innerhalb von sechs Wochen über die Zulassung des Antrages entscheiden. "Wir wollen, dass die Mobilfunkbetreiber ihre Sendemasten nicht länger hinstellen können, wo sie wollen", sagte der ÖDP-Landesvorsitzende Bernhard Suttner. Den Kommunen sollte ein gesetzliches Mitspracherecht bei der Aufstellung der Sendemasten eingeräumt werden, sagte Suttner. Bislang können diese bis zu einer Höhe von zehn Metern ohne Genehmigung errichtet werden. "Wir sind nicht grundsätzlich gegen Handys. Aber wir wollen die Strahlenbelastung durch eine bessere Auswahl der Sendemastenstandorte deutlich reduzieren." Die Grünen wollen sich dem Volksbegehren nicht anschließen. Es mache keinen Sinn, die Mittel der direkten Demokratie inflationär zu gebrauchen, sagte Grünen-Fraktionschefin Margarete Bause. Die SPD legte sich hingegen noch nicht fest. Nach Angaben eines Sprechers will die Partei am 18. April das Thema in ihren Gremien beraten. Die CSU warf den Initiatoren des Volksbegehrens "Spiegelfechterei" vor. Auch bei einem gesetzlich festgelegten Mitspracherecht seien die Kommunen nur für Baufragen bei der Aufstellung von Mobilfunkmasten verantwortlich, sagte der CSU- Abgeordnete Thomas Kreuzer. Solange die Grenzwerte eingehalten würden, hätten die Mobilfunkanbieter sogar einen Anspruch darauf, Masten aufzustellen. Die Grenzwerte lege jedoch das Bundesumweltministerium verbindlich fest. Die Freien Wähler, 59 Bürgerinitiativen und 95 Bürgermeister unterstützen den Vorstoß. Die Eintragungsfrist für das Mobilfunk- Volksbegehren wird nach Einschätzung der ÖDP im Juli beginnen. INFO 25 000 Unterschriften sind für ein Volksbegehren in Bayern nötig. Nach Prüfung und Zulassung durch das Innenministerium müssen sich im nächsten Schritt zehn Prozent der Wahlberechtigten innerhalb von zwei Wochen in Listen eintragen. Das sind etwa 900 000 Wähler. Zuletzt war Ende November 2004 das Volksbegehren gegen die Forstreform mit 9,3 Prozent an dieser Hürde gescheitert.

http://www.hz-online.de/index.php?mode=full&cat=173&minDate=&begin=0&id=116464

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Volksbegehren Mobilfunk geht voran - ÖDP reicht 34 000 Unterschriften ein

München (sog) - Das Mobilfunk-Volksbegehren geht in die nächste Runde: Um die Mitbestimmung der Kommunen bei der Errichtung von Sendemasten durchzusetzen, hat die ÖPD rund 34 000 Unterschriften beim bayerischen Innenministerium eingereicht. Dieses entscheidet bis Mitte Mai, ob das Volksbegehren zugelassen wird.

"Wir sind nicht gegen Handys, aber wir wollen eine gesundheitsverträgliche Technik", sagte ÖDP-Landeschef Bernhard Suttner. Dazu fordert das Volksbegehren zwei Gesetzesänderungen. Die ÖDP will eine generelle Genehmigungspflicht von Mobilfunk-Antennen im Bayerischen Baurecht verankern - bisher können diese bis zu zehn Meter Höhe ohne Genehmigung errichtet werden. "Nacht- und Nebelaktionen, in denen die Mobilfunkbetreiber einen Masten vors Fenster stellen, gibt es dann nicht mehr", sagt Suttner. Damit die Mobilfunkbetreiber den Wunsch der Kommunen nicht einfach übergehen können, fordert das Volksbegehren eine zweite Änderung. Im Landesentwicklungsprogramm soll künftig stehen, dass beim "Ausbau der Mobilfunknetze die Belange der Gesundheitsvorsorge besonders zu berücksichtigen sind".

Keinen Hehl macht die Umweltpartei daraus, dass ein Erfolg des Volksbegehrens nur ein Etappensieg wäre. Eigentliches Ziel ist eine massive Senkung der im Bundesimmissionsschutzgesetz festgeschriebenen Grenzwerte für Mobilfunk-Strahlung. Auf Bundesebene ist ein Volksbegehren aber nicht möglich. Die ÖDP hofft, dass der bayerische Vorstoß den Druck auf die Bundespolitiker steigen lässt, die Grenzwerte zu senken.

Nach der Ministeriums-Prüfung kommt das Volksbegehren vermutlich im Juli in die nächste Runde. Dann müssen sich innerhalb von zwei Wochen zehn Prozent der Wahlberechtigten in Listen eintragen. Die Freien Wähler, 59 Bürgerinitiativen und 95 Bürgermeister unterstützen die Initiative.

mm

05.04.2005

http://www.marktplatz-oberbayern.de/regionen/bayern/art1590,264414.html?fCMS=bfd3dc119b02bdba8baa396d23808bb9


Nachrichten von der BI Bad Dürkheim

So this talk about reform of masts is just to get our votes? Well, we knew that anyway. This Government must think the British public is stupid!


EXCLUSION ZONE POLICY TO BE SCRAPPED

This is Exeter

12:00 - 01 April 2005
A policy designed to prevent mobile phone masts being built near some hospitals, schools and homes in Devon is being scrapped. Officials in Mid Devon created a 500-metre mobile phone mast exclusion zone around such buildings because of concerns about the health effects of the structures.

It was to have been included in the next local plan.

But now the rule is being removed after a Government inspector said there was no generally-accepted evidence that suggested masts posed a threat.

Mid Devon District Council has published a report into the inspector's recommendations in which officers agreed its policy is no longer workable.

Councillors must now decide whether to accept this. The report would then be subject to a six-week public consultation period before being adopted, perhaps leading to a rise in the number of phone masts in Mid Devon.

Mid Devon senior planning officer Simon Thornley, said: "We felt that if we continued with the policy, this would result in the Secretary of State directing us not to follow our local plan."

Intelligence Czar Resume: Torture, Terror, Illicit Arms
http://www.newswithviews.com/Briley/Patrick7.htm

URGENT ALERT! TAKE ACTION NOW!

STOP SMALLPOX GENETIC ENGINEERING!

4 April 2005

Please take action now to stop smallpox genetic engineering!

Visit http://www.smallpoxbiosafety.org to send a letter to the WHO Director General, urging the World Health Assembly to reject a proposal that would permit the genetic engineering of smallpox, and to instead ensure that all remaining stocks of the virus are destroyed within two years.

The proposal to genetically engineer smallpox, which would also permit smallpox genes to be inserted into related poxviruses and the unlimited distribution of small segments of smallpox DNA, poses a large number of public health, biosafety, and biological weapons risks.

The World Health Assembly will discuss the proposal when it meets in Geneva , Switzerland from 6-25 May 2005.

Every letter counts, so please send one today. This is very easily done by going to www.smallpoxbiosafety.org, selecting your language of preference, entering the required details, and clicking on the ‘submit’ button.

Please also contact your government’s representatives to the WHA. The website provides links to national health ministries. The website is available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Attached are the press release and some background information in English.

With best wishes,
Third World Network
121-S Jalan Utama
10450 Penang
Malaysia
Email: twnet@po.jaring.my


Press Release
The Sunshine Project
Third World Network
http://smallpoxbiosafety.org

This text is also available in:
Chinese: http://smallpoxbiosafety.org/who/prchinese.html
French: http://smallpoxbiosafety.org/who/prfrench.html
German: http://smallpoxbiosafety.org/who/prgerman.html
Italian: http://smallpoxbiosafety.org/who/pritalian.html
Spanish: http://smallpoxbiosafety.org/who/prspanish.html


International Campaign to Stop Smallpox Genetic Engineering Announced
Non-Governmental Organizations Urge the World Health Organization to Put Smallpox in the History Books Instead of the Genetic Engineering Lab

(4 April 2005) – An international alliance of non-governmental organizations has launched a campaign to urge the World Health Organization to reject a proposal that would permit the genetic engineering of smallpox and to instead ensure that all remaining stocks of the virus are destroyed within two years. Debate on the proposal will take place at the World Health Assembly (WHA), which meets in Geneva, Switzerland beginning on May 16th.

The NGOs, led by Third World Network and The Sunshine Project, have opened a website, http://www.smallpoxbiosafety.org, where organizations and individuals can send letters to the WHO Director General. The website provides links to health ministries, so that people can also contact their government’s representatives to the WHA. The website is available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

The proposal to genetically engineer smallpox, which would also permit smallpox genes to be inserted into related poxviruses and the unlimited distribution of small segments of smallpox DNA, poses a large number of public health, biosafety, and biological weapons risks. It was prompted by the United States, and has been recommended to the WHA through an imbalanced advisory committee. A Briefing Paper ( The Genetic Engineering of Smallpox: WHO’s Retreat from the Eradication of Smallpox Virus and Why it Should be Stopped ) at the website explains the political process that led to the proposal, the risks, and why it should be rejected. An edited excerpt from the paper that provides more background is appended to this news release.

Between now and the May opening of the WHA, the NGOs will be seeking to mobilize a wide variety of non-governmental organization and citizens. They will contact all member governments of WHO and urge them to reject the committee’s recommendations and to instead:

* Prohibit the genetic engineering of smallpox, the insertion of smallpox genes in other poxviruses, and any further distribution of smallpox genetic material for non-diagnostic purposes;

* Set a firm and irrevocable date, within two years, for the destruction of all remaining stocks of smallpox virus (including viral chimeras, or hybrids with other poxviruses);

* In the interim before destruction, ensure that the WHO Advisory Committee on Variola Virus Research and its advisors are regionally balanced and that the Committee and its subsidiary groups conduct their oversight activities in a fully transparent and accountable manner.

Interested organizations and people are urged to visit http://www.smallpoxbiosafety.org to learn more about this issue and to send a letter to the WHO Director General.

Contacts:

Third World Network
The Sunshine Project
Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia
Austin, Texas, US
Tel: + 603-2300 2585
Tel: +1 512 494 0545
E-mail: twnkl@po.jaring.my
E-mail: tsp@sunshine-project.org
GMT + 7
GMT -6

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) is justly proud of the global effort that brought about the eradication of smallpox in 1977; but the truth of the matter is that the job was never finished. The United States and Russia still retain stocks of the smallpox virus (Variola major), an easily transmitted disease and ancient scourge of humanity that is a potent biological weapons agent. Smallpox kills one quarter or more of the people it infects and leaves many that do not die disfigured and blind.

In 1999, the remaining stocks of smallpox virus were slated for imminent destruction. But Russia and the US balked at the World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution calling upon them to destroy the virus. Instead, the US has accelerated smallpox research. Now, it wants to open the Pandora’s Box of genetically-engineered smallpox. A plan to genetically engineer the virus could be approved by the World Health Assembly in May 2005. The plan also includes the expression of smallpox genes in related poxviruses, and unlimited distribution of segments of smallpox DNA. If implemented, this plan would pose serious biosafety risks and open the road to an artificial reconstruction of the virus for biowarfare purposes.

Fewer and fewer people, and their leaders, have personal memories of the horror of smallpox, or even the scars left by vaccination, which had ended in most countries by the late 1970s. As if the world is condemned to repeat history through forgetfulness, WHO has now lost the political will that it once had to finish the job of smallpox eradication. Much of the blame can be laid at the feet of WHO’s decision to leave oversight of smallpox research in the hands of an unbalanced and highly politicized “technical” advisory committee that is dominated by a small number of countries and scientists with a personal interest in pursuing smallpox research. It was US pressure that rammed the proposal for genetically-engineered smallpox through that committee, and now the World Health Assembly is in an inglorious position of being on the verge of endorsing what may prove to be the undoing of one its own greatest achievements.

Civil society and like-minded governments must urgently come together to turn the tide. The creation of genetically-engineered smallpox and hybrids of smallpox and other viruses (called chimera) pose serious public health, biosafety, and biological weapons dangers to the entire world. With increased smallpox experimentation, the world stands closer to the accident or deliberate act that would cause a release of the virus.

Because many poxviruses are closely-related to each other and, in their natural state frequently not entirely species-specific, the insertion of smallpox genes in related viruses has the potential to create dangerous new human (and animal) pathogens. Through genetic engineering or targeted mutations, labs that receive pieces of the smallpox genome may develop the ability to create smallpox or a novel virus with its characteristics without ever receiving an actual sample of Variola major. Moreover, laboratory safety practices and technology cannot erase human error and equipment failures that lead to accidents, as evidenced by a recent string of lab-acquired infections and environmental releases of SARS, Ebola, tularemia, and other dangerous diseases. In fact, the last reported human cases of smallpox were laboratory-acquired (see page 3 of the Briefing Paper - The Genetic Engineering of Smallpox: WHO’s Retreat from the Eradication of Smallpox Virus and Why it Should be Stopped ).

Contained to only two labs in Russia and the US , smallpox has a unique multilateral research oversight structure that has no parallel with any other disease. Because of the unique situation of smallpox research, if WHO approves these experiments it will not only increase the threat posed by smallpox itself. WHO will also broadcast the signal that it is internationally acceptable to have genetic engineering of other germs, including experiments in which new and more dangerous forms may result – or even be intended.

If endorsed by the WHA, the intergovernmental encouragement of the creation of designer disease will come at a particularly dangerous time. Globally, the number of high containment facilities handling dangerous disease agents is expanding and the hazardous applications of biotechnology increasing. This is reflected in a growing number of lab accidents in a variety of countries in recent years involving highly pathogenic agents in high containment facilities. Particularly in the US, the scope and quantity of research on biological weapons agents is growing, and now exceeds the cost of the effort that created the atomic bomb (the Manhattan Project), adjusted for inflation.

Individuals and civil society organizations should take action and voice their opposition to WHO and their national public health authorities, urging them to reject the recommendations of the committee and to instead ensure prompt destruction of all remaining virus stocks. This briefing provides a political overview of smallpox eradication, the WHO processes that led to the present state of affairs, and related issues of biosafety and prohibitions on biological weapons.



From ECOTERRA Intl.

This is deadly serious. I've been unable to think of anything but escaping this country ASAP for the last few days. Can anyone give any more info on this?

Gary



I am beginning to feel the plans the government and the operators have for the new masts on every lamppost covering all frequencies could be the final nail in the very painful death of this country. If we don't band together and arrange some kind of event that gets huge media coverage I believe we could all be doomed.

I will be happy to coordinate a March on Downing Street and believe we should do it before the General Election. I am not political and really do not care who is in power as long as they stop killing us with unneeded radiation.

Can I suggest that all the leaders of the many groups fighting the masts hold an emergency meeting (for I believe we are facing a grave emergency here, that only people power can stop) and see who really is up for the fight? E-mail me at info@emf-solutions.org.uk with the number of bodies you can safely bring along.

I don't believe we can survive and or win fighting one mast here and another there. The time has come to join hands and come out fighting and give our vast knowledge to the masses so that they might join our fight.

Glynn

Kriegsfilmstudie - Medienpolitik

Nach einem dreijährigen Forschungsprojekt habe ich die Kriegsfilmstudie "Kino der Angst - Terror, Krieg und Staatskunst aus Hollywood" abgeschlossen. Ausführlich informiert über das Buchprojekt die Internet-Seite:
http://www.friedensbilder.de/kriegsfilme/

Da die Drucklegung (wie zuvor die Arbeit an der Studie) ohne Fördergelder erfolgt, sind für eine Lieferung verbindliche Vorbestellungen erforderlich (628 Seiten; 29 Euro zzgl. Versandkosten). Über Interesse oder Weiterleitung dieser Infos würde ich mich freuen.

Ein guter Gruß

Peter Bürger
Kiefernstr. 33; D-40233 Düsseldorf


PETER BÜRGER: KINO DER ANGST - TERROR, KRIEG UND STAATSKUNST AUS HOLLYWOOD

Wer dem Krieg wehren will, der darf die Macht der Bilder nicht unterschätzen. Bei Vorstellungen des populären Kinos fungiert das Pentagon als Produktionspartner. Staatlich genehme und geförderte Kunst flankiert die technologische Hochrüstung der Supermacht. Sie sehen als Zuschauer Re-Inszenierungen und Fiktionen, in denen der mörderische Kriegsapparat als normales Instrument zur "Problemlösung" erscheint. Wissen Sie, dass Leinwand, Videothek und Fernsehkanäle Ihnen die neuesten Militärplanungen schmackhaft machen sollen?

Die vorliegende Darstellung erschließt erstmals im Gesamtüberblick das US-Kriegskino der letzten zwanzig Jahre. Peter Bürger untersucht Hintergründe, Inhalte und Funktionen der militaristischen "Unterhaltung" aus Hollywood. Er richtet den Blick auch über das Kriegsfilm-Genre hinaus.

Massenkulturelle "Botschafter der Angst" verstärken paranoide und endzeitliche Gestimmtheiten. Sie produzieren Ohnmacht und eine Bereitschaft, irrationale Gewaltkonzepte zu dulden.

Krieg und War-Entertainment sind keine Naturereignisse. Internationales Recht und Zivilisationskonsens stehen der unterhaltsamen Kriegspropaganda entgegen. Doch wie kann sich die Gesellschaft gegen das geistige und kulturelle Diktat der Bellizisten zur Wehr setzen? Wer die Strategien kriegsfördernder Filme durchschauen möchte und Antworten auf diese Überlebensfrage sucht, kommt an diesem Buch nicht vorbei. Friedensbewegte Leser, Globalisierungskritiker, Konfliktforscher, Filmwissenschaftler, Medienpädagogen, Jugendschutzgremien, Juristen und Kulturschaffende werden ermutigt, die Macht der Kriegsmythen zu durchkreuzen.

(Peter Bürger, Theologe und freier Publizist, geboren 1961, Mitglied der Internationalen katholischen Friedensbewegung Pax Christi seit 1980 und einer der Sprecher des Ökumenischen Friedensnetzes Düsseldorfer Christinnen & Christen; seine letzte Buchveröffentlichung "Napalm am Morgen" (2004) behandelt den kritischen Vietnamkriegsfilm aus Hollywood: http://www.napalm-am-morgen.de )

WIE SIE SICH DIE ERGEBNISSE DIESER KRIEGSFILMSTUDIE SICHERN

Die Drucklegung dieser nach drei Jahren nun abgeschlossenen Kriegsfilmstudie ist für die erste Jahreshälfte 2005 vorgesehen. Durch eine verbindliche Vorbestellung fördern Sie eine beschleunigte Drucklegung und sichern Sie sich ein Exemplar des Buches.

Umfang: ca. 628 Seiten; Format: A5; Umschlag: mehrfarbig Vorbestellungspreis: 29 Euro zzgl. Versandkosten, Rechnungsstellung: nach Lieferung des Buches

Danke für den breiten Zuspruch zum friedensbewegten Buchprojekt KINO DER ANGST - TERROR, KRIEG UND STAATSKUNST AUS HOLLYWOOD.

Nunmehr sind zur Realisierung nur noch 19 Vorbestellungen notwendig. Wenn grundsätzlich Interesse besteht, wäre deshalb eine Bestellung (auch durch Gruppen) zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt hilfreich. Im Internet informiert ausführlich http://www.friedensbilder.de/kriegsfilme/

Für Bestellungen bitte den nachfolgenden "Coupon" benutzen, da das Bestellformular der Homepage eine Fehlerquote hat.

Ein guter Gruß
Peter Bürger
Kiefernstr. 33
D-40233 Düsseldorf

-------------------

Ich bestelle verbindlich das Buch "Peter Bürger: KINO DER ANGST, Terror, Krieg und Staatskunst aus Hollywood" (628 Seiten) zum Preis von 29,- Euro zzgl. Versandkosten (per Rechnung bei Lieferung).
Name:
Anschrift:
Ort/Datum/Unterschrift:

Für Rückfragen: peter@friedensbilder.de


Bestelltext:

Hiermit bestelle ich verbindlich __ Exemplar(e) des Buches "Kino der Angst - Terror, Krieg und Staatskunst aus Hollywood" zum Preis von 29,- Euro zzgl. Versandkosten gegen Lieferrechnung.

Name, Anschrift, Ort/Datum und Unterschrift:



Anschrift für Vorbestellungen: Peter Bürger, Kiefernstr. 33, D-40233 Düsseldorf. Mailkontakt: peter@friedensbilder.de
Internet-Infos: http://www.friedensbilder.de/kriegsfilme/

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/2551/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

"Soldados Mexicanos Muertos en Irak" (Xenophobes of the Minuteman Project want to play soldiers on the Arizona-Mexico border, hunting down "illegal aliens." Meanwhile, Mexicans are dying in Iraq for the US government) -- FULL TEXT:
http://montages.blogspot.com/2005/04/soldados-mexicanos-muertos-en-irak.html

-- Yoshie

From ufpj-news

HLV INFO 49/AT

3-04-2005

Frankfurter Rundschau 2-04-2005

http://www.fr-aktuell.de/ressorts/nachrichten_und_politik/nachrichten/?sid=8544d0af4702e03f5e1a1bb469657195&cnt=655418

MOBILFUNK

Netzbetreiber sehen Skepsis schwinden

Frankfurt a. M. · 1. April · hein · Die Mobilfunkbetreiber bewerten die Diskussion über die Gesundheitsgefahren, die vor allem von den Sendemasten ausgehen könnten, als "deutlich entspannt und verbessert". Zur Versachlichung der Debatte habe die Selbstverpflichtung der Unternehmen beigetragen, "beim Verbraucher-, Gesundheits- und Umweltschutz wirksame Verbesserungen herbeizuführen", heißt es in einer Mitteilung des Informationszentrums Mobilfunk vom Freitag. Diese Selbstverpflichtung sei eingehalten worden. Außerdem sei die Kommunikation mit Verbrauchern und Kommunen verbessert worden.

Kritiker halten die Mobilfunktechnologie für problematisch, sowohl was die Abstrahlung durch die Sendemasten als auch durch die Handys angeht. Der von ihnen ausgehende Elektrosmog könne Krankheiten bis hin zu Krebs verursachen. Sie fordern daher die Verschärfung der gültigen Grenzwerte, ferner, die Sendemasten außerhalb der Innenstädte zu installieren.


“Wunschdenken“

Die Pressemitteilung des IZMF, der Mobilfunkbetreiberlobbyvereinigung, nutzt die vom Deutschen Institut für Urbanistik, der Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen und dem Beratungsunternehmen WIK GmbH im als "Jahresgutachten 2OO4 zur Umsetzung der Zusagen der Selbstverpflichtung der Mobilfunkbetreiber" bezeichneten Jahresbericht gezogenen insgesamt "positiven Bilanz" um sich selbst auf die Schulter zu klopfen.

Der HESSISCHE LANDESVERBAND MOBILFUNKSENDERFREIE WOHNGEBIETE e.V. (HLV), eine Vereinigung von über 120 Bürgerinitiativen in Hessen und angrenzenden Gebieten von Rheinland-Pfalz, widerspricht der Darstellung des IZMF.

Die "Selbstverpflichtung" der Unternehmen hat an vielen Orten zur erheblichen Verärgerung von Kommunen und Bürgern beigetragen, die feststellen mussten, dass die unverbindlichen Absichtserklärungen im konkreten Fall nicht das Papier wert sind, auf dem sie stehen. Die Kontroversen haben in der Praxis an Schärfe zugenommen. Zum Teil werden Kommunen regelrecht hintergangen und getäuscht.

Dem HLV sind mehrere Bürgermeister und Kommunen bekannt, die den Betreibern arglistige Täuschung vorwerfen und z.T. sogar mit diesen weitere Verhandlungen ablehnen.

Die diversen, juristisch völlig wertlosen Selbstverpflichtungen oder Vereinbarungen mit Verbänden gaukeln einerseits Bürgern eine vermeintliche Transparenz (Stichwort: "Reduzierung von Ängsten durch Information") vor und auf der anderen Seite werden stillschweigend Fakten geschaffen …..

Im Übrigen wird auch seitens des Umweltministeriums deutliche Kritik gegenüber den Betreibern geübt und Verbesserungen angemahnt, dass "die Zahl der Konfliktfälle bei der Standortsuche für Sendemasten nach wie vor nicht deutlich gesunken" sei.

Für den HLV Vorstand

Dr. E. W. Braun, Oberursel - Tel. 06171 – 5 27 24
Alfred Tittmann, Bruchköbel - Tel. 06181 – 7 73 76



Omega siehe:

Krebs und Krankheit um Mobilfunksender
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/601641/

[ document info ]
Copyright © Frankfurter Rundschau online 2005
Dokument erstellt am 01.04.2005 um 17:16:19 Uhr
Erscheinungsdatum 02.04.2005


HLV – Kommentar:

Bezüglich der Pressemitteilung der IZMF, der Mobilfunkbetreibervereinigung in Berlin, möchten wir auf die Original Presseinformation des BMWA und BMU hinweisen, wo ausdrücklich an der bisherigen Form einer „Kooperation mit allen Beteiligten“, deutlich Kritik geübt wird und erforderliche Verbesserungen angemahnt werden.

Da die es sich bei dem Artikel in der FR um eine von der IZMF bundesweit verbreitete PM handelt sollte auch regional entsprechend reagiert werden.

Die Pressemitteilung der IZMF schafft kein Vertrauen, hier wird eine gezielte manipulierte Stimmung gegenüber der Bevölkerung gemacht!

Wir geben noch einmal den Wortlaut der PM des Ministeriums BMU nachfolgend bekannt, was bereits auch in unserer HLV INFO Nr.47 v. 1-04-05 erfolgte.

M.f.G.

Alfred Tittmann
c/o HESSISCHER LANDESVERBAND MOBILFUNKSENDERFREIE WOHNGEBIETE e.V.


Pressedienst Nr. 075/05
Berlin, 31. Maerz 2005

Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung des BMWA und des BMU

Mobilfunkbetreiber legen Rechenschaftsbericht vor

Die Mobilfunknetzbetreiber haben der Bundesregierung ihren dritten Jahresbericht zur Umsetzung der Selbstverpflichtung vom Dezember 2001 vorgelegt. Die Gutachter, das Deutsche Institut für Urbanistik, die Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V. und das Beratungsunternehmen WIK GmbH, ziehen darin eine insgesamt positive Bilanz. Nach Aussage der Gutachter funktionieren Kommunikation und Partizipation zwischen Betreibern und Kommunen auf Basis der Selbstverpflichtungserklärung im Wesentlichen gut. Im Detail und in Einzelfällen gebe es aber auch weiterhin Probleme. So seien die Verbraucher-Informationen zu den Strahlungswerten für Handys und die Information der Kommunen über den Sendebeginn noch verbesserungsbedürftig.

Bundesumweltminister Jürgen Trittin kritisierte, dass die Zahl der Konfliktfälle bei der Standortsuche für Sendemasten nach wie vor nicht deutlich gesunken sei. "Die Betreiber sollten sich auch in strittigen Fällen noch mehr auf die Diskussion mit den kommunalen Vertretern sowie engagierten Bürgerinnen und Bürgern einlassen", so Trittin.

Bundeswirtschafts- und -arbeitsminister Wolfgang Clement betonte, dass die Standortdatenbank und das Internetportal seines Hauses www.mobilfunk-information.de wichtige Information über Grenzwerte und Strahlung beim Mobilfunk bereit stelle.

Nach wie vor unbefriedigend sind die Verbraucherinformationen zu den Strahlungswerten von Mobiltelefonen. Trittin wies darauf hin, dass sich Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher beim Kauf eines Mobiltelefons an dem vom Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS) empfohlenen SAR--Wert von 0,6 Watt/kg orientieren können. Solche Handys werden bereits angeboten. Die Betreiber haben hier zugesagt, das Verkaufspersonal in ihren Vertriebsgeschäften besser zu schulen.

Das BfS bietet im Internet eine Übersicht zu aktuell am Markt befindlichen Mobiltelefonen, die diesen SAR-Wert einhalten, an (www.bfs.de).

Das Jahresgutachten ist im Internet unter www.bmu.de verfügbar.


Hrsg: BMU-Pressereferat, Alexanderplatz 6, 10178 Berlin
Redaktion: Michael Schroeren (verantwortlich)
Thomas Hagbeck, Jürgen Maaß, Frauke Stamer
Tel.: 01888/305-2010. Fax: 01888/305-2016
email: presse@bmu.bund.de - internet: http://www.bmu.de/presse

--------

4. Mobilfunksymposium in Mainz

Gedanken eines kritischen Beobachters der Mobilfunkszene

Mit Befremden stelle ich fest, dass das 4. Symposium des BUND in diesem Jahr unter dem Thema:

„Was funkt denn da ? Reduzierung von Funkwellen in Wohnung und Büro“, steht.

Ich habe noch gut im Ohr, dass die Mobilfunkbetreiber immer wieder mit der Argumentation auftraten, die Bestrahlung des Mobilfunks sei doch verhältnismäßig gering, wenn man bedenkt, mit welchen Bestrahlungen man sich täglich freiwillig umgibt, seien es Mikrowelle oder andere Elektrogeräte mit elektromagnetischem Bestrahlungsfeld.

Nun schenkt das Symposium einen halben Tag der aufkommenden Multimediatechnologie bei der drahtlosen Bürokommunikation und greift sich auch nochmals die allgegenwärtigen DECT-Telefone auf.

Spätestens nach der diesjährigen CEBIT ist doch eindeutig klargeworden, dass Büro- und Wohnumfeld kabellos erobert werden müssen. Man hofft sich auf der Basis der Bequemlichkeit bei mehr Konsumenten Fuß zu fassen. Ist erst auch dieser Bereich komplett in Abhängigkeit geraten, kann man sich kaum mehr gegen die planmäßige Ausweitung der Mobilfunkstandorte wehren.

Folgt man der Intention der BUND-Einladung, dann schaffen wir uns ja schließlich selbst das eigene elektromagnetische Bestrahlungsfeld und die Mobilfunkbetreiber können frohlocken, denn nun sind nicht nur sie die Bestrahler, sondern wir brauchen und fordern die Technologie sogar ein.

Einen großen Unterschied sollte man hier nicht übereifrig unter den Tisch kehren, vielleicht ausgelöst durch den augenblicklichen Frust, die Mobilfunkantennen kaum verhindern zu können, dass diese Art der häuslichen Bestrahlung hausgemacht und fast von jedem gesteuert werden kann.

Mein Router läuft einfach verkabelt und nicht unter WLAN, das Laptop funktioniert auch mit Kabelanschluss. Das DECT-Telefon ist bereits vor Jahren gegen ein CT 1+-Standard ausgetauscht worden und bei allen Fernsteuerungen achte ich penibel darauf, dass sie nicht drahtlos mit gepulster Hochfrequenz im Spektrum des Mobilfunks agieren.

Aber die nun rund um mein Haus nun auch noch mit UMTS aufgerüsteten Antennenstandorte bestrahlen mich rund um die Uhr, ohne dass ich etwas dagegen setzen kann.

Geben wir an dieser Stelle nicht unsere bisherigen Argumentationslinien auf, wenn nun mangels öffentlichen Interesses am Minimieren der Mobilfunkstandorte zum Messen von Bestrahlungsdichten und Abschirmen animiert wird.

Bisher sahen wir die Abschirmung als letzte Instanz, wenn jemand gnadenlos der Antennendichte ausgesetzt und zugleich verstärkt elektrosensibel reagiert.

Ich möchte den Baubiologen an dieser Stelle nicht zu nahe treten, aber es befremdet mich irgendwie, wenn mit den aufkommenden Ängsten der Menschen vor dem Mobilfunk, nun Messen und Abschirmen propagiert wird, während zur gleichen Zeit namhafte Wissenschaftler einen Rückzieher in ihrer Argumentation antreten, weil man ansonsten ihnen die Forschungsgelder kappen würde. Spricht man in Wissenschaftlerkreisen doch bereits sehr viel zurückhaltender über die Gefahren.

Sind wir erst einmal an der Position des Abschirmens als Lösung angekommen, dann werden bald die Mobilfunkbetreiber alle Elektrosensiblen auffordern, sich doch selbst zu schützen. Oder man wird den Baubiologen vorwerfen, aus dieser Notlage Geschäft zu machen.

Denn billig läuft die Sache ja offensichtlich nicht ab, viele Geplagten können sich die Abschirmung einfach auch gar nicht leisten oder sie gelingt auch nicht optimal bzw. zeigt nicht die erwartete Wirkung.

Auffällig ist mir auch das gemeinsame Firmieren von Messgeräte- und Abschirmungsmaterialhersteller. Ebenso die begleitenden Ausstellungen des Symposiums.

Bald wird man sich den Vorwurf anhören müssen, dass hier ein Pakt geschlossen sei, um mit den Ängsten der Menschen Geld zu verdienen.

Vielmehr müssen wir alles daransetzen, dass Kommunalpolitiker sich Sachverstand in der Mobilfunktechnologie aneignen, damit sie ihre Entscheidungen fundiert treffen können. Viele Diskussionen im kommunalpolitischen Bereich, zeigen hier absoluten Fehlbestand.

Bei der Bevölkerung, vor allem bei den Jugendlichen besteht ein großer Bedarf der gesundheitlichen Aufklärung über die Risiken der Technologie.

Solange sich alles noch gedanklich in einer Grauzone befindet, kann vor Ort keine Verhaltensänderung erreicht werden.

Solange Schulen nur über die Schuldenfalle des Handys als einziges Risiko informieren sollen, haben die Bildungspolitiker noch nicht erkannt, das zum erzieherischen Auftrag sehr wohl auch die Gesunderhaltung zukünftiger Generationen gehört.

Hier sollten alle Informierten die Sache anpacken und täglich Überzeugungsarbeit in Kindergärten, Schulen und Öffentlichkeit leisten, denn offensichtlich hat der bisherige Informationsstand noch kein Umdenken in der Bevölkerung erreicht.

Auch die Medien sollten verstärkt ihrer Informationspflicht nachkommen, unbeeinflusst von dem finanziellen Segen der Werbeeinnahmen aus dem Mobilfunkbereich.

Klaus Obermann, BI Bad Dürkheim

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Omega: eines von vielen Beispielen, wie die Netzbetreiber ihre Selbstverpflichtung einhalten:

HNA 2-04-05

Mobil gegen Funk

Von Christine Thiery

Homberg Eine ganz und gar ungewöhnliche Überraschung gab es für die Anwohner am Homberger Bahnhof und im Holzhäuser Feld. Am Dienstag vor dem Osterfest hatte der Mobilfunkbetreiber Vodafone eine UMTS-Sendeanlage in der Bahnhofstraße errichtet.

Davon hatten die Anwohner bislang nichts gewusst. Und genau darüber regen sie sich auf. "Das geht gegen unser demokratisches Grundverständnis", sagt Cornelia Aurand. Sie findet, dass dies ein schlechter politischer Stil ist. Einige Anwohner im Holzhäuser Feld haben sich nun zusammengetan und protestieren.

In der Wohngegend befindet sich ein Kindergarten, zudem leben dort sehr viele junge Familien, sagt Kerstin Göbel. Weit über 50 Kinder zählt sie auf. "Die Strahlenbelastung durch Sendemasten wird immer noch diskutiert", weiß auch Edgar Kersting. Die Bewohner sind beunruhigt. Sie berichten von möglichen Schlafstörungen und Gesundheitsgefahren. "Wir haben doch keine Ahnung, was da genau auf uns zukommt", befürchten sie.

Am meisten ärgern sie sich über die mangelnde Informationspolitik der Stadt. "Wir vermuten, dass es extra verheimlicht wurde, um uns vor vollendete Tatsachen zu stellen", sagt Kersting.

Die Bewohner haben in der vergangenen Woche viele Nachbarn mobilisiert. "Wir wollen auf jeden Fall Unterschriften gegen den Sendemasten sammeln", sagen sie. Sie wollen auch genau wissen, welche Belastung auf sie zukommt. Barbara Höhner fragt sich, ob es keine Alternative zu diesem Standort gegeben habe? Habe man denn nicht die Nähe zu dem Wohngebiet beachtet und die Menge der dort lebenden Kinder berücksichtigt?

Antworten hätten die Menschen gern im Vorfeld gehabt, bevor die Anlage installiert wurde.

Gleichzeitig machen sie sich Sorgen um den Wert ihres Eigentums. Der sei wegen des schlechten Rufs der Siedlung ohnehin nicht sehr gut, nun käme noch der Mast dazu.

Die Anwohner hatten sich nach der Errichtung bei der Stadt und dem Kreisbauamt informiert. Daher wussten sie, dass das Grundstück, auf dem die Anlage errichtet wurde, der Stadt gehört.

Im Magistrat sei die Errichtung der Anlage besprochen und beschlossen worden, hätten sie erfahren und fragen wieder: "Warum hat uns keiner informiert?"

Erst nach den ersten Anfragen beim Bürgermeister sei am Donnerstag ein Zettel verteilt worden. Den zeigen die Anwohner vor. Er stammt von der Firma Vodafone und enthält Angaben über die Grenzwerte von Strahlenbelastungen solcher Anlagen.

Kontakt: Kerstin Göbel: 0 56 81/60 58 3.

01.04.2005


M.f.G.
Alfred Tittmann
c/o HESSISCHER LANDESVERBAND MOBILFUNKSENDERFREIE WOHNGEBIETE e.V.

http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/du_death_toll.html


Informant: Carol Wolman