http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/printer_7990.shtml


Informant: Martin Greenhut

Los Angeles Times
by Laura K. Donohue

01/12/06

Congress will soon hold hearings on the National Security Agency's domestic spying program, secretly authorized by President Bush in 2002. But that program is just the tip of the iceberg. Since 9/11, the expansion of efforts to gather and analyze information on U.S. citizens is nothing short of staggering. The government collects vast troves of data, including consumer credit histories and medical and travel records. Databases track Americans' networks of friends, family and associates, not just to identify who is a terrorist but to try to predict who might become one. Remember Total Information Awareness, retired Adm. John Poindexter's effort to harness all government and commercial databases to preempt national security threats? The idea was that disparate, seemingly mundane behaviors can reveal criminal intent when viewed together. More disturbing, it assumed that deviance from social norms can be an early indicator of terrorism. Congress killed that program in 2003, but according to the Associated Press, many related projects continued...

http://tinyurl.com/cll2r


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

The Register [UK]
by Mark Rasch

01/12/06

US wiretapping laws, FISA and Presidential powers given to the NSA to intercept communications make for interesting times when coupled with technology. What are the issues surrounding privacy, search, seizure and surveillance? Whenever a new technology is developed, or a new threat that causes us to deploy these technologies, questions invariably arise about their legality. When the telephone was first developed and used, it was not clear that the constitutional dictates on unreasonable searches and seizures applied to conversations that were neither 'searched' nor 'seized.' The recent revelations that the US Department of Defense, through the National Security Agency, was targeting the international communications of US citizens for interception as part of a classified program raises questions about the constitutionality and legality of the program itself...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/12/us_wiretapping_laws/


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Boston Globe
by Ezekiel J. Emanuel & Dennis F. Thompson

01/12/06

In the wake of the Abramoff scandal and the DeLay difficulties, Congress is scurrying to enact new ethics rules governing lobbying. But as with other ethics reforms, the changes will not make much difference unless the rules are enforced. Even the most minimal kind of regulation -- disclosure -- has been widely disregarded in recent years. Since 1998, lobbyist organizations failed to submit about 14,000 disclosure documents as required by law. Members and staff fail to report travel as required by House and Senate rules. Without more effective enforcement, new rules will be evaded or ignored like the old rules. Why has enforcement been so lax? As in other professions, self-regulation among politicians does not work well. Congressional ethics committees are prone to partisan paralysis or bipartisan collusion. The rule seems to be: If we investigate a Republican, we have to investigate a Democrat (and vice versa); therefore, we had better not investigate anyone...

http://tinyurl.com/cntro


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Mother Jones
by Tom Engelhardt

01/12/06

2006 is sure to be the year of living dangerously -- for the Bush administration and for the rest of us. In the wake of revelations of warrantless spying by the National Security Agency, we have already embarked on what looks distinctly like a constitutional crisis (which may not come to a full boil until 2007). In the meantime, the President, Vice President, Secretaries of Defense and State, various lesser officials, crony appointees, acolytes, legal advisors, leftover neocons, spy-masters, strategists, spin doctors, ideologues, lobbyists, Republican Party officials, and congressional backers are intent on packing the Supreme Court with supporters of an 'obscure philosophy' of unfettered Presidential power called 'the unitary executive theory' and then foisting a virtual cult of the imperial presidency on the country...

http://tinyurl.com/9hly3


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Human Events
by Lynne Woolley

01/13/06

Every now and then, the lobbying cesspool in Washington rears its ugly head and we writers are all obligated to create vast lists of reforms to fix the mess. How about this one: Elect honest people to Congress. So many of the talking heads seem to miss the point: the current scandal is less about lobbyists than it is about members of Congress and other people in high government positions. If members all refused to take bribes, there would be no bribery...

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=11537


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Free Market News Network
by Noel Gibeson

01/12/06

The newsmedia and nation are currently focused on the Judge Samuel Alito's Senate confirmation hearings in Washington, DC. Because the confirmation hearings are underway for the next Supreme Court seat, now is an excellent time to reflect, in a very broad way, on how far we have come since our founding fathers wrote the U. S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court is supposed to interpret laws to ensure that they strictly conform to the U.S. Constitution; that the government was to have only limited powers and that all other powers were reserved to the people since they already possessed them under natural law anyway. The Constitution limited government, but not people’s natural rights. The Constitution was designed to stop the tyranny of kings and other despots – by limiting the power of the new government to prevent such despotism. This was and is the primary function of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)...

http://www.fmnn.com/Analysis/94/3426/2006-01-12.asp?wid=94&nid=3426


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

AntiWar.Com
by Justin Raimondo

01/13/06

As the U.S. gets ready to move on Iran, under the pretext of a gathering Iranian nuclear threat, the news that the War Party got creative when WMD were nowhere to be found in Iraq should give us pause. According to a report in Raw Story by Larisa Alexandrovna, the Office of Special Plans (OSP) -- a parallel intelligence agency set up by the neoconservatives to do an end run around the mainline U.S. agencies -- was sent into Iraq in 2003 in order to cook up phony 'evidence' of 'weapons of mass destruction'...

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=8383


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Lesson two
Strike the Root
by Per Bylund

01/12/06

When you have finally gained power, it is important not to make people believe the struggle has ended. People tend to engage in social activities, study or reading if they are not put to work, so make sure they are always thinking of the conflict and how to finally get rid of their oppressors. Yes, you have gained power through the help of the poor and your competitors may already be reduced and weakened. That is not enough! As soon as there is no conflict, your power base is dissolved!

http://www.strike-the-root.com/61/bylund/bylund2.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Framingham Tab

01/12/06

Calling the NSA surveillance program authorized by the president a violation of the Constitution, U.S. Rep. and Democrat Edward Markey of Massachusetts told an audience at a special forum last week that, 'Tonight we are going to sound the alarm that a threat to our democracy is afoot.' With an image of the U.S. Constitution as a backdrop projected behind him, Markey, who represents the 7th Congressional district, which includes Framingham, spoke to a nearly filled-to-capacity crowd in Lexington's National Heritage Museum's auditorium on Jan. 4 . He compared the current controversy with the struggle of colonists during the American Revolutionary period, drawing laughter from the audience when he referred to the POTUS as our 'King George' in his alleged usurpation of Constitutional rights in the wiretapping...

http://tinyurl.com/9g38f


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Washington Post

01/13/06

The Bush administration took the unusual step yesterday of asking the Supreme Court to call off a landmark confrontation over the legality of military trials for terrorism suspects, arguing that a law enacted last month eliminates the court's ability to consider the issue. In a 23-page brief, U.S. Solicitor General Paul D. Clement said the justices should throw out an appeal by Yemeni national Salim Hamdan, an alleged driver and bodyguard for Osama bin Laden, because a new statute governing the treatment of U.S. detainees 'removes the court's jurisdiction to hear this action.' ... [US Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-MI), co-author of the law) Levin, in a statement issued yesterday, said that 'the Justice Department is in error. Far from deciding that the relevant statutory language applies to pending cases, Congress specifically considered and rejected language that would have stripped the courts of jurisdiction in cases that they had before them'...

http://tinyurl.com/byap4


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

An anti-terrorism law creating a national standard for all driver's licenses by 2008 isn't just upsetting civil libertarians and immigration rights activists. State organizations such as the National Governors' Association have blasted the law as well.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011306N.shtml

Memos indicate that even military units at Guantanamo Bay pushed back against the department's efforts to use new, aggressive tactics against detainees during the facility's first year. The military's top lawyers also warned that the approval of such tactics could lead to abuse and unlawful conduct.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011306I.shtml

http://www.mindyournoodle.com/index/mn27761/page59653


Informant: Friends

http://tinyurl.com/76h2j


Informant: Friends

The upcoming trial of Enron Corp. founder Kenneth L. Lay and former Chief Executive Jeffrey K. Skilling won't feature audiotapes of Enron traders discussing how they gamed California's power system for high profit when the state was plagued by rolling blackouts and skyrocketing power prices in 2000 and 2001, a judge ruled Thursday.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011306Y.shtml

Christoph Heusgen ist der außenpolitische Berater der Kanzlerin und steht für einen stärkeren Schulterschluß mit den Bush-Kriegern.

http://www.telepolis.de/tp/r4/artikel/21/21775/1.html

Die NSA hat einen ehemaligen Mitarbeiter davor gewarnt, über die geheimen Lauschprogramme vor den Geheimdienstausschüssen des Kongresses zu berichten -- deren Mitglieder seien nicht ausreichend vom Geheimdienst überprüft worden.

http://www.telepolis.de/tp/r4/artikel/21/21778/1.html

http://www.counterpunch.com/lindorff12202005.html
http://www.oilempire.us/haiku.html


Informant: Scott Munson

Lighting / Shift work and Breast Cancer
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega245.htm

by Ray McGovern, TomPaine.com

New reporting from The New York Times' James Risen puts to rest the only challenge to the Downing Street memos.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20060113/proof_bush_deceived_america.php


http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Downing+Street+Memo

by Tom Porteous, TomPaine.com

Iran's leader is making incendiary remarks and provoking a showdown with the West -- which may be exactly what he wants.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20060113/ahmadinejad_not_crazy_cunning.php

Anger at advisers' biotech links
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega241.htm

Hertfordshire Mercury

A NURSERY in Ware has vowed to fight plans to erect a mobile phone mast near its premises because bosses fear it may pose a health risk to the children.

Staff and parents at the Angels at Play nursery in Church Street have started a petition against the proposed 3G mast and have called on residents and schools to support them.

Angela Spencer, managing director of the playgroup, received a letter from Hutchison Tel.comlast week stating that a 41ft (12.50m) mast may be erected within a new lamppost in Baldock Street.

"This is a ridiculous thing to take a risk with," blasted Mrs Spencer. "A mast should not be located somewhere so close to people living and working, let alone nursery facilities.

"It's up to them to prove that masts don't pose any health risk, rather than for us to prove that they do — at the moment there's no definite proof either way. I don't want to be the person who says, 'There's the proof — a child who's ill'.

Omega there's definite proof. See under:
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Wissenschaft+zu+Mobilfunk/
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cancer+Cluster
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

"Some of our parents and staff feel very strongly about this. We must stand together for the benefit of all our children, because they cannot speak for themselves."

Last January, Sir William Stewart, the man the Government charged to investigate the safety of mobile phones, published his second controversial report about the health risks of mobile phone emissions. He admitted that he would not put base stations near schools and called for a review of planning laws in relation to masts.

Mrs Spencer has begun to alert local schools, including Chauncy and St Catherine's in Park Road and Stepping Stones nursery in Crib Street, as well as local businesses to the plans.

In addition to standard mobile features, 3G mobiles can send and receive video clips. Emissions from 3G masts are of much higher frequency than for standard phone masts.

Geregh Coombes-Olney is an independent spokesman for Ericsson on health, planning and law issues to do with mobile masts and is employed as part of the Hutchison consultation.

He said: "The whole point of the consultation is to find out what concerns people have and try to allay those fears.

"This is a very early stage and they have looked at lots of potential sites.

"Anyone who would like to discuss the issues, both for and against, is welcome to contact me directly."

East Herts Council said this week that it had not yet received a planning application for a mast.

l If you have concerns about the mast, contact Mr Coombes-Olney on 07782 328254.

South Tyneside Today

13.01.06

COUNCILLORS are objecting to plans to site an "imposing" mobile phone mast in their South Shields ward.

Hutchinson 3G UK, which trades as 3, wants to build a 12.5m pole in the north east corner of Horsley Hill Square.

The company, a new entrant in the mobile market, is building up its video mobile (3G) network and wants to provide coverage to the Horsley Hill area.

A number of sites were considered before the preferred option was put to planners at South Tyneside Council.

Couns Iain Malcolm and Arthur Meeks are objecting to the plans on the basis of its location.

They are also concerned about the number of masts already in the ward.

Coun Malcolm, deputy leader of the council, said: "It is less than eight months since a request to put up mobile phone support apparatus within the Horsley Hill ward.

"I am becoming increasingly alarmed at the number of requests for mobile phone masts in my ward and the East Shields area."

He added that although he does not personally oppose mobile phone masts on health grounds, the concerns of residents have to be taken into account.

"I believe that less obtrusive sites can be found, taking into account constituents' feelings about the siting of such equipment," he said.
Hutchinson 3G said it had considered and rejected other sites, including Holy Rosary Church, Horsley Hill Community Centre, Cheviot Court and the TA Centre.

In a letter to councillors, regional community affairs manager Michael Alexander said site sharing was investigated, but discounted for a variety of reasons.

He added: "It will be seen in the same context as the existing street lighting columns that are currently present at the roundabout and also the CCTV camera pole that the proposed installation is within proximity to and shares similar attributes.

"The location of the site is within a predominantly commercial area, as far from residential areas and schools as possible, while still being able to provide the minimum coverage requirements for the area."

Coun Malcolm rejected the claim that it is a non-residential area, and said he would be happy to accompany Mr Alexander on a site visit.

Bath Chronicle

BY LAURA MATLESS

11:00 - 13 January 2006

Worried campaigners packed into a public meeting to hear about some of the possible health effects from mobile phone masts. Residents living near St Mary's Church in Bathwick are concerned about potential radiation from a mast that could be erected on top of the church tower.

Around 90 people attended the meeting on Wednesday night to hear Professor Alan Preece, from Bristol University, who has carried out research in electromagnetic radiation and cancer, and John O'Brien, who campaigns nationally against masts.

Planning permission has already been granted for the mast, which would be disguised as a flagpole.

Church leaders have given their support to the idea, which it is believed could generate thousands of pounds in rent every year.

Under current Government guidelines, councils are not allowed to turn down mobile phone mast applications on health grounds.

But Prof Preece said: "I think we should be cautious because the evidence is not there either way.

"I think we have got enough masts already.

"Why we need 3G, so people can download things from the internet on to their phones, I don't know."

He said that the idea of masts made people concerned, and that some of the symptoms people reported after antennae were erected could be down to their worries.

"If people have the perception that there's a problem, then there's anxiety, which has a stress effect," he said.

Mr O'Brien, whose campaign focuses on Tetra, the police communications system told the meeting that the possible health effects of the masts were not brought on by people's worries.

"When the mobile people say there is no evidence to link mobile phone radiation and harm, they are wrong," he said.

"Everybody is doing everything they can to deny people that information."

Under plans outlined by Vodafone, the mast would be disguised as a six-inch wide flagpole, projecting more than 30ft above the tower of the Grade II listed church.

Mark Macdonald, who is leading the Bathwick campaign, said in a letter to residents: "Read any of the studies carried out, and you may find yourself extremely anxious about what this mast's electromagnetic radiation beam may mean to you and your family's health."

Lincolnshire Echo

09:30 - 13 January 2006

Residents are celebrating a partial success in a campaign to stop mobile phone masts being built near their homes.

Mobile phone operator O2 has announced that its plans to put up a new mast in Birchwood Avenue, Lincoln, have been withdrawn.

Residents say the decision due to pressure from them to stop the mast being built near their children.

But this is only one step in the fight, as two further applications for masts just up the road are still in the pipeline.

Birchwood area Lincoln city councillor Steve Allnut said it was a triumph for local democracy.

"We do realise that O2 have a weak reception in Birchwood and Doddington Park and need to place a new phone mast in the area, but we were opposed to that being right in the middle of the residential area," he said.

"When we heard they had applied for a mast on Birchwood Avenue, opposite Aldergrove Crescent, residents used their powers to oppose the plans by writing letters of opposition.

"Clearly that has worked and we are very pleased. We are now suggesting other options to them."

But both O2 and Hutchinson 3G have put in appeals against recent decisions to refuse planning permission for mobile phone masts in the bus turning circle in Birchwood Avenue.

The results of these appeals are yet to be announced.

Volunteer co-ordinator at Birchwood Access and Training Centre, Tracey Skinner, said she didn't know why more masts were needed in the area.

"I know people were very concerned about having another mast near to their homes when there are already a few in this area, so I'm glad about the result," she said.

O2 regional communications manager Ann McCracken said they had withdrawn one application to site a mast in the street.

"We had been looking at our options for a mast in the area and had submitted a planning application for a mast in the street, but we withdrew this application in December," she said.

"In the meantime, we have lodged an appeal against the decision not to grant planning permission for the mast in the turning circle."

Hutchinson 3G spokesman Brian Spooner said: "Our application for a mast in Birchwood Avenue was turned down by the local authority.

"We are now investigating the situation in Birchwood Avenue and will inform residents if we do decide to put in another application or to appeal."

James Risen, author of the book "State of War," and credited with first breaking the story about the NSA's domestic surveillance operations, said President Bush personally authorized a change in the agency's long-standing policies shortly after he was sworn in in 2001. "The president personally and directly authorized new operations, like the NSA's domestic surveillance program."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011306Z.shtml

http://www.bushflash.com

Bush wants to create the new criminal of "disruptor" who can be jailed for the crime of "disruptive behavior." A "little-noticed provision" in the latest version of the Patriot Act will empower Secret Service to charge protesters with a new crime of "disrupting major events including political conventions and the Olympics."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/12/AR2005121201448.html

Secret Service would also be empowered to charge persons with "breaching security" and to charge for "entering a restricted area" which is "where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting." In short, be sure to stay in those wired, fenced containments or free speech zones.

Read More, here... Because the linked version contains more hyperlinks.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/11/212726/954

Bush to criminalize protesters under Patriot Act as "disruptors" by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse

Wed Jan 11, 2006 at 07:27:26 PM PDT

Bush wants to create the new criminal of "disruptor" who can be jailed for the crime of "disruptive behavior." A "little-noticed provision" in the latest version of the Patriot Act will empower Secret Service to charge protesters with a new crime of "disrupting major events including political conventions and the Olympics." Secret Service would also be empowered to charge persons with "breaching security" and to charge for "entering a restricted area" which is "where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting." In short, be sure to stay in those wired, fenced containments or free speech zones.

Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse's diary :: :: Who is the "disruptor"? Bush Team history tells us the disruptor is an American citizen with the audacity to attend Bush events wearing a T-shirt that criticizes Bush; or a member of civil rights, environmental, anti-war or counter-recruiting groups who protest Bush policies; or a person who invades Bush's bubble by criticizing his policies. A disruptor is also a person who interferes in someone else's activity, such as interrupting Bush when he is speaking at a press conference or during an interview.

What are the parameters of the crime of "disruptive behavior"? The dictionary defines "disruptive" as "characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination." The American Medical Association defines disruptive behavior as a "style of interaction" with people that interferes with patient care, and can include behavior such as "foul language; rude, loud or offensive comments; and intimidation of patients and family members."

What are the rules of engagement for "disruptors"? Some Bush Team history of their treatment of disruptors provide some clues on how this administration will treat disruptors in the future.

(1) People perceived as disruptors may be preemptively ejected from events before engaging in any disruptive conduct.

In the beginning of this war against disruptors, Americans were ejected from taxpayer funded events where Bush was speaking. At first the events were campaign rallies during the election, and then the disruptor ejectment policy was expanded to include Bush's post election campaign-style events on public policy issues on his agenda, such as informing the public on medicare reform and the like. If people drove to the event in a car with a bumper sticker that criticized Bush's policies or wore T-shirts with similar criticism, they were disruptors who could be ejected from the taxpayer event even before they engaged in any disruptive behavior. White House press secretary McClellan defended such ejectments as a proper preemptive strike against persons who may disrupt an event: "If we think people are coming to the event to disrupt it, obviously, they're going to be asked to leave."

(2) Bush Team may check its vast array of databanks to cull out those persons who it deems having "disruptor" potential and then blacklist those persons from events.

The White House even has a list of persons it deems could be "disruptive" to an eventand then blacklists those persons from attending taxpayer funded events where Bush speaks. Sounds like Bush not only has the power to unilaterally designate people as "enemy combatants" in the global "war on terror," but to unilaterally designate Americans as "disruptive" in the domestic war against free speech.

(3) The use of surveillance, monitoring and legal actions against disruptors.

Bush's war against disruptors was then elevated to surveillance, monitoring, and legal actions against disruptor organizations. The FBI conducts political surveillance and obtains intelligence filed in its database on Bush administration critics , such as civil rights groups
(e.g., ACLU), antiwar protest groups (e.g., United for Peace and Justice) and environmental groups (e.g., Greenpeace).

This surveillance of American citizens exercising their constitutional rights has been done under the pretext of counterterrorism activities surrounding protests of the Iraq war and the Republican National Convention. The FBI maintains it does not have the intent to monitor political activities and that its surveillance and intelligence gathering is "intended to prevent disruptive and criminal activity at demonstrations, not to quell free speech."

Surveillance of potential disruptors then graduated to legal actions as a preemptive strike against potential disruptive behavior at public events. In addition to monitoring and surveillance of legal groups and legal activities, the FBI issued subpoenas for members to appear before grand juries based on the FBI's "intent" to prevent "disruptive convention protests." The Justice Dept. opened a criminal investigation and subpoenaed records of Internet messages posted by Bush`s critics. And, the Justice Dept. even indicted Greenpeace for a protest that was so lame the federal judge threw out the case.

So now the Patriot Act, which was argued before enactment as a measure to fight foreign terrorists, is being amended to make clear that it also applies to American citizens who have the audacity to disrupt President Bush wherever his bubble may travel. If this provision is enacted into law, then Bush will have a law upon which to expand the type of people who constitute disruptors and the type of activities that constitute disruptive activities. And, then throw them all in jail.


Informant: Scott Munson

http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega237.htm
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega237b.rtf

http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega237.htm

Thermal and Nonthermal Mechanisms of the Biological Interaction of Microwaves
http://groups.google.com/group/mobilfunk_newsletter/t/da909ea8c49c73fb

11. Jänner 2006

In Salzburg könnten bald weniger Handymasten stehen. Verzichtet das Land auf die Mastensteuer, nutzen Mobilfunkfirmen die Anlagen gemeinsam.

ALFRED PFEIFFENBERGER

Salzburg (SN). Die Mobilfunkfirmen sind bereit, den Ausbau ihres Netzes zu koordinieren, wenn das Land auf die geplante Handymastensteuer verzichtet. Das erklärt das Forum Mobilkommunikation (FMK) in einem Schreiben an LH-Stv. Othmar Raus (SPÖ). Die Verhandlungen über die Details sollen in den nächsten Wochen beginnen. "Wird sind dazu bereit und glauben, dass es eine Lösung geben wird", sagt Maximilian Maier vom FMK.

Damit würde Salzburg dem Beispiel Niederösterreichs folgen. Auch dort war eine Handymastensteuer vorgesehen. Nachdem die Mobilfunkfirmen zusagten, ihre Masten gemeinsam zu nutzen, wurden die Steuerpläne ad acta gelegt.

In Salzburg sind die Vorbereitungsarbeiten für die Einführung einer Handymastensteuer bereits weit gediehen. Die Finanzabteilung hat bereits einen Entwurf erstellt, der derzeit beim Verfassungsdienst liegt. "Wobei in unserem Gesetz auf die rechtlichen Bedenken, die es gegen das niederösterreichische Modell gegeben hat, bereits Rücksicht genommen wurde", heißt es dazu aus dem Raus-Büro. Außerdem müsse bei den Verhandlungen Rücksicht darauf genommen werden, dass es durch die Zusammenlegung von Mobilfunkanlagen nicht zu einer zu starken Strahlenbelastung für die Anrainer komme.

Ein Vertrag zwischen dem Land und den Gemeinden mit den Mobilfunkfirmen könnte jedenfalls dazu beitragen, dass die Konflikte rund um die Errichtung neuer Handymasten weniger werden. Gerade im Salzburg kommt es immer wieder zu massiven Protesten von Anrainern, wenn neue Anlagen aufgestellt werden. Die Politik hatte darauf mit gesetzlichen Maßnahmen, etwa im Ortsbild- und Naturschutzrecht, reagiert, um eine Handhabe gegen die ungezügelte Errichtung von Handymasten zu haben.

Auch die Europäische Union sieht die Vereinbarungen positiv. "Ich hoffe, dass dieses Modell ein positiver Präzedenzfall für ganz Europa wird", sagte Viviane Reding, die aus Luxemburg stammende EU-Kommissarin für Informationstechnologie, vor kurzem in einem SN-Interview.

© 1997-2005 Salzburger Nachrichten

http://www.salzburg.com/sn/06/01/11/artikel/1923581.html


Nachricht von der BI Bad Dürkheim

Review of Papers on Health Effects due to Electromagnetic Radiation
http://www.c-a-r-e.org/tower/tower2.html

http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega236.htm

From: Russell 'Ace' Hoffman
rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com

Subject: New Lows in Government, New Horizons in Space

To: osspluto@hq.nasa.gov

January 12th, 2006

Dear Readers,

In a few days, NASA plans to launch the New Horizons space probe, its destination: Pluto.

In order to travel so far, New Horizons will have to start its journey extremely fast -- the half-ton probe will be the fastest spacecraft ever launched, passing the moon in just over nine hours, if all goes well.

For electricity and heat, New Horizons will use a Radioactive Thermoelectric Generator. The "RTG" contains 24 pounds (about 132,465 Curies) of extremely deadly plutonium -- mostly Pu 238, and about 12% Pu 239 (aka "weapons grade plutonium").

The name similarity between the destination and the power source is unlikely to have been a coincidence: NASA probably chose this particular mission because they were sure no "anti-nuclear activist" could legitimately claim you could run experiments once you got to Pluto with solar power -- you needed (so NASA claimed) plutonium for THIS mission, and that's why THIS mission was chosen. Our claim that solar power could have been used for the Cassini / Huygens mission to Saturn was, in effect, validated by NASA's choice of Pluto as the next big nuclear target.

An Atlas V rocket (with Russian engines and a Centaur booster) will be used, containing a multitude of potential failure points which could result in a release of some or even all of the plutonium. These releases could cause quantitatively enormous (millions) but statistically undiscernible (0.000...x%) global cancer increases. A launch failure could also result in significant increases in local cancer rates around the impact zone, and the permanent evacuation of dozens or even hundreds of square miles of territory.

The U.S. Government is risking this catastrophic result to learn about the slowest-moving, coldest, deadest planet in the solar system.

Pu 238 has a half-life of 87.75 years. Pu 239 has a half-life of 24,131 years. For this reason, after an accidental release, and for the next thousand years or so, the dispersed Pu 238 portion would be hundreds of times deadlier per gram than an equal amount of Pu 239 would be.

Both isotopes, Pu 238 and Pu 239, decay by alpha emission. An alpha particle is the nucleus of a helium atom, which has been ejected from the nucleus of a larger radioactive atom (in this case, plutonium), at very high speed. Alpha particles have a mass of about four atomic units, an atomic number of two, and are made of two protons and two neutrons.

Alpha particles don't travel very far, and for that reason they are nearly harmless when outside the body -- your dead layers of skin can stop them, for instance (although even then, some damage can occur). However, an accident involving the New Horizons space probe would result in tiny vaporized particles of plutonium. These particles are especially dangerous to humans and other living things because they can be inhaled into the lungs or ingested with food, and then the alpha emissions occur inside your body, not "safely" outside. In essence, we are all filters for the environment.

Each vaporized, respirable particle -- and there might be hundreds of billions of such particles per pound of plutonium -- while measuring perhaps only microns in size, nevertheless can consist of trillions of radioactive atoms, half of which will decay in 87.75 years.

Any part of your lung which gets such a tiny plutonium particle lodged in it could be bombarded over and over by the alpha particles from that one "chunk" of the RTG. Local clusters of cells in your lungs, for example, can be repeatedly bombarded by alpha particles, and the DNA or some other vital part of the cell can be damaged. A millionth of a gram of plutonium is considered enough to cause lung cancer. Plutonium also causes leukemia, birth defects, heart disease, and literally thousands of other ailments and variations of these health effects.

There is also a military connection to this launch, because "RTGs" can be used for spy satellites in orbit around the earth, but the government has never admitted to such use. Using RTGs has technical and cost advantages over solar-powered spy satellites. The U.S. military and NASA assume that the RTG containment system they have designed is adequate, but this has not been subjected to ANY independent analysis. The technical documentation provided by NASA and its subcontractors to this author on substantially-similar earlier RTG models made it abundantly clear that the containment system is UTTERLY INADEQUATE for the task which it might be required to perform.

Specifically, NASA chose essentially ARBITRARY values for the maximum forces an accident might place upon the RTG or its components. Then they determined, through a few experiments, that the units might usually survive those test values. The test values have little to do with the forces the RTGs might actually experience and were probably picked after earlier experiments had suggested what forces the test samples could successfully survive!

This logic is as flawed as NASA's statistical lack of reasoning when they calculate the chance of ANY plutonium release (about one in 350, according to NASA) but then don't worry because, according to their guesswork, most of those accidents which do release some plutonium won't release all that much plutonium. Or so they say.

NASA has lost several nuclear payloads over the years, and numerous rockets of all sizes, types, builders, agencies, and countries have failed in the past. Because the New Horizons launch is insured under the notorious Price-Anderson Act, payments to people outside the United States who might be harmed will not exceed $100 million dollars in total, regardless of the actual extent of the damage. Even in the U.S., payments to victims will be severely limited, and could be only pennies on the dollar, or less.

The danger from accidents is sufficient reason to prohibit NASA from launching nuclear materials into space, but the probable covert military use of RTGs is yet another reason this practice must be banned completely (RTG-like devices are also used terrestrially, for powering remote deep-sea listening posts and other spy equipment).

The launch of the New Horizons space probe violates the spirit of international space cooperation. NASA and the US Military need to be stopped for the sake of humanity. They blunder forward as if they themselves will not also some day become the victims of their own global atrocities.

Russell "Ace" Hoffman Concerned Citizen Carlsbad, CA

Suggested web site for more information (thanks to Bruce Gagnon for this link): http://www.space4peace.org

My FLASH animation regarding nukes in space:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/mx/nasa/columbia/index.swf


Catch Karl Grossman on Earth News Hour XXV with Meria Heller and Mark Elsis later today!

Earth News Hour XXV with Meria Heller and Mark R. Elsis Thursday, January 12, 2006 @ Noon est Our Special Guest: Professor Karl Grossman http://Meria.net

Karl Grossman Professor of Journalism, State University of New York College at Old Westbury

Author, The Wrong Stuff: The Space Program's Nuclear Threat To Our Planet Karl's Article "Risking The World: Nuclear Proliferation In Space" Won The Project Censored #1 Censored Article For 1997 Writer And Narrator Of Many Documentaries Including: Nukes In Space: The Nuclearization And Weaponization of the Heavens http://EnviroVideo.com

Plutonium Launch Accident Could Have Global Implications NASA Is Again Threatening The Lives Of People On Earth by Karl Grossman http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1213-23.htm

Abolish Nuclear Weapons by Karl Grossman
http://nonuclear.net/abolishnuclearweapons.htm

Statement At The United Nations October 15, 1998 by Karl Grossman
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/cassini/kg9810un.htm

Enviro Video Documentaries
http://www.envirovideo.com/documentaries.html

Extra! Articles by Karl Grossman
http://www.fair.org/extra/writers/grossman.html

Karl Grossman Investigative Reporter
http://www.flybynews.com/archives/karl

U.S. Military Moves To Control Space And Be Enforcement Arm For The Global Economy by Karl Grossman
http://www.envirovideo.com/karltechglobe.html


THE ANIMATED SOFTWARE COMPANY
Russell "Ace" Hoffman, Owner and Chief Programmer
P.O. Box 1936, Carlsbad CA 92018-1936
(800) 551-2726
(760) 720-7261
Fax: (760) 720-7394
http://www.animatedsoftware.com


From EF! Media Center

HLV INFO 81/AT

27-07-2006

Volker Hartenstein, MdL a.D. 26-07-06


Second REMINDER

Ladies and Gentlemen,

it is now seven months that I asked for a response to below publications on health issues with respect to EMF, especially medical findings. Is the reason why you do not respond that Mr. Repacholi, the chairman for EMF within the WHO, confessed that he gets a yearly 'allowance' of 150,000 US$ from the relevant US industry?

Waiting for a response,
Yours sincerely

Hans Schmidt


---Ursprüngliche Nachricht---
From: Hans Schmidt
To: mediainquiries@who.int
Subject: Fact Sheet No. 296: EMF and public health - reminder

REMINDER

Ladies and Gentlemen,

it is now four months that I sent below request for response to you. Please respond by return message.

Yours sincerely

Hans Schmidt



HLV INFO 6/AT

13-01-2006

Volker Hartenstein, MdL a.D.

12-01-06

---

Dr.-Ing. Hans Schmidt
Gebhardtstr. 2d
D-82515 Wolfratshausen

An das WHO Media Center


Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

mit Empörung habe ich die Erläuterungen in Ihrem Fact Sheet No. 296 gelesen, wo Sie in offensichtlich voreingenommener Weise versuchen, die Auswirkung von EM, insbesondere der Mobilfunktechnologie, auf die Gesundheit vieler Menschen zu verharmlosen. Dies wird überdeutlich an der Formulierung unter Conclusions: << Pysicians: Treatment of affected individuals should focus on the health symptoms and the clinical picture, and not on the person's perceived need for reducing or eliminating EMF in the workplace or home.

Ich bin seit Jahren elektrosensibel, und erst vor kurzem hat ein Nervenarzt mich sonst als völlig gesund diagnostiziert. Als naturwissenschaftlich ausgebildeter Mensch habe ich die Situationen, in denen meine Elektrosensibilität zutage tritt, analysiert, und festgestellt, dass dies immer dann passiert, wenn ich mich in einem stärkeren EMF aufhalte. Erst später habe ich dies durch eigene Messungen bestätigt. So reagiere ich auf DECT-Schnurlostelefone, wenn ich mit meinem Kopf näher als 1 m an die Basisstation komme, mit stechendem Ohrenschmerzen und starken Herzrhythmusstörungen. Wenn ich mit meinen Nieren näher als 1 m an diese Station komme, ist es mir für Stunden extrem übel. In öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln setze ich mich von Menschen weg, die ein Handy dabei haben, weil ich die Strahlung durch starkes Gesichtsbrennen spüre.

Dies ist alles nichts Neues: Seit Jahren ist z.B. aus der Bayrischen Rinderstudie bekannt, dass die deutlichen Krankheitssymptome von Rindern innerhalb einiger Tage verschwinden, wenn sie in ein von EMF unbelastete Umgebung kommen - und wiederkommen, wenn sie in die starke Belastung zurückgebracht werden.

Schon 1932 hat Privatdozent Dr. Schliephage in der Medizinischen Wochenschrift dieses "Mikrowellensymdrom" beschrieben; doch die WHO ist offensichtlich voreingenommen, dass es einen solchen Zusammenhang nicht geben darf.

Vor kurzem hat eine deutsche Ärztegruppe diese Symptome wiederentdeckt bei mehr als 300 Patienten, die in einem stärkeren Feld entweder von DECT-Schnurlostelefonen oder Mobilfunk-Basisstationen leben (Zusammenfassung siehe Anhang). Hochgerechnet auf ganz Deutschland ergeben sich mehrere Zehntausend Kranke mit eindeutigen Symptomen, die wir Elektrosensible schon lange kennen. Hochgerechnet auf ganz Europa mehrere Hunderttausend Kranke. Was tut die WHO?

Wenn die WHO wirklich eine Organisation sein will, die sich um die Gesundheit der Menschen sorgt, dann muss sie sich dringend um diese angeblich "nichtwissenschaftlichen" Erkenntnisse kümmern. Warum greift die WHO bisher nicht auf die "Erfahrungswissenschaft" der Ärzte zurück? - Erst kürzlich wurde der Freiburger Appell mit fast 2,000 Ärzteunterschriften und ca. 30,000 Unterschriften von besorgten Bürgern an die WHO übergeben. Woher kommt die Hybris der derzeitigen Wissenschaft, erst alles sicher im Griff haben zu wollen, bevor Maßnahmen ergriffen werden? Die Menschheit wäre wahrscheinlich schon ausgestorben, hätten die Verantwortlichen (heute: die WHO) darauf gewartet, dass die wissenschaftlichen Ursachen von Epidemien bekannt sind, bevor Maßnahmen getroffen werden können. Vorsorge kann doch nicht Forschung heißen, während mit gesundem Menschenverstand sehr deutlich ist, dass die EMF-Exposition der Grund für die Krankheit ist (siehe oben).

Die Forschungsergebnisse von Prof. Salford sprechen eine deutliche Sprache: durch eine einzige zweistündige Mobilfunkbestrahlung weit unterhalb der bestehenden Grenzwerte wird das Gehirn von Ratten massiv geschädigt - und sowohl WLAN, DECT-Schnurlostelefone und erst recht Handys am Kopf oder auch mit Headset liegen deutlich im Bereich der starken Schädigung (siehe Anhang).

Müssen noch viel mehr Krebscluster in der Umgebung von Mobilfunk-Basisstationen bekannt werden, müssen noch viel mehr Menschen elektrosensibel werden und drastische Einbußen an Lebensqualität hinnehmen?

Mit der Bitte um eine dringende Stellungnahme (und nicht auf die Weitergabe von Textbausteinen) und um eine kritische Haltung zu dieser Technologie verbleibe ich mit freundlichen Grüßen

Hans Schmidt
(Bayern)

A terror stalks the streets of Washington today the like of which has not been seen here since the War of 1812 when the British invaded the city and burned the White House. Jack Abramoff---lobbyist, con man, swindler, keeper of Washington’s buried skeletons---is singing.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11541.htm

The career of the latest supreme court nominee has been marked by his hatred of liberalism.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1684464,00.html


From Information Clearing House

Capitol Hill is where Congress sits. The West Wing of the White House is where the president works. And K Street is where the lobbyists are - at least 30,000 of them.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/11/news/lobby.php


From Information Clearing House

The chairman of the Republican Governors Association said his group will donate to charity $500,000 in campaign contributions linked to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

http://tinyurl.com/bvhvp


From Information Clearing House

http://www.civilrights.org/issues/nominations/details.cfm?id=39426


From Information Clearing House

Video

An exhaustive international survey shows conclusively that the planet has a great deal to fear from the people of the United States. By this we mean the majority of the white people of America, a group so alienated from the rest of humanity that they represent a collective threat to the survival of the species.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11540.htm

Vice President Dick Cheney, in an interview with Fox News, said Wednesday that the United States would seek the adoption of "a resolution that could be enforced by sanctions, were they to fail to comply with it." Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain told the Parliament the same thing, saying that "we have to decide what measures to take and we obviously don't rule out any measures at all."

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11543.htm

Swiss newspaper Sonntags Blick claims to have the first hard evidence that Swiss Intelligence intercepted a fax proving that the CIA operated secret prisons in Europe, where al-Qaeda sympathizers were detained and interrogated. Now that word has leaked out, according to this article from France's Le Monde, the 'confusion in Switzerland is palpable.'

http://www.watchingamerica.com/lemonde000070.shtml


From Information Clearing House

President Bush has declared himself free to ignore any law that he thinks limits his ability to fight terrorism. This is an extraordinary claim for any president in a country that prides itself on a rule of law binding government officials as well as ordinary citizens.

http://tinyurl.com/8mg9s


From Information Clearing House

When President Bush signed the new law, sponsored by Senator McCain, restricting the use of torture when interrogating detainees, he also issued a Presidential signing statement. That statement asserted that his power as Commander-in-Chief gives him the authority to bypass the very law he had just signed.

http://www.counterpunch.org/vanbergen01122006.html


From Information Clearing House

Omar Khadr was a tall, subdued and polite presence Wednesday at a U.S. military tribunal where his lawyers berated prosecutors for saying the Canadian teen is a dangerous terrorist who murdered an American medic.

http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=15527


From Information Clearing House

The yes man and the thug:

In his disturbing new book, Times reporter James Risen reveals how George Tenet's gutless surrender to war-obsessed Donald Rumsfeld led to the total breakdown of U.S. intelligence.

http://fairuse.1accesshost.com/news2/salon78.html


From Information Clearing House

Wars, death, destruction, human misery and loss of personal security are all misfortunes that people of good faith try to avoid or lesson among their fellow humans -- but when these misfortunes become pure evil, it is more often than not in the context of planned aggression, such as the American campaign against Iraq.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11536.htm

The well-spring of sentiment against the war that he tapped into when he first spoke out in November is still very much alive. He hit a nerve, one that strikes at the heart of the administration's signature policy initiative: the invasion of Iraq.

http://tinyurl.com/buowz


From Information Clearing House

Iraq's most powerful Shiite politician has just dealt a huge blow to American-backed efforts to avoid civil war through the creation of a new, nationally inclusive constitutional order.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11544.htm

'I'm a door kicker-inner,' one young Marine blurted out:

“WHY can’t we live together in peace?”, read the graffiti written on a wall in Fallujah by a weary American soldier. Next to it a colleague had scrawled: “Die ragheads die!”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1981556,00.html


From Information Clearing House

By Chris Floyd

This week's revelation of how U.S. doctors are force-feeding captives on hunger strike in Bush's concentration camp at Guantanamo Bay still has the power to shock and sicken -- not just from the savage act itself, but also for the wider moral defeat it represents: another open embrace of raw brutality, another step in America's accelerating plunge into vicious despotism.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11547.htm

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/3931/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

Two small but growing campaigns - led by airline workers - are using North West Airline's strike and bankruptcy debacle as a springboard for what may be the opening moves of an industry-wide fightback. Galvanized by the mechanics' strike at NWA, members of other NWA work-groups (flight attendants and ground workers), union members at other airlines (United and American), and other labor activists have created a new industry-focused organization: Airline Workers United (AWU).

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/011206LB.shtml

Tonight is the first of a seven-part series, "Sierra Club Chronicles," a partnership between Sierra Club Productions, LinkTV and Brave New Films. Tonight's episode is about the tens of thousands of people who were left physically and mentally wounded by the World Trade Towers' collapse. Sierra Club spokesperson Orli Cotel added that the series is intended to give hope to environmental activists across the country.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/011206EB.shtml

A federal judge has reinstated rules designed to protect endangered plant and animal species amid old-growth trees.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/011206EA.shtml

In the parlance of Washington they call it K Street, almost as if it were a separate branch of government. Sixteen big lobbying firms have more lobbyists than the Senate's 100 members; this white-collar industry takes in more than $2 billion a year. But now, K Street is at the center of a scandal that some Washington observers feel could be to the lobbying business what Watergate was to campaign finance and Enron was to corporate oversight.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206Q.shtml

New Army Documents Confirm Black Ops "Special Access Program" Unit Covered Up Detainee Abuse

http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0112-12.htm

editorial@islingtonexpress.co.uk

13 January 2006

Matt Eley's article (Orange mobile mast bid leaves a bitter taste, H&H January 6) was aptly named, as there is not yet any real evidence to confirm that these masts are safe. There is only a mountain of conflicting research which suggests the possibility that they may not be.

Sir William Stewart in his two reports on mobile phone masts, and TETRA have repeatedly recommended a precautionary approach and further research, but in over five years nothing has changed.

What is 'precautionary' about this proposed Orange mast to be sited in a densely populated area only 10 metres away from bedrooms?

The same can be said for masts near schools, on roofs, in church towers, and anywhere within communities and places of work. Yet still the mobile phone operators insist upon putting in applications in these places, or adding to other mast sites to cause clusters of masts.

The range of 3G masts is far less than the range for 2G, so the operators use this to justify the need to place masts within communities. Of course they may perhaps be able to develop 3G masts with a far greater range, but perhaps that would eat into their very significant profits.

If the 3G masts are truly safe, why are there clusters of ill health around phone masts all over the UK which are conveniently labelled 'anecdotal evidence'?

Why did 40 doctors in Crosby sign a petition to object to a phone mast, saying: "On the basis of currently available information, the long-term biological effects of mast emissions are unknown" while referring to the presence in the vicinity of "biologically vulnerable young children in nearby houses and schools".

Why did German doctors write an open letter to their Prime Minister, Dr Edmund Stoiber, in July 2005 to put forward their observations on adverse health risks from pulsed high-frequency EMFs (to include mobile phone masts, DECT (cordless) phones, mobile phones, or anything using microwave radiation)?

Can we take the word of government and mobile phone operators whose only incentive is for profit when the health of our children and their future is at stake?

You can research further on http://www.mastsanity.org, and also http://www.tetrawatch.net and
http://www.electrosensitivity.org.uk

Compare the findings here, and on other websites, to what is now being said in the public domain, and reach your own conclusions.

Sandi Lawrence

Mast Sanity - advising and supporting communities across the UK

Copyright © 2006 Archant Regional. All rights reserved.

http://tinyurl.com/dmqh5

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/3929/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

http://www.newswireless.net/index.cfm/article/2565

Please join the debate under:
http://www.quicktopic.com/28/H/4vSxWvJkYPczX

http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=EHS
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Victims/

From: CLG News
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 7:03 PM
Subject: WHO Warns Army May Be Needed To Fight Bird Flu
http://www.legitgov.org/flu_oddities.html

Click here for FLU 'ODDITIES' live links:
http://www.legitgov.org/flu_oddities.html


WHO Warns Army May Be Needed To Fight Bird Flu

13 Jan 2006

The World Health Organisation yesterday predicted authorities might need to use the army and police to quarantine about 120,000 people to contain aninitial pandemic flu outbreak of just 19 cases. [If you think the illegal NSA spying was a breach of civil liberties, wait until the bird flu pandemic arrives at the Bush dictatorship's doorstep.]
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/6aa9e306-83d9-11da-9017-0000779e2340.html


Bird Flu 'Spiralling Out Of Control'

12 Jan 2006

The deadly bird flu virus may be getting more effective at infecting humans, the World Health Organisation believes, as experts warned that the disease was spiralling out of control among poultry in Turkey and posed "a serious threat" to neighbouring countries.


Outbreaks Of Bird Flu Gather Speed

10 Jan 2006

Bird flu is relentlessly heading for Britain, experts warned yesterday, as five more children in Turkey were found to have the disease.


'High Chance' Of Bird Flu Reaching Britain

10 Jan 2006

Bird flu took another step towards Britain last night as three more people tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain in Turkey. The virus has already claimed the lives of three people in the city of Ankara and scientists say it is inevitable that it will eventually spread to Britain.


New Turkish Bird Flu Infection Confirmed

10 Jan 2006

Another person in Turkey today tested positive for the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu, a health ministry official said. It brings the number of people to have contracted the disease in the country to 15.


Lock Them Up To Die - Prison Bird Flu Plan

08 Jan 2006

Government planning documents reveal that the 'most dangerous' prisoners would be locked away and left to take their chances and the dead buried in mass graves, if an Asian bird flu epidemic hits New Zealand's prison population. Entire prisons would be sealed - nobody would be allowed in or out for up to six weeks - and mass graves would be dug in prison compounds to dispose of bodies. The proposals, details of which were obtained by the Sunday Star-Times, are part of Corrections Department contingency plans to deal with an Asian bird flu pandemic hitting New Zealand and its 7500 prison population. [What is Bush's prison bird flu plan?]


Bird Flu Plan For Prisons Draws Civil Liberty Concerns

08 Jan 2006

A reported proposal that the 'most dangerous' prisoners [?!?] should remain locked away and left to take their chances if an Asian bird flu pandemic hit New Zealand has been attacked by civil libertarians.


HHS Advises Stocking Up On Supplies For Avian Flu Pandemic

07 Jan 2006

There is no vaccine and drugs are in short supply, but Americans may be able to ride out any pandemic of bird flu if they stock up on supplies and keep their children clean [?!?], the government said yesterday. [Americans should worry about keeping their guns clean. Arming the Left: Is the time now? --by Charles Southwell]


Human Bird Flu Cases Reach Turkish Capital

08 Jan 2006

Three Turks tested positive for a deadly strain of bird flu in the capital Ankara on Sunday, a new stage in the westward sweep of the disease from its east Asian origins toward major economic centres in Turkey and Europe.


Deadly Bird Flu Outbreak Spreads

08 Jan 2006

Bird flu in humans appears to be spreading in Turkey, with preliminary tests for the deadly H5N1 strain returned positive in three people in Ankara, the first suspected cases outside the eastern city of Van, where at least two siblings have died in the past week.


WHO Confirms Turkish Teens Died Of Bird Flu, First Cases Outside East Asia

05 Jan 2006

The World Health Organization confirmed Thursday that two Turkish teenagers who died after exposure to infected poultry were victims of the H5N1 virus, making them the first known human cases outside of the nexus of the avian flu outbreak in East Asia.


Turkey's Bird-Flu Deaths Bring Virus Nearer To Europe

05 Jan 2006

Turkey said a second teenager infected with avian flu died, indicating the virus that's killed at least 74 people since 2003 has moved outside East Asia to the threshold of Europe.


UK Told Not To Panic Over Bird Flu

05 Jan 2006

A leading microbiologist urged the British public not to panic as bird flu crept closer towards central Europe with two people dying in Turkey from the virus.


Bad Vaccines May Trigger Bird Flu: Expert

29 Dec 2005

China is most likely using substandard poultry vaccine or not enough good vaccine, which would explain recent outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in poultry, a prominent virologist said on Thursday. Dr Robert Webster, of St Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, said the problem of substandard vaccines was not exclusive to China. [And, that is Bush's main reason behind making the deadly vaccines mandatory and removing all manufacturer liability. When the bird flu pandemic arrives, Bush will invoke police-state measures and quarantines, while he pursues further dictatorial power.]


From the people who brought you FEMA:

U.S. Uses Live Bird Flu Viruses In Vaccine Experiment

18 Dec 2005

In an isolation ward of a Baltimore hospital, up to 30 'volunteers' will participate this April in a bold experiment: A vaccine made with a live version of the most notorious bird flu will be sprayed into their noses. [The Bush bioterror team is in a hurry to get the pandemic party started, in order to implement a full-blown police state. Dictator Bush needs to justify his warrantless eavesdropping and to insure re-authorization of the Patriot Act.]


U.S. [Bioterror] Team Will Test Live-Virus

18 Dec 2005

Bird Flu Vaccine Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health will soon recruit 30 human volunteers to test the effectiveness of a vaccine containing a live but weakened form of the H5N1 bird flu virus.


U.S. House Approves $3.8 Billion For Avian Flu [For
Pharma-Terrorists]

19 Dec 2005

The U.S. House of Representatives early on Monday approved $3.78 billion to begin preparations for a possible [Bush-engendered] avian flu epidemic. The bill would also shield manufacturers of vaccines and drugs from lawsuits during an epidemic. The legislation, wrapped into an unrelated defense bill, still faces an uncertain fate in the Senate later this week.


House OKs Liability Protections For Drug Makers

19 Dec 2005

Drug manufacturers are a step closer toward winning the liability protections they say they need before investing in medicines to combat a bird flu pandemic. Opponents described the protections, approved early Monday by the House, as a "massive Christmas bonus to the drug companies." Consumers seeking damages on claims they were harmed by a vaccine would have to prove willful misconduct on the part of the drug manufacturers.


Bird-Flu Bill Slammed As Loophole For Drugmakers

19 Dec 2005

Bird flu preparedness legislation headed for a final vote in the Senate this week would create loopholes allowing vaccine makers to avoid legal liability even if a patient is harmed by negligence, critics said today.


Ruffled feathers --UF Professor Says Bird Flu Is Not A Threat In The U.S.

18 Dec 2005

Researchers and health agencies continue to sound the alarm about avian flu, and Dr. Gary Butcher, an expert on poultry medicine and disease at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine thinks he knows why. "The agenda here is pretty obvious," he said. "People want grant money. This is a bonanza."


White House Holds Bird Flu Drill With Military Leaders

10 Dec 2005

Warning an outbreak may be inevitable, the White House on Saturday conducted a test of its readiness for a feared bird flu pandemic and said federal agencies fared "quite well" [Yes, they did so well with Hurricane Katrina, I can hardly wait for their response to a bird flu pandemic.] without offering any details. Cabinet secretaries, military leaders and other top officials took part in the four-hour tabletop drill, which officials said was designed to assess the level of federal preparedness for a possible outbreak of bird flu or another deadly virus. "This is about being ready for what inevitably will come," Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said. [How does Leavitt know that a pandemic is 'inevitable?' Apparently, the Bush bioterror team is ready to attack, and a full-blown police state is surely on the way.]


Britain Could Grind To A Halt In A Bird Flu Pandemic, Experts Fear [We Know The Civil Liberties Sure Will!]

11 Dec 2005

Britain is not as prepared for bird flu as it should be, an influential Lords committee will say this week, because thousands of companies have not investigated how they would keep going during a pandemic that could last four months and affect a quarter of their employees.


Reports Detail Bird Flu Effects On U.S.

09 Dec 2005

A pandemic of bird flu could cause a serious recession of the U.S. economy, with immediate costs of between $500 billion and $675 billion, according to two estimates released on Thursday.


U.S. Urges States To Prepare For Bird Flu

06 Dec 2005

Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt urged each state on Monday to prepare for the possibility of a [Bush-engendered] deadly bird flu pandemic by holding its own planning summit within the next four months.


Secretive Agency Proposed To Develop Vaccines, Drugs [To Facilitate Bush Bioterror Attacks]

03 Dec 2005

The proposed Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency, or BARDA, would be exempt from long-standing open records and meetings laws that apply to most government departments, according to legislation approved Oct. 18 by the Senate health committee. The agency would be exempt from the Freedom of Information and Federal Advisory Committee acts, both considered crucial for monitoring government accountability.


Doctor Says Bird Flu Drug Is 'Useless'

04 Dec 2005

A Vietnamese doctor who has treated dozens of victims of avian flu claims the drug being stockpiled around the world to combat a pandemic is "useless" against the virus. "We place no importance on using this drug on our patients," Dr Nguyen Tuong Van runs the intensive care unit at the Centre for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, said. "Tamiflu is really only meant for treating ordinary type A flu. It was not designed to combat H5N1 . . . (Tamiflu) is useless." [LOL!! See: Rumsfeld's growing stake in Tamiflu 31 Oct 2005 Defense Secretary, ex-chairman of flu treatment rights holder, sees portfolio value growing. The prospect of a bird flu outbreak... is proving to be very good news for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other politically connected investors in Gilead Sciences, the California biotech company that owns the rights to Tamiflu, the influenza remedy that's now the most-sought after (*useless!*) drug in the world.]


U.S. Builds Stockpile Of Vaccine For Flu Pandemic

30 Nov 2005

The government expects to stockpile nearly 8 million doses of an experimental vaccine 'against' [to start] pandemic influenza by February, and studies are underway that could stretch that supply to cover more than a third of the population, federal health experts said yesterday.


Read more FLU 'ODDITIES' at:
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/6aa9e306-83d9-11da-9017-0000779e2340.html


It is the fear, anxiety and insecurity of man that blinds thinking and births subservience to power, making of us primates desiring the comfort and security of our masters.

-Manuel Valenzuela


Informant: Friends

Sydney Blumenthal on executive dictatorship.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206L.shtml


Informant: Lew Rockwell

Tom Engelhardt on the police state.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/engelhardt/engelhardt153.html

http://www.mises.org/store/Rise-and-Decline-of-the-State-The-P271C0.aspx?AFID=1


Informant: Lew Rockwell

The Only Question for Alito That Matters
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/silverglate6.html

Did the president break the law by ordering domestic spying? NOW investigates.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206I.shtml

In his deadpan bureaucrat's voice, Judge Alito has said some truly disturbing things about his view of the law. In three days of testimony, he has given the American people reasons to be worried - and senators reasons to oppose his nomination, writes the New York Times.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206G.shtml

Two authors take the opportunity to reflect on today's significance as the fourth anniversary of the existence of the notoriously sinister American prison at Guantanamo.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206C.shtml

The Department of Interior on Wednesday approved oil and gas drilling on Alaska land, considered such a sensitive wildlife habitat that it was first protected by former Interior Secretary James G. Watt under President Reagan, and by four Interior secretaries since.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206B.shtml

RAINFOREST FOUNDATION

PRESS RELEASE

12th January 2006: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bad land-planning adds to destruction of world's rainforests, leads to conflict, and impoverishes local people

The world's rainforests continue to disappear at an alarming rate despite attempts by national governments and international agencies to 'zone' forests into areas for protection and management, a new report by the Rainforest Foundation reveals today [1]. The report, 'Divided Forests' [2] shows that large-scale forest planning exercises in countries such as Indonesia, Brazil and Cameroon have been seriously flawed, resulting in vast areas being allocated to timber companies which then damaged or destroyed the forest.

A particular problem with most large-scale 'forest zoning' exercises has been the failure to involve, or take account of, people living in the forest and depending on it for their survival. In countries such as Cameroon, whose entire area of rainforest was zoned in the 1990s using satellite images, this has resulted in the imposition of timber-felling areas over the forests needed for peoples' livelihoods, causing persistent local conflict.

The report warns that current efforts, backed by the World Bank, to 'zone' the world's second largest rainforest - that of the Democratic Republic of Congo - could also have disastrous consequences, with as much as 600,000 square kilometres at risk of being felled for timber [3].

"The zoning of rainforests has a huge impact on forest peoples' survival, on their livelihoods, as well as on biodiversity," says report author Alison Hoare. Rainforest Foundation Director Simon Counsell said, " Large-scale forest zoning should be based on meticulous ground-truthing, taking into account subsistence uses of forests, and on the traditional rights held by local people. It is not good enough to simply carve-up forests on the basis of satellite images, giving the lions'-share to logging companies".

For further information:

Simon Counsell,
Rainforest Foundation

T (office): +44 (0) 207 251 6345 T
simonc@rainforestuk.com

Notes:

[1] The Rainforest Foundation UK supports indigenous people and traditional populations of the world’s rainforests in their efforts to protect their environment and fulfil their rights.

[2] 'Divided Forests: towards fairer zoning of forest lands' includes case studies of forest zoning exercises in Brazil, Australia, Cameroon and Indonesia. The report sets out recommendations to help ensure that the environmental and social impacts of large-scale zoning are taken into account. The report can be downloaded free from
http://rainforestfoundationuk.org/s-Divided%20Forests%20-%20towards%20fairer%20zoning

[3] A national forest zoning exercise, funded by the World Bank, was recently initiated in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which eventually could cover the country's entire 1 million square kilometres of forest. According to the World Bank, up to 35 million of DRC's people depend at least partly on the forest for their survival, but World Bank documents also suggest that 600,000 square kilometres of forest could eventually become zoned for industrial timber production.


From ECOTERRA Intl.

Yahoo! News
by Richard Reeves

01/06/06

Among politicians, I have watched more than a few friends and acquaintances go off to prison. There are no hard and fast rules for corruption, but I have noticed that many Republicans go wrong because they believe that it is business as usual, un-American to pass up a chance at profit. They do what comes naturally in the private sector, but some of what comes naturally to a speculator is against the law for a public servant. Democrats I've known have gone wrong because they came to believe they had earned their way into a privileged class, complete with free meals and vacations, life on the fast track. Then comes a day, often when they are first faced with college tuitions for their children, that they realize they can't afford the life of the people asking, begging them for little favors. They step onto the slippery slope of favors and loans and then bribes...

http://tinyurl.com/be9gy


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Two--Four
by Billy Beck

01/10/06

We'll get tapped again. For sure. However, I also do not -- cannot -- believe that everything this government is cranking up will be worth the payoff in terms of identifying and/or neutralizing the threat[s]. More and more, these people will not be able to get out of their own way -- all while they're killing everything in the essential spirit of Americans which is necessary to keeping them in the fight. ... I am convinced that we are at the final turning point. Liberty really is finally being traded for security, and I can never endorse that. Not under any circumstances...

http://www.two--four.net/weblog.php?id=P2072


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Hawaii Reporter
by Don Newman

01/11/06

There has been much talk about the 'tax surplus' and ways to spend it or return it to the taxpayers. First of all the idea that there is any such 'tax surplus' is erroneous. The fact is we are overtaxed, pure and simple. The problem is we are overtaxed on every level: federal, state and local. Federal government spending is so out of control that huge deficits are now considered the norm...

http://tinyurl.com/9k967


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Fox News
by Martin Frost

01/11/06

The Jack Abramoff political corruption scandal is once again causing Congress to re-examine the issue of privately financed Congressional travel. The House of Representatives re-wrote the rules regarding such trips 16 years ago seeking to put some limits on but not totally eliminate these type trips. This effort at reform simply didn't work. Members still managed to take golf vacations to Scotland and weekend jaunts to domestic resorts with trade associations or foundations set up by special interests picking up the tab. It's high time Congress went cold turkey ... totally eliminate privately financed foreign and domestic travel for members of Congress...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,181363,00.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://psychoguantanamo.b-logging.com/hang_it_upside_down.htm


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Mother Jones
by Tom Engelhardt

01/11/06

The American media's record on coverage of the air campaign against the Iraqi insurgency since Baghdad was taken in early April 2003 has been dismal in the extreme. Our military has regularly loosed its planes in "targeted" attacks on guerrillas in Iraq's heavily populated urban areas (where much of the fighting has taken place), sometimes, as in largely Shiite Najaf and largely Sunni Falluja in 2004, destroying whole sections of major cities, in part from the air. Despite this, American reporters in Iraq have essentially refused to look up, or even to acknowledge the planes, predator drones, and low-flying helicopters passing daily overhead...

http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2006/01/air_war.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

The American Conservative
by Robert Dreyfuss

It's happening again. It all sounds depressingly familiar, and it is. The Bush administration accuses the leader of a major Arab country of supporting terrorism and harboring weapons of mass destruction. The stable of neoconservative pundits begins beating the drums of war. American forces begin massing on the country's border, amid ominous talk of cross-border attacks. Top U.S. officials warn that American patience with the country's leader is running out, and the United States imposes economic sanctions unilaterally. There are threats about taking the whole thing to the United Nations Security Council. And, in Washington, an exile leader with questionable credentials begins making the rounds of official Washington and finds doors springing open at the Pentagon, the National Security Council, and at Elizabeth Cheney's shop at the State Department. This time it is Syria... (for publication 01/16/06)

http://www.amconmag.com/2006/2006_01_16/cover.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Mississauga News

01/11/06

Sami Kahil said he has hired a legal team that includes a high profile immigration and refugee lawyer to clear his name. Kahil was detained in Ixtapa, Mexico, last week in what he and his family claim was a case of mistaken identity. And, Amnesty International spokesperson John Tackaberry says Amnesty's Canadian Secretary General, Alex Neve, will meet with Kahil next week. 'Mr. Kahil's case raises a number of serious concerns about the Canadian government's involvement and the U.S. no-fly list,' he said. ... Kahil said he and his wife lost $5,000 they spent for an all-inclusive trip to Ixtapa. His wife and two young sons were sent home after hitting the tarmac in Ixtapa, while Kahil was held overnight in a Mexican detention centre after his name appeared on an American 'no-fly' list. 'If that was really me on that list, why am I back home? Why am I not being detained for questioning by the Americans,' he said. 'If it really was me on that list, I wouldn't be here. They ruined me. They ruined my name.' When Kahil travelled to the U.S. in the past using his Canadian passport, he encountered no problems. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security maintains this wasn't a case of mistaken identity, even though they didn't detain Kahil or charge him with an offence...

http://www.mississauganews.com/mi/news/story/3254774p-3768991c.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Australian IT News

01/11/06

An international journalism group has called on bloggers and web users to support its push to guarantee free speech online. Reporters Without Borders, (Reporters Sans Frontieres, or RSF) has issued a call for web companies to respect freedom of speech online when operating in 'oppressive' countries. Targeted mainly at US tech companies, it suggests ways of preventing countries from blocking free speech online. RSF has called on bloggers and other net users to get behind the push by signing an online petition.

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=16119

The proposal includes laws banning US companies from hosting email servers in an 'oppressive' country in order to force those regimes wanting user email details to get them from the US, where requests would be subject to US judicial scrutiny...

http://tinyurl.com/8fns9


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

AK: New area opened to drilling
MSNBC

01/12/06

The Bush administration has opened nearly half a million acres of federal land in northeastern Alaska to oil drilling -- a move blasted by environmentalists but praised by industry, which notes the area is in a long-designated petroleum reserve. The Interior Department on Wednesday said it would allow oil development in virtually all of the wetlands surrounding Lake Teshekpuk in the northeast corner of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska...

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10819895/


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

CNN

01/11/06

Up to a half dozen people, including two members of Congress, could face charges after high-powered lobbyist Jack Abramoff's plea deal with the Justice Department, sources with knowledge of the investigation tell CNN. Abramoff has been cooperating with Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents for several months in their investigation of his dealings, including his allegations of exchanging gifts for political favors...

http://tinyurl.com/9cn25


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Sidney Blumenthal writes that Samuel Alito's Willy Loman facade conceals seething resentments - and a dangerous belief in unbridled presidential power.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206L.shtml

by Robert Dreyfuss, TomPaine.com

By lying about Saddam's WMDs, the U.S. lost the credibility it now needs to deal with Iran's nuclear ambitions.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20060112/the_bush_who_cried_wolf.php

Report on the International Conference: ‘Mobile Communications and Health: Medical, Biological and Social Problems’, Sept 20-22, 2004, Moscow, Russia

From: Eileen O'Connor
eileen@smokestackltd.co.uk
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 19:53:48 -0000
Subject: Russian conference reported by Don Maisch

I am forwarding this interesting report by Don Maisch (may be some of your readers would be interested) about the conference in Russia 2004, concerning EMF and children. It is interesting how the main focus of the discussion which was about EMF and children was not reported in the final statement (even though the Russians insisted).

http://tinyurl.com/b2etr

Sincerely

Dr Stelios A Zinelis
12 Jan 2006

--------

EU draft on EMF on Human Health
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/2863822/

Councillors have opposed plans for a 15m mobile phone mast in Wem, despite reassurances there were no health risks.

Town councillors said they were concerned about the effect on the health of youngsters playing near the proposed site of Hutchison 3G’s proposed new base station.

The company wants to put up the structure to expand coverage of the new 3G technology at Wem Business Park.

At yesterday’s special town council meeting, regional corporate affairs manager Verity Stanford gave a detailed presentation about why the development should be allowed.

She said 3G had looked at other sites in the area, including sharing with Orange, but felt the one proposed was the most suitable.

Ms Stanford said the radiation or energy from the structure would not be a risk and was within guidelines.

Omega this is not true. See under:
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Wissenschaft+zu+Mobilfunk/
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cancer+Cluster
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

Omega read "Base Stations, operating within strict national and international Guidelines, do not present a Health Risk?" under: http://omega.twoday.net/stories/771911/

But councillors decided to write to the district council with concerns over potential health risks, noise and the base station being visually intrusive.

Meanwhile, mobile phone giant O2 today vowed to fight on in a bid to install a controversial 40ft mast in a residential area of Shrewsbury, despite opposition.

Bosses at the communications firm today said they were surprised the application for a 40ft lamp-post style antenna near the Column roundabout was refused by councillors following a string of objections from angry householders.

Jim Stevenson, spokesman for O2, said the company would resume talks with Shrewsbury planning chiefs in a bid to ease fears.

The full versions of these articles appear in some editions of tonight’s Shropshire Star

http://www.shropshirestar.com/show_article.php?aID=41221

Tom DeLay's "hammering" days have come to an end, as he has been pressured out of Republican Leadership for good. But why now? Was it the revelation of some new action or behavior that took his corruption to new heights? Was it a spontaneous, collective crisis of the conscience for Republicans in the House?

No, it was the plea bargain of Jack Abramoff, the Republican super-lobbyist known as "Director of Travel for DeLay, Inc." DeLay didn't get pressured out for what he did. He got pressured out because he got caught. And yet suddenly we hear Republicans far and wide crowing for reform.

Help us set the record straight on this hypocrisy. Democrats would never run the House this way, with Americans' health care, energy policy, and everything else on the auction block. For too long Republicans have squashed real Democratic solutions in deference to the GOP's special interest donors, and Democrats will not simply allow the Republicans propaganda machine to re-write history.

We've compiled the record of every Republican on ethics, and I'm asking you to write to your local newspaper to remind them of what your state's Republicans have been up to since the last election:

Write a Letter to Your Hometown Newspaper on Republican Ethics Hypocrisy.

http://redir.plusthree.com/rdr/002Cr00plm0004T

It's of vital importance to make sure the media doesn't get swept up in Republican propaganda.

After years and years of riding Tom DeLay's gravy train, voting as he told them, and bending over backwards to protect him, they say they've suddenly seen the light. Give me a break.

Republicans have spent the last year gutting the ethics rules over fierce Democratic opposition and rejecting any Democratic initiative for reform. While Democrats supported ethics investigations to clean up the House, Republicans dragged their feet.

It was the very first day of this 109th Congress that Republicans set about gutting the ethics rules to protect DeLay from further embarrassment. They could have chosen a new Leader then, but instead they tried to make it virtually impossible to hold DeLay accountable.

Then, they stood by while Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert and DeLay deposed the Republican ethics chairman who admonished DeLay, along with two other Republicans on the panel.

Then, the entire Republican Conference got together in a secret vote and overwhelmingly decided to allow DeLay continue as Leader even if he were indicted. If not for Democratic and public protest, like yours, forcing them to reverse that rule change, DeLay might still be sitting in the Republican Leader's office right now. Democrats would never dream of behaving this way.

Write a Letter to Your Hometown Newspaper on Republican Ethics Hypocrisy.

http://redir.plusthree.com/rdr/002Cr00plm0004U

And, even when he was indicted - even when he was automatically removed temporarily from his post - he continued to run the show from behind the scenes. Now DeLay is gone from Leadership, and all you need to know about the two Republicans running to replace him is in this headline from Bloomberg News: "Blunt, Boehner Share Broad Network of Lobbyist Ties With DeLay."

And, yet they are just now calling from the rooftops for reform?!? Republicans would like the American people to forget all their previous actions (or lack there of).Let's make sure the people know exactly what their Republican Member of Congress has been up to, and make sure they don't get away with it any longer:

Write a Letter to Your Hometown Newspaper on Republican Ethics Hypocrisy.

http://redir.plusthree.com/rdr/002Cr00plm0004V

Republicans want this to be a "he-said-she-said" between Democrats and Republicans, but we need to show them that the facts and the American people are on our side.

With Democrats in the majority, the Ethics Committee would actually deal with ethics, not with excuses for doing nothing. The rules would be enforced, not gutted. Corruption would be rooted out, not covered up. The Republicans could have acted sooner, but they chose not to and their voting records are the proof. We just need to get that proof before the people.

Join us in sending out thousands of letters to the editor in every corner of the country to set the record straight.

Thanks for everything you've done already, and thanks for writing today. It's more important than I can express.

Sincerely,

John Lapp
Executive Director, DCCC

"Landwirte wichtiger als Konsumenten": Foodwatch-Chef hält Seehofer als Verbraucherminister für disqualifiziert (12.01.06)

Unmittelbar vor Eröffnung der Grünen Woche in Berlin haben Verbraucherschützer den neuen Agrarminister Horst Seehofer (CSU) scharf kritisiert. "Herr Seehofer hat es in erstaunlich kurzer Zeit geschafft, sich als Verbraucherminister zu disqualifizieren", sagte der Chef der Verbraucherorganisation Foodwatch, Thilo Bode, der "Berliner Zeitung". Für Seehofer seien die Interessen der Landwirte wichtiger als die der Konsumenten. Der Minister habe seit seinem Amtsantritt dem Bauernverband "nach dem Mund geredet".

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=12667

Datenschutz-Kritik: Arbeitsagentur plant neue Telefonanrufe bei Arbeitslosen (12.01.06)

Die Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA) will erneut mittels Telefonbefragungen die Daten der Empfänger des Arbeitslosengeldes II überprüfen. Diese sollen auf "eventuelle Veränderungen in ihrer Arbeitslosigkeit befragt werden", teilte die Bundesagentur am Donnerstag in Nürnberg mit. Die BA hatte bei einer Telefonaktion im Sommer vergangenen Jahres festgestellt, dass sieben Prozent der befragten ALG-II-Empfänger wegen persönlicher Veränderungen nicht mehr arbeitslos waren. Datenschützer hatten diese telefonische Abfrage sensibler Sozialdaten jedoch scharf kritisiert.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=12671

Studie warnt vor Kombilohn: Fast sieben Millionen Menschen in Deutschland arbeiten für Niedriglohn (12.01.06)

Niedriglöhne müssen in Deutschland nicht erst noch mit Hilfe eines Kombilohns eingeführt werden: Nach aktuellen Untersuchungen des Instituts Arbeit und Technik arbeitete im Jahr 2004 mehr als ein Fünftel der Beschäftigten in Deutschland für Stundenlöhne unterhalb der Niedriglohnschwelle. Die aktuelle Debatte suggeriere, dass Deutschland bei Niedriglöhnen einen Nachholbedarf habe, so das landeseigene Institut. Tatsächlich aber habe Niedriglohnbeschäftigung in Deutschland auch ohne "staatliche Unterstützung" in den vergangenen Jahren deutlich zugenommen. Etwa jeder zehnte Beschäftigte arbeite gar für sogenannte Armutslöhne. Das Forschungsinstitut warnte davor, Kombilöhne ohne zusätzliche Festlegung eines gesetzlichen Mindestlohnes einzuführen. Eine Lohn-Subvention ohne Begrenzung sei "ein Fass ohne Boden". Zudem müssten auch Millionen bereits bestehender Arbeitsverhältnisse subventioniert werden.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=12665

A senior British officer has criticized the US army for its conduct in Iraq, accusing it of institutional racism, moral righteousness, misplaced optimism, and of being ill-suited to engage in counter-insurgency operations.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206Y.shtml

Angeblich hat der BND mit Billigung der damaligen Regierung den Amerikanern im Krieg gegen den Irak geholfen – Aufklärung von der alten und neuen Bundesregierung über alle Komplizenschaften im Krieg und bei Menschenrechtsverletzungen ist überfällig.

http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/21/21769/1.html

Kann der Atomstreit mit Iran entschärft werden?
http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/21/21770/1.html

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206K.shtml


Informant: John Calvert



The Impeachment of George W. Bush
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011206K.shtml

Former US Representative Elizabeth Holtzman writes: As awful as Watergate was, after the vote on impeachment and the resignation of President Nixon, the nation felt a huge sense of relief. Impeachment is a tortuous process, but now that President Bush has thrown down the gauntlet and virtually dared Congress to stop him from violating the law, nothing less is necessary to protect our constitutional system and preserve our democracy.

Impeach Bush; send an email letter to Mike Thompson telling him to uphold the Constitution by supporting impeachment.

http://www.impeachbush.org/site/R?i=5LVdaU1kd18YVvveejJz3Q..

Even if our Senators or congressional representative are unsympathetic to impeachment, let them know what you think. If you think that they are potentially sympathetic, tell them to stop waiting and act now! We owe it to ourselves and to our children.

Click here to send your letter.
http://www.impeachbush.org/site/R?i=pnH_EC1KDOBwmJ2eTU7UgQ..


Informant: Friends



http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=impeach
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Downing+Street+Memo

Thursday, January 12th, 2006

Francis A. Boyle Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave. Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954 (voice)
217-244-1478 (fax) fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
(personal comments only)

—–Original Message—–

From: Institute for Public Accuracy

Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 10:46 AM

To: Institute for Public Accuracy

Subject: Alito & Issues: * Torturing People’s Children * War Powers * Geneva Conventions

Institute for Public Accuracy
915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045
(202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa@accuracy.org

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Questions Not Asked:

* Torturing People’s Children * War Powers * Geneva Conventions

DOUG CASSEL, doug.cassel@nd.edu Cassel is director of Notre Dame Law School’s Center for Civil and Human Rights. He said today: “At a time when the commander in chief asserts that his war powers give him carte blanche, it is critical that the Supreme Court be composed of individuals committed to the rule of law. Justices must be prepared to tell a president who claims the power to torture in our name, that American laws and values give a very simple answer — and that answer is no.”

On Dec. 1, 2005, Cassel debated John Yoo, who was mentioned by Sen. Biden on Thursday morning and who has been one of the main legal planners of the Bush administration’s torture policies. Here is part of their exchange:

Cassel: “If the president deems that he’s got to torture somebody, including by crushing the testicles of the person’s child, there is no law that can stop him?” Yoo: “No treaty.” Cassel: “Also no law by Congress — that is what you wrote in the August 2002 memo.” Yoo: “I think it depends on why the president thinks he needs to do that.”

Audio is available at:
http://dc.indymedia.org/media/all/display/28613/index.php.

Further background on Yoo is available at:
http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?pid=32668 .

IVAN ELAND, ieland@independent.org ,
http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1651

Senior fellow at The Independent Institute, a non-partisan think tank, Eland commented today: “Alito said that the Constitution has meaning independent of what he or anyone else might like it to say. I couldn’t agree more. The Constitution clearly states that it is up to Congress to decide on war. That may not be fashionable, given that the U.S. hasn’t fought a declared war since World War II, but that is what the Constitution says. All the senators asking him questions are pledged to uphold the Constitution, including Article I, Sec. 8, which gives to Congress its war powers. They should ask Alito what the Constitution says about what branch of government should decide on war. Particularly those members, mostly Republicans, who claim the mantle of original intent of the Constitution, should be upholding the power of the Congress on its war powers. The president is claiming extraordinary war powers when there is no declared war. “Also, the Bush White House’s lawyers have taken the position that the president, in wartime, is allowed to disregard laws passed by Congress. Examples are domestic spying without warrants, which are required by statute, and declaring the option to circumvent an anti-torture statute recently passed by Congress. The president is reading his constitutional authority as commander-in-chief much much wider than the founders had intended. Judge Alito should be asked to delineate his conception of the scope of the executive power under the commander-in-chief provision.” Eland is a director of the Institute’s Center on Peace and Liberty and author of the book “The Empire Has No Clothes.”

FRANCIS BOYLE, fboyle@law.uiuc.edu Boyle is professor of law at the University of Illinois. Alito stated Wednesday: “I think that the war powers are divided between the executive branch and the Congress.” Boyle said today: “Article I, Sec. 8 of the Constitution says: ‘The Congress shall have power … to declare war…’ The president has nothing to do with it. When Congress declares war, then that declaration triggers the Commander in Chief Clause of the Constitution. Alito is mistakenly attributing War Powers to the president in violation of the War Powers Clause of the U.S. Constitution and in violation of Congress’s War Powers Resolution of 1973, which is ‘the supreme Law of the Land’ according to Article VI of the Constitution. Alito’s argument is a fundamental alteration of one of the most basic principles for both separation of powers and checks and balances set up for our Republic by the Founders in the U.S. Constitution. “But this unconstitutional argument for presidential war powers is part of the standard Federalist Society ideology propounded by its prominent members such as Alito, John Roberts, and John Yoo. It has led to the abuses of Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, pervasive torture, ‘extraordinary renditions,’ criminal NSA spying on U.S. citizens, ‘enemy combatants,’ wholesale violations of the Geneva Conventions, assassinations, massive religious and racial profiling of Muslims/Arabs/Asians, an unconstitutional war against Iraq and the numerous other constitutional atrocities perpetrated by Bush’s hyper-imperial presidency. The Democrats have not asked serious questions about most of these issues.” Boyle is author of the book “Destroying World Order.”

For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy: Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167

From: activists
wethepeople@emailtocongress.com
Date: January 12, 2006 9:00:27 AM PST
Subject: URGENT: LAST opportunity to save the supreme court

THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WILL DECIDE IF DEMOCRACY WILL SURVIVE

Bush is now completely and certifiably out of control. But to remove the last restraint on the creation of a new American dictatorship they must install one more lock down vote on the Supreme Court, in the person of Sam Alito.

Despite Alito's extreme right wing voting record and lifelong ideological agenda, nobody expected him to show up at his hearing sporting a tail and horns wearing a red suit. But what he have seen is an nominee who appears incapable of telling the truth about what really stands for, who has not so much testified as allowed his advocates to testify for him. Indeed, Senator Graham, one of the judiciary committee panel members was personally involved in coaching Alito how to evade their questions, while they themselves emphasize how much they believe he will overturn every progressive precedent of the last 100 years. About that they are not kidding. And only your voices speaking out now can turn the tide against this judicial coup.

ACTION PAGE: http://www.emailtocongress.com/no_rightwing.htm

We are planning a two-stage action. First with the action page above we will build a consensus that ANY replacement for Sandra Day O'Connor must be no worse than a true moderate and centrist. Then after the conclusion of the hearings we will speak out AGAIN on specific question of the final vote in the Senate. Please submit every possible action page you can get your hands on, and keep speaking out until we prevail, just as we did on ANWR and the torture prohibition.

But remember that Alito was the author of the tactic of Bush trying to spin acts of Congress with so-called "signing statements" in hopes that some future Supreme Court (including now guess who) would give them weight over the will of the people. And Bush did just that with the anti-torture bill, declaring that he really didn't consider himself bound at all. Every day from now on must be STOP Alito day, otherwise our democracy is doomed.

ACTION PAGE: http://www.emailtocongress.com/no_rightwing.htm

Even if you have submitted something else recently, please go to the page above and take a moment to submit it. This battle must be won, there must be a filibuster, or all else will be ultimately lost. We must all speak out now to save our privacy, our freedom, and our democracy itself.

or to get no more simply email to no_more@emailtocongress.com


Informant: John Calvert

Netzwerk Recherche e.V. ist eine Lobby für den investigativen Journalismus. Es vertritt die Interessen jener Kollegen, die (oft gegen Widerstände in Verlagen und Sendern) intensive Recherche durchsetzen wollen. Ausserdem fördert das Netzwerk Recherche die Verbesserung von Ausbildung und Fortbildung im Bereich Recherche.

http://www.netzwerkrecherche.de/newsletter/index.php?pageid=62

Thousands of you put great effort into producing over 150 Out of Iraq town hall forums on Saturday. By all accounts they were a tremendous success.

Author and media critic Norman Solomon, mother/activist Cindy Sheehan, and actor Sean Penn, at Out of Iraq forum in Sacramento on Saturday.

Below you'll find a report on what topic seemed most to interest participants at events around the country. Hint: It starts with the letter I.

You'll also find a report of an important new story confirming the Downing Street Minutes and detailing which Americans Sir Richard Dearlove met with before he reported to Prime Minister Tony Blair that the "facts were being fixed around the policy." We need your help in forcing the media to cover this new development. See the link below.

You'll also want to read the cover story from the latest issue of The Nation: The Impeachment of George W. Bush By Elizabeth Holtzman, The Nation http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/6682


Most Popular Idea at Last Weekend's Out of Iraq Events? Impeachment.

By David Swanson

Your great work put together over 150 town hall forums last Saturday on the topic of getting out of Iraq. Reports, and audio and video, from dozens of these events have been posted at www.afterdowningstreet.org. What I gather from reviewing the reports, and from the two events I attended, is that the most popular topic was not the horrors of war or any legislation to end it, but the demand to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

Given that opposition to this war has grown as exposure of the lies that launched it has advanced, going after the war-makers could turn out to be the fastest way to end the war. No doubt, it's the best way to end the war on terms that make the next war less likely to come soon. In any case, it's where the people's passion is, and at some point a democratic movement has to let that be its guide.

Of course, we've known the popularity of impeachment from polling.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/polling

But it's powerful to hear it in person in so many different voices. And it means more now that Congressman John Conyers has introduced a bill to create an investigation into grounds for impeachment, and the bill has begun to pick up cosponsors. Judging by Congress Members' remarks on Saturday, there should be some more cosponsors on the list soon.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/5921

We don't have reports from all of the events, but we know that overflow crowds were turned away in Sacramento, Chicago, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Progressive Democrats of America has summarized the day of events here:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/6549

The Lincoln Journal Star in Nebraska ran this headline: "Antiwar rally reflects changing attitudes," and wrote about people's opinions shifting against the war.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/6544

READ ABOUT THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR IMPEACHMENT:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/6631


New Book "State of War" by NY Times' James Risen Gives Vital Background to Downing Street Memo
By Jonathan Schwarz

After the Downing Street Memo was leaked last May, the U.S. and U.K. governments were eventually forced to admit it was genuine. However, they never revealed any background to the memo—most importantly, who did Richard Dearlove, head of British intelligence, meet with in Washington just before the July 23, 2002 high-level U.K. government meeting the memo memorialized? This would go a long way to answering why Dearlove believed "Military action was now seen as inevitable" and "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

State of War, the just-released book by New York Times reporter James Risen, sheds important new light on these issues. (State of War is now best known for its revelations about warrantless spying by the NSA, but it contains a great deal of other significant information.) Regarding the Downing Street Memo, the most important points made by State of War are these:

• Dearlove was in part reporting on a CIA-MI6 summit he attended with other top MI6 officials at CIA headquarters on Saturday, July 20, 2002 • According to "a former senior CIA officer," the meeting was held "at the urgent request of the British"; CIA officials believe "Blair had ordered Dearlove to go to Washington to find out what the Bush administration was really thinking about Iraq" • During the day-long summit, Dearlove met privately with CIA head George Tenet for an hour and a half

This obviously raises other questions, such as:

• What records of the meeting exist on the American side?
• Will the Senate Intelligence Committee examine the meeting as part of its Phase II Iraq intelligence investigation?
• What specifically did Dearlove and Tenet discuss when alone?
• Why has the New York Times failed to publish Risen's information about the Downing Street Memo background?

READ THE RELEVANT BOOK EXCERPTS:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/6558

TELL THE MEDIA TO REPORT THIS STORY:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/media


FORWARD THIS INFORMATION

Die irreführenden Argumente in dem Bericht in der FAZ über „Die Mär vom großen Sozialabbau“ widerlegt Professorin Helga Spindler und sie zeigt die wirklichen politischen Absichten auf, die hinter dieser Meinungsmanipulation stecken. Artikel von Helga Spindler auf NachDenkSeiten.de vom 09.01.06

http://www.nachdenkseiten.de/cms/front_content.php?client=1&lang=1&idcat=7&idart=1317


Hartz IV - Die Mär vom großen Sozialabbau

„ Der Protest war heftig. Vom „größten Sozialabbau in der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik” war die Rede, als vor genau einem Jahr die Hartz- IV-Reform in Kraft trat. „Hartz IV ist Armut per Gesetz”, riefen die Demonstranten. Montag für Montag versammelten sie sich, um gegen die Reform zu protestieren. Die Wirklichkeit sieht ein Jahr später anders aus. Statt Sozialabbau bringt Hartz IV für viele sogar mehr Geld in der Haushaltskasse. Gerhard Schröder hat das als Bundeskanzler immer gesagt. Zum Sozialabbau ist Hartz IV erst von denen erfolgreich umgedeutet worden, die vom alten Besitzstandsdenken nicht lassen wollen. „Wer vor einem Jahr gesagt hat, mit Hartz IV kehre in Deutschland die Verarmung und soziale Eiseskälte ein, der wird zugeben müssen, daß das für den größten Teil der Betroffenen nicht so ist”, hält der Würzburger Ökonom Norbert Berthold ihnen entgegen. Artikel von Carsten Germis in faz.net vom 01. Januar 2006

http://www.faz.net/s/RubEC1ACFE1EE274C81BCD3621EF555C83C/Doc~EB1EA837A0B6F4D479A72E94EEC6845CA~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html


Aus: LabourNet, 12. Januar 2006

„Über 8.500 Menschen werden jedes Jahr allein vom Frankfurter Flughafen abgeschoben. Damit ist Frankfurt der größte Abschiebeflughafen der BRD. Immer wieder werden dabei Menschenrechte verletzt oder es werden Menschen durch die Abschiebung gefährdet. (…) Seit einiger Zeit überzieht der Flughafenbetreiber Fraport DemonstrantInnen mit Hausverboten und bekam darin von Amts- und Landgericht Frankfurt Recht. Begründung: der Flughafen sei privat, das Grundrecht auf Meinungs- und Versammlungsfreiheit gelte hier nicht…“ Am 20. Januar 2006 wird in dieser Sache vor dem Bundesgerichtshof in Karlsruhe verhandelt. Aus diesem Anlass findet am Samstag, den 14. Januar 2006 um 12.00 Uhr, Treffpunkt: Busparkplatz, Terminal I, Bereich A eine Demonstration für die Aufhebung aller Hausverbote am Frankfurter Flughafen statt. Weitere Infos auf der Seite von Aktiv gegen Abschiebung! kein mensch ist illegal!

http://www.aktivgegenabschiebung.de/060120hausverbot.html


Aus: LabourNet, 12. Januar 2006

Entgegenstellen!

Mit dem Kombilohn wird die Senkung von Löhnen staatlich gefördert. Wer ihn befürwortet, spricht sich für Lohnsenkungen aus. Artikel von Harald Rein in Jungle World vom 11.01.2006

http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/02/6974.php


Aus: LabourNet, 12. Januar 2006

„Mit den Ein-Euro-Jobs ist ein Sektor unfreier Arbeit in Deutschland entstanden. Die Löhne in regulären Arbeitsverhältnissen sinken. Der Job ist anstrengend. Ich leiste genauso viel wie eine regulär angestellte Kraft, trage Verantwortung, muss sehr früh aufstehen, kann mir aber nichts leisten. Die Chance, eine regulär bezahlte Arbeit zu finden, steht ziemlich schlecht«, lautet die recht typische Antwort eines Ein-Euro-Jobbers auf einem Fragebogen der Dokumentationsstelle Hartz IV, eines unabhängigen Projekts von Labournet, Tacheles e.V., der Initiative Agenturschluss und der Bundesarbeitsgemein­schaft der Erwerbslosen- und Sozialhilfeinitiativen…“ Artikel von Thomas Binger in Jungle World vom 11.01.2006

http://jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/02/6956.php


Leben unter Hartz IV

„Ein Jahr nach Beginn der Arbeitsreformen scheint der Protest gegen diese eingeschlafen zu sein. Hartz IV – monatelang hatte dieser Begriff die Gemüter in der Republik erhitzt. Im Sommer und Herbst 2004 entzündete sich an der Reform des Arbeitslosengeldes eine kurze Protestbewegung. (…) Ein Jahr später gab es keine größeren Proteste mehr vor den Ämtern. Doch die Bewegung ist nicht verschwunden. Das zeigte sie auf einer gut besuchten Pressekonferenz, auf der man Bilanz zog und neue Proteste ankündigte…“ Artikel von Peter Nowak auf telepolis vom 06.01.2006

http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/21/21718/1.html


Aus: LabourNet, 12. Januar 2006

http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega227.htm
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/omega238.htm

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee accused President Bush's latest Supreme Court nominee of being far too deferential to executive power and invariably favouring the state over the rights of the individual.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011106I.shtml

By drawing attention in his opening statement to his biography, Alito may have opening up the strongest line of attack against him, writes Bruce Shapiro.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011106H.shtml

The United States will start new military trials of "war on terror" detainees at the Guantanamo Bay naval base, amid new criticism of the camp and its courts.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011106A.shtml

Hot on the heels of the reminders about coltan mining upon which both war in the DR Congo and mobile phones depend, and the arms involvements of most mobile phone manufacturers (inevitable with leading edge communications technology?), and the charade over the Church of England's contract with the MoD's research arm Qinetiq, we are now reminded that those QS4 (Qinetiq) antennae in church towers and steeples are part of the US Carlyle Group global empire. Today's scandal is that Carlyle bought into Qinetiq at such undervalued prices. BBC today:

"However, the move is expected to be controversial because of the huge profits that Carlyle Group stand to make through the sale.

"The private equity group bought its 31% stake from the Ministry of Defence in 2002 for £42.2m, but it is now worth £341m."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4604568.stm

Carlyle already has 51% voting shares in Qinetiq, which firmly stitches UK top military technology and secrets with the US political regime in this relationship since 2003:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/mergers/cases/decisions/m2993_en.pdf

Conspiracists amongst you will be familiar with how Carlyle is mired in global conflict and oil interests, and much more. Go Google if you will! Look at the people involved, and remind your friends who depend on 3G in churches, how it is being achieved and where the bucks and quite possibly the surveillance tracking is going.

Andy
http://www.tetrawatch.net

--------

Memory serves you well.

Try Google on "Bush Carlyle Cheney Saudi" for starters.

http://tinyurl.com/dqfys

And yes, John Major is there, with Blair tipped to join shortly as a second career.

US politics, NSA, UK defence, all the listening stations, all our domestic and military communications, including TETRA Airwave "homeland security" with its encryption keys held by NSA. Nothing goes on over here that's hidden from them over there. It's a complete stitch-up of global interests.

Andy

--------

http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=coltan
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Carlyle

We want to let you know about another mining community that Oxfam America is working with, La Oroya, Peru, which needs your help today.

Click here to defend La Oroya's right to a healthy environment.
http://ga0.org/campaign/perumining

La Oroya has become severely polluted after years of mining and processing lead and other metals. Recent public health studies indicate children living near the metal smelter have high levels of lead in their blood-as much as four times that permitted by the World Health Organization, according to the preliminary results of a 2005 St. Louis University study. Lead poisoning can cause learning problems, stunted growth, hyperactivity, kidney and liver disease, and neurological problems.

When a US-based company, Doe Run, acquired the smelter plant in 1997, it committed to completing an Environmental Upgrade and Management Plan (PAMA) by the end of 2006. However, the company is seeking a five-year extension to delay construction of a sulfuric acid treatment plant that would help reduce the amount of toxic fumes currently being released. We need your help to make sure the extension does not happen, and that immediate action is taken to address La Oroya's public health crisis.

Click here to tell the Government of Peru to deny this request and support action to clean up La Oroya.

http://ga0.org/campaign/perumining

The people of La Oroya deserve the right to live in a healthy environment. Please help them today by showing the Peruvian government there is strong support to upholding the original deadline.

Thank you for helping Oxfam work to find solutions to poverty, hunger and social injustice.

Sincerely,

Tim Fullerton
eAdvocacy Coordinator

Space.com

A new breed of weaponry, known as "directed-energy weapons," may well signal a revolution in military hardware perhaps more so than the atomic bomb.

http://g.msn.com/0MN2ET7/2?http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10805240/from/ET/&&CM=EmailThis&CE=1


From Global Network

Since the Bush administration took office in 2001, it has been more lenient than its predecessors toward mining companies facing serious safety violations, issuing fewer and smaller major fines and collecting less than half of the money that violators owed, a Knight Ridder investigation has found.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/011106LA.shtml

Two young boys are being closely watched at a hospital in Turkey. Though both boys have tested positive for the H5N1 virus after contact with sick birds, neither has any symptoms of the frequently deadly disease. Doctors are wondering if these new cases mean that infection with the H5N1 virus does not necessarily lead to illness.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/011106HA.shtml

In the wake of Oregon State University's recent findings that post-burn logging is not healthy for forests, a timber industry leader from Idaho, Brett Bennett of Bennett Lumber Products, has responded with an intimidating message to Matt Koehler, director of Missoula-based conservation group Native Forest Network.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/011106EC.shtml

The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate meets in Australia this week. Critics say that it is basically a business deal and a public relations exercise to foster feelings that the US and Australia, the Kyoto naysayers, are doing something.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/011106EA.shtml

The fax, intercepted November 15 by Swiss intelligence, reportedly said Egypt had confirmed through its own sources that the CIA had held 23 terrorist suspects from Iraq and Afghanistan at a military base in Romania. It also said there were similar US detention centers in Ukraine, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bulgaria.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011106Q.shtml

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0111-21.htm


Informant: David Amdur

Bath Chronicle

11:00 - 09 January 2006

Bathwick: anti-mobile phone mast campaigners have secured a leading expert in electromagnetic radiation to help them get their message across. The group, which opposes the erection of a flagpole mast on top of St Mary's Church, is holding a public meeting on Wednesday.

The mast has already been granted planning permission but the protesters are still determined to keep up their opposition because they fear the mast could damage the health of people living nearby.

Professor Alan Preece, from Bristol University, who has carried out research in electromagnetic radiation and cancer, and John O'Brien, a national anti-mast campaigner, will be speaking at the meeting, which is being held at St John's Primary School, Pulteney Road, at 7pm.

"We feel it is important to expose as much information as possible to people so they can make their minds up," said Mark Macdonald, who has organised the meeting.

"The meeting is for people who want to know more about the potential health issues of the masts.

"We are hoping that we will change the church's opinion, even though they have already got permission."

Under plans outlined by Vodafone, the mast would be disguised as a six-inch wide flagpole, projecting more than 30ft above the tower of the Grade II listed church.

But rector the Rev David Prothero said that it was unlikely there would be any church representatives at the gathering because they have to attend a pre-arranged meeting.

"We did tell them there was something already arranged that evening but apparently the speaker could only attend that day," he said.

"Whether the masts are unhealthy is a matter for national regulation. The national guidelines are straightforward and are being adhered to. There are many masts in Bath already."

Omega read "Base Stations, operating within strict national and international Guidelines, do not present a Health Risk?" under: http://omega.twoday.net/stories/771911/

10/1/2006

Fleet News and Mail

CAMPAIGNERS are hoping a vital mobile phone mast bill will finally get to be debated in parliament.

They are welcoming the proposed new Telecommunications Bill 2006 as it will put greater emphasis on health concerns when mobile mast applications are discussed.

Supporters are now hoping it will be third time lucky when the Bill is due to be debated in the House of Commons next month.

They include residents of Trefoil Close in Hartley Wintney, who for years have been fighting a series of plans to put masts on the redundant water tower overlooking their homes.

Trefoil Close campaigner Marre Dafforn said if the Bill became law it would mean a fundamental shift in the way telecom developments are looked at in the planning system, putting greater emphasis on health concerns.

She added: “This Bill first and foremost removes permitted development rights from telecom developments, meaning that all such installations will require full planning permission, to bring it into line with Scotland.

“Next it requires greater consideration of the health issue, requiring a statement setting out the precautionary measures to be undertaken to protect the public and wildlife.

“It then strengthens the public’s rights under the Electronic Communication Code, making it easier to get compensation for loss in property value. It also allows easier challenges to both existing and proposed installations that are close to schools and hospitals and other sensitive locations.”

Mrs Dafforn said Hartley Wintney ward councillor Sara Kinnell had organised a meeting with local MP James Arbuthnot on January 27, when residents can ask him to support the Telecommunications Bill on their behalf and be present to vote.

Meanwhile councillors are preparing a motion of support for the Bill to be lodged at this month’s full meeting of Hart District Council.

Chris Maile of pressure group Planning Sanity said: “We need pressure on MPs to be in the Commons on February 24 as well as pressure on local authorities to pass motions/resolutions of support.

“This is intended as a make or break approach — it is the third attempt at the same Bill so let’s see that it is third time lucky.

“Irrespective of the local campaign it is in everyone’s interests to change the law.”

Planning Sanity was first approached by Conservative MP Richard Spring to help with the drafting of a proposed Telecommunications Bill in 2003.

The Bill received some debate in its second reading and resulted in a technical win of ten votes in support and two votes against, one of which was the relevant government Minister.

However the Bill was lost due to the fact that for a quorum there has to be a minimum of 40 MPs in the House.

A revised Bill was then reintroduced by Liberal Democrat MP Andrew Stunnell, but was not put to a vote due to the calling of the general election.

A new version of the Bill is now being taken forward by David Curry, Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, and is due for a second reading in the Commons on February 24.

Mr Maile said: “This is important because we now know with certainty that the Bill does have a place in the parliamentary agenda.

“However, because of the system what is unsure is whether the Bill will get any debating time, or indeed be put to a vote.”

We will be judged on how we deliver the resources to prove that making poverty history was not a passing fashion.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1683463,00.html


From Information Clearing House

President George W. Bush has destroyed America's economy along with America's reputation as a truthful, compassionate, peace-loving nation that values civil liberties and human rights.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11533.htm

The head of a European investigation into alleged CIA prisons in Europe said Tuesday the purported Egyptian government document naming countries where such prisons existed is a new lead which must be followed up.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5536348,00.html


From Information Clearing House

There are now eight members of Congress who have put their names to a bill calling for a special committee of the House to investigate impeachable crimes by the Bush administration. To date, all of them are Democrats.

http://www.counterpunch.com/lindorff01092006.html


From Information Clearing House




http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=impeach
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Downing+Street+Memo

While before world opinion was able to fool itself into believing that there was an element of decency, ethics, respect for human rights or other aspect of higher moral ground in US/UK policies, the combined effort of Bush and Blair was able to completely remove whatever was left of that illusion.

http://tinyurl.com/bsmbb


From Information Clearing House

The United States is indeed pursuing a hard-edged regime-change strategy for Syria. And it isn’t necessarily going to be a Cold War—in fact, it could well get very hot very soon.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11527.htm

He blames the worst mistakes of the US occupation of Iraq on (in order): the Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the Pentagon, the White House, the Turks and the British.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1979651,00.html


From Information Clearing House

President Bashar al-Assad of Syria secretly incited Iraq's top Shia leader to declare holy war against US and British forces, according to Washington's former administrator in the country.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11528.htm

" We have to decide what measures to take and we obviously don't rule out any measures at all," he added.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/669075.html


From Information Clearing House

A senior British Army officer has written a scathing critique of the US Army and its performance in Iraq, accusing it of cultural ignorance, moralistic self-righteousness, unproductive micromanagement and unwarranted optimism.

http://tinyurl.com/9xp2f


From Information Clearing House

"If we allow that to happen, then in essence we'll be doing the same thing we accused Saddam Hussein of doing," said Larry C. Johnson, a former CIA and State Department official. "We'll just be substituting one tyranny for another."

http://tinyurl.com/7jbdy


From Information Clearing House

Imperialist Devastation of Peoples and the Evils Done in our Names

By Manuel Valenzuela

The world burns while we live lives of consumption and production, happy worker bees stuck in hour long commutes working most of our productive lives. We live in peace and harmony at home, distracted from reality by our television screens and movie theatres, by our lavish lifestyles and wasteful society. In the land of the individual the communality of peoples is an alien principle. Content, conformist and passive thanks to our nation of plenty, we care not for peoples outside our borders.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11530.htm