http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking2/INS-Torture.html


Informant: Charles Bremer

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/2809/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=18256&c=206


From Information Clearing House

The people who have the effrontery to rule us, who call themselves our government, understand this basic fact of human nature. They exploit it, and they cultivate it.

http://www.independent.org/publications/article.asp?id=1510


From Information Clearing House

US government turned a blind eye as Bayoil, a Texas oil company, imported Iraqi oil and paid $37m of kickbacks to the Saddam regime. Also, as a member of the Security Council, Washington did nothing to prevent Saddam sellling oil worth a claimed $8bn, to Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Turkey, in violation of sanctions.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=639335



The Bayoil Indictment -- the Real Scandal

The neo-con team is brazenly acting as if Saddam did something wrong in selling Iraqi oil in violation of the United Nations embargo that we insisted by kept on for a dozen years after the 1991 Gulf War. The U.N. resolution did not prohibit Baghdad's sale of oil!!! It prohibited its purchase by U.N. members.

http://www.wanniski.com/showarticle.asp?articleid=4300


From Information Clearing House

George Bush, and you and I have started this bloody war in Iraq, where we are fighting people who not only never attacked us, but who never even had the means with which they could have attacked us. - We don’t even have the decency to count the number of infants we have killed.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8870.htm

An Afghan who spent three years at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre a said that interrogators frequently desecrated the Koran, which prompted a hunger strike and a US apology.

http://snipurl.com/ezko


From Information Clearing House

Iraqi Girl Blog

We are hearing of people being rounded up by security forces (Iraqi) and then being found dead days later- apparently when the new Iraqi government recently decided to reinstate the death penalty, they had something else in mind.

http://snipurl.com/ezki


From Information Clearing House

Let me make sure I heard that correctly . . . . “The image of the United States abroad has been damaged.”

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8880.htm

Gentechnik: Angemeldete Gen-Mais-Flächen zur Hälfte zurückgezogen (17.05.05)

Nach Informationen des Umweltinstituts München wird gentechnisch veränderter Mais nur auf der Hälfte der vorgesehenen Anbaufläche tatsächlich angebaut. 2005 seien bislang von knapp 1100 Hektar Genmais, die in Deutschland zur Aussaat angemeldet worden seien, 480 Hektar zurückgezogen worden. Dies sei größtenteils durch öffentlichen Widerstand erreicht worden. Auch die Hälfte der Standorte sei nach öffentlichem Druck wieder abgemeldet worden.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:

http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11067

18.05.05

67,7 Prozent der Deutschen wollen eine Volksabstimmung über die EU-Verfassung. Das ist das Ergebnis einer am Mittwoch veröffentlichten Meinungsumfrage des Meinungsforschungsinstituts Omniquest für den Kölner Stadtanzeiger. Mehr als 60 Prozent der Befragten würden der Verfassung dann nach eigenen Angaben zustimmen. Allerdings hatten mehr als 63 Prozent der Teilnehmenden ausgesagt, sie seien "eher schlecht" oder sogar "sehr schlecht" über den Verfassungsentwurf informiert. Die Initiative "Mehr Demokratie" forderte die nordrhein-westfälische Landesregierung auf, sich im Bundesrat für eine Volksabstimmung über die Verfassung der Europäischen Union einzusetzen. Der Bundestag hatte in der letzten Woche dem Verfassungsvertrag zugestimmt. Der Bundesrat entscheidet hierüber am 27. Mai.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:

http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11080

Atombehörde: Neue Filzvorwürfe gegen Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (18.05.05)

Das Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS) in Salzgitter wird mit neuen Vorwürfen konfrontiert. Wie das Hamburger Magazin "Stern" am Mittwoch berichtete, vergab das BfS mehrfach Gutachterverträge an persönliche Bekannte von BfS-Präsident Wolfram König. Demnach ging ein Gutachterauftrag über etwa 300.000 Euro an den niedersächsischen Grünen-Politiker Hans-Albert Lennartz. Dieser war in den 90er Jahren Regierungspräsident von Hannover, der heutige BfS-Präsident König war damals sein Sprecher. Das Bundesamt warf dem Blatt vor, den Eindruck zu erwecken, das BfS sei bei der Auftragsvergabe rechtswidrig vorgegangen.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:

http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11086


http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=BfS

People For the American Way

"Nuclear Option" Mass Immediate Response

posted 05/16/05

Sign up for the "Nuclear Option" Mass Immediate Response and receive a text message you as soon as the Senate leadership triggers the "nuclear option." Embedded in that text message will be a link to the Senate switchboard. With the push of a couple buttons, your call will go right through to the corridors of power demanding preservation of the filibuster.

http://tinyurl.com/84rhg


From Moving Ideas Blogger News, May 18, 2005

PeaceMajority.org

posted 05/17/05

The Leave No Child Behind Act includes a little-known provision that forces schools to turn over students' private information to military recruiters, without parental consent. Urge your member of Congress to support the Student Privacy Protection Act to restore students' privacy and put control of this information back in the hands of their families.

http://tinyurl.com/dmlzu


From Moving Ideas Blogger News, May 18, 2005

Please support Galloway!

Should you all wish to congratulate G.Galloway, I have an email address for him: gallowayg@parliament.uk

or you can write to the Guardian Editors who covered the hearings: politics.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk

CNN are asking people about their views on ywt@cnn.com on the Galloway affair.

Regards,

Tahrir


Informant: ranger116


http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Galloway

PO Box 656
Sparks, NV 89432
(775) 356-9009
info@mothersagainstthedraft.org

Please forward this message to your family and friends!

May 18, 2005

Dear members, supporters, and friends,

Today marks the 88th anniversary of the passage of the Selective Service Act. It’s a day that should serve as a solemn reminder to every mother and father in America that by simple majority vote, Congress could again pass legislation reinstating the draft.

For those of us with draft aged children, that threat is more real than many would like to believe, and far more real than Congress is willing to admit.

Top military leaders have been warning us that our military is seriously over-stretched and undermanned. Just last month, for the third straight month the U.S. Army missed its recruiting goal, but this time by a whopping 42 percent and the Army Reserve fell short by 37 percent. According to Army Reserve chief, Lt. Gen. James Helmly, the Reserve is a “broken force,” no longer able to meet its commitment in Iraq and Afghanistan. General Richard Cody, the Army’s vice chief of staff, recently told a room full of reporters that the situation is serious enough that he’s losing sleep worrying about the future of the all-volunteer military.

Whether they want to our not, it’s apparent that Congress will soon be forced to make some unpleasant decisions.

The math is simple. If there aren’t enough volunteers joining the military then Congress must either reduce our commitments, drastically increase taxes to hire a mercenary force, or draft our children. And if as predicted, our commitment to this policy of “pre-emptive war” in the “global war on terrorism” is indeed “generational,” it will swallow not only our sons and daughters in a new draft, but our grandchildren as well.

It’s time for Congress to stop dodging the draft question!

As you know, Mothers Against the Draft delivered a simple six question Compulsory Service Survey to every member of the 109th Congress. To date, only 2 of 535 members of Congress (Congressman Ron Paul of TX and Congress Barney Frank of MA) have had the courage tell their constituents the truth about where they stand on the draft. In addition, thousands of citizens have signed our online Petition to Congress Opposing Conscription. Those too have been ignored.
http://www.mothersagainstthedraft.org/images/surveys/survey1.pdf

You have an absolute right to know if your elected officials would vote to draft your sons and daughters. And they have an absolute duty to tell you the truth.

If you are as outraged as I am, it’s time to make your voice heard!

1. Call your Congressman’s office and express your concern regarding the threat of a new draft and urge him/her to respond to MAD’s Congressional Survey on Conscription. It’s easy to do, it’s important, and it will only take a few minutes of your time. Just call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. If you don’t know your Congressman’s name, the Operator will ask you for your address and connect you to the right office.

2. Send an email to your Congressman. We’ve already drafted one for your use, or if you prefer, you can create your own email on our website. (Click here to send an email to Congress):
http://capwiz.com/mad/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=7603206

3. Forward this email on to your family and friends and ask them to do the same.

All 3 Action Items will take you less than 10 minutes.

With your help, we can stop the draft before it starts!

18 May 2005

Tomorrow marks a critical day in Congress: the day global warming legislation is introduced. But there's nuclear fallout to an otherwise good bill - that's right, instead of setting strong limits on global warming pollution from power plants, Senator McCain plans to add massive subsidies for new nuclear power plants.

24 Hours to Stop a Nuclear Disaster
http://usactions.greenpeace.org/action/start.php?action_id=48&ref_source=newsletter051805

Apparently Senator McCain doesn't understand the risks. Nuclear plants are sitting ducks for terrorist attacks and there is no safe way to store nuclear waste. We need your help today to stop the Senate from nuking this landmark global warming bill.

TAKE ACTION NOW!
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=15872291&url_num=3&url=http://usactions.greenpeace.org/action/start.php?action_id=48&ref_source=newsletter051805

Limiting our global warming pollution combined with strong incentives for renewable sources and energy efficiency, is the real solution to meet our energy needs.

Please take action now and tell your Senators to "knock the nukes" out of the McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act. It is vitally important that we stop the nuclear industry from poisoning the most important piece of global warming legislation being debated in Congress today.


702 H Street, NW
Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20001
(800) 326-0959

“If you attend a college or university, please immediately send your race or ethnicity, financial aid info rmation, the number of classes you are taking, whether or not you are living on campus or with your family, and any varsity sports you play. When you are done doing that, please also send all of the information listed here on page 74 ( http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005160.pdf - see note below about PDF files) if you ever want to enroll in college.”

Under a new federal proposal being championed by the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), any college or university you ever attend in the U.S. would be required to submit this personal information about you to the federal government. The data is slated to be stored indefinitely.

Why does the government want to collect and store all this information about you? To ensure students privacy and evaluate the performance of colleges and universities, the Department of Education currently collects aggregate statistics from schools. The Department of Education claims that collecting information on a student-by-student basis, rather than aggregate numbers, would help evaluate the performances of these institutions of higher education. Switching to a student unit record system, however, raises significant student privacy concerns:

* The potential exists for misuse of personal student information by government agencies. For example, the National Directory of New Hires, designed as a registry of workers who re-enter the workforce, has been accessed and misused by other government agencies to track parents who fail to pay child support or who owe non-tax debt, despite privacy assurances.

* The system is vulnerable to identity theft, arising from a concentrated storage of the very information necessary for such illegal activity.

* Who will be responsible for collecting student unit records from colleges and universities around the country? Will the government subcontract private companies, some of which have recently experienced security breaches, to collect personal student information?

* NCES database records will be stored indefinitely, creating the potential of a lifetime federal profile of individuals not involved with, or suspected of, any crime.

Congress has previously prohibited creating a national database to track students. When it created the No Child Left Behind Act (PL 107-110), Congress specifically refused to create such a database for K-12 students, according to The Campus Privacy Letter from the Council on Law in Higher Education ( http://www.clhe.org/campusprivacy/cplv1n1.pdf - see note below about PDFs). Why would it therefore be acceptable for Congress to create a federal database on college and university students?

Furthermore, despite the Department of Education's claim that “information about individuals may never leave NCES,” this assertion is wrong. Section 508 of the USA PATRIOT Act permits the Attorney General to apply for a special court order to obtain any “reports, records, and information (including individually identifiable information) in the possession” of NCES that are relevant to a terrorism investigation or prosecution. A final report of the student tracking proposal feasibility study was sent to Congress on March 21, 2005. NCES officials have indicated that they will not implement the proposal without congressional approval, which would require weakening privacy laws and appropriating funds. Amending the Higher Education Act reauthorization bill would be the most likely method for Congress to enact the student tracking proposal. FCNL and other privacy advocacy groups have grave concerns about this proposal because of the many unanswered privacy concerns that it raises.

You can keep your info rmation private by stopping this proposal from being enacted in several ways!

1) If your representative is on the House Education and the Workforce Committee ( http://edworkforce.house.gov/members/109th/mem-fc.htm ) or your senator is on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee ( http://help.senate.gov/committee_members.html ), contact him or her and say that you don't want your privacy invaded by the Department of Education's new student tracking proposal. If you don't know who your representative and/or senators are, click ( http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/ ). Your members of Congress want to hear from you about this controversial proposal!

2) Write a letter to the editor of your school newspaper or your hometown newspaper exposing the privacy concerns raised by the Department of Education's tracking proposal.

3) Contact Chairwoman of the Department of Education, Margaret Spellings (by clicking on http://www.ed.gov/about/contacts/gen/index.html?src=gu and then clicking on the web form in the middle of the page or by calling 202-401-3000), and Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, Grover Whitehurst ( grover.whitehurst@ed.gov or 202-502-7442), and tell them that you don't want the government indefinitely collecting and storing your private info rmation from college.

4) Forward this email to your friends so they can do something to protect their privacy rights!

Please visit the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities website ( http://www.naicu.edu/HEA/UnitRecord.shtml ) for a comprehensive list of student newspapers and other periodicals that have decried the Department of Education's student tracking proposal.

Contact Jeanne Herrick-Stare at jeanne@fcnl.org if you have any questions about this proposal.

* To access PDF files you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer. If you do not have this free program you can download it from Adobe's web site: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html


Stop New Nuclear Weapons! Find out how, http://www.fcnl.org/nuclear

The Next Step for Iraq: Join FCNL 's Iraq Campaign
http://www.fcnl.org/iraq/index.htm

Contact Congress and the Administration: http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/

Order FCNL publications and "War is Not the Answer" campaign bumper stickers and yard signs:
http://www.fcnl.org/new info /special_pub.htm

http://www.fcnl.org/iraq-war.htm


Friends Committee on National Legislation
245 Second St. NE, Washington , DC 20002-5795
fcnl@fcnl.org * http://www.fcnl.org
phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330


We seek a world free of war and the threat of war

We seek a society with equity and justice for all

We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled

We seek an earth restored.


http://www.blueaction.org

A politician is a man who will double cross that bridge when he comes to it.

http://babyseals.care2.com/


Informant: DitziSis

http://tinyurl.com/7odp3


Informant: Friends

The strong suspicions that have surrounded the dubious and partisan activities of Reporters without Boarders (RSF) were not unfounded.

http://snipurl.com/eyp0


From Information Clearing House

DEPUTY Prime Minister John Anderson has come under fire for giving a speech before an anti-Muslim Christian group. Two pastors from Catch the Fire Ministries were last year found guilty of vilifying Muslims by calling them demons, liars and terrorists and suggesting they encouraged domestic violence.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8862.htm



Australia: Anderson catches fire

Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson last night urged Australians to find "a new relationship with God", at a meeting of around 1000 Christians in Hoppers Crossing.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8863.htm

Video

Bill Moyers denounced on Sunday the right wing and top officials at the White House, saying they are trying to silence their critics by controlling the news media.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8860.htm

The continuing pursuit of unchecked executive power: It seems rather contrary to an idea of a Constitution with three branches that the executive would be free to do whatever they want, whatever they want without a check. US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, 20 April 2004(3)

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR510632005


From Information Clearing House

Western governments are undermining the global ban on torture by transferring suspects to countries known for routinely torturing prisoners, Human Rights Watch and seven partner organizations said today in a joint statement.

http://snipurl.com/eyou


From Information Clearing House

The killing of a suspected operative of Al Qaeda in Pakistan with a missile launched from a remotely controlled CIA aircraft was the latest such strike in a shadowy effort that both Pakistani and American officials have sought to hide, according to two former counterterrorism officials.

http://snipurl.com/eyos


From Information Clearing House

Here's a question for international news hounds. Who is the ''son of a bitch'' referred to in this comment by a U.S. Defence Department spokesman?

http://www.ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=28710


From Information Clearing House

Several Britons who had been held at US military prisons in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba alleged Monday that they had seen their US guards desecrate the Koran.

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=42096


From Information Clearing House

The allegations of the blasphemous tossing of the pages of the Holy Koran down the toilet may well prove to be true, but the real tragedy is that we have flushed the pages of our Holy Bible down the toilet a long time ago and hypocritically claim the righteousness of our cause.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8864.htm

One can understand how Newsweek got itself into its current jam. But the wishy-washy retraction is frustrating. It feels as though the magazine is either trying to avoid full responsibility for a mistake -- or that it continues to believe in its story but is feeling outside pressure to withdraw it.

http://snipurl.com/eyop


From Information Clearing House

"Based on what we know now, we are retracting our original story that an internal military investigation had uncovered Koran abuse at Guantanamo Bay," Newsweek Editor Mark Whitaker said in a statement, a day after apologizing for the report.

http://snipurl.com/eyoo


From Information Clearing House

It finally settles this ridiculous debate about how Dear Leader Bush just wanted to bring democracy all along and we did it all for George Washington.

http://snipurl.com/eyon


From Information Clearing House

The Bush administration knew about the illegal oil sales and kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime but did nothing about them, according to a report from Democrats on a Senate committee.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/18682087?source=Evening


From Information Clearing House

The central document used against George Galloway this week by the US senate committee investigating Iraq’s oil for food programme is a forgery.

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php4?article_id=6511


From Information Clearing House

"I gave my heart and soul to stop you from committing the disaster that you did commit in invading Iraq," Galloway said. "And I told the world that the case for war was a pack of lies."

http://snipurl.com/eyoe


From Information Clearing House

"Their unwillingness to deal with the crossings of their border into Iraq is frustrating the will of the Iraqi people," and leading to the deaths of innocent Iraqis, Rice said en route home from a surprise trip to see Iraq's new leaders.

http://snipurl.com/eyoc



Syria demands US prove Iraq insurgent claims
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=42125


From Information Clearing House

The American effort in Iraq may be locked in a "vicious circle", according to a new report that surveys Iraqi public opinion data and interviews with Iraqis. The report, released on Wednesday 18 May 2005 by the Project on Defense Alternatives, concludes that US military actions meant to quell the insurgency have increased its recruiting base.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8865.htm

by Mark Weisbrot, TomPaine.com

What the media's mea culpa on their failure to accurately cover Social Security might look like.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050518/the_medias_social_security_deception.php

http://www.countercurrents.org/us-richardson170505.htm


Informant: Charles Bremer

http://www.rabble.ca/columnists_full.shtml?x=39306


Informant: Charles Bremer

http://webdiary.smh.com.au/archives/margo_kingston/001024.html


Informant: Charles Bremer

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7591918/


Informant: Charles Bremer

http://action.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=203&s_scr=actionemail&s_subsrc=title

The Senate Intelligence Committee will be holding a secret meeting tomorrow to expand the Patriot Act. Instead of listening to the public concern about the Patriot Act’s infamous provisions, the Senators on this Committee will be meeting behind closed doors to discuss expanding the government power to conduct surveillance and obtain personal records.

The Patriot Act is too important to be expanded in secret. Click here to urge Congress to hold open meetings when it considers changes to the Patriot Act and to fully consider public input on these proposed expansions of government surveillance powers.
http://action.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=203&s_scr=actionemail&s_subsrc=middle

The proposed Patriot Act expansion would make permanent all those provisions that expand government power. For example, it would make permanent the section that allows the FBI to seize secretly a vast array of sensitive personal information and belongings -- including medical, library and business records -- using secret intelligence tools that do not require individual criminal activity and that do not require specific facts connecting these records to terrorism, to a terrorist, or to a spy.

Congress passed the Patriot Act in in a hurry with virtually no debate . . . don't let them do it again.

Take action! Click here to urge your Senators to hold open and public hearings on the expansion of the Patriot Act.
http://action.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=203&s_scr=actionemail&s_subsrc=bottom

#124 WILD NORTHWEST, May 17, 2005
A Message from Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
=====Keeping the Northwest Wild=====

Speak out for Wildlife and Quiet Recreation

New Off Highway Vehicle Route System underway on the Colville National Forest

In the next few weeks the Forest Service will decide where to allow off-road vehicle access on northeastern Washington's Colville National Forest (CNF), home to endangered wildlife including lynx and grizzly bear. The decision sets a precedent for other national forests as they implement a highly anticipated new rule for managing off-road vehicles in federal forests. Citizens throughout the Northwest are watching how the CNF implements this off-highway vehicle management plan with national significance for wildlife, non-motorized recreation, wild areas, clean water, and public safety.

We have a unique opportunity to make a difference as this off-road vehicle plan reaches its final phase. In the next few days, please comment using our action center, http://www.ecosystem.org/action/index.html?MessageTemplateID=3 Hand-delivered by Northwest Ecosystem Alliance staff, your site-specific comments will help Forest Supervisor Rick Brazell choose which roads to open and which to leave closed. Motorized vehicles and roads have a profound impact on wildlife, damaging habitat and disturbing natural cycles. Encourage the Forest Service to designate an off-road vehicle route system that is manageable and enforceable, that protects non-motorized recreation values, and that conserves forests and streams as habitat for bull trout, pine marten, and mountain caribou.

For more on this process, visit
http://www.ecosystem.org/CNF_OHVbackground.html.

And thank you for sending your personalized comments to help keep the Colville National Forest wild!

Erin Moore
Communications Coordinator
Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
1208 Bay St., Ste. 201
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.671.9950 ext. 24

Multi-billion dollar corporation recruits ordinary folks into the “system”, uses politicians and pastors to build its empire

by Bill Berkowitz

Like many others, Eric Scheibeler and his wife, Patty, were recruited to the Amway Corporation by close friends. Along the "guaranteed" road to success they met powerful politicians, dined with multi-millionaires and spoke to thousands of Amway members at gatherings throughout the world. Then, without warning, their house of cards collapsed: Eric Scheibeler discovered that the operation was committing massive fraud. When he took documentation to Amway Senior Management, they shut off his income and told him not to have contact with distributors he was revealing the fraud to. Scheibeler, a former federal auditor for the US Department of Energy, refused. He and his wife were threatened, ostracized, and lost all they had built over a decade....

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Berkowitz0512.htm

Military Recruiters Face Youth and Student Resistance

by Ian Thompson

We'll give you up to $70,000 for college.” “You won't have to go to Iraq.” “Your service will only last four years.” Much of what recruiters promise is based on exaggeration, half-truths and outright lies. Recruiters have to fill quotas and will do almost anything to meet them, especially during wartime. The U.S. military -- the most powerful and destructive in the world -- is growing increasingly desperate to fill its ranks. In 2005 alone, the Army seeks to recruit 101,200 new active-duty regular Army and Reserve soldiers. But recruitment in nearly all branches of the military is down. The National Guard missed its recruitment quota by 13 percent last year. The Army fell short of its goal by more than 27 percent in February 2005 and is more than six percent behind its year-to-date recruiting target. The Reserve is 10 percent behind its target and the Guard is 26 percent short. January through March 2005 was the first time in a decade that the Marines missed their monthly goals. What is causing this sudden decline?

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Thompson0512.htm

by Ken Sanders

On Tuesday, May 10, 2005, and without a hint of shame, the Bush administration awarded Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) $72 million in bonuses for its "very good" and "excellent" work in Iraq. Excuse me? Just two months ago, the Justice Department indicted a KBR manager for "major fraud against the United States" under the same LOGCAP contract for which KBR is now being awarded bonuses. According to the indictment, former KBR manager Jeff Mazon billed the U.S. more than $5.5 million for $680,000 worth of work. In other words, Mazon inflated KBR's bill by over 700 percent....

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Sanders0512.htm

by Robert Jensen and Pat Youngblood

If there is a political playbook for right-wing conservatives these days, it no doubt begins, “Step #1: Whenever possible, blame the news media.” What to do if the U.S. invasions/occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq have sparked resistance in those countries because people generally don’t like being occupied by a foreign power that has interests in exploiting their resources and/or geopolitical value? Blame journalists....

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Jensen-Youngblood0517.htm

by Joshua Frank

White House staffers scurried this past week to souse the flames sparked by Newsweek's recent story, which revealed that an internal US military investigation had found substantial evidence interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had desecrated the Koran. Newsweek's story led to outrage against the US in Afghanistan and elsewhere where violent protests led to at least 15 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The White House damage control team has been successful, however, as Newsweek retracted their story on May 16. But for what?

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Frank0517.htm

by John Pilger

In 1987, the Australian sociologist Alex Carey, a second Orwell in his prophesies, wrote "Managing Public Opinion: the corporate offensive." He described how in the United States "great progress [had been] made towards the ideal of a propaganda-managed democracy," whose principal aim was to identify a rapacious business state "with every cherished human value." The power and meaning of true democracy, of the franchise itself, would be "transferred" to the propaganda of advertising, public relations and corporate-run news. This "model of ideological control", he predicted, would be adopted by other countries, such as Britain....

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Pilger0517.htm

by Carolyn Baker

In a recent article, I promised readers that I would address the mindset of the religious right as an addiction. . . . For my purposes, the distinction between fundamentalist Christianity and Dominionism is incidental because what is most important to understand is that any religion, philosophy, or belief system can be addictive, fear-based, and terrorizing, and if it is used to justify changing the Constitution of the United States and creating a society in which the laws of that system are also fear-based and terrorizing, then regardless of the label, fundamentalist or Dominionist, that system is both terrorist and tyrannical. Whether one wishes to debate the differences between fundamentalist Christianity and Dominionism or not, both systems are about domination, power, control, right/wrong, win/lose. Moreover, as in my last article, I am reiterating that terrorism and tyranny, like the word addiction, have much broader definitions than crashing planes into buildings, establishing a superior race, or forcing women to cover their faces....

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Baker0517.htm

by Lee Hall

Famously exposing the avarice of the U.S. funeral industry, Jessica Mitford’s book The American Way of Death (1963) confronted death and its attendant rituals, removing the shroud of taboo. For today’s military managers, talk of death is taboo once again. Military funerals and coffins have, for as long as possible, been kept out of public view. Even less has come to light about the grief of Afghanistan and Iraq, where ordinary people deal with death as part of their everyday business....

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May05/Hall0517.htm

By John Byrne | RAW STORY EDITOR

A Massachusetts newspaper reporter and her then-editor have accused former White House correspondent 'Jeff Gannon' of plagiarizing an article at which the reporter was the only media witness, RAW STORY has learned.

The alleged plagiarism was discovered by blogger Ron Brynaert, who has tracked other plagiarism by Gannon and various Talon News correspondents at his blog, WhyAreWeBackInIraq.

A Jun. 17, 2003 article published by Jim Guckert, who wrote under the pen name Jeff Gannon, contains numerous identical quotes and similar phrasing to an article written by Melissa Beecher for the Waltham Daily News Tribune five days earlier. A comparison of the two articles compiled by Brynaert follows. [...] Read it all at the RawStory web site: http://tinyurl.com/clmrm


© Virginia Metze

Check out the coverage of Bill Moyers' defense of PBS on Democracy Now! web site.

Bill Moyers Responds to CPB's Tomlinson Charges of Liberal Bias: "We Were Getting it Right, But Not Right Wing"

Monday, May 16th, 2005

Read it at http://tinyurl.com/8g376


© Virginia Metze

Why do I think that Bush WANTS the military isolated from the people -- the better to turn on the people??

Clark Criticizes Planned Base Closings

Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark Says Planned Base Closings Will Isolate the Military From Americans

by CARYN ROUSSEAU Associated Press Writer

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. May 15, 2005 — Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark said Saturday that the Pentagon's plan to close military bases around the country and reorganize troops will isolate the military from the American people and the rest of the world.

Clark said the plan to pull U.S. forces back home from abroad and centralize bases takes jobs away from smaller towns. [...] Read the rest at: http://tinyurl.com/caxa8


© Virginia Metze

Hardliners reject Koran apology

Hardline Islamic parties in Pakistan say an apology by a US magazine over a story about a desecration of the Koran is a crude bid to ease Muslim anger. [...]

The head of Pakistan's conservative six-party Islamic alliance, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, told the BBC that Newsweek's clarification held no weight.

"There have been reports by the prisoners who have been released from Guantanamo Bay of desecration of the holy Koran, and different atrocities perpetrated on them. Therefore, the clarification of Newsweek has no meaning." [...] Read it at the BBC UK web page:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4553015.stm

--------

Muslims sceptical over Newsweek back-track on Koran

16 May 2005 10:12:49 GMT

Source: Reuters

by Sayed Salahuddin

KABUL, May 16 (Reuters) - Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan were sceptical on Monday about an apparent retraction by Newsweek magazine of a report that U.S. interrogators desecrated the Koran and said U.S. pressure was behind the climb-down.

The report in Newsweek's May 9 issue sparked protests across the Muslim world from Afghanistan, where 16 were killed and more than 100 injured, to Pakistan, India, Indonesia and Gaza.

Newsweek said on Sunday the report might not be true.

"We will not be deceived by this," Islamic cleric Mullah Sadullah Abu Aman told Reuters in the northern Afghan province of Badakhshan, referring to the magazine's retraction.

"This is a decision by America to save itself. It comes because of American pressure. Even an ordinary illiterate peasant understands this and won't accept it." [...] Read the rest at: http://tinyurl.com/72m9w


© Virginia Metze

The following is the prepared text for Bill Moyers’ speech to the National Conference for Media Reform on May 15, 2005. The event in St. Louis was organized and hosted by Free Press ( http://www.freepress.net ).

Bill Moyers' speech to the National Conference for Media Reform

From Free Press, May 16, 2003

by Bill Moyers

I CAN’T IMAGINE BETTER COMPANY ON THIS BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY MORNING IN ST. LOUIS. You’re church for me today, and there’s no congregation in the country where I would be more likely to find more kindred souls than are gathered here.

There are so many different vocations and callings in this room — so many different interests and aspirations of people who want to reform the media — that only a presiding bishop like Bob McChesney with his great ecumenical heart could bring us together for a weekend like this. [...] Read it all and check out the links for audio/video of the speech. http://freepress.net/news/8120


© Virginia Metze

from MSNBC News Services

May 16, 2005, Updated: 12:55 p.m. ET May 17, 2005

Story: British lawmaker blasts U.S. on Iraq allegations

'Mother of all smokescreens,' he says of claims he got oil vouchers
[...] 'Republican lynch mob'

Pursued by a crowd of British journalists, Galloway arrived at the hearing just minutes before it began reviewing testimony.

“This group of neocons (neoconservatives) is involved in the mother of all smokescreens,” he said of the committee.

“I come not as the accused but as the accuser,” he added. [...] Read it from beginning to end on the MSNBC web site: http://tinyurl.com/8ggn9


© Virginia Metze

--------

Video Of The Full Testimony Of British MP George Galloway Before The U.S. Senate

Video: Galloway takes on US oil accusers

Watch Mr. Galloway Speak Truth To Power. Real Video
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8868.htm

by Harry Reid
t r u t h o u t | Statement
Monday 16 May 2005

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

The Majority Leader has stated that the Senate will turn to the subject of judicial nominations this week. Democrats are ready for this fight. We stand united against an outrageous abuse of power that would pack the courts with out-of-the-mainstream judges.

The time has come for Republican Senators to decide where they stand. Will they will abide by the rules of the Senate, or break those rules for the first time in 217 years of American history? Will they support the checks and balances established by the founding fathers, or vote to give the president unaccountable power to pick lifetime judges? [...] Read it all at: http://tinyurl.com/d4qja


© Virginia Metze

My name is Kay Lee and among other things, I am currently a coordinator for Prison Reform's first 'Call to Arms': A massive march which is scheduled to take off from Lafayette Park in Washington DC on August 13, 2005.

Groups and individuals focused on many issues nationwide are making an exciting effort to bring a million concerned people together. The time has certainly come: Too many citizens have been cruelly touched by the flawed system of justice in our country - because 'justice' apparently no longer means truth and equality and basic human rights for all.

Two and a half million people incarcerated in a free nation means most of us know someone who has lived or is living in a jail or prison or on probation. Millions have watched the burgeoning system cripple prisoners, destroy families and do something terrible to the humanity of so many of its employees. And it's just getting worse.

We're striving to have at least a million people stand together in DC. If we can pull this off, never again will anyone be able to say or believe that "Nobody cares about prisoners."

We need every one in the country to know they have this one big chance to prove that people do care about prison reform and prisoner rehabilitation - True Safety - It's what we're paying for.

If you're going to make only one pilgrimage in your life on behalf of reform, this is the one.

http://www.journeyforjustice.org.

Get all details on the Journey for Justice website. Sign up to sponsor or speak or find your state organizer onsite. If you have anything to offer or need help getting there, see the site. If you are from Georgia, see the site and contact me, Kay Lee. We'll see what we can do together to get there.

If you just can't attend, please help out by forwarding information and posting the link to http://www.journeyforjustice.org everywhere.

With great faith in the power of truth, and in you.

Kay Lee
kaylee1@charter.net
2683 Rockcliff Road S.E.
Atlanta, GA 30316-4013
404-212-0690

Making The Walls Transparent
http://www.angelfire.com/fl3/starke

Prison Reform March in Dc August 13, 2005
http://www.journeyforjustice.org

Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform W.O.N.P.R.
http://www.wonpr.org


Informant: Michael Novick

Thanks to all of you who took the time to call your congress people about the Iraq supplemental bill. The amendments forbidding torture and funding for civilian victims made it into the final version of the legislation. While none of us can be pleased with the continued funding of this war, we did make our representatives take notice!

Last Wednesday, we made our second delivery of the Iraq Peace Petition in Washington, bringing the total to 50,000 who have signed our call to bring the troops home.

Our hand delivery of petitions to key senators was disrupted by the evacuation of the Capitol when a plane strayed into DC's restricted airspace. I was particularly struck by the conversations we overheard as a river of staffers and senators flowed out of the Hart Senate Office Building. Rumors that a plane was on the way towards Washington were interrupted by a construction worker who said, "You just gave $80 billion dollars to bomb Iraq, what do you expect?"

We can only hope that some of those who were evacuated will come to realize that terror from the air and living in fear will never bring lasting peace.

As you have probably heard, this Friday, May 20, the Army will suspend recruitment for one day. Recent scandals have shown how often military recruiters systematically mislead and lie to young people in order to meet their goals.

AFSC has long been at the forefront of the counter-recruitment movement and has helped hundreds of thousands of young men and women get the information they need to make an informed decision about enlistment. On Monday, Oskar Castro of our Youth and Militarism Program was part of a national news conference at the U.S. Capitol to call attention to this developing scandal.

On Friday, while army recruiters "stand down" for a day, AFSC offices across the country will be holding events to "Stand Up for Truth in Recruiting." Find events in your area at http://ga3.org/ct/9pA7S5F1pRsZ/may20.

It is important that we do all that we can to make the most of this opening. Even with all of the money spent on recruiting commercials that make war look like a Nintendo game and promise endless opportunities, the truth about the military is getting out. If you work with young people, if you are a student, if you are involved in religious and civic groups, now is the time to make your voice heard.

AFSC has a variety of resources available at
http://ga3.org/ct/97A7S5F1pRsK/youth/ that show how enlisting in the military rarely results in usable job skills or a large nest egg for college. Brochures such as "Do You Know Enough to Enlist," "What Are My Options," and "Conscientious Objection" can save a life or change a future.

Please speak out this Friday, next week, and in the weeks and months that will follow. Preventing enlistment prevents war.

For peace,
Peter Lems

05/17/05

When Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wray stepped down as head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division a few days ago, The Washington Times reported his allegation that critics have 'misled the public' about the secretive search powers authorized and expanded by the Patriot Act. ... I believe many provisions in the Act are appropriate for the government to uncover and prosecute acts of terrorism. I believe just as strongly, however, that other provisions go far beyond this vital mission and undermine our constitutional freedoms and Fourth Amendment rights. In making this point openly ... I am hardly 'misleading' anyone. ... When leading conservative groups share some of the same concerns as organizations on the other end of the ideological spectrum, I think it's time for Congress to ignore the hyperbole of the defenders of the status quo and pay attention...

http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20050516-091558-3655r.htm

from Washington Times, by Bob Barr

05/17/05

A year ago, President Bush boldly said: 'Iraqis do not support an indefinite occupation and neither does America.' Yet Congress is posed to finalize the president's $82 billion request for the Iraq war that includes a half-billion dollars for permanent military bases and another half-billion for building the world's largest embassy. Despite the president's assurances, the United States is preparing for a lengthy stay in Iraq. Open-ended deployment in Iraq is bad news for the brave soldiers fighting the war and their families at home. And adding permanent facilities will actually decrease their security as they present a powerful recruiting tool for insurgent groups. As the U.S. presence has escalated, so too has insurgent recruitment. ... The overwhelming common element between the 43 insurgent groups is resentment about the U.S. military presence...

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/224055_iraqbases.html

from Seattle Post Intelligencer, by Erik Leaver -- Hat Tip to Tom Paine


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/17/05

Who are they? I mean the people obsessed with control, using the government to threaten and intimidate. I mean the people who are hollowing out middle-class security even as they enlist the sons and daughters of the working class in a war to make sure Ahmed Chalabi winds up controlling Iraq's oil. I mean the people who turn faith-based initiatives into a slush fund and who encourage the pious to look heavenward and pray so as not to see the long arm of privilege and power picking their pockets. I mean the people who squelch free speech in an effort to obliterate dissent and consolidate their orthodoxy into the official view of reality from which any deviation becomes unpatriotic heresy. That's who I mean. And if that's editorializing, so be it. A free press is one where it's okay to state the conclusion you're led to by the evidence...

http://tinyurl.com/atec7

from Tom Paine, by Bill Moyers


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/15/05

Judges are in the crosshairs. The possible filibustering of some of President Bush's judicial nominees has Senate Republicans mulling a 'nuclear option' to force the nominees to a general vote, while Democrats fire back that they are under no obligation to allow 'extremist' nominees assume the bench. This comes on the heels of the Terry Schiavo mess, which caused some congressional Republicans to accuse the judiciary of being a bit too independent. And all of this is a prelude to the Big Kahuna: an upcoming vacancy (or two) on the Supreme Court...

http://www.affbrainwash.com/archives/019829.php

from America's Future Foundation, by James N. Markels


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

At this writing, it is 50-50 the president can save John Bolton, his nominee to be UN ambassador, and the media wolf pack is in full howl in pursuit of Tom DeLay. Even if Bolton survives and DeLay eludes his media pursuers and ethics committee and Justice investigators, Bush is bleeding from both battles. But it is on the great issues -- war, the economy, the budget and trade deficits, and immigration -- that his presidency could be imperiled...(for publication 05/23/05)

http://www.amconmag.com/2005_05_23/buchanan.html

from The American Conservative, by Pat Buchanan


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/17/05

If there is a political playbook for right-wing conservatives these days, it no doubt begins, 'Step #1: Whenever possible, blame the news media.' What to do if the U.S. invasions/occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq have sparked resistance in those countries because people generally don't like being occupied by a foreign power that has interests in exploiting their resources and/or geopolitical value? Blame journalists. That's exactly what the Bush administration and its rhetorical attack dogs are doing with the 'scandal' over Newsweek's story on the desecration of the Quran at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo...

http://www.counterpunch.org/jensen05172005.html

from CounterPunch, by Robert Jensen and Pat Youngblood



GIs behaving badly

(05/17/05

Are you stunned that Newsweek got it wrong? It would be major news if anyone in the corporate media reported a story accurately. Even if the specifics of that particular toilet flush incident were off, why would anyone doubt that American soldiers are capable of atrocious behavior? Perhaps such blind faith grows out of the good guy image GIs allegedly earned after World War II. Why allegedly? For one of many reasons, read on...

http://www.counterpunch.org/mickey05172005.html

from CounterPunch, by Mickey Z


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/17/05

Halliburton may be a juicy target, but it's as good as a foil. It keeps attention away from the heart of the issue. After World War II, which boosted America's GDP by 75 percent, Harry Truman needed to keep wartime booms going in peacetime. So he invented the national security state, or what Gore Vidal has aptly called 'perpetual war for perpetual peace.' One of America's most impressive achievements since then has been to make a killing on wars either by imagining them or outsourcing them. The cold war, the war on drugs and the war on terror have all been by and large psychological constructs at home. (The carnage in Vietnam was as real as it's been in Iraq, but both wars' justifications depended on deception. Bumper-sticker sympathies aside, neither made a dent in Americans' lifestyle.) Each war had bits of truth to go on. The Soviets had to be contained. Drug addiction can be a problem. Terrorists can pull off a spectacularly heinous coup once in a while. But does national purpose have to be mortgaged to these manias?

http://www.news-journalonline.com/03ColEssays.htm

from Daytona Beach News-Journal, by Pierre Tristam


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/17/05

There are many serious problems with the Real ID Act of 2005 -- problems caused by the haste and inadequate debate with which it was passed by the House and the Senate, and problems caused by a myopic focus on 'security' without attention to either the minimal benefits or the major collateral damage from the proposed fix...

http://web.newsguy.com/whoareyou/Real-ID.htm

from Web Newsguy, by William S. Statler -- Hat Tip to REAL ID Rebellion


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/17/05

So where does all this leave us? With a story that is not only true, but previously reported numerous times. So let's drop the 'Lynch Newsweek' bull. Seventeen people have died in these riots. They didn't die because of anything Newsweek did -- the riots were caused by what our government has done. Get your minds around it. Our country is guilty of torture...

http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/22026/

from AlterNet, by Molly Ivins


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/18/05

[E]very time I look at the death toll, it keeps going up. Yesterday it was 500. Today it's 750 -- or maybe in the thousands. At any rate, even Karimov's chief enabler and financier, the U.S. government, is getting a little antsy about all the bloodletting .... They are going to regret propping up and feeding this regime that boiled its opponents alive and murdered hundreds at Andijan, but isn't it a little late to extend their regrets to the relatives of the dead? After all, they not only tolerated but subsidized a government that systematized torture, intimidation, and, yes, outright murder. They personally and visibly buddied up to the homicidal maniac who calls himself the 'president' of Uzbekistan. They met with him, coddled him, and gave him political legitimacy in the eyes of those poor deluded souls who see the U.S. government -- as opposed to America, the country -- as a beacon and guarantor of liberty worldwide...

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=5988

from AntiWar.Com, by Justin Raimondo


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/15/05

On Tuesday, May 10, 2005 America finally died. It had been a long, slow, lingering death. Some people said the dying started with the War Between the States, which gave free reign to federal power. Some said the dying started later, in 1913, the year we got both the income tax and the currency debasing Federal Reserve. A radical few said the death even started as far back as 1794, when George Washington crushed the the new nation's first tax revolt. But whenever the dying started, we know exactly when the whole experiment in freedom got cold and stiff and started to stink real bad. On that Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed the Real ID Act. They did it unanimously. They did it without a word of debate. They did it, almost certainly, without reading it. They did it for the sake of 'one congressman with totalitarian leanings.' Without fanfare, they imposed on us a national ID card...

http://www.backwoodshome.com/columns/wolfe050515.html

from Backwoods Home, by Claire Wolfe


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/17/05

While most Parent Teacher Student Association meetings might center on finding funding for better math books or the best way to chaperon a school dance, a recent meeting here at Garfield High School grappled with something much larger -- the war in Iraq. The school is perhaps one of the first in the nation to debate and vote against military recruiting on high school campuses -- a topic already simmering at the college level. In fact, the Supreme Court recently agreed to decide whether the federal government can withhold funds from colleges that bar military recruiters. ... Some feel that's an invasion of privacy prompted by a war effort that has largely divided the American public. Others say barring recruiters is an infringement of free speech -- and a snub to the military, particularly in a time of war... [editor's note: Deja vu all over again. SAT]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0518/p02s01-ussc.html

from Christian Science Monitor


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/18/05

A majority of French voters have indicated again that they will reject the proposed EU constitution as France enters the 'official' two-week campaign before the vote on 29 May. As the official phase of campaigning began yesterday -- with a barrage of publicly funded television declarations by the main parties -- three polls suggested that the 'no' camp had edged ahead once more. Even in so politically volatile a country as France, no recent election or referendum campaign has seen such a complex series of reversals in public opinion. Support for the EU constitutional treaty has twice led in the polls, only to succumb to the vigorous -- and sometimes misleading -- campaigns conducted by treaty opponents of left and right... [editor's note: We know, of course, that the proponents of the EU are never themselves misleading, right? - TLK]


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=639325

from Independent [UK]

05/18/05

George Galloway confronted the American senators who have accused him of accepting oil allocations from Saddam Hussein yesterday in one of the most extraordinary and ill-tempered exchanges seen on Capitol Hill. At one point the newly elected MP for Bethnal Green and Bow was accused of 'evasion' and of choosing to ignore the questions that were being put to him. Mr Galloway vehemently repeated his denials of having done anything wrong. He launched into a fierce attack on a series of individuals and institutions, including Sen Norm Coleman, the chairman of the sub-committee that is investigating him, the Republican party, the Senate, the US and British governments and unnamed forgers in Baghdad. ... In a bass voice rising with indignation to fill the august chamber, Mr Galloway insisted that he had been 'an opponent of Saddam when British and American governments and businessmen were selling him guns and gas.' 'Who paid me hundreds of thousand of dollars?' he asked. 'The answer is nobody...

http://tinyurl.com/b2u9k

from Telegraph [UK]


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

May 17 2005

by Reuters

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the fields...

Informant: Sylvie

Mobile phones could pose a higher health risk to rural dwellers because they emit more intense signals in the countryside, Swedish scientists have found.

Base stations tend to be further apart in more remote areas, so the phones compensate with stronger signals.

Professor Lennart Hardell, of University Hospital in Orebro, Sweden said: "We found that the risk of brain tumour was higher for people living in rural areas than in towns."

"The stronger the signal, the higher the risk," he said.

Use of mobile phones has increased rapidly worldwide and there have been concerns the technology causes health problems - ranging from headaches to brain tumours. But there has been no hard evidence to back up these health concerns.

Omega there is hard evidence to back up the health concerns:
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Wissenschaft+zu+Mobilfunk/

Some researchers have suggested that radio frequency fields could interfere with biological systems.

Health officials have urged the public to limit mobile phone use - or to use hands-free devices.

Hardell and his colleagues, who studied 1,429 people with malignant and benign brain tumours, and 1,470 healthy controls living in the centre of Sweden, said the health risks may not be evident until someone has used a mobile for 10 years or more.

Their research is published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

The scientists found that rural dwellers who had been using a mobile phone for more than three years were three times more likely to be diagnosed with a brain tumour than city dwellers.

The risk quadrupled after more than five years of use.

The researchers questioned both groups about how often they used their mobile phones and for how long. They also looked at whether they lived in the countryside or in towns.

Their findings were adjusted for other environmental factors that might increase the risk of brain tumours.

"We still cannot exclude that there might be other undetected risks in the countryside but we have tried to adjust the results, as far as we know," Hardell said.

He added the study was quite small and that the findings need to be duplicated.

--------

Brain cancer linked to mobile phone use in rural areas: study

Dear Newsdesk,

http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/afx/2005/05/17/afx2032319.html
http://www.andpop.com/article/4200

As a Telephone exchange designer I know that the mobiles/cellphones are designed to increase power when the signal is low.

This has implications in two main situations
1) Rural use of cellphones.
2) In car use of cellphones.

A Car (metal car) is like a faraday cage and the signal from outside finds it harder to get in, but more important the signal inside finds it harder to get out. The phone in this situation is designed to increase the power. The exposure to the user becomes amplified.

Would be interested in a study based on car use.

Regards Donal O'Riordain B.Eng. (Electronics)


Informant: Colette O'Connell

--------

http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Mobile+phone+health+risks+greater+for+rural+users

May 17 2005

by David Greenwood, Daily Post

"There is an urgent need for the problem to be sorted out for the sake of local people. We have taken this matter seriously from the outset.

"As an authority, we are very supportive of local people and we are doing what we can within the bounds of the law.

"In the agreement with MM02, there is a clause that states the mast should not cause a nuisance to our neighbours. If it can be shown it is causing the interference, we would argue that MM02 were in breach and they would have to remove it.

"I went to a public meeting about the problem recently and I think most people accept we are acting responsibly.

"We are doing everything within our power to find a solution to this problem and the findings of the independent report will be shared with local people."

Last month, Holyhead Town Council called for the mast to be taken down. People living within several hundred yards of the police station had noticed a marked deterioration in television picture quality.

Wavy lines appeared on screens and even when they tried to video record a favourite programme they claimed the sound became distorted.

Homeowners within a quarter mile radius with traditional analogue service were affected and some called in engineers to try and solve the problem but without success.

A spokesman for MM02 Airwave insisted the Holyhead mast met stringent planning and radio airwave regulations.

The Home Office added: "Current police radio systems are obsolete and incompatible with each other. New digital technology will allow for more complete coverage of the country, clearer signals and extra features such as encryption and data as well as voice communication.

"Before Airwave was commissioned, independent experts reviewed all available technologies. Only Tetra was found to meet the requirements of the police service."

http://tinyurl.com/9uzwf


Informant: Sylvie

ARTIKEL VOM 18. MAI 2005

INFORMATION / MOBILFUNK ALS ABENDFÜLLENDES THEMA IN OBERRIEXINGEN

Elektrokranke sind keine Spinner

Experten gaben in der Festhalle Auskunft – Stein des Anstoßes ist ein Silo in der Schillerstraße als möglicher Standort

OBERRIEXINGEN. Kompetente Gesprächspartner und einen stets abwägenden Bürgermeister Willi Baur erlebte das Publikum bei einer informativen Veranstaltung in der Festhalle in Oberriexingen. Das Thema war aus aktuellem Anlass gewählt worden: „Wie viel Mobilfunk verträgt der Mensch?“. Rund 80 Besucher wollten es am Freitagabend in Erfahrung bringen.

Der Wunsch des Bürgermeisters war, möglichst viele neue Kenntnisse zu bekommen. Bei der Veranstaltung der Stadt Oberriexingen und der Initiativgruppe UMTS Mobilfunkanlage moderierte Rathauschef Willi Baur gekonnt darauf hin, dass kein Streitgespräch entstand. Aufklärung, Gefahren darstellen, Positives erkennen und die rechtliche Situation klären, nannte der Moderator als angestrebtes Ziel des Abends, der mit 150 Minuten extensiv ausfiel.

Es lag an den eingeladenen Referenten, dass der Abend trotzdem wie im Flug verging. Vom TÜV München kam der Sachverständige für Umweltverträglichkeit, Dr. Thomas Gritsch, der über technische Grundlagen, Ausbreitung der Strahlen sowie über Grenzwerte und Richtwerte informierte. Über Emissionsquellen extern und im privaten Bereich, über die Wabennetz-Struktur beim Mobilfunk, über Ballungsnetze und über Funkvermittlungsstellen konnte der Experte verlässliche Zahlen präsentieren. Auch über Studien wie „Naila“ oder „Reflex“, die besagen, wie gefährlich das Leben ist. Was die Abstrahlungscharakteristiken beträfe, so sei klar: Die Strahlung zeigt eine starke Abnahme mit dem Abstand. Eine Erkenntnis des Sachverständigen, die wohl viele im Publikum bereits wussten.

Interessanter für die Zuhörer waren dann eher die möglichen Standorte in Oberriexingen. Zum einen der Stein des Anstoßes vor ein paar Monaten: Ein Silo in der Schillerstraße. Des Weiteren könnten nach TÜV-Experte Dr. Gritsch als Alternativen ein erhöhter Flutlichtmasten, der bestehende Umsetzer oder gar der Turm auf dem Rathaus in Betracht kommen.

Düster sah Dr. Claus Scheingraber aus München die ansteigende Strahlenemission der letzten Jahre. Der Zahnarzt und Elektrobiologe befasst sich seit 19 Jahren mit dem Thema Elektrosmog. Der Vorsitzende des Arbeitskreises Elektro-Biologie erwarb sich das Wissen, als seine Frau 1986 erkrankte. Für ihn ist auf jeden Fall sicher, dass ein so genannter „Elektrokranker“ kein Spinner sei. Dr. Scheingraber sprach den Leuchtturmeffekt an, der unterm Dach als sehr erheblich eingestuft wird. Auch die synergistische Verstärkung wurde als Gefahrenbeispiel genannt. Der Elektro-Biologe: „Wer länger als 25 Minuten täglich mit dem Handy telefoniert, hat eine starke Reduktion der Melantoninausschüttung. Und wer gleichzeitig niederfrequentierten Magnetfeldern ausgesetzt ist, erfährt eine drastische Wirkungssteigerung.“

Befindlichkeitsstörungen

Zum Thema UMTS ist sich Dr. Scheingraber sicher, dass Befindlichkeitsstörungen ausgelöst werden. Was bringt die Sicherheit durch Grenzwerte? Als Antwort darauf weiß der Experte: „Nichts, denn es sind mittelmäßige Werte, weil athermische Wirkungen, Pulsspitzenbelastungen und chronische Toxizität nicht berücksichtigt werden.“

Aussichtslos scheint die Möglichkeit, sich gegen die Errichtung von Mobilfunkstationen zu wehren. Es gäbe eine Fülle von Prozessen, doch der Bürger hätte wenig Chancen, meinte Dr. Klaus Werner Kniep, Rechtsanwalt aus Heilbronn, der die rechtlichen Grundlagen im Gesprächsabend beleuchtete. Keine Mietminderung wäre bisher durchgerungen, Eingaben der Petitionsausschüsse seien überall abgelehnt worden, und was das Strafrecht anbelangt, so sei bisher auch keine Körperverletzung von den Gerichten festgestellt worden. Auch die Vereinbarung zwischen kommunalen Spitzenverbänden und den Betreibern seien nichts wert, da eine Antenne bis zu 9,99 Meter Höhe nicht genehmigungspflichtig wäre. Eine Chance könnten städtebauliche Statuten der Kommunen sein, um mit Veränderungssperren und Satzungen einzuwirken.

Das Fazit von Bürgermeister Baur lautete: „Man darf sagen, dass Mobilfunk krank machen kann. Es muss aber auch die Möglichkeit für das Geschäftsleben bestehen, es in Anspruch zu nehmen.“

Für Karl Arnold, den Sprecher der Mobilfunk-Initiative, ist klar, dass die Sache noch nicht ausgestanden ist. Man hoffe auf eine kommunale Mithilfe, so sein Schlusswort.

VON RUDI KERN

http://www.bietigheimer-zeitung.de/html/news/artikel_stadt.php4?artikel=25046


Nachricht von der BI Bad Dürkheim

Strafbefehle und Bewährungsstrafen wegen Werfen von Wattebäuschchen.

„Wer hat mit Wattebäuschchen die Hamburger Bürgerschaft beworfen? Das herauszubekommen, bemühen sich gegenwärtig satte elf Kammern des Hamburger Amtsgerichts. In Einzelverfahren sollen elf angeblich an einer Aktion am 27. Oktober 2004 beteiligte Frauen abgeurteilt werden, derer Personalien man habhaft wurde, als es Watte- und Papierwölkchen im Hamburger Parlament schneite. Dabei handelte es sich um eine der vielen Protestaktionen gegen millionenschwere Kürzungen im Kitabereich, die Sozialsenatorin Birgit Schnieber-Jastram (CDU) durchsetzte. (…) Beteiligte Rechtsanwälte wollen nun ihrerseits rechtlich gegen Peters vorgehen, da er das Recht beuge. Das Beschäftigtenbündnis der Hamburger Kindertagesstätten fordert unterdessen, alle Strafbefehle zurückzunehmen. Legitimer politischer Protest, heißt es dort, sollte nicht weiter kriminalisiert werden….“ Artikel von Andreas Grünwald in junge Welt vom 17.5.05 http://www.jungewelt.de/2005/05-17/017.php

Nächster Verhandlungstermin: 18. Mai, 10 Uhr, Strafjustizgebäude, Sievekingplatz.



Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 25, Eintrag 9

Ohne einheitliche Tarifverträge wirkt das Gesetz nicht gegen Dumpingkonkurrenz. Doch diese Verträge kommen nicht zu Stande. Die Chancen auf tariflich vereinbarte Mindestlöhne in der Fleischwirtschaft sind nach Ansicht der Gewerkschaft Nahrung Genuss Gaststätten (NGG) gering. Die Gewerkschaft versucht zwar derzeit nach eigenen Angaben, mit den Großbetrieben der Branche einen Tarifvertrag auf Bundesebene auszuhandeln, um Lohndumping zu verhindern. Der NGG-Vorsitzende Franz-Josef Möllenberg ist aber skeptisch, ob solche Regelungen überhaupt zu Stande kommen. Der Gewerkschaftschef fordert die Bundesregierung auf, gesetzliche Mindestlöhne vorzuschreiben. „Mit 1500 Euro brutto im Monat würde die Untergrenze der Existenzsicherung erreicht“, sagte Möllenberg dem Tagesspiegel…“ Artikel von Cordula Eubel in Tagesspiegel vom 17.05.2005

http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/index.asp?gotos=http://archiv.tagesspiegel.de/toolbox-neu.php?ran=on&url=http://archiv.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/17.05.2005/1820132.asp#art



Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 25, Eintrag 9

„Europaweit trommeln die Unternehmerverbände für eine Verlängerung und weitere Flexibilisierung der Arbeitszeiten. Sie finden willige Helfer in den meisten Regierungen der Mitgliedstaaten, der Europäischen Kommission und im Europäischen Parlament. Zum ersten Mal in der Geschichte der Europäischen Gemeinschaft sollen bestehende soziale Mindestvorschriften der EU ausgehöhlt werden: Es geht um die EU-Arbeitszeitrichtlinie…“ Artikel von Klaus Dräger (pdf) mit einem Info-Kasten zur Revision der EU-Arbeitszeitrichtlinie

http://www.labournet.de/diskussion/eu/sopo/azrichtl.pdf


Aktuell in Brüssel: Die Debatte um die Arbeitszeit-Richtlinie der EU.

Vor dem französischen Referendum ziert man sich ein bisschen Artikel von Bernard Schmid vom 16.5.05

http://www.labournet.de/diskussion/eu/sopo/azrichtl.html



Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 25, Eintrag 9

http://www.lobbycontrol.de/blog/index.php?p=32

Macht der Wirtschaft
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Macht+der+Wirtschaft

Europäische Nichtregierungsorganisationen fordern von der EU-Kommission Maßnahmen für mehr Lobby-Transparenz und ein Ende des privilegierten Zugangs von Wirtschaftsinteressen zu politischen Entscheidungsprozessen. Der Aufruf begleitet die heutige Diskussion der EU-Kommission über die geplante "European Transparency Initiative". Die Organisationen fordern eine verpflichtende Registrierungs- und Berichtspflicht für Lobbyisten sowie einen verbesserten Verhaltenskodex für die EU-Kommission. Dieser solle z.B. eine längere Abkühlungsphase enthalten, bevor ehemalige Kommissare oder hochrangige KommissionsmitarbeiterInnen als Lobbyisten arbeiten dürfen.

Weiterlesen unter http://www.lobbycontrol.de/blog/index.php?p=38

Ecologists in Action denounce "chaotic" increase of antennas of mobile telephony the World-wide Day of the Telecommunications Considers necessary to approach a reform "in depth" of the General Law of SANTANDER Telecommunications, 17 May.

(EUROPE PRESS) - In the occasion of the celebration today, 17 of May, the World-wide Day of the Telecommunications, Ecologists in Action have denounced the growth and "chaotic" proliferation of stations base of mobile telephony and other infrastructures of telecommunications that, according to this organization, the uncontrolled "installation of these radioelectric networks has supposed"; a significant increase of the electromagnetic contamination and the growth of the social perception of the associated risk in these infrastructures. After emphasizing that the state legislation, done by the previous Government "and taking care of only the interests of the great operators, it has not solved of the social impact and environmental of the networks of mobile telephony", EA indicates in an official notice that have been the social mobilization and ecological the one that has forced some independent communities to establish more preventive norms and levels of most restrictive exhibition to the public. It indicates nevertheless that slope has left an European director who serves like "a real" instrument to make the development of the mobile telephony and the possible environmental affections compatible and for the public health. Ecologists in Action denounce the establishment of a "plot of the telecommunications" that has supposed a proliferation in rural means and urban of a whole series of infrastructures of antennas stations bases GSM, DCS and LMDS, repeating dipoles, antennas of high gain, picocélulas and microantennas, radio links, etc., or the new Wi-Fi systems. It notices that the installation of 55,000 new antennas stations base of mobile telephony of network UMTS is going to suppose new problems in its location and a significant increase of the electromagnetic contamination "which we are put under". It adds that to this growth it has been added, actually, a "accumulation of city-planning irregularities" that affect many facilities of mobile telephony, like the deficiency of the mandatory city-planning license; the vulneración of the peak altitude that determines municipal decrees of construction; the breach of the Spanish basic norm of protection against fires (Nbe-cpi 96) or the nonexistence of a study of load on affections to the ceilings of the buildings of the stations bases between 2,500 and 5,000 kilograms on the roofs. The REFORMATION Ecological in Action considers necessary to approach a reform "in depth" of the General Law of Telecommunications and the rights on the radioelectric space, normative -- it says -- "done to the dictation of the operators of mobile telephony". In opinion of the ecological organization, these reforms would have to contemplate aspects like "the effective" application of the principle of precaution for the possible biosanitarios effects and of principle ' ALATÁ (the minimum technically possible emission), and the establishment of a value limit of citizen exhibition below the value of 0'1 microwatts by square centimeter for the emissions of mobile telephony, until levels in which cellular changes Also do not take place pleads for the establishment of a value limit below 10 microwatts by square centimeter for the sum of odas the emissions of high frequency (radio, television, mobile telephony, radio links, antennas of radio hams, etc.); and the previous information to the installation of stations base of mobile telephony and active participation of the citizens in the local scope. It also considers that the reforms must gather a study of diverse alternative locations for the location of a station bases; a moratorium in the unfolding of the UMTS; la networks minimitation of the landscaping and environmental impacts in rural and urban means; the establishment of an urban radioelectric map that reflects the set of radioelectric emissions; and a greater control on the location of antennas and repeating dipoles in residential zones. Bet also by the creation of an inter-ministerial commission (Ministries of Health, Industria and Medio.ambiente that coordinates the unfolding of networks with criteria of prevention of the public health), with participation of the social agents and environmental organizations and the accomplishment of studies epidemiologists on populations that have been exposed to values of emission over 0'1 microwatts by square centimeter. Finally, it requests the creation of an inspection organization and pursuit of the stations bases after its installation and of a public data base as the registry of all the stations bases and its emissions, as well as by the elaboration of a code of good practices and specific campaigns against the abuse of the moving body and addictive conducts, specially between young people and adolescents.

http://www.europapress.es/europa2003/noticia.aspx?cod=20050517140650&tabID=1&ch=73


Informant: Sylvie

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/4555335.stm


Informant: Sylvie

The thundering testimony reprinted below should be broadcast on U.S. television news and printed in U.S. newspapers because is exposes the stack of lies told by the current U.S. administration to start the Iraq War. And is exposes the smokescreen put up by the neo-conservatives to hide their enormous blunders in occupied Iraq.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3260

--------

UK's Galloway blisters US policy on Iraq on MSNBC

Norman Coleman -- not quite a genius, from the Guardian.
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2005_05_15_atrios_archive.html#111631942480779060

Video-Real Audio
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/msnbc_uk_galloway_blisters_us_on_iraq_050517-01.rm.ram

Audio-Mp3
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/msnbc_uk_galloway_blisters_us_on_iraq_050517-01.mp3

Hopefully I'll have more video on this later.

Via Attaturk:
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2005_05_15_atrios_archive.html#111631942480779060

The Senate report found that US oil purchases accounted for 52% of the kickbacks paid to the regime in return for sales of cheap oil - more than the rest of the world put together.

"The United States was not only aware of Iraqi oil sales which violated UN sanctions and provided the bulk of the illicit money Saddam Hussein obtained from circumventing UN sanctions," the report said. "On occasion, the United States actually facilitated the illicit oil sales."

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/05/17.html#a2978


Informant: Friends

In a brazen reversal, MSNBC reporter Keith Olbermann wants White House press secretary Scott McClellan to resign for the lies told by the U.S. government. Besides, U.S. interrogators defacing the Koran is old news: The Washington Post and other newspapers reported these facts long ago. Here are the real issues. First, the U.S. government is torturing prisoners of war in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. And, second, the White House bullies the press and clouds the issues in order to continue their mistaken policies of torturing prisoners and starting the Iraq War based on lies.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3257

Army Sgt. Erik Saar couldn't wait to get to Guantánamo Bay to help ferret information from the terrorists being held there. When the intelligence linguist arrived, however, he was startled to hear the Muslim call to prayer. Why, he wondered, would America make such a "concession to the religious zealotry" of the detainees?

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3255

Bundeswehrausstellung „Unsere Luftwaffe“ kontraproduktiv zu Konfliktlösung

Presseerklärung des Martin-Luther-King-Zentrums für Gewaltfreiheit und Zivilcourage, Werdau/Sachsen

Seitdem Deutschland „von Freunden umzingelt“ ist, wird die Bundeswehr von einer Verteidigungsarmee schrittweise zur Interventionsarmee umgebaut. Die Verteidigungspolitischen Richtlinien der Bundeswehr, die neue NATO-Doktrin sowie die Aufrüstungs- und sogenannten Beistandsverpflichtungen auch gegenüber Drittstaaten im EU-Verfassungsentwurf lassen Interventionsoptionen auch ohne UNO-Mandat zu. Der Zugang zu den Rohstoffquellen, den Märkten und die Sicherung des sogenannten freien Welthandels, der die einen reich, die anderen arm macht, soll mit militärischen Mitteln garantiert und verewigt werden.

Die Chance, dass Deutschland beispielgebend für zivile Konfliktbearbeitung wird, wurde bisher nicht genutzt. Unter dem Vorwand der Terrorismusprävention macht sich Deutschland mit seinen weltweiten militärischen Einmischungsoptionen erst zur Zielscheibe von Terrorismus.

Aus der Tradition der Friedensbewegung in der DDR und in der Alt-BRD kommend, ist es für uns unerträglich, wie mit der Faszination Technik Hunderten von Schulklassen und Tausenden von Schülern Tötungsmaschinen schmackhaft gemacht werden. Unserer Ansicht nach wird damit Gewalt verherrlicht. Die Not junger Menschen, die keinen Ausbildungs- oder Arbeitsplatz bekommen, wird ausgenutzt und ideologisiert, um Tötungspersonal anzuwerben. Mit dem Tänzchen der Offizierin mit dem Offizier auf den Tornado-Tragflächen wird Kriegstechnik verniedlicht und verharmlost. Mit Spenden aus Wohltätigkeitskonzerten und Erbseneintopf wird überspielt, wie im sogenannten Ernstfall durch Bomben und Raketen Menschenleben, und zwar immer überwiegend die von Zivilisten, ausgelöscht werden.

• Wir lehnen daher die Luftwaffenschau in Zwickau, Freiberg und anderen Städten deutlich ab.

• Wir bitten die Wirtschaft, Ausbildungs- und Arbeitsplätze zu schaffen, statt Jugendliche in die Arme von Bundeswehr-Werbern laufen zu lassen.

• Wir bitten die Beteiligten der Schau, ihren Auftrag selbst kritisch zu hinterfragen.

• Wir bitten die Lehrer, ihre Schüler auch über die Gefahren der Rüstung zu informieren.

• Wir bitten die Besucher, sich nicht unbedacht der technischen Faszination hinzugeben.

• Wir bitten alle Kritiker, die Ausstellung sichtbar und hörbar kritisch, aber fair zu begleiten.

(gez.) Georg Meusel, 1. Vorsitzender

Martin-Luther-King-Zentrum für Gewaltfreiheit und Zivilcourage e.V. Am Torbogen 5, 08412 Werdau/Sachsen
03761-760304
info@martin-luther-king-zentrum.de
http://www.martin-luther-king-zentrum.de/

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/59427


Nachricht von Bernd Schreiner

Anwohnerin beklagt Gesundheitsschäden wegen Mobilfunkmast

Nach wie vor ist die Wirkung von Mobilfunkstrahlung auf die Gesundheit von Mensch und Tier umstritten. Immer mehr Menschen betrachten Mobilfunkmasten als Ursache für verschiedene, zum Teil schwerwiegende Gesundheitsschäden. Wie die Bürgerinitiative „Gesund leben in Allach“ berichtet, leide Elfriede Weaver wegen einem Mobilfunkmast, der aus 40 Meter Entfernung direkt in ihr Schlafzimmer strahlt, immer wieder unter Migräne, Schlafstörungen, Konzentrationsstörungen und Magenschmerzen.

http://www.werbe-spiegel.de/content/artikel/1586.php

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/2802/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

Border Patrol checkpoints deep in the interior of the United States raise the specter of Soviet-style surveillance, and may be intended merely to habituate the public to such police intrusions.

http://www.interventionmag.com/cms/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1076


From Information Clearing House

My focus here is on fundamentalist Christianity and Dominionism as religious systems which complement and support tyrannical political systems, specifically, fascism.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8856.htm

Few ordinary Americans would knowingly support the remilitarization of international affairs and the launch of a second Cold War merely to preserve America’s position as the sole military superpower on the planet, but they will never be asked the question in those terms.

http://snipurl.com/exrt


From Information Clearing House

Not Just A Last Resort? A Global Strike Plan, With a Nuclear Option

Early last summer, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld approved a top secret "Interim Global Strike Alert Order" directing the military to assume and maintain readiness to attack hostile countries that are developing weapons of mass destruction, specifically Iran and North Korea.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8857.htm

A new report provides extensive evidence that psychological torture was systematic and central to the interrogation process of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo.

http://www.phrusa.org/research/torture/news_2005-05-01.html


From Information Clearing House

Newsweek Got Gitmo Right

Contrary to White House spin, the allegations of religious desecration at Guantanamo published by Newsweek on May 9, 2005, are common among ex-prisoners and have been widely reported outside the United States. Several former detainees at the Guantanamo and Bagram prisons have reported instances of their handlers sitting or standing on the Koran, throwing or kicking it in toilets, and urinating on it.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8851.htm



The Bible and the Koran

This informed former officer has suggested the real reason for which some in the Pentagon are so angry about the Newsweek story. It may well so focus international outrage on Guantanamo that Rumsfeld will lose his little psych lab.

http://www.juancole.com/2005/05/guantanamo-controversies-bible-and.html


From Information Clearing House

America has been taken hostage. Nobody wants to take responsibility for the terrible scenes that will surely unfold if we leave (even though terrible scenes are unfolding while we're there). Nobody wants to tell the grieving parents of American soldiers that their children died in vain.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8854.htm



Stay what course?

Cato Institute
by Gene Healy and Justin Logan

11/04/05

At the start of the Iraq War two and a half years ago, President Bush declared that American troops would stay in Iraq 'as long as necessary, and not a day more.' How long that would be wasn't clear then, and it isn't any clearer today. During recent congressional testimony, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was asked, 'Do you think five years from now some American forces will have come out?' She replied, 'I don't want to speculate.' Then a softer version of the same question: 'What about 10 years from now?' After some brief wrangling, Rice replied, 'I don't know how to speculate about what will happen 10 years from now.' That's not good enough...

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=5164


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

The contents of the memo are shocking.

The minutes detail how our government did not believe Iraq was a greater threat than other nations; how intelligence was manipulated to sell the case for war to the American public; and how all the talk of "war as a last resort" was mere hollow pretense.

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/


From Information Clearing House

Oil and gas ensure that the US backs the Uzbek dictator to the hilt. The bodies of hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in Uzbekistan are scarcely cold, and already the White House is looking for ways to dismiss them.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8853.htm


Uzbekistan's Nightmare: Made in Washington

Why our government stands by Karimov – even as he massacres his own people.

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=5958


From Information Clearing House

Our citizenry has been brought up to see our nation as different from others, an exception in the world, uniquely moral, expanding into other lands in order to bring civilization, liberty, democracy.

By Howard Zinn

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8858.htm

The arrogance of undiluted power in the hands of elected officials who are not bound to respect the law is manifesting its deadly consequences every day as Bush's Iraq invasion unravels into non-stop bloodshed and carnage. The human toll is staggering and there is no let up in sight.

New revelations of Bush's fabrications in his campaign to wage illegal war have led to a sharp drop in his approval rating. With each day the disgust of the people is mounting not only with the endless bloodshed in Iraq but with the Administration's trashing of the Constitution.

Bush lied to the people. He lied to Congress. He waged an unprovoked war of aggression based on a neo-conservative fantasy that might makes right. More than 100,000 Iraqis have now died. Nearly 1,000 have been killed in just the last three weeks. The real casualty numbers for U.S. personnel are not really known. Thirty thousand have been evacuated from Iraq due to severe wounds, psychiatric and other illness, while nearly 1,600 have been killed so far.

WOLFOWITZ'S ADMISSION SHOULD CAUSE IMPEACHMENT

A number of recent revelations confirm that the Administration knowingly lied about the war and its causes. From their own mouths we know with certainty that they cooked up an explanation for the war that would most scare people - the facts be damned. Paul Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld's key aide, was quoted in Vanity Fair magazine as saying, "For bureaucratic reasons we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction, because it was the one reason everyone could agree on." Since the Administration was flooded with angry letters, undoubtedly many from families of U.S. soldiers, following the publication of the Wolfowitz interview, the Pentagon attempted to do damage control, asserting that he was misquoted. But that didn't help much either. The Pentagon's own version of the interview has Wolfowitz saying: "The truth is that for reasons that have a lot to do with the U.S. government bureaucracy, we settled on the one issue that everyone could agree on which was weapons of mass destruction as the core reason."

The public now knows, as does every member of Congress, that in April 2002 Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair secretly agreed to wage unprovoked war against Iraq at a meeting at Bush's Crawford ranch in Texas. This fact and other incriminating information about the secret maneuvers to wage unprovoked war are contained in British government documents, obtained by Michael Smith, a defense specialist writing for the Sunday Times of London. They include a memo of the minutes of a meeting July 23, 2002, between Blair and his intelligence and military chiefs; a briefing paper for that meeting, and a Foreign Office legal opinion prepared before an April 2002 summit between Blair and Bush in Texas.

In a letter to Bush earlier this month 89 House Democrats expressed shock over the documents. They asked if the papers were authentic and, if so, whether they proved that the White House had agreed to invade Iraq months before seeking Congress' OK. (Los Angeles Times, May 12, 2005)

"If the disclosure is accurate, it raises troubling new questions regarding the legal justifications for the war as well as the integrity of our own administration," the letter says.

"While the president of the United States was telling the citizens and the Congress that they had no intention to start a war with Iraq, they were working very close with Tony Blair and the British leadership at making this a foregone conclusion," the letter's chief author, Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Michigan, said Wednesday.

The evidence is clear. As Ramsey Clark recently stated: "Impeachment now is the only way we, the American people, can promise ourselves and the world that we will not tolerate crimes against peace and humanity by our government. Knowing what we know, to wait longer is to condone what has been done and risk more."

IMPEACHMENT DRIVE HEATS UP - JOIN THE IMPEACH BUSH SPRING OFFENSIVE

Between now and the July 4 weekend the ImpeachBush/VoteToImpeach.org movement is unleashing its own Impeach Bush Spring Offensive. Using the quick and easy-to-use advocacy mechanism on the ImpeachBush.org website, people across the country will be able to send personal customized letters to the representatives from each of their districts and states. To send a letter, just click here:

http://www.pephost.org/site/R?i=VgAdWh1Ri0fmBEZvmL9zkg

New York City. 16 May 2005--Forest ministers from around the world will gather today to discuss the future of the forests at the start of the Fifth Conference of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) at the UN's headquarters in New York. Greenpeace is calling on governments to bring an end to the UNFF talk-shop which to date has done nothing to protect the forests nor the communities or the biodiversity that they house and create a legally binding agreement that will ensure the protection of the world's last remaining ancient forests.

Since the UN Summit on Environment and Development in Rio in 1992, the loss of the world's last ancient forests continues at alarming rates. During the last 13 years the world lost an area of forest greater than the size of France, Spain, Sweden and Germany combined.

The many international meetings by governments to address this issue, including the UNFF, have so far proved to be ineffective, unproductive and a major financial drain of public money.

Greenpeace is urging the international community to focus their efforts instead on the adoption of a legally binding Protocol on forests under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which has a much stronger track record in making agreements that are in the interests of local communities, indigenous peoples and biodiversity.

This agreement should establish measures that will help governments achieve the global goal set by the World Summit on Sustainable Development 10 years after Rio to reduce and halt the loss of forest biodiversity by 2010, by facilitating new money to fund forest conservation and ecologically responsible forest management as well as regulating the uncontrolled international timber trade.

The last ancient forests in both the North and the South, contain over two third of the world's terrestrial biodiversity. Biodiversity loss is a global concern, which requires global action. International trade from producer to consumer regions is a key factor causing this forest crisis. A strong, effective, fair and legally binding multilateral environmental agreement is essential to help address this problem.

"The current crisis facing the world's ancient forests, such as accelerating rates of species loss and deforestation, requires immediate attention and strong political will to shift the devastating trend," said Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace International Forests Campaigner. "Forest dependent peoples do not need any more recycling of "nice" words on 'UN paper'. World leaders need to take their cue from the Kyoto Protocol and create a similar legally binding agreement for the last Ancient Forests."


For more information

Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace International Forests Campaigner, +49 171 8780 817

Gina Sanchez, Greenpeace International Communications, +31 627 00 00 64


Gina Sanchez
Acting Chief Media Officer
Greenpeace International
Office: +31 20 718 2051


Informant: STRIDER

"Normally you wouldn't expect a fish to mate with a tomato," said Jeffrey M. Smith (seedsofdeception), a researcher who was the sounding the alarm about genetically modified (GM) foods, when he appeared on Tuesday's program. "We let the genie out of the bag way too soon, " with a large percentage of such crops as soy, corn and cotton now being GM, Smith noted.

While companies such as Monsanto claim the benefits of biotech farming are "real and compelling," and lead to increased productivity, Smith warned that GM foods could create any number of harmful unintended side effects. "Super diseases" that are resistant to antibiotics could arise and "even worse," he said genetically engineered "promoters" could lead to uncontrolled, possibly cancerous cell growth.

Smith said that biotech industry tests showing GM safety were rigged and advocated for people to become politically involved in such agendas as thecampaign.org which seeks to have all genetically engineered food labeled, and the Biosafety Protocol, a program being ratified by the United Nations.


Informant: Anna Webb

ACTION ALERT
FORWARD WIDELY!

Australian Forest Victory Welcomed
Further Protest Needed to End Ancient Forest Loss

By Forests.org http://forests.org , a project of Ecological Internet, Inc.

May 16, 2005

TAKE ACTION

Let Australian government know the Tasmania forest issue is not settled, industrial development of ancient forests must be halted.

http://forests.org/action/alert.asp?id=australia

The Australian government has bowed to intense domestic and international pressure and agreed to protect large swathes of the highly threatened Tasmanian forests. These ancient forests - containing massive eucalyptus trees - have astonishingly long been clearcut to produce paper pulp, mostly for the Japanese market. The plan will establish approximately 150,000 hectares of public land in new reserves, including about 120,000 of old-growth forest. Clearfelling is to be reduced significantly but not eliminated, though conversion of native forest to plantation is to end in 2010. All of the much publicized Tarkine temperate rainforest wilderness will be protected, but only half of the Styx Valley, which contains some of the oldest and largest trees in the world. Much of the rest of the state remains a "woodchip wonderland". The announcement included much talk of ending conflict about Tasmania's forests, but this is NOT the case. This plan does not go far enough and the campaign to protect Tasmania's ancient forests continues. Ancient forests will still be logged, even clearcut, for a throw away consumer products. This is unacceptable. Forests.org's first email action alert was in 1993 on behalf of the Tarkine temperate rainforests which were protected under this plan. Our network has issued half a dozen action alerts and circulated local campaign materials to our huge network for years. The Tasmanian forest campaign continues apace, albeit with a few victory notches under our belt. Take action now at
http://forests.org/action/alert.asp?id=australia

Networked by Forests.org, Inc., gbarry@forests.org

Due to the importance of George Bush's new nuclear danger, I have put our excellent interview with Dr. Helen Caldicott of 5/12/05 into the free show link on my site.

http://subscribe.streamguys.com/meriaheller_od_free/todaysshow.wma

I will leave it there for the next two weeks. It is imperative that you get every list, every friend, everyone you know to listen to it. If we don't address our very real nuclear danger, all other "issues" will become a thing of the past - Thank you -

Meria Heller and Mark Elsis - Co host of the bi monthly
"Earth News Hour" heard at http://www.Meria.net

http://subscribe.streamguys.com/meriaheller_od_free/todaysshow.wma

5/12/05 - Earth News Hour with Meria, Mark Elsis and special guest Dr. Helen Caldicott

Mark Elsis ( http://www.lovearth.net ) and I have an uninterrupted hour with Dr. Helen Caldicott on the nuclear danger facing us all, every second of every day. With this crazed administration in place, we are close to total annihilation every second. We were on optimum nuclear alert on 911; Helen has authored five books, I strongly recommend reading and sharing "The New Nuclear Danger: George Bush's Military Industrial Complex" (see booklist on site). What is nuclear winter? How many hydrogen bombs are pointed at YOUR city? There are 30,000 nuclear bombs in the world, Russia & the U.S. own 90% of them; Who wasn't at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation meeting at the UN yesterday? What did Robert McNamara have to say about apocalypse soon?; Are we at 3 minutes to midnight on the nuclear clock? See Randy Atkin's film "Deadly Arrogance" at http://www.arsenalofhypocrisy.com; The dangers of new nuclear plants and their waste pools; what is the Price Anderson Act? Iraq is a NUCLEAR WAR, over 3,000 tons of depleted uranium have been used to date; the effects of DU; Helen contends the U.S. needs a Gandian Revolution; Where was Clinton on nuclear disarmament (since he fancied himself like JFK); Helen says "the problems aren't the bombs, but the minds of the men who control them"; We are the curators of life on Earth, will we speak up? Can we achieve nuclear disarmament in five years? See http://www.nuclearpolicy.org; Check out Mark's excellent site http://www.nonuclear.net; Only 240 major cities in the Northern Hemisphere yet thousands of bombs targeting them; Every city with over 50,000 people is targeted; How close did we come when Yeltsin was drunk? "In the event of a nuclear war, the living will envy the dead"; Diplomats terrified of the danger right now; and so much more. Check out http://www.HelenCaldicott.com for more information. This is the number one issue facing all life on Earth. Please share this interview with everyone you know.

**Please share this interview FREELY. All our lives and all living things on this planet (including the planet) depend on it. This is the greatest gift you can give anyone - please tune in. This show is the tip of the iceberg.

Meria Heller
http://www.Meria.net

My animals told me something was wrong.

The horses were lined up at the gate, asking to go into their stalls Saturday night. That is totally wrong, because they are gobbling succulent green Spring grass in the pasture, and I usually have to chase them down to get them out. Not this time. They wanted in, and that troubled me.

Then my Lab Retrievers told me they didn't want to be out for the night. They went into their kennel and looked at me, telling me they wanted to stay there. That is very unusual. I closed their gate and they retired to their den. Something was up!

Normally, when my animals tell me these things, it means they detect an earthquake coming, and that is what I thought they sensed. Wrong. What they sensed was a solar storm flare about to hit earth.

At 3:00 AM PDT Sunday, my power went out as I was watching a movie. My house was totally dark, but I saw a glow outside, so I walked out on my bedroom balcony and saw a huge fireball east of Eagle Point, where I live here in Oregon. It lit up the whole sky, then it gradually died down to nothing.

What happened was that a "power glitch" caused the Eagle Point power substation to blow up! We were without power most of Sunday as repairs were made.

My animals never lie, but I am often at a loss to interpret what they are trying to tell me. Clearly, these solar flares are not harmless to life on this planet.

Carl F. Worden

--------

I've been tracking solar activity with the following graphs, since the mid 90's. Yes, something big did happen on Sunday. What most people don't know, is that every time a nuke was tested on earth in the past, it caused the sun to act up. Also, on the other side of the earth from the testing grounds in Nevada (about where India is) earthquakes occured. The sun is always affected, because nukes cause a disturbance in time and gravity.

Here's my website, which has a link on it to the solar plots:
http://www.data4science.net/quantum/ and click on "Solar Activity Updated every.." on the left side.

You can see a photo of Sunday night at http://www.spaceweather.com/

Ted

http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=81287&cat=India


Informant: Deane

05/16/05

All animals experience fear -- human beings, perhaps, most of all. Any animal incapable of fear would have been hard pressed to survive, regardless of its size, speed, or other attributes. Fear alerts us to dangers that threaten our well-being and sometimes our very lives. Sensing fear, we respond by running away, by hiding, or by preparing to ward off the danger. To disregard fear is to place ourselves in possibly mortal jeopardy. Even the man who acts heroically on the battlefield, if he is honest, admits that he is scared. To tell people not to be afraid is to give them advice that they cannot take. Our evolved physiological makeup disposes us to fear all sorts of actual and potential threats, even those that exist only in our imagination. The people who have the effrontery to rule us, who call themselves our government, understand this basic fact of human nature...

http://www.mises.org/story/1819

from Ludwig von Mises Institute, by Robert Higgs


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/16/05

What the Downing Street memo confirms for the first time is that President Bush had decided, no later than July 2002, to 'remove Saddam, through military action,' that war with Iraq was 'inevitable' -- and that what remained was simply to establish and develop the modalities of justification; that is, to come up with a means of 'justifying' the war and 'fixing' the 'intelligence and facts ... around the policy.' The great value of the discussion recounted in the memo, then, is to show, for the governments of both countries, a clear hierarchy of decision-making. By July 2002 at the latest, war had been decided on; the question at issue now was how to justify it -- how to 'fix,' as it were, what Blair will later call 'the political context...

http://tinyurl.com/dou6v

from Mother Jones, by Mark Danner


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/16/05

Though few commentators have dared to broach the topic, it is almost impossible not to recognize that there is something else, something other than shock, loss, and grief at work in these public declarations of the goodness, decency, selflessness, and nobility of America's fallen heroes. The public statements now in vogue are irrefutable evidence of the families, evidently felt need to defend the honor and integrity of their loved ones. There can be little doubt why the families of America's war dead find it necessary to issue such statements. They are a response to the ugly, demoralizing truth about America's so-called war on terror...

http://www.counterpunch.org/gillespie05162005.html

from CounterPunch, by Michael Gillespie


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

05/16/05

Less a shaper of public opinion in a market economy with many sources of news, media coverage largely reflects what people want to see, hear and read. People choose media outlets based on their preconceived notions. And they want to see, hear and read about what the imperial president and his celebrity advisors, such as Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, are saying and doing. The U.S. presidency has become so powerful compared to what the nation's founders had intended that the public has come to expect that the chief executive and his entourage will lie to us for our own good—even on issues as vital to the republic as war and peace. In fact, the people, through their representatives in Congress, no longer have a real say through a declaration of war, whether the nation engages in violence or remains at peace...

http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1509

from Independent Institute, by Ivan Eland


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Review of The New American Militarism: How Americans are Seduced by War, by Andrew J. Bacevich. "'Militarism' will sound harsh to many, hysterical to some, but this superb screed makes a depressingly good case. It is not just another shrill polemic, although it is a polemic in the best sense of the word. Eloquent, wry, sober, deftly cutting, with undertones of anger, sadness, and hope, Bacevich writes like Paul Fussell with a political sensibility. Whatever exaggeration of the problem there may be is just the right amount to drive the point home"... (for publication 05/23/05)

http://www.amconmag.com/2005_05_23/article1.html

from The American Conservative, by Richard K. Betts


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.lewrockwell.com/roberts/roberts101.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Kontakt: Telefon: 0341-463 99 79; Fax: 0341-463 99 78; e-Mail: info@aktionsbuendnis-leipzig.de

Internet: http://www.aktionsbuendnis-leipzig.de ; http://www.montagsdemonstration-leipzig.de


Presseinformation

Übergabe von zentralen Texten mit Forderungen der Sozialbündnisse und gewerkschaftlichen Erwerbsloseninitiativen an DGB-Chef Michael Sommer heute in Leipzig

Aus Anlass eines heute in Leipzig stattfindenden sogenannten "2. Runden Tisches" zu Hartz IV mit DGB-Chef Michael Sommer, werden Vertreter der Sozialbündnisse und gewerkschaftlicher Erwerbsloseninitiativen ein Schreiben an Michael Sommer und die anwesenden Gewerkschaftssekretäre sowie Texte mit zentralen Forderungen der über 200 Protestinitiativen der Bundesrepublik gegen Hartz IV übergeben.

Die Aktion wird vor dem Beginn der Veranstaltung (14:30 Uhr, Leipzig, Neues Rathaus) stattfinden.

Ziel der Aktion ist es, die DGB-Führung und die anwesenden Gewerkschaftssekretäre über die Forderungen der nicht eingeladenen gewerkschaftlichen Erwerbsloseninitiativen und Sozialbündnisse zu informieren.

Den Text des Schreibens an Michael Sommer erhalten Sie als Anlage vorab in einem Presseexemplar zugesandt. Wir bitten Sie darum, den Text nicht vor Beginn der Veranstaltung um 14:30 Uhr bekannt zu machen.

Presseauskünfte erhalten Sie während der Aktion unter 0177-406 78 95 und unter 0177 406 78 96.

PS: Als Anhangsdatei erhalten Sie das Schreiben in einer Druckversion.

Anlage



Leipzig, den 17. Mai 2005

Sehr geehrter Herr Michael Sommer, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen aus den Einzelgewerkschaften,

mit Verwunderung haben wir zur Kenntnis genommen, dass am heutigen Tag ein „2. Runder Tisch in Leipzig“ stattfindet an dem Sie „den Hartz IV-Monitoringprozess diskutieren und Fehlentwicklungen aufzeigen“ wollen. Dabei wollen Sie „unterschiedliche Aspekte berücksichtigen“, wobei das „Treffen ... auch den weiteren Gesprächen mit der Politik (u.a. mit dem Bundeskanzler) dienen“ soll. Nach einer Pressemitteilung des DGB hätten Sie zu der von Ihnen anberaumten Gesprächsrunde neben Gewerkschaftern und Kirchenvertretern auch „Mitglieder örtlicher sozialer Initiativen“ eingeladen. Keine der Organisationen der sozialen Bewegung hat eine solche Einladung für den heutigen Tag erhalten. Und ob die Einladung eines Vertreters der gewerkschaftlichen Erwerbsloseninitiativen, eine ausreichende Berücksichtigung der Interessen der Erwerbslosen darstellt, bleibt mehr als fraglich.

Sie, Herr Sommer, hatten uns am 27. August beim ersten von Ihnen so genannten Runden Tisch zu Hartz IV fest zugesagt, dass Sie mit den über 200 in der Bundesrepublik zu Hartz IV existierenden Initiativen, Sozialbündnissen und gewerkschaftlichen Erwerbsloseninitiativen einen Dialog über Hartz IV beginnen wollen und es keinen „2. Runden Tisch“ zu Hartz IV mit Ihnen geben wird, weil der Begriff missverständlich sei.

Nun gibt es doch einen von Ihnen initiierten 2. sogenannten Runden Tisch zu Hartz IV und Gespräche zwischen der DGB-Führung einerseits und den Protestinitiativen sowie gewerkschaftlichen Erwerbsloseninitiativen andererseits haben bisher nicht stattgefunden.

Tausende Menschen - darunter viele aus gewerkschaftlichen Erwerbsloseninitiativen - protestieren noch immer Montag für Montag mit Demonstrationen und Kundgebungen in rund 80 Orten der Bundesrepublik gegen die sogenannte Arbeitsmarktreform Hartz IV. Wir fordern Sie dringend auf deren Forderungen, die mittlerweile von vielen Gliederungen der Einzelgewerkschaften mitgetragen und unterstützt werden, in den Monitoringprozess einzubeziehen. Berücksichtigen Sie die zentralen Forderungen dieser Initiativen:

- deutliche Anhebung des Regelsatzes auf ein Niveau, das zur Finanzierung des Lebensunterhaltes ausreicht

- Schluss mit dem Annahmezwang jedweder auch deutlich untertariflich bezahlter Arbeit und Schluss mit den nicht sozialversicherungspflichtigen Arbeitsgelegenheiten und Mini-Jobs

- Schluss mit der Sippenhaftung durch Anrechnung von Partnereinkommen, Kindergeld und Unterhalt

- Schluss mit der Benachteiligung der Erwerbslosen in den Sozialversicherungssystemen

Zur Verdeutlichung unserer Positionen und Forderungen bleibt uns – da die Organisationen der sozialen Bewegung und die gewerkschaftlichen Erwerbsloseninitiativen für heute nicht eingeladen wurden – nichts anderes übrig, als Ihnen hiermit als Anlage zu diesem Schreiben einige zentrale Texte zu überreichen.

Sollten Sie darüber hinaus an einem Gespräch mit den Organisationen der sozialen Bewegung und den gewerkschaftlichen Erwerbsloseninitiativen über die Situation der Erwerbslosen und deren Forderungen Interesse haben, so wenden Sie sich bitte an die bundesweite Koordinierungsstelle dieser Initiativen in Leipzig.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen und den besten Wünschen für Ihre Arbeit zum Nutzen der Arbeitnehmer und Erwerbslosen im Auftrag

Peter Heller, Oliver Kloss, Maybrit Preuss, Thomas Rudolph, David Spenn, Florian Tuczek, Michaela Ziegs


Anlage

Zur Regelsatzverordnung der Hartz IV-Gesetzgebung

• 1. Die 48 Positionen des Regelsatzes der Hartz-IV-Gesetzgebung (Haushaltsvorstand)

(Download http://www.soziale-bewegung.de/SOFORT-Massnahmen/Regelsatz-Bundesregierung.pdf)

Bundesweite Forderungen der Erwerbsloseninitiativen und Sozialbündnisse

• 2. Für ein Gesetzgebungsverfahren zur Sicherung des Lebensunterhaltes

(Download http://www.soziale-bewegung.de/Texte/Forderungen%20an%20den%20Gesetzgeber-120305.pdf)

Bundesweite Unterschriftensammlung gegen Hartz IV

• 3. Saarbrücker Resolution „Weg mit Hartz IV“

(Download http://www.soziale-bewegung.de/Texte/SAARBRUECKER-RESOLUTION.pdf)

Schluss mit der gegen die Existenzinteressen der Erwerbslosen gerichteten Politik

• 4. Brief an Bundeskanzler Gerhard Schröder vom 4. Mai 2005

(Download http://www.aktionsbuendnis-leipzig.de/print/Brief-Bundeskanzler-040505.pdf)

Chris Maile has asked me to put this message on to the mast email network. Sian


In recent months I have been approached by two organisations that it appears are either in the process of, or have set up new National Mast organisations, there also seems to be circulating some confusion over my position and help and advise to these groups, I therefore set out below my position, I hope in a clear and concise manner so that there is no confusion.

Planning Sanity is independent of all mast groups. I neither work for or am a member of any organisation other than Planning Sanity, albeit that I was a co-founder with Lisa Watts in the setting up of Mast Sanity, indeed it started life as a branch of Planning Sanity, and I was its first chair. I fully support its principles and its general thrust which as far as I am aware is still based on the criteria set in place by myself and Lisa. On stepping down as chair just after the 2002 Trafalgar Square Rally I have taken no further part in the running of Mast Sanity, but have acted as an advisor and supporter. Indeed in my view it is the only credible national organisation and the only mast group that I support as a national organisation.

However, my private expressed view is that we need all mast factions to come together, I do not see that happening, but if it could be achieved by no other means then I favour the type of group that we tried to set up after Trafalgar in that there should be a national steering group of all organisations, independent of each other, but coming together every quarter to share ideas and to take part in joint campaigns. I only support this notion as I do not realistically see those other groups doing what they should and join forces with Mast Sanity. I though would not become a member of that group nor would Planning Sanity as it is a planning campaign and NOT a mast campaign. I wish to make it very clear I have not, or if it appears I have then that is a mis-understanding offered to join or become part of any new national group other than in the two contexts set out below.

One group rightly wants to see a nationally organised campaign to see applications for compensation under Code 16 payable by the operators, this potentially could cost the operators £millions if we can get it off the ground, and again potentially see dozens of sensitive installations removed.

I have written a briefing for this campaign and intend to take a full and active role in promoting it. Any other aspect or extention of that which might be planned by other members that are or might be involved in excess of that aspect of the campaign does not at this stage have my support, indeed I do not actually know whether any extention of that aspect of the campaign is or has been planned.

The other campaign is that relating to children and schools, whilst I am not a member or indeed have not stated that I actually support the campaign in the context suggested to me, I fully support the principle of highlighting the worst aspects of telecoms developments, particularly those that affect schools and hospitals. It would be totally against all I stand for if I refused to help and assist any campaign that is attempting to reduce the adverse effect upon the worst affected sections of society. I have therefore offered my technical help and support, primarily for the reason that if I failed to offer that support then any changes in legislation might be inferior to that which I have helped draft and offered advise on. As I say above I do not support that groups intention of setting up a rival national organisation to Mast Sanity, to my mind that is a question of dividing our forces and efforts, but as it is going to happen anyway I want to ensure that they have the best advise in the context of reducing the effect on schools and hospitals.

There are some sections of the movement that I consider are unethical in the way they have acted in the past and therefore I have withdrawn my support, and indeed any help and assistance that I would normally offer them, I will not name them but most of those that know me know who they are and why I would not support them. My general policy is that I offer all those that seek my help appropriate advise, I do not restrict that help, nor do I ask who the person is and what groups they belong to, that is irrelevant to whether they are successful in their endeavours, andtherefore benefit others, and I will continue in that way. If though I consider that any person or group is acting inappropriately then I reserve the right to withdraw any help and support that I offer them.

I will though reiterate before closing that I will always above all other groups acknowledge Mast Sanity as the only national organisation. I do not believe that as it is at the moment any other group can fulfil that role, and I would urge the whole movement to unite under the single banner of Mast Sanity. Yes continue your own local and regional campaigns, but there is strength in numbers, make it a single national campign movement and it will be that much harder for the operators and the government to break, as well as easier to attract media attention. Mast Sanity has now been going for nearly 5 years, it has taken this long to evolve into a strong network of resources, any new group has to again start from scratch, will you be where Mast Sanity is today in 5 years time, trade on the experiences and name built up over this period, do your own thing within Mast Sanity, but be truely national, in a single campaign.

I would also state that all the documentation on the Planning Sanity WEB site is as the copyright notices state available for use by all individuals and groups within their campaigns but acknowledgement of Planning Sanity should be given. Please circulate this message far and wide to stop the rumours and mis-understandings as to my position on the various planned campaigns. And I apologise if anyone has been mislead by anything that I might have indicated to the contrary.

Chris Maile

Campaign for Planning Sanity http://www.planningsanity.co.uk Helpline 0871 750 3992 - 12noon to 7pm (calls cost 10p per minute)

http://www.allergymagazine.com/features/2005/may/century.html


Informant: Sylvie

Aktuelle Information Nr. 12

Gablitz: Ein Handymast im Ortszentrum kommt weg

(Wien, 17.5.2005 – 1. Gablitzer Bürgerpartei lud zum 2. Bürgerstammtisch; Thema waren Auswirkungen der Mobilfunkmasten und der Handys; 50-60 Anwesende; Hr. Haas, Besitzer des GH Stadelmaier: „Ein Handymast kommt weg“.)

Die 1. Gablitzer Bürgerpartei lud vergangenen Donnerstag zu ihrem zweiten Bürgerstammtisch im Gasthof „Zum Schreiber“. Thema waren die Handymasten im Gablitzer Ortszentrum. GR Dr. Peter Stockenhuber von der 1. Gablitzer Bürgerpartei fasste in seinem Einleitungsreferat die derzeitige Rechtssituation zusammen, wobei sehr viele verschiedene Rechtsgrundlagen zu berücksichtigen sind. Die wichtigsten sind das Telekommunikationsgesetz (TKG), das Allgemeine Bürgerliche Gesetzbuch (ABGB), die Bauordnung, das Gemeinschaftsrecht und das Strafgesetzbuch (StGB). Der Bürgermeister kann eine Untersagung der Aufstellung eines Sendemasts aufgrund des Ortsbildschutzes erreichen. Die rechtlichen Möglichkeiten, die Nachbarn und Anrainer in unmittelbarer Nähe gegen Emissionen - die von einem Grundstück ausgehen - ergreifen können, sind zwar begrenzt. Tritt allerdings eine Schädigung ein, dann kann man aus dem ABGB Ansprüche ableiten. Ein weiteres Problem sind die Wertminderungen der umliegenden Grundstücke und Wohnungen. Da der eingeladene praktische Arzt verhindert war, fasste er auch die wichtigsten Studien und Forschungsergebnisse zusammen, die sich mit den gesundheitlichen Auswirkungen der Mobilfunkstrahlung beschäftigen.

Der ebenfalls anwesende Besitzer des Gasthof Stadelmaier, Herr Haas, erklärte gleich zu Beginn, dass der alte Sendemast auf seinem Gasthof seit 9 Jahren bestehe und bis dato keine Beschwerden an ihn herangetragen wurden. Der ältere der zwei Sendemasten auf seinem Hotel wird wieder abgebaut werden wird. Die Umstellung wird in ca. 3 Wochen erfolgen. Dann wird der ältere Sendemast abmontiert. Während auf dem alten Sendemast nur GSM 900 Sender installiert sind, werden auf dem neuen Sendemast auch UMTS Sendeantennen angehängt. Die Erträge aus der Monatsmiete betragen lediglich 600 Euro exkl. UST. Wenn es Zweifel an der Unbedenklichkeit der Sendeanlagen geben sollte, so wird er den Masten selber „umsägen“, so Herr Haas am Ende der Veranstaltung.

Mag. Robert Marschall, Präsident des IVMK Interessensverbandes der Mobilfunkkunden, httP://www.ivmk.at erläuterte zunächst die Mobilfunkbetreiberlandschaft in Österreich. Derzeit gibt es in Österreich 11 flächendeckende Mobilfunknetze – 2x GSM 900 MHz (Mobilkom und T-Mobile), 4x DCS 1800 MHz (Mobilkom, T-Mobile, ONE, Tele.ring) und 5x UMTS (Mobilkom, T-Mobile, ONE, Tele.ring, Huchtison). Dazu werden über Österreich verteilt zig-Tausende von Sendemasten mit noch viel mehr Antennen benötigt. Diese 11 Mobilfunknetze senden 24 Stunden am Tag und senden permanent Mikrowellenstrahlung aus. Die Mikrowellenstrahlung der Mobilfunksender können bei Anrainern in der unmittelbaren Umgebung gesundheitliche Beschwerden und Schäden hervorrufen. Die gesundheitlichen Auswirkungen sind einerseits von der Sendeleistung des Senders, anderseits von der Dauer des Aufenthalts im strahlungsintensiven Bereich abhängig. Die persönliche Belastungssituation des Einzelnen ist aber auch von der Verwendung des eigenen Handys abhängig. Aufgrund der geringen Entfernung zum Kopf wirkt bei Telefonaten über das Handy die Strahlung vom Handy aus mehr, als die Strahlung vom weiter entfernten Sendemast. Dafür ist man der Strahlung, die vom Mobilfunksender ausgeht 24 Stunden am Tag ausgesetzt, auch wenn man gar nicht telefoniert oder auch gar kein Handy hat.

Ing. Michael Fichtenbauer, Geschäftsführer von der e2io.com IT-Services GmbH e2io.com http://www.computerdienste.at erklärte die Schwierigkeiten, die bei Hochfrequenzmessungen im Mobilfunkbereich auftreten. Bei allen Messungen sind die Auswahl eines geeigneten Messgerätes und eine genaue Protokollierung ein absolutes MUSS. Die Messergebnisse kann man dann mit den verschiedenen gesetzlichen Grenzwerten vergleichen und sieht somit seine eigene Gefahrensituation. Abhilfe gegen übermäßige Strahlung kann man beispielsweise durch bauliche Maßnahmen ergreifen, mit denen man die Strahlung abschirmen kann.

Bei der Veranstaltung waren ca. 50-60 Personen anwesend. Einige Interessierte konnten leider in der Gaststube keinen Sitzplatz mehr finden. Die Veranstaltung von in einer sehr sachlichen Atmosphäre statt, wenn auch einige Anwesende ihre individuelle Betroffenheit zum Ausdruck brachten.

Resümee:

Es sollen und werden noch weitere Fakten zum Thema der Mobilfunkstrahlung in Gablitz gesammelt werden, ehe die rechtlichen Schritte überlegt werden. Es sollen in Gablitz Strahlungsmessungen durchgeführt werden und es ist auch das Feedback der Bevölkerung über gesundheitliche Beschwerden notwendig.

Der IVMK-Interessensverband der Mobilfunkkunden ist ein gemeinnütziger Verein, der die Interessen der rund 6 Millionen Mobilfunkkunden Österreichs in der Öffentlichkeit vertritt. Für Rückfragen steht Ihnen der Präsident des IVMK, Mag. Robert Marschall, unter der Mobilfunknummer 0676-4039090 und unter der E-Mail Adresse robert.marschall@ivmk.at persönlich zur Verfügung.

http://www.wealth4freedom.com/truth/8/richscum.htm


Informant: Andy

http://www.worldnewsstand.net/msc/NWOletter.htm


Informant: Andy

This is Exeter

12:00 - 17 May 2005

Telecoms giant Vodafone today pledged to press on with its plan for a controversial new city phone mast despite so far failing to submit a planning application.

In under three weeks more than 700 people signed a petition organised by the Echo against the siting of the so-called third generation transmitter outside Exeter's maternity unit and close to several schools and nurseries.

In March, Vodafone said it was about to submit a formal planning application.

But the company has so far held back from tabling its bid for the mast on Heavitree Road.

However, it insists the location is still its number one choice on technical grounds and is continuing to discuss the mast's design and siting requirements.

A Vodafone UK spokesman said: "We are still currently working with the local authority to find an acceptable design and meet the terms as to what would be seen as an acceptable site.

"We are still in the exploratory, pre-application stage and won't move forward until we have covered all the issues."

An Exeter City Council spokeswoman confirmed no formal application had so far been received. The Echo presented its 703-name petition to the company last month and appealed to Vodafone to look elsewhere.

Residents expressed concern about the possible health risks of a mast close to their homes and children's schools, despite the company stating that the mast would work at levels below current international guidelines.

Vodafone has also said that other landowners in the area have been unwilling to offer alternative sites.

How Vodafone's expected planning application is dealt with will depend on the size of the mast. If taller than 15 metres, it will be subject to the normal planning process. But if it is lower than that height it may be eligible for the 'prior approval' process.

If the local planning authority does not respond within 56 days of such a 'prior approval' application, it is automatically passed.

Planning authorities can object, but they are instructed to "first explore with the operator the possibility of modifying the siting and appearance of the proposed development".

Councils should also take account of the need for masts and technical issues.

The Express & Echo launched its Shock Waves campaign in 2002. It is calling for more research into the health effects of mobile phone masts.

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/2801/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

Study
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/697642/

Study

CAIRO, May 14 (KUNA) -- Use your mobile phone too much and you would risk health problems associated with old age, a bio-physics and radio-physics study indicated.

The study, conducted by researchers at Cairo University headed by Professor of bio-physics and radio-physics Dr. Fadhil Mohammad Ali, said much of today's technology that uses short and micro waves poses threats to the human biology and bodily functions.

Exposure to this kind of waves in the home and work place causes damage to human cells and red blood cells in particular. Performance of blood enzymes is also affected as a result of damage in the enzyme-producing cells, the researchers said.

As for recommendations, the team said it is best to re-set international safe limits for both exposure and resulting damage with use of microwaves and kin technology. They specifically urged the public to return to the usual phone lines whenever possible to limit use of mobiles.

This was a 15-year study of three phases that included surveys of the electromagnetic and electric fields in certain areas like homes and offices near high-voltage towers and plants where powerful electric currents are used. The safe distance from such a strong field or power tower was found to be over 20 meters. As for radio broadcasting towers, it was advised to stay a kilometer away.

Exposure to such conditions in plants was proved to have led to health problems among the workers like heart problems, tension, allergies and other ailments.

The voltage used in Egypt was examined and the researchers found the magnetic and electromagnetic fields have affected liver enzymes, glands, muscles, hormone balance, the heart and bone-marrow. Exposure affected fetuses in lab rats and the pregnant rats developed blood and lymphatic cancers, the study showed.

The researchers analyzed their findings and the manner the human body cells are affected and formulated a new theory they hope would help manipulate and reduce the harmful effects of microwaves. They even aspire it would make it possible to correct cancerous cells' behavior without the usual surgical, radiation or chemical intervention. (end) az. wsa

KUNA 141104 May 05

http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=732636

Extract below from article by Brighton resident and leading European authority on microwaves Tim Rifat.

Gary


An example was Brighton police van, parked outside the Brighton Pavilion which was used to beam UHF and microwaves at vagrants to clear them from the area. All Brighton's city centres are bombarded with microwaves when vagrants congregate to make them so ill they have to flee. The Evening Argus newspaper asked the police if the white van which was parked in the Brighton Pavilion grounds for months, was their van, they replied it was one of their 'surveillance' vehicles. On Wednesday, 4th of February the author was passing Brighton Police station with a frequency counter which detects microwave weapons, and I detected a 452 MHz microwave beam being directed at two young offenders sitting on a wall opposite the station. I confronted the police with the reading, Robert Galloway, spokesperson for the police stated, "they were not interested in microwaves even if they were a danger to health." The author has uncovered widespread use of microwave weapons in Brighton by the police and MI5 as a test programme to clear vagrants from the city centre.

Contacting researchers in this field of enquiry, they all complain of microwave-like symptoms, headache, nausea, giddiness, eye damage, ear problems... Readings I have taken show that the 750-1000 MHz range is used by the intelligence services for inducing nervous and physical collapse. Microwave ovens give off 1000 MHz.

On the Channel 4 programme, For the Love of…New World Order, shown on Monday night at 12pm, on April 6th, the author revealed some of these facts on television. The presenter, and researchers of this programme complained of severe headaches in the days preceding filming symptomatic of microwave attack. As the foremost non-military expert microwave weapons, remote viewing (psychic spying) and Psi-warfare, the author became aware of the microwave problem when he was targeted to stop his forthcoming book on remote viewing being released. This book on psychic spying, published by Century Books, is the first book by a scientist on the subject of Psi-warfare and the techniques the superpowers developed.

Subsequent to the filming of the Channel 4 programme, he was arrested by Brighton Police on February I5th outside their building and his frequency counter was confiscated to stop him recording the use of microwave weapons around the police station and in public places around the town. Even though no law was broken. It appears Brighton Police are worried that their use of microwave weapons on Brighton's vagrants is coming to light. The UK government has also bought up all the readily available frequency counters, these being the Watson FC-128 frequency counters, and the Optotronic devices, and the manufacturers now market a 'modified' model, which most probably has a digital filter so that the microwave weapon frequencies given above, cannot be shown. The author's frequency counter has still not been returned. With such high-level manipulation of events it seems that microwave mind control is part of a secret policy which is being practised on the general public in this county. As part of a covert government policy of harassing and disabling critics, this means of attack is not covered by the law and highly deniable, the perfect intelligence device for civilian control. The author's flat is targeted with a 900 MHz beam which seems to be designed to cause massive neurological damage and produce tumours.

The BT phone network has the potential to be used for docilisation of the UK public. A 30-40 MHz signal is carried by the phone. When the earpiece is placed against the head, bone conduction carries the ELF component into the brain of the phone user. A ELF signal which can effect behaviour or health is therefore passed into all BT phone users. It appears from experts I have consulted on the subject that the digital phones have been designed to carry this mind control carrier frequency. Vodaphone have supplied a mobile phone to a friend of mine that pumps out an 847 MHz signal at over 100 mW/cm2, this is equivalent to 4x100 watt lightbulbs being turned on in the body of the user. This means that mobile phones can potentially be used to kill or so disable a person they no longer become a problem to the establishment. Another Vodaphone tested pumped out 50 mW/cm2. UK safe levels for microwave ovens are 5 mW/cm2 - which are not held near the head. There are reports by military researchers that 1 mW/cm2 will cause swelling of nerve cells exposed to microwave.



http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Tim+Rifat

As the points Dr. Dave J Aldridge's makes in his published letter are applicable to other countries, I am sending it along to you for posting.

Imelda, Cork.


16/05/05

Everyone of us is part of a vast radiation experiment - result unknown

IN relation to the debate in your letters columns last month concerning the hazards of cell-phone and other non-ionizing radiation, I find it inconceivable that any responsible official or body would claim such radiation to be ‘safe.’

Certainly no one with a grasp of the complex science involved would do so.

The following points need sombre reflection:

1. Every man, woman and child in Ireland is taking part, involuntarily, in one vast and irreversible non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (NI-EMR) exposure experiment, the ethics of which are highly questionable, and the long-term outcome unknown.

2. Based on experience with microwave radiation over the last 50 years and my current investigations, I believe the current maximum permitted public exposure to low band (900 mhz) cellphone radiation is 4,500 times too high and 9,000 times too high for the cell-phone high band (1.8 ghz).

Lowering this to 1mw/m2 for public exposure in ‘living spaces’ and 100mw/m2 for ‘sleeping spaces’ would provide a starting point to protect the general population against those effects not covered by the International Committee Non-ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) Guidelines (ICNIRP guidelines).

3. Government ministers and officials continue to claim cell-phone microwave radiation is ‘safe,’ quoting ICNIRP guidelines, and stating that the safety of this radiation is supported in ‘the literature.’

Yet, the actual text of the ICNIRP guidelines states something very different: that the only effect taken into consideration when framing the guidelines, and against which protection is provided, is heating effect and the guidelines are not intended to protect against cancer or other long-term effects.

I have been studying ‘the literature’ for some years - for the last five on a full-time basis.

Most of the published research has a serious shortcoming in that the sponsor of many of the projects going back the 1950s was the US military. They had - and still have - a strong interest in the denial of low-level bio-effects.

Controlling the funding, it insisted that experiments be designed to find ‘thermal only’ outcomes and that high power should be employed. Many of the investigators were not biologists, and there was extensive criticism of the behavioural test methods in the discussions of results.

For many experiments the power levels were such as to preclude observation of any bio-effects, and the behavioural tests used were so poorly selected and so insensitive as to render it impossible to detect a positive response if such occurred. When the data from a Department of Defence-sponsored experimental series claiming to show no bio-effects was re-analysed, it was shown that due to poor statistical technique and the use of the wrong mathematical model, observations of bio-effects had been conveniently lost in the ‘noise.’

If there are no low-level bio-effects, why is the US Defence Advances Research Projects Agency (DARPA) spending over $3 billion per year on EMR-based weapons research?

4. In addition to the well known microwave hearing ‘tinnitus’ effect, the list of EHS symptoms, as defined by the WHO, includes tingling of nerves, sleepiness, headache, dizziness, unconsciousness, pain, muscle spasms, palpitations, flushing, tachycardia or edema because of impairment of the circulatory system; pressure in ears, tooth pains, tightness in chest, dyspnea, nausea, belching, burning eyes and itching, burning or prickling skin.

5. Based on anecdotal evidence, I estimate that 20% of the Irish population is likely to be experiencing low-level EHS effects, and not identifying it as such. And, in turn, around 20% of that mildly affected 20% - or 4% of the total population - are experiencing it to such an extent that it effects their way of life beyond a point where it can’t be considered just inconvenient.

Since the average GP has no in-depth knowledge of EHS, one of the difficulties for the medical profession is that the symptoms mimic the onset of mental illness. Consequently, many EHS sufferers (possibly as high as 50%) are believed to have been misdiagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia.

6. Comparing AM, FM and TV broadcast signals is like comparing apples with plums and grapes. While they all are non-ionising radiation, only the 625-line TV signals in Ireland use microwaves, defined as wavelengths below 1 metre and extending from 300 mhz to 300ghz.

TV transmitters, however, due to the range required and massive power used, are placed on remote mountaintops. By contrast, cell-phone base stations are placed in close proximity to people, often against their objections.

7. The location of many cell-phone base station aerials and towers is ill advised. When possible, those aerials utilised by vets, gardaí, ESB, creameries, taxis, fire and ambulance services should be relocated from rooftops to remote hilltop bases. This measure would reduce the exposure level of the population to electro-smog and reduce the incidence of EHS effects.

The cell-phone base station, regardless of the aerial being placed on a building or tower, needs to be located in the centre of its ‘cell,’ yet its location requires careful consideration of the type of population and exposure created.

8. Co-location is a very bad idea as the radiation from each source is additive in its effects and creates ‘RF hotspots.’ It is questionable if network operators should continue to be permitted to duplicate each other’s coverage for this reason. What is needed is a national coverage plan and well documented ‘safe areas’ where NI-EMR levels are kept low. I know of a number of EHS sufferers who have built (wooden) houses in low signal level areas only to find now that their lives are being severely affected by radiation from new emitters, some far away and being transported and re-radiated by above-ground clutter such as rural ESB feed lines.

9. The Irish Doctors Environmental Association are to be applauded for their efforts in bringing the plight of EHS sufferers to the attention of the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

However, that committee apparently does not have the mandate to deal with the wider aspects of EMR hazards, including the health hazards and risks of NI-EMR associated with its application and use. NI-EMR covers all radiation from static EM fields to ultraviolet. I believe a new joint committee will be needed. The Irish Doctors Environmental Association has been handicapped as a doctors’ group only without the benefits of a biophysicist to untangle the complexities of NI-EMR/human interactions.

I hope this helps to clear away the ‘spin’ originating from the Government and its officials, as well as cellphone and other players.

Dave J Aldridge
Cloonfane
Co Mayo

http://www.examiner.ie/pport/web/opinion/Full_Story/did-sggiJr8VrR-UgsgadLjt5C321I.asp


Dave J Aldridge
The Irish Anti-War Movement: Community member
http://irishantiwar.org/shared/community-member.tcl?user_id=2562

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15813219


Informant: Iris Atzmon

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15869902


Informant: Iris Atzmon

by Bill Moyers, TomPaine.com

The more compelling NOW's journalism, the angrier the radical right of the Republican party became.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050517/muting_the_conversation_of_democracy.php

The US and UK only act in support of "freedom" and "democracy" when it serves elite interests.

“It's for the people to decide on a change of regime, not outsiders.” -- UK Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, referring to Uzbekistan (15 May 2005)

“We want the removal of Saddam Hussein's government.”
-- UK Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, referring to Iraq (9 April 2003)

The US and UK supported Iraq while it served their agenda. When the Iraqi regime could no longer be controlled they imposed a decade of sanctions and then invaded to install a new government and bring the nation back within their control.

Now, rather than impose sanctions on Uzbekistan, which might actually improve freedom and democracy there, the US and UK are actively supporting the regime with substantial financial, military and diplomatic aid.

Don't be fooled by the propaganda about why invaded Iraq. The truth is too obvious to miss.


http://www.theinsider.org

Wichtige Meldung fürs Volksbegehren Mobilfunk

Krebsgefahr in ländlicher Idylle?

Auf dem Land ist das Hirntumorrisiko dreimal so hoch. Nach einer schwedischen Studie kommt dies offenbar von einer dort höheren Handy-Eigenstrahlung. Für die Studie wurden 1400 Hirntumor-Patienten in Schweden nach ihren Handygebrauchsgewohnheiten befragt.

Das Forscherteam um den Krebs-Spezialisten Lennart Hardell von der Universitätsklinik Örebro vermutet, dass die starke Eigenstrahlung der Handys für den schädlichen Effekt verantwortlich ist. Sie liege auf dem Lande höher, weil die Relaisstationen der Funknetze dort weiter auseinander stünden als in den Städten.

Die Forscher aus Örebro warnten bereits mehrfach, dass intensiver und langfristiger Gebrauch der digitalen GSM-Funknetze die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Erkrankung an einem Hirntumor erhöhe.

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wissen/artikel/264/53211/

In ländlichen Gebieten ist die Strahlenbelastung höher, fand eine schwedische Studie. Mehr Gehirntumore sind die Folge.

http://www.vnunet.de/testticker/news/detail.asp?ArticleID=20050517010&Topic=Newsticker&;Ref=pc-pro

Hintergrundinfos: Hohe Sendeleistung auf dem Land
http://www.izgmf.de/Aktionen/Meldungen/Archiv_04/PL-Statistik/pl-statistik.html


Nachricht vom Informationszentrum gegen Mobilfunk (IZGMF)

Zum gleichen Thema auch:

http://www.nachrichten.ch/detail/211689.htm
http://www.onlinekosten.de/news/artikel/17445

--------

http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Hirntumor
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Wissenschaft+zu+Mobilfunk/

Krebscluster in der Nähe von Funkantennen
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/227418/

Use of cellular telephones and brain tumour risk
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/696799/

Bath Chronicle

11:00 - 17 May 2005

Residents protesting against a controversial mobile phone mast being sited close to their homes will have to wait another month to discover whether their campaign has been successful. Councillors last night put off making a decision on whether to allow phone company Hutchinson 3G to put a mast on top of the Smile convenience store in Bear Flat, and will now visit the site.

Yesterday's meeting was the latest twist in the long-running saga over the siting of masts in Bear Flat.

Earlier this year, local anti- mast protesters had their hopes lifted when phone operator O2 agreed to consider siting a mast away from the residential area, and instead install one at Alexandra Park.

But Hutchinson 3G then applied for a mast in the same area, which is at the junction of Wellsway and Wells Road.

Councillors at yesterday's meeting of Bath and North East Somerset Council's Bath south local committee were recommended by officers to permit the flagpole-type mast and dish.

Cllr David Bellotti (Lib Dem, Lyncombe) voiced his opposition to the proposal, and called on Hutchinson 3G and O2 to share a site. He said: "I am greatly concerned by the recommendation in this report because as a committee we have lodged our opinion of masts in Bear Flat.

"The Government is quite clear that mobile phone operators should talk to each other with a view to sharing sites.

"We all know that O2 is going to put in an application in Alexandra Park and should we decide that location is acceptable, Hutchinson should be told to go there and share that mast."

Objections to the new application have been fierce and the proposal prompted 182 letters of protest. Concerns have ranged from worries about potential health risks to concerns about the impact on property prices.

Hutchinson 3G has so far ruled out mast-sharing with O2 in the Bear Flat area.

17.05.2005

Mitglieder des VfB Helmbrechts stimmen nach hitziger Diskussion mit 66 zu 34 für Verpachtung

Mehrheit für den Sendemast

Die Mitglieder des VfB Helmbrechts haben den Weg freigemacht für die Errichtung eines Sendemastens auf dem Vereinsgelände. Am Freitagabend sprachen sich 66 von 102 Stimmberechtigten für die Verpachtung eines Grundstücks an den Mobilfunk-Anbieter Vodafone aus. Nur rund jedes sechste Mitglied war zu der außerordentlichen Versammlung erschienen.

HELMBRECHTS – Die Abstimmung war auf Wunsch zahlreicher Teilnehmer schriftlich und damit geheim durchgeführt worden. Mit 34 Gegenstimmen gab es fast genau eine Zwei-Drittel-Mehrheit für die Verpachtung, von der sich die Vorstandschaft eine neue Einnahmequelle erhofft, um die laufenden Kosten des Vereins zu decken und den Schuldenberg abzubauen.

Zu Beginn hatte ein von Bürgermeister Mutterer eingeladener Mitarbeiter des Landesamtes für Umweltschutz eine Stunde lang zum Thema Mobilfunkanlagen und mögliche gesundheitliche Gefährdungen referiert. Diplom-Ingenieur Gampel wies unter anderem daraufhin, dass bei über 4000 Messungen in der Nähe von Mobilfunkanlagen bundesweit erheblich niedrigere Werte gemessen worden seien, als es die Vorgaben zulassen.

Omega siehe dazu „Strahlenmessungen“ unter: http://omega.twoday.net/stories/326599/

Er erläuterte, dass sich mit der Aufstellung eines Mastens außerhalb einer Stadt die Leistung am Ohr erhöhe. Die eigentliche Strahlungsbelastung gehe also vom Handy und nicht vom Mast aus. Seine Schlussfolgerung: „Wer gegen Mobilfunkmasten ist, sollte sein Handy wegwerfen.“

Omega berücksichtigt werden muss aber auch, dass eine Basisstation rund um die Uhr strahlt und sich die Anwohner dieser Strahlungsbelastung nicht freiwillig aussetzen. Die Dauerbelastung über Monate und Jahre ist dabei nicht besser als die Kurzzeitbelastung durch Handys mit hoher Strahlenbelastung. Das Handy kann man ausschalten, wegwerfen, nicht benutzen. Die Basisstation steht strahlend vor der Haustür. Siehe weiter unter: http://omega.twoday.net/stories/616226/

Zudem wies Gampel auf die Schwächen der Nailaer Studie hin, die das Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS) festgestellt hatte. Die Behörde hatte kritisiert, dass die Studie wesentliche wissenschaftliche Kriterien nicht erfülle. Gleichzeitig heißt es im Fazit des Bundesamtes aber: „Trotz Schwächen der Nailaer Mobilfunkstudie wird der Einzelbefund eines möglicherweise dreifach erhöhten Krebsrisikos vom BfS ernst genommen.“

Omega Dr. Cornelia Waldmann-Selsam berichtete von nachgewiesenermaßen erhöhten Fallzahlen von Tumorerkrankungen in unmittelbarer Nähe zu Sendemasten (Studie Naila), doch keiner gehe hin und überprüfe, warum das der Fall sei: "Der Grund liegt auf der Hand: Man will schlichtweg nichts finden", betonte die Referentin.

Gleiche Beobachtungen habe man in Hof gemacht: Hier stehe seit zehn Jahren ein Mast direkt im Wohngebiet, im Umkreis von 100 Metern sei es zu 40 Karzinom-Erkrankungen gekommen: "Diese Zahlen sind Wahnsinn - doch es passiert nichts, keiner kümmert sich." Dass elektromagnetische Felder und Hochfrequenzen keine Gesundheitsgefahren darstellen, sei eine irreführende Behauptung: "An keinem einzigen Standort Deutschlands wurde vom Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz oder anderen Wissenschaftlern eine Erhebung über Kopfschmerzen oder Schlafstörungen gemacht. Außerdem sind nicht die Physiker und Radiologen Experten für die menschliche Gesundheit, sondern wir Ärzte", mahnte sie.
http://www.buergerwelle.at/body_newsletter_140505.html

„Wer gegen Funkmasten ist, sollte sein Handy wegwerfen“
Ein Vertreter des Landesamtes für Umweltschutz

Omega und was macht der, der kein Handy hat und gegen Funkmasten ist?

Auch im Hinblick auf andere Risiken, die durch den Mobilfunk entstehen, führt das BfS derzeit ein umfangreiches, 50 Millionen Euro schweres Forschungsprogramm durch.

Lautstark und hitzig geführt wurde die anschließende Diskussion, in der Gegner wie Befürworter zu Wort kamen. Uwe Friedrich, Konrektor der benachbarten Realschule übergab Vorsitzendem Manfred Gareiß eine Unterschriftenliste von Eltern, die sich gegen den Funkmasten richtete. Zudem wies Friedrich auf eine Reihe von Untersuchungen und Studien hin, die von einer gesundheitlichen Gefährdung durch Mobilfunkanlagen ausgehen würden.

Auf die Frage nach der Haftung erklärte Gareiß, für Errichtung und Betrieb des Mastes sei ausschließlich Vodafone zuständig. Die Höhe des Mastes gab er mit 28 bis 30 Metern, die Vertragsdauer mit zehn Jahren an, „wobei noch nichts unterschrieben ist“. In Hinblick auf die Schule fragte Friedrich, der mehrfach unterbrochen und nach Angaben mehrerer Mitglieder zum Teil übelst beschimpft wurde, wer die Verantwortung für mögliche Schäden übernehme. Dritter Vorsitzender Kurt Hoyer warf dazu ein, seine Nachforschungen hätten ergeben, dass an Schulen zwar die Handys ausgeschaltet sein sollten, was aber keiner der Lehrer überprüfe. Dass laut Hoyer deshalb alle Schüler ihre Handys eingeschaltet ließen, wies Friedrich zurück.

„Einige Kritiker wurden mundtot gemacht“

Gründungsmitglied Mai über das plötzliche Diskussionsende

Befürworter der Anlage wollten wissen, warum die Gegner nicht protestiert hätten, als auf dem Kirchberg und bei Knopf‘s Sohn Masten errichtet wurden. Auch habe es gegen Anlagen am Krankenhaus Münchberg und auf dem Dach einer Schule in Rehau keine vernehmbaren Proteste gegeben.

Nach mehr als zwei Stunden erklärte der Vorsitzende die Diskussion trotz bestehender Wortmeldungen für beendet. Ein Vorgang, den Gründungsmitglied Karl-Heinz Mai gestern gegenüber unserer Zeitung so kommentierte: „Ein unwürdiges Schauspiel. Einige Kritiker wurden mundtot gemacht.“ Laut Mai, der zu den Gegnern des Sendemastes gehört, sei das Verhalten des Vereins für viele Helmbrechtser nicht mehr nachvollziehbar. Er wirft der Vorstandschaft „fachliche Inkompetenz“ vor. Wichtige Informationen über die Sendeleistung des Mastes oder über mögliche Regressansprüche lägen ebenso wenig vor wie Antworten auf die Frage, ob der Verein die Gemeinnützigkeit verlieren könne: „Schon einmal hat der Verein versucht, Finanzamt und Krankenkassen auszutricksen versucht. Die Folgen ja sind bekannt.“

Bürgermeister Manfred Mutterer will sich nun mit Hilfe eines staatlichen Förderprogramms im Stadtrat dafür stark machen, dass Experten am Vereinsgelände Messungen durchführen, „um so zu erfahren, wie intensiv die Belastung wäre und dann anhand von Fakten die Emotionen aus der Diskussion zu nehmen“. Die Kritik von Seiten der Realschulleitung („ein sensibler Bereich“) und zahlreicher Anwohner nannte er gestern „verständlich und nachvollziehbar“.

So bald der Bauantrag von Vodafone vorliegt, beginnt ein Genehmigungsverfahren, in dem die Stadt Stellung nehmen kann. Laut Mutterer wird es dazu eine Beratung im Bauausschuss geben. Entscheidungsträger sei das Landratsamt. awu


Wir mussten draußen bleiben

VON ALEXANDER WUNNER

„Schreien gegen Argumente, Geifer gegen Intelligenz, Hetze gegen Sympathie – armer VfB“. So drastisch hat im Internetforum des Vereins gestern einer unter dem Namen „Helmetzer“ das zusammengefasst, was am Freitagabend passiert ist. Ob er Recht hat ?

Wir, liebe Leser, können das nur unzureichend beurteilen. Gerne hätten wir wie gewohnt aus erster Hand berichtet, Informationen geliefert, Argumente präzise gegenübergestellt und den Verlauf des Abends detailliert wiedergegeben. Genau das hat uns die Vorstandschaft des Vereins verwehrt. Auf Initiative des dritten Vorsitzenden Kurt Hoyer, der bereits nach der Hauptversammlung Mitte April unseren Berichterstatter beeinflussen wollte, machte der neue Vorsitzende Manfred Gareiß von seinem Hausrecht Gebrauch und teilte uns mit, dass die Heimatzeitung – und damit mittelbar die Öffentlichkeit – nicht erwünscht sei. Bürgermeister Mutterer und andere, die dem Verein seit Jahrzehnten nahe stehen, haben dieses Verhalten gestern verurteilt.

Die neue Vorstandschaft – das zeigte auch der Freitagabend – tut sich schwer, wenn es um Werte wie Transparenz und Meinungsfreiheit geht. Der Imageschaden, den sich die Macher des VfB jenseits der zweifellos diskutablen Frage, ob der Mast gesundheitsschädlich sei oder nicht, zuzuschreiben haben, ist enorm. Insider munkeln von abgesprungenen Sponsoren oder von 20 (zum Teil namhaften) ausgetretenen Mitgliedern. Der nach der Insolvenz in mühsamer Kleinarbeit erarbeitete gute Ruf des Vereins ist massiv in Gefahr.

Aber damit umzugehen, da hat eben jeder seine Art. Die einen rennen gegen Windmühlen, die anderen sitzen die Sache aus, vertrauen auf ihren Erfolg – und auf die Macht des Vergessens. Die aber haben schon andere überschätzt.

http://www.frankenpost.de/nachrichten/regional/resyart.phtm?id=796235


18.05.2005

INTERVIEW

„Wir sind sauer !“

HELMBRECHTS – Die Würfel sind gefallen. Wie berichtet, haben sich bei der außerordentlichen Mitgliederversammlung des VfB 98 Helmbrechts zwei Drittel der Anwesenden für einen Mobilfunk-Sendemast auf dem Vereinsgelände ausgesprochen. Einer, der stets ein gut nachbarschaftliches Verhältnis zum VfB 98 gesucht hat, aber jetzt von den Verantwortlichen des Vereins enttäuscht ist, ist der Direktor der Realschule Otto Günther.

Wie geht es Ihnen ?

Otto Günther: Leider Gottes habe ich das Ergebnis der Mitgliederversammlung mitbekommen. Meine Einstellung hat sich nicht geändert: So lange weder die Gefährlichkeit noch die Ungefährlichkeit der Strahlung bewiesen ist, bin ich strikt gegen den Mast. Ich bin bitter enttäuscht.

Über den Mast ist aber abgestimmt worden . . .

Otto Günther: Während die Befürworter eine Stunde lang einen Mann vom Landesamt für Umweltschutz referieren ließen, sind die Argumente der Gegner, die sich gut vorbereitet hatten, auf einen Satz zusammengestutzt worden. Dies ist mir berichtet worden und dies zeugt nicht von einem ausgeprägten Demokratieverständnis.

Was bedeutet das Ergebnis für Sie als Schulleiter ?

Otto Günther: Wenn an einem Elternsprechtag 90 bis 95 Prozent der Eltern sich unaufgefordert in eine Liste gegen die Errichtung des Mastes eintragen, wie neulich geschehen, ist das für uns als Schule natürlich ein Hammer. Umso erschütterter bin ich, seit ich weiß, dass der Mast nicht, wie ich ursprünglich dachte, zehn, sondern 28 Meter hoch sein soll.

Halten Sie das Thema nach dem klaren Abstimmungsergebnis nun für „gegessen“ ?

Otto Günther: Die Sachlage stellt sich jedenfalls so dar, dass der Mast beschlossen und damit legitimiert ist. Deshalb sehe ich keine Möglichkeit mehr, auf den VfB einzuwirken. Allerdings behalte ich mir persönlich und von Seiten der Schule weitere Schritte vor.

Die da wären ?

Otto Günther: Heute werde ich mich mit meinen beiden Stellvertretern Wilhelm Stiller und Uwe Friedrich treffen und darüber beraten. Ich persönlich überlege mir künftig zwei Mal, ob ich dem Verein nach wie vor jedes Jahr 50 Euro für die Jugendarbeit spenden soll. Und Uwe Friedrich, der die Leichtathletikjugend des VfB trainiert, grübelt auch über seine Tätigkeit nach. Ach, ganz einfach: Wir sind sauer. M. BÄUMLER

http://www.frankenpost.de/nachrichten/regional/frankenwald/resyart.phtm?id=796753


Nachrichten von der BI Bad Dürkheim


Omega weitere Berichte zum Thema VfB Helmbrechts und Sendemast sind unter http://tinyurl.com/dud79 und http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=HELMBRECHTS zu finden.

MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media

May 17, 2005

MEDIA ALERT: BBC SILENT ON FALLUJAH

The BBC Has Failed To Respond To Doubts About Its Claims On US Atrocities In Iraq.

"The truth is replaced by silence, and the silence is a lie." (Yevgeney Yevtushenko).

Last week, the editors of Media Lens wrote to the BBC’s director of news, Helen Boaden, about her failure to respond to public concerns over BBC misreporting from Iraq:

10 May, 2005

Dear Helen Boaden,

We trust you are well. As you may recall, Media Lens issued a media alert on 18th April: 'Doubt Cast on BBC Claims Regarding Fallujah'. This was in response to your Newswatch article at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ukfs/hi/newsid_4390000/newsid_4396600/4396641.stm

Our media alert* noted that your article failed to address the many specific and detailed allegations of atrocities committed by US forces in their assault on Fallujah last November. Moreover, statements made to us by Human Rights Watch cast doubt upon your firm assertion that HRW could "compellingly" rule out the use of banned weapons by US forces in Fallujah. Both of these points surely merit a reply from the BBC.

We note that around 100 people - perhaps more - emailed you, [BBC reporter] Paul Wood and [BBC news online editor] Pete Clifton with their deep concerns about the Newswatch article. Nobody has yet received a reply, as far as we are aware. Could you possibly tell us when we might expect a BBC response, please?

best wishes,
David Cromwell & David Edwards

* See: http://www.medialens.org/alerts/05/050418_doubt_cast_on_bbc.php

We have not yet heard back from Helen Boaden.

The BBC relentlessly proclaims its commitment to "providing trusted and impartial news and information that helps citizens make sense of the world" (Letter from BBC chairman Michael Grade to David Cromwell, 21 March, 2005). Such grandiose statements are delivered as if on tablets of stone, to be received with gratitude by the multitudes. Thus, Grade again: "I know that BBC News, led by its new Director Helen Boaden, is passionate about delivering a news service that is independent, impartial and accurate and that commands the confidence of licence payers." (Ibid.)

In the real world, the BBC diligently diverts public attention from the responsibility of western governments for the horrendous suffering of the people of Iraq. In 1998, Denis Halliday, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Baghdad, resigned in protest at the devastating western sanctions which had led directly to the deaths of over a million Iraqis, half of them children under five. His words should haunt those who facilitated such a tragedy, and who continue to apologise for power now: "History will slaughter those responsible." (Quoted, John Pilger, The New Rulers Of The World, Verso, 2002, p.54)


SUGGESTED ACTION

The goal of Media Lens is to promote rationality, compassion and respect for others. When writing emails to journalists, we strongly urge readers to maintain a polite, non-aggressive and non-abusive tone.

Write to Helen Boaden, director of BBC news
Email: helenboaden.complaints@bbc.co.uk

Ask why her Newswatch article does not address the BBC's failure to cover reports of alleged US war crimes. Ask her for further details of what the BBC discussed with Human Rights Watch (HRW), and of the "investigations" that HRW supposedly undertook into the use of banned weapons by US forces.

Copy your emails to the following:

Pete Clifton, BBC news online editor
Email: pete.clifton@bbc.co.uk

Mark Thompson, BBC director general
Email: mark.thompson@bbc.co.uk

Michael Grade, BBC chairman
Email: michael.grade@bbc.co.uk

Please send copies of all emails to us at:
Email: editor@medialens.org

You may also wish to consider lodging an official complaint (which guarantees an answer) about the Newswatch article at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints


Visit the Media Lens website: http://www.medialens.org

Study Title: Use of cellular telephones and brain tumour risk
Authors: L Hardell, M Carlberg and K Hansson Mild.

Published in the June 2005 Issue of Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Summary: A new Swedish study has found a 3-fold increase in rural people who have used a digital mobile phone for at least 5 years.

Lennart Hardell and colleagues have continued to analyse their data on 1429 Swedish cell-phone users who were diagnosed with a brain tumour between January 1997 and June 2000. The major finding that they announced was a 1.5 fold (1.4/0.9) higher risk of brain tumours in rural users compared with users who used their phone mostly in urban settings, rising to a 3.5 fold (3.4/0.9) increased ratio for people who had used their digital phones for 5 years or more. This rose to a six-fold (8.4/1.4) difference when only malignant brain tumours were considered. They suggest that this difference may be due to the fact that mobile phones uses "adaptive power control" which reduces the transmitted microwave power when they are used close to base stations - as is usually the case in urban areas.

Digital GSM Handsets can radiate 1000 times more power when they have to communicate in a poor signal strength area compared to when they are close to a base station. They also normally use full power at all times while they are "dialing out" and waiting for the called person to answer their phone, so it is a good idea to hold the phone away from your head during this time.

More interesting, though not mentioned in the paper's abstract, are the latency time trends - that is the overall rates for all users depending on how many years they have used their phones over.

For analogue phone users, over all tumours, there is a 1.9-fold increase (i.e. almost a doubling) after using the phone for 10 years. This is especially the case for people who use their phone for over 90 minutes per week (about 15 minutes per day). Below that level of usage there are too few cases to meaningfully calculate an odds-ratio. For all users, combined, the OR is still 1.6 (1.1-2.5), which is a significant result. For malignant tumours only the result is stronger; overall showing a significant OR of 2.1 after 10 years (1.1-4.0)

For GSM users, data is not available for 10 years use. The overall results for 1 and 5 years are not significant, but do increase for people who use their phone for more than 10 minutes per day from 0.9 after one year to 1.4 after five years. Note that these are not heavy users.

For cordless phones (not clear if analogue or DECT or other type) there is a significant 1.4-fold increase after 5 years (1.5-fold in heavy user group), rising to a non-significant (too few cases) 2.1-fold increase after 10 years (0.7-6.3).

This study suggests that calls are best made in areas close to a base station for the particular handset's network, as that will reduce the microwave radiation levels the user will be exposed to.

However, Powerwatch's overall conclusion is that this study confirms that regular mobile and cordless phone use may well at least double the risk of developing a brain tumour over time, especially a malignant one, and that people should be advised to use such phones only when necessary and they should make most calls on an old-fashioned wired landline phone or wired (not Bluetooth) voice-over-internet (e.g. Skype) network.

http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/news/20050516_tumour.asp


Informant: Sylvie

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Tumour Risk For Rural Cell Phone Users

http://www.rense.com/general65/ceek.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/05/17/nmob17.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/05/17/ixhome.html


Informant: Iris Atzmon

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Thank you very much for this information!

I am happy to see Örjan Hallberg's and my own results*** now being much further substantiated by Hardell and his team! Remember that when our studies were published, we were heavily attacked by certain Swedish epidemiologist for being "wrong", for being "amateurs", for "publishing our results in the wrong journal", etc. It will be very nice now to rather read Hardell's and coworkers comments about our papers instead!

***e.g. Hallberg Ö, Johansson O, "Mobile handset output power and health", Electromag Biol Med 2004; 23: 229-239

and

Hallberg Ö, Johansson O, "1997 - A curious year in Sweden", Eur J Cancer Prev 2004; 13: 535-538


Olle Johansson, assoc. prof.
The Experimental Dermatology Unit
Department of Neuroscience
Karolinska Institute
171 77 Stockholm
Sweden

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This also appears in today's Daily Mail

Sandi


Today's Independent reports the latest analysis by Lennart Hardell, Sweden, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Mobile phone use in rural areas carries three times the cancer risk
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=638936


Andy

From Mast Network

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Rural mobile phone use 'riskier'
http://www.emfacts.com/weblog/index.php?p=50

Mobile phone health risks greater for rural users
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Mobile+phone+health+risks+greater+for+rural+users

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http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Hardell