No Agenda Episode 607 - "Big Sandy"
by Adam Curry
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- Executive Producers: Sir Alex Zoghlin, Sir Jim Baron of Jamaican Plains
- Associate Executive Producer: Sir David Goes
- 607 Club Member:Sir Alex Zoghlin
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- rocket.noagendanotes.com Alex Zoghlin
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- TODAY
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- Healthy Surprise Joe and Shannon
- I'm not paranoid, I'm a visonary
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- Presidential Proclamation -- National Equal Pay Day, 2014
- Office of the Press Secretary
- NATIONAL EQUAL PAY DAY, 2014
- BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
- Throughout our Nation's history, brave women have torn down barriers so their daughters might one day enjoy the same rights, same chances, and same freedoms as their sons. Despite tremendous progress, too many women are entering the workforce to find their mothers' and grandmothers' victories undermined by the unrealized promise of equal pay for equal work. On National Equal Pay Day, we mark how far into the new year women would have to work to earn the same as men did in the previous year, and we recommit to making equal pay a reality.
- Women make up nearly half of our Nation's workforce and are primary breadwinners in 4 in 10 American households with children under age 18. Yet from boardrooms to classrooms to factory floors, their talent and hard work are not reflected on the payroll. Today, women still make only 77 cents to every man's dollar, and the pay gap is even wider for women of color. Over her lifetime, the average American woman can expect to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars to the earnings gap, a significant blow to both women and their families. In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, we must use all of America's talent to its fullest potential -- because when women succeed, America succeeds.
- More than half a century after President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, my Administration remains devoted to improving our equal pay laws and closing the pay gap between women and men. From signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to establishing the Equal Pay Task Force, I have strengthened pay discrimination protections and cracked down on violations of equal pay laws. And I will continue to push the Congress to step up and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, because this fight will not be over until our sisters, our mothers, and our daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts.
- The time has passed for us to recognize that what determines success should not be our gender, but rather our talent, our drive, and the strength of our contributions. So, today, let us breathe new life into our founding ideals. Let us march toward a day when, in the land of liberty and opportunity, there are no limits on our daughters' dreams and no glass ceilings on the value of their work.
- NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 8, 2014, as National Equal Pay Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize the full value of women's skills and their significant contributions to the labor force, acknowledge the injustice of wage inequality, and join efforts to achieve equal pay.
- IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
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- America's PrepareAthon! - America's PrepareAthon!
- America's PrepareAthon! is a nationwide, community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience through hazard-specific drills, group discussions and exercises conducted at the national level every fall and spring.
- Register ForAmerica's PrepareAthon!
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- White House Announces America's PrepareAthon!: First National Day of Action, April 30 | The White House
- Office of the Press Secretary
- Washington, D.C. '' Today, the White House announced that the first America's PrepareAthon! national day of action will take place April 30, 2014. America's PrepareAthon! is a nationwide, community-based campaign to increase emergency preparedness and resilience through participation in hazard-specific drills, group discussions and exercises conducted at the national level every fall and spring. The campaign was directed as part of the Presidential Policy Directive-8: National Preparedness. On April 30, individuals, families, workplaces, schools and organizations will come together to practice simple actions to stay safe before, during, and after disasters.
- Building on the success of preparedness efforts like the The Ready Campaign, the goal of America's PrepareAthon! is to build a more secure and resilient nation by getting more Americans to understand what disasters could happen in their communities and what to do to be safe and prepared. The campaign is focused on getting participants to take action to increase their preparedness and participate in community resilience planning.
- On April 30, and throughout the spring, America's PrepareAthon! activities will focus on preparing organizations and individuals for tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.
- Register: Participate in America's PrepareAthon! at www.ready.gov/prepare.Be Smart: Download guides to learn how to prepare for a tornado, hurricane, flood or wildfireTake Part: Plan activities and host an event locally on April 30thPrepare: Practice a drill or have a discussion about preparednessShare: Promote your activities, events and best practices with national preparedness community members As with any skill, when it comes to preparedness, practice makes perfect. By learning the right actions and taking time to practice them, you, your family and your community can be ready to respond.
- Participants commit to taking at least one concrete step to prepare for a hazard they might face in their community. The America's PrepareAthon! website, www.ready.gov/prepare, provides Day of Action guides, How to Prepare guides, and customizable promotional materials designed to help Americans take action and join the growing number of individuals who recognize that preparing for disasters is a shared responsibility.
- Follow the discussion on Twitter by following @PrepareAthon or #PrepareAthon. For questions about America's PrepareAthon! contact PrepareAthon@fema.dhs.gov. For more information, go to www.ready.gov/prepare.
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- Presidential Proclamation -- National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2014 | The White House
- Office of the Press Secretary
- BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
- Since the earliest days of our Republic, the brave men and women of our Armed Forces have answered the call to serve. They have put their lives on the line for our Nation, and many have sacrificed their own freedom to safeguard ours. On National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, we honor those who stood up, took an oath, put on the uniform, and faced immeasurable challenges far from home.
- These patriots often suffered physical and mental torture during captivity. Many endured starvation and isolation, not knowing when or if they would make it safely back to our shores. Families experienced days, months, and sometimes years of uncertainty, but they showed remarkable strength that mirrored the grit of their loved ones through long stretches of imprisonment. These warriors rendered the highest service any American can offer our country -- they fought and sacrificed so that we might live in peace, security, and prosperity.
- Today, we are solemnly reminded of our responsibility to care for those who have borne these burdens for us. We recommit to honoring that sacred obligation -- to serving our former prisoners of war, our veterans, and their families as well as they have served us. With unyielding pride and unending gratitude, let us fulfill our promises to the courageous heroes of generations past, to this generation of veterans, and to all who will follow.
- NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2014, as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day of remembrance by honoring all American prisoners of war, our service members, and our veterans. I also call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
- IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
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- Pre-rubblization notification: Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Somalia
- On April 12, 2010, by Executive Order 13536, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have repeatedly been the subject of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and violations of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.
- On July 20, 2012, I issued Executive Order 13620 to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 in view of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2036 of February 22, 2012, and Resolution 2002 of July 29, 2011, and to address: exports of charcoal from Somalia, which generate significant revenue for al-Shabaab; the misappropriation of Somali public assets; and certain acts of violence committed against civilians in Somalia, all of which contribute to the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia.
- Because the situation with respect to Somalia continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, the national emergency declared on April 12, 2010, and the measures adopted on that date and on July 20, 2012, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond April 12, 2014. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536.
- This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.
- THE WHITE HOUSE,April 7, 2014.
- [FR Doc. 2014-08135Filed 4-8-14; 11:15 am]
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- Notice -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Somalia
- Office of the Press Secretary
- CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH
- On April 12, 2010, by Executive Order 13536, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have repeatedly been the subject of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and violations of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.
- On July 20, 2012, I issued Executive Order 13620 to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 in view of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2036 of February 22, 2012, and Resolution 2002 of July 29, 2011, and to address: exports of charcoal from Somalia, which generate significant revenue for al-Shabaab; the misappropriation of Somali public assets; and certain acts of violence committed against civilians in Somalia, all of which contribute to the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia.
- Because the situation with respect to Somalia continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, the national emergency declared on April 12, 2010, and the measures adopted on that date and on July 20, 2012, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond April 12, 2014. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536.
- This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.
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- NA-Tech
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- UK and Dutch governments pays Microsoft millions to extend Windows XP support.
- The UK and Dutch governments have paid Microsoft multiple millions to extend support for Windows XP past the 8 April cutoff date.
- The UK extension cost £5.5m but is only valid for a year, after which public-sector users will have to be moved to newer software.
- The Crown Commercial Service (CCS), a new central purchasing agency within the Cabinet Office, paid the US software company to provide important security software updates for Windows XP, Office 2003 and Exchange 2003 for the entire UK public sector.
- ''We have made an agreement with the Crown Commercial Service to provide eligible UK public-sector organisations with the ability to download security updates to Windows XP, Office 2003 and Exchange 2003 for one year until 8 April 2015,'' said a Microsoft spokesperson.
- That could require the upgrade of thousands of computers. EHI Intelligence calculated in September 2013 that 85% of the 800,000 PCs in the NHS alone were still running on XP at the time. By contrast, 14% were on Windows 7 and 1% on Windows 8.
- NHS managers interviewed for that study expressed hope that Microsoft would change its mind on ending XP support, or that there would be a national solution '' which appears to have happened with the CCS intervention.
- ''The NHS is very grateful for this deal,'' said Sarah Hurrell of the CCS, according to Computer Weekly.
- The support extension will give the NHS and other government departments breathing room to migrate from Windows XP.
- A significant number of machines in the public sector remain on Windows XP, according to the Cabinet Office, although plans are in place to ensure that the majority of these are moved to other operating systems over the next 12 months.
- The Dutch interior ministry negotiated a separate multimillion-euro deal with Microsoft for about 40,000 PCs still running Windows XP across the nation's government-owned computers.
- 12 years and outWider extended support for Windows XP, which was released in mid-2001, ends on Tuesday after the operating system was removed from mainstream support in 2009. The date was announced in 2007, giving the government seven years to migrate to newer software '' which it hasn't yet done.
- Microsoft will continue releasing virus protection for Windows XP through its Security Essentials application until 14 July 2015.
- Up to a quarter of computers in businesses and the public sector will still be running Windows XP after Tuesday, according to data from Gartner, leaving them vulnerable to compromise without continued support.
- The CCS claimed the central deal saved the government more than £20m compared with individual departments arranging their own deals with Microsoft.
- The extended support deal comes with a requirement that PCs be migrated from Windows XP, Office 2003 or Exchange 2003 within a year. The government expects the majority of machines to be upgraded from Windows XP by April 2015.
- To Windows 8 or not to Windows 8, that is the questionMicrosoft's Windows 8 recently hit 200m licences sold, putting it on a par with Windows Vista but well behind Windows 7, which had sold more than 300m in the same time 15 months after its release.
- The slow Windows 8 sales forced the computer maker HP to offer Windows 7 '' Microsoft's 2009 replacement for the unloved Windows Vista '' saying it was ''back by popular demand''.
- Public-sector bodies and enterprise Windows XP users face the prospect of upgrading to Windows 7, with its familiar user interface complete with Start menu, or switching to Windows 8, which has confused users with its use of a new ''Start Screen'' and large tiled interface.
- ' Microsoft's Windows 8.1 brought back the Start button, but problems still remain
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- E-filing of Canadian taxes shut down because of Heartbleed bug
- OTTAWAWed Apr 9, 2014 4:34pm EDT
- TweetShare thisEmailPrint1 of 2. The Canada Revenue Agency website is seen on a computer screen displaying information about an internet security vulnerability called the ''Heartbleed Bug'' in Toronto, April 9, 2014.
- Credit: Reuters/Mark Blinch
- OTTAWA (Reuters) - Right in the heart of tax-filing season, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) shut down access to online tax services on Wednesday because of an Internet bug that has made data on many of the world's major websites vulnerable to theft by hackers.
- "We have received information concerning an Internet security vulnerability named the Heartbleed Bug," the CRA, the government's tax collector, said. It added that the shutdown was a preventive measure.
- Experts say the Heartbleed bug, found in widely used Web encryption technology, is one of the most serious security flaws uncovered in recent years.
- The tax filing deadline in Canada is April 30, 15 days later than in the United States, but the CRA said it would give consideration to taxpayers unable to comply with their filing requirements because of the service interruption.
- The CRA said later on Wednesday that it anticipated that online services would resume over the weekend.
- (Reporting by Randall Palmer; Editing by Peter Galloway)
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- Critical crypto bug exposes Yahoo Mail, other passwords Russian roulette-style | Ars Technica
- Lest readers think "catastrophic" is too exaggerated a description for the critical defect affecting an estimated two-thirds of the Internet's Web servers, consider this: at the moment this article was being prepared, the so-called Heartbleed bug was exposing end-user passwords, the contents of confidential e-mails, and other sensitive data belonging to Yahoo Mail and almost certainly countless other services.
- The two-year-old bug is the result of a mundane coding error in OpenSSL, the world's most popular code library for implementing HTTPS encryption in websites, e-mail servers, and applications. The result of a missing bounds check in the source code, Heartbleed allows attackers to recover large chunks of private computer memory that handle OpenSSL processes. The leak is the digital equivalent of a grab bag that hackers can blindly reach into over and over simply by sending a series of commands to vulnerable servers. The returned contents could include something as banal as a time stamp, or it could return far more valuable assets such as authentication credentials or even the private key at the heart of a website's entire cryptographic certificate.
- Underscoring the urgency of the problem, a conservatively estimated two-thirds of the Internet's Web servers use OpenSSL to cryptographically prove their legitimacy and to protect passwords and other sensitive data from eavesdropping. Many more e-mail servers and end-user computers rely on OpenSSL to encrypt passwords, e-mail, instant messages, and other sensitive data. OpenSSL developers have released version 1.0.1g that readers should install immediately on any vulnerable machines they maintain. But given the stakes and the time it takes to update millions of servers, the risks remain high.
- Enter Yahoo MailFor an idea of the type of information that remains available to anyone who knows how to use open source tools like this one, just consider Yahoo Mail, the world's most widely used Web mail service. The images below were recovered by Mark Loman, a malware and security researcher with no privileged access to Yahoo Mail servers. The plaintext passwords appearing in them have been obscured to protect the Yahoo Mail users they belong to, a courtesy not everyone exploiting this vulnerability is likely to offer. To retrieve them, Loman sent a series of requests to servers running Yahoo Mail at precisely the same time as the credentials just happened to be stored'--Russian roulette-style'--in Yahoo memory.
- Hackers can repeat the process over and over on unpatched servers and then use freely available software to scan the results for all kinds of sensitive data. In theory, attackers may also be able to query client machines running OpenSSL-powered software to retrieve large chunks of sensitive memory, too.
- (Private) keys to the kingdomThe huge number of servers running software vulnerable to Heartbleed exploits isn't the only thing that makes patching difficult. That's because one of the crucially sensitive pieces of information potentially exposed by the vulnerability is the private key that corresponds to a website's digital certificate. Attackers who get access to the private key can use it to impersonate a site even after the OpenSSL patch is applied. What's more, for sites that don't use a cryptographic property known as perfect forward secrecy, attackers might be able to use the key to decrypt data already sent. And of course, any sensitive data transmitted between the time the flaw was discovered and when it was patched remains potentially compromised.
- All of this means that applying the OpenSSL patch is only the starting point on the multi-step path of Heartbleed recovery. Website operators should strongly consider replacing their X.509 certificates after applying the update and getting all users and administrators to change passwords as well. While it's possible that none of this data has been compromised, there's no way to rule it out, either.
- It's probably premature for users to replace passwords across the board, but for sites they know have received the OpenSSL patch, it may be a good idea to change login credentials. People who are truly security conscious may want to change passwords a second time if they notice a patched site later updates its digital certificate.
- In the meantime, readers should steer clear of Yahoo Mail and any other sites that are still running vulnerable versions of OpenSSL. The login credential you save may be your own.
- Story updated to add "other" to headline.
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- Schneier on Security: Heartbleed
- Heartbleed is a catastrophic bug in OpenSSL:
- "The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.
- Basically, an attacker can grab 64K of memory from a server. The attack leaves no trace, and can be done multiple times to grab a different random 64K of memory. This means that anything in memory -- SSL private keys, user keys, anything -- is vulnerable. And you have to assume that it is all compromised. All of it.
- "Catastrophic" is the right word. On the scale of 1 to 10, this is an 11.
- Half a million sites are vulnerable, including my own. Test your vulnerability here.
- The bug has been patched. After you patch your systems, you have to get a new public/private key pair, update your SSL certificate, and then change every password that could potentially be affected.
- At this point, the probability is close to one that every target has had its private keys extracted by multiple intelligence agencies. The real question is whether or not someone deliberately inserted this bug into OpenSSL, and has had two years of unfettered access to everything. My guess is accident, but I have no proof.
- This article is worth reading. Hacker News thread is filled with commentary. XKCD cartoon.
- EDITED TO ADD (4/9): Has anyone looked at all the low-margin non-upgradable embedded systems that use OpenSSL? An upgrade path that involves the trash, a visit to Best Buy, and a credit card isn't going to be fun for anyone.
- Tags: Internet, keys, man-in-the-middle attacks, passwords, patching, SSL, vulnerabilities, web, zero-day
- Posted on April 9, 2014 at 5:03 AM ' 126 Comments
- About writing more secure software, I am sure others here have said similar things than I am about to say (some in the comments above) and probably got it together better than me and have been thinking about this longer and hopefully more thoroughly, but still this - after all I am a man with maybe less inner barriers than most, not only because I am a physicist:
- Open Source is in my view a very important tool for writing secure software, now and in the future. But ideally it would come in the form of small simple components that can be verified thoroughly, optimally even to a large degree using formal methods and formally proving as much as possible. Technically, such components could still be assembled to larger libraries, if separation between the components is good and the interplay can again be verified similarly, building things up layer upon layer of trust.
- Openssl fails here for two reasons that have already been mentioned in the comments above, it is too complex in itself and it is written in C. A different language is needed that can be verified and then prevents things like random access to memory much more reliably.
- Once you would have such a world of layered simple reliable components in the future, it might also come within reach at least for larger companies (resp. specialized smaller companies implementing such things for anybody willing to pay for it) to put additional checks and measures etc. on top of standard protocols. Maybe you would then again download specific clients for different companies (Amazon, Facebook, ...) like today on smartphones instead of using a standard browser or maybe the world would solve things in a different way then (plugins or similar), hard to predict the future is. If I look at the trouble I had to access the Apple Store from just one laptop, such things are partially even here already.
- Heinrich Rohrer who got the Nobel Prize in physics (as one of two) for inventing the Scanning Tunneling Microscope once said in a talk that people often overestimate what can change in 4 years, but underestimate what can change in 10 years. His basic idea behind that was that many things in technology evolve logarithmically and people tend to think linerarily.
- At the time I considered this to be a bit naive, but now, a bit older, and applying this, one would expect the internet and computers 4 years after Snowden, i.e. summer 2017 not to be much more secure than now, but 10 years from now, summer 2023, things might be already significantly better. I hope I will be able to make a tiny contribution to that, here and there.
- (And obviously, the NSA will still have an advantage then, at least that would be my current guess... ;)
- Photo of Bruce Schneier by Per Ervland.
- Schneier on Security is a personal website. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Co3 Systems, Inc..
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- Condoleezza Rice Joins Dropbox's Board As It Names New CFO, COO | TechCrunch
- Condoleezza Rice, former United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor has joined the board of cloud file storage and syncing firm Dropbox.
- Dropbox is in the news today after launching a number of new products and features at a morning event in San Francisco. The company debuted Carousel, a photo storage and sharing service, along with the release of its Dropbox for Business offering to the general public, and an Android client for its Mailbox email solution.
- Rice is a famous figure, known in almost equal parts for her ferocious intelligence, and controversial role in the Bush administration, which included comments on alleged weapons of mass destruction that Saddam Hussein was thought at the time to possess.
- BusinessWeek initially reported the board pickup in a longer piece on the company. According to the magazine, Rice's firm RiceHadleyGates has been an active advisor to Dropbox. TechCrunch confirmed the hire.
- What's interesting about bringing Rice onto Dropbox's board is how normal it feels. Dropbox needs people with international experience to help it at once deal with foreign governments that have blocked its use '-- China, for example '-- and as it works to spread a product developed in one country to others that are culturally different.
- Rice certainly posses that expertise. Box, a rival to Dropbox, has also made a recent push to expand internationally. In a market as competitive as this, you can't afford to not be everywhere.
- Update: Dropbox announce two more executive changes today. The company has a new CFO, Sujay Jaswa, who is being into the role internally. Also, hailing from Google is Dropbox's new COO: Dennis Woodside. In the post announcing those changes, it reaffirmed the above, indicating that Rice will help the company with its international operations.
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- Heartbleed Bug
- Q&AWhat is the CVE-2014-0160?CVE-2014-0160 is the official reference to this bug. CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is the Standard for Information Security Vulnerability Names maintained by MITRE. Due to co-incident discovery a duplicate CVE, CVE-2014-0346, which was assigned to us, should not be used, since others independently went public with the CVE-2014-0160 identifier.
- Why it is called the Heartbleed Bug?Bug is in the OpenSSL's implementation of the TLS/DTLS (transport layer security protocols) heartbeat extension (RFC6520). When it is exploited it leads to the leak of memory contents from the server to the client and from the client to the server.
- What makes the Heartbleed Bug unique?Bugs in single software or library come and go and are fixed by new versions. However this bug has left large amount of private keys and other secrets exposed to the Internet. Considering the long exposure, ease of exploitation and attacks leaving no trace this exposure should be taken seriously.
- Is this a design flaw in SSL/TLS protocol specification?No. This is implementation problem, i.e. programming mistake in popular OpenSSL library that provides cryptographic services such as SSL/TLS to the applications and services.
- What is being leaked?Encryption is used to protect secrets that may harm your privacy or security if they leak. In order to coordinate recovery from this bug we have classified the compromised secrets to four categories: 1) primary key material, 2) secondary key material and 3) protected content and 4) collateral.
- What is leaked primary key material and how to recover?These are the crown jewels, the encryption keys themselves. Leaked secret keys allows the attacker to decrypt any past and future traffic to the protected services and to impersonate the service at will. Any protection given by the encryption and the signatures in the X.509 certificates can be bypassed. Recovery from this leak requires patching the vulnerability, revocation of the compromised keys and reissuing and redistributing new keys. Even doing all this will still leave any traffic intercepted by the attacker in the past still vulnerable to decryption. All this has to be done by the owners of the services.
- What is leaked secondary key material and how to recover?These are for example the user credentials (user names and passwords) used in the vulnerable services. Recovery from this leaks requires owners of the service first to restore trust to the service according to steps described above. After this users can start changing their passwords and possible encryption keys according to the instructions from the owners of the services that have been compromised. All session keys and session cookies should be invalided and considered compromised.
- What is leaked protected content and how to recover?This is the actual content handled by the vulnerable services. It may be personal or financial details, private communication such as emails or instant messages, documents or anything seen worth protecting by encryption. Only owners of the services will be able to estimate the likelihood what has been leaked and they should notify their users accordingly. Most important thing is to restore trust to the primary and secondary key material as described above. Only this enables safe use of the compromised services in the future.
- What is leaked collateral and how to recover?Leaked collateral are other details that have been exposed to the attacker in the leaked memory content. These may contain technical details such as memory addresses and security measures such as canaries used to protect against overflow attacks. These have only contemporary value and will lose their value to the attacker when OpenSSL has been upgraded to a fixed version.
- Recovery sounds laborious, is there a short cut?After seeing what we saw by "attacking" ourselves, with ease, we decided to take this very seriously. We have gone laboriously through patching our own critical services and are in progress of dealing with possible compromise of our primary and secondary key material. All this just in case we were not first ones to discover this and this could have been exploited in the wild already.
- How revocation and reissuing of certificates works in practice?If you are a service provider you have signed your certificates with a Certificate Authority (CA). You need to check your CA how compromised keys can be revoked and new certificate reissued for the new keys. Some CAs do this for free, some may take a fee.
- Am I affected by the bug?You are likely to be affected either directly or indirectly. OpenSSL is the most popular open source cryptographic library and TLS (transport layer security) implementation used to encrypt traffic on the Internet. Your popular social site, your company's site, commerce site, hobby site, site you install software from or even sites run by your government might be using vulnerable OpenSSL. Many of online services use TLS to both to identify themselves to you and to protect your privacy and transactions. You might have networked appliances with logins secured by this buggy implementation of the TLS. Furthermore you might have client side software on your computer that could expose the data from your computer if you connect to compromised services.
- How widespread is this?Most notable software using OpenSSL are the open source web servers like Apache and nginx. The combined market share of just those two out of the active sites on the Internet was over 66% according to Netcraft's April 2014 Web Server Survey. Furthermore OpenSSL is used to protect for example email servers (SMTP, POP and IMAP protocols), chat servers (XMPP protocol), virtual private networks (SSL VPNs), network appliances and wide variety of client side software. Fortunately many large consumer sites are saved by their conservative choice of SSL/TLS termination equipment and software. Ironically smaller and more progressive services or those who have upgraded to latest and best encryption will be affected most. Furthermore OpenSSL is very popular in client software and somewhat popular in networked appliances which have most inertia in getting updates.
- What versions of the OpenSSL are affected?Status of different versions:
- OpenSSL 1.0.1 through 1.0.1f (inclusive) are vulnerableOpenSSL 1.0.1g is NOT vulnerableOpenSSL 1.0.0 branch is NOT vulnerableOpenSSL 0.9.8 branch is NOT vulnerableBug was introduced to OpenSSL in December 2011 and has been out in the wild since OpenSSL release 1.0.1 on 14th of March 2012. OpenSSL 1.0.1g released on 7th of April 2014 fixes the bug.
- How common are the vulnerable OpenSSL versions?The vulnerable versions have been out there for over two years now and they have been rapidly adopted by modern operating systems. A major contributing factor has been that TLS versions 1.1 and 1.2 came available with the first vulnerable OpenSSL version (1.0.1) and security community has been pushing the TLS 1.2 due to earlier attacks against TLS (such as the BEAST).
- How about operating systems?Some operating system distributions that have shipped with potentially vulnerable OpenSSL version:
- Debian Wheezy (stable), OpenSSL 1.0.1e-2+deb7u4Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS, OpenSSL 1.0.1-4ubuntu5.11CentOS 6.5, OpenSSL 1.0.1e-15Fedora 18, OpenSSL 1.0.1e-4OpenBSD 5.3 (OpenSSL 1.0.1c 10 May 2012) and 5.4 (OpenSSL 1.0.1c 10 May 2012)FreeBSD 10.0 - OpenSSL 1.0.1e 11 Feb 2013NetBSD 5.0.2 (OpenSSL 1.0.1e)OpenSUSE 12.2 (OpenSSL 1.0.1c)Operating system distribution with versions that are not vulnerable:
- Debian Squeeze (oldstable), OpenSSL 0.9.8o-4squeeze14SUSE Linux Enterprise ServerFreeBSD 8.4 - OpenSSL 0.9.8y 5 Feb 2013FreeBSD 9.2 - OpenSSL 0.9.8y 5 Feb 2013FreeBSD Ports - OpenSSL 1.0.1g (At 7 Apr 21:46:40 2014 UTC)How can OpenSSL be fixed?Even though the actual code fix may appear trivial, OpenSSL team is the expert in fixing it properly so latest fixed version 1.0.1g or newer should be used. If this is not possible software developers can recompile OpenSSL with the handshake removed from the code by compile time option -DOPENSSL_NO_HEARTBEATS.
- Should heartbeat be removed to aid in detection of vulnerable services?Recovery from this bug could benefit if the new version of the OpenSSL would both fix the bug and disable heartbeat temporarily until some future version. It appears that majority if not almost all TLS implementations that respond to the heartbeat request today are vulnerable versions of OpenSSL. If only vulnerable versions of OpenSSL would continue to respond to the heartbeat for next few months then large scale coordinated response to reach owners of vulnerable services would become more feasible.
- Can I detect if someone has exploited this against me?Exploitation of this bug leaves no traces of anything abnormal happening to the logs.
- Can IDS/IPS detect or block this attack?Although the content of the heartbeat request is encrypted it has its own record type in the protocol. This should allow intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to be trained to detect use of the heartbeat request. Due to encryption differentiating between legitimate use and attack can not be based on the content of the request, but the attack may be detected by comparing the size of the request against the size of the reply. This seems to imply that IDS/IPS can be programmed to detect the attack but not to block it unless heartbeat requests are blocked altogether.
- Has this been abused in the wild?We don't know. Security community should deploy TLS/DTLS honeypots that entrap attackers and to alert about exploitation attempts.
- Can attacker access only 64k of the memory?There is no total of 64 kilobytes limitation to the attack, that limit applies only to a single heartbeat. Attacker can either keep reconnecting or during an active TLS connection keep requesting arbitrary number of 64 kilobyte chunks of memory content until enough secrets are revealed.
- Is this a MITM bug like Apple's goto fail bug was?No this doesn't require a man in the middle attack (MITM). Attacker can directly contact the vulnerable service or attack any user connecting to a malicious service. However in addition to direct threat the theft of the key material allows man in the middle attackers to impersonate compromised services.
- Does TLS client certificate authentication mitigate this?No, heartbeat request can be sent and is replied to during the handshake phase of the protocol. This occurs prior to client certificate authentication.
- Does OpenSSL's FIPS mode mitigate this?No, OpenSSL Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) mode has no effect on the vulnerable heartbeat functionality.
- Does Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) mitigate this?Use of Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS), which is unfortunately rare but powerful, should protect past communications from retrospective decryption. Please see https://twitter.com/ivanristic/status/453280081897467905 how leaked tickets may affect this.
- Can heartbeat extension be disabled during the TLS handshake?No, vulnerable heartbeat extension code is activated regardless of the results of the handshake phase negotiations. Only way to protect yourself is to upgrade to fixed version of OpenSSL or to recompile OpenSSL with the handshake removed from the code.
- Who found the Heartbleed Bug?This bug was independently discovered by a team of security engineers (Riku, Antti and Matti) at Codenomicon and Neel Mehta of Google Security, who first reported it to the OpenSSL team. Codenomicon team found heartbleed bug while improving the SafeGuard feature in Codenomicon's Defensics security testing tools and reported this bug to the NCSC-FI for vulnerability coordination and reporting to OpenSSL team.
- What is the Defensics SafeGuard?The SafeGuard feature of the Codenomicon's Defensics security testtools automatically tests the target system for weaknesses that compromise the integrity, privacy or safety. The SafeGuard is systematic solution to expose failed cryptographic certificate checks, privacy leaks or authentication bypass weaknesses that have exposed the Internet users to man in the middle attacks and eavesdropping. In addition to the Heartbleed bug the new Defensics TLS Safeguard feature can detect for instance the exploitable security flaw in widely used GnuTLS open source software implementing SSL/TLS functionality and the "goto fail;" bug in Apple's TLS/SSL implementation that was patched in February 2014.
- Who coordinates response to this vulnerability?NCSC-FI took up the task of reaching out to the authors of OpenSSL, software, operating system and appliance vendors, which were potentially affected. However, this vulnerability was found and details released independently by others before this work was completed. Vendors should be notifying their users and service providers. Internet service providers should be notifying their end users where and when potential action is required.
- Is there a bright side to all this?For those service providers who are affected this is a good opportunity to upgrade security strength of the secret keys used. A lot of software gets updates which otherwise would have not been urgent. Although this is painful for the security community, we can rest assured that infrastructure of the cyber criminals and their secrets have been exposed as well.
- Where to find more information?This Q&A was published as a follow-up to the OpenSSL advisory, since this vulnerability became public on 7th of April 2014. The OpenSSL project has made a statement at https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv_20140407.txt. NCSC-FI published an advisory at https://www.cert.fi/en/reports/2014/vulnerability788210.html. Individual vendors of operating system distributions, affected owners of Internet services, software packages and appliance vendors may issue their own advisories.
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- Vulnerability Note VU#720951 - OpenSSL heartbeat extension read overflow discloses sensitive information
- Original Release date: 07 Apr 2014 | Last revised: 09 Apr 2014
- OverviewOpenSSL 1.0.1 contains a vulnerability that could disclose sensitive private information to an attacker. This vulnerability is commonly referred to as "heartbleed."
- DescriptionOpenSSL versions 1.0.1 through 1.0.1f contain a flaw in its implementation of the TLS/DTLS heartbeat functionality (RFC6520). This flaw allows an attacker to retrieve private memory of an application that uses the vulnerable OpenSSL libssl library in chunks of up to 64k at a time. Note that an attacker can repeatedly leverage the vulnerability to increase the chances that a leaked chunk contains the intended secrets. The sensitive information that may be retrieved using this vulnerability include:
- Primary key material (secret keys)Secondary key material (user names and passwords used by vulnerable services)Protected content (sensitive data used by vulnerable services)Collateral (memory addresses and content that can be leveraged to bypass exploit mitigations)Please see the Heartbleed website for more details. Exploit code for this vulnerability is publicly available. Any service that supports STARTLS (imap,smtp,http,pop) may also be affected.ImpactBy attacking a service that uses a vulnerable version of OpenSSL, a remote, unauthenticated attacker may be able to retrieve sensitive information, such as secret keys. By leveraging this information, an attacker may be able to decrypt, spoof, or perform man-in-the-middle attacks on network traffic that would otherwise be protected by OpenSSL.
- This issue is addressed in OpenSSL 1.0.1g. Please contact your software vendor to check for availability of updates. Any system that may have exposed this vulnerability should regenerate any sensitive information (secret keys, passwords, etc.) with the assumption that an attacker has already used this vulnerability to obtain those items.
- Reports indicate that the use of mod_spdy can prevent the updated OpenSSL library from being utilized, as mod_spdy uses its own copy of OpenSSL. Please see https://code.google.com/p/mod-spdy/issues/detail?id=85 for more details.
- Disable OpenSSL heartbeat support
- This issue can be addressed by recompiling OpenSSL with the -DOPENSSL_NO_HEARTBEATS flag. Software that uses OpenSSL, such as Apache or Nginx would need to be restarted for the changes to take effect.
- Use Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS)
- PFS can help minimize the damage in the case of a secret key leak by making it more difficult to decrypt already-captured network traffic. However, if a ticket key is leaked, then any sessions that use that ticket could be compromised. Ticket keys may only be regenerated when a web server is restarted.
- Vendor Information (Learn More)If you are a vendor and your product is affected, let us know.View More >>CVSS Metrics (Learn More)GroupScoreVectorBase9.4AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:NTemporal7.8E:F/RL:OF/RC:CEnvironmental7.8CDP:ND/TD:H/CR:ND/IR:ND/AR:NDReferencesCreditThis vulnerability was reported by OpenSSL, who in turn credits Riku, Antti and Matti at Codenomicon and Neel Mehta of Google Security.
- This document was written by Will Dormann.
- Other InformationCVE IDs:CVE-2014-0160Date Public:07 Apr 2014Date First Published:07 Apr 2014Date Last Updated:09 Apr 2014Document Revision:103FeedbackIf you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us email.
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- 'Heartbleed' Bug Exposes Passwords, Web Site Encryption Keys '-- Krebs on Security
- Researchers have uncovered an extremely critical vulnerability in recent versions of OpenSSL, a technology that allows millions of Web sites to encrypt communications with visitors. Complicating matters further is the release of a simple exploit that can be used to steal usernames and passwords from vulnerable sites, as well as private keys that sites use to encrypt and decrypt sensitive data.
- ''The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.''
- An advisory from Carnegie Mellon University's CERTnotes that the vulnerability is present in sites powered by OpenSSL versions 1.0.1 through 1.0.1f. According to Netcraft, a company that monitors the technology used by various Web sites, more than a half million sites are currently vulnerable. As of this morning, that included Yahoo.com, and '-- ironically '-- the Web site of openssl.org. This list at Github appears to be a relatively recent test for the presence of this vulnerability in the top 1,000 sites as indexed by Web-ranking firm Alexa.
- An easy-to-use exploit that is being widely traded online allows an attacker to retrieve private memory of an application that uses the vulnerable OpenSSL ''libssl'' library in chunks of 64kb at a time. As CERT notes, an attacker can repeatedly leverage the vulnerability to retrieve as many 64k chunks of memory as are necessary to retrieve the intended secrets.
- Jamie Blasco, director of AlienVault Labs, said this bug has ''epic repercussions'' because not only does it expose passwords and cryptographic keys, but in order to ensure that attackers won't be able to use any data that does get compromised by this flaw, affected providers have to replace the private keys and certificates after patching the vulnerable OpenSSL service for each of the services that are using the OpenSSL library [full disclosure: AlienVault is an advertiser on this blog].
- It is likely that a great many Internet users will be asked to change their passwords this week (I hope). Meantime, companies and organizations running vulnerable versions should upgrade to the latest iteration of OpenSSL - OpenSSL 1.0.1g '-- as quickly as possible.
- Update, 2:26 p.m.: It appears that this Github page allows visitors to test whether a site is vulnerable to this bug (hat tip to Sandro S¼ffert).
- Tags: Alexa, AlienVault Labs, Carnegie Mellon University, CERT, fbi, GitHub, heart bleed bug, heart bleed test, Heartbleed, Heartbleed test, Jamie Blasco, Netcraft, OpenSSL, OpenSSL exploit, Sandro S¼ffert, yahoo.com
- This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 at 12:33 pm and is filed under The Coming Storm, Time to Patch. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a comment. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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- Agenda 21
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- Years of Living Dangerously Documentary
- Harrison Ford flying the fighter jet
- War on religion, praying for rain at Cargill plant
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- Heidi Cullen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Heidi Cullen is interim CEO and lead correspondent for Climate Central.[1] Prior to that, she was the climate expert and correspondent for The Weather Channel where she helped start Forecast Earth, the first weekly program on climate change and the environment. Before joining The Weather Channel she worked as a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. She received a B.Sc. in engineering and operations research from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in climatology and ocean-atmosphere dynamics from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. She was awarded the 2008 National Conservation Achievement Award[2] for science by the National Wildlife Federation. The Weather of the Future is a book by Cullen, published in 2010.[3]
- See also[edit]Selected publications[edit]Barlow, Mathew; Wheeler, Matthew; Lyons, Bradfield; Cullen, Heidi (December 2005). "Modulation of Daily Precipitation over Southwest Asia by the Madden-Julian Oscillation". Monthly Weather Review133 (12): 3579''94. doi:10.1175/MWR3026.1. Glantz, Michael H.; Cullen, Heidi (2003). "Zimbabwe's Food Crisis". Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development45 (1): 9''11. doi:10.1080/00139150309604518. Barlow, Mathew; Cullen; Lyons, Bradfield (April 2002). "Drought in Central and Southwest Asia: La Nina, the warm pool, and Indian Ocean precipitation". Journal of Climate15 (7): 697''700. doi:10.1175/1520-0442(2002)0152.0.CO;2. Visbeck, M.; Hurrell; Polvani, L.; Cullen, Heidi (6 November 2001). "The North Atlantic Oscillation: Past, present, and future". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.98 (23): 12876''7. doi:10.1073/pnas.231391598. Cullen, Heidi; deMenocal, Peter B. (30 June 2000). "North Atlantic Influence on Tigris-Euphrates Streamflow". International Journal of Climatology20 (8): 853''863. doi:10.1002/1097-0088(20000630)20:83.0.CO;2-M. Cullen, Heidi; deMenocal, Peter B.; Hemming, S.; Hemming, G. (April 2000). "The Possible Role of Climate in the collapse of the Akkadian Empire: evidence from the deep sea". Geology28 (4): 379''382. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2000)282.0.CO;2. Cullen, Heidi; D'Arrigo, Roseanne; Cook, Edward; Cook, Edward (February 2001). "Multiproxy reconstructions of the North Atlantic Oscillation". Paleoceanography16 (1): 27''39. doi:10.1029/1999PA000434. Visbeck, Martin; Cullen, Heidi; Krahmann, Gerd; Naik, Naomi (15 December 1998). "An ocean model's response to North Atlantic Oscillation-like wind forcing". Geophysical Research Letters25 (24): 4521''5. doi:10.1029/1998GL900162. Bond, Gerard; Showers, William; Maziet, Cheseby; Lotti, Rusty; Almasi, Peter; deMenocal, Peter; Priore, Paul; Cullen, Heidi; Hajdas, Irka; Georges, Bonani (14 November 1997). "A pervasive millennial-scale cycle in North Atlantic Holocene and glacial climates". Science278 (5341): 1257''66. doi:10.1126/science.278.5341.1257. References[edit]External links[edit]PersondataNameCullen, HeidiAlternative namesShort descriptionDate of birthPlace of birthDate of deathPlace of death
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- NO FORM 2012--Nonprofit Report for CLIMATE CENTRAL INC
- Basic Organization InformationCLIMATE CENTRAL INC
- Physical Address:Princeton, NJ 08542 EIN:26-1797336Web URL:www.climatecentral.org NTEE Category:U Science and Technology Research Institutes U20 (Science, General (includes Interdisciplinary Scientific Activities)) Ruling Year:2008 Sign in or create an account to see this organization's full address, contact information, and more!
- Mission StatementCLIMATE CENTRAL (THE ORGANIZATION) IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE FACTUAL INFORMATION TO HELP THE PUBLIC AND POLICYMAKERS MAKE SOUND CHOICES ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE THE ORGANIZATION'S VISION IS TO BE THE RELIABLE UP-TO-DATE SOURCE OF CLIMATE INFORMATION, PRESENTED IN COMPELLING AND EFFECTIVE WAYS THAT REACH LARGE AND INFLUENTIAL AUDIENCES THE ORGANIZATION IS NOT AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION AND DOES NOT LOBBY OR TAKE POSITIONS ON LEGISLATION.
- A multi-year analysis of key balance sheet, income statement, profitability and liquidity measures is available for this organization. Financial SCAN includes a detailed financial health analysis and peer comparison and benchmarking tool. Learn More
- Key Financial SCAN FeaturesFinancial Health Dashboard: Highlights key financial trends and ratios for a selected nonprofit organization over a period of up to five years.Peer Comparison Dashboard: Compares the organization's financials with up to five peer nonprofits that you select.Graphical Analysis: Provides multi-year graphs and an interpretive guide in a format ready to present to your clients.Printable PDF Report: Provides a complete analysis of the organization for your records. The full report tells you what to look for and why it matters.Advanced Search: Allows you to search by EIN (Employer Identification Number), organization name, city, state, revenue, expenses, and assets.Revenue and ExpensesRevenue and Expense data from Forms 990 for 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 are included in the GuideStar Premium Report. Upgrade NowReport Added To Cart
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- A multi-year analysis of key balance sheet, income statement, profitability and liquidity measures is available for this organization. Financial SCAN includes a detailed financial health analysis and peer comparison and benchmarking tool. Learn More
- Key Financial SCAN FeaturesFinancial Health Dashboard: Highlights key financial trends and ratios for a selected nonprofit organization over a period of up to five years.Peer Comparison Dashboard: Compares the organization's financials with up to five peer nonprofits that you select.Graphical Analysis: Provides multi-year graphs and an interpretive guide in a format ready to present to your clients.Printable PDF Report: Provides a complete analysis of the organization for your records. The full report tells you what to look for and why it matters.Advanced Search: Allows you to search by EIN (Employer Identification Number), organization name, city, state, revenue, expenses, and assets.Forms 990 Provided by the NonprofitFinancial StatementsAudited Financial Statement is not available for this organization.
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- Heidi Cullen | Climate Central
- LeadershipDr. Heidi Cullen serves as Chief Climatologist for Climate Central '-- a non-profit science journalism organization headquartered in Princeton, NJ. She is a Visiting Lecturer at Princeton University and the author of The Weather of the Future published by Harper Collins. Before joining Climate Central, where she reports on climate and energy issues, Dr. Cullen served as The Weather Channel's first on-air climate expert and helped create Forecast Earth, a weekly television series focused on issues related to climate change and the environment. Prior to that Dr. Cullen worked as a research scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, CO. She received the NOAA Climate & Global Change Fellowship and spent two years at Columbia University's International Research Institute for Climate and Society working to apply long-range climate forecasts to the water resources sector in Brazil and Paraguay. She is a member of the American Geophysical Union, the American Meteorological Society and the Society of Environmental Journalists. Dr. Cullen also serves as a member of the NOAA Science Advisory Board and was recently elected to the AMS Council. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Columbia University and went on to receive a Ph.D. in climatology and ocean-atmosphere dynamics at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University.
- M. Barlow, M. Wheeler, B. Lyon, and H. Cullen, 2005: Modulation of Daily Precipitation Over Southwest Asia by the Madden-Julian Oscillation, Monthly Weather Review, 133, 3579-3594.M.H. Glantz and H. Cullen, 2003: Zimbabwe's Food Crisis. Environment, 45(1), 9-11.M. Barlow, H. Cullen, B. Lyons, 2002: Drought in Central and Southwest Asia: La Nina, the warm pool, and Indian Ocean precipitation. J. Clim., 15(7): 697-700.M. Visbeck, J. Hurrell, L. Polvani, and H.M. Cullen, 2001: The North Atlantic Oscillation: Past, present, and future. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 98: 12876-12877.H.M. Cullen, P.B. deMenocal, 2000: North Atlantic Influence on Tigris-Euphrates Streamflow, Int. J. Clim., 20(8): 853-863.H.M. Cullen, P.B. deMenocal, 2000: The Possible Role of Climate in the collapse of the Akkadian Empire: evidence from the deep sea. Geology, 28(4): 379-382.H.M. Cullen, R.D. D'Arrigo, E.R. Cook and M.E. Mann, 2000: Multiproxy Reconstructions of the North Atlantic Oscillation, Paleoceanography, 16(1): 27-39.M. Visbeck, H. Cullen, G. Krahmann, and N. Naik. 1998. An ocean model's response to North Atlantic Oscillation-like wind forcing, Geophys. Res. Lett.., 25(24): 4521-4525.G. Bond, W. Showers, M. Cheseby, R. Lotti, P. Almasi, P. deMenocal, P. Priore, H. Cullen, I. Hajdas, G. Bonani. 1997. A pervasive millennial-scale cycle in North Atlantic Holocene and glacial climates, Science, 278: 1257-1266.
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- Funding | Climate Central
- Since its start in 2008, the following foundations, government agencies, and institutions have provided funding for Climate Central:
- Interested in supporting Climate Central? Climate Central is a certified 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization, so your gift is tax deductible. Make a gift online or contact Heather Pittman at 610-533-4916 or by email at hpittman@climatecentral.org.
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- NYTimes: Global Warming Scare Tactics
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- Why we are poles apart on climate change : Nature News & Comment
- Understandably anxious to explain persistent controversy over climate change, the media have discovered a new culprit: the public. By piecing together bits of psychological research, many news reporters, opinion writers and bloggers have concluded that people are simply too irrational to recognize the implications of climate-change science.
- This conclusion gets it half right. Studying things from a psychological angle does help to make sense of climate-change scepticism. But the true source of the problem, research suggests, is not that people are irrational. Instead, it is that their reasoning powers have become disabled by a polluted science-communication environment.
- Social-science research indicates that people with different cultural values '-- individualists compared with egalitarians, for example '-- disagree sharply about how serious a threat climate change is. People with different values draw different inferences from the same evidence. Present them with a PhD scientist who is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, for example, and they will disagree on whether he really is an 'expert', depending on whether his view matches the dominant view of their cultural group (D. M. Kahan et al.J. Risk Res.14, 147''174; 2011).
- The positions on climate change of both groups track their impressions of recent weather. Yet their impressions of what the recent weather has been are polarized, too, and bear little relationship to reality (K. Goebbert et al.Weath. Clim. Soc.4, 132''144; 2012). But is this sort of cultural polarization evidence of irrationality? If it is, then how can we explain the fact that members of the lay public who are the most science literate, and the most proficient at technical reasoning, are also the most culturally polarized (D. M. Kahan et al.Nature Clim. Change http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1547; 2012)?
- If anything, social science suggests that citizens are culturally polarized because they are, in fact, too rational '-- at filtering out information that would drive a wedge between themselves and their peers.
- For members of the public, being right or wrong about climate- change science will have no impact. Nothing they do as individual consumers or as individual voters will meaningfully affect the risks posed by climate change. Yet the impact of taking a position that conflicts with their cultural group could be disastrous.
- Take a barber in a rural town in South Carolina. Is it a good idea for him to implore his customers to sign a petition urging Congress to take action on climate change? No. If he does, he will find himself out of a job, just as his former congressman, Bob Inglis, did when he himself proposed such action.
- Positions on climate change have come to signify the kind of person one is. People whose beliefs are at odds with those of the people with whom they share their basic cultural commitments risk being labelled as weird and obnoxious in the eyes of those on whom they depend for social and financial support.
- ''Positions on climate change have come to signify the kind of person one is.''
- So, if the cost of having a view of climate change that does not conform with the scientific consensus is zero, and the cost of having a view that is at odds with members of one's cultural community can be high, what is a rational person to do? In that situation, it is perfectly sensible for individuals to be guided by modes of reasoning that connect their beliefs to ones that predominate in their group. Even people of modest scientific literacy will pick up relevant cues. Those who know more and who can reason more analytically will do a still better job, even if their group is wrong on the science.
- So whom should we 'blame' for the climate- change crisis? To borrow a phrase, it's the 'science-communication environment, stupid' '-- not stupid people.
- People acquire their scientific knowledge by consulting others who share their values and whom they therefore trust and understand. Usually, this strategy works just fine. We live in a science-communication environment richly stocked with accessible, consequential facts. As a result, groups with different values routinely converge on the best evidence for, say, the value of adding fluoride to water, or the harmlessness of mobile-phone radiation. The trouble starts when this communication environment fills up with toxic partisan meanings '-- ones that effectively announce that 'if you are one of us, believe this; otherwise, we'll know you are one of them'. In that situation, ordinary individuals' lives will go better if their perceptions of societal risk conform with those of their group.
- Yet when all citizens simultaneously follow this individually rational strategy of belief formation, their collective well-being will certainly suffer. Culturally polarized democracies are less likely to adopt polices that reflect the best available scientific evidence on matters '-- such as climate change '-- that profoundly affect their common interests.
- Overcoming this dilemma requires collective strategies to protect the quality of the science-communication environment from the pollution of divisive cultural meanings. Psychology '-- along with anthropology, sociology, political science and economics '-- will play a part. But to apply the insights that social science has already given us, we will have to be smart enough to avoid reducing what we learn to catchy simplifications.
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- Richard Tol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Richard S. J. Tol (born 2 December 1969, Hoorn, the Netherlands) is a professor of economics at the University of Sussex. He is also professor of the economics of climate change at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is a member of the Academia Europaea.
- Academic career[edit]Tol obtained an MSc in Econometrics and Operations Research and a PhD in economics from the VU University Amsterdam in 1992 and 1997. In 1998, he contributed with some 19 other academics to a joint project of the United Nations Environment Programme at his home university.[1] Tol collaborated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.[2]
- He regularly participates in studies of the Energy Modeling Forum, is an editor of Energy Economics, associate editor of Environmental and Resource Economics, and a member of the editorial board of Environmental Science and Policy, and Integrated Assessment. IDEAS/RePEc ranks him among the top 250 economists in the world.[3]
- Tol specialises in energy economics and environmental economics, with a particular interest in climate change, such as the economics of global warming. Previously, Tol was a Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute. Before that, Tol was the Michael Otto Professor of Sustainability and Global Change and director of the Center for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and board member of the Center for Marine and Climate Research at the University of Hamburg. Tol was a board member of the International Max Planck Research Schools on Earth System Modeling and Maritime Affairs and the European Forum on Integrated Environmental Assessment.[2] From 1998''2008 he was an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Engineering and Public Policy, and from 2010''2011 an adjunct professor at Trinity College, Dublin's Department of Economics.
- Climate change[edit]According to Tol "the impact of climate change is relatively small".[4] He was also among the US SenateRepublican Party's "list of scientists disputing man-made global warming claims", which stated that Tol "dismissed the idea that mankind must act now to prevent catastrophic global warming".[5]
- Tol characterises his position as arguing that the economic costs of climate policy should be kept in proportion to its benefits.[6][7][8]
- He argues against the 2 °C 'guardrail' target for limiting temperature rises.[9] Tol does not advocate another target, but has recommended a carbon tax of $5/tC.[10] He acknowledges that this level of taxation is too low to significantly discourage fossil fuel use but argues it would help to stimulate the development of fuel-saving technology and improve the competitiveness of renewable energy sources. He states that compliance may affect the coal and oil industries and the people they employ.
- In an interview with Der Spiegel in 2005, he argued that temperature rises between 2''4 °C would also have advantages. North of a line drawn from Paris to Munich, people would benefit, e.g., from reduced energy bills. However, south of it, people would be overall "losers" of climate change.[11]
- In 2007, Tol predicted a reduction in annual economic growth by 0.4% in the Republic of Ireland if greenhouse gases were reduced by 3% per year.[12]
- Originally designated as a lead author for the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, Tol said in March 2014 that he had withdrawn from the work with the report in September 2013, citing disagreement with the profile of the report which he considered too alarmistic and putting too little emphasis on opportunies to adapt to climate changes.[13]
- Copenhagen Consensus[edit]Bj¸rn Lomborg chose Tol to participate in his "Copenhagen Consensus" project in 2008. In 2008, Tol collaborated with Gary Yohe, Richard G. Richels and Geoffrey Blanford to prepare the "Challenge Paper" on global warming which examined three approaches devised by Lomborg for tackling the issue.[14] The 3 results were then compared with 27 similar investigations, 3 each relating to 9 other 'challenges' in the areas of health and environment. Of the 30 policy alternatives that resulted, Lomborg's ranking procedure rated the 2 dealing with controlling emissions of greenhouse gases 29th and 30th in terms of cost effectiveness.
- K¥re Fog pointed out that the benefits of emissions reduction were discounted at a higher rate than for any of the other proposals,[15] stating "so there is an obvious reason why the climate issue always is ranked last" in Lomborg's environmental studies. Tol accepted that emissions reduction was accounted for differently from the competing proposals it was ranked against.[16] Fog further criticised the study because, by using aggregate GDP to evaluate outcomes across regions of differing prosperity, it accorded people in wealthy countries more weight than those in poor countries purely because they are wealthier.
- A "perspective paper" by Anil Markandya of the University of Bath on the Yohe/Tol study stated that "a short time period analysis is misleading" when all the costs are incurred during the period examined but benefits continue to accrue after its conclusion.[17] He pointed out that the study "stops short of the most that can be supported on a cost benefit basis" and stated that "it does not seem reasonable" to rely solely on Tol's own FUND model when alternatives "reported in the peer-reviewed literature are also credible".
- Gary Yohe later accused Lomborg of "deliberate distortion of our conclusions",[18] adding that "as one of the authors of the Copenhagen Consensus Project's principal climate paper, I can say with certainty that Lomborg is misrepresenting our findings thanks to a highly selective memory". In a subsequent joint statement settling their differences, Lomborg and Yohe agreed that the "failure" of Lomborg's emissions reduction plan "could be traced to faulty design".[19]
- Lomborg awarded Tol a position on his Copenhagen Consensus panel again in 2009. According to Tol, "Lomborg successfully punches holes in climate hysteria" and "plays a useful role in the debate on climate policy".[20]
- Climate change and conflict[edit]According to Tol, "it is not clear whether climate change would lead to conflict".[21] Citing a lack of suitable methods for evaluating hypothetical conflicts numerically, he examines what he calls plausible scenarios, such as drought and migration in the Horn of Africa or an upsurge in terrorism.
- Regarding terrorism, he says "it may well be that a Maldivian terrorist will try and blow up the headquarters of ExxonAramco".[21] Regarding the Horn of Africa scenario, he acknowledges it might cause substantial human suffering but assesses the probability of this actually happening as unlikely. He concludes that "poor and exhausted people are unlikely to take up arms, and if they do, they are probably not very effective".[21]
- References[edit]^Feenstra, J.F. (1998 print). Handbook on Methods. for Climate Change Impact Assessment and Adaptation Strategies. Retrieved 2008-10-10. ^ abSolomon, Lawrence (2010). The Deniers: The world-renowned scientists who stood up against global warming hysteria, political persecution, and fraud. United States: Richard Vigilante Books. ISBN 978-0-9800763-7-0. , p. 20.^Top 5% Authors on IDEAS/RePEc^Tol, Richard (2009). "Why Worry About Climate Change?". ESRI Research Bulletin 2009/1/1. Dublin: ESRI. ^Minority Senate report^Financial Times, Jan 17, 2008^Financial Times, Jan 18, 2007^New Scientist, Dec 5, 2007^Tol, Richard S. J. (January 2006 online; January 2007 print). "Europe's long-term climate target: A critical evaluation". Energy Policy (Elsevier) 35 (1): 424''432. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2005.12.003. Retrieved 2008-07-20. ^R.S.J. Tol (2008), The Social Cost of Carbon: Trends, Outliers and Catastrophes, Economics the E-Journal, 2008''25^Spiegel, Feb 21, 2005^Irish Times, Dec 20, 2007^IPCC author brands upcoming climate report 'alarmist'The Guardian. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014^Yohe, Gary; Tol, Richard (2008). "Copenhagen Consensus Challenge Paper 2008: Global Warming". Copenhagen. ^"index". Lomborg-errors.dk. Retrieved 2012-06-09. ^[1][dead link]^Markandya, Anil (2008). "Copenhagen Consensus 2008 Perspective Paper: Global Warming". Copenhagen. ^Yohe, Gary (2008-08-22). "Climate change is real, compelling and urgent". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2010-05-22. ^Lomborg, Bj¶rn (2008-09-01). "It's not about us". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2010-05-22. ^"The Irish Economy >> Blog Archive >> Economics, voodoo, and climate policy". Irisheconomy.ie. 2010-04-30. Retrieved 2012-06-09. ^ abcTol, RSJ (2008). "Why Worry About Climate Change? A Research Agenda". Environmental Values17 (4): 437''470. doi:10.3197/096327108X368485. External links[edit]PersondataNameTol, Richard S.J.Alternative namesShort descriptionDutch economistDate of birth1969-12-02Place of birthHoorn, NetherlandsDate of deathPlace of death
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- Heibel binnen VN-klimaatpanel | Binnenland | Telegraaf.nl
- Exclusieve artikelen van de Telegraaf redactie
- di 08 apr 2014, 08:03| 53 reacties|
- lees vooramsterdam - De Nederlandse professor Richard Tol is op hoge poten vertrokken uit het klimaatpanel van de Verenigde Naties. Tol kan zich totaal niet vinden in de negatieve conclusies van het laatste VN-klimaatrapport. De gevolgen van klimaatverandering worden volgens hem systematisch overschat. ,,Het panel wordt bestuurd vanuit het milieubeleid, niet vanuit de wetenschap."
- Het Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) van de Verenigde Naties presenteerde eind vorige maand in het Japanse Yokohama het vijfde klimaatrapport. Mocht er wereldwijd niet snel iets veranderen in het klimaatbeleid, dan gaat de kans om de opwarming van de aarde een halt toe te roepen verloren, zo luidde de belangrijkste conclusie en waarschuwing.
- Maar volgens hoogleraar klimaateconomie Tol is de toon van het rapport overdreven 'alarmistisch en apocalyptisch'. De gevolgen van klimaatverandering worden overschat. ,,Die overschatting wordt in de hand gewerkt door een zelf-selectie van auteurs en referenten in het panel", vertelt Tol in de Belgische krant De Morgen. ,,Er zijn topwetenschappers bij het IPCC, maar er zijn evengoed veel middelmatige onderzoekers. Daarnaast zetelen er nog een aantal personen die politiek de juiste connecties hebben. De organisatie wordt geleid en gecontroleerd door mensen die een belang hebben bij het klimaatbeleid. Het IPCC wordt bestuurd vanuit het milieubeleid, niet vanuit de wetenschap."
- Tol is daarom per direct uit het prestigieuze panel gestapt. Hij was al langer ontevreden. Volgens Tol hebben intussen twee officile onderzoeken aangetoond dat het IPCC systematisch de gevolgen van de klimaatverandering overschat.
- (C) 1996-2014 TMG Landelijke Media B.V., Amsterdam.Alle rechten voorbehouden.e-mail: redactie-i@telegraaf.nlGebruiksvoorwaarden | Privacy | Cookies | Cookie-voorkeuren
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- John C. Beale, top climate change expert, sentenced to 32 months for CIA scam | Mail Online
- John C. Beale told the court he did it out of 'greed' and is 'ashamed'He admitted he 'got a sense of excitement' by telling coworkers he was a CIA agentBeale has agreed to pay $1.3 million in restitution and forfeiture to the governmentClaimed he was on covert assignments for CIA but really set home reading books or doing chores while earning $206,000 a yearBeale is married to Nancy Kete, who Obama appointed the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore DrillingBy Daily Mail Reporter
- Published: 16:40 EST, 18 December 2013 | Updated: 17:19 EST, 18 December 2013
- The Environmental Protection Agency's top climate change expert and highest paid employee was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison today for defrauding the government.
- John C. Beale, who lives with his wife in Virginia, claimed he was a CIA agent working in Pakistan so he didn't have to show up for work for months at a time and defrauded the government out of more than $900,000. He said he did it out of 'greed' and got a 'rush of excitement' from it.
- The 65-year-old's 13 year scam was 'inexplicable' and 'unbelievably egregious', Judge Ellen Huvelle said in Washington D.C. federal court today.
- Fraud: John C. Beale (pictured on December 16 in court) admitted to defrauding the government out of $900,000 by not showing up to work
- Beale has also agreed to pay $1.3 million in restitution and forfeiture to the government, NBC News reported.
- The climate change expert, who reported directly to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, said he was ashamed of his CIA scam, which he ran from 2000 until earlier this year, according to court documents.
- Beale told the court today: 'Why did I do this? Greed - simple greed - and I'm ashamed of that greed.'
- He also admitted that he got a 'sense of excitement' by telling coworkers that he was a CIA agent - saying 'it was something like an addiction.'
- The fraudster plead guilty in September for the scam that saw him take almost $1 million in salary and benefits from the government over a decade.
- No one at the agency questioned or looked into his claims that he was working undercover for the CIA, it was reported.
- EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy was Beale's boss during most of the 13 years he allegedly committed fraud
- He would leave the office for weeks or months - claiming he was at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, or in Pakistan working on covert missions. Beale has never even been to Langley.
- Really, he was home reading, riding his bicycle or doing housework. Sometimes he escaped to his vacation home on Cape Cod, prosecutors said.
- He billed taxpayers for 33 plane flights between 2003 and 2011, including personal trips to London and California, which he flew first class. He stayed in five-star hotels and billed the government for expensive meals and limo rides. The total cost: more than $266,000.
- He also publicly 'retired,' but managed to continue drawing his $206,000 salary for 18 months - despite brazenly throwing a retirement party for himself that was attended by McCarthy.
- He even lied and said he had contracted malaria while serving in the Vietnam War in order to get a handicapped parking spot. He neither had malaria nor served in Vietnam, according to prosecutors.
- EPA Assistant Inspector General Patrick Sullivan told NBC that Beale perpetrated a 'crime of massive proportions.'
- He has been labeled a 'poster child for what is wrong with the government.'
- His sentence got a quick reaction from Capitol Hill and a top republican has demanded further investigation into the EPA to find out how Beale got away with his scam for so long.
- 'This case this morning highlights a massive problem with the EPA', Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana told NBC.
- Beale's direct boss, Gina McCarthy, was criticized for not noticing the scam going on right under her nose, but Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, who is chair of the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, defended McCarthy.
- 'I commend the EPA administrator (McCarthy) for taking steps to shine a light on the actions of this rogue employee, and her actions helped uncover these crimes', she said.
- Sullivan, who investigated Beale, said he believes the culture of the EPA made it ripe for this sort of fraud.
- Beale seen in court on December 16 as the trial for his fraud case was ongoing
- 'There's a certain culture here at the EPA where the mission is the most important thing,' he told NBC.
- 'They don't think like criminal investigators. They tend to be very trusting and accepting.'
- Beale's lawyer had asked for leniency after a psychological review showed he had a 'highly self-destructive and dysfunctional need to engage in excessively reckless, risky behavior.'
- Beale is a Princeton-educated 'senior policy adviser' who worked as one of the EPA's top climate change experts.
- He helped rewrite the Clean Air Act in 1990, led EPA delegations at climate change conferences in 2000 and 2001, and helped negotiate carbon emissions agreements with India and China.
- Sometime along his career, his work stopped being enough.
- He was caught only after McCarthy, who was appointed EPA administrator in July, discovered that he was still on the payroll in March 2012 - nearly six months after his retirement party.
- She called for an investigation, which led to the criminal charges. Beale didn't actually retire until this April.
- Beale is married to Nancy Kete, who President Barack Obama appointed the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. She is currently managing director of the Rockafeller Foundation.
- The couple own a $872,000 townhouse in Arlington, Virginia, and a $626,000 vacation home on Cape Cod.
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- Peering Into the Minds of the Climate Doubters '' Forward.com
- Dire News: World Meterological Organization secretary general Michel Jarraud gestures during a press conference as he releases his agency's annual climate report on March 24, 2014 in Geneva.
- It's a truism of science that major, transformative events provide unique opportunities to gather data. Seismologists wait for earthquakes to measure tectonic movement. Research meteorologists risk their lives chasing tornadoes to learn their mysteries. Zoologists swing into action during mating season (of the animals, silly).
- Climate study can work in much the same way. Take United Nations climate reports. Released only once every few years, they offer a chance to see how the public reacts, who accepts the science, who rushes to pour cold water on it, and why. They're particularly helpful in testing the claim that skepticism on global warming is just a scam by Big Oil, not an informed set of observations.
- The search leads us into three distinct fields of study. First, mainstream climate science, the sort you read about in The New York Times when the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issues another scary report. Second, skeptical climate science, derisively called climate denialism. That's the one that tells you the U.N.'s computer models don't work, global temperatures stopped rising a decade ago and Al Gore should return his Nobel Prize.
- The third might surprise you. It's a growing field of research into the psychology of climate change denial. It starts by assuming that the U.N. scientists know what they're talking about, that man-made global warming is a real threat and that people who say otherwise have something wrong with them. Skeptics find all this insulting. But it's growing field with a substantial body of serious academic research, too serious to be ignored. Sorry, gang.
- Let's begin with the ''who.'' In the first hours and days after the U.N. report was published, negative reactions appeared mainly in unabashedly right-wing outlets like the National Review and the Daily Caller. Even Fox News treated the report respectfully. In England, two of the most stridently right-wing, climate-skeptical dailies, The Mail and the Telegraph, wrote to a parliamentary committee that they now believe climate change is real and substantially human-caused. They admit ''the vast majority of climate scientists'' agree.
- Skeptical comment seems to come from two main sources: conservative ideologues in the right-wing media or spokesmen for conservative think tanks that produce climate-skeptical research, like the Heartland Institute and the Cato Institute's Center for the Study of Science. A few hours' digging confirms that they and a dozen like them are funded by two sources: petroleum interests, notably ExxonMobil and the Koch brothers, and ideologically right-wing family foundations like Scaife and Coors.
- Interestingly, the role of those two forces '-- petroleum and the ideological right '-- in funding climate-skeptical research isn't what you'd call significant. It's overwhelming.
- The biggest surprise of all, though, is sitting and reading the skeptics' research. Environmentalists often claim skeptical science is shoddy, that skeptics don't do serious, peer-reviewed research but rely on sloganeering. One often-cited study found that of 2,258 peer-reviewed climate-related papers published between November 2012 and December 2013, only one rejected man-made global warming.
- Skeptics, by contrast, claim extensive peer-reviewed research supports them. One of the most ambitious projects is a series of five reports, titled Climate Change Reconsidered (climatechangereconsidered.org), published by Heartland's cleverly-named Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change, or NIPCC. The latest appeared March 31, the same day as the new U.N. report. It claims to draw on ''thousands'' of peer-reviewed studies. I decided to read the executive summary, not to be convinced, necessarily, but at least to appreciate the strength of the research.
- On the contrary. The arguments were almost comically childish. The basic case was, first, there's no evidence that global temperature are rising; second, warming (which isn't happening) is caused by nature, not man; third, a little bit of warming is beneficial. Examples: Seniors retiring to Florida live longer, ergo a warmer planet will extend life spans. Plants thrive on carbon dioxide, so more CO2 in the air means healthier plants, hence more food. Drought? What drought?
- And those thousands of peer-reviewed sources? Many date back to the 1970s and 1980s, and often focus on history. Many others confirm that plants like CO2 and balmy weather encourages healthy exercise.
- And that's from Heartland, the most respected skeptical researcher. Others are even sillier.
- Which leaves us with the urgent question of why so many people believe this stuff. Sure, it floods the airwaves. But so does standard climate science. Why believe ExxonMobil over Harvard on the threat of fossil fuels?
- Here's where the new science of climate denial psychology kicks in. We've been hearing for nearly two decades with increasing urgency from the vast majority of the scientific world that we're barreling toward disaster. Why hasn't the public demanded action? For that matter, why are we still debating? If you're speeding toward a cliff, do you let the driver engage you in a discussion of gravity, or do you grab the wheel? Most of all, why is public acceptance of the facts declining as the case becomes more irrefutable?
- One reason is journalistic convention. We're trained to present both sides of every debate, unless one side is manifestly beyond the pale (think civil rights in the 1960s). In this case, it's not hard to see that one side is talking nonsense '-- and dangerous nonsense, given the global stakes. But who has time to read the science?
- A second reason, some scholars maintain, is numbness. ''Maybe it's because the impacts of climate change are so dire they produce a surreal sense of gloom,'' writes environmental scientist John J. Berger, author of ''Climate Myths: The Campaign Against Climate Science.'' ''Why else might we as a nation be so unwilling to fully face the realities of climate change?''
- The trouble with that theory is that ''we as a nation'' aren't unwilling to face the reality. We're divided against ourselves. Something like one-third believes there's a crisis, one-third is convinced there isn't and one-third doesn't know what to make of it. I could argue here that one side is right and the other is wrong. Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island told the chamber in February that Congress is ''surrounded by a barricade of lies.'' But that won't convince anybody who doesn't agree already. The essential point is gridlock. We live in separate realities.
- A 2008 Pew survey found the vast majority of Democrats accept man-made global warming. Most Republicans reject it. On each side, those with more education are firmer in their belief than those with less education. Independents were split 50-50.
- Numerous studies since then have confirmed the political-ideological divide. They've found, too, that majorities on each side believe the other espouses its belief for self-interest. As certain as Democrats are that big oil is poisoning the discourse, many Republicans believe that scientists hungry for government grants are producing climate reports to manufacture a case for bigger government.
- And since you asked '-- no, nobody has any suggestions how to break the stalemate. A couple of obscure liberal writers have suggested in recent weeks that climate denial should be outlawed as fraud that causes social harm. Nobody seems to be paying attention. Other than pundits on the right, that is '-- they're having a field day with it.
- Contact J.J. Goldberg at goldberg@forward.com
- Return to Forward Forum ''
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- Leaked IPCC climate plan to worsen global warming - ecologists | Nafeez Ahmed | Environment | theguardian.com
- A British environmental organisation that has reviewed the draft of a forthcoming UN IPCC report on mitigating climate change has questioned many of the document's recommendations as deeply flawed.
- Dr Rachel Smolker, co-director of Biofuelwatch, said that the report's embrace of "largely untested" and "very risky" technologies like bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS), will "exacerbate" climate change, agricultural problems, water scarcity, soil erosion and energy challenges, "rather than improving them."
- A leaked draft of the as yet unpublished report by Working Group 3 (WG3) of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to be officially released in mid-April, was obtained by the Guardian. Dr Smolker, a behavioural ecologist and biofuels expert, said that the alarming impacts of climate change identified by the IPCC's Working Groups 1 and 2 would "worsen" as a consequence of such "false solutions" which have been increasingly criticised in the scientific literature.
- Avoiding "overshoot"The IPCC projects that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide emissions are unlikely to stabilise at 450 parts per million (ppm), accepted by the international community as the safe limit to ensure that global average temperatures do not exceed the 2 degrees Celsius danger level. It is more likely that concentrations could "overshoot" to around 550 ppm (if not higher by other less conservative projections). The leaked draft concludes that "essentially any" emissions target can be achieved "regardless of the near'term path" of overshoot "by shifting emissions reductions to the future":
- "There are no published scenarios depicting a pathway returning to 450 CO2'e [emissions] by century's end without a negative emissions option when delayed participation is imposed. The vast majority of published 450 CO2'e scenarios involve overshoot during the century and include a negative emissions technology."
- The draft thus recommends "carbon negative" energy technologies that might help to draw down carbon from the atmosphere. These include "large scale utilisation of BECCS"; coal and natural gas with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) - carbon emitted from burning fossil fuels is captured and injected underground where it is stored indefinitely; nuclear power; and large hydroelectric plants.
- Carbon capture, or multiplier?The problem, Biofuelwatch's co-director said, is that there is no scientific consensus on whether these technologies actually work. CCS technology is already being used to facilitate intensified fossil fuel exploitation. In bioenergy, it has involved "capture of fermentation in ethanol refineries":
- "... so far much of carbon captured from bioenergy and other processes is ultimately used for Enhanced Oil Recovery '' injected into depleted oil wells to create pressure enough to force remaining difficult to access oil out. This can hardly be considered 'sequestration' or an effective approach to solving the climate problem."
- She added that "burning wood for electricity and heat releases up to 150% as much CO2 per unit of energy generation than does coal" excluding emissions from "deforestation, harvesting and transportation."
- According to Dr Smolker, CCS cannot be viewed as "carbon negative" due to "the high costs, and associated high added energy demand for capture, transport, compression and injection." Even more problematic, she said, is that there is "little real world testing" of whether CO2 pumped into underground cavities "will remain in situ" indefinitely, or be released, which she describes as "a dangerous gamble."
- Biofuelwatch also criticised the IPCC draft report's recommendation of large-scale bioenergy projects. Bioenergy "should be considered a driver" of emissions from agriculture, forestry and other land use, Smolker said, "not a means of mitigation." The growing use of bioenergy as a substitute for fossil fuels is encroaching increasingly on land use, and in turn escalating food prices, intensifying land grabbing, and increasing demand for crops, livestock, wood and so on:
- "Lands and ecosystems cannot at the same time both provide large quantities of biomass for bioenergy, and still securely act as 'carbon sinks.' It is not possible to have it both ways."
- Currently, just under 40% of US corn production is dedicated to ethanol although it provides just "a pittance of transport energy." The large areas of land required for meaningful bioenergy production means it would simultaneously undermine food production while contributing to "escalating food prices." Although the IPCC proposes bioenergy as the solution to renewable energy, "it can never provide more than a tiny fraction towards the current and projected growth in demand for energy."
- Broken climate needs fixingStephen Salter, a professor emeritus of engineering design at the University of Edinburgh who has proposed cloud enhancement as one mechanism of geoengineering to address climate change, said that given the import of dangerous warming, techniques to reduce carbon in the atmosphere must be part of the toolbox. But he said the focus should be on the Arctic:
- "Those working on geoengineering are largely doing so reluctantly. The concern is that we need to ensure technology is available in case events occur more quickly than expected. The IPCC has not fully accounted for certain feedbacks involving black carbon, methane release, and the rapid loss of the Arctic summer sea ice. A technique like marine cloud brightening by spraying seawater onto clouds to increase their reflectivity, could save the sea ice and help cool the climate with relatively little side-effects that can be controlled with careful application."
- But other geoengineering techniques suffer from less certainty, said Prof Salter, who is a member of the Arctic Methane Emergency Group (AMEG). "Many major proposals suffer from debilitating costs and practicalities, and would take too long '' up to a century or more - to work. And their risks are less understood."
- Prof Stuart Haszeldine, a geoscientist also at the University of Edinburgh specialising in CCS, said:
- "Ultimately a full, immediate transition to renewables is the right imperative, but it cannot happen overnight due to the engineering costs and practicalities. So we must reduce our carbon emissions while we are still relying on fossil fuels. Our current emissions trajectory is heading for catastrophe. CCS would allow us to draw down emissions during the transition to renewables.
- Every component of CCS has been practiced separately in the industry for decades, so putting them altogether to minimise our carbon footprint makes sense. Several large-scale commercial CCS enterprises will become operational this year, such as the coal-fired plant in Kemper County.
- 100% renewable transition in 15 years: feasible?Danielle Paffard of the Centre for Alternative Technology's Zero Carbon Britain project, however, voiced further reservations: "BECCS isn't useful as a central feature of a climate mitigation strategy, due to the scale of current electricity demand, and requires an enormous reduction of demand to be viable. Any proposal to rely primarily on biomass for baseload electricity generation is never sensible." Salter, Haszeldine and Paffard have not seen the draft IPCC mitigation report.
- In particular, Paffard criticised carbon capture for fossil fuel power plants as a "red herring":
- "We can't hope to simply run over a carbon precipice and pulls ourselves back. Government targets must be much more ambitious. Our research has shown that we can run modern societies without relying on fossil fuels, and that transitioning to net zero carbon emissions by 2030 is technologically and economically feasible with the right approach."
- Despite reservations, Paffard acknowledged a limited but "very important" role for BECCS. Other forms of carbon capture such as peatland conversion, biochar, and extensive reforestation will be "crucial" for energy transition, she said:
- "Biomass does have the potential to be very destructive, but if used sparingly it has a place as part of a wider strategy involving renewables, to create synthetic fuels useful for industry and transport. Bioenergy is important as a flexible backup to address long-term energy storage due to the intermittency and variability of renewable sources - but its use must be sustainable, based on 'second generation' non-food crops [e.g. forest and crop residues, municipal and construction waste], not encroach on land-use for food, and combined with extensive reforestation."
- The IPCC draft report does emphasise the need to dramatically ramp up solar and wind power, pointing out the superior "technical potential" of solar compared to other renewables.
- Economic straitjacket?Dr Smolker of Biofuelwatch, in contrast, said that the IPCC's central emphasis on biofuels with carbon capture is a "dangerous distraction" from the task of "deeply altering our entire relationship to energy consumption." She highlighted an unwillingness to recognise the "fundamental link between 'endless growth economics' and ecological destruction."
- Working Group 3, she said, lacks sufficient expertise to assess the merits of its recommended technologies. Many critical assessments of bioenergy "come from scientists with a background in ecology and related disciplines and those are barely represented within the IPCC" - WG3 is staffed largely by economists and engineers:
- "The underlying assumption appears to be that business as usual [BAU] economic growth must be sustained, and industry and corporate profits must be protected and maintained. But if we focus on 'BAU economics', seeking and accepting only bargain basement options for addressing global warming - the costs will be far more severe."
- Dr Nafeez Ahmed is executive director of the Institute for Policy Research & Development and author of A User's Guide to the Crisis of Civilisation: And How to Save It among other books. Follow him on Twitter @nafeezahmed
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- We should give up trying to save the world from climate change, says James Lovelock - Telegraph
- ''Britain is no longer a world power and we need to leave such schemes to the USA, Japan or China. We should spend out efforts adapting Britain to fight climate change.''
- The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is expected to say the world will need a 'Plan B' because it is unlikely countries will reduce carbon emissions in time.
- In March the IPCC said that global warming would increase flooding, storm surges, droughts and heatwaves.
- Violent conflicts and food shortages were also forecast to increase over coming decades due to rising temperatures, while a growing number of animal and marine species will face increased risk of extinction.
- Scientists said that by taking immediate steps to reduce carbon emissions over the coming decades, there could be a reduction in potential consequences by the end of the century.
- In his new book Lovelock writes: ''We may have wasted valuable time, energy and resources by trying to grapple with climate change on a global scale.
- ''It sounds good to try to save the planet, but in reality we are not thinking of saving Gaia, we are thinking of saving Earth for us, or for our nation.
- ''The idea of 'saving the planet' is a foolish extravagance of romantic Northern ideologues and probably much beyond our ability.
- ''In a changing climate cities are most less vulnerable to external heat than our individuals. If most of us lived in cities, as it seems we soon will do, the regulation of the climate of these cities might be far easier, more economic and safer option in a hot climate than the regulation by geoengineering of the whole planet. ''
- He also claimed that life on Earth could move away from organic creatures towards computerised life-forms
- ''I think like all organisms on Earth our species has a limited lifespan,'' he said.
- ''If we can somehow merge with our electronic creations in a larger scale endosymbiosis, it may provide a better next step in the evolution of humanity and Gaia.''
- However Lovelock adds a cautionary warning. ''I must admit an empathetic dread for some unfortunately future person whose body becomes connected to one of more of the ubiquitous social networks.
- ''I can imagine no punishment more severe than having my still comparatively clear mind overtaken by the spam of hucksters and the never-ceasing gossip of the Internet.''
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- Beef prices hit all-time high in U.S. - latimes.com
- Come grilling season, expect your sirloin steak to come with a hearty side of sticker shock.
- Beef prices have reached all-time highs in the U.S. and aren't expected to come down any time soon.
- Extreme weather has thinned the nation's beef cattle herds to levels last seen in 1951, when there were about half as many mouths to feed in America.
- "We've seen strong prices before but nothing this extreme," said Dennis Smith, a commodities broker for Archer Financial Services in Chicago. "This is really new territory."
- The retail value of "all-fresh" USDA choice-grade beef jumped to a record $5.28 a pound in February, up from $4.91 the same time a year ago. The same grade of beef cost $3.97 as recently as 2008.
- The swelling prices are roiling the beef supply chain from rancher to restaurant.
- Norm Langer managed to go two years without raising prices at his famed Westlake delicatessen.
- But last week, he reluctantly began printing new menus showing a 50-cent increase for sandwiches at his 67-year-old restaurant.
- Langer accepts it's one of the perils of business when your bread and butter happens to be corned beef and pastrami. But he fears he may have to raise prices again, driving away customers.
- "No beef, no delicatessen. That's the bottom line," Langer said after a typically frenetic lunch service. "Jewish delis aren't vegetarian, they're based on corned beef and pastrami. Things are beyond my control. With the price increase, I hope my customers are tolerant."
- Langer said beef prices are the main reason his wholesale food costs have risen 45% in the last two years '-- much of it passed from his longtime supplier, R.C. Provision Inc.
- The half-century-old Burbank company prepares corned beef, pastrami, roast beef and chili for L.A. icons such as Canter's Deli, Pink's Hot Dogs and Original Tommy's Hamburgers. All the restaurants have to do is heat it up or slice it to their liking.
- It's been an increasingly difficult endeavor, with slaughterhouses driving up their prices for brisket and navel, an extra fatty portion of the belly crucial for making unctuous pastrami.
- "For any profitability, you have to mark it up more and more," said the company's general manager, Jerry Haines, who has watched profit margins dwindle to about 1% from 5% in the last few years rather than hike prices enough to cover the increased costs.
- Speaking last week at his company's plant scented with paprika and smoked beef, Haines said small businesses like his are struggling to secure enough red meat. Slaughterhouses, also known as packers, are more likely to reserve their reduced supplies for big customers like McDonald's.
- There's more pressure to throw the special cuts needed to make deli meat into the grinder for hamburgers. What's left for Haines costs more. Brisket has more than tripled in price since 2008. Navel has more than doubled.
- "This whole thing now is being driven by hamburger," said the gravelly voiced Haines, who keeps years of beef prices recorded on stacks of small sheets of paper. "You take all the McDonald's and Burger Kings across the United States; the amount of meat needed to make those hamburgers is forcing the value of other cuts of meat to go up."
- The biggest fast-food chains aren't immune to the price pressure either. Experts say $1 value menus could soon be a thing of the past.
- In October, McDonald's said its Dollar Menu of more than a decade would morph into a so-called Dollar Menu & More, which mixes $1, $2 and $5 items. Wendy's made a similar move last year.
- Yum Brands Inc., which owns Taco Bell, said in December that it expects 4% price inflation for beef and other meats in 2014, though the company didn't indicate whether the costs would be passed on to consumers.
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- New York Unveils Dramatic New Storm-Protection Proposals '' Next City
- The New York Metropolitan Area's resiliency arsenal could soon include retractable roll-gates hanging from the FDR Drive, a long chain of manmade barrier islands ten miles offshore, buildings designed to accommodate major floods, revived marshes, fish-filled breakwaters and all sorts of other ingenious interventions.
- This batch of new ideas comes from the Rebuild by Design contest, an initiative of the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development aimed at addressing storm-related structural and environmental vulnerabilities in communities throughout the region.
- Announced last summer, the contest invited planners, architects, scientists and civic organizations to develop proposals for New York City and the surrounding communities. More than 140 teams submitted preliminary ideas to a task force made up of representatives from The Rockefeller Foundation, New York University's Institute for Public Knowledge and other partners. In early August, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced 10 teams that would move on to the next stage of the Rebuild by Design competition. Over the past months, the teams met with local stakeholders and community groups to refine their ideas and formalize plans that are innovative, feasible and responsive to real-world needs. Last week, the proposals were made available for public perusal for the first time.
- For the Bronx neighborhood of Hunts Point, which is home to one of the world's largest food-distribution centers and also ranks as one of the nation's poorest congressional districts, the PennDesign/OLIN teamfocused on protecting critical distribution infrastructure with interventions that would benefit the neighborhood, create living-wage jobs and ensure that vital services could continue and rebound quickly in the event of a disruptive storm. These include adaptable flood-control structures that could serve as ecological breeding grounds, waterfront improvements that would benefit neighborhood residents and commercial tenants, and greenway-styled ''cleanways'' that would minimize pedestrian/truck conflicts and help manage storm-water overflow.
- For Staten Island's South Shore, the SCAPE/Landscape Architecture team wanted to reimagine the relationship between the wave-battered Atlantic coastline and a community brutalized by Hurricane Sandy's storm surge. ''Rather than create a wall between people and water,'' the team writes in their proposal, ''our project embraces the water, increases awareness of risk and steps down that risk with a necklace of breakwaters to buffer against wave damage, flooding and erosion.'' Using what they call ''living breakwaters'' the team wants to protect the developed coastline while providing a habitat for finfish, shellfish and lobsters, as well as calm waters for residents to enjoy. This rethinking of the waterfront, they believe, can not only defend against storms and improve environmental conditions but also foster a new era of waterfront stewardship in the community.
- For Manhattan's flood-prone neighborhoods, the BIGTEAM proposed the BIG U, a series of separate but coordinated projects that would extend along the ten miles of coastline from West 57th Street down around the Battery and up to East 42nd Street. Along the Lower East Side, the team imagines a massive park-topped berm that could protect the low-lying community from rising sea levels. Between the Manhattan Bridge and Montgomery Street, they think ''deployable walls'' could roll down from the elevated FDR to protect the financial district from the East River. From the Battery north, along the Westside, another landscaped berm could help protect tunnel entrances, heavily trafficked roadways and train infrastructure crucial to the community and the city. The BIGTEAM says of their interventions, ''each has a benefit-cost ratio greater than one; and each is flexible, easily phasable, and can be integrated with in-progress developments along the city's waterfront.''
- The Rebuild by Design contest generated similarly targeted plans for Hoboken, NJ, Bridgeport, CT, the Meadowlands, Red Hook, Rockaway and Asbury Park, the Jersey Shore and Nassau County's Atlantic Coast, as well as a strategy to protect the entire region by building a second set of barrier islands ten miles off the coast in the open ocean. The Blue Dunes proposal from WXY/West 8 is supposed to answer the question, ''If we had planned and designed our coasts with coastal processes in mind, would there have been a way to deflect storm-driven surges with a set of barrier islands located offshore in the coastal waters?'' Their answer, unsurprisingly, is yes. And like many of the other proposals, it aims to do double duty by adding wind turbines to the wave-blocking manmade islands.
- Though feasibility is one of the contest's criteria, it's clear that some of the proposals are far more achievable than others. That said, as of April 3, it's up to a panel of expert jurors to pick what will move off the drawing board toward reality. Thankfully, Rebuild by Design isn't a winner-take-all affair. Some, none, or all of these proposals may be implemented with disaster recovery grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as other sources of public and private-sector funding.
-
- Call climate change what it is: violence | Rebecca Solnit | Comment is free | theguardian.com
- Ifyou're poor, the only way you're likely to injure someone is the oldtraditional way: artisanal violence, we could call it '' by hands, by knife, byclub, or maybe modern hands-on violence, by gun or by car.
- But if you'retremendously wealthy, you can practice industrial-scale violence without anymanual labor on your own part. You can, say, build a sweatshop factory thatwill collapse in Bangladesh and kill more people than any hands-on massmurderer ever did, or you can calculate risk and benefit about putting poisonsor unsafe machines into the world, as manufacturers do every day. Ifyou're the leader of a country, you can declare war and kill by the hundreds ofthousands or millions. And the nuclear superpowers '' the US and Russia '' still holdthe option of destroying quite a lot of life on Earth.
- So dothe carbon barons. But when we talk about violence, we almost always talk aboutviolence from below, not above.
- Or so I thought when I received a press releaselast week from a climate group announcing that "scientists say there is a direct link between changing climate and anincrease in violence". What the scientists actually said, in anot-so-newsworthy article in Nature two and a half years ago, is that there is higher conflictin the tropics in El Nino years, and that perhaps this will scale up to makeour age of climate change also an era of civil and international conflict.
- Themessage is that ordinary people will behave badly in an era of intensifiedclimate change.
- All this makes sense, unless you go back to thepremise and note that climate change is itself violence. Extreme, horrific,longterm, widespread violence.
- Climate change is anthropogenic '' caused by humanbeings, some much more than others. We know the consequences of that change:the acidification of oceans and decline of many species in them, the slow disappearanceof island nations such as the Maldives, increased flooding, drought, cropfailure leading to food-price increases and famine, increasingly turbulentweather. (Think Hurricane Sandy and the recent typhoon in the Philippines, andheat waves that kill elderly people by the tens of thousands.)
- Climate change isviolence.
- So if we want to talk about violence and climatechange '' and we are talking about it, after last week's horrifying report from the world's top climate scientists '' then let's talk about climate change as violence. Rather than worrying aboutwhether ordinary human beings will react turbulently to the destruction of thevery means of their survival, let's worry about that destruction '' and theirsurvival. Of course water failure, crop failure, flooding and more will lead to mass migration and climate refugees '' they already have '' andthis will lead to conflict. Those conflicts are being set in motion now.
- You can regard the Arab Spring, in part, as a climateconflict: the increase in wheat prices was one of the triggers for that series ofrevolts that changed the face of northernmost Africa and the Middle East. On the one hand, you can say, how nice if those people had not been hungry in thefirst place. On the other, how can you not say, how great is it that those people stood upagainst being deprived of sustenance and hope? And then you have to look at thesystems that created that hunger - the enormous economic inequalities inplaces such as Egypt and the brutality used to keep down the people at thelower levels of the social system, as well as the weather.
- People revolt when their lives are unbearable.Sometimes material reality creates that unbearableness: droughts, plagues, storms, floods. But food and medical care, health and well-being, access to housing andeducation '' these things are also governed by economic means and government policy. That's what the revolt called Occupy Wall Street was against.
- Climate changewill increase hunger as food prices rise and food production falters, but wealready have widespread hunger on Earth, and much of it is due not to thefailures of nature and farmers, but to systems of distribution. Almost 16m children in the United States now live with hunger, according to the USDepartment of Agriculture, and that is not because the vast, agriculturallyrich United States cannot produce enough to feed all of us. We are a countrywhose distribution system is itself a kind of violence.
- Climate change is not suddenly bringing about anera of equitable distribution. I suspect people will be revolting in the comingfuture against what they revolted against in the past: the injustices of thesystem. They should revolt, and we should be glad they do, if not so glad that they need to. (Though one can hope they'll recognize that violence is not necessarily where their power lies.) One of the events prompting the FrenchRevolution was the failure of the 1788 wheat crop, which made bread prices skyrocketand the poor go hungry. The insurance against such events is often thought tobe more authoritarianism and more threats against the poor, but that's only anattempt to keep a lid on what's boiling over; the other way to go is to turndown the heat.
- The same week during which I received that ill-thought-out press release about climate and violence, Exxon Mobil Corporation issued a policy report. It makes for boring reading, unless you canmake the dry language of business into pictures of the consequences of thoseacts undertaken for profit. Exxon says:
- We are confidentthat none of our hydrocarbon reserves are now or will become 'stranded'. Webelieve producing these assets is essential to meeting growing energy demandworldwide.
- Stranded assets that mean carbon assets '' coal, oil, gas stillunderground '' would become worthless if we decided they could not be extractedand burned in the near future. Because scientists say that we need to leavemost of the world's known carbon reserves in the ground if we are to go for themilder rather than the more extreme versions of climate change. Under themilder version, countless more people '' species, places '' will survive. In the best-case scenario, we damage the Earth less. We are currently wrangling about how much todevastate the Earth.
- In every arena, we need to look at industrial-scale andsystemic violence, not just the hands-on violence of the less powerful. Whenit comes to climate change, this is particularly true. Exxon has decided to betthat we can't make the corporation keep its reserves in the ground, and the company isreassuring its investors that it will continue to profit off the rapid,violent and intentional destruction of the Earth.
- That's a tired phrase, the destruction of the Earth, buttranslate it into the face of a starving child and a barren field '' and thenmultiply that a few million times. Or just picture the tiny bivalves: scallops,oysters, Arctic sea snails that can't form shells in acidifying oceans rightnow. Or another superstorm tearing apart another city. Climate change is global-scale violence, against places and species aswell as against human beings. Once we call it by name, we can start having a realconversation about our priorities and values. Because the revolt against brutality begins with a revolt against the language that hides that brutality.
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- Ukraine F-Russia
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-
- Did Vladimir Putin meet Ronald Reagan as an undercover KGB man? - Telegraph
- According to Pete Souza, President Barack Obama's official photographer, a picture he took in Red Square 21 years ago indicates that Mr Putin was part of a KGB plot to embarrass Reagan on his first ever visit to Moscow.
- While the Kremlin has normally reveled in the release of pictures of Putin, many of them showing him hunting or fishing in a state of undress, officials in Moscow are said to be furious about the emergence of Mr Souza's photograph.
- Political sources said the Kremlin was convinced that the Obama administration had approved the photograph's release in an attempt to smear Mr Putin. The prime minister's official spokesman was unavailable for comment, but Russian experts claimed that the young man dressed in a tight t-shirt with a camera slung around his neck was not Mr Putin.
- Mr Souza, however, is categorical about the authenticity of the photograph. He told National Public Radio in the United States that the incident occurred when Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet general secretary, toured Red Square in the Summer of 1988.
- Mr Souza was a member of the delegation in his capacity as Reagan's official photographer.Reagan was led to a group of Russian tourists who had apparently been positioned in Red Square to unleash a series of pointed questions about America's human rights record.
- Mr Souza says that a secret service officer told him the tourists were in fact "all KGB families."
- "Now what is really interesting is a picture I have in my Reagan book," he said. "Off to the left is one of these tourists with a camera around his shoulder and it has been pointed out to me and verified that that was Putin."
- "As soon as you see the picture you go: 'Oh my gosh, it really is him.'"
- Experts in Moscow, however, are less convinced.
- At the time of Reagan's visit, Mr Putin was serving as a mid-ranking KGB spy in the East German city of Dresden and as such was not important enough to be recalled to Moscow for such a job, unless he was already on holiday.
- Perhaps more tellingly, the man in the photograph appears to have a thicker head of hair than Mr Putin ever did.
- He also seems too thin. Mr Putin claimes that he put on a lot of weight while he was in Dresden because he drank 3.8 litres (6.5 pints) of beer a week.
-
- When Reagan met Putin in Red Square? - The Washington Post
- By Al Kamen, Published: MARCH 06, 12:06 PM ET Aa President Reagan in Red Square in 1988 with, at far left, '... KGBer Vladimir Putin? (White House Photo/ Pete Souza)
- President Obama has been taking heat from Republicans for not being more confrontational with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Crimea. (Like we were in the previous decades when the commies invaded Hungary during Eisenhower and Czechoslovakia during Johnson and Georgia during Bush 2?)
- Inevitably, a photo of President Ronald Reagan touring Red Square with former Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988 has resurfaced, showing Reagan greeting a Russian kid and with someone looking a lot like Vlad himself standing nearby.
- Reagan (and now Obama) White House photographer Pete Souza, who took the photo, recalled in a 2012 interview on NPR that ''there were these differrent groups of quote- unquote tourists'' in Red Square who kept asking Reagan about ''human rights in the United States.''
- Souza said he asked a Secret Service agent how ''how these tourists in the Soviet Union are asking these pointed questions.'' The agent answered: '' Oh, these are all KGB families.''
- Souza said he was told the ''tourist'' with the camera was Putin, '' and it certainly does look like him.''
- placeAd2( commercialNode, 'inline_bb', 'adi', '' );
- Sign InSubscribe(C) Copyright 1996-2013 The Washington Post
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- IMF Downgrades Russia's Economic Prospects Amid Ukraine Tensions
- MOSCOW, April 8 (RIA Novosti) '' The International Monetary Fund said in a report Tuesday that a downgrade in expectations for Russia's economic growth this year is due in part to the recent geopolitical tensions over Ukraine.
- The outlook projected ''lower growth in both Russia and Ukraine, and adverse spillovers to the CIS region.''
- ''Russia's GDP growth is projected to be subdued at 1.3 percent in 2014,'' the IMF said in its latest World Economic Outlook Report, down from the prior estimate of 2 percent. The document stressed that the political turmoil at the beginning of this year and the reunification of Crimea has further affected the already weak growth forecast for Russia.
- The IMF said growth will be negatively impacted by downward pressure on the ruble, greater capital outflows and inflation exceeding last year's target range.
- A possible slowdown is not a uniquely Russian development, as the IMF expects growth in developing regions of Europe to decelerate this year as well. The forecast for Russia sees a risk of further turmoil as possible sanctions may disrupt trade and finance, driving risk-averse investors out of the country.
- The optimistic scenario outlined by the IMF predicts a stronger-than-expected recovery in resource-rich Russia if economic growth in advanced economies keeps oil and gas prices high.
- According to the IMF, Russia should continue to rely on exchange rate flexibility, keep monetary policy focused on anchoring inflation, and maintain a broadly neutral fiscal policy in order to manage the potential effects of financial turmoil and geopolitical tensions.
- The IMF previously lowered Russia's GDP growth forecast for this year from 3 percent to 2 percent.
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- NYTimes: Russia Didn’t Share All Details on Boston Bombing Suspect, Report Says
- The report was produced by the inspector general of the Intelligence Community, which has responsibility for 17 separate agencies,
- and the inspectors general from the Department of Homeland Security,
- the Justice Department and the Central Intelligence Agency. It has not
- been made public, but members of Congress are scheduled to be briefed on
- it Thursday, and some of its findings are expected to be released
- before Tuesday, the first anniversary of the bombings.
- Its contents were described by several senior American officials who spoke
- on the condition of anonymity because the report has not been publicly
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- Google+ NASA Statement re Ukraine
- So why all of you don't blame NASA for not working with North Korea. Kim Jong Un would love to get something from collaboration with NASA and describe this like his win over other countries in the world. That will bring his ruling of the country to alrighty level. Why it's not reasonably if other contries don't disagree and don't even ignore but just collaborate with him..It's really wrong if it's one democratic party vs another tyope of conflict. Science should be independand and just be aside of political mess.But if it's people who just don't think that freedom of every human being is essence of humanity. But absolutely sure that it's even wrong. Because they know who they are and that people allowed them be in charge and be yourself. And that means that all this freedom spreading in the world is just another band like them trying to get more power. So need to go and try 'the same'...
- When you allowing this you making them right.
- The problem of people from US and EU is you don't even have the option in your heads of some things that are just a part of daily life in countries like Russia. You think Russia is just less developed europian country. But it's not even a freaking country, in civilized meaning of this word. It's territory with feodalism in it's purest form. With tsar with a freaking nuclear weapon above society with mentalitet of 17th century. They don't have positive message with everything that they doing right now. Everything is better we than others and whole anti-everything propaganda from society that didn't accoplished NOTHING. And don't want to do it because dont' even understand what they want. There is no ideology in the country. Part of them want communism, another part second nazi regime. The only thing that almost 100% of them hate is fredom (democracy and capitalism).
- Would be better if NASA broke connections with Russia in ISS program either. Or who knows, some one could go to the ISS mission with one citizenship and back from the flight with a few wierd abrasions and another passport. And his capsule on the ISS would change the flag either. Because someday it was Russian capsule.
- ps: I'm a ukrainian, who speaks whole life on russian and who lives in really scary distance from Crimea, between closest russian borders and Crimea..(Btw i'm sorry for my awful English.)+1
-
- Actual NASA internal email
- Given Russia's ongoing violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and
- territorial integrity, until further notice, the U.S. Government has
- determined that all NASA contacts with Russian Government representatives
- are suspended, unless the activity has been specifically excepted. This
- suspension includes NASA travel to Russia and visits by Russian Government
- representatives to NASA facilities, bilateral meetings, email, and
- teleconferences or videoconferences. At the present time, only operational
- International Space Station activities have been excepted. In addition,
- multilateral meetings held outside of Russia that may include Russian
- participation are not precluded under the present guidance. If
- desired, our office will assist in communication with Russian entities
- regarding this suspension of activities. Specific questions regarding the
- implementation of this guidance can be directed to Ms. Meredith McKay,
- or meredith.mckay@nasa.gov, in our office.
- We remain in close contact with the Department of State and other U.S.
- Government departments and agencies. If the situation changes, further
- guidance will be disseminated.
-
- Ripples From Crimea In Space: U.S. Seeks To End Reliance On Russian Engines For Satellite Launches - Forbes.
- Log in with your social account:Or, you can log in or sign up using Forbes.New Posts+7 posts this hourMost PopularAmerica's Richest CountiesListsThe Midas ListVideoThe Biz Behind FenwayThe One Stock to BUY in AprilHelp|Connect
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- TTIP Negotiations change topics [email]
- About a month or so ago I sent you a note about a classmate of mine that is
- a trade negotiator for the EPA and the assertion she had made to me that
- TTIP had nothing to do with LNG, but rather was predominantly about
- property rights. Your response, in keeping with the most recent podcast,
- was that government employees are deliberately kept compartmentalized so
- that no one person has the whole picture and can root out the high level
- Imagine my surprise Friday morning when she came into class, saw me and
- immediately ran up to me saying, "Ooh ooh, Brian, I have to tell you
- something ..." According to her the TTIP discussions in which she is
- involved have changed completely since Russia invaded Crimea. It is now
- 100% about LNG exports - who's going to get what volume, when, pricing,
- distribution, you name it.
- From a strategic standpoint, your theory coupled with how this has all
- played out in recent months makes perfect sense. As you suggest, the US
- wants this all along, but cannot admit to it overtly, because this would
- naturally be labeled as yet another war, in a long list of wars, fought
- over fossil fuels. There needs to be exigent circumstances that you can
- plausibly claim as your actual motivation. Now it's OK to reveal the real
- motivation behind TTIP, and trying to gain fasttrack authority for its
- approval btw, because from a marketing standpoint you can position it as
- fulfilling our NATO obligations rather than a naked attempt to corner the
- Following this same model, my question for you is: what are the
- distribution channels by which Russia et al deliver LNG to the APAC region
- and how do we create the same exigent circumstances for intervention in
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- AP Interview: US troops may be sent to E Europe
- PARIS (AP) '-- NATO's top military commander in Europe, drafting countermoves to the Russian military threat against Ukraine, said Wednesday they could include deployment of American troops to alliance member states in Eastern Europe now feeling at risk.
- U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove told The Associated Press he wouldn't "write off involvement by any nation, to include the United States."
- Foreign ministers of the 28-nation alliance have given Breedlove until Tuesday to propose steps to reassure NATO members nearest Russia that other alliance countries have their back.
- "Essentially what we are looking at is a package of land, air and maritime measures that would build assurance for our easternmost allies," Breedlove told the AP. "I'm tasked to deliver this by next week. I fully intend to deliver it early."
- Asked again if American soldiers might be sent to NATO's front-line states closest to Russia, the four-star U.S. general said, "I would not write off contributions from any nation."
- In March, Russian troops took control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, whose inhabitants then voted in a referendum to secede and join Russia. The U.S. and other Western countries have accused Moscow of massing troops on Ukraine's border to maintain the pressure on the government in Kiev, and possibly for military use.
- Speaking at the end of a NATO conference in Paris, Breedlove told the AP the Russian armed presence near Ukraine's frontier continues unabated.
- To illustrate his point, the general's staff provided the AP with a set of commercial satellite photographs they said showed Russian warplanes, combat helicopters, armor, artillery and a probable airborne or special forces brigade deployed in locations east of the Ukraine-Russian border, including along the coastline of the Sea of Azov.
- A defense analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, reviewed the satellite images and said the forces depicted in them don't appear to be involved in training exercises.
- They appear to be "in combat readiness," Anthony Cordesman said.
- But he said it's unclear from the images how much of a buildup of Russian forces there has been in the border area.
- "They show there is a mixture of light and heavy forces and that they could go quickly" if ordered into Ukraine, and that they include forces to provide air mobility, according to Cordesman. "But that's all they show," he said.
- The commercial provider of the photographs, DigitalGlobe, said they were taken in late March.
- "What we see there is a force of about 40,000," Breedlove said. "I would characterize it as a combined arms army. In other words, this is an army that has all of the provisioning and enablers that it needs to accomplish military objectives if given them."
- The Russians' assets include fixed and rotary wing aircraft, artillery, field hospitals, communications and jamming gear, he said.
- Kremlin objectives remain unclear, the NATO commander said. The force could stand pat and intimidate Ukraine solely by its presence, drive south to create a land bridge with Crimea, push along the Black Sea coast to the Ukrainian port city of Odessa and the largely Russian Trans-Dniester enclave of Moldova, or invade other areas of eastern Ukraine where ethnic Russians are demanding unity with Russia, he said.
- However the Russian contingent might ultimately be used, it's "ready to go essentially at command. We talk about inside of 12 hours," Breedlove said.
- NATO has already reinforced its Baltic air patrols and is performing daily AWACs surveillance flights over Poland and Romania. Breedlove said he has already received enough pledges of maritime assets from NATO member states to carry out beefed-up maritime operations through the end of the year.
- "The tougher piece is, how do we do the assurance piece on the land," the general said. "Because these are measures which are more costly (and) if not done correctly, might appear provocative. And everything we are trying to do in the air, on the ground and at sea we are trying to completely characterize as defensive in nature."
- "There is not a shortage of what we can use. It's how do we use this in a measured way that indicates defensive capability so that we don't provoke. And that's what we will be working on," Breedlove said before departing for NATO's military headquarters near Mons, Belgium.
- AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report from Washington.
-
- NATO commander says US troops may be deployed to Europe over Ukrainian crisis | End the Lie '' Independent News
- The United States Air Force commander in charge of the NATO alliance's military presence in Europe said on Wednesday this week that US troops may soon be deployed to the region as tensions continue to worsen near the border between Ukraine and Russia.
- In an interview with the Associated Press, US Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove said that forthcoming plans intended to ensure stability in Europe for the NATO partners in the area could involve the mobilizing of American troops.
- Representatives from the 28 countries involved in the multinational organization have asked Breedlove '-- a four-star general who has since last year served as the supreme allied commander of NATO's European operations '-- to have a plan ready by early next week, according to the AP's John-Thor Dahlburg, to reassure partners in the region ''that other alliance countries have their back.''
- Breedlove told the newswire that he has every intention of unveiling his proposal ahead of next Tuesday's deadline, and that he wouldn't ''write off involvement by any nation, to include the United States.''
- When asked by the AP for clarification about the potential for US military involvement, Breedlove reportedly reiterated, ''I would not write off contributions from any nation.''
- NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove (Image from wikipedia.org)
- The general's remarks come in the midst of an ongoing uprising in Ukraine that led to the ousting of that country's president earlier this year in February and has escalated ever since.
- Last month, people in the adjacent Crimean peninsula overwhelmingly voted to sever ties with Ukraine and align with Russia amid a growing rift between nationalists and separatists in the region, and shortly afterwards Russia formally accepted the results of that referendum.
- But concerns about further escalation have been rampant in the days since, with Breedlove saying last week that Russia had not only amassed roughly 40,000 troops near the federation's border with eastern Ukraine, but also has the resources to invade and annex that portion of the country as well in the span of just three to five days. Then over the weekend, pro-Russian protesters seized government buildings in the Ukrainian cities of Donetsk, Lugansk and Kharkov, rekindling concerns of a potential split in the country's mainland.
- Also on Wednesday this week, Russia's Foreign Ministry said that both the Ukraine and US have ''no reason for concern'' about the heightened presence of forces in the region, and that ''Russia has repeatedly stated that it does not conduct unusual or unplanned activities which are militarily significant on its territory near the border with Ukraine.''
- Meanwhile, Breedlove suggested that the situation there remains as serious as ever.
- ''What we see there is a force of about 40,000,'' he told the AP following a NATO conference Wednesday in Paris, Dahlburg reported. ''I would characterize it as a combined arms army. In other words, this is an army that has all of the provisioning and enabling that it needs to accomplish military objectives if given them.''
- At the same time, though, the AP reported that Russia's objectives remained unclear to Breedlove, and could result in any which action upon the directive of Moscow.
- ''The force could stand pat and intimidate Ukraine solely by its presence, drive south to create a land bridge with Crimea, push along the Black Sea coast to the Ukrainian port city of Odessa and the largely Russian Trans-Dniester enclave of Moldova or invade areas of eastern Ukraine where ethnic Russians are also demanding unity with Russia,'' Dahlburg said of the commander's concerns.
- Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said, ''We're always vigilant and we're always looking at the options that we need to take.''
- The NATO member-states of Romania, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary all share international boundary lines with Ukraine, though are at a minimum 500 miles away from the country's border with Russia where tensions continue to worsen.
- Top Search Terms Used to Find This Page:Help Spread Alternative News
-
- NATO's aggression against Russia and the danger of war in Europe - World Socialist Web Site
- 7 April 2014Since they mounted a coup in Kiev on February 22 with the aid of oligarchs and fascists, the United States and its allies in NATO have outlined measures against Russia that are tantamount to an unofficial declaration of war. In the space of just six weeks, the NATO powers have gone from helping stage a putsch, to imposing sanctions against Russia, to the most extensive military build-up in Europe since the Cold War.
- The speed of these developments testifies to the fact that the coup against the Yanukovych regime was not the unexpected catalytic event it was made out to be, but a provocation carried out for the purpose of implementing plans long in preparation.
- This was made clear by last week's NATO foreign ministers summit, which set out plans for the military alliance's expansion up to Russia's borders, including extensive war games and the possible stationing of troops within neighbouring states.
- Washington has led demands for a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to be offered not only to Ukraine, but also the former Yugoslav republics of Bosnia, Montenegro and Macedonia, and the former Russian republic of Georgia.
- In 2008, at the time of the five-day war between Russia and Georgia, President George W. Bush was forced to back off from plans to admit Georgia to NATO, in large part because the move was opposed by Germany and France. The two European powers feared it would escalate the conflict between Russia and Georgia into a direct war with Russia.
- This time, however, the plan to incorporate Georgia and Ukraine is supported by the European Union as part of a drive to intensify the confrontation with Moscow. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has repeatedly referenced Article 5 of the bloc's treaty, requiring all member states to come of the aid of another member state under attack. Given the right-wing, rabidly anti-Russian character of the Georgian and Ukrainian regimes, they will be only too willing to provide such a pretext.
- The MAP is to be discussed in July and the intent of the United States is that it be implemented as early as September. Military exercises are planned or are underway involving Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Poland, as well as other states in the Baltics and the Caucasus. Most provocative are two exercises agreed to take place on Ukraine's territory'--Rapid Trident and Sea Breeze.
- Poland has played a key role in NATO's plans, having revived previous proposals to install a US-designed multi-million-dollar ''missile shield.'' The government has now appealed for the stationing of 10,000 NATO troops on its soil.
- Discussions are underway in ruling circles in Finland and Sweden to end their official neutrality and join NATO, in what Stockholm has described as a ''doctrinal shift'' in defence policy.
- In Orwellian fashion, this campaign of military encirclement is being justified with unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims of a build-up of Russian forces on Ukraine's border. The purpose of this propaganda is to portray Moscow as the aggressor, even though President Barack Obama has dismissed it as a ''weak,'' merely ''regional'' power.
- As in the case of Iraq, Libya and Syria, such lies are meant to legitimize a sustained programme of imperialist re-armament, particularly in Europe.
- The modus vivendi between imperialism and the capitalist oligarchies that emerged a quarter century ago in China and the USSR is rapidly unraveling. Beset by crisis, the major imperialist powers are no longer prepared to reconcile themselves to the bourgeoisie in Moscow and Beijing enjoying even relative autonomy. They are demanding direct access to the vast resources and markets that exist within the borders of Russia and China and the reduction of both countries to semi-colonial status.
- The inexorable logic of this reckless policy is war.
- To this end, Washington is demanding that Europe's governments, above all Germany, step up to the mark. Obama hectored NATO members in his recent speech in Brussels, declaring, ''We've got to be willing to pay for the assets, personnel and training required to make sure we have a credible NATO force and an effective deterrent force'... Everyone has to be chipping in.''
- Of the major European countries, only the UK and France presently meet the NATO requirement to spend 2.0 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on the military. Since 1998, military spending has declined in every European country, with Germany's falling by 50 percent. To reverse such cuts and allow for increases would require the elimination of vast areas of public spending, under conditions where Europe has already been subjected to six years of austerity.
- The turn to militarism demands a dramatic escalation in the assault on the democratic and social rights of the working class. There is overwhelming opposition to the war plans of Washington, Berlin, London and Paris. To impose more ''sacrifices'' and dragoon a new generation into the armed forces will require the full coercive powers of the state.
- A warning must be sounded about the open embrace of far-right and fascist forces in Ukraine by the US and the European powers. After decades in which Europe's governments proclaimed that the continent would ''never again'' witness the rule of the swastika, forces that glorify Hitler's Ukrainian accomplices are being cultivated for use against the working class.
- These developments underscore the timeliness of the intervention by the Socialist Equality Parties in Britain and Germany in May's European elections.
- In their joint manifesto for the European elections, they warn: ''On the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, Europe once again stands on the brink of disaster.'' The competing ambitions of the imperialist powers, the statement continues, have led to a situation in which ''a tiny spark would again suffice'--as in the 1914 assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo'--to turn a regional conflict into a global conflagration.''
- The working class must mobilize its unified, international strength to prevent the imperialist ruling classes from plunging mankind into the catastrophe of a nuclear World War III. This requires the development of a mass movement based on socialist policies against the European Union and all of its constituent governments. It means a struggle to bring an end to the capitalist profit system and its division of the world into antagonistic nation states'--the source of war'--and establish the United Socialist States of Europe.
- Chris Marsden and Julie Hyland
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- NATO - Topic: Membership Action Plan (MAP)
- The Membership Action Plan (MAP) is a NATO programme of advice, assistance and practical support tailored to the individual needs of countries wishing to join the Alliance. Participation in the MAP does not prejudge any decision by the Alliance on future membership.
- Current participants in the MAP are the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1, which has been participating in the MAP since 1999, and Montenegro, which was invited to join in December 2009. Welcoming progress made in its reform efforts, in April 2010, the Allies formally invited Bosnia and Herzegovina to join the MAP with one important condition: the first Annual National Programme under the MAP will only be accepted by NATO once a key remaining issue concerning immovable defence property has been resolved.
- Countries participating in the MAP submit individual annual national programmes on their preparations for possible future membership. These cover political, economic, defence, resource, security and legal aspects.
- The MAP process provides a focused and candid feedback mechanism on aspirant countries' progress on their programmes. This includes both political and technical advice, as well as annual meetings between all NATO members and individual aspirants at the level of the North Atlantic Council to assess progress, on the basis of an annual progress report. A key element is the defence planning approach for aspirants, which includes elaboration and review of agreed planning targets.
- Throughout the year, meetings and workshops with NATO civilian and military experts in various fields allow for discussion of the entire spectrum of issues relevant to membership.
- The MAP was launched in April 1999 at the Alliance's Washington Summit to help countries aspiring to NATO membership in their preparations. The process drew heavily on the experience gained during the accession process of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, which had joined NATO in the Alliance's first post-Cold War round of enlargement in 1999.
- Participation in the MAPParticipation in the MAP has helped prepare the seven countries that joined NATO in the second post-Cold War round of enlargement in 2004 (Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) as well as Albania and Croatia, which joined in April 2009.
- The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1 continues to participate in the MAP '' Allied leaders have agreed to invite the country to become a member as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the issue over the country's name has been reached with Greece.
- When NATO foreign ministers invited Montenegro to join the MAP in December 2009, they also assured Bosnia and Herzegovina that it will be able to join once it has achieved the necessary progress in its reform efforts.
- In April 2010, NATO foreign ministers at their meeting in Tallinn, reviewed progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina's reform efforts and invited the country to join the Membership Action Plan. However, they authorized the North Atlantic Council to accept the country's first Annual National Programme only when the immovable property issue has been resolved.
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- Putin orders crackdown on NGOs after Ukraine
- MOSCOW - Agence France-Presse
- Russia's President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a session of the board of the FSB security service in Moscow April 7, 2014. REUTERS Photo
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a crackdown on "destructive" non-government organisations, saying such groups were behind the mass protests that brought down Ukraine's government. Moscow has repeatedly accused the new authorities in Kiev and the protesters who toppled pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych of being extremists, nationalists and even "Nazis". On Monday Putin told senior officials at Russia's FSB security service, the successor to the KGB, that "nationalist and neo-Nazi structures and fighters" in Ukraine had been financed from abroad through non-government organisations (NGOs). "Russian legislation creates every condition for transparent free activities by NGOs, but we will never let them be used for destructive aims the way it happened in Ukraine," Putin said. "We need to see a difference between civilised opposition to the authorities and serving others' national interests to the detriment of one's own country," Putin said in remarks released by the Kremlin. Since returning to the Kremlin for a third term in 2012, Putin has tightened controls over NGOs, signing legislation forcing those with international funding to register themselves as "foreign agents." In February, seven activists who took part in a rally against Putin's return to the Kremlin were jailed for up to four years and a prominent environmentalist who criticised the impact of the Sochi Olympics was jailed for three years over a protest. Putin, who served as a KGB agent in East Germany, headed the service's post-Soviet successor, the FSB, between 1998 and 1999.
- PHOTO GALLERYApril/07/2014
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- Putin says West may use NGOs to stir unrest in Russia - Yahoo News
- MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin told his security chiefs on Monday to ensure Russia does not follow what he said was Ukraine's example by letting the West use local civil rights groups to foment unrest.
- In a speech to the Federal Security Service (FSB), the KGB's main successor, the former spy called for more vigilance and better counter-intelligence to fight threats ranging from Islamist militants to computer hackers.
- But he signalled particularly deep mistrust of the West following protests that toppled Ukraine's Moscow-backed leader in February during the worst crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War ended in 1991.
- Accusing the West of funding radical groups in Ukraine that helped to topple President Viktor Yanukovich, he expressed concern that Russia also faced a threat from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) "serving foreign national interests".
- "Russia's laws today give us the conditions we need for non-governmental and public organisations to work freely and transparently. But we will never accept their being used for destructive purposes," he said.
- Pro-Russian activists gather in front of an entrance of the Ukrainian regional office of the Securit '...
- "We will not accept a situation like what happened in Ukraine, when in many cases it was through non-governmental organisations that the nationalist and neo-Nazi groups and militants, who became the shock troops in the anti-constitutional coup d'(C)tat, received funding from abroad."
- Western leaders have dismissed such criticism, mainly aimed at the United States and the European Union, and blame Putin for causing the crisis in East-West relations by annexing the Crimea region from Ukraine on March 21.
- The West says Putin has already clamped down on NGOs to try to silence dissent, a charge the Kremlin denies.
- Soon after returning to the presidency in 2012, Putin approved a law tightening controls on NGOs funded from abroad, forcing any organisation that engages in "political activity" to register as a "foreign agent", a derogatory term harking back to the Cold War.
- A NATO aircraft takes off from a base in Geilenkirchen near the German-Dutch border on April 2, 2014 '...
- It was not immediately clear whether his comments on Monday meant such groups would face new pressure, or whether other civil rights and lobby groups will now face harsh treatment from the FSB.
- Putin, who ran the FSB in the late 1990s and served as a KGB agent in East Germany, said 46 employees of foreign secret services had been uncovered by the FSB in Russia last year. That was an increase of almost one-third on 2012.
- The speech continued the conservative tone of Putin's statements since the crisis began over Crimea but he made few specific references to events on the Black Sea peninsula apart from underlining the need for the FSB to operate there.
- He also made no reference to accusations by the West that he was behind separatist protests in eastern Ukraine on Monday.
- As well as stressing the threat from militants waging an insurgency for an Islamist state in Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus, Putin urged the FSB to develop Russia's border infrastructure in the Arctic, but gave no details.
- He also called for the FSB to step up operations on the southern border as U.S. and other troops leave Afghanistan, and said allies in Central Asia may need help to prevent destabilisation in the region.
- (Reporting by Timothy Heritage; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
- Politics & GovernmentPresident Vladimir PutinRussiaFederal Security ServiceUkraine
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- US sends warship to Black Sea amid Ukraine crisis | News , International | THE DAILY STAR
- WASHINGTON: The United States is sending a guided missile destroyer to the Black Sea in order to reassure European allies in the region following Russia's annexation of Crimea, sources confirmed on Monday.
- "We have decided to send a ship into the Black Sea. We expect it will arrive there within a week," said Pentagon spokesman colonel Steven Warren, without disclosing the name or type of the vessel citing "operational security."
- A Department of Defense official confirmed to AFP the warship being sent to the region was the USS Donald Cook, a guided missile destroyer.
- The boat was recently upgraded to make it capable of firing SM-3 missiles, allowing the ship to function as part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.
- The boat has been deployed at the Spanish naval base in Rota in order to serve as part of the proposed NATO missile shield.
- NATO insists the missile shield is a purely defensive system designed to counter potential missile threats from nations such as Iran. However it has long been a source of tension between NATO and Russia, which sees the project as a threat to its own security.
- Warren insisted the deployment of the Donald Cook was meant only to reassure regional allies.
- "The purpose is primarily to reassure our allies and partners in the region that we're committed to the region," he said.
- "We're still planning the details of our operations in the Black Sea but we expect port calls and exercises with other Black Sea nations."
- None of the planned exercises would take place in Ukrainian ports, according to Warren.
- Another American destroyer, USS Truxtun, was sent to the Black Sea when the crisis between Russia and Ukraine erupted but left the region on March 21.
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- President of Russia
- 1/6Photo: the Presidential Press and Information OfficeMeeting with Government members. April 9, 2014Full captionFull caption|||Minimise
- Photo: the Presidential Press and Information Office| Meeting with Government members.|Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region|April 9, 2014|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/big/41d4d152c4084678f7b0.jpeg|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/medium/41d4d152c40fd8ed669a.jpegPhoto: the Presidential Press and Information Office| At a meeting with Government members.|Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region|April 9, 2014|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/big/41d4d151b126fee77c56.jpeg|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/medium/41d4d151b12e6d054197.jpegPhoto: the Presidential Press and Information Office| Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.|Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region|April 9, 2014|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/big/41d4d152f54fe2cac448.jpeg|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/medium/41d4d152f557615b4d7d.jpegPhoto: the Presidential Press and Information Office| Meeting with Government members. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov.|Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region|April 9, 2014|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/big/41d4d152ec00a5591ea5.jpeg|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/medium/41d4d152ec0820b444fb.jpegPhoto: the Presidential Press and Information Office| Meeting with Government members. Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Board Vitaly Markelov.|Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region|April 9, 2014|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/big/41d4d152e1aa9c24eb0b.jpeg|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/medium/41d4d152e1b23088fda3.jpegPhoto: the Presidential Press and Information Office| Meeting with Government members.|Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region|April 9, 2014|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/big/41d4d151ac674c44bb71.jpeg|http://eng.news.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/medium/41d4d151ac6ede22ba74.jpegVladimir Putin met with members of the Government to discuss the situation in Ukraine and prospects for developing economic ties between the two countries, in particular in the energy sector.
- Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Presidential Aide Andrei Belousov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, Energy Minister Alexander Novak, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev, and Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Board Vitaly Markelov.
- PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR PUTIN: Good afternoon, colleagues.
- We are here to look at what further steps we can and should take to develop our economic ties with Ukraine, which is one of our key partners. We see the complex internal political processes underway there, and I hope that the Russian Foreign Ministry's initiatives to bring the situation into balance and change it for the better will bear fruit and produce a positive result. In any event, I hope that the people holding interim office there at the various levels will not do anything that can't be corrected later if need be. The economy is always at the foundation of all relations though, so let's take a closer look at this side of things now.
- The first matter I want to address today '' something I want to raise with our Economic Development Minister '' is that at the last Russia-EU summit in Brussels, we agreed with our European Union partners that we would begin dialogue at the senior expert and ministerial level between Russia and the European Commission on Ukraine's possible conclusion of an Association Agreement with the EU. Our partners in Brussels recognised that this possibility does have a substantial impact on Russia's economic interests, and they agreed to hold the necessary consultations with us.
- I know that our Economic Development Minister visited Brussels just recently and took part in consultations there. I would like to hear from you about their results.
- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ALEXEI ULYUKAYEV: Mr President, we have started work. Two expert-level meetings took place in February and March. On March 14, I went to Brussels and met with the European Commission trade commissioner, Mr De Gucht, and his colleagues. We discussed the risks that we think would arise should Ukraine sign an agreement on a free trade zone and associated membership in the European Union.
- We examined two groups of risks. One group arises from having customs tariffs between Ukraine and the EU all but eliminated practically overnight. We think that this would lead to European products pushing Ukrainian-made goods into the Russian market.
- VLADIMIRPUTIN: From the Ukrainian market?
- ALEXEIULYUKAYEV: Yes, from the Ukrainian market into the Russian market. Higher quality European goods would take over niches there, and Ukrainian producers would be forced to move on into markets elsewhere.
- The second problem concerns technical regulations. European standards and technical regulations would make it impossible for producers to sell these goods not just on the EU market, but on the Ukrainian market too.
- The third problem is that it opens the possibility of goods from third countries being brought into Russia via Ukrainian territory. From our point of view, this would create a considerable and unmanageable risk of increased imports of various sensitive goods, and this would in turn substantially worsen the situation for our domestic producers.
- The second group of risks is linked to the fact that Russia and Ukraine are bound by around 400 agreements of various types. Some of these are bilateral agreements, others are multilateral agreements signed within the CIS framework. At least 38 of these agreements are of great importance for our trade and economic relations. They include agreements on standards, certification, veterinary, plant quarantine, phytosanitary control, and pharmacology agreements, agreements on evaluating goods that carry potential risks and so on. This is a critically important matter.
- These agreements and the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine cover pretty much the same range of subjects in their regulations. What's more, a provision in chapter 39 of the draft Association Agreement would require Ukraine to essentially withdraw from these agreements, and this makes it impossible for Ukraine to at once enter associated membership with the EU and also continue to apply the agreements it has with us. In other words, Ukraine is being pushed into either violating these agreements or withdrawing from them unilaterally. Both options create risks and would bring chaos to our trade and economic relations and make it impossible to keep them going as normal.
- We think that we have provided sufficient argument to support our position. We set out our concerns, but encountered what I would call a non-constructive, if not to say demonstratively non-constructive, approach. As far as the risks for producers are concerned, our European colleagues say that they think these risks are exaggerated and would have little impact on Russian producers and the Russian economy. Regarding the agreements, they say that it is up to Ukraine to decide how it wishes to regulate its relations with Russia or with other parties to these bilateral and multilateral agreements. They say this is Ukraine's affair and they are not giving any recommendations or sending any new signals. This was the position we encountered, and it was set out in such a way as to preclude further discussion.
- VLADIMIR PUTIN: I see. Have you agreed to continue these consultations?
- ALEXEIULYUKAYEV: The discussions will not continue. Furthermore, our European colleagues even issued a press release stating that they see no reason at the moment to continue this discussion.
- VLADIMIR PUTIN: That is a shame.
- What is happening with industrial cooperation? How is work with Ukrainian companies going?
- INDUSTRY AND TRADE MINISTER DENIS MANTUROV: Mr President, Ukrainian companies are clearly not going through the best of times at the moment, but they are fulfilling their cooperation agreements with Russian companies. This concerns deliveries of spare parts for the defence industry too. Furthermore, we have agreements concerning more than 3,000 items on each side this year. We have a parity relationship as far as reciprocal deliveries of spare parts are concerned.
- To date, there have been no disruptions to deliveries. At the same time we do have big concerns, not about the manufacturing companies themselves, but about Ukrainian state agencies and the possibility that they might impose restrictions. In particular, just a few days ago, Ukroboronprom, which is responsible for regulating defence industry matters, issued a directive requiring companies supplying spare parts to Russia to get additional permissions. But to date, there have been no disruptions to deliveries.
- We have made a thorough study of the main types of goods that we receive from Ukraine and we conclude that we do not have any great dependence on supplies from Ukraine. If Ukraine does impose restrictions, our companies will be able to replace in full the goods that we currently receive through our cooperation with Ukraine.
- VLADIMIR PUTIN: Is the Russian side being disciplined about making advance payments for the goods?
- DENIS MANTUROV: We are carrying out all of the contractual obligations that we signed with our colleagues and are making all advance payments on time, as set out in the contracts.
- VLADIMIR PUTIN: Roughly, how much do the orders Russia has placed with Ukrainian companies come to?
- DENIS MANTUROV: We are talking of orders worth billions of dollars, orders in both the civilian sector and the defence sector. In total, they come to more than $15 billion.
- VLADIMIR PUTIN: Let's proceed as follows. I ask you to ensure that all contractual obligations with our Ukrainian partners are met without fail. But we need to be prepared for all possible developments, including in terms of having to replace imports. We need to look ahead and work out which Russian companies, in what timeframe, and at what cost could produce these goods at their own facilities. I ask you therefore to come here tomorrow with the directors of our leading companies '' you can set the list of these directors yourselves '' to have a meeting with me to discuss these matters.
- Without question, if this situation does arise, we will have to come up with extra resources. I think that if this does happen, we would need to make some adjustments to the state defence procurement orders and to our defence industry development plans. I ask you to draft the relevant proposals.
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- It's not Russia that is destabilising Ukraine | Sergei Lavrov | Comment is free | The Guardian
- A rally for a secession referendum in Lenin Square, Donetsk, Ukraine. Photograph: ITAR-TASS/Barcroft Media
- The profound and pervasive crisis in Ukraine is a matter of grave concern for Russia. We understand perfectly well the position of a country which became independent just over 20 years ago and still faces complex tasks in constructing a sovereign state. Among them is the search for a balance of interests among its various regions, the peoples of which have different historical and cultural roots, speak different languages and have different perspectives on their past and present, and their country's future place in the world.
- Given these circumstances, the role of external forces should have been to help Ukrainians protect the foundations of civil peace and sustainable development, which are still fragile. Russia has done more than any other country to support the independent Ukrainian state, including for many years subsidising its economy through low energy prices. Last November, at the outset of the current crisis, we supported Kiev's wish for urgent consultations between Ukraine, Russia and the EU to discuss harmonising the integration process. Brussels flatly rejected it. This stand reflected the unproductive and dangerous line the EU and US have been taking for a long time. They have been trying to compel Ukraine to make a painful choice between east and west, further aggravating internal differences.
- Ukraine's realities notwithstanding, massive support was provided to political movements promoting western influence, and it was done in direct breach of the Ukrainian constitution. This is what happened in 2004, when President Viktor Yushchenko won an unconstitutional third round of elections introduced under EU pressure. This time round, power in Kiev was seized undemocratically, through violent street protests conducted with the direct participation of ministers and other officials from the US and EU countries.
- Assertions that Russia has undermined efforts to strengthen partnerships on the European continent do not correspond to the facts. On the contrary, our country has steadily promoted a system of equal and indivisible security in the Euro-Atlantic area. We proposed signing a treaty to that effect, and advocated the creation of a common economic and human space from the Atlantic to the Pacific which would also be open to post-Soviet countries.
- In the meantime, western states, despite their repeated assurances to the contrary, have carried out successive waves of Nato enlargement, moved the alliance's military infrastructure eastward and begun to implement antimissile defence plans. The EU's Eastern Partnership programme is designed to bind the so-called focus states tightly to itself, shutting down the possibility of co-operation with Russia. Attempts by those who staged the secession of Kosovo from Serbia and of Mayotte from the Comoros to question the free will of Crimeans cannot be viewed as anything but a flagrant display of double standards. No less troubling is the pretence of not noticing that the main danger for the future of Ukraine is the spread of chaos by extremists and neo-Nazis.
- Russia is doing all it can to promote early stabilisation in Ukraine. We are firmly convinced that this can be achieved through, among other steps: real constitutional reform, which would ensure the legitimate rights of all Ukrainian regions and respond to demands from its south-eastern region to make Russian the state's second official language; firm guarantees on Ukraine's non-aligned status enshrined in its laws, thus ensuring its role as a connecting link in an indivisible European security architecture; and urgent measures to halt activity by illegal armed formations of the Right Sector and other ultra-nationalist groups.
- We are not imposing anything on anyone, we just see that if it is not done, Ukraine will continue to spiral into crisis with unpredictable consequences. We stand ready to join international efforts aimed at achieving these goals. We support the appeal by foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland to implement the 21 February agreement. Their proposal '' to hold Russia-EU talks with the participation of Ukraine and other Eastern Partnership states about the consequences of EU association agreements '' corresponds to our position.
- The world of today is not a junior school where teachers assign punishments at will. Belligerent statements such as those heard at the Nato foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on 1 April do not match demands for a de-escalation. De-escalation should begin with rhetoric. It is time to stop the groundless whipping-up of tension, and to return to serious common work.
- ' This article was amended on 8 April 2014. The sixth paragraph originally referred to "firm guarantees on Ukraine's non-aligned status to be enshrined in its laws". This was changed to "firm guarantees on Ukraine's non-aligned status enshrined in its laws" as its status is already enshrined in law.
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- Ukrainian regime announces massive utility price hikes
- By Andrea Peters10 April 2014Last week, the new Western-backed regime in Ukraine announced massive price hikes in utilities. The increases to the cost of natural gas for cooking and home heating will drive millions of families in Ukraine into poverty. The government of Arseniy Yatsenyuk, which came to power in a US-backed coup in February, states that the hikes are necessary to meet the country's budgetary constraints and the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- Starting May 1, Ukrainian households will be hit with a 40 percent average increase in their gas bills. This will be followed by another 40 percent hike in 2015, and 20 percent in each of the two subsequent years.
- Overall, the government promises to raise the average cost of gas by 120 percent over a four-year span, although commentators note that the total rise relative to what customers are currently paying may be much larger. It is unclear whether subsequent increases will be based on the 2014 price or the consecutively elevated prices year-over-year.
- The increase that households will have to pay is pegged to their usage levels, such that the largest consumers will see the biggest overall hikes. According to news reports, Minister of Finance Oleksandr Shlapak previously indicated that the cabinet wished to jack up the average cost by 73 percent.
- The spiraling charges for utilities will devastate the country's working class. According to the online news site Glavred, utility costs for a one-room apartment in the country will now be about 450 hryvnia ($38) a month, and for a two-room apartment about 720 hryvnia ($61) a month. The average monthly wage in the Ukraine is just 3,600 hryvnia ($304), and the average pension just 1,500 hryvnia ($127).
- The government acknowledges that the policy will drive another 2.6 to 3 million families'--about 9 to 12 million people'--into poverty, but insists that this disaster will be mitigated by the fact that these households will now be eligible for subsidies to offset the price hikes to utilities. Announcing the measure, Yatsenyuk boasted that fully 30 percent of the country's population will now fall within the limits to receive state support to cover their utility costs, implying that this should be regarded as a sign of the government's concern for citizens' well-being.
- The criteria for receiving the subsidy are extremely onerous. A household will have to demonstrate that its total average monthly income for the preceding six months did not exceed 1,710 hryvnia ($144) per working adult, and slightly less per dependent, officially registered as living in the domicile. For example, a household with two working adults and one child would have to be able to prove that it made well under $500 a month over the previous half-year to be eligible for the subsidy.
- Pensioner Lyudmila Zagropulko from Kharkov told Glavred, ''In the winter I pay about 800 hryvnia ($68) for utilities. My pension is 1,800 hryvnia ($153). I can't count on the subsidy; my daughter is registered as living in the apartment, but she actually lives in Kiev and she can't really help.'' Her daughter explained, ''I would return to Kharkov, but there's no work for me there.''
- Vladimir Groysman, minister of regional development, construction and utilities, demanded that the population accept the belt-tightening. ''The price hike is a necessary step,'' he declared, ''and we as citizens have to relate to this with understanding. It is very clear that the prices for utilities have to be economically based, and it has already long been time to tear up the 'vicious circle' of cross subsidies and deals.''
- The Yatsenyuk government is attempting to lay blame for the situation at the feet of the Russian government, which recently ended discounts on natural gas it sells to Ukraine as part of its ongoing conflict with the regime in Kiev. As a result, the cost of gas has risen from just under $300 per thousand cubic meters to about $450. However, the IMF has long demanded that the country raise prices on utilities as part of its integration into the European economy and in order to receive bailout loans from international lenders.
- The utility hikes come alongside a spate of measures that tear up whatever remained of Ukraine's social safety net. Retirees whose pensions exceed 10,000 hryvnia ($845) will have to pay a 15 percent tax on these earnings. Benefits for state employees are to be axed. The subsidy that families receive upon the birth of a child is being cut. Judges and lawyers are slated to lose special pension bonuses. In addition to increasing taxes on profits to 18 percent, regressive taxes on items such as beer and tobacco products are being raised dramatically. They will now stand at 42.5 percent and 25 percent respectively.
- In an indication of how the Ukrainian government intends to overcome its fiscal crisis, the Ministry of Finance warned earlier this month that just 10 percent of the country's planned expenditures on social services are actually funded. In contrast to 80 billion hryvnia ($6.7 billion) in obligations, the current budget allocates just 8.5 billion hryvnia ($718 million) to spending.
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- Fears of gas war as Ukraine refuses to pay increased prices set by Russian firm - thenews.com.pk
- Dispute comes as tensions in eastern Ukraine remain high, with pro-Russian protesters storming government buildings
- MOSCOW: The prospect of a new gas war between Russia and Ukraine drew closer at the weekend as the government in Kiev said it would refuse to pay for gas at a new, inflated price set by Gazprom last week. The dispute comes as tensions in eastern Ukraine remain high, with pro-Russian protesters in two cities storming government buildings on Sunday.
- In Kiev, interim prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told the cabinet over the weekend that the new price for gas was unfair and Ukraine would not pay it.''Russia has not managed to grab Ukraine through military aggression, so now they are pursuing a plan to pressure and grab Ukraine through gas and economic aggression,'' said Yatsenyuk. He said that Ukraine would continue buying gas at the ''acceptable market price'' of $268 (£162) per 1,000 cubic metres.
- Last week, Russia announced two successive price hikes in gas for Ukraine, taking it up to $485.50. It is unclear what Russia will do if Ukraine refuses to pay the new price, but in the past it has shut off the supply. Last week, Gazprom's CEO, Alexei Miller, gave televised comments explaining why Russia was raising the gas price, noting that part of the discount had come when Russia extended credit to Ukraine last December as part of a package that was given to the former president, Viktor Yanukovych, for turning his back on an association agreement with the European Union.
- ''The discount was given on the condition that Ukraine would pay all its gas debts and pay 100% for the current deliveries, and it was clearly indicated that if this did not happen, the discount would be annulled in the second quarter of 2014,'' said Miller. He said that Gazprom had ''not received a single dollar'' in payment for March deliveries, and thus the discount had automatically been annulled.
- Miller also said that Ukraine had received huge savings on gas based on its agreement to prolong the so-called Kharkov agreements, by which Russia retained the right to base its Black Sea fleet in Crimea.
- The agreement, signed in 2010, extended the lease from 2017 to 2042, but now that Crimea has been annexed by Russia, the agreements have been annulled by Vladimir Putin. Miller said that the cheaper gas price was an ''advance discount'' for future rent which was now irrelevant, meaning that Ukraine had accrued a debt of more than $11bn on cheaper gas, which ought to be paid back. Ukraine says it owes Russia $2.2bn and plans to pay the debt.
- Gas prices have long been a thorny issue between Russia and Ukraine, with Europe accusing Russia of using energy supplies as a political weapon. Russia has cut off gas to Ukraine twice before, in 2006 and 2009. In the first stand-off Gazprom accused Ukraine of siphoning off transit gas meant for the EU to serve its domestic needs, while in 2009 gas was cut off completely, leaving some EU markets without gas in the depth of winter.
- The prospect of a new gas cut-off will send jitters through markets, although the potential consequences for the rest of Europe are less severe now. ''Since 2009 new alternative routes have been built for Russian gas transfers to the EU, bypassing Ukraine, which now transfers roughly 50% of the Russian gas compared to 85% in 2000 and 95% in the mid-1990s,'' said Lilit Gevorgyan, senior economist at IHS Global Insight. ''Moreover, due to the mild winter, the EU has enough stored gas to weather any disruption.''
- Additionally, the peak season for gas consumption has already passed, meaning Europe does not face the threat of facing cold weather without adequate gas supplies. Gazprom is also keen not to do too much damage to its image as a reliable supplier, whatever the Kremlin's goals may be.
- ''Still, should there be a gas cut off to Ukraine, the commodity markets are expected to react negatively,'' says Gevorgyan.Since the annexation of Crimea, there have been fears of Russian moves on east Ukraine, with a concentration of troops on the border and repeated official statements about defending the rights of Russian speakers in the regions.
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- Russian 'plans for war on Sweden' cause concern
- Russia has intensified its espionage efforts in Sweden to include war preparations, Swedish security service S¤po warned on Monday.
- ''The most serious threat we see right now is war preparations,'' S¤po chief counter-intelligence analyst Wilhelm Unge said at a press conference on Monday.
- While stressing that such preparations did not necessarily mean anything dramatic, he said: ''It's no secret that Russia is engaged in this. It's a little bit worrying.''
- Unge said Russia's intensified interest in Sweden was evidenced by simulated flight attacks on Swedish targets as well as attempts to recruit spies, increased signals intelligence, and the purchase of a significant number of maps.
- ''If you weren't carrying out war preparations against Sweden, you probably wouldn't have any military intelligence here. The intelligence service is part of the Russian general staff and just the fact that they are here indicates some kind of intent,'' he said.
- The simulated flight attacks were a particular point of concern for S¤po.
- ''You don't carry out these kinds of things unless you can actually conceive carrying out an attack in the future,'' Unge added, refusing to go into further details.
- The news came as part of S¤po's annual intelligence assessment, which also pointed the finger at 14 other countries with espionage interests in Sweden including China and Iran. Russia, however, was revealed to have the strongest presence in Sweden.
- ''Russia is the biggest intelligence agent in Sweden. They're interested in everything really '' politics, finance, technology, and military information,'' Unge explained.
- ''It's one of few countries that has a very broad intelligence interest in Sweden.''
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- Was Eich a Threat To Mozilla's $1B Google "Trust Fund"? - Slashdot
- Was Eich a Threat To Mozilla's $1B Google "Trust Fund"? - Slashdot
- timothy on Saturday April 05, 2014 @10:26AM
- from the are-you-now-or-have-you-ever-been dept.
- "Over the years, Mozilla's reliance on Google has continued to grow. Indeed, in its report on Brendan Eich's promotion to CEO of Mozilla, the WSJ noted that "Google accounted for nearly 90% of Mozilla's $311 million in revenue." So, with its Sugar Daddy having also gone on record as being virulently opposed to Proposition 8, to think that that Google's support didn't enter into discussions of whether Prop 8 backer Eich should stay or go seems, well, pretty much unthinkable. "It is the chilling and discriminatory effect of the proposition on many of our employees that brings Google to publicly oppose Proposition 8," explained Google co-founder Sergey Brin in 2008. "We should not eliminate anyone's fundamental rights, whatever their sexuality, to marry the person they love." Interestingly, breaking the news of Eich's resignation was journalist Kara Swisher, whose right to marry a top Google exec in 2008 was nearly eliminated by Prop 8. "In an interview this morning," wrote Swisher, "Mozilla Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker said that Eich's ability to lead the company that makes the Firefox Web browser had been badly damaged by the continued scrutiny over the hot-button issue, which had actually been known since 2012 inside the Mozilla community." Swisher, whose article was cited by the NY Times in The Campaign Against Mozilla's Brendan Eich, added that "it was not hard to get the sense that Eich really wanted to stick strongly by his views about gay marriage, which run counter to much of the tech industry and, increasingly, the general population in the U.S. For example, he repeatedly declined to answer when asked if he would donate to a similar initiative today." So, was keeping Eich aboard viewed by Mozilla '-- perhaps even by Eich himself '-- as a possible threat to the reported $1 billion minimum revenue guarantee the organization enjoys for delivering search queries for Google?"Related Links
- Beware of the Turing Tar-pit in which everything is possible but nothing of interest is easy.
- Trademarks property of their respective owners. Comments owned by the poster.
- Copyright (C) 2014 Dice. All Rights Reserved.Slashdot is a Dice Holdings, Inc. service.
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- OkCupid's CEO Donated to an Anti-Gay Campaign Once, Too | Mother Jones
- Last week, the online dating site OkCupid switched up its homepage for Mozilla Firefox users. Upon opening the site, a message appeared encouraging members to curb their use of Firefox because the company's new CEO, Brendan Eich, allegedly opposes equality for gay couples'--specifically, he donated $1000 to the campaign for the anti-gay Proposition 8 in 2008. "We've devoted the last ten years to bringing people'--all people'--together," the message read. "If individuals like Mr. Eich had their way, then roughly 8% of the relationships we've worked so hard to bring about would be illegal." The company's action went viral, and within a few days, Eich had resigned as CEO of Mozilla only weeks after taking up the post. On Thursday, OkCupid released a statement saying "We are pleased that OkCupid's boycott has brought tremendous awareness to the critical matter of equal rights for all individuals and partnerships."
- But there's a hitch: OkCupid's co-founder and CEO Sam Yagan once donated to an anti-gay candidate. (Yagan is also CEO of Match.com.) Specifically, Yagan donated $500 to Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) in 2004, reports Uncrunched. During his time as congressman from 1997 to 2009, Cannon voted for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, against a ban on sexual-orientation based job discrimination, and for prohibition of gay adoptions.
- He's also voted for numerous anti-choice measures, earning a 0 percent rating from NARAL Pro Choice America. Among other measures, Cannon voted for laws prohibiting government from denying funds to medical facilities that withhold abortion information, stopping minors from crossing state lines to obtain an abortion, and banning family planning funding in US aid abroad. Cannon also earned a 7 percent rating from the ACLU for his poor civil rights voting record: He voted to amend FISA to allow warrant-less electronic surveillance, to allow NSA intelligence gathering without civil oversight, and to reauthorize the PATRIOT act.
- Of course, it's been a decade since Yagan's donation to Cannon, and a decade or more since many of Cannon's votes on gay rights. It's possible that Cannon's opinions have shifted, or maybe his votes were more politics than ideology; a tactic by the Mormon Rep. to satisfy his Utah constituency. It's also quite possible that Yagan's politics have changed since 2004: He donated to Barack Obama's campaign in 2007 and 2008. Perhaps even Firefox's Eich has rethought LGBT equality since his 2008 donation. But OkCupid didn't include any such nuance in its take-down of Firefox. Combine that with the fact that the company helped force out one tech CEO for something its own CEO also did, and its action last week starts to look more like a PR stunt than an impassioned act of protest. (Mother Jones reached out to OkCupid for comment: We'll update this post if we receive a response.)
- Update April 8, 2014, 12:30 p.m. PDT: OkCupid CEO Sam Yagan provided a statement to the SF Chronicle this morning clarifying the intentions behind his donation to Cannon and his stance on gay rights. Here it is in full:
- A decade ago, I made a contribution to Representative Chris Cannon because he was the ranking Republican on the House subcommittee that oversaw the Internet and Intellectual Property, matters important to my business and our industry. I accept responsibility for not knowing where he stood on gay rights in particular; I unequivocally support marriage equality and I would not make that contribution again today. However, a contribution made to a candidate with views on hundreds of issues has no equivalence to a contribution supporting Prop. 8, a single issue that has no purpose other than to affirmatively prohibit gay marriage, which I believe is a basic civil right.
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- Egypt jails four men for gay acts.
- 8 April 2014Last updated at 03:10 ET A court in Egypt has sentenced four men to up to eight years in prison for committing homosexual acts.
- The men were accused of attending or arranging "deviant" sex parties, and dressing in women's clothes and wearing make-up.
- Egyptian law does not explicitly ban homosexual acts, but prosecutors have used legislation banning debauchery to try homosexuals.
- The verdict has been condemned by human rights campaigners.
- One of the men was jailed for three years with hard labour by the court in Cairo.
- US-based Human Rights First group said it was "alarmed and disappointed" at the verdicts.
- "Egypt is a bellwether state in the Arab region; what happens in Egypt sets a trend for developments throughout the Arab world," it said in a statement.
- The group said that since the ousting of President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 there has been a rise in the number of arrests of people based on their sexual orientation.
- The latest case echoes that of the mass trial in 2001 of 52 men accused of homosexual acts and other offences under Egyptian law.
- Twenty-three of the men were sentenced to up to five years in jail with hard labour, drawing international condemnation.
- A leading Egyptian human rights group said the severe sentences the men received on Monday were part of an ongoing crackdown on personal freedoms.
- The convictions come a day after another court in the capital upheld three-year prison terms imposed on three prominent activists convicted of organising an unauthorised protest.
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- War on Men
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- Is There Anything Good About Men?
- This invited address was given at a meeting the American Psychological Association in San Francisco on August 24, 2007. The thinking it represents is part of a long-range project to understand human action and the relation of culture to behavior. Further information about Prof. Baumeister and his research can be found at the foot of this page. '-- D.D.
- You're probably thinking that a talk called ''Is there anything good about men'' will be a short talk! Recent writings have not had much good to say about men. Titles like Men Are Not Cost Effective speak for themselves. Maureen Dowd's book was called Are Men Necessary? and although she never gave an explicit answer, anyone reading the book knows her answer was no. Louann Brizendine's book, The Female Brain, introduces itself by saying, ''Men, get ready to experience brain envy.'' Imagine a book advertising itself by saying that women will soon be envying the superior male brain!
- Nor are these isolated examples. Alice Eagly's research has compiled mountains of data on the stereotypes people have about men and women, which the researchers summarized as ''The WAW effect.'' WAW½ stands for ''Women Are Wonderful.'' Both men and women hold much more favorable views of women than of men. Almost everybody likes women better than men. I certainly do.
- My purpose in this talk is not to try to balance this out by praising men, though along the way I will have various positive things to say about both genders. The question of whether there's anything good about men is only my point of departure. The tentative title of the book I'm writing is ''How culture exploits men,'' but even that for me is the lead-in to grand questions about how culture shapes action. In that context, what's good about men means what men are good for, from the perspective of the system.
- Hence this is not about the ''battle of the sexes,'' and in fact I think one unfortunate legacy of feminism has been the idea that men and women are basically enemies. I shall suggest, instead, that most often men and women have been partners, supporting each other rather than exploiting or manipulating each other.
- Nor is this about trying to argue that men should be regarded as victims. I detest the whole idea of competing to be victims. And I'm certainly not denying that culture has exploited women. But rather than seeing culture as patriarchy, which is to say a conspiracy by men to exploit women, I think it's more accurate to understand culture (e.g., a country, a religion) as an abstract system that competes against rival systems '-- and that uses both men and women, often in different ways, to advance its cause.
- Also I think it's best to avoid value judgments as much as possible. They have made discussion of gender politics very difficult and sensitive, thereby warping the play of ideas. I have no conclusions to present about what's good or bad or how the world should change. In fact my own theory is built around tradeoffs, so that whenever there is something good it is tied to something else that is bad, and they balance out.
- I don't want to be on anybody's side. Gender warriors please go home.
- Men on TopWhen I say I am researching how culture exploits men, the first reaction is usually ''How can you say culture exploits men, when men are in charge of everything?'' This is a fair objection and needs to be taken seriously. It invokes the feminist critique of society. This critique started when some women systematically looked up at the top of society and saw men everywhere: most world rulers, presidents, prime ministers, most members of Congress and parliaments, most CEOs of major corporations, and so forth '-- these are mostly men.
- Seeing all this, the feminists thought, wow, men dominate everything, so society is set up to favor men. It must be great to be a man.
- The mistake in that way of thinking is to look only at the top. If one were to look downward to the bottom of society instead, one finds mostly men there too. Who's in prison, all over the world, as criminals or political prisoners? The population on Death Row has never approached 51% female. Who's homeless? Again, mostly men. Whom does society use for bad or dangerous jobs? US Department of Labor statistics report that 93% of the people killed on the job are men. Likewise, who gets killed in battle? Even in today's American army, which has made much of integrating the sexes and putting women into combat, the risks aren't equal. This year we passed the milestone of 3,000 deaths in Iraq, and of those, 2,938 were men, 62 were women.
- One can imagine an ancient battle in which the enemy was driven off and the city saved, and the returning soldiers are showered with gold coins. An early feminist might protest that hey, all those men are getting gold coins, half of those coins should go to women. In principle, I agree. But remember, while the men you see are getting gold coins, there are other men you don't see, who are still bleeding to death on the battlefield from spear wounds.
- That's an important first clue to how culture uses men. Culture has plenty of tradeoffs, in which it needs people to do dangerous or risky things, and so it offers big rewards to motivate people to take those risks. Most cultures have tended to use men for these high-risk, high-payoff slots much more than women. I shall propose there are important pragmatic reasons for this. The result is that some men reap big rewards while others have their lives ruined or even cut short. Most cultures shield their women from the risk and therefore also don't give them the big rewards. I'm not saying this is what cultures ought to do, morally, but cultures aren't moral beings. They do what they do for pragmatic reasons driven by competition against other systems and other groups.
- I said that today most people hold more favorable stereotypes of women than men. It was not always thus. Up until about the 1960s, psychology (like society) tended to see men as the norm and women as the slightly inferior version. During the 1970s, there was a brief period of saying there were no real differences, just stereotypes. Only since about 1980 has the dominant view been that women are better and men are the inferior version.
- The surprising thing to me is that it took little more than a decade to go from one view to its opposite, that is, from thinking men are better than women to thinking women are better than men. How is this possible?
- I'm sure you're expecting me to talk about Larry Summers at some point, so let's get it over with! You recall, he was the president of Harvard. As summarized in The Economist, ''Mr Summers infuriated the feminist establishment by wondering out loud whether the prejudice alone could explain the shortage of women at the top of science.'' After initially saying, it's possible that maybe there aren't as many women physics professors at Harvard because there aren't as many women as men with that high innate ability, just one possible explanation among others, he had to apologize, retract, promise huge sums of money, and not long afterward he resigned.
- What was his crime? Nobody accused him of actually discriminating against women. His misdeed was to think thoughts that are not allowed to be thought, namely that there might be more men with high ability. The only permissible explanation for the lack of top women scientists is patriarchy '-- that men are conspiring to keep women down. It can't be ability. Actually, there is some evidence that men on average are a little better at math, but let's assume Summers was talking about general intelligence. People can point to plenty of data that the average IQ of adult men is about the same as the average for women. So to suggest that men are smarter than women is wrong. No wonder some women were offended.
- But that's not what he said. He said there were more men at the top levels of ability. That could still be true despite the average being the same '-- if there are also more men at the bottom of the distribution, more really stupid men than women. During the controversy about his remarks, I didn't see anybody raise this question, but the data are there, indeed abundant, and they are indisputable. There are more males than females with really low IQs. Indeed, the pattern with mental retardation is the same as with genius, namely that as you go from mild to medium to extreme, the preponderance of males gets bigger.
- All those retarded boys are not the handiwork of patriarchy. Men are not conspiring together to make each other's sons mentally retarded.
- Almost certainly, it is something biological and genetic. And my guess is that the greater proportion of men at both extremes of the IQ distribution is part of the same pattern. Nature rolls the dice with men more than women. Men go to extremes more than women. It's true not just with IQ but also with other things, even height: The male distribution of height is flatter, with more really tall and really short men.
- Again, there is a reason for this, to which I shall return.
- For now, the point is that it explains how we can have opposite stereotypes. Men go to extremes more than women. Stereotypes are sustained by confirmation bias. Want to think men are better than women? Then look at the top, the heroes, the inventors, the philanthropists, and so on. Want to think women are better than men? Then look at the bottom, the criminals, the junkies, the losers.
- In an important sense, men really are better AND worse than women.
- A pattern of more men at both extremes can create all sorts of misleading conclusions and other statistical mischief. To illustrate, let's assume that men and women are on average exactly equal in every relevant respect, but more men at both extremes. If you then measure things that are bounded at one end, it screws up the data to make men and women seem significantly different.
- Consider grade point average in college. Thanks to grade inflation, most students now get A's and B's, but a few range all the way down to F. With that kind of low ceiling, the high-achieving males cannot pull up the male average, but the loser males will pull it down. The result will be that women will get higher average grades than men '-- again despite no difference in average quality of work.
- The opposite result comes with salaries. There is a minimum wage but no maximum. Hence the high-achieving men can pull the male average up while the low-achieving ones can't pull it down. The result? Men will get higher average salaries than women, even if there is no average difference on any relevant input.
- Today, sure enough, women get higher college grades but lower salaries than men. There is much discussion about what all this means and what should be done about it. But as you see, both facts could be just a statistical quirk stemming from male extremity.
- Trading OffWhen you think about it, the idea that one gender is all-around better than the other is not very plausible. Why would nature make one gender better than the other? Evolution selects for good, favorable traits, and if there's one good way to be, after a few generations everyone will be that way.
- But evolution will preserve differences when there is a tradeoff: when one trait is good for one thing, while the opposite is good for something else.
- Let's return to the three main theories we've had about gender: Men are better, no difference, and women are better. What's missing from that list? Different but equal. Let me propose that as a rival theory that deserves to be considered. I think it's actually the most plausible one. Natural selection will preserve innate differences between men and women as long as the different traits are beneficial in different circumstances or for different tasks.
- Tradeoff example: African-Americans suffer from sickle cell anemia more than white people. This appears to be due to a genetic vulnerability. That gene, however, promotes resistance to malaria. Black people evolved in regions where malaria was a major killer, so it was worth having this gene despite the increased risk of sickle cell anemia. White people evolved in colder regions, where there was less malaria, and so the tradeoff was resolved differently, more avoiding the gene that prevented malaria while risking sickle cell anemia.
- The tradeoff approach yields a radical theory of gender equality. Men and women may be different, but each advantage may be linked to a disadvantage.
- Hence whenever you hear a report that one gender is better at something, stop and consider why this is likely true '-- and what the opposite trait might be good for.
- Can't Vs. Won'tBefore we go too far down that path, though, let me raise another radical idea. Maybe the differences between the genders are more about motivation than ability. This is the difference between can't and won't.
- Return for a moment to the Larry Summers issue about why there aren't more female physics professors at Harvard. Maybe women can do math and science perfectly well but they just don't like to. After all, most men don't like math either! Of the small minority of people who do like math, there are probably more men than women. Research by Jacquelynne Eccles has repeatedly concluded that the shortage of females in math and science reflects motivation more than ability. And by the same logic, I suspect most men could learn to change diapers and vacuum under the sofa perfectly well too, and if men don't do those things, it's because they don't want to or don't like to, not because they are constitutionally unable (much as they may occasionally pretend otherwise!).
- Several recent works have questioned the whole idea of gender differences in abilities: Even when average differences are found, they tend to be extremely small. In contrast, when you look at what men and women want, what they like, there are genuine differences. Look at research on the sex drive: Men and women may have about equal ''ability'' in sex, whatever that means, but there are big differences as to motivation: which gender thinks about sex all the time, wants it more often, wants more different partners, risks more for sex, masturbates more, leaps at every opportunity, and so on. Our survey of published research found that pretty much every measure and every study showed higher sex drive in men. It's official: men are hornier than women. This is a difference in motivation.
- Likewise, I mentioned the salary difference, but it may have less to do with ability than motivation. High salaries come from working super-long hours. Workaholics are mostly men. (There are some women, just not as many as men.) One study counted that over 80% of the people who work 50-hour weeks are men.
- That means that if we want to achieve our ideal of equal salaries for men and women, we may need to legislate the principle of equal pay for less work. Personally, I support that principle. But I recognize it's a hard sell.
- Creativity may be another example of gender difference in motivation rather than ability. The evidence presents a seeming paradox, because the tests of creativity generally show men and women scoring about the same, yet through history some men have been much more creative than women. An explanation that fits this pattern is that men and women have the same creative ability but different motivations.
- I am a musician, and I've long wondered about this difference. We know from the classical music scene that women can play instruments beautifully, superbly, proficiently '-- essentially just as well as men. They can and many do. Yet in jazz, where the performer has to be creative while playing, there is a stunning imbalance: hardly any women improvise. Why? The ability is there but perhaps the motivation is less. They don't feel driven to do it.
- I suppose the stock explanation for any such difference is that women were not encouraged, or were not appreciated, or were discouraged from being creative. But I don't think this stock explanation fits the facts very well. In the 19th century in America, middle-class girls and women played piano far more than men. Yet all that piano playing failed to result in any creative output. There were no great women composers, no new directions in style of music or how to play, or anything like that. All those female pianists entertained their families and their dinner guests but did not seem motivated to create anything new.
- Meanwhile, at about the same time, black men in America created blues and then jazz, both of which changed the way the world experiences music. By any measure, those black men, mostly just emerging from slavery, were far more disadvantaged than the middle-class white women. Even getting their hands on a musical instrument must have been considerably harder. And remember, I'm saying that the creative abilities are probably about equal. But somehow the men were driven to create something new, more than the women.
- One test of what's meaningfully real is the marketplace. It's hard to find anybody making money out of gender differences in abilities. But in motivation, there are plenty. Look at the magazine industry: men's magazines cover different stuff from women's magazines, because men and women like and enjoy and are interested in different things. Look at the difference in films between the men's and women's cable channels. Look at the difference in commercials for men or for women.
- This brings us to an important part of the argument. I'm suggesting the important differences between men and women are to be found in motivation rather than ability. What, then, are these differences? I want to emphasize two.
- The Most Underappreciated FactThe first big, basic difference has to do with what I consider to be the most underappreciated fact about gender. Consider this question: What percent of our ancestors were women?
- It's not a trick question, and it's not 50%. True, about half the people who ever lived were women, but that's not the question. We're asking about all the people who ever lived who have a descendant living today. Or, put another way, yes, every baby has both a mother and a father, but some of those parents had multiple children.
- Recent research using DNA analysis answered this question about two years ago. Today's human population is descended from twice as many women as men.
- I think this difference is the single most underappreciated fact about gender. To get that kind of difference, you had to have something like, throughout the entire history of the human race, maybe 80% of women but only 40% of men reproduced.
- Right now our field is having a lively debate about how much behavior can be explained by evolutionary theory. But if evolution explains anything at all, it explains things related to reproduction, because reproduction is at the heart of natural selection. Basically, the traits that were most effective for reproduction would be at the center of evolutionary psychology. It would be shocking if these vastly different reproductive odds for men and women failed to produce some personality differences.
- For women throughout history (and prehistory), the odds of reproducing have been pretty good. Later in this talk we will ponder things like, why was it so rare for a hundred women to get together and build a ship and sail off to explore unknown regions, whereas men have fairly regularly done such things? But taking chances like that would be stupid, from the perspective of a biological organism seeking to reproduce. They might drown or be killed by savages or catch a disease. For women, the optimal thing to do is go along with the crowd, be nice, play it safe. The odds are good that men will come along and offer sex and you'll be able to have babies. All that matters is choosing the best offer. We're descended from women who played it safe.
- For men, the outlook was radically different. If you go along with the crowd and play it safe, the odds are you won't have children. Most men who ever lived did not have descendants who are alive today. Their lines were dead ends. Hence it was necessary to take chances, try new things, be creative, explore other possibilities. Sailing off into the unknown may be risky, and you might drown or be killed or whatever, but then again if you stay home you won't reproduce anyway. We're most descended from the type of men who made the risky voyage and managed to come back rich. In that case he would finally get a good chance to pass on his genes. We're descended from men who took chances (and were lucky).
- The huge difference in reproductive success very likely contributed to some personality differences, because different traits pointed the way to success. Women did best by minimizing risks, whereas the successful men were the ones who took chances. Ambition and competitive striving probably mattered more to male success (measured in offspring) than female. Creativity was probably more necessary, to help the individual man stand out in some way. Even the sex drive difference was relevant: For many men, there would be few chances to reproduce and so they had to be ready for every sexual opportunity. If a man said ''not today, I have a headache,'' he might miss his only chance.
- Another crucial point. The danger of having no children is only one side of the male coin. Every child has a biological mother and father, and so if there were only half as many fathers as mothers among our ancestors, then some of those fathers had lots of children.
- Look at it this way. Most women have only a few children, and hardly any have more than a dozen '-- but many½ fathers have had more than a few, and some men have actually had several dozen, even hundreds of kids.
- In terms of the biological competition to produce offspring, then, men outnumbered women both among the losers and among the biggest winners.
- To put this in more subjective terms: When I walk around and try to look at men and women as if seeing them for the first time, it's hard to escape the impression (sorry, guys!) that women are simply more likeable and lovable than men. (This I think explains the ''WAW½ effect'' mentioned earlier.) Men might wish to be lovable, and men can and do manage to get women to love them (so the ability is there), but men have other priorities, other motivations. For women, being lovable was the key to attracting the best mate. For men, however, it was more a matter of beating out lots of other men even to have a chance for a mate.
- Tradeoffs again: perhaps nature designed women to seek to be lovable, whereas men were designed to strive, mostly unsuccessfully, for greatness.
- And it was worth it, even despite the ''mostly unsuccessfully'' part. Experts estimate Genghis Khan had several hundred and perhaps more than a thousand children. He took big risks and eventually conquered most of the known world. For him, the big risks led to huge payoffs in offspring. My point is that no woman, even if she conquered twice as much territory as Genghis Khan, could have had a thousand children. Striving for greatness in that sense offered the human female no such biological payoff. For the man, the possibility was there, and so the blood of Genghis Khan runs through a large segment of today's human population. By definition, only a few men can achieve greatness, but for the few men who do, the gains have been real. And we are descended from those great men much more than from other men. Remember, most of the mediocre men left no descendants at all.
- Are Women More Social?Let me turn now to the second big motivational difference. This has its roots in an exchange in the Psychological Bulletin about ten years ago, but the issue is still fresh and relevant today. It concerns the question of whether women are more social than men.
- The idea that women are more social was raised by S.E. Cross and L. Madsen in a manuscript submitted to that journal. I was sent it to review, and although I disagreed with their conclusion, I felt they had made their case well, so I advocated publishing their paper. They provided plenty of evidence. They said things like, look, men are more aggressive than women. Aggression could damage a relationship because if you hurt someone then that person might not want to be with you. Women refrain from aggression because they want relationships, but men don't care about relationships and so are willing to be aggressive. Thus, the difference in aggression shows that women are more social than men.
- But I had just published my early work on ''the need to belong,'' which concluded that both men and women had that need, and so I was worried to hear that men don't care about social connection. I wrote a reply that said there was another way to look at all the evidence Cross and Madsen covered.
- The gist of our view was that there are two different ways of being social. In social psychology we tend to emphasize close, intimate relationships, and yes, perhaps women specialize in those and are better at them than men. But one can also look at being social in terms of having larger networks of shallower relationships, and on these, perhaps, men are more social than women.
- It's like the common question, what's more important to you, having a few close friendships or having lots of people who know you? Most people say the former is more important. But the large network of shallow relationships might be important too. We shouldn't automatically see men as second-class human beings simply because they specialize in the less important, less satisfying kind of relationship. Men are social too '-- just in a different way.
- So we reexamined the evidence Cross and Madsen had provided. Consider aggression. True, women are less aggressive than men, no argument there. But is it really because women don't want to jeopardize a close relationship? It turns out that in close relationships, women are plenty aggressive. Women are if anything more likely than men to perpetrate domestic violence against romantic partners, everything from a slap in the face to assault with a deadly weapon. Women also do more child abuse than men, though that's hard to untangle from the higher amount of time they spend with children. Still, you can't say that women avoid violence toward intimate partners.
- Instead, the difference is found in the broader social sphere. Women don't hit strangers. The chances that a woman will, say, go to the mall and end up in a knife fight with another woman are vanishingly small, but there is more such risk for men. The gender difference in aggression is mainly found there, in the broader network of relationships. Because men care more about that network.
- Now consider helping. Most research finds that men help more than women. Cross and Madsen struggled with that and eventually just fell back on the tired clich(C) that maybe women don't help because they aren't brought up to help or aren't socialized to help. But I think the pattern is the same as with aggression. Most research looks at helping between strangers, in the larger social sphere, and so it finds men helping more. Inside the family, though, women are plenty helpful, if anything more than men.
- Aggression and helping are in some ways opposites, so the converging pattern is quite meaningful. Women both help and aggress in the intimate sphere of close relationships, because that's what they care about. In contrast, men care (also) about the broader network of shallower relationships, and so they are plenty helpful and aggressive there.
- The same two-spheres conclusion is supported in plenty of other places. Playground observation studies find that girls pair off and play one-on-one with the same playmate for the full hour. Boys will either play one-on-one with a series of different playmates or with a larger group. Girls want the one-to-one relationship, whereas boys are drawn to bigger groups or networks.
- When two girls are playing together and the researchers bring in a third one, the two girls resist letting her join. But two boys will let a third boy join their game. My point is that girls want the one-on-one connection, so adding a third person spoils the time for them, but it doesn't spoil it for the boys.
- The conclusion is that men and women are both social but in different ways. Women specialize in the narrow sphere of intimate relationships. Men specialize in the larger group. If you make a list of activities that are done in large groups, you are likely to have a list of things that men do and enjoy more than women: team sports, politics, large corporations, economic networks, and so forth.
- Traded-Off TraitsAgain, important personality differences probably follow from the basic motivational difference in the kind of social relationship that interests men and women.
- Consider the common finding that women are more emotionally expressive than men. For an intimate relationship, good communication is helpful. It enables the two people to understand each other, appreciate each other's feelings, and so forth. The more the two intimate partners know about each other, the better they can care for and support each other. But in a large group, where you have rivals and maybe enemies, it's risky to let all your feelings show. The same goes for economic transactions. When you are negotiating the price of something, it's best to keep your feelings a bit to yourself. And so men hold back more.
- Fairness is another example. Research by Brenda Major and others back in the 1970s used procedures like this. A group of subjects would perform a task, and the experimenter would then say that the group had earned a certain amount of money, and it was up to one member to divide it up however he or she wanted. The person could keep all the money, but that wasn't usually what happened. Women would divide the money equally, with an equal share for everybody. Men, in contrast, would divide it unequally, giving the biggest share of reward to whoever had done the most work.
- Which is better? Neither. Both equality and equity are valid versions of fairness. But they show the different social sphere orientation. Equality is better for close relationships, when people take care of each other and reciprocate things and divide resources and opportunities equally. In contrast, equity '-- giving bigger rewards for bigger contributions '-- is more effective in large groups. I haven't actually checked, but I'm willing to bet that if you surveyed the Fortune 500 large and successful corporations in America, you wouldn't find a single one out of 500 that pays every employee the same salary. The more valuable workers who contribute more generally get paid more. It simply is a more effective system in large groups. The male pattern is suited for the large groups, the female pattern is best suited to intimate pairs.
- Ditto for the communal-exchange difference Women have more communal orientation, men more exchange. In psychology we tend to think of communal as a more advanced form of relationship than exchange. For example, we'd be suspicious of a couple who after ten years of marriage are still saying, ''I paid the electric bill last month, now it's your turn.'' But the supposed superiority of communal relationships applies mainly to intimate relationships. At the level of large social systems, it's the other way around. Communal (including communist) countries remain primitive and poor, whereas the rich, advanced nations have gotten where they are by means of economic exchange.
- There's also the point about men being more competitive, women more cooperative. Again, though, cooperation is much more useful than competition for close relationships. What use is there in competing against your spouse? But in large groups, getting to the top can be crucial. The male preference for dominance hierarchies, and the ambitious striving to get to the top, likewise reflect an orientation toward the large group, not a dislike of intimacy. And remember, most men didn't reproduce, and we're mainly descended from the men who did fight their way to the top. Not so for women.
- One more thing. Cross and Madsen covered plenty of research showing that men think of themselves based on their unusual traits that set them apart from others, while women's self-concepts feature things that connect them to others. Cross and Madsen thought that this was because men wanted to be apart from others. But in fact being different is vital strategy for belonging to a large group. If you're the only group member who can kill an antelope or find water or talk to the gods or kick a field goal, the group can't afford to get rid of you.
- It's different in a one-to-one relationship. A woman's husband, and her baby, will love her even if she doesn't play the trombone. So cultivating a unique skill isn't essential for her. But playing the trombone is a way to get into some groups, especially brass bands. This is another reason that men go to extremes more than women. Large groups foster the need to establish something different and special about yourself.
- Benefits of Cultural SystemsLet's turn now to culture. Culture is relatively new in evolution. It continues the line of evolution that made animals social. I understand culture as a kind of system that enables the human group to work together effectively, using information. Culture is a new, improved way of being social.
- Feminism has taught us to see culture as men against women. Instead, I think the evidence indicates that culture emerged mainly with men and women working together, but working against other groups of men and women. Often the most intense and productive competitions were groups of men against other groups of men, though both groups depended on support from women.
- Culture enables the group to be more than the sum of its parts (its members). Culture can be seen as a biological strategy. Twenty people who work together, in a cultural system, sharing information and dividing up tasks and so forth, will all live better '-- survive and reproduce better '-- than if those same twenty people lived in the same forest but did everything individually.
- Culture thus provides some benefit from having a system. Let's call this ''system gain,'' which means how much better the group does because of the system. Think of two soccer teams. Both sets of players know the rules and have the same individual skills. One group has only that, and they go out to play as individuals trying to do their best. The other works as a team, complementing each other, playing with a system. The system will likely enable them to do better than the group playing as separate individuals. That's system gain.
- And one vital fact is that the scope of system gain increases with the size of the system. This is essentially what's happening in the world right now, globalization in the world economy. Bigger systems provide more benefits, so as we expand and merge more units into bigger systems, overall there is more gain.
- There is one crucial implication from all this. Culture depends on system gain, and bigger systems provide more of this. Therefore, you'll get more of the benefit of culture from large groups than from small ones. A one-on-one close relationship can do a little in terms of division of labor and sharing information, but a 20-person group can do much more.
- As a result, culture mainly arose in the types of social relationships favored by men. Women favor close, intimate relationships. These are if anything more important for the survival of the species. That's why human women evolved first. We need those close relationships to survive. The large networks of shallower relationships aren't as vital for survival '-- but they are good for something else, namely the development of larger social systems and ultimately for culture.
- Men and CultureThis provides a new basis for understanding gender politics and inequality.
- The generally accepted view is that back in early human society, men and women were close to equal. Men and women had separate spheres and did different things, but both were respected. Often, women were gatherers and men were hunters. The total contribution to the group's food was about the same, even though there were some complementary differences. For example, the gatherers' food was reliably there most days, while the hunters brought home great food once in a while but nothing on other days.
- Gender inequality seems to have increased with early civilization, including agriculture. Why? The feminist explanation has been that the men banded together to create patriarchy. This is essentially a conspiracy theory, and there is little or no evidence that it is true. Some argue that the men erased it from the history books in order to safeguard their newly won power. Still, the lack of evidence should be worrisome, especially since this same kind of conspiracy would have had to happen over and over, in group after group, all over the world.
- Let me offer a different explanation. It's not that the men pushed the women down. Rather, it's just that the women's sphere remained about where it was, while the men's sphere, with its big and shallow social networks, slowly benefited from the progress of culture. By accumulating knowledge and improving the gains from division of labor, the men's sphere gradually made progress.
- Hence religion, literature, art, science, technology, military action, trade and economic marketplaces, political organization, medicine '-- these all mainly emerged from the men's sphere. The women's sphere did not produce such things, though it did other valuable things, like take care of the next generation so the species would continue to exist.
- Why? It has nothing to do with men having better abilities or talents or anything like that. It comes mainly from the different kinds of social relationships. The women's sphere consisted of women and therefore was organized on the basis of the kind of close, intimate, supportive one-on-one relationships that women favor. These are vital, satisfying relationships that contribute vitally to health and survival. Meanwhile the men favored the larger networks of shallower relationships. These are less satisfying and nurturing and so forth, but they do form a more fertile basis for the emergence of culture.
- Note that all those things I listed '-- literature, art, science, etc '-- are optional. Women were doing what was vital for the survival of the species. Without intimate care and nurturance, children won't survive, and the group will die out. Women contributed the necessities of life. Men's contributions were more optional, luxuries perhaps. But culture is a powerful engine of making life better. Across many generations, culture can create large amounts of wealth, knowledge, and power. Culture did this '-- but mainly in the men's sphere.
- Thus, the reason for the emergence of gender inequality may have little to do with men pushing women down in some dubious patriarchal conspiracy. Rather, it came from the fact that wealth, knowledge, and power were created in the men's sphere. This is what pushed the men's sphere ahead. Not oppression.
- Giving birth is a revealing example. What could be more feminine than giving birth? Throughout most of history and prehistory, giving birth was at the center of the women's sphere, and men were totally excluded. Men were rarely or never present at childbirth, nor was the knowledge about birthing even shared with them. But not very long ago, men were finally allowed to get involved, and the men were able to figure out ways to make childbirth safer for both mother and baby. Think of it: the most quintessentially female activity, and yet the men were able to improve on it in ways the women had not discovered for thousands and thousands of years.
- Let's not overstate. The women had after all managed childbirth pretty well for all those centuries. The species had survived, which is the bottom line. The women had managed to get the essential job done. What the men added was, from the perspective of the group or species at least, optional, a bonus: some mothers and babies survived who would otherwise have died. Still, the improvements show some value coming from the male way of being social. Large networks can collect and accumulate information better than small ones, and so in a relatively short time the men were able to discover improvements that the women hadn't been able to find. Again, it's not that the men were smarter or more capable. It's just that the women shared their knowledge individually, from mother to daughter, or from one midwife to another, and in the long run this could not accumulate and progress as effectively as in the larger groups of shallower relationships favored by men.
- What Men Are Good ForWith that, we can now return to the question of what men are good for, from the perspective of a cultural system. The context is these systems competing against other systems, group against group. The group systems that used their men and women most effectively would enable their groups to outperform their rivals and enemies.
- I want to emphasize three main answers for how culture uses men.
- First, culture relies on men to create the large social structures that comprise it. Our society is made up of institutions such as universities, governments, corporations. Most of these were founded and built up by men. Again, this probably had less to do with women being oppressed or whatever and more to do with men being motivated to form large networks of shallow relationships. Men are much more interested than women in forming large groups and working in them and rising to the top in them.
- This still seems to be true today. Several recent news articles have called attention to the fact that women now start more small businesses then men. This is usually covered in the media as a positive sign about women, which it is. But women predominate only if you count all businesses. If you restrict the criteria to businesses that employ more than one person, or ones that make enough money to live off of, then men create more. I suspect that the bigger the group you look at, the more they are male-created.
- Certainly today anybody of any gender can start a business, and if anything there are some set-asides and advantages to help women do so. There are no hidden obstacles or blocks, and that's shown by the fact that women start more businesses than men. But the women are content to stay small, such as operating a part-time business out of the spare bedroom, making a little extra money for the family. They don't seem driven to build these up into giant corporations. There are some exceptions, of course, but there is a big difference on average.
- Hence both men and women rely on men to create the giant social structures that offer opportunities to both. And it is clear men and women can both perform quite well in these organizations. But culture still relies mainly on men to make them in the first place.
- The Disposable MaleA second thing that makes men useful to culture is what I call male expendability. This goes back to what I said at the outset, that cultures tend to use men for the high-risk, high-payoff undertakings, where a significant portion of those will suffer bad outcomes ranging from having their time wasted, all the way to being killed.
- Any man who reads the newspapers will encounter the phrase ''even women and children'' a couple times a month, usually about being killed. The literal meaning of this phrase is that men's lives have less value than other people's lives. The idea is usually ''It's bad if people are killed, but it's especially bad if women and children are killed.'' And I think most men know that in an emergency, if there are women and children present, he will be expected to lay down his life without argument or complaint so that the others can survive. On the Titanic, the richest men had a lower survival rate (34%) than the poorest women (46%) (though that's not how it looked in the movie). That in itself is remarkable. The rich, powerful, and successful men, the movers and shakers, supposedly the ones that the culture is all set up to favor '-- in a pinch, their lives were valued less than those of women with hardly any money or power or status. The too-few seats in the lifeboats went to the women who weren't even ladies, instead of to those patriarchs.
- Most cultures have had the same attitude. Why? There are pragmatic reasons. When a cultural group competes against other groups, in general, the larger group tends to win out in the long run. Hence most cultures have promoted population growth. And that depends on women. To maximize reproduction, a culture needs all the wombs it can get, but a few penises can do the job. There is usually a penile surplus. If a group loses half its men, the next generation can still be full-sized. But if it loses half its women, the size of the next generation will be severely curtailed. Hence most cultures keep their women out of harm's way while using men for risky jobs.
- These risky jobs extend beyond the battlefield. Many lines of endeavor require some lives to be wasted. Exploration, for example: a culture may send out dozens of parties, and some will get lost or be killed, while others bring back riches and opportunities. Research is somewhat the same way: There may be a dozen possible theories about some problem, only one of which is correct, so the people testing the eleven wrong theories will end up wasting their time and ruining their careers, in contrast to the lucky one who gets the Nobel prize. And of course the dangerous jobs. When the scandals broke about the dangers of the mining industry in Britain, Parliament passed the mining laws that prohibited children under the age of 10 and women of all ages from being sent into the mines. Women and children were too precious to be exposed to death in the mines: so only men. As I said earlier, the gender gap in dangerous work persists today, with men accounting for the vast majority of deaths on the job.
- Another basis of male expendability is built into the different ways of being social. Expendability comes with the large groups that male sociality creates. In an intimate, one-to-one relationship, neither person can really be replaced. You can remarry if your spouse dies, but it isn't really the same marriage or relationship. And of course nobody can ever really replace a child's mother or father.
- In contrast, large groups can and do replace just about everybody. Take any large organization '-- the Ford Motor Company, the U.S. Army, the Green Bay Packers '-- and you'll find that the organization goes on despite having replaced every single person in it. Moreover, every member off those groups knows he or she can be replaced and probably will be replaced some day.
- Thus, men create the kind of social networks where individuals are replaceable and expendable. Women favor the kind of relationships in which each person is precious and cannot truly be replaced.
- Earning Manhood½The phrase ''Be a man'' is not as common as it once was, but there is still some sense that manhood must be earned. Every adult female is a woman and is entitled to respect as such, but many cultures withhold respect from the males until and unless the lads prove themselves. This is of course tremendously useful for the culture, because it can set the terms by which males earn respect as men, and in that way it can motivate the men to do things that the culture finds productive.
- Some sociological writings about the male role have emphasized that to be a man, you have to produce more than you consume. That is, men are expected, first, to provide for themselves: If somebody else provides for you, you're less than a man. Second, the man should create some additional wealth or surplus value so that it can provide for others in addition to himself. These can be his wife and children, or others who depend on him, or his subordinates, or even perhaps just paying taxes that the government can use. Regardless, you're not a man unless you produce at that level.
- Again, I'm not saying men have it worse than women. There are plenty of problems and disadvantages that cultures put on women. My point is just that cultures find men useful in these very specific ways. Requiring the man to earn respect by producing wealth and value that can support himself and others is one of these. Women do not face this particular challenge or requirement.
- These demands also contribute to various male behavior patterns. The ambition, competition, and striving for greatness may well be linked to this requirement to fight for respect. All-male groups tend to be marked by putdowns and other practices that remind everybody that there is not enough respect to go around, because this awareness motivates each man to try harder to earn respect. This, incidentally, has probably been a major source of friction as women have moved into the workplace, and organizations have had to shift toward policies that everyone is entitled to respect. The men hadn't originally built them to respect everybody.
- One of the basic, most widely accepted gender differences is agency versus communion. Male agency may be partly an adaptation to this kind of social life based on larger groups, where people aren't necessarily valued and one has to strive for respect. To succeed in the male social sphere of large groups, you need an active, agentic self to fight for your place, because it isn't given to you and only a few will be successful. Even the male ego, with its concern with proving oneself and competing against others, seems likely to be designed to cope with systems where there is a shortage of respect and you have to work hard to get some '-- or else you'll be exposed to humiliation.
- Is That All?I have not exhausted all the ways that culture exploits men. Certainly there are others. The male sex drive can be harnessed to motivate all sorts of behaviors and put to work in a kind of economic marketplace in which men give women other resources (love, money, commitment) in exchange for sex.
- Cultures also use individual men for symbolic purposes more than women. This can be in a positive way, such as the fact that cultures give elaborate funerals and other memorials to men who seem to embody its favorite values. It can also be negative, such as when cultures ruin a man's career, shame him publicly, or even execute him for a single act that violates one of its values. From Martin Luther King to Don Imus, our culture uses men as symbols for expressing its values. (Note neither of those two came out the better for it.)
- ConclusionTo summarize my main points: A few lucky men are at the top of society and enjoy the culture's best rewards. Others, less fortunate, have their lives chewed up by it. Culture uses both men and women, but most cultures use them in somewhat different ways. Most cultures see individual men as more expendable than individual women, and this difference is probably based on nature, in whose reproductive competition some men are the big losers and other men are the biggest winners. Hence it uses men for the many risky jobs it has.
- Men go to extremes more than women, and this fits in well with culture using them to try out lots of different things, rewarding the winners and crushing the losers.
- Culture is not about men against women. By and large, cultural progress emerged from groups of men working with and against other men. While women concentrated on the close relationships that enabled the species to survive, men created the bigger networks of shallow relationships, less necessary for survival but eventually enabling culture to flourish. The gradual creation of wealth, knowledge, and power in the men's sphere was the source of gender inequality. Men created the big social structures that comprise society, and men still are mainly responsible for this, even though we now see that women can perform perfectly well in these large systems.
- What seems to have worked best for cultures is to play off the men against each other, competing for respect and other rewards that end up distributed very unequally. Men have to prove themselves by producing things the society values. They have to prevail over rivals and enemies in cultural competitions, which is probably why they aren't as lovable as women.
- The essence of how culture uses men depends on a basic social insecurity. This insecurity is in fact social, existential, and biological. Built into the male role is the danger of not being good enough to be accepted and respected and even the danger of not being able to do well enough to create offspring.
- The basic social insecurity of manhood is stressful for the men, and it is hardly surprising that so many men crack up or do evil or heroic things or die younger than women. But that insecurity is useful and productive for the culture, the system.
- Again, I'm not saying it's right, or fair, or proper. But it has worked. The cultures that have succeeded have used this formula, and that is one reason that they have succeeded instead of their rivals.
- Roy F. Baumeister is Francis Eppes Professor of Social Psychology at Florida State University, in Tallahassee. His email address is baumeister [at] psy.fsu.edu. Further information on his research interests can be found here. The speech that got Larry Summers out of a job as President of Harvard can be read here. Steven Pinker has written a critique of the Summers kerfuffle. It can be read here.
- Copyright (C) 2007 Roy F. Baumeister. All rights reserved.
-
- Quote
- For now, the point is that it explains how we can have opposite stereotypes. Men go to
- extremes more than women. Stereotypes are sustained by confirmation bias. Want
- to think men are better than women? Then look at the top, the heroes, the
- inventors, the philanthropists, and so on. Want to think women are better than
- men? Then look at the bottom, the criminals, the junkies, the losers.
- In an important sense, men really are better AND worse than women.
-
- Wage disparity
- The opposite result comes with salaries. There is a minimum wage but no maximum.
- Hence the high-achieving men can pull the male average up while the
- low-achieving ones can’t pull it down. The result? Men
- will get higher average salaries than women, even if there is no average
- difference on any relevant input.
-
- What percent of our ancestors were women?
- It’s not a trick question, and it’s
- not 50%. True, about half the people who ever lived were women, but that’s not
- the question. We’re asking about all the people who ever lived who have a descendant living today. Or, put another way, yes,
- every baby has both a mother and a father, but some of those parents had
- research using DNA analysis answered this question about two years ago. Today’s human population is descended from
- twice as many women as men.
- this difference is the single most underappreciated fact about gender. To get
- that kind of difference, you had to have something like, throughout the entire
- history of the human race, maybe 80% of women but only 40% of men reproduced.
- To maximize reproduction, a culture needs all the wombs it can get, but a few penises can do the job
-
- SnowJob
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Snowden's Lawyer Tricked Into Using Fake PGP Key to Send Email - Little Green Footballs
- Security experts Charles JohnsonWeird ' 23 hours, 14 minutes ago ' Views: 9,591This post could also be titled ''When Hacktivists Attack (Each Other),'' as the site cryptome.org publishes an email from Edward Snowden's lawyer Jesselyn Radack to Glenn Greenwald '-- that was supposed to have been encrypted with PGP: Jesselyn Radack Emails Glenn Greenwald.
- Alleged Jesselyn Radack Email (BG may be Barton Gellman):
- Hi Glenn,Congrats on the McGill award!! I look forward to seeing you at Polks.
- On that note, is my client making a surprise appearance? BG said you mentioned this to him at the Polk media event.
- I won't tell anyone, including BG, if it's a surprise, but as his attorney, I'd like to know'...and also what medium would be used (Google or the BEAMbot).
- Here's what apparently happened: Radack looked up a PGP key that was named for ''Glenn Greenwald'' on the MIT key server (see Greenwald's tweet below), and used it to send this email.
- But she never checked to make sure it was really Greenwald's key. And it wasn't. Whoever supplied Radack's email to cryptome.org (presumably the person who created the false key) was therefore able to intercept and decrypt the email.
- These are the people who think they know better than anyone else how the US should manage its national security, the people who started a media company with a side business selling security tools, the ones who like to pretend they're experts on securing stolen NSA material '-- falling for a pathetically simple social engineering hack like this. They can't even keep their own email secure.
- Imagine if she had been emailing (what she thought were) encrypted NSA documents from Edward Snowden to Glenn Greenwald, and also sending them to an unknown third party.
- What's even more hilarious is that after it became obvious Radack had been tricked into using a false PGP key, she went back and deleted several tweets in which she admitted she did send the email and complained that Cryptome was being unfair to her. Favstar still has a copy of one:
- Here's Greenwald's only comment, uncharacteristically terse; notice that he somehow fails to mention Snowden's lawyer actually used this key:
- UPDATE at 4/8/14 2:01:24 pm
- Here's a screenshot showing more of the tweets Radack deleted when she realized what had happened:
- Edward SnowdenGlenn GreenwaldInadvertent ComedyJesselyn RadackLeaksNSAPGPSecurity^ back to top ^
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- Jesselyn Radack Emails Glenn Greenwald
- From: Werner Koch To: John Young , jacob@appelbaum.netSubject: FYI: quickly looking at keyidsDate: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 09:46:12 +0200Hi folks,instead of looking at pgpdump output (which is useful for a detailedanalyis), you may simply do that: $ xclip -o - | gpg -v --keyid-format=long --list-only gpg: armor header: Version: iPGMail (2.0.7) gpg: public key is A0BAEFAF17D4D0B2 gpg: public key is 31DB00B98A0C5522 gpg: public key is AA4E6903B940F753 gpg: encrypted with RSA key, ID AA4E6903B940F753 gpg: encrypted with RSA key, ID 31DB00B98A0C5522 gpg: encrypted with RSA key, ID A0BAEFAF17D4D0B2 $ xclip -o - | gpg -v --keyid-format=long --list-only gpg: armor header: Version: GnuPG v1.4.14 (GNU/Linux) gpg: armor header: Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird [...] gpg: public key is AA4E6903B940F753 gpg: public key is 31DB00B98A0C5522 gpg: encrypted with RSA key, ID 31DB00B98A0C5522 gpg: encrypted with RSA key, ID AA4E6903B940F753xclip is used by me to paste from a different X session,--keyid-format=long prints all 64 bits of the keyid, and --list-onlyskips the actual decrytion (in case you have the private key)9 April 2014.
- Cryptome views the Jacob Appelbaum's information in a message below an allegation similar to the original message. The message he provided could be tampered with as alleged of the original. PGP vulnerabilities are well known among comsec experts but not the public. Comsec experts often conceal vulnerabilities out of self-interest; instead provide misleading information -- a practice widespread in most security industries.
- Twitter excerpts: https://twitter.com/search?q=cryptomeorg&src=typd&f=realtime
- 8 April 2014. Jacob Appelbaum @ioerror: @Cryptomeorg I emailed a correction to your latest PGP email leak about @ggreenwald and @JesselynRadack. I hope you'll update it.
- 8 April 2014. Jacob Appelbaum @ioerror: @kristamonster @Cryptomeorg @ggreenwald @JesselynRadack I have the full PGP payload and I sent it to @Cryptomeorg to publish it.
- 8 April 2014. Jacob Appelbaum @ioerror: @joshuafoust She wasn't hacked, she encrypted the message to a third key. I emailed @Cryptomeorg to update his disinfo post.
- 8 April 2014. Cryptome @Cryptomeorg: @ioerror @ggreenwald @JesselynRadack Updated.
- 8 April 2014. Jacob Appelbaum @ioerror: @Cryptomeorg @ggreenwald @JesselynRadack Thanks. Watch out of truncated PGP messages. It was a tell that you were being played.
- 8 April 2014. Cryptome @Cryptomeorg: @ioerror @ggreenwald @JesselynRadack We published your allegation as requested as with the other allegation. Fine tell tales, both.
- 9 April 2014. Jacob Appelbaum @ioerror 4h: @Cryptomeorg @ggreenwald @JesselynRadack The PGP message that I gave you is the original. The one you published is the same one, truncated.
- 9 April 2014. Jacob Appelbaum @ioerror: @Cryptomeorg @ggreenwald @JesselynRadack The one you published is also tampered with to change the PGP header text.
- 9 April 2014. Jacob Appelbaum @ioerror: @Green_Footballs Specifically because I assert that it isn't evidence that PGP is "broken" as @Cryptomeorg was stating. Big difference!
- [Note: Cryptome did not claim PGP was broken, see below.]
- Key tampering and forgery excerpts added by Cryptome.
- http://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/c235.html [Excerpt]
- The GNU Privacy HandbookChapter 3. Key Management
- Key tampering is a major security weakness with public-key cryptography. An eavesdropper may tamper with a user's keyrings or forge a user's public key and post it for others to download and use. For example, suppose Chloe wants to monitor the messages that Alice sends to Blake. She could mount what is called a man in the middle attack. In this attack, Chloe creates a new public/private keypair. She replaces Alice's copy of Blake's public key with the new public key. She then intercepts the messages that Alice sends to Blake. For each intercept, she decrypts it using the new private key, reencrypts it using Blake's true public key, and forwards the reencrypted message to Blake. All messages sent from Alice to Blake can now be read by Chloe.
- Good key management is crucial in order to ensure not just the integrity of your keyrings but the integrity of other users' keyrings as well. The core of key management in GnuPG is the notion of signing keys. Key signing has two main purposes: it permits you to detect tampering on your keyring, and it allows you to certify that a key truly belongs to the person named by a user ID on the key. Key signatures are also used in a scheme known as the web of trust to extend certification to keys not directly signed by you but signed by others you trust. Responsible users who practice good key management can defeat key tampering as a practical attack on secure communication with GnuPG.
- http://www.pgp.net/pgpnet/pgp-faq/pgp-faq.html [Dated 1996-2002.]
- http://www.pgp.net/pgpnet/pgp-faq/pgp-faq-keys.html
- Q: Can a public key be forged?
- A: In short: not completely, but parts may be.
- There are four components in a public key, each of which has its own weaknesses. The four components are user IDs, key IDs, signatures and the key fingerprint.
- It is quite easy to create a fake user ID. If a user ID on a key is changed, and the key is then added to another keyring, the changed user ID will be seen as a new user ID and so it gets added to the ones already present. This implies that an unsigned user ID should never be trusted. Question Should I sign my own key? discusses this in more detail.
- It is possible to create a key with a chosen key ID, as Paul Leyland explains:
- A PGP key ID is just the bottom 64 bits of the public modulus (but only the bottom 32 bits are displayed with pgp -kv). It is easy to select two primes which when multiplied together have a specific set of low-order bits.
- This makes it possible to create a fake key with the same key ID as an existing one. The fingerprint will still be different, though.
- By the way, this attack is sometimes referred to as a DEADBEEF attack. This term originates from an example key with key ID 0xDEADBEEF which was created to demonstrate that this was possible.
- There are currently no methods to create a fake signature for a user ID on someone's key. To create a signature for a user ID, you need the signatory's secret key. A signature actually signs a hash of the user ID it applies to, so you can't copy a signature from one user ID to another or modify a signed user ID without invalidating the signature.
- Yes, it is possible to create a public key with the same fingerprint as an existing one, thanks to a design misfeature in PGP 2.x when signing RSA keys. The fake key will not be of the same length, so it should be easy to detect. Usually such keys have odd key lengths.
- Paul Leyland provided the following technical explanation:
- Inside a PGP key, the public modulus and encryption exponent are each represented as the size of the quantity in bits, followed by the bits of the quantity itself. The key fingerprint, displayed by pgp -kvc, is the MD5 hash of the bits, but NOT of the lengths. By transferring low-order bits from the modulus to the high-order portion of the exponent and altering the two lengths accordingly, it is possible to create a new key with exactly the same fingerprint.
- Q: How do I detect a forged key?
- A: As explained in question Can a public key be forged?, each component of the public key can be faked. It is, however, not possible to create a fake key for which all the components match.
- For this reason, you should always verify that key ID, fingerprint, and key size correspond when you are about to use someone's key. And when you sign a user ID, make sure it is signed by the key's owner!
- Similarly, if you want to provide information about your key, include key ID, fingerprint and key size.
- Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 13:38:22 +0000Subject: disinformation about PGPFrom: Jacob Appelbaum To: John Young Hi John,I saw your latest leak about Glenn and Jesselyn using PGP to exchangeemails. I did some digging and I think you've come to the wrongconclusion about everything. Actually, I think you are actively beingplayed by someone to mess with everyone involved.The speculation about PGP being broken is probably incorrect. Itappears that Jesselyn sent that email to three different emailaddresses and the PGP encrypted message on Cryptome is truncated ortampered with in some fashion to remove evidence of the third key thatwas used. Only two of the three email addresses belonged to Glenn. Itwas also encrypted to three keys, Glenn, Jesselyn and to a third keythat is run by an unknown hostile party. The third likely belongs toyour leaker/source. The attacker published a PGP key for that addressto confuse people who are trying to communication with Glenn securely.This clearly confused Jesselyn or her PGP mail client. I do notbelieve that this is evidence of her or Glenn being compromised (otherthan the social engineering issue at hand) nor is this evidence of PGPbeing broken. Rather, it is a user interface security problem withiPGMail that is quite common with PGP/GnuPG in general.Here is the original PGP message that was sent:-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----Version: iPGMail (2.0.7)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=iT18-----END PGP MESSAGE-----Note that this decodes differently than the message you posted:Old: Public-Key Encrypted Session Key Packet(tag 1)(268 bytes) New version(3) Key ID - 0xA0BAEFAF17D4D0B2 Pub alg - RSA Encrypt or Sign(pub 1) RSA m^e mod n(2047 bits) - ... -> m = sym alg(1 byte) + checksum(2 bytes) + PKCS-1 block type 02Old: Public-Key Encrypted Session Key Packet(tag 1)(524 bytes) New version(3) Key ID - 0x31DB00B98A0C5522 Pub alg - RSA Encrypt or Sign(pub 1) RSA m^e mod n(4094 bits) - ... -> m = sym alg(1 byte) + checksum(2 bytes) + PKCS-1 block type 02Old: Public-Key Encrypted Session Key Packet(tag 1)(268 bytes) New version(3) Key ID - 0xAA4E6903B940F753 Pub alg - RSA Encrypt or Sign(pub 1) RSA m^e mod n(2047 bits) - ... -> m = sym alg(1 byte) + checksum(2 bytes) + PKCS-1 block type 02New: Symmetrically Encrypted and MDC Packet(tag 18)(678 bytes) Ver 1 Encrypted data [sym alg is specified in pub-key encrypted session key] (plain text + MDC SHA1(20 bytes))Note the three keys used in that PGP encrypted message - your originalmessage only has two keys.0x31DB00B98A0C5522 is Glenn's correct key:pub 4096R/F48D6144 2014-01-19 [expires: 2015-01-19] Key fingerprint = F5E0 E7D1 0263 FD06 114E 2C6D EB84 CB43 F48D 6144uid Glenn Greenwald uid Glenn Greenwald sub 4096R/8A0C5522 2014-01-19 [expires: 2015-01-19]0xAA4E6903B940F753 is Jesselyn's correct key:pub 2048R/40359D2C 2013-07-16 [expires: 2017-07-16] Key fingerprint = C51E 5055 7C4E 1B22 60D6 9A15 84A3 2391 4035 9D2Cuid Jesselyn Radack sub 2048R/B940F753 2013-07-16 [expires: 2017-07-16]However if we look at 0xA0BAEFAF17D4D0B2 we see a third key that isleft out of your original message:pub 2048R/CC604FF1 2013-07-23 Key fingerprint = F3AB 523F 6B5E 75A0 B4F1 B987 5A2A D5A1 CC60 4FF1uid Glenn Greenwald sub 2048R/17D4D0B2 2013-07-23In summary: the above key is not Glenn's correct key and the aboveemail address is likely controlled by an attacker. The attacker didn'tneed to intercept email, they received the email directly fromJesselyn. The attacker didn't need to break PGP, it was encrypted to akey that they control because Jesselyn encrypted it to her key,Glenn's correct key and the attacker's key.Happy hacking,Jacob7 April 2014. Cryptome: Extracting keys from a message is easy with online key dumps such as http://www.pgpdump.net/cgi-bin/pgpdump . That does not mean keys extracted are bonafide or that a bonafide message has been decrypted. Spoof messages can be encrypted by falsely real keys giving the appearance of being authentic. Authentic keys can be obtained from key servers for confecting false messages. Distributing spoof keys and messages are a common technique for clouding and doubting comsec. That is a reason to publish this example for critique.
- Cryptome is not aware of any reports of PGP being broken although allegations about it are commonplace. If there such bonafide reports please send: cryptome[at]earthlink.net.
- Jesselyn Radack Emails Glenn Greenwald
- Alleged Jesselyn Radack Email (BG may be Barton Gellman):
- Congrats on the McGill award!! I look forward to seeing you at Polks.
- On that note, is my client making a surprise appearance? BG said you mentioned this to him at the Polk media event.
- I won't tell anyone, including BG, if it's a surprise, but as his attorney, I'd like to know...and also what medium would be used (Google or the BEAMbot).
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- The Ridenhour Prizes - Fostering the spirit of courage and truth
- Edward SnowdenFormer intelligence officer and whistleblower Edward J. Snowden, whose actions exposed the warrantless surveillance of millions of people living in the US by the National Security Agency, is the 2014 co-recipient, with Laura Poitras, of The Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling. Read more
- 2014Laura PoitrasLaura Poitras, a documentary filmmaker and journalist, is the 2014 co-recipient, with Edward J. Snowden, of The Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling. She decrypted emails from and was the first to communicate with Snowden, leading to the exposure of the National Security Agency's vast government surveillance operation. Read more
- Jose Antonio VargasJose Antonio Vargas, a journalist, filmmaker, and the founder of the immigration awareness organization Define American, is the 2013 recipient of The Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling because, like Ron Ridenhour, Vargas had a choice: to remain silent and safe or reveal his truth and risk sanctions. For Vargas those risks included the loss of a promising career and even deportation. In taking the latter course, he practiced the type of moral courage that Ridenhour Prize winners exemplify. Read more
- 2012Eileen FosterWhistleblower Eileen Foster, the recipient of the 2012 Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling, exposed systemic fraud at the nation's largest mortgage provider, Countrywide Financial. Her actions go a long way in exposing the fact that fraud on the part of commission-hungry loan officers '-- not borrowers lying on their loan applications '-- fueled the increase in toxic mortgages, which in large part gave rise to the 2008 economic crash. Read more
- 2012Lt. Col. Daniel DavisLt. Col. Daniel Davis is the recipient of the 2012 Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling for bravely speaking out against senior military leadership and their deceptive portrayal of the war in Afghanistan. To date, he is the only active duty serviceperson to have detailed the gross discrepancies between the reality on the ground in Afghanistan and the message of progress that is communicated to the US Congress and the American people. Read more
- 2011Thomas DrakeThomas Drake, 2011 recipient of The Ridenhour Truth-Telling Prize, was a senior official at the National Security Agency (NSA) who blew the whistle through the proper channels and exposed massive waste, fraud and abuse as well as illegal and unconstitutional behavior at the hands of NSA management post-9/11. While the Bush administration targeted him as part of a wasteful criminal "leak" investigation into those who revealed Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, suspended Drake's security clearance and led him to voluntarily resign from the NSA, the current administration has been even more aggressive. Drake was indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Espionage Act in April 2010 in order to silence him and send an ominous message to future whistleblowers, that not only could you lose your job, you could lose your very freedom. He is due to begin trial on June 13, 2011. Read more
- 2010Matthew HohMatthew Hoh, 2010 recipient of The Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling, was the State Department official who resigned in protest from his post in Afghanistan. At a time when Afghanistan was still looked at as the "good war," Hoh came forward, very publicly and at great risk, to question the war's fundamental rationale. Read more
- Thomas TammThomas Tamm, 2009 recipient of the Ridenhour Truth-Telling Prize, was a former Justice Department lawyer who exposed the existence of a secret warrantless wiretapping program to The New York Times. Tamm imperiled his own future liberty to preserve the liberties of all Americans. Read more
- 2008Lt. Cmdr. Matthew DiazLt. Cmdr. Matthew Diaz, 2008 recipient of the Ridenhour Truth-Telling Prize, was a former JAG officer who, while stationed at Guantnamo Bay, was the first person to release the names of the prisoners at the detention camp. He was recognized for his profound loyalty to the United States and its enduring constitutional principles. Read more
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- VC used by intelligence services to buy patents and 'take out' "good" new products that dont't help surveillance and intelligence community
- EBay skype-bungled it, so M$FT came in
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- Heartbleed bug commit info
- It was added by a T-Systems employee (biggest telecommunication company
- in germany and mostly owned by the state... ok, he did not work there at
- the time he wrote that code, but still a nice theory).
- The same person has also written the prposal for this heartbeat
- extension (where he admits that it does not need a payload but still
- implemented it for "flexibility")
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- NSA monitors WiFi on US planes 'in violation' of privacy laws
- Published time: April 10, 2014 08:19AFP Photo / Mehdi Fedouach
- Companies that provide WiFi on US domestic flights are handing over their data to the NSA, adapting their technology to allow security services new powers to spy on passengers. In doing so, they may be in violation of privacy laws.
- In a letter leaked to Wired, Gogo, the leading provider of inflight WiFi in the US, admitted to violating the requirements of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). The act is part of a wiretapping law passed in 1994 that requires telecoms carriers to provide law enforcement with a backdoor in their systems to monitor telephone and broadband communications.
- Gogo states in the letter to the Federal Communications Commission that it added new capabilities to its service that go beyond CALEA, at the behest of law enforcement agencies.
- ''In designing its existing network, Gogo worked closely with law enforcement to incorporate functionalities and protections that would serve public safety and national security interests,'' Gogo attorney Karis Hastings wrote in the leaked letter, which dates from 2012. He did not elaborate as to the nature of the changes, but said Gogo ''worked with federal agencies to reach agreement regarding a set of additional capabilities to accommodate law enforcement interests.''
- Gogo, which provides WiFi services to the biggest US airlines, are not the only ones to adapt their services to enable spying. Panasonic Avionics also added ''additional functionality'' to their services as per an agreement with US law enforcement, according to a report published in December.
- The deals with security services have civil liberties organizations up in arms. They have condemned the WiFi providers' deals with authorities as scandalous.
- ''Having ISPs [now] that say that CALEA isn't enough, we're going to be even more intrusive in what we collect on people is, honestly, scandalous,'' Peter Eckersley, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told Wired.
- The powers of the National Security Agency and other US law enforcement agencies have come under harsh criticism since the data leaks from whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the extent to which they monitor citizens' communications. In particular, critics have taken issue with the NSA's mass, indiscriminate gathering of metadata which has been described as ''almost Orwellian in nature'' and a violation of the Fourth Amendment.
- Judge Richard Leon of the US District Court for the District of Columbia has filed a lawsuit against the US agency and is pushing to have the case heard in the US Supreme Court. Last week the Supreme Court said that Leon would have to wait for a ruling from the lower court before his case could be heard.
- Since the NSA scandal blew up last year, prompting widespread public anger in the US and internationally at the violation of privacy rights, President Barack Obama's administration has reluctantly taken some modest steps to curb the powers of the agency.
- At the beginning of this year, Obama announced that the NSA would no longer be able to monitor the personal communications of world leaders. In addition, last month Obama formally proposed to end the NSA's bulk data collection, proposing legislation that would oblige the agency to get a court order to access information through telecoms companies.
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- SDR
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- Britain urges U.S. Congress to stop blocking IMF reform | Reuters
- LONDONMon Apr 7, 2014 12:49pm EDT
- TweetShare thisEmailPrintBritain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, walks away from number 11 Downing Street, before delivering his budget to the House of Commons, in central London March 20, 2013.
- Credit: Reuters/Stefan Wermuth
- LONDON (Reuters) - Britain urged the U.S. Congress on Monday to stop delaying approval of reforms to the International Monetary Fund that would give more power at the institution to emerging economies.
- Finance minister George Osborne, in a speech in Rio de Janeiro, said it was time for the world's new heavyweight nations such as Brazil to have a bigger say at the IMF.
- "Let's implement the reforms we have agreed to in our international institutions like the IMF, so that countries like Brazil have the enhanced status and say that your economic strength earns you the right to," Osborne said.
- "The failure of the U.S. Congress to ratify the agreed IMF reforms is bad for the institution and bad for the international community," he said. "I urge the Administration and Congress to act to pass them now."
- Osborne is due to attend a twice-yearly meeting of policymakers at the IMF in Washington later this week when the issue of reform is likely to come up again.
- A bid to get Congress to approve reforms of the IMF was dropped last month amid concerns that it could hold up a bill providing aid to Ukraine. The two proposals were included in the same legislation and Republican opposition to the extra funding included in the IMF plan threatened to torpedo it.
- The White House has been urging Congress for a year to approve a shift of $63 billion from an IMF crisis fund to its general accounts, as agreed by the U.S. government in 2010.
- Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the IMF, said last month she would continue to work for the reforms.
- (Reporting by William Schomberg; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
- Tweet thisLink thisShare thisDigg thisEmailPrintReprintsComments (1)
- The IMF won't be as useful for the countries who use it now as a means to economic colonialism. It was created to allow the wealthy to rule even the poor nations. So congress, the facists of today, doesn't want to give up their advantage. We're into death, debt and colonialism. We just don't call them that. We call it bringing democracy to the world. You know, which is not true, but most of you know the game. Do whatever to get the money and in every instance possible use whatever means necessary to accomplish the goals. Money first and all else is just lies to get the money. Including religion, ideology, laws, forget those, just get the money.
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- Putin Sends the West a Golden Message: Central Bank of Russia Changes Logo to Golden Ruble | SilverDoctors.com
- According to reports from Russian media, Putin appears to have sent the west a golden message in the aftermath of JPMorgan unilaterally deciding to block an official Russian wire transfer, as the Central Bank of Russia has introduced a new logo, which just happens to be a gold ruble.
- Officials stated on the new logo: Golden Badge of the Russian national currency, officially adopted by the Central Bank of Russia, will symbolize a sign of stability and security of the ruble gold reserves of the country.
- Strangely, there is no mention yet on Bloomberg, CNBC, or Yahoo Finance'... shocking right?
- From Prime Russia Forex (via Google translate)
- Gold ruble symbol appears in front of the bank ''Russia''
- RIA Novosti. Russian ruble symbol appears on the Sunday before the office of the joint-stock bank ''Russia'', organizers said flashmob.
- Action will take place at 15.00 in front of the bank in Perevedenovsky lane in the center of Moscow (near metro ''Bauman'').
- ''Golden Badge of the Russian national currency, officially adopted by the Central Bank of Russia, will symbolize a sign of stability and security of the ruble gold reserves of the country,'' '' say the organizers.
- Thus the participants are going to express installation support to the bank ''Russia'', which decided to work exclusively on the domestic market and only one currency '' the national currency of the Russian Federation '' Russian ruble.
- U.S. authorities in response to the Crimea to the Russian Federation imposed sanctions on 20 Russians and the bank ''Russia'', included in the thirty largest in the country. Consequence of the sanctions was the refusal of the international payment systems Visa and MasterCard spend Card transactions ''Russia'', worsening outlook on the bank and the suspension of the rating actions. On Friday, the Bank announced that it will only work in Russia, and only with their pocketbooks.
- Russian ruble symbol '' the letter R with a horizontal line '' was approved by the Central Bank sovdirom in December 2013.
- And all this time the alternative media has been anticipating the introduction of a gold backed yuan'...
- 1 oz Gold OPM Bars As Low As $14.99 Over Spot at SDBullion!
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- Derivatives Rules Softened in Victory for Banks - Bloomberg
- In a victory for banks, global financial regulators revised rules governing how much money must be set aside to cover losses by swaps traders, backing away from guidelines that firms warned would destabilize the $693 trillion derivatives market.
- The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's final rule, released today, would require swaps dealers to hold less cash to protect against defaults than did a proposal published last year. The plan now applies a minimum 20 percent risk weighting to money deposited at clearinghouses, which are third parties that guarantee the transactions, down from 1,250 percent in the original proposal. The change takes effect on Jan. 1, 2017.
- The interim plan had threatened to boost costs as much as 92 times, according to calculations by three banks shared with Bloomberg News. The risk from that original rule, which was last revised in 2013, was the higher costs could have caused market participants to flee rather than take advantage of the clearinghouses, making it more difficult for the third parties to safeguard the swaps market.
- ''They really had people spending a year thinking about it, and they reversed it,'' said Chris Cononico, president of GCSA LLC, a New York-based underwriter that's seeking to insure derivatives clearinghouses. ''The banks should be very happy,'' he said. The proposed rule ''seems to have evaporated,'' he added.
- Photographer: Ron Antonelli/BloombergThe world's largest derivatives brokers at the end of 2013 were owned by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Newedge Group SA, Deutsche Bank AG, Morgan Stanley and the Merrill Lynch division of Bank of America Corp., according to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Close
- The world's largest derivatives brokers at the end of 2013 were owned by Goldman Sachs... Read More
- OpenPhotographer: Ron Antonelli/BloombergThe world's largest derivatives brokers at the end of 2013 were owned by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Newedge Group SA, Deutsche Bank AG, Morgan Stanley and the Merrill Lynch division of Bank of America Corp., according to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
- Backstopping TradesInternational regulators are trying to safeguard trades and bring more openness to a market whose secrecy and sheer size overwhelmed regulators in 2008. Where swaps had been one-on-one deals before, now they would be backstopped by third parties in clearinghouses that ensure everyone can pay, with the aim of avoiding emergency bailouts and panic. Basel is made up of regulators from 27 of the world's largest economies and sets international bank supervisory guidelines.
- Swaps are what investors use to help guard against risk. They're bought by pension plans and retirement funds to protect against fluctuations in interest rates, meaning they affect most people who own annuities. They're used by the U.S. government to limit exposure in the mortgage market and cut home-loan costs. Investors can also hedge an investment in a company by buying a swap that will pay them if a borrower stops paying its debts.
- They're called swaps because investors and banks exchange, or swap, payments over time based on how interest rates move or how the creditworthiness of companies changes. They trade on swap execution facilities, including one run by Bloomberg LP, the parent of Bloomberg News. Other SEF owners include ICAP Plc and Tullett Prebon Plc.
- Fine LineThe Basel committee had a fine line to walk. The lack of capital to back up losses in the private swaps market was the main reason why the U.S. bailed out American International Group Inc. in 2008, Michael Barr, a law professor at the University of Michigan, said before today's revision. Barr helped write the Dodd-Frank law, which aimed to make the U.S. financial system more transparent and resilient, when he served as an assistant Treasury secretary from 2009 to 2010. Taxpayers ultimately provided $182.3 billion in bailout funds to AIG, since repaid.
- Clearinghouses can make trading safer by ''clearing'' trades -- collecting cash or collateral to ensure participants are able to pay their obligations. Clearinghouses deal only with member firms, which act as intermediaries for their customers. To cover losses and keep the market from being disrupted by deadbeats, clearinghouses also pool cash and securities from the member dealers in what they call default funds.
- 'A Victory'There's about $30 billion in default funds worldwide, GCSA's Cononico said. The largest swaps clearinghouse owners are exchanges: CME Group Inc., IntercontinentalExchange Group Inc., London Stock Exchange Group Plc (LSE) and Deutsche Boerse AG.
- The world's largest derivatives brokers at the end of 2013 were owned by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Newedge Group SA, Deutsche Bank AG (DBK), Morgan Stanley (MS) and the Merrill Lynch division of Bank of America Corp. (BAC), according to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
- The reversal by Basel is ''not just a victory for the banks, it's a victory for the system,'' said Will Rhode, director of fixed-income research at New York-based Tabb Group LLC. By reducing the cost to clear trades, more banks will be able to offer clearinghouse services to their clients such as money managers and pension funds, he said. ''That means more capacity for clearing will be there and the system won't be working at cross purposes.''
- To contact the reporter on this story: Matthew Leising in New York at mleising@bloomberg.net
- To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nick Baker at nbaker7@bloomberg.net Bob Ivry
-
- Tough Swap Standards Drive Up Trade Costs 92-Fold - Bloomberg
- New rules aimed at making the world safer from blowups in the $693 trillion derivatives market are poised to drive up costs so much for retirement funds and other users that bankers say they do just the opposite.
- The toughened standards, hatched five years ago after derivative losses almost crashed the global economy, are meant to safeguard trades and bring more openness to a market whose secrecy and sheer size overwhelmed regulators in 2008. Where swaps had been one-on-one deals before, now they would be backstopped by third parties in clearinghouses that ensure everyone can pay, with the aim of avoiding emergency bailouts and panic.
- Rules being finalized by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in Switzerland will require banks to set aside more money in the event the swaps go bad. And not just a little bit more -- as much as 92 times, or 9,100 percent, more, according to calculations by three banks shared with Bloomberg News. The higher costs in turn may cause market participants to flee rather than take advantage of the clearinghouses, making it more difficult for those third-party guarantors.
- ''Do we expect some firms to drop out? The short answer is yes,'' said Will Rhode, director of fixed-income research at New York-based Tabb Group LLC. ''To have more members of clearinghouses is better because then you have better resources'' in a crisis, he said. Allowing instability to increase ''is not an option,'' he said.
- 'Uneconomical' ProposalBank advocates including the International Swaps and Derivatives Association Inc., a group representing the world's largest banks, argued in a September letter to the Basel committee that its proposal was overkill and unfairly cost them too much money. The committee's plan would ''result in capital requirements that make clearing uneconomical,'' the groups said.
- Attempting to Defuse Derivatives
- Swaps are what investors use to help guard against risk. They're bought by pension plans and retirement funds to protect against fluctuations in interest rates, meaning they affect most people who own annuities. They're used by the government to limit exposure in the mortgage market and cut home-loan costs.
- Investors can also hedge an investment in a company by buying a swap that will pay them if a borrower stops paying its debts. They're called swaps because investors and banks exchange, or swap, payments over time based on how interest rates move or how the creditworthiness of companies changes.
- The contracts trade on swap execution facilities, including one run by Bloomberg LP, the parent of Bloomberg News. Other SEF owners include ICAP Plc and Tullett Prebon Plc. Bloomberg Financial Markets is an associate member of ISDA.
- Fine LineThe Basel committee has a fine line to walk. The lack of capital to back up losses in the private swaps market was the main reason why the U.S. bailed out American International Group Inc. in September 2008, said Michael Barr, a law professor at the University of Michigan who helped write the Dodd-Frank law - - which aimed to make the U.S. financial system more transparent and resilient -- when he served as an assistant Treasury secretary from 2009 to 2010. Taxpayers ultimately provided $182.3 billion in bailout funds to AIG, since repaid.
- ''One of the early reforms we knew we wanted to take was moving the system toward central clearing where risk can be better observed and managed,'' Barr said. ''We were extremely focused at that time, as we dug the U.S. out of this disaster, to make the U.S. system safer.''
- A representative of the Basel committee, which is made up of regulators from 27 of the world's largest economies and sets international bank supervisory guidelines, declined to comment on the proposed clearinghouse regulations.
- 'Enormous Sums'Banks complain about higher capital requirements and use them as a reason to oppose oversight legislation, Barr said.
- ''The dealer banks were opposed to all the reforms in the Dodd-Frank Act and all the capital reforms on derivatives in Basel,'' Barr said. ''They spent enormous sums of money to fight us and didn't stop when the Dodd-Frank Act was passed.''
- In the past, banks have said that higher capital requirements would hurt their business and the economy -- predictions that haven't come true.
- In 2010, a lobbying group estimated that new banking rules requiring higher capital levels would erase 3.1 percent of gross domestic product in the U.S., euro region and Japan by 2015 because banks would bump up their loan rates or reduce how much they lent. While it's impossible to know the effect stricter requirements have had, U.S. GDP expanded about 2.5 percent in the year that prediction was made, and 1.9 percent last year.
- Safeguarding BanksIn 2009, when the Basel committee proposed increasing the amount of capital banks needed to hold in reserve for private derivatives trades by an average of eight times, the industry argued it would shrink the market by making the trades too expensive. Private derivatives trading has grown since then, according to the Bank for International Settlements.
- To Darrell Duffie, a Stanford University finance professor, shielding the financial system from collapse is a bigger concern than whether pension funds and insurance companies can hedge their risk.
- ''The first priority is to keep the banks properly capitalized,'' Duffie said.
- If the Basel rules are adopted, pension plans might lose a tool to boost returns at a time when they're bleeding money. State plans for government workers in the U.S. face an estimated $780 billion gap between what they promised and what they've saved, according to Wilshire Consulting. That doesn't take into account the pension plans for the thousands of municipalities within the states that have their own deficits.
- Regulating PensionsTo protect retirees' money, the U.S. Labor Department regulates what types of investments that pension plans can make. Last year it said $6.8 trillion held by the funds could be invested in cleared swap transactions. The Teachers' Retirement System for the State of Illinois and its 390,000 members, for example, had $808.4 million of interest-rate swaps as of mid-2013, according to its annual report.
- ''Swaps are one of the core ways that pensions manage their long-term interest-rate risk,'' said Kevin McPartland, head of market structure and research at Greenwich Associates in Stamford, Connecticut. ''If they suddenly can't afford to do that, it would be a big hit to pensioners.''
- Clearinghouses can make trading safer by ''clearing'' trades -- collecting cash or collateral to ensure participants are able to pay their obligations. Clearinghouses deal only with member firms, which act as intermediaries for their customers. To cover losses and keep the market from being disrupted by deadbeats, clearinghouses also pool cash and securities from the member dealers in what they call default funds.
- Default FundsThere's about $30 billion in default funds worldwide, according to Chris Cononico, president of GCSA LLC, a New York-based underwriter that's seeking to insure derivatives clearinghouses.
- The largest swaps clearinghouse owners are exchanges: CME Group Inc., IntercontinentalExchange Group Inc., London Stock Exchange Group Plc (LSE) and Deutsche Boerse AG.
- Since banks act as customers' gatekeepers to the clearinghouses, the Basel committee wants them to protect themselves -- and the global financial system -- by matching every dollar they contribute to the default fund with a dollar of capital.
- If the rules were adopted, swaps dealers say that only the wealthiest investors would be able to use clearinghouses. Fewer members would mean eroded financial support for the clearinghouses, which are the last backstop before losses are borne by taxpayers.
- Biggest BrokersThe world's largest derivatives brokers at the end of 2013 were owned by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Newedge Group SA, Deutsche Bank AG (DBK), Morgan Stanley (MS) and the Merrill Lynch division of Bank of America Corp. (BAC), according to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
- Here's how costs would change under the new rule, based on internal models from three major derivatives dealers provided to Bloomberg News under the condition that their identities wouldn't be disclosed so they could openly discuss their business models.
- Executives in a bank's treasury department don't allocate the firm's money to trading desks without a guarantee that the profit on it will be about 10 percent to 15 percent a year after taxes, depending on the bank. In many cases, banks earn these returns by charging fees to clients.
- Bank ModelsIn one bank's internal model, a $100 million interest-rate swap between a dealer and its customer prior to the new Basel proposal would have meant that, before taxes, $14,750 in capital had to be set aside.
- When the bank's trading desk asks the firm's treasury for $14,750 as part of the trade, the traders would have to earn $3,404 per year before taxes for as long as the swap was active. That's in the old days.
- The same $100 million swap would look different under the new proposal. As part of accepting that trade, the clearinghouse would require the bank to deposit $1.2 million into its default fund. Under the Basel committee proposal, the bank would have to have $1.2 million more capital.
- According to the dealer bank, it would be required to generate more than $276,000 a year before taxes for that amount of capital. When charges such as the cost of funding and others are added to the trade, the tab balloons to $307,327 a year, the dealer said.
- Punishing IntermediariesThat's 90 times as much as the $3,404 before the new rules.
- The projections by other market participants are similar. A second dealer who shared an internal model for a $100 million interest-rate swap said it would have required $2,769 a year before the Basel rules. Adding in the same associated costs as in the previous example leads to more than $256,000 a year, or 92 times more expensive.
- A third major derivatives dealer that provided an internal model would have incurred $12,000 in capital costs under the old system, but would now face more than $253,000. That's a 21-fold increase.
- The added charges are alarming and punitive, Rhode of Tabb Group said.
- ''It's counterintuitive if you introduce clearing to make the system more robust to punish the intermediaries necessary in that business,'' he said.
- These are simplified examples and don't take into account how trades that offset can lower costs. They also assume a bank will pass all of the new costs on to the client. The bank executives contacted by Bloomberg News said their institutions hadn't decided whether they'd do that.
- A fourth executive said his firm would pass along the charge to clients. He added that the 10 biggest swaps dealers would probably decide to accommodate only the 200 largest investors in the world. He didn't want to be identified speaking candidly about his firm's plans.
- By imposing such high costs, the Basel committee may be looking to curb the size of the cleared derivatives market, McPartland said.
- ''This is certainly going to meet that goal,'' he said.
- To contact the reporter on this story: Matthew Leising in New York at mleising@bloomberg.net
- To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nick Baker at nbaker7@bloomberg.net Bob Ivry
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- Frankfurt clinches renminbi trading hub role - sources | Reuters
- BERLIN/FRANKFURT, March 27Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:56am EDT
- BERLIN/FRANKFURT, March 27 (Reuters) - Germany's financial capital Frankfurt will become the first hub for renminbi payment transactions in Europe with the German and Chinese central banks set to seal the deal this week, two financial sources told Reuters, pipping a similar move by London.
- The sources said on Thursday that the Bundesbank and the People's Bank of China are due to sign a memorandum of understanding during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Germany on Friday.
- Such an agreement would make it easier for investors to complete financial transactions by increasing cooperation on international payments and establishing a clearing bank for China's currency as part of the deal.
- There is currently no clearing service for renminbi trading outside Asia.
- Beijing's tie-up with Frankfurt would not, however, be exclusive - Britain and China are due to sign an agreement on renminbi clearing and settlement next Monday, setting out how their two central banks will cooperate in establishing a clearing bank.
- The Bundesbank declined to comment when contacted by Reuters but Bundesbank board member Joachim Nagel told German business daily Handelsblatt he was confident about Frankfurt's prospects.
- "The discussions we've had so far make me very optimistic that Frankfurt will get a clearing bank," he was quoted as saying.
- "That would, at the same time, be the starting point for establishing a yuan centre."
- The renminbi is not yet freely tradable but by building up trading hubs outside of Asia, China is removing trade barriers. Until now business has mainly been conducted via Hong Kong.
- Financial sources said subsidiaries of Chinese banks such as the Bank of China would be considered for the clearing bank.
- A government source said the cooperation would include the sale of bonds and other Chinese financial products but not foreign exchange.
- Exchange operator Deutsche Boerse has been pushing for a stronger role for Frankfurt as a European centre for financial market activities in China but said this would only happen if policymakers worked together as a team. (Reporting by Reinhard Becker, Andreas Kr¶ner, Gernot Heller, Andreas Framke, Andy Bruce, David Milliken; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Toby Chopra)
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- Frankfurt and London Become Renminbi Clearing Hubs - Euro Treasurer
- New RMB Clearing Centres in Europe02.04.14 08:49
- Frankfurt and London have just been nominated as renminbi clearing and settlement hubs. The clearing banks, which yet have to be appointed, could take up work as early as late autumn. European treasurers can expect renminbi transactions to become less expensive.
- The competition for becoming the first renminbi (RMB) clearing hub outside of Asia is fierce. Now, two European cities have the finish line in sight: While the German Bundesbank signed a memorandum of understanding with the People's Bank of China (PBOC) to establish RMB clearing services in Frankfurt last Friday, the Bank of England followed suit on Monday, putting London on equal footing.
- The agreement ''makes the processing of RMB payments far easier for the German economy,'' said Carl-Ludwig Thiele, member of the board of managers of the Bundesbank. According to bankers, companies can now expect costs associated with RMB payments to be lower since they can be processed in Germany or the UK. The agreement is also supposed to ease the use of RMB capital markets products such as dim sum bonds for European companies. However, the clearing banks for the Chinese currency have yet to be selected in either city. This task will be left up to the PBOC.
- As soon as the decision about clearing banks is made, Frankfurt will be ready to offer the entire range of RMB products, said Lutz Raettig, president of the Frankfurt Main Finance initiative and head of the supervisory board of Morgan Stanley Frankfurt. The Bundesbank hopes that the clearing bank in Frankfurt can begin working as early as late autumn.
- UK: The leading offshore renminbi hubGermany and Great Britain hope this latest distinction will increase the share of RMB transactions completed in their respective financial capitals. According to data from financial messaging provider Swift, the UK was the leading offshore RMB hub in January 2014, not including China and Hong Kong. The UK accounted for nearly 26% of RMB payments while Germany ranked 8th with its 3% share. France and Luxembourg also aspire to become clearing centres for the Chinese currency: The former ranked 5th and the latter 7th in January 2014. In its bid for RMB clearing services, Frankfurt's status as home of the European Central Bank and German Bundesbank may have made the difference.
- Along with the currency clearing agreement, Deutsche B¶rse, the operator of the Frankfurt stock exchange, signed a separate agreement with the PBOC that will facilitate access to European capital markets and stock listings for Chinese issuers and investors.
- backhaus[at]eurotreasurer.com
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- Obama Nation
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- Louie Gohmert Reveals the Important History Behind Eric Holder's 'Good Luck With Your Asparagus' Insult | Video | TheBlaze.com
- During a contentious congressional hearing on Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Holder disdainfully told Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) ''good luck with your asparagus.''
- Many, including TheBlaze, assumed Holder was mocking Gohmert for seemingly fumbling his words back in 2013 when he said, ''The attorney general will not cast aspersions on my asparagus!''
- Gohmert was ridiculed at the time by Comedy Central's ''The Colbert Report,'' the Washington Post, the U.K. Guardian and more for the ''famously embarrassing'' moment.
- But Gohmert told Glenn Beck on Wednesday that he did not fumble his words back in 2013, and was in fact using a quote that goes back decades.
- Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, talks about the impasse over federal funding and the Affordable Care Act, Monday, Sept. 30, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)
- ''Percy Foreman was a very, very liberal criminal defense attorney, but he was incredible in the courtroom,'' Gohmert said on Beck's radio show. ''When somebody started attacking his integrity, he stood up and said, 'I object, he's casting aspersions on my asparagus!' And people would scratch their heads, but it brought down the level of the rancor. I was using a Percy Foreman line from criminal trials back probably 50 years ago.''
- Other research confirms that the line was used in decades past. A 1973 book by John Dos Passos includes a letter where an individual says, ''don't think that I'm 'casting asparagus''...''
- And in ''The Three Stooges,'' a chef even parodies the line by demanding, ''Are you casting asparagus on my cooking?''
- Beck said it seems as though Holder was not aware of the reference, and has been holding onto the line to use as an insult for almost a year.
- ''For a year that's been simmering under there,'' Gohmert agreed, saying if the Justice Department would just produce the documents it has been withholding from Congress, these constant trials and exchanges would not be necessary.
- ''The guys had a year to think about that line. He has waited a year. That is psychotic!'' Beck said.
- Complimentary Clip from TheBlaze TVThe full episode of The Glenn Beck Program, along with many other live-streaming shows and thousands of hours of on-demand content, is available on just about any digital device. Get it all with a FREE TRIAL.
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- Al Sharpton's Secret Work As FBI Informant | The Smoking Gun
- View DocumentDraft FBI AffidavitDraft FBI Affidavit
- FBI Affidavit IFBI Affidavit I
- Curington ComplaintCurington Complaint
- Sylvia Rhone TranscriptSylvia Rhone Transcript
- Buonanno ComplaintBuonanno Complaint
- Pagano FBI MemosPagano FBI Memos
- Dangerfield WarrantDangerfield Warrant
- Buonanno FBI MemosBuonanno FBI Memos
- Pertinent InterceptPertinent Intercept
- FBI Affidavit IIFBI Affidavit II
- Morris Levy FBIMorris Levy FBI
- Sharpton LetterSharpton Letter
- APRIL 7--When friends and family members gathered recently at the White House for a private celebration of Michelle Obama's 50th birthday, one of the invited partygoers was a former paid FBI Mafia informant.
- That same man attended February's state dinner in honor of French President Francois Hollande. He was seated with his girlfriend at a table adjacent to President Barack Obama, who is likely unaware that, according to federal agents, his guest once interacted with members of four of New York City's five organized crime families. He even secretly taped some of those wiseguys using a briefcase that FBI technicians outfitted with a recording device.
- The high-profile Obama supporter was also on the dais atop the U.S. Capitol steps last year when the president was sworn in for a second term. He was seated in front of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, two rows behind Beyonce and Jay Z, and about 20 feet from Eric Holder, the country's top law enforcement officer. As head of the Department of Justice, Attorney General Holder leads an agency that once reported that Obama's inauguration guest also had La Cosa Nostra contacts beyond Gotham, and engaged in ''conversations with LCN members from other parts of the United States.''
- The former mob snitch has become a regular in the White House, where he has met with the 44th president in the East Room, the Roosevelt Room, and the Oval Office. He has also attended Obama Christmas parties, speeches, policy announcements, and even watched a Super Bowl with the First Family (an evening the man has called ''one of the highlights of my life''). During these gatherings, he has mingled with cabinet members, top Obama aides, military leaders, business executives, and members of Congress. His former confederates were a decidedly dicier lot: ex-convicts, extortionists, heroin traffickers, and mob henchmen. The man's surreptitious recordings, FBI records show, aided his government handlers in the successful targeting of powerful Mafia figures with nicknames like Benny Eggs, Chin, Fritzy, Corky, and Baldy Dom.
- Later this week, Obama will travel to New York and appear in a Manhattan hotel ballroom at the side of the man whom FBI agents primarily referred to as ''CI-7''--short for confidential informant #7--in secret court filings. In those documents, investigators vouched for him as a reliable, productive, and accurate source of information about underworld figures.
- The ex-informant has been one of Obama's most unwavering backers, a cheerleader who has nightly bludgeoned the president's Republican opponents in televised broadsides. For his part, Obama has sought the man's counsel, embraced him publicly, and saluted his ''commitment to fight injustice and inequality.'' The president has even commented favorably on his friend's svelte figure, the physical manifestation of a rehabilitation effort that coincided with Obama's ascension to the White House. This radical makeover has brought the man wealth, a daily TV show, bespoke suits, a luxury Upper West Side apartment, and a spot on best seller lists.
- Most importantly, he has the ear of the President of the United States, an equally remarkable and perplexing achievement for the former FBI asset known as ''CI-7,'' the Rev. Al Sharpton.
- A lengthy investigation by The Smoking Gun has uncovered remarkable details about Sharpton's past work as an informant for a joint organized crime task force comprised of FBI agents and NYPD detectives, as well as his dealings with an assortment of wiseguys.
- Beginning in the mid-1980s and spanning several years, Sharpton's cooperation was fraught with danger since the FBI's principal targets were leaders of the Genovese crime family, the country's largest and most feared Mafia outfit. In addition to aiding the FBI/NYPD task force, which was known as the ''Genovese squad,'' Sharpton's cooperation extended to several other investigative agencies.
- TSG's account of Sharpton's secret life as ''CI-7'' is based on hundreds of pages of confidential FBI affidavits, documents released by the bureau in response to Freedom of Information Act requests, court records, and extensive interviews with six members of the Genovese squad, as well as other law enforcement officials to whom the activist provided assistance.
- Like almost every other FBI informant, Sharpton was solely an information source. The parameters of his cooperation did not include Sharpton ever surfacing publicly or testifying on a witness stand.
- Genovese squad investigators--representing both the FBI and NYPD--recalled how Sharpton, now 59, deftly extracted information from wiseguys. In fact, one Gambino crime family figure became so comfortable with the protest leader that he spoke openly--during ten wired face-to-face meetings--about a wide range of mob business, from shylocking and extortions to death threats and the sanity of Vincent ''Chin'' Gigante, the Genovese boss who long feigned mental illness in a bid to deflect law enforcement scrutiny. As the mafioso expounded on these topics, Sharpton's briefcase--a specially customized Hartmann model--recorded his every word.
- Task force members, who were interviewed separately, spoke on the condition of anonymity when describing Sharpton's work as an informant and the Genovese squad's activities. Some of these investigators provided internal FBI documents to a reporter.
- Records obtained by TSG show that information gathered by Sharpton was used by federal investigators to help secure court authorization to bug two Genovese family social clubs, including Gigante's Greenwich Village headquarters, three autos used by crime family leaders, and more than a dozen phone lines. These listening devices and wiretaps were approved during the course of a major racketeering investigation targeting the Genovese family's hierarchy.
- A total of eight separate U.S. District Court judges--presiding in four federal jurisdictions--signed interception orders that were based on sworn FBI affidavits including information gathered by Sharpton. The phones bugged as a result of these court orders included two lines in Gigante's Manhattan townhouse, the home phone of Genovese captain Dominick ''Baldy Dom'' Canterino, and the office lines of music industry power Morris Levy, a longtime Genovese family associate. The resulting surreptitious recordings were eventually used to help convict an assortment of Mafia members and associates.
- Investigators also used Sharpton's information in an application for a wiretap on the telephone in the Queens residence of Federico ''Fritzy'' Giovanelli, a Genovese soldier. Giovanelli was sentenced to 20 years in prison for racketeering following a trial during which those recordings were played for jurors. In a recent interview, the 82-year-old Giovanelli--now three years removed from his latest stint in federal custody--said that he was unaware that Sharpton contributed in any fashion to his phone's bugging. He then jokingly chided a reporter for inquiring about the civil rights leader's past. ''Poor Sharpton, he cleaned up his life and you want to ruin him,'' Giovanelli laughed.
- While Sharpton's acrimonious history with law enforcement--especially the NYPD--rankled some Genovese squad investigators, they nonetheless grudgingly acknowledged in interviews that the activist produced for those he would go on to frequently pillory.
- Genovese squad members, however, did not share with Sharpton specific details about how they were using the information he was gathering for them. This is standard practice since FBI affidavits in support of wiretap applications are filed under seal by Department of Justice prosecutors. Still, Sharpton was briefed in advance of his undercover sorties, so he was well aware of the squad's investigative interest in Gigante and his Mafia cronies.
- Sharpton vehemently denies having worked as an FBI informant. He has alleged that claims of government cooperation were attempts by dark forces to stunt his aggressive brand of civil rights advocacy or, perhaps, get him killed. In his most recent book, ''The Rejected Stone,'' which hit best seller lists following its October 2013 publication, Sharpton claimed to have once been ''set up by the government,'' whose agents later leaked ''false information'' that ''could have gotten me killed.'' He added, ''So I have been seriously tested in what I believe over the years.''
- In an interview Saturday, Sharpton again denied working as a confidential informant, claiming that his prior cooperation with FBI agents was limited to efforts to prompt investigations of drug dealing in minority communities, as well as the swindling of black artists in the recording industry. He also repeatedly denied being ''flipped'' by federal agents in the course of an undercover operation. When asked specifically about his recording of the Gambino crime family member, Sharpton was noncommittal: ''I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no.''
- If Sharpton's account is to be believed, he was simply a concerned citizen who voluntarily (and briefly) joined arm-in-arm with federal agents, perhaps risking peril in the process. The other explanation for Sharpton's cooperation--one that has uniformly been offered by knowledgeable law enforcement agents--presents the reverend in a less noble light. Worried that he could face criminal charges, Sharpton opted for the path of self-preservation and did what the FBI asked. Which is usually how someone is compelled to repeatedly record a gangster discussing murder, extortion, and loan sharking.
- Sharpton spoke for an hour in an office at the House of Justice, his Harlem headquarters, where he had just finished addressing a crowd of about 200 people that included his two adult daughters and his second wife (from whom he has been separated for ten years). A few minutes into the interview, Sharpton asked, ''Are you taping this?'' A TSG reporter answered that he was not recording their interview, but had a digital recorder and wished to do so. Sharpton declined that request.
- In the absence of any real examination/exhumation of Sharpton's past involvement with the FBI and the Mafia, his denials have served the civil rights leader well. Scores of articles and broadcast reports about the Obama-era ''rehabilitation'' of Sharpton have mentioned his inflammatory past--Tawana Brawley, Crown Heights, Freddy's Fashion Mart, and various anti-Semitic and homophobic statements. But his organized crime connections and related informant work have received no such scrutiny.
- In a ''60 Minutes'' profile aired three months before the August 2011 launch of Sharpton's MSNBC show, correspondent Lesley Stahl reported on the ''tame'' Sharpton's metamorphosis from ''loud mouth activist'' to ''trusted White House advisor who's become the president's go-to black leader.'' As for prior underworld entanglements, those were quickly dispatched: ''There were allegations of mob ties, never proved,'' Stahl flatly declared.
- As host of MSNBC's ''PoliticsNation,'' Sharpton now reluctantly identifies himself as a member of the media, if not actually a journalist. He spends his time at 30 Rockefeller Plaza surrounded by reporters, editors, and researchers committed to accuracy and the exposure of those who violate the public trust. In fact, Sharpton himself delights in a daily feature that seeks to expose liars, hypocrites, and others engaged in deceit (his targets tend to be Republican opponents of the Obama administration). As he wraps this segment, Sharpton points his finger at the camera and addresses his quarry: ''Nice try, but we gotcha!''
- In addition to his MSNBC post, Sharpton heads the National Action Network, which describes itself as a ''Christian activist organization.'' Obama, who refers to Sharpton as ''Rev'' or ''Reverend Al,'' is scheduled to deliver a keynote address Friday at the group's annual convention in New York City. Mayor Bill DeBlasio will preside Wednesday over the convention's ribbon cutting ceremony, while Holder and three Obama cabinet secretaries will deliver speeches.
- Sharpton has been a leading supporter of Holder, who spoke at the National Action Network's 2012 convention and saluted the reverend for ''your partnership, your friendship, and also for your tireless efforts to speak out for the voiceless, to stand up for the powerless, and to shine a light on the problems we must solve, and the promises we must fulfill.'' Last Friday, Sharpton appeared on a panel at a Department of Justice forum led by Tony West, the agency's third-ranking official. West thanked Sharpton for his ''leadership, day in and day out, on issues of reconciliation and community restoration.''
- According to its most recent IRS return, which Sharpton signed in mid-November 2013, the National Action Network pays him $241,402 annually for serving as president and CEO. In return for that hefty salary, Sharpton--who hosts a three-hour daily radio show in addition to his nightly cable TV program--reportedly works a 40-hour week for the not-for-profit (which lists unpaid tax liabilities totaling $813,576).
- For longtime observers, the ''new'' Sharpton's public prominence and West Wing access is bewildering considering that his history, mob ties included, could charitably be described as checkered. In fact, Obama has banished others guilty of lesser transgressions (see: Wright, Jeremiah).
- Sharpton now calls himself a ''refined agitator,'' an activist no longer prone to incendiary language or careless provocations. Indeed, a Google check confirms that it has been years since he labeled a detractor a ''faggot,'' used the term ''homos,'' or derisively referred to Jewish diamond merchants.
- As an ''informant in development,'' as one federal investigator referred to Sharpton, the protest leader was seen as an intriguing prospective source, since he had significant contacts in politics, boxing, and the music industry.
- Before he was ''flipped'' in the course of an FBI sting operation in 1983, Sharpton had established relationships with promoter Don King, various elected officials, and several powerful New York hoodlums involved in concert promotion, record distribution, and talent management. At the time, the music business was ''overrun by hustlers, con artists, black and white,'' Sharpton recalled in his 1996 autobiography. A federal agent who was not part of the Genovese squad--but who also used Sharpton as an informant--recalled that ''everyone was trying to mine'' his music industry ties.
- In fact, by any measure, Sharpton himself was a Mafia ''associate,'' the law enforcement designation given to mob affiliates who, while not initiated, work with and for crime family members. While occupying the lowest rung on the LCN org chart--which is topped by a boss-underboss-consigliere triumvirate--associates far outnumber ''made'' men, and play central roles in a crime family's operation, from money-making pursuits to more violent endeavors.
- For more than four years, the fact that Sharpton was working as an informant was known only to members of the Genovese squad and a small number of other law enforcement agents. As with any Mafia informant, protecting Sharpton's identity was crucial to maintaining the viability of ongoing investigations. Not to mention keeping him alive.
- For example, an episode recounted by TSG sources highlighted the sensitive nature of Sharpton's cooperation with the FBI/NYPD task force.
- In advance of seeking court authorization to bug a pair of Genovese family social clubs and a Cadillac used by Gigante and Canterino, a draft version of a wiretap affidavit was circulated for review within the Genovese squad, which operated from the FBI's lower Manhattan headquarters. The 53-page document, which detailed the ''probable cause'' to believe that listening devices would yield incriminating conversations, concerned some investigators due to the degree to which the activities of Sharpton were described in the document.
- While the affidavit prepared by FBI Agent Gerald King and a federal prosecutor only referred to Sharpton as ''CI-7,'' the document included the name of a Gambino mobster whom Sharpton taped, as well as the dates and details of five of their recorded meetings. Such specificity was problematic since the possibility existed that the affidavit's finalized version could someday be turned over to defense lawyers in the discovery phase of a criminal trial.
- Investigators fretted that Sharpton could easily be unmasked by the Gambino member, who, if ever questioned about his meetings with ''CI-7,'' would surely realize that Sharpton was the wired informant referred to in the FBI affidavit. That discovery, of course, could have placed Sharpton's life in grave danger. The Gambino wiseguy, too, likely would have faced trouble, since he was recorded speaking about a wide range of Mafia matters, including Gigante's illegal operations. The Genovese power--rightly paranoid about bugged phones and listening devices--famously forbid fellow gangsters from even speaking his name. In fact, if a wiseguy had to refer to Gigante during an in-person meeting, a quick stroke of the chin was the acceptable means of identification.
- In response to concerns about the King affidavit, the draft, which a source provided to TSG, was rewritten to carefully shroud Sharpton's work with government agents. The affidavit's final version--which was submitted to two federal judges--no longer included the disclosure that ''CI-7'' had ''consensually recorded his conversations'' with a gangster. The wiseguy's name was also deleted from the document, as was any reference to the Gambino family or the informant's sex.
- Instead, the revamped affidavit simply noted that ''CI-7 reported'' to the FBI various details of Genovese family rackets. The actual source of that valuable intelligence about Gigante & Co. had been carefully obscured. As were the details of how that information was obtained via Sharpton's battery-powered valise.
- But despite efforts like this to protect Sharpton, some details of his informant work leaked out in January 1988, when New York Newsday reported that the civil rights activist had cooperated with federal investigations targeting organized crime figures and Don King. Though he reportedly made incriminating admissions to the newspaper, Sharpton quickly issued vehement denials that he had snitched on anyone.
- While acknowledging contact with law enforcement officials, Sharpton--then involved in the early stages of the Tawana Brawley hoax--said he sought the help of investigators to combat the crack cocaine epidemic ravaging New York's poorest communities. Sharpton also claimed to have contacted agents (and pledged his assistance) after a Mafia associate allegedly threatened him over a music industry dispute.
- Sharpton asserted that a phone installed in his Brooklyn apartment by federal investigators in mid-1987 was there to serve as a ''hotline'' for the public to report drug dealing. He flatly denied recording phone conversations at the direction of law enforcement agents. In one radio interview, Sharpton even declared, ''We have an ethical thing against wiretapping.''
- In fact, Sharpton had been cooperating with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn as part of an investigation targeting Don King. According to a source involved with that probe, federal agents ''ran him for a couple of months,'' during which time Sharpton ''did some recordings'' via his new home telephone. But the nascent Department of Justice operation was abruptly shuttered in the wake of the New York Newsday story.
- The Brooklyn investigators were introduced to Sharpton in late-1987 by Joseph Spinelli, one of the reverend's former FBI handlers (and one of the agents who initially secured his cooperation with the bureau). While Spinelli had left the FBI for another government post, he still helped facilitate Sharpton's interaction with other investigators. ''Joe was shopping him around,'' one source recalled.
- For example, in July 1987, Spinelli called a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles and offered Sharpton's assistance with a matter the lawyer was handling. The case involved Salvatore Pisello, a mobbed-up music industry figure who had just been indicted for tax evasion (and whom Sharpton had previously accused of threatening his life).
- Referring to Sharpton, ex-prosecutor Marvin Rudnick said in an interview, ''I didn't know who he was'' when Spinelli called. In subsequent conversations with Rudnick, Sharpton provided information about Pisello and a related music industry matter that was being scrutinized by Justice Department investigators.
- While Sharpton would not prove particularly helpful to Rudnick, the attorney clearly recalled his brief, unorthodox dealings with the New York activist. ''I remember having to go to a pay phone to take the call because he didn't want it to be traced,'' Rudnick laughed.
- So why did Sharpton agree to become an FBI informant? And why was he willing to risk the dangers inherent in such cooperation?
- ''He thought he didn't have a choice,'' one Genovese squad agent recalled.
- In the course of an investigation being run by Spinelli and his partner John Pritchard, Sharpton was secretly recorded in meetings with an FBI undercover agent posing as a wealthy drug dealer seeking to promote boxing matches.
- As previously reported, Colombo crime family captain Michael Franzese, who knew Sharpton, enlisted the activist's help in connecting with Don King. Franzese and Sharpton were later surreptitiously filmed during one meeting with the undercover, while Sharpton and Daniel Pagano, a Genovese soldier, were recorded at another sit-down. Pagano's father Joseph was a Genovese power deeply involved in the entertainment industry (and who also managed the crime family's rackets in counties north of New York City).
- During one meeting with Sharpton, the undercover agent offered to get him "pure coke" at $35,000 a kilo. As the phony drug kingpin spoke, Sharpton nodded his head and said, ''I hear you.'' When the undercover promised Sharpton a 10 percent finder's fee if he could arrange the purchase of several kilos, the reverend referred to an unnamed buyer and said, ''If he's gonna do it, he'll do it much more than that.'' The FBI agent steered the conversation toward the possible procurement of cocaine, sources said, since investigators believed that Sharpton acquaintance Daniel Pagano--who was not present--was looking to consummate drug deals. Joseph Pagano, an East Harlem native who rose through a Genovese crew notorious for narcotics trafficking, spent nearly seven years in federal prison for heroin distribution.
- While Sharpton did not explicitly offer to arrange a drug deal, some investigators thought his interaction with the undercover agent could be construed as a violation of federal conspiracy laws. Though an actual prosecution, an ex-FBI agent acknowledged, would have been ''a reach,'' agents decided to approach Sharpton and attempt to ''flip'' the activist, who was then shy of his 30th birthday. In light of Sharpton's relationship with Don King, FBI agents wanted his help in connection with the bureau's three-year-old boxing investigation, code named ''Crown Royal'' and headed by Spinelli and Pritchard.
- The FBI agents confronted Sharpton with the undercover videos and warned that he could face criminal charges as a result of the secret recordings. Sharpton, of course, could have walked out and ran to King, Franzese, or Pagano and reported the FBI approach (and the fact that drug dealer ''Victor Quintana'' was actually a federal agent).
- In subsequent denials that he had been ''flipped,'' Sharpton has contended that he stiffened in the face of the FBI agents, meeting their bluff with bluster and bravado. He claimed to have turned away Spinelli & Co., daring them to ''Indict me'' and ''Prosecute.'' Sharpton has complained that the seasoned investigators were ''trying to sting me, entrap me'...a young minister.''
- In fact, Sharpton fell for the FBI ruse and agreed to cooperate, a far-reaching decision he made without input from a lawyer, according to sources. ''I think there was some fear [of prosecution] on his part,'' recalled a former federal agent. In a TSG interview, Sharpton claimed that he rebuffed the FBI agents, who, he added, threatened to serve him with a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury investigating King. After being confronted by the bureau, Sharpton said he consulted with an attorney (whom he declined to identify).
- Following bureau guidelines, agents formally opened a ''137'' informant file on Sharpton, a move that was approved by FBI supervisors, according to several sources. Agents anticipated using Sharpton in the ''Crown Royal'' case focusing on King, but during initial debriefings of their new recruit, it became clear that his contacts in the music business were equally appealing.
- Sharpton had met James Brown in the mid-70s, and became extremely close to the R&B superstar. He worked for and traveled with the mercurial performer, married one of Brown's backup singers, and wore the same processed hairdo as the entertainer. Like Brown, Sharpton would sometimes even wear a cowboy hat atop his tribute conk.
- It was first through executives at Spring Records, a small Manhattan-based label affiliated with Brown, that Sharpton--who worked from the firm's office--was introduced to various wiseguys, including Franzese. His circle of mob contacts would grow to include, among others, the Paganos, Carmine DeNoia, an imposing Pagano associate known as ''Wassel,'' and Joseph ''Joe Bana'' Buonanno, a Gambino crime family figure involved in record distribution and production.
- At one point before he was ''flipped,'' Sharpton participated in a mob scheme to create a business front that would seek a share of lucrative Con Edison set-asides intended for minority-owned businesses. That deal, which involved garbage collection contracts, cratered when the power company determined that Sharpton's silent partner was Genovese captain Matthew ''Matty the Horse'' Ianniello. Details of the Con Ed plot emerged at a federal criminal trial of Ianniello and his business partner Benjamin Cohen. It was Cohen, who worked across the hall from Spring Records, who recruited Sharpton for the mob garbage gambit.
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- 98% Of All Consumer Credit In Past Year Was Student And Car Loans
- Same shit, different month. If last month total consumer credit increased by $13.8 billion, of which $14.0 billion went into student and car loans meaning consumers continued deleveraging on their credit card statements (some expectation for a recovery there), then February was even worse. The headline number was great: $16.5 billion, well above the $14.0 billion expected. The problem is that of this number well more than 100%, or $18.9 billion was once again slated for car purchases and paying down "student bills" (not really - as has been reported numerous times before Americans increasingly use student loans as a means to pay for everything else but tuition).
- In other words, anyone suggesting that the "surge" in household lending is in any way remotely indicative of consumer hope in a recovery is i) an idiot or ii) clueless and won't even be bothered to read the fine print which once again suggests that the only credit Americans will take on is whatever comes implicitly free, and is certainly not meant to be repaid, courtesy of Uncle Sam. Unlike credit cards.
- And putting this in context, in the past 12 months, a record 98% of all credit - $162 billion - has gone into non-revolving debt, i.e., student and car loans. How much has been added to credit card balances? An absolutely meaningless $4 billion, or 2% of total. Shown below, the "consumer recovery" is the bar chart on the left.
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- Privatization of Detroit's water moving forward at ''lightning pace''
- By Thomas Gaist8 April 2014Plans to privatize the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) are moving forward with increasing speed.
- In March, Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr requested proposals from private companies interested in the DWSD. These proposals are due this week, with final bids to follow by June. The water department in Detroit may become the largest water system to be privatized in US history, according to Global Water Intelligence.
- The transfer of the DWSD to private hands will have disastrous consequences for workers and consumers. A Detroit Free Press report published Friday, ''Detroit's fast track to private water risks high rates, bad service, experts say,'' warned of ''higher water and sewer rates, poorer service and a mountain of administrative headaches'' as a result of privatization.
- In an editorial published the same day, the Detroit Free Press, which has backed the bankruptcy as a whole, noted that Orr is seeking to push through privatization of DWSD to raise cash as plans to transfer the department to a regional authority are faltering. ''Because the regional deal is dying, and because it's essential that the city's bankruptcy settlement wring some money out of the water department, Orr has issued requests for initial bid proposals form private operators'... It's a lightning pace for deals of this type and complexity,'' the Free Press wrote.
- The privatization proposals are coming in as the city has begun shutting off thousands of consumers from water every week, targeting many of the approximately 150,000 residents behind on their bills. The brutal cutoff of a basic necessity, clean water, is a strategy to make the DWSD more attractive for investors.
- Hundreds of jobs at the department are also being eliminated.
- Loss of public control over the DWSD poses a serious health risk, places lives in danger, and will further impoverish the people of Detroit. Privatization of water systems typically leads to large rate increases and the further deterioration of infrastructure, reports show.
- A Food and Water Watch (FWW) fact sheet found that water privatizations are taking place worldwide, enriching water corporations while degrading service. ''Around the world, multinational corporations are seizing control of public water resources and prioritizing profits for their stockholders and executives over the news of the communities they serve. These private water companies try to persuade cash-strapped cities and towns to relinquish control over their valuable public water and sewer systems. Many communities that experimented with privatization have found that it often results in worse service at a higher cost,'' the FWW wrote.
- ''After taking over a municipal water system, water companies aggressively hike water rates by an average of about 10 percent a year, adding hundreds of dollars onto the typical annual household bill,'' the report states.
- Poor and working class neighborhoods in Detroit can expect to lose service if DWSD is transferred to private hands. Private companies are ''prone to cherry-picking service areas to avoid serving low-income communities where low water use and frequent bill collection problems could hurt corporate profits,'' the FWW wrote.
- Many industry experts say that private companies usually seek alternative means to effectively raise prices, even when price caps are imposed.
- Another FWW report corroborated this perspective, finding that water privatizations typically lead to large price increases. In ''Water=Life: How Privatization Undermines the Human Right to Water,'' the FWW found that ''investor owned utilities typically charge 33 percent more for water and 63 percent more for sewer service than local government utilities'... Private ownership increased drinking water bills by 4 percent in Alaska to 75 percent in Delaware; and sewer bills by 7 percent in West Virginia to 154 percent in Texas.''
- ''After privatization, water rates increase at about three times the rate of inflation, with an average increase of 18 percent every other year'... As of 2011, after an average of 11 years of private control, residential water rates had nearly tripled on average, increasing a typical household's annual bill by more than $300,'' the FWW found.
- Atlanta signed a 20-year contract with United Water, a company that currently has contracts with Pontiac, in 1999, but cancelled the deal in 2003 because of the results.
- A report by Public Citizen on Atlanta's catastrophic experiment with water privatization, ''The water privatization 'model': a backgrounder on United Water's Atlanta fiasco,'' found that during the years of private control, the company systematically neglected to perform upkeep on the water system.
- ''A backlog of work orders and maintenance ballooned for virtually every portion of the system, from main breaks and facility maintenance to meter installation, hydrant repairs and fleet maintenance,'' Public Citizen wrote, while at the same time United Water reduced staff overseeing Atlanta's water operations from 700 to 300.
- While neglecting to maintain the water infrastructure, the city paid heavily in extra charges conjured up by the company. ''A broken water line could take as much as two months to fix; maintenance projects hovered at a 50 percent completion rate'....Almost immediately, United Water started hitting up the city for more money, and tried to add $80 million to the contract. The city refused. United Water came back with charges of $80 million for additional expenditures,'' Public Citizen found.
- The surge in water privatizations occurring globally represents a barbaric social regression. Publicly controlled water systems began to supplant private ones during the 19th century in response to the failure of private water companies to make necessary investments and provide services for all residents. Sanitary urban conditions and dependable access to water for the masses of workers only became possible on the basis of public ownership.
- Since the 1990s, as part of the right-wing ''free market'' policy agenda supported by both Democrats and Republicans, privately owned water systems have returned with a vengeance. In 1989, the government of Margaret Thatcher in Britain privatized all the public water and sewerage operations in England. Paris and Berlin privatized water infrastructure during the 1990s.
- Water privatization has been pushed aggressively in the former colonial countries, often as a condition of loans offered by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The 1990s and 2000s saw a surge in private sector control over urban water supplies, with Gabon, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Armenia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Morocco, Honduras, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Cuba, China, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Chile all experiencing major transfers of public water resources to private corporations for the first time during these decades.
- This process has fueled the rise of gigantic water conglomerates, such as Veolia Environnement (Vivendi) and Suez (parent company of United Water, which signed a five-year deal with Pontiac in 2011), which provide service to more than 120 million customers each. The very existence of such firms points to the staggering irrationality of the capitalist system, in which the most basic needs of entire populations are subordinated to the profit drive of a tiny minority of owners.
- Privatization of the DWSD is not only part of an attack on the Detroit working class, it is also, like the bankruptcy as a whole, seen as a model for the escalation of the privatization of water and other basic necessities throughout the country and internationally.
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- Last Man Standing | Ranch sieged by BLM [Waco II]
- Government vehicles and personnel outside of the Bundy ranch / Cliven and Carol Bundy
- BY:Elizabeth HarringtonApril 8, 2014 7:34 pm
- A two-decades-old battle between a Nevada rancher and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has resulted in officials armed with machine guns surrounding the ranch and forcibly removing the owner's cattle, according to the rancher's family.
- Cliven Bundy, the last rancher in Clark County, Nev., has been fighting a ''one-man range war'' since 1993, when he decided to take a stand against the agency, refusing to pay fees for the right to graze on a ranch run by his family for centuries.
- After years of court battles, the BLM secured a federal court order to have Bundy's ''trespass cattle'' forcibly removed with heavy artillery, the family said.
- ''The battle's been going on for 20 years,'' Bundy told theWashington Free Beacon. ''What's happened the last two weeks, the United States government, the bureaus are getting this army together and they're going to get their job done and they're going to prove two things. They're going to prove they can do it, and they're gonna prove that they have unlimited power, and that they control the policing power over this public land. That's what they're trying to prove.''
- Bundy said the government has brought everything but tanks and rocket launchers.
- Armed men outside the Bundy ranch / Cliven and Carol Bundy
- ''They're carrying the same things a soldier would,'' he said. ''Automatic weapons, sniper rifles, top communication, top surveillance equipment, lots of vehicles. It's heavy soldier type equipment.''
- His wife, Carol Bundy, said that roughly 200 armed agents from the BLM and FBI are stationed around their land, located about 75 miles outside of Las Vegas. Helicopters circle the premises, and the airspace and nearby roads remain blocked.
- ''We're surrounded,'' Carol Bundy said. ''We're estimating that there are over 200 armed BLM, FBI. We've got surveillance cameras at our house, they're probably listening to me talk to you right now.''
- A National Park Service spokesman denied there were armed guards rounding up the cattle in a conference call on Tuesday. However, she confirmed that there was ''security'' in place, citing threats to the contractors who are removing the cattle.
- ''Contractors are here and they are in place to round-up the cattle and to bring them to the impound area,'' Christie Vanover said. ''As for security, there [is] security in place, but that is merely to protect the contractors.''
- ''As you know, we have received threats and the contractors have received threats,'' Vanover said. ''Our personnel here and throughout the park service and throughout the BLM have received threats, as well. So security is in place to merely protect the contractors so that we can complete this operation.''
- As of Monday, officials have seized 234 of Bundy's 908 cattle. Impounding the cattle alone could cost the government as much as $3 million.
- ''They just brought a load down today,'' she said. ''They kind of harass us as well. When we leave they follow us.''
- This afternoon eight helicopters surrounded the family after they began taking pictures, according to Bundy's daughter, Bailey. Their son, Dave Bundy, was arrested for taking pictures on state road 170, which has been closed, and is being held by BLM.
- Government helicopters circle the Bundy ranch / Cliven and Carol Bundy
- The BLM said they took Dave Bundy into custody following his ''failure to comply with multiple requests by BLM law enforcement to leave the temporary closure area on public lands.''
- Carol Bundy said five officials took Dave and ''threw him on the ground.''
- ''One put his knee on his head, the other put his boot on his head and pushed him into the gravel,'' she said. ''He's got quite a bruised head. Just bruised him up pretty good.''
- Environmentalists are praising the government's forceful actions, which are being taken to protect the ''desert tortoise.''
- ''We're heartened and thankful that the agencies are finally living up to their stewardship duty,'' said Rob Mrowka, a Nevada-based senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. ''The Gold Butte area has been officially designated as critical habitat for threatened tortoises'--meaning the area is essential to their long-term survival as a species.''
- ''[Cliven] Bundy has long falsely believed that Gold Butte is his ranch,'' added Terri Robertson, president of Friends of Sloan Canyon.
- The BLM designated 186,909 acres of the Gold Butte off-limits for the ''critical desert tortoise'' population in 1998. Bundy had already lost his grazing permit five years earlier for refusing to pay fees for the land, which his family has ranched since the 1870s.
- The ''federal grazing fee'' is $1.35 per ''Animal Unit Month,'' or the amount of forage needed per animal, each month. Bundy said he owes roughly $300,000 in back fees, while the BLM asserts he owes over $1 million. The BLM defended the removal because Bundy did not ''voluntarily'' give up his cattle.
- ''We've tried to do this through the legal and we've tried to do it through the political, and what we're at right now, I guess we're going to have to try to stand,'' Cliven Bundy said. ''We the people have to stand on the ground and get our state sovereignty back, and also take some liberty and freedoms back to where we have at least access to this land.''
- ''The story is a lot about the cattle, but the bigger story is about our loss of freedom,'' Carol Bundy added. ''They have come and taken over this whole corner of the county. They've taken over policing power, they've taken over our freedom, and they're stealing cattle.''
- ''And our sheriff says he just doesn't have authority, our governor says he doesn't have authority, and we're saying, why are we a state?''
- ''I'm a producer,'' Cliven Bundy said. ''I produce edible commodity from the desert forage, and all of these things are governed under state law. So, in other words, this type of government has eliminated all of our state law, eliminated our state sovereignty, and has took control over our public lands and even took control over our Clark County sheriff. They've taken the whole county over. The whole state, almost.''
- ''This is just about power of the government,'' Carol Bundy said.
- Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R.) voiced his concern about so-called ''First Amendment Areas,'' designated locations set up by the BLM where citizens can protest the removal.
- ''Most disturbing to me is the BLM's establishment of a 'First Amendment Area' that tramples upon Nevadans' fundamental rights under the U.S. Constitution,'' he said in a statement Tuesday.
- ''To that end, I have advised the BLM that such conduct is offensive to me and countless others and that the 'First Amendment Area' should be dismantled immediately,'' he said. ''No cow justifies the atmosphere of intimidation which currently exists nor the limitation of constitutional rights that are sacred to all Nevadans. The BLM needs to reconsider its approach to this matter and act accordingly.''
- Sandoval also said his office has received numerous complaints about the BLM's conduct, including road closures and ''other disturbances.''
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- Richard Quest, CNN Reporter, Arrested On Drug Charges
- ***UPDATE***The New York Postreports on new, lurid details regarding the arrest of CNN reporter Richard Quest.
- CNN personality Richard Quest was busted in Central Park early yesterday with some drugs in his pocket, a rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy in his boot, law-enforcement sources said.[...]
- Quest was initially busted for loitering, the source said. Aside from the oddly configured rope, the search also turned up a sex toy inside of his boot, and a small bag of methamphetamine in his left jacket pocket.
- It wasn't immediately clear what the rope was for.
- The New York Times' City Room blog reports that CNN International business and travel reporter Richard Quest has been arrested on drug charges:
- Mr. Quest was arrested early Friday morning after being escorted out of Central Park for violating the park curfew, a law enforcement official said Friday. The park is closed from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m.
- The police noticed Mr. Quest at 64th Street and West Drive at about 3:40 a.m., the official said. As he was being escorted out, he volunteered, "I have meth in my pocket," according to an official briefed on the case. The police searched him and recovered a small amount of methamphetamine in a Ziploc bag.
- Not sure who Richard Quest is? Check this video out below:
- Related: Thought Process Flowchart: CNN's Richard Quest [236.com]
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- Malaysian Newspaper Blames CIA
- It is shocking to see that an assistant editor of Utusan Malaysia has written that the 9-11 attacks were planned by the CIA, and that the agency could also be behind the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.It is yet another example that Utusan has become the laughing stock of Malaysian journalism, given to fabrication, conspiracy theories, paranoia, extremism, and racism. Just think of all the libel suits that it has lost in the past two years. Think of its declining circulation, as readers grow weary of propaganda that tries to pass as news.
- But Utusan is not just any newspaper. It is owned by Umno, Malaysia's ruling party, whose president is Najib Abdul Razak. Umno and its president traditionally have provided editorial guidance and supervision to Utusan.
- So what say you, Najib? You will soon be welcoming President Barack Obama to Malaysia. Are you going to let this absurb statement in ''your'' newspaper stand? Or will you speak out - and denounce this nonsense - before Obama comes?
- When Utusan had its screaming headline after the 13th GE, 'Apa Lagi Cina Mahu', Najib defended the paper. Then just a few months later, he told government-linked companies that they should buy more advertisements in Utusan in order to aid the newspaper financially.
- Will Najib react differently this time? Washington certainly will take note of the editorial comment in this Umno newspaper, and will be waiting to see if there is a reaction from Najib and his government.
- The writer is former US ambassador to Malaysia.
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- Malaysia being destabilised by CIA? | Earthlinggb's Blog
- The number of issues piling up with regard to this MH370 disappearance is reaching ridiculous proportions. The rumours and stories circulating and apparent incompetence abound. Meanwhile, we are being driven to a point of considering that there is some Iranian involvement in this while some stories refer to an Iranian defector now saying (after years of being in Germany when he could have told his story at any time before now) that Iran was responsible for the Lockerbie attack.
- An additional story which surfaced a couple of days ago, was this one about two Australian girls being invited to the cockpit to spend the full flight there between Phuket and KL. I highly doubt this story '' not to say it is impossible '' but, while you can see photos of the girls in the cockpit, I am unconvinced of the veracity of their story somehow. People seem to be wishing to paint Malaysians as incompetent, sleazy, unprofessional etc. Sure, I've lived there, I know how they can be but I also have lived in the UK most of my life (being British that kind of makes sense doesn't it?) and you want unprofessionalism, incompetence and sleaze? You can find plenty here!
- Malaysian Airlines pilots are as highly skilled and highly trained as any other civilian pilot. Further, they are as likely, if not more likely, to stick with the regulations and policy they are to adhere to. In addition, I doubt very much whether the rest of the crew on a flight would keep their mouths closed about blatant disregard of the policy and, quite happily, allow the pilots to do as suggested. The pilots, meanwhile, were willing to put their careers at risk? No, I don't buy it. While I also don't buy the idea that the pilots would take a photo of the girls in the cockpit and hand it to them, thereby allowing them to ''blackmail'' them if they had so wished. How could such a photo(s) transpire? Your guess is as good as mine but it could be that they are real photos (not photoshopped) and that the girls were allowed to see inside the cockpit once landed. Additionally, it doesn't say much for the girl when she admits to considering the ''invite'' from the First Officer to be a ''little sleazy''. And can you imagine what a cockpit is like if you were to light up a cigarette or a cigar in one? Plus, the smell would linger and the staff who then check the plane and others who clean the plane, would smell it.
- I highly doubt these girls' story for one or two other reasons also. There are now many stories circulating about this entire MH370 episode and there are many (or most of them) which do not add up or, are posited but then forgotten '' such as the story about Balotelli of course. It's becoming a ridiculous circus and, assuming there actually were and are people on that flight (I take nothing for granted anymore) I can only feel for their families who don't know the first thing about what has or may have happened to their family members while governments and military are playing games '' because that is exactly what is going on here '' a game. What its purpose is is (and probably always will be at least for some time) unknown and is pure speculation. However, while not wishing to speculate too much, I have a strong feeling that the CIA and the US government, along with their allies, have everything to do with this game.
- Now, here is something I picked up on from 2012. I had been aware of CIA activity in Malaysia but there are one or two coincidences: (Please note Anwar Ibrahim's mentions throughout)
- GOVT TOLD TO ACT AGAINST CIA AGENTS HOLED UP HEREJanuary 31, 2012
- (Harakah Daily) '' Penang-based Citizens International has urged the Malaysian government to expel those recruited by the US's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out espionage activities against its arch enemy Iran, as revealed in a report by Asian Times.
- The paper in a report last December claimed that CIA had been recruiting Iranian students in Malaysia to spy on vital targets in Iran.
- In a statement to Harakahdaily, the group's chairman SM Mohamed Idris urged Home minister Hishamuddin Hussein to immediately expel such agents who were based in the US Embassy, multi-national corporations, academic institutions and media organizations.
- ''CIA's recruitment of Iranian students for spying in a friendly country and setting up think-tanks and educational institutions here for such purpose amount to serious interference in our internal affairs by the US and a threat to our sovereignty,'' said Idris.
- The report states that a dedicated team set up by CIA's National Clandestine Service not only operate from Iran's neighbours, but also in Malaysia where there is a large number of Iranian students, who became target due to their good command of the Persian language and inter-cultural competence.
- Iranian intelligence has meanwhile identified 42 officers of the NCS operating in several countries and collected detailed information on the scope and nature of their activities. Among these were one ''patriotic Iranian student'' who had been offered scholarship by a quasi-academic institution as a means of entrapment.
- Following an investigation by the Islamic republic's Ministry of Intelligence and Security into the institution, 30 suspected spies had been netted.
- The report added that such spies were embedded within numerous official and unofficial American organizations, including US embassies, multinational corporations, academic institutions, think-tanks and media organizations.
- Saying Iranian officials would have informed the Malaysian government of the development, Idris (left) asked whether there had been any follow-up action.
- ''The activities of CIA here are bound to cause severe strain to the good relations we have with Iran. Further, both Malaysia and Iran are members of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC}and the United Nations and, therefore, it would be in violation of the OIC Charter and the UN Charter to allow our territory to be used for the illegal US-Israel covert war against Iran,'' said Idris, who is also president of well-known consumer pressure group Consumers Association of Penang (CAP).
- Idris also urged the Malaysian government to stop security cooperation with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under the guise of the 'war on terror', saying that ''in reality, is a war against Muslims and Islam''.
- What we also must bear in mind is that Mahathir Muhammad still, to this day, is a prominent politically figure in Malaysia and he has not only been extremely vocal in attacking George Soros but also Israel, the United States and the UK. Mr Mahathir doesn't tend to pull many punches, even though he will know Brzezinski's Grand Chessboard game and is playing in it. Malaysia is a rather wealthy country and is a net exporter of oil for example. Yes it has its issues but who doesn't. Let's lose this ideology which so many try to maintain that the west is all good and clean. I think that idea has now been laid to rest (R.I.P) and not so many wear the rose tinted glasses any longer whereas many have donned the ''They Live'' sunglasses!
- The financial crisis threatened to devastate Malaysia. The value of the ringgit plummeted due to currency speculation, foreign investment fled, and the main stock exchange index fell by over 75 per cent. At the urging of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government cut government spending and raised interest rates, which only served to exacerbate the economic situation. In 1998, Mahathir reversed this policy course in defiance of the IMF and his own deputy, Anwar. He increased government spending and fixed the ringgit to the US dollar. The result confounded his international critics and the IMF. Malaysia recovered from the crisis faster than its Southeast Asian neighbours. In the domestic sphere, it was a political triumph. Amidst the economic events of 1998, Mahathir had dismissed Anwar as Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, and he could now claim to have rescued the economy in spite of Anwar's policies. Do you think Mahathir had an acute awareness regarding how to play this game?
- By the mid-1990s it had become clear that the most serious threat to Mahathir's power was the leadership ambition of his deputy, Anwar. Anwar began to distance himself from Mahathir, overtly promoting his superior religious credentials and appearing to suggest he favoured loosening the restrictions on civil liberties that had become a hallmark of Mahathir's premiership. However, Mahathir continued to back Anwar as his successor until their relationship collapsed dramatically during the Asian financial crisis. Their positions gradually diverged, with Mahathir abandoning the tight monetary and fiscal policies urged by the IMF. At the UMNO General Assembly in 1998, a leading Anwar supporter, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, criticised the government for not doing enough to combat corruption and cronyism. As Mahathir took the reins of Malaysia's economic policy over the coming months, Anwar was increasingly sidelined. On 2 September, he was dismissed as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, and promptly expelled from UMNO. No immediate reasons were given for the dismissal, although the media speculated that it related to lurid allegations of sexual misconduct circulated in a ''poison pen letter'' at the general assembly. As more allegations surfaced, large public rallies were held in support of Anwar. On 20 September, he was arrested and placed in detention under the Internal Security Act.
- Anwar stood trial on four charges of corruption, arising from allegations that Anwar abused his power by ordering police to intimidate persons who had alleged Anwar had sodomised them. Before Anwar's trial, Mahathir told the press that he was convinced of Anwar's guilt. He was found guilty in April 1999 and sentenced to six years in prison. In another trial shortly after, Anwar was sentenced to another nine years in prison on a conviction for sodomy. The sodomy conviction was overturned on appeal after Mahathir left office.
- While Mahathir had vanquished his rival, it came at a cost to his standing in the international community and domestic politics. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright defended Anwar as a ''highly respectable leader'' who was ''entitled to due process and a fair trial''. In a speech in Kuala Lumpur, which Mahathir attended, US Vice President Al Gore stated that ''we continue to hear calls for democracy'', including ''among the brave people of Malaysia''. At the APEC summit in 1999, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chr(C)tien refused to meet Mahathir, while his foreign minister met with Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Wan Azizah had formed a liberal opposition party, the National Justice Party (Keadilan) to fight the 1999 election. UMNO lost 18 seats and two state governments as large numbers of Malay voters flocked to PAS and Keadilan, many in protest at the treatment of Anwar.
- At UMNO's general assembly in 2002, Mahathir announced that he would resign as Prime Minister, only for supporters to rush to the stage and convince him tearfully to remain. He subsequently fixed his retirement for October 2003, giving him time to ensure an orderly and uncontroversial transition to his anointed successor, Abdullah Badawi. Having spent over 22 years in office, Mahathir was the world's longest-serving elected leader when he retired. He remains Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister.
- Here is what Mahathir has had to say about some of the above '' Soros, the U.S. etc:
- Mahathir has not hesitated to point to America for justification of his own actions. In speaking of arbitrary detention without trial of prisoners of conscience in Malaysia, he said: ''Events in the United States have shown that there are instances where certain special powers need to be used in order to protect the public for the general good.''
- At the other end of the spectrum, the United States government has previously criticised the Malaysian government for implementing the ISA, most recently in 2001 when President George W. Bush said ''The Internal Security Act is a draconian law. No country should any longer have laws that allow for detention without trial.'' In 2004, however, Bush reversed his stance and claimed ''We cannot simply classify Malaysia's Internal Security Act as a draconian law.'' What year was the Patriot Act introduced Georgie you fricking hypocrite?
- In 2004, (The Star, 18 October 2004), Mahathir was quoted as having said ''The American people are, by and large, very ignorant and know nothing about the rest of the world'.... Yet they are the people who will decide who will be the most powerful man in the world'' '' this is Mahathir playing the game because he knows full well that the President of the US is nothing more than a puppet.
- About Israel and the jews:
- Mahathir's public remarks about Jews date back as early as 1970 when he wrote in his controversial book The Malay Dilemma: ''The Jews for example are not merely hook-nosed, but understand money instinctively.''
- In 1997, during the financial crisis, he attributed the collapse of the Malaysian ringgit to a conspiracy of Jews against a prosperous Muslim state: ''The Jews robbed the Palestinians of everything, but in Malaysia they could not do so, hence they do this, depress the ringgit.'' Under strong international criticism, he issued a partial retraction, but not in Malay-language.
- ''The Jews had always been a problem in European countries. They had to be confined to ghettoes and periodically massacred. But still they remained, they thrived and they held whole Governments to ransom'...Even after their massacre by the Nazis of Germany, [Jews] survived to continue to be a source of even greater problems for the world'...The Holocaust failed as a final solution.''
- Mahathir established the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission to focus on victims of abuse in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories
- On 11 May 2012, Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and their legal advisers Alberto Gonzales, David Addington, William Haynes, Jay Bybee and John Yoo were found guilty of war crimes. ''After the guilty verdict reached by five senior judges was delivered, Mahathir Mohamad said: 'Powerful countries are getting away with murder.'''
- WHEN I was away, Malaysiakini was busy trying to legitimise their receiving money from George Soros because I invited him to join the campaign to make war a crime.
- Receiving money from Soros and an invitation to make war a crime are two different things. In no way can one justify the other.
- I only wrote to Soros after he admitted that I was not wrong in my criticisms of currency trading. Some people may remember that he said I was a menace to my country. By saying that the currency control Malaysia imposed to counter the effects of currency trading was the right thing to do, he was clearly admitting that I was right and was, therefore, not a menace to my country. Obviously, I would not have anything to do with him if he had continued to regard me as a menace to my country.
- My letter inviting him to join the campaign to make war a crime was prompted by his financing of the campaign to prevent president George W. Bush from winning a second term. Bush is a warmonger and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and 6,000 American soldiers in the war against Iraq.
- I thought Soros' opposition to Bush was because he did not like war. But he replied to my invitation to work towards making war a crime by explaining that people had been fighting wars for 7,000 years and, therefore, war is a means of settling conflicts. Malaysiakini is quite right in surmising that his answer was in the negative. I was not surprised. Obviously, he was not against killing people in war. Nor I presume did he care for the massive destruction and sufferings caused by war.
- I did meet him when he came here, but we agreed to disagree. He still maintained that currency trading is right and proper. We did not bury any hatchet. I was being civil as I am a Malaysian '-- and nothing more. So digging up hatchets does not arise.
- According to Richard Miniter writing in Forbes, Soros is conducting his own foreign policy which may or may not be identical with US foreign policy. Soros believes he can use his money to set up governments which are pro-Soros or his ideals. Impoverishing countries and peoples matters little to him. Famously, he was quoted as saying in reply to his role in the 1997 East Asian currency crash, ''As a market participant, I don't need to be concerned with the consequences of my actions''.
- Miniter quoted the following from Britain's New Statesman: ''In 1984 (Soros) founded his first Open Society Institute in Hungary and pumped millions of dollars into opposition movements and independent media. Ostensibly aimed at building up a 'civil society', these initiatives were designed to weaken the existing political structures and pave way for eastern Europe's eventual colonisation by global capital.''
- Some may remember Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's fondness for ''civil society'' when he was in the government. He still talks about civil society now. The similarity of ideas between the two, Soros and Anwar, is significant.
- Miniter went on to describe events in Georgia, where Alexander Lomaia, who went from running Soros' Open Society Georgia Foundation to become minister of education and science and later secretary of Georgia's Security Council.
- Georgia's opposition Labour Party leader, Shalva Natelashvili, contends that, ''Effectively, George Soros is the president of Georgia, whereas (President) Saakashvili and (Prime Minister) Zurab Zhvania are his governors. Soros' foundation nominated nine ministers of the Georgian government, and all of them were appointed''. And Soros claims to be promoting democracy.
- His supporters here also claim to be fighting for democracy while being led by an unelected leader who in turn appointed members of his family and cronies to various leadership posts.
- Miniter quoted Ercis Kurtulus, head of Turkey's Social Transparency Movement Association as saying, ''Soros carried out his will in Ukraine and Georgia by using these NGOs'...''
- So why is Soros financing Malaysiakini, a Malaysian non-governmental organisation. Obviously, it is in order to achieve regime change, to put his nominees as prime minister and ministers in the Malaysian government. What will such a government do if not to carry out Soros' wishes.
- When inviting him to join the campaign to make war a crime, I was not talking about Malaysian politics. Certainly, I did not ask for nor did he give to the Perdana Global Peace Foundation any money. This campaign to make war a crime is for the good of all humanity '-- not just of Malaysia.
- But he was quite unequivocally against making war a crime.
- My view of Soros is that he is still a rogue currency trader and he compounds this evil by using the money to put his kind of people to rule the countries targeted by him. And Malaysia obviously is one of his targets.
- Equally obvious, he regards Malaysiakini as the NGO to manipulate in order to achieve his objective.
- There are of course other foreign NGOs and governments manipulating Malaysia's opposition for their interest.
- A vote for the opposition, is a vote for Soros, the rogue currency trader.
- It certainly will not be for Malaysia and its interests. If there are Malaysians who wish to be re-colonised it is their choice. But I believe Malaysians would not want to be stooges of foreigners.
- Now, here is what I find majorly coincidental with the missing MH370. Anwar Ibrahim '' a major asset/change agent to the west within Malaysian politics and someone who UMNO and Mahathir distrust enormously '' was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment just a day or so before MH370 disappears off the radar. Ibrahim is obviously gay (illegal in Malaysia and, as my own government tells me '' they cannot interfere in the laws of a sovereign nation! haha. Funny if not for the fact it is sheer hypocrisy and only is policy when it suits them). Now what do we know about our own gays in politics? Also, how is it that homosexuals always seem to be of a zionist bent? (no pun intended).
- Malaysia wishes to stay Malay. Good on them. They wish to remain sovereign. Good on them. I just wish, in doing so, the corruption at the top would stop and they would share the country's wealth with their own but that may be difficult when it is part Malay, part chinese. We have to get over these divisions somehow people!
- What would the west's interests be in Malaysia? Well, before even attempting an answer, it is quite obvious there are interests to essentially overthrow the regime. Now, what if, by falsely connecting Malaysia to a ''hive of Iranian terrorist activity'' and creating the idea that the country is incompetent in handling safety, you can destroy its economy and its people's trust in their government? You then fund those within its political arena who are good for the west's interests AND you wish to see, step by step, a Singapore being capital of Malaysia? You have an eastern ''flank'' in eastern europe facing Russia and Eurasia/China while you also begin (along with the TPP '' Trans Pacific Partnership) to build up a south east Asian flank against China?
- This is what I think:The US and CIA have been targeting Malaysia for some time and they want regime change. Malaysia won't play ball. Mahathir and friends are no longer supporting the War on Terror and would jail George Bush, George Soros, Tony Blair and a whole bunch of zionist agitators if they could lay their hands on them. Malaysia also won't play ball with the TPP. Malaysia IS muslim but they're not aligned with Saudi's version (the Zionist Muslims).Anwar Ibrahim was important to the west and just a day or so before MH370, Anwar is found guilty (his appeal overturned) of sodomy and will be sentenced to 5 years in jail. He then cannot run for office.THAT was a last straw and the west (CIA/U.S./Mossad) are teaching Malaysia a lesson.Was the plane brought down? I think there are sufficient reasons to question that. I think there are sufficient conflicting stories to consider the possibility that MH370 landed somewhere it was told to or guided to.This is an attack (or just the first step of a multi-stepped attack) on Malaysia and an attempt to destabilise its government.And I wish Malaysia all best wishes in dealing with this attack. I, personally, do not support any action by my government or any western government or agitator against Malaysia. Malaysia is a country I had the pleasure of living in for a short time and even though one of their motorcycled cops attempted to coerce money out of me (which he didn't achieve) I still appreciate the people who live there. We're different but we're the same!
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- China-Malaysia ties not to be affected by missing plane incident: former Malaysian PM Mahathir
- The relationship between China and Malaysia would not be affected by the recent missing MH370 flight incident, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said here Monday in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.He believed that the Chinese government had been very " knowledgeable" about the information of the search and rescue operation, adding "they know that Malaysia is also trying its best. "
- Mahathir said it was understandable that the relatives of those on board the plane were very concerned and emotional over the incident, but he said the relationship between the two governments "will not be affected" by the mishap.
- The former prime minister justified the efforts made by the Malaysian government in dealing with the incident, saying they were doing "everything possible."
- "In the case of Air France, it took two years to find the black box," Mahathir said, adding that the MH370 incident was even more mysterious. He said the plane disappeared without much information, which had never happened before "to anybody, any country, any plane."
- "For the Malaysian, they have done everything they can. They don't have any reason not to tell other people what they have discovered. They want to solve this problem, because it is important for Malaysia," he said, adding that the government had released everything it had.
- He believed that the search would take a long time as so far there had been no clear indications where the plane was.
- Regarding the joint international effort in the search operation, Mahathir said, "the fact that 26 countries are involved in the search is not just because of humanitarian reason, it is because they need to know what happened."
- "Because if this can happen to the plane, it may happen to other planes. So they must know how it happened, so they can ensure that it will not happen again," he said.
- Commenting on China's role in the search operation, he complimented the Chinese government's cooperation, saying China had sent their ships and aircraft to do everything they could.
- Talking about the effect of the incident of MH370 flight on Malaysia's economy, he said, "Malaysia's economy will be slightly affected at first, but not later on."
- He believed that Malaysia would continues to receive a lot of tourists and Malaysian Airlines would be largely used as before.
- As the year 2014 marks the 40th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, Mahathir said," in the last 40 years, China has advanced as the second biggest economy in the world and this is important to Malaysia."
- "Malaysia is the biggest trading partner for China in the Southeast Asia, but we can do better than that", he said, adding that the two countries need to have greater cooperation in many other fields.
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- Syria
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- Obama Was Mobilizing a Massive Aggression Against Syria
- Seymour Hersh's article on Syria confirms what was reported last August and September, which is that Great Britain, France and the U.S. were preparing and mere days away from launching a massive attack on anything attackable in Syria. See here, here, and here.
- At the time, an article appeared in Forbes on 9/11/2013 concerning the legality of such a move under international law, i.e., the UN charter. It pointed out that the contemplated bombing campaign was illegal and so was NATO's Kosovo campaign. At the time, Russia said a Syrian bombing by the West would be illegal.
- The Forbes commentary is worth quoting:
- ''To put an even finer point on it, U.S. military action in Syria is actually prohibited by the United Nations Charter. There are only two circumstances in which the U.N. Charter permits the use of military force by one nation against another: a case of self-defense, or when authorized by the Security Council 'to maintain or restore international peace and security.' Russia has already said it does not support action against Syria, so its veto (or that of China) in the Security Council would stop that alternative cold. The U.S. makes noises that it is concerned about its own security whenever a leader uses weapons of mass destruction (Saddam Hussein in Iraq), but a case of self-defense would need to be stronger for chemical weapons thousands of miles away.
- ''So, the bottom line is that if you want to undertake military measures against Syria for its use of chemical weapons on its own people, international law is part of the problem, not part of the solution. President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry are left with the thin argument that what they propose is 'legitimate' even if it isn't actually 'legal.' And how do they establish such legitimacy? Presumably by getting other world powers to agree, by persuading Congress to pass a resolution, from the E.U. statement of concern (but no authorization of military force), etc. This is how NATO authorized bombings in Kosovo in the 90's'--the major world powers agreed (or agreed not to disagree) that this was the humanitarian and right thing to do, even though it violated international law.''
- At the time, I criticized Obama's attempts to justify attacking Syria while violating the UN charter. See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
- What is the point, beyond the educational one, in recounting this history of near-war and near-aggression, one that the U.S. military warned against as a blunder but which the Obama White House was only 2 days away from launching?
- It is simply that such a rash, illegal and imprudent decision at the highest levels of authority of the U.S. government is not unique to the Obama White House and not limited to foreign policy decisions. These kinds of wrong, ill-considered, unconstitutional, destructive, irrational and harmful decisions, domestic and foreign, occur in every administration without letup. They occur because of the setup of the government itself and its powers.
- Government makes every attempt to appear rational in its operation, to be doing good, to be responsive to the public, to be acting justly, and to be acting legally. Unfortunately, it is none of these things on a systematic basis. Systematically, the design of it and the realities of what government is and has become produce bad and wrong results almost as a matter of course. The Syrian episode provides a recent example.
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- New expos(C) by Seymour Hersh: Turkey staged gas attack to provoke US war on Syria
- By Patrick Martin7 April 2014In a lengthy article published Sunday by the London Review of Books, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reports that the sarin gas attack on a Damascus suburb on August 21, 2013 was actually carried out by Syrian ''rebel'' forces acting at the behest of Turkey, for the purpose of providing a pretext for a US attack on Syria.
- The gas attack killed many hundreds of people in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, and the Obama administration and the corporate-controlled US media immediately blamed the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad for the atrocity. The New York Times, in particular, published a lengthy analysis by its military ''expert,'' C. J. Chivers, which purported to show, based on rocket trajectories, prevailing winds and other technical factors, that the gas shells could only have been fired from Syrian army artillery positions.
- For several weeks, the Ghouta attack became the pretext for a warmongering campaign by the White House and the US and European media. Obama threatened immediate air strikes, claiming that the Syrian government had crossed a ''red line'' against the use of chemical weapons, which he had laid down in 2012.
- The US president then abruptly reversed himself and announced he would seek congressional approval first, only to call off any overt military action in favor of a deal brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in which Assad agreed to the supervised dismantling of his chemical weapons stockpiles.
- By Hersh's account, ''Obama's change of mind had its origins at Porton Down, the defence laboratory in Wiltshire. British intelligence had obtained a sample of the sarin used in the 21 August attack and analysis demonstrated that the gas used didn't match the batches known to exist in the Syrian army's chemical weapons arsenal. The message that the case against Syria wouldn't hold up was quickly relayed to the US joint chiefs of staff'... As a consequence the American officers delivered a last-minute caution to the president, which, in their view, eventually led to his cancelling the attack.''
- The US military leadership also knew that White House claims that there could be no other source for the sarin gas than the Syrian army were false. ''The American and British intelligence communities had been aware since the spring of 2013 that some rebel units in Syria were developing chemical weapons,'' Hersh reports. ''On 20 June analysts for the US Defense Intelligence Agency issued a highly classified five-page 'talking points' briefing for the DIA's deputy director, David Shedd, which stated that al-Nusra maintained a sarin production cell'...''
- Hersh quotes extensively from this US government document, which the office of the US director of national intelligence now denies ever existed:
- ''Al-Nusrah Front's relative freedom of operation within Syria leads us to assess the group's CW [chemical weapons] aspirations will be difficult to disrupt in the future'... Turkey and Saudi-based chemical facilitators'... were attempting to obtain sarin precursors in bulk, tens of kilograms, likely for the anticipated large scale production effort in Syria.''
- Hersh notes that members of al-Nusra were arrested in Turkey last May in possession of two kilograms of sarin. They were charged in a 130-page indictment with ''attempting to purchase fuses, piping for the construction of mortars, and chemical precursors for sarin.'' All have since been released pending trial, or had charges dropped altogether.
- Those arrests followed chemical weapons attacks in Syria in March and April 2013, where a UN investigation found evidence implicating the Syrian ''rebels.'' One source told Hersh, ''Investigators interviewed the people who were there, including the doctors who treated the victims. It was clear that the rebels used the gas. It did not come out in public because no one wanted to know.''
- The ''no one,'' of course, was the US government, its European allies, and its UN stooges'--as well as their political apologists in the media and the pseudo-left groups such as the International Socialist Organization that were either openly campaigning for military intervention in Syria or justifying it by portraying the US-financed ''rebels'' as the bearers of a democratic revolution.
- When the August 21 attack took place, Obama ordered the Pentagon to draw up plans for bombing Syria, and, as a former intelligence official told Hersh, ''the White House rejected 35 target sets provided by the joint chiefs of staff as being insufficiently 'painful' to the Assad regime.''
- The US bombing plan ultimately envisioned ''a monster strike'' involving two wings of B-52 bombers equipped with 2,000-pound bombs, as well as Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from submarines and surface warships.
- Hersh continues: ''The new target list was meant to 'completely eradicate any military capabilities Assad had,' the former intelligence official said. The core targets included electric power grids, oil and gas depots, all known logistic and weapons depots, all known command and control facilities, and all known military and intelligence buildings.''
- The bombing attack drawn up at the direction of the Obama White House would have itself constituted a war crime, causing thousands if not tens of thousands of casualties and crippling Syria as a functioning society.
- Hersh then passes on to his most important revelation: that US officials believed the Turkish government, or its intelligence agencies, had instigated the gas attack in Ghouta.
- He cites concerns among US military and intelligence leaders that ''there were some in the Turkish government'' who supported ''dabbling with a sarin attack inside Syria'--and forcing Obama to make good on his red line threat.''
- This was reinforced by the British military intelligence finding on the type of gas used in Ghouta. This included a message to the Americans: ''We're being set up here.'' This was followed by a further message about the Ghouta attack that ''a senior official in the CIA sent in late August: 'It was not the result of the current regime [i.e., Assad]'. UK & US know this.''
- Hersh suggests that the bitter controversy over the attack on a US consulate and CIA mission in Benghazi, Libya in 2012, which killed four Americans including the ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, is directly linked to the infighting over Syria.
- It has been widely reported that the CIA organized the shipment of Libyan weapons stockpiles from Benghazi to the Syrian rebels. Hersh cites a ''highly classified annex'' to the report of the Senate committee that investigated the Benghazi attack.
- This document ''described a secret agreement reached in early 2012 between the Obama and [Turkish] Erdogan administrations'... By the terms of the agreement, funding came from Turkey, as well as Saudi Arabia and Qatar; the CIA, with the support of MI6, was responsible for getting arms from Gaddafi's arsenals into Syria. A number of front companies were set up in Libya, some under the cover of Australian entities. Retired American soldiers, who didn't always know who was really employing them, were hired to manage procurement and shipping. The operation was run by David Petraeus, the CIA director who would soon resign when it became known he was having an affair with his biographer.''
- According to Hersh, after the Benghazi fiasco, the CIA was pulled out, but the Libya to Turkey to Syria pipeline continued, possibly including ''manpads'''--portable surface-to-air missile launchers, which the Obama administration had opposed supplying the rebels out of concern that they would be used to attack civilian airliners.
- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan tasked Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) with engineering a provocation that would give a pretext for direct US military intervention. Hersh quotes his source: '''The MIT was running the political liaison with the rebels, and the Gendarmerie handled military logistics, on-the-scene advice and training'--including training in chemical warfare,' the former intelligence official said. 'Stepping up Turkey's role in spring 2013 was seen as the key to its problems there'... Erdogan's hope was to instigate an event that would force the US to cross the red line. But Obama didn't respond in March and April.'''
- Two sources described to Hersh a working dinner during Erdogan's visit to Washington in May 2013 in which Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon met Erdogan, foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu and MIT chief Hakan Fidan. Erdogan appealed for Obama to attack Syria, telling him ''your red line has been crossed.'' Obama then pointed at Fidan and said, ''We know what you're doing with the radicals in Syria.''
- Hersh cites a ''US intelligence consultant'' who describes a classified briefing for Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, prepared before the August 21 gas attack. The briefing noted ''the acute anxiety'' in the Erdogan regime over the military setbacks for the Syrian rebels and warned that the Turkish leadership felt ''the need to do something that would precipitate a US military response.''
- In the period following the gas attack, Hersh's former intelligence official source explained, communications intercepts and other data supported the suspicion that Turkey had organized the Ghouta attack. ''We now know it was a covert action planned by Erdogan's people to push Obama over the red line,' the former intelligence official said. 'They had to escalate to a gas attack in or near Damascus when the UN inspectors''--who arrived in Damascus on 18 August to investigate the earlier use of gas'--'were there. The deal was to do something spectacular. Our senior military officers have been told by the DIA and other intelligence assets that the sarin was supplied through Turkey'--that it could only have gotten there with Turkish support. The Turks also provided the training in producing the sarin and handling it.'''
- Only a week ago, evidence surfaced that supports the credibility of Hersh's report. A video was posted on YouTube of a meeting of Turkish officials, including Fikan, in which the intelligence chief suggests that Turkish agents should mount an attack on a Muslim shrine inside Syria to provide a pretext for a Turkish invasion of the country.
- Hersh's account is his second long expos(C) in four months of the ''false flag'' gas attack in Damascus. Both articles were published in the British journal because no major US newspaper or magazine will any longer publish material from the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
- Beginning with his reporting of the My Lai massacre in Vietnam for the New York Times, Hersh has specialized in developing sources in the US military and intelligence apparatus, frequently those with policy differences with the current administration in Washington. Hersh left the Times for Newsday, and then wrote for the New Yorker for many years.
- Both the New Yorker and the Washington Post refused to publish his first report on the Ghouta gas attack, which charged that the sarin attack had been carried out by Syrian rebels in the al-Nusra Front, forcing Hersh to find a British publisher for his account. The US press was largely silent on that report, and it has so far blacked out the latest exposure.
- The author also recommends:
- Seymour Hersh exposes US government lies on Syrian sarin attack[10 December 2013]
- The war drive against Syria[26 August 2013]
- Syria chemical warfare claims aim to provoke Western intervention[22 August 2013]
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- Seymour M. Hersh · The Red Line and the Rat Line · LRB 6 April 2014
- The Red Line and the Rat LineSeymour M. Hersh on Obama, ErdoÄan and the Syrian rebelsIn 2011 Barack Obama led an allied military intervention in Libya without consulting the US Congress. Last August, after the sarin attack on the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, he was ready to launch an allied air strike, this time to punish the Syrian government for allegedly crossing the 'red line' he had set in 2012 on the use of chemical weapons.'¼ Then with less than two days to go before the planned strike, he announced that he would seek congressional approval for the intervention. The strike was postponed as Congress prepared for hearings, and subsequently cancelled when Obama accepted Assad's offer to relinquish his chemical arsenal in a deal brokered by Russia. Why did Obama delay and then relent on Syria when he was not shy about rushing into Libya? The answer lies in a clash between those in the administration who were committed to enforcing the red line, and military leaders who thought that going to war was both unjustified and potentially disastrous.
- More:Seymour M. Hersh · The Red Line and the Rat Line · LRB 6 April 2014
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- Turkey Provides Militants With Missiles
- TEHRAN -- Diplomatic sources confirmed that Turkey has stepped up its support toward the Free Syrian Army by providing militants with sophisticated American weaponry in a new attempt to tip the balance in its favor and successfully depose Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.
- Anonymous sources have reported that in synchronization with western powers, Ankara delivered anti-tank missiles to militants - which militants have already been trained in such technology -- in order to offset the Syrian armed forces' advantages on the ground, Islam Times reported.
- The militants in question are believed to belong to a so-called moderate faction of the Muslim Brotherhood. Sources have stressed that they believe the delivery of such weapons will be made in Idlib, where radical groups such as Daash (ISIL) or Al Nusra have little sway.
- On Monday, Israel's Debkafile website reported that two Syrian rebel militias -- the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Revolutionary Front -- have been supplied with advanced US weapons, including armor-piercing, optically-guided BGM-71 TOW missiles, thanks to the Pentagon.
- According to Debkafile's report, US Gen. Martin Dempsey -- the chairman of the Joint Chiefs -- asked officials in Israel last week to help get Saudi Arabian fighter jets stationed at the kingdom's Faisal Air Base at Tabuk near Jordan positioned in a manner that would provide air cover as American forces moved the weapons into Southern Syria. Debkafile attributed the claims to unnamed military sources.
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- 'American Jihadist' Eric Harroun Dies at 31 | VICE News
- Eric Harroun, the US Army vet who went to Syria to fight with the Free Syrian Army died Tuesday, according to his family.
- Harroun, 31, was found unresponsive and declared dead at his father's home in Phoenix, Ariz. Wednesday afternoon. An autopsy will be conducted over the next two days.
- "With deep sorrow, we regret to inform you of our beloved Eric Harroun's death. He will be missed by his family, friends, and many people around the world his life has touched," his family members posted on Harroun's Facebook page.
- After spending two months fighting, Harroun, who was also as known as the "American Jihadist" returned to Istanbul where he voluntarily briefed members of the US Consulate including the FBI, CIA and even federal prosecutors on his activities and his interest in arranging support and weapons for the U.S. backed rebels.
- Instead of helping to provide weapons and support to the FSA via Harroun, the FBI arrested him, charged him with terrorism and put him in solitary confinement for six months in a U.S. prison.
- The center point of the government's allegations were that Harroun fought with al Nusra, an al Qaeda linked group.
- When a film showing Harroun with a group of fighters was entered by the FBI as evidence was translated, it turned out that Harroun was actually with a group called al Nasr, a group not affiliated with any terrorist groups.
- Harroun agreed to a plea bargain for a charge of ''failing to get a license to export weapons.'' He was released for time served and on probation.
- Read the FBI affidavit filed in US District Court Eastern District of Virginia on March 28, 2013:
- A few days before his death, Harroun was looking forward to getting an early parole release and returning to Syria to fight.
- Harroun is survived by his father Darryl, his mother Sue and his sister.
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- 2TTH-BBC News - Syria: Dutch priest Fr van der Lugt shot dead in Homs
- 7 April 2014Last updated at 12:20 ET A Dutch priest well known for refusing to leave the besieged Syrian city of Homs has been shot dead by a gunman.
- Frans van der Lugt, who was in his 70s, had become a renowned figure in the rebel-held area that has been blockaded by government forces for nearly two years.
- He had refused to be evacuated, saying he would not leave Homs while there were still Christians in the city.
- The motive behind Fr van der Lugt's killing is unclear.
- Continue reading the main storyFr Frans van der Lugt's assassination has shocked Syrians across the country. A man of peace, he helped in the negotiations to break the siege on the Old City of Homs.
- The Jesuit priest refused to leave out of solidarity with its residents, sharing the suffering they are going through.
- There are 24 other Christians in the monastery where Fr van der Lugt was killed and the Church is worried about their safety.
- The situation in the Old City has deteriorated since a UN brokered deal in February allowing about 1,500 civilians to leave.
- But there are still hundreds trapped inside the city where no food is allowed in. An appeal was launched on Sunday from civil organisations urging the UN to help end the siege
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group, said he was shot twice in the head.
- Jan Stuyt, secretary of the Dutch Jesuit Order, confirmed to AFP news agency that Fr van der Lugt had been killed.
- "A man came into his house, took him outside and shot him twice in the head. In the street in front of his house," Mr Stuyt said.
- Fr van der Lugt spent nearly five decades in Syria and considered the country to be his home.
- "The Syrian people have given me so much, so much kindness, inspiration and everything they have. If the Syrian people are suffering now, I want to share their pain and their difficulties," he told AFP in February.
- He stayed on even as some 1,400 people were evacuated from the city during a UN-supervised operation earlier this year.
- A Jesuit, Mr Van der Lugt arrived in Syria in 1966 after spending two years in Lebanon studying Arabic.
- He lived in a Jesuit monastery, where he ministered to the area's remaining Christians and tried to help poor families.
- "I don't see people as Muslims or Christian, I see a human being first and foremost," he told reporters.
- Murder 'cowardly'In a statement, the Vatican praised Mr van der Lugt as a "man of peace," and expressed "great pain" over his death.
- "This is the death of a man of peace, who showed great courage in remaining loyal to the Syrian people despite an extremely risky and difficult situation," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said.
- Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans called the murder "cowardly" and said Mr Van der Lugt had "brought nothing but good to Homs."
- "Fr Frans deserves our thanks and our respect. He must be able to count on our commitment to help end this misery," Mr Timmermans added.
- Those who knew him have also paid tribute on social media such as Twitter.
- Peter Bouckeart, Emergency Director of Human Rights Watch, called the killing "horrible", while the BBC's Lyse Doucet said "terrible news... During Feb evacuation, refused to leave, saying wanted to stay with his people... RIP".
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- Syria crisis: failure to intervene will have terrible consequences, says Blair.
- Tony Blair advocated military action against the Assad regime after a sarin attack on the Ghouta district near Damascus last August killed between 350 and 1,400 people. Photograph: Blair Gable/Reuters
- The world will face terrible consequences over many years to come for failing to intervene in Syria, Tony Blair has said. The former prime minister, who serves as the envoy for the Middle East quartet of the UN, US, EU and Russia, said the failure to confront President Bashar al-Assad would have ramifications far beyond the region.
- Speaking on the Today programme on Radio 4 on Monday, he said: "We have not intervened in Syria. The consequences are, in my view, terrible and will be a huge problem not just for the Middle East region, but for us in the years to come."
- Blair advocated military action against the Assad regime after a sarin gas attack on the Ghouta district, near Damascus, last August killed between 350 and 1,400 people. His stance placed him on the same side as David Cameron, who wanted to join the US in launching an attack on the Assad regime, but highlighted differences with Ed Miliband, who was highly sceptical about military intervention.
- Speaking on the Today programme to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, Blair made his remarks about the failure to take action in Syria when asked if it might still be right to take military action without domestic support.
- "You'd certainly have to say that this is a dimension you have to be aware of politically," he said. "But in my view it doesn't invalidate the necessity to intervene. What you have got to compare is the fact and the consequences of intervention with the fact and the consequences of non-intervention."
- The former PM, who acknowledged that many people did not want a repeat of the Iraq invasion elsewhere in the world, launched a strong defence of his decision to remove Saddam Hussein in 2003. "Supposing you had left Saddam. I think it is reasonably arguable, surely, that you would have had the so-called Arab spring come to Iraq.
- "If it had come to Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, it was going to come to Iraq and you would be facing what you are facing in Syria now in Iraq. But you can debate these issues forever. In the end what we know now '' and we can see this very clearly from Libya '' is that when you remove the dictatorship, that is the beginning not the end."
- Blair denied that he was to blame for the continuing violence in Iraq. He said: "You have got to look at how these people are dying and who is killing them. These people are being killed by sectarian forces that want to wreck the prospects of the country getting on its feet. You can see exactly the same happening in Afghanistan."
- He hailed the "quite magnificent" presidential election in Afghanistan. He said: "There is something in a way quite magnificent about the way that Afghan people, despite all the threats and the bombs, have come out and decided to vote. I would like to see us stand up for that broad majority."
- Blair said he did not know when the Chilcot inquiry would publish its report into the Iraq war. "I don't know anything more than you do," he told the programme's presenter, John Humphrys.
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- Kerry: US strike in Syria wouldn't be devastating | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR
- WASHINGTON: A threatened, but averted, American missile strike to punish Syria's government for a chemical weapons attack last summer would not have been powerful enough to change the course in the Syrian civil war, Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday, in an attempt to deflect criticism that the U.S. hasn't done enough to stem the violence there.
- Under pointed questioning by a Senate panel he used to chair, Kerry said the scrubbed strike would have been limited, and would have been aimed only at preventing Syrian President Bashar Assad from delivering more chemical weapons to his forces.
- "It would not have had a devastating impact by which he had to recalculate, because it wasn't going to last that long," Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Here we were going to have one or two days to degrade and send a message. ... We came up with a better solution."
- That solution, Kerry said, was to negotiate an agreement with Russia to lean on Assad to ship out and destroy his government's chemical weapons stockpiles, considered to be one of the largest in the world. That agreement came after a frantic few days after President Barack Obama initially threatened to launch a missile strike in response to the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack. Obama pulled back because he decided congressional approval was necessary first.
- Obama had earlier threatened that Assad would face consequences if he crossed a "red line" by launching deadly chemical weapons against his own people. The U.S. says more than 1,400 Syrians were killed in the Aug. 21 attack, although human rights groups have reported a lower death toll of below 1,000.
- An estimated 140,000 people have been killed in the Syrian civil war that is now in its fourth year - including 60,000 since last August, said Sen. Bob Corker, the panel's top Republican.
- "We didn't take actions at a time when we could have made a difference; so many on this committee wanted us to do that," Corker said.
- Kerry said more than half of Assad's chemical weapons stockpile - 54 percent - has so far been shipped out of Syria. He also said the U.S. is sending increased assistance to moderate Syria opposition forces - something they have long pleaded for - but refused to offer any details about what the aid would consist of or where it would go. The U.S. has resisted sending heavy weapons and massive lethal aid to Syrian rebels for fear it would fall into the hands of al-Qaida and other extremist groups who are also fighting Assad in pockets across the country.
- Kerry predicted that the war will end only through a negotiated political agreement - not a military strike by outside forces.
- Sen. John McCain, a Republican who has long pushed for more lethal aid for Syrian rebels, scoffed.
- "Any objective observer will tell you that Bashar Assad is winning on the battlefield," McCain said.
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- Bank$ters
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- Liechtenstein Banker Shot Dead in Reported Investment Feud - Bloomberg
- A Liechtenstein banker was shot dead after a feud involving an investment fund, and police said they believe the alleged killer later committed suicide.
- The 48-year-old man was shot in the underground garage of a financial institution in Balzers at 7:30 a.m. local time, the Liechtenstein police said on their website today. Neither the victim nor the institution was identified in the statement. The deceased was Juergen Frick, CEO of Bank Frick & Co. AG, according to Switzerland's Radio 1, which cited employees of his bank.
- The suspect, Juergen Hermann, fled the scene in a Smart car with Liechtenstein license plates, according to police. The authorities later said Hermann appears to have committed suicide after they found the vehicle in Ruggell, 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of Balzers, with his passport and a confession.
- ''Service dogs were able to track the suspect to the banks of the Rhine,'' police said in a statement. ''Clothing belonging to the suspect was found there. Because of the circumstances and the evidence, suicide has to be assumed.''
- Calls to Bank Frick were answered by a voice-mail message saying the company is closed because of ''a death.'' It gave no further details. A police spokesman didn't immediately respond to telephone calls and e-mails seeking comment.
- Prime MinisterBank Frick & Co., founded in 1998, specializes in wealth management and investment advice. The firm managed about 3.5 billion Swiss francs ($3.9 billion) of assets on behalf of clients at the end of 2012, according to its website. The company's chairman is Mario Frick, who was prime minister of Liechtenstein from 1993 to 2001.
- Bank Frick was previously partly owned by Bawag PSK Bank AG, the Austrian lender that almost collapsed because of its links with failed U.S. futures firm Refco Inc. Bawag owned 26 percent and Refco had a 4 percent holding, according to a report by the Austrian Press Agency. After Austria led a bailout of Bawag in 2006, the company sold its stake in Bank Frick, according to a paper published the following year on the European Commission's website.
- Hermann is a fund manager who has been embroiled in a dispute with the Liechtenstein government and Bank Frick for many years, according to Radio 1.
- Hermann FinanceThe Liechtenstein government and the country's Financial Market Authority ''illegally destroyed my investment company Hermann Finance and its funds, depriving me of my livelihood,'' according to a website registered under the name Juergen Hermann of Hermann Finance AG.
- He has filed lawsuits seeking recovery of 200 million Swiss francs from the government and 33 million francs from Bank Frick, according to the website. The lender ''illegally enriched itself,'' among other alleged crimes, it said.
- A representative of Hermann's lawyer declined to comment when reached by telephone. A call to an office telephone number listed on Hermann Finance's website was answered by an employee of a law firm who said his company isn't related to Hermann Finance.
- Hermann had been ''publicly hostile'' to the country's Financial Market Authority and some of its employees, forcing it to take security measures in consultation with the police, FMA spokesman Beat Krieger said in an e-mail today.
- Liechtenstein, a country of 36,800 people wedged between Switzerland and Austria, hasn't seen a homicide since 2011, when three people lost their lives to crime, police said in their annual report. Bank Frick is one of 17 lenders in the Alpine country, according to the Liechtenstein Banking Association.
- To contact the reporters on this story: Jan-Henrik Foerster in Zurich at jforster20@bloomberg.net; Carolyn Bandel in Zurich at cbandel@bloomberg.net
- To contact the editors responsible for this story: Mariajose Vera at mvera1@bloomberg.net James Kraus, John Simpson
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- CEO Of Liechtenstein Bank Frick Murdered In Broad Daylight | Zero Hedge
- Over the weekend the world was gripped by the drama surrounding the mysterious murder-homicide of the former CEO of Dutch bank ABN Amro and members of his family, and whether there is more foul play than meets the eye. However, that is nothing compared to what just happened in the tiny, and all too quiet Principality of Lichtenstein, where moments ago the CEO of local financial institution Bank Frick & Co. AG, Juergen Frick, was shot dead in the underground garage of the bank located in the city of Balzers.
- Based on preliminary reports, the murder is the result of a disgruntled fund manager, Juergen Germann, who had previously been embroiled in a "bitter dispute" with the government and the bank. Bloomberg has more:
- A 48-year-old man was shot dead in the underground garage of a financial institution in Balzers at 7:30 a.m. local time, the principality's police said on its website. The suspect, Juergen Hermann, fled the scene in a Smart car with Liechtenstein number plates, according to police. Neither the victim nor the institution were identified in the statement.
- The deceased was Juergen Frick, CEO of Bank Frick & Co. AG, Switzerland's Radio 1 said in an e-mailed statement, citing employees of the bank. Calls to Bank Frick were answered by a voice-mail message saying the company is closed because of ''a death.'' It gave no further details.
- Hermann is a fund manager who has been embroiled in a dispute with the Liechtenstein government and Bank Frick for many years, Switzerland's Radio 1 said.
- The Liechtenstein government and the country's Financial Market Authority ''illegally destroyed my investment company Hermann Finance and its funds, depriving me of my livelihood,'' according to a website registered under the name Juergen Hermann of Hermann Finance AG.
- He has filed lawsuits seeking recovery of 200 million Swiss francs ($225 million) from the government and 33 million francs from Bank Frick, according to the website. The lender ''illegally enriched itself,'' among other alleged crimes, it said.
- A representative of Hermann's lawyer declined to comment when reached by telephone. A call to Hermann Finance's office was answered by an employee of a law firm who said his company isn't related to Hermann Finance.
- The narrative against the "publicly hostile" alleged shooter has already been flushed out.
- Hermann has been ''publicly hostile'' to the country's Financial Market Authority and some of its employees, forcing it to take security measures in consultation with the police, FMA spokesman Beat Krieger said in an e-mail today.
- The escape vehicle was later found in the village of Ruggell, 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of Balzers, police said.
- ''The area is being searched by police with dogs and helicopters,'' the 120-member police force said. Zurich police are helping to document the crime scene, spokesman Mario Cortesi said.
- Here is the update form the local police station:
- On Monday morning, it came in Balzers a homicide, the suspect is currently volatile.
- Against 07.30 clock in an underground garage of a financial institution is a homicide in which a 48-year-old man was shot occurred. When volatile suspects are J¼rgen Hermann from the Moors. He is armed and dangerous, according to police reports, the investigation of the National Police is in full swing.
- Notes on a possible whereabouts of the suspects are requested immediately to the police landing +423 / 236 71 11. Upon encountering the suspect, it is important to exercise extreme caution.
- Below is the profile of the murdered CEO, still on the bank's website:
- As CEO J¼rgen Frick is closely involved in all business activities of the bank with a special focus lying on client advisory, financing and financial product development. As well he supervises all real estate development projects of the Bank.
- J¼rgen is also Chairman of the Board at Crystal Fund Management AG, a subsidiary of Bank Frick & Co.
- Bank Frick is active in modern wealth management and provides a range of advisory services. As well it specializes in fund development and fund administration.
- Our Bank entertains close ties to an efficient network of fiduciaries, insurers, tax experts, investment funds and law firms around the world.
- We are completely independent. Our advice and our services cater exclusively to the individual needs and requirements of our clients.
- Combinvest Establishment serves as holding for all bank shares. Family Frick is the majority stake holder.
- After a successful career in international banking and fiduciary services, Kuno Frick senior founded in December 1998 Bank Frick & Co. AG. Due to his wide experience and excellent connections, Bank Frick proved an immediate success.
- Since then, the bank's assets under management have risen steadily. New business segments are continuously being added to the bank's service portfolio, while existing ones are constantly being refined.
- In autumn 2011, Bank Frick's international presence was significantly enhanced with the opening of Bank Frick UK Branch in Mayfair, London.
- Up until now it was mostly banker suicides. With the first open bank CEO murder, one wonders if there will be a change in the pattern.
- Average:Your rating: NoneAverage: 4.7(39 votes)
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- Peter R. de Vries en oud-chauffeur halen uit naar 'complotmaffia' Demmink - Binnenland - VK
- (C) anp. Peter R. de Vries
- E(C)n van de chauffeurs van de omstreden oud-topambtenaar Joris Demmink en misdaadjournalist Peter R. de Vries hebben het opgenomen voor Joris Demmink. Volgens hen zijn de beschuldigingen over pedofilie 'volkomen uit de lucht gegrepen'. Dit zeiden zij gisterenavond bij Pauw & Witteman.
- Hans Bakker was van 1992 tot 1996 (C)(C)n van de chauffeurs van Demmink. De laatste twee jaar was hij zijn vaste chauffeur, daarna stuurde hij andere chauffeurs aan. Volgens Bakker heeft hij in al die jaren niets gezien. 'Het is niet gebeurd, dus ik kan het ook niet gemerkt hebben', zegt Bakker.
- Bakker zegt beledigd te zijn door getuigen die zeggen dat chauffeurs wisten van het misbruik. 'Waar zien ze ons voor aan, dat wij de andere kant opkeken terwijl zulke dingen gebeurden?'
- BaggerPeter R. de Vries zegt diepgravend onderzoek naar Demmink te hebben gedaan, maar nooit iets te hebben gevonden. 'Sommige mensen willen de waarheid niet zien of horen.' Volgens De Vries komen de beschuldigingen van 'een complotmaffia'. 'Als je kanttekeningen plaatst bij de beschuldigingen, krijg je een gigantische hoeveelheid bagger over je heen. Mensen zeggen dat je bent omgekocht of je wordt zelf uitgemaakt voor pedofiel', aldus De Vries.
- Tegen Demmink, de oud-secretaris-generaal van het ministerie van Veiligheid en Justitie, lopen getuigenverhoren voor de rechtbank. Deze worden afgenomen op verzoek van Stichting De Roestige Spijker. Die wil de onderste steen boven hebben over de geruchten van seksueel misbruik van jonge jongens.
- DienstautoDe Amsterdamse oud-hoofdofficier van justitie Hans Vrakking beweerde eerder dat Bakker de BVD (nu AIVD) had verteld 'er niet meer tegen te kunnen' dat de topman in de dienstauto af en toe seks had met jongens.
- De ambtenaar Tjeerd Postma zei tegen het AD: 'Ik heb de BVD verteld van klachten van chauffeurs over nachtelijke bezoeken aan een club en over een dienstreis naar Brussel, waar Demmink seks had met een jonge jongen op de achterbank van de dienstauto, terwijl de chauffeur alles zag door de achteruitkijkspiegel.'
- Demmink ontkent via zijn advocaat alle beschuldigingen met klem. Het ministerie van Veiligheid en Justitie heeft eerder laten weten dat er 'nooit een begin van juistheid is gebleken voor de geruchten en aantijgingen'. In antecedentenonderzoeken zou er nooit iets zijn gevonden dat bezwaarlijk was voor het functioneren van Demmink.
-
- Peter R. de Vries en oud-chauffeur halen uit naar 'complotmaffia' Demmink - Binnenland - VK
- (C) anp. Peter R. de Vries
- E(C)n van de chauffeurs van de omstreden oud-topambtenaar Joris Demmink en misdaadjournalist Peter R. de Vries hebben het opgenomen voor Joris Demmink. Volgens hen zijn de beschuldigingen over pedofilie 'volkomen uit de lucht gegrepen'. Dit zeiden zij gisterenavond bij Pauw & Witteman.
- Hans Bakker was van 1992 tot 1996 (C)(C)n van de chauffeurs van Demmink. De laatste twee jaar was hij zijn vaste chauffeur, daarna stuurde hij andere chauffeurs aan. Volgens Bakker heeft hij in al die jaren niets gezien. 'Het is niet gebeurd, dus ik kan het ook niet gemerkt hebben', zegt Bakker.
- Bakker zegt beledigd te zijn door getuigen die zeggen dat chauffeurs wisten van het misbruik. 'Waar zien ze ons voor aan, dat wij de andere kant opkeken terwijl zulke dingen gebeurden?'
- BaggerPeter R. de Vries zegt diepgravend onderzoek naar Demmink te hebben gedaan, maar nooit iets te hebben gevonden. 'Sommige mensen willen de waarheid niet zien of horen.' Volgens De Vries komen de beschuldigingen van 'een complotmaffia'. 'Als je kanttekeningen plaatst bij de beschuldigingen, krijg je een gigantische hoeveelheid bagger over je heen. Mensen zeggen dat je bent omgekocht of je wordt zelf uitgemaakt voor pedofiel', aldus De Vries.
- Tegen Demmink, de oud-secretaris-generaal van het ministerie van Veiligheid en Justitie, lopen getuigenverhoren voor de rechtbank. Deze worden afgenomen op verzoek van Stichting De Roestige Spijker. Die wil de onderste steen boven hebben over de geruchten van seksueel misbruik van jonge jongens.
- DienstautoDe Amsterdamse oud-hoofdofficier van justitie Hans Vrakking beweerde eerder dat Bakker de BVD (nu AIVD) had verteld 'er niet meer tegen te kunnen' dat de topman in de dienstauto af en toe seks had met jongens.
- De ambtenaar Tjeerd Postma zei tegen het AD: 'Ik heb de BVD verteld van klachten van chauffeurs over nachtelijke bezoeken aan een club en over een dienstreis naar Brussel, waar Demmink seks had met een jonge jongen op de achterbank van de dienstauto, terwijl de chauffeur alles zag door de achteruitkijkspiegel.'
- Demmink ontkent via zijn advocaat alle beschuldigingen met klem. Het ministerie van Veiligheid en Justitie heeft eerder laten weten dat er 'nooit een begin van juistheid is gebleken voor de geruchten en aantijgingen'. In antecedentenonderzoeken zou er nooit iets zijn gevonden dat bezwaarlijk was voor het functioneren van Demmink.
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- Ex-ABN Banker Schmittmann Killed Wife, Daughter, Himself - Bloomberg
- Former ABN Amro Netherlands Chief Executive Officer Jan Peter Schmittmann committed suicide after killing his wife and one of his daughters, Dutch police said, as his family said he suffered from depression.
- The Dutch forensic institute has ''confirmed suspicions'' of a murder-suicide, the police said in a statement today. Schmittmann's family was cited as saying in the statement that ''we knew Jan Peter struggled with severe depression.''
- Schmittmann, 57, and his wife and daughter were found at their home in Laren, 32 kilometers (20 miles) southeast of Amsterdam, on April 5 after the police received a call from an acquaintance who said something might be wrong at the property. Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf identified the dead women as Schmittman's 57-year-old wife, Nelly, and their daughter Babette, 22.
- ''A farewell letter has been found inside the house,'' the police said in the statement. The authorities declined further comment on the letter's contents and time and cause of death.
- Schmittmann, who was born in Maartensdijk, Netherlands, is survived by one daughter, who wasn't at home and was informed by officers of the death of her family, the police said on April 5.
- ''We are deeply shocked and devastated by this incomprehensible news,'' Schmittmann's family said in the police statement. ''Our first concern now is supporting the remaining daughter in coping with this indescribable grief.''
- De Telegraaf reported today that Schmittmann hanged himself, citing two people it didn't identify.
- Nationalization, DismissalSchmittmann joined ABN Amro Holding NV, once among Europe's biggest banks, in 1983 as an assistant relationship manager and was named head of the lender's Dutch unit in 2003. As a member of the bank's executive board, he was responsible for restructuring it along the lines agreed by Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, Fortis and Banco Santander SA in their three-way takeover of the lender in 2007.
- A year after the biggest financial-services takeover in history, the credit crunch drove Fortis to the verge of collapse, forcing the Netherlands to take over its Dutch banking and insurance units, including assets of the former ABN Amro in 2008. The Dutch asked Gerrit Zalm to lead the company now called ABN Amro Group NV.
- On the eve of the nationalization, Schmittmann was dismissed by the Dutch Finance Ministry, he told lawmakers in a 2011 hearing. He received an 8 million-euro ($11 million) severance payment, less than what he was entitled to under his contract and more than the Dutch government sought to pay.
- London DeathsSchmittmann owned 2phase2, a management company for investments and financial transactions, according to information on LinkedIn Corp.'s professional social-networking website. He's also co-founder of 5 Park Lane BV, and last year returned to banking as a supervisory board member at Delta Lloyd Bank NV.
- Recent deaths by finance workers around the world have raised concerns of mental health and stress levels in the industry.
- A coroner in London last month started an inquest into the apparent suicide of William Broeksmit, 58, a retired Deutsche Bank AG risk executive found dead in his London home in January. The inquest for Gabriel Magee, a 39-year-old vice president in technology operations at JPMorgan Chase & Co., who died after falling from the firm's 33-story London headquarters, is scheduled for late May.
- In 2009, former ABN Amro Holding NV Chief Financial Officer Huibert Boumeester, 49, took his life while suffering from depression, according to the coroner investigating his death. The banker was found dead from gunshot wounds by police that June in woodlands 25 miles west of his London home.
- To contact the reporters on this story: Maud van Gaal in Amsterdam at mvangaal@bloomberg.net; Martijn van der Starre in Amsterdam at vanderstarre@bloomberg.net
- To contact the editors responsible for this story: Frank Connelly at fconnelly@bloomberg.net; Mariajose Vera at mvera1@bloomberg.netKeith Campbell, Steven Crabill
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- Ex-ABN Banker Schmittmann Killed Wife, Daughter, Himself - Bloomberg
- Former ABN Amro Netherlands Chief Executive Officer Jan Peter Schmittmann committed suicide after killing his wife and one of his daughters, Dutch police said, as his family said he suffered from depression.
- The Dutch forensic institute has ''confirmed suspicions'' of a murder-suicide, the police said in a statement today. Schmittmann's family was cited as saying in the statement that ''we knew Jan Peter struggled with severe depression.''
- Schmittmann, 57, and his wife and daughter were found at their home in Laren, 32 kilometers (20 miles) southeast of Amsterdam, on April 5 after the police received a call from an acquaintance who said something might be wrong at the property. Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf identified the dead women as Schmittman's 57-year-old wife, Nelly, and their daughter Babette, 22.
- ''A farewell letter has been found inside the house,'' the police said in the statement. The authorities declined further comment on the letter's contents and time and cause of death.
- Schmittmann, who was born in Maartensdijk, Netherlands, is survived by one daughter, who wasn't at home and was informed by officers of the death of her family, the police said on April 5.
- ''We are deeply shocked and devastated by this incomprehensible news,'' Schmittmann's family said in the police statement. ''Our first concern now is supporting the remaining daughter in coping with this indescribable grief.''
- De Telegraaf reported today that Schmittmann hanged himself, citing two people it didn't identify.
- Nationalization, DismissalSchmittmann joined ABN Amro Holding NV, once among Europe's biggest banks, in 1983 as an assistant relationship manager and was named head of the lender's Dutch unit in 2003. As a member of the bank's executive board, he was responsible for restructuring it along the lines agreed by Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, Fortis and Banco Santander SA in their three-way takeover of the lender in 2007.
- A year after the biggest financial-services takeover in history, the credit crunch drove Fortis to the verge of collapse, forcing the Netherlands to take over its Dutch banking and insurance units, including assets of the former ABN Amro in 2008. The Dutch asked Gerrit Zalm to lead the company now called ABN Amro Group NV.
- On the eve of the nationalization, Schmittmann was dismissed by the Dutch Finance Ministry, he told lawmakers in a 2011 hearing. He received an 8 million-euro ($11 million) severance payment, less than what he was entitled to under his contract and more than the Dutch government sought to pay.
- London DeathsSchmittmann owned 2phase2, a management company for investments and financial transactions, according to information on LinkedIn Corp.'s professional social-networking website. He's also co-founder of 5 Park Lane BV, and last year returned to banking as a supervisory board member at Delta Lloyd Bank NV.
- Recent deaths by finance workers around the world have raised concerns of mental health and stress levels in the industry.
- A coroner in London last month started an inquest into the apparent suicide of William Broeksmit, 58, a retired Deutsche Bank AG risk executive found dead in his London home in January. The inquest for Gabriel Magee, a 39-year-old vice president in technology operations at JPMorgan Chase & Co., who died after falling from the firm's 33-story London headquarters, is scheduled for late May.
- In 2009, former ABN Amro Holding NV Chief Financial Officer Huibert Boumeester, 49, took his life while suffering from depression, according to the coroner investigating his death. The banker was found dead from gunshot wounds by police that June in woodlands 25 miles west of his London home.
- To contact the reporters on this story: Maud van Gaal in Amsterdam at mvangaal@bloomberg.net; Martijn van der Starre in Amsterdam at vanderstarre@bloomberg.net
- To contact the editors responsible for this story: Frank Connelly at fconnelly@bloomberg.net; Mariajose Vera at mvera1@bloomberg.netKeith Campbell, Steven Crabill
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- Chiner$
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- TRAINS GOOD-Israel-China Alliance Moves Forward With $2 Billion 'Red-Med' Freight Rail Link Alternative to Suez Canal | Jewish & Israel News Algemeiner.com
- An Israel Railways train at the Haifa Merkaz Hashmona Station. Photo: Golf Bravo via Wikimedia Commons.
- The growing economic alliance between Israel and China is moving forward with a $2 billion, 300 kilometer freight rail link connecting Eilat, on the Red Sea, with Ashdod Port, on the Mediterranean, Germany's Deutsche Welle news magazine reported on Monday.
- The project, nicknamed the 'Red-Med,' was greenlit by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, and construction, which is expected to take five years, will begin within the year.
- About the link, Netanyahu said, ''It's the first time we'd be able to assist the countries in Europe and Asia to make sure they always have an open connection between Europe and Asia and between Asia and Europe.'' For Netanyahu, the rail link also has a civilian use, doubling as a line for a two-hour passenger ride between Tel Aviv and Eilat, DW said.
- Ilan Maor, a former Israeli consul to Shanghai and CEO of consultancy firm Sheng-BDO, told DW that without foreign help and investment from China, the project would likely remain on the drawing board for years.
- ''I think the investment or involvement of the Chinese companies and government in Israel, just like any other country whether European or American, is a good thing,'' Maor told DW. ''If this project is good and it makes sense commercially, then if you have a foreign company which enables you to do it, that's a good thing. I don't think the Israeli government or any of the Israeli companies have the capability to take such a project and develop it by itself.''
- ''I think China is looking more and more into the international market and doing business outside China. That goes for Africa, for Asia, for Israel and the Middle East. And I think any foreign involvement in the Middle East is coming from the positive aspect. Not somebody who is going to build military camps and sell weapons but a foreign body or company who is investing in the Middle East producing new projects,'' Maor said.
- ''It shows the Chinese government, Chinese companies believe that Israel holds a significant potential for business cooperation and that they believe the trade relation with Israel is not only between China and Israel but between Israel and other countries '' it's going to develop,'' Maor said.
- The rail link will both increase access to goods for Africa, where China is the continent's biggest partner, with trade worth $120 billion, while also providing an alternative shipping route to the Suez Canal, controlled by Egypt.
- In a report cited by DW, the Center for International Maritime Security pointed to Egypt's political uncertainty following the downfall of Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 and the ousting of his successor, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi, a year after he was elected in June 2012. The center said that political instability has left the Sinai Peninsula a ''lawless zone for jihadists and Bedouin militias,'' highlighting a rocket-propelled-grenade attack last August on a Chinese-owned container ship.
- Lloyd's insurance market has even recommended that ships take the 6,000-mile route around South Africa instead. In September, it welcomed a new maritime hub at Port Sudan to provide an alternative should Egyptian unrest force the Suez to close, DW said.
- ''Those who use the canal may find the alternative of train and using the Red Sea cheaper. You see there's demurrage on the Suez '' congestion charges. We pay for waiting in line,'' Oded Eran, a retired Israeli diplomat now at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies, told DW.
- Rather than compete with Egypt, Eran said the Red-Med link would just facilitate more trade. ''We want the Egyptian economy to strengthen,'' he said. ''It's simply a way of facilitating transport between the industrial centers of the north to the south.''
- But Eran, who was Israel's ambassador to Jordan from 1997 to 2000, said the plan missed the opportunity to include Jordan, which would have also helped encourage Arabs to use the infrastructure.
- ''There's a semi-used port in Aqabar in Jordan '' we could have used that infrastructure. It would have been economically and politically correct to work together on this,'' Eran told DW.
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- Vaccine$
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- Vaccine bombshell: Baby Monkeys Given Standard Doses Of Popular Vaccines Develop Autism Symptoms
- Saturday, 05 April 2014 03:48Ethan A. Huff
- This article was written by Ethan A. Huff and originally published at Natural News
- If vaccines play absolutely no role in the development of childhood autism, a claim made by many medical authorities today, then why are some of the most popular vaccines commonly administered to children demonstrably causing autism in animal primates? This is the question many people are now asking after a recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh (UP) in Pennsylvania revealed that many of the infant monkeys given standard doses of childhood vaccines as part of the new research developed autism symptoms.
- For their analysis, Laura Hewitson and her colleagues at UP conducted the type of proper safety research on typical childhood vaccination schedules that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should have conducted '-- but never has '-- for such regimens. And what this brave team discovered was groundbreaking, as it completely deconstructs the mainstream myth that vaccines are safe and pose no risk of autism.
- Presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in London, England, the findings revealed that young macaque monkeys given the typical CDC-recommended vaccination schedule from the 1990s, and in appropriate doses for the monkeys' sizes and ages, tended to develop autism symptoms. Their unvaccinated counterparts, on the other hand, developed no such symptoms, which points to a strong connection between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders.
- Included in the mix were several vaccines containing the toxic additive Thimerosal, a mercury-based compound that has been phased out of some vaccines, but is still present in batch-size influenza vaccines and a few others. Also administered was the controversial measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which has been linked time and time again to causing autism and various other serious, and often irreversible, health problems in children (http://www.greenhealthwatch.com)
- ''This research underscores the critical need for more investigation into immunizations, mercury, and the alterations seen in autistic children,'' said Lyn Redwood, director ofSafeMinds, a public safety group working to expose the truth about vaccines and autism. ''SafeMinds calls for large scale, unbiased studies that look at autism medical conditions and the effects of vaccines given as a regimen.''
- Vaccine oversight needs to be taken from CDC and given to independent agency, says vaccine safety advocate
- Adding to the sentiment, Theresa Wrangham, president of SafeMinds called out the CDC for failing to require proper safety studies of its recommended vaccination schedules. Unlike all other drugs, which must at least undergo a basic round of safety testing prior to approval and recommendation, vaccinations and vaccine schedules in particular do not have to be proven safe or effective before hitting the market.
- ''The full implications of this primate study await publication of the research in a scientific journal,'' said Wrangham. ''But we can say that it demonstrates how the CDC evaded their responsibility to investigate vaccine safety questions. Vaccine safety oversight should be removed from the CDC and given to an independent agency.''
- Be sure to read this thorough analysis of the study by Catherine J. Frompovich ofVacTruth.com:http://vactruth.com/2012/04/29/monkeys-get-autism/
- Sources for this article include:
- http://www.safeminds.org/
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- Chili's cancels fundraiser with National Autism Association - Apr. 7, 2014
- The restaurant chain Chili's canceled a fundraiser with the National Autism Association because of customer feedback.
- On its website, the NAA says, "Vaccinations can trigger or exacerbate autism in some, if not many, children, especially those who are genetically predisposed to immune, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions."
- "The intent of this fundraiser was not to express a view on this matter, but rather to support the families affected by autism," wrote a spokeswoman for Chili's Grill & Bar Restaurant, in an email to CNNMoney.
- In recent decades the decision of whether or not parents should vaccinate their children has become controversial because some have linked vaccinations to autism. Many opponents of vaccinations base their beliefs on a 1998 study that was declared fraudulent by a leading British medical journal.
- Related: Retracted autism study an 'elaborate fraud,' says British journal
- The NAA says the link between autism and vaccination mentioned on its site is based on "parent reports."
- "Though published mainstream science fails to acknowledge a causal link to any of these specific exposures, it's important that parental accounts be carefully considered," says the NAA on its website.
- The NAA site also mentions that unvaccinated children have been diagnosed with autism.
- Related: The costs of autism to individual families
- The Chili's spokeswoman would not say whether the feedback had anything to do with the NAA's website promoting the view of some parents that autism is sometimes caused by vaccinations.
- Chili's Facebook site was loaded with comments in support of and against vaccinations.
- Wendy Fournier, president of NAA, said, "It was obvious that the comments [Chili's was] getting were a fight about vaccines. Everybody was all heated up and wanting to boycott. It was bullying. It was orchestrated by a small number of people who wanted to deny assistance to families that we serve through our program."
- Related: What Obamacare can learn from Netflix
- Fournier said that NAA is not anti-vaccination, and that she and her co-workers have vaccinated their children. She said that the statements on the NAA website about vaccinations and autism are the views of parents who "are entitled to their viewpoints without being attacked."
- The Chili's spokeswoman said that the NAA was originally selected for the fundraiser "based on the percentage of donations that would go directly to providing financial assistance to families and supporting programs that aid the development and safety of children with autism."
- Chili's, which is owned by Brinker International(EAT), went on to say, "While we remain committed to supporting the children and families affected by autism, we canceled Monday's Give Back Event based on the feedback we heard from our guests."
- First Published: April 7, 2014: 11:18 AM ET
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- Chili's caves to medical mafia; cancels support for Autism awareness efforts
- (NaturalNews) The medical mafia is alive and well in America today, where pro-vaccine thought police routinely engage in malicious campaigns to smear anyone who dares ask the question "Are vaccines linked to autism?"When Chili's recently announced they would make a one-day gesture to provide financial assistance to families devastated by autism, even that was too much for the medical mafia. Their operatives fanned out across the mainstream media to disparage Chili's for even daring to help autistic children. The danger of people becoming merely "aware" of autism is so great, it seems, that even a goodwill effort to help support mothers of autistic children must be stifled and shut down as quickly as possible.
- Also being targeted in all this is the National Autism Association, a group that does extraordinary work helping mothers and families understand the causes of autism and possible treatments to help alleviate symptoms of autism. Much like Natural News, the NAA is routinely defamed by the mainstream media through the deliberate engineering and publication of false, defamatory lies and misinformation intentionally spread by the medical mafia to try to shut down anyone who questions vaccine safety.Factually speaking, vaccines are so dangerous and deadly that the vaccine industry had to achieve total legal immunity for their products through an act of Congress! Thanks to that act, families of children damaged by vaccines cannot pursue justice in the courts. They must submit to a special "vaccine court" where financial settlements are only offered if those families agree to remain forever silent about how their children were harmed by vaccines. These "payoffs for silence" are part of the formula for keeping the lid shut tight on the truth about vaccines.
- Those same courts, by the way, have repeatedly been forced to admit that vaccines DO cause autism! Just last year, in fact, the vaccine courts awarded millions of dollars to the families of two children made autistic by vaccine injections.
- Vaccine, of course, still contain toxic neurotoxins such as mercury, aluminum, MSG and formaldehyde -- all openly admitted by the Centers for Disease Control. These toxic substances are injected into children, going directly into their tissue and blood where they are circulated to their brains. Once in the brain, these neurotic substances can and do cause permanent brain damage. They can also cause damage to the digestive tract, as is common in autistic children.What's really happening today with children being harmed by vaccines is nothing less than a medical holocaust being carried out in total secrecy with strong-arm enforcement accomplished by a gang of corporate-sponsored "science" goons collaborating with pro-business mainstream media to smear, attack and denigrate all who oppose toxic chemicals in vaccines. You are witnessing chemical warfare being waged against our children -- and yet you're not supposed to even ask questions about why it's happening!
- Even the call to take the mercury out of vaccines is viciously attacked by the medical mafia. Mercury, you see, is a "desirable ingredient" by vaccine-pushing zealots, many of whom quite literally demonstrate the kind of psychotic behavior caused by exposure to mercury. In other words, the medical mafia is largely made up of people who are damaged by the very same brain-damaging toxins they're trying to push onto others. Mercury makes people not just crazy, but also violent and psychotic -- and that's the perfect description of the medial mafia trolls you see on social media or writing crazed, inflammatory opinion pieces in mainstream business magazines.
- Chili's is just the latest victim of the media mafia's thought police and their vicious attempts to shut down awareness of autism itself. What could possibly be wrong with merely supporting mothers of autistic children; women who struggle daily with trying to raise children damaged in ways that even modern scientists don't understand?In canceling the autism awareness event, Chili's posted this message on their Facebook page:
- Chili's is committed to giving back to the communities in which our guests live and work through local and national Give Back Events. While we remain committed to supporting the children and families affected by autism, we are canceling Monday's Give Back Event based on the feedback we heard from our guests.
- We believe autism awareness continues to be an important cause to our guests and team members, and we will find another way to support this worthy effort in the future with again our sole intention being to help families affected by autism. At Chili's, we want to make every guest feel special and we thank all of our loyal guests for your thoughtful questions and comments.
- Help defend Chili's against the children-poisoning thought police!Click here to go straight to the Chili's page and post something in support of autism awareness right now! Spread the word and help Chili's realize they are being victimized by an organized online mafia of vaccine trolls and chemical child abusers!
- Kudos to Chili's, by the way, for even attempting to help families of autistic children. Too bad they caved so easily to the medical mafia's typical intimidation tactics.
- As you read the comments there, note carefully that vaccine zealots are NOT scientifically-minded people; they are religious zealots who worship the religion of vaccines. Their "belief" in vaccines is based purely on faith; all evidence be damned! Anyone who studies autism is immediately ostracized and discredited even if their research only hints at a link between autism and vaccines. Case in point: Dr. Andrew Wakefield, a brilliant researcher and deeply caring physician who has been repeatedly lied about, defamed beyond belief, and denied his rightful place in the history of scientific discovery by a real-life medical mafia that conspired with corrupt medical journals beholden to pharmaceutical interests.
- Anyone who does not conform to the myths and lies of this medical mafia is subjected to widespread character assassination, where endless lies are spread about them.
- I've even been accused of being "anti-science" even though I run a scientific laboratory using atomic spectroscopy equipment to research food safety! In reality, I'm one of the most "scientific" activists in the country, yet because I express concern of the safety of mercury in vaccines, I too am immediately and viciously branded "anti-science." Anyone who is anti-mercury, it turns out, is automatically labeled "anti-science."
- But that just goes to show you how desperate the vaccine pushers have truly become. When they have to resort to mafia-style tactics, blatant lies and orchestrated media defamation campaigns to silence their opposition, you know that they can't win on the scientific facts alone! If someone truly has science on their side, they don't need to resort to oppression, negative P.R. campaigns, organized trolling on social media, nasty backlash campaigns against Chili's and other similar nonsense. The fact that the vaccine pushers have resorted to these tactics is practically an admission that they have failed and have nothing left to offer except intimidation.They sure don't want you to know about the vaccine science fraud routinely committed by Merck, according to two whistleblower virologists who used to work there. According to their False Claims Act complaint filed with the federal government, Merck fraudulent spiked blood samples with animal antibodies to fake the results and thereby achieve FDA approval on their mumps vaccines.
- It turns out that measles and mumps vaccines actually spread measles and mumps, causing the very outbreaks that sell more vaccines.
- Even modern-day measles outbreaks appear to be happening almost exclusively among children who were already vaccinated against measles. This "inconvenient truth" is never reported by the pro-vaccine mainstream media, which has long colluded with its own advertisers -- the drug companies -- to misinform the public about the supposed efficacy and safety of vaccines.
- I haven't had a flu shot in so many years I can't even remember how long it's been, and yet I never get the flu, either. How can that be if flu shots are the only solution to preventing the flu?
- The vaccine industry is an industry of propaganda, lies, mafia tactics and outright criminality. Drug companies are routinely found guilty of felony crimes for which any other company would be barred from doing business with the government. But the political reach of Big Pharma is so great that they can commit felony fraud and still sell vaccines to the government with total legal immunity no less!That's how pathetic the vaccine industry really is today: They sell products that harm children, they use mafia-style tactics to silence opposition, they routinely commit scientific fraud in their own research, they destroy the careers of researchers who uncover any link of harm between vaccines and human health, and they have achieved total legal immunity in the United States so that even if their products kill a thousand children a year, they aren't legally responsible for any of those deaths.
- And this is an industry we're supposed to trust to formulate chemicals that we inject into our children? No wonder moms don't trust them! No wonder there's such an outcry for scientific honesty when it comes to autism research. And no wonder moms and dads everywhere are fleeing from vaccines and seeking alternatives for boosting their child's immunity. The vaccine industry is, factually and undeniably, a criminal operation that puts all our children at risk. If their products were really so safe, then why do they need blanket legal immunity from lawsuit damages?
- Support Chili's in this effort at:http://www.facebook.com/Chilis
- About the author:Mike Adams (aka the "Health Ranger") is the founding editor of NaturalNews.com, the internet's No. 1 natural health news website, now reaching 7 million unique readers a month.
- With a background in science and software technology, Adams is the original founder of the email newsletter technology company known as Arial Software. Using his technical experience combined with his love for natural health, Adams developed and deployed the content management system currently driving NaturalNews.com. He also engineered the high-level statistical algorithms that power SCIENCE.naturalnews.com, a massive research resource now featuring over 10 million scientific studies.
- In addition to being the co-star of the popular GAIAM TV series called Secrets to Health, Adams is also the (non-paid) executive director of the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center (CWC), an organization that redirects 100% of its donations receipts to grant programs that teach children and women how to grow their own food or vastly improve their nutrition. Click here to see some of the CWC success stories.
- In 2013, Adams created the Natural News Forensic Food Laboratory, a research lab that analyzes common foods and supplements, reporting the results to the public. He is well known for his incredibly popular consumer activism video blowing the lid on fake blueberries used throughout the food supply. He has also exposed "strange fibers" found in Chicken McNuggets, fake academic credentials of so-called health "gurus," dangerous "detox" products imported as battery acid and sold for oral consumption, fake acai berry scams, the California raw milk raids, the vaccine research fraud revealed by industry whistleblowers and many other topics.
- Adams has also helped defend the rights of home gardeners and protect the medical freedom rights of parents. Adams is widely recognized to have made a remarkable global impact on issues like GMOs, vaccines, nutrition therapies, human consciousness.
- In addition to his activism, Adams is an accomplished musician who has released ten popular songs covering a variety of activism topics.
- Click here to read a more detailed bio on Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, at HealthRanger.com.
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- Autism at school: how teachers can help
- High School can be a very difficult time for students with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders, but there are ways to make it easier. ShutterstockHigh school can be difficult for youths with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders, who often have IQs superior to the general population, but can struggle with communication, social skills, and regulating their emotions. Compared to primary school where students only have one teacher, high school involves dealing with a number of different teachers and teaching styles every day, not to mention there are more students, more homework, and more rigorous grading policies. Considering the social challenges they face, problems associated with teen years such as puberty, friendships, and hormonal changes, are exacerbated. Because each youth on the autism spectrum has very different needs, there is no one-size-fits-all policy for assisting students with autism. However there are basic things teachers can do to make their time at school run smoothly.
- Provide a home baseA home base is a place in the school where the student can go to plan or review the day's events, escape the stress of the classroom, prevent a meltdown, or regain control if a meltdown has occurred. The location is not important, but it is essential that the home base is viewed as a positive environment. It is not a ''naughty corner''. Nor is it an escape from classroom tasks; the students take their classwork with them to home base. Some students need home base to be scheduled as a regular part of their day. A home base at the beginning of the day can serve to preview the day's schedule, introduce and get familiar with changes in the typical routine, ensure the student's materials are organised, or prepare for specific subjects. In addition, home base can also be scheduled after particularly stressful activities or classes.
- Minimise handwriting requirementsMany students with autism have difficulty with handwriting, and with listening and writing at the same time, due to motor problems. If writing is problematic for the student, don't force them to do it. If handwriting itself is not being tested, another mode should be used.
- Get organisedLack of organisation often prevents students with high-functioning autism from demonstrating their full competence. It is not uncommon to hear of students who have completed an assignment but weren't able to find it to hand it in on time. Organisation entails knowing which papers to keep and which ones to throw away; being able to open a locker; organising backpacks and other school supplies; and remembering money for lunch.
- Create a program that works for themThis requires creating a balance between what they have to achieve academically, and their levels of stress and anxiety. Programs have to have a predictable structure to avoid anxiety about something the student wasn't prepared for, and so students know they can achieve what their teacher and parents are expecting them to do. While predictability is important for the student, they are not always predictable themselves, and changes in mood can happen in an instant. For this reason it's also important for classroom teachers to be flexible. The student's need to de-stress should come before completing an activity in the way that was planned. If the teacher has planned a specific lesson but notices the student is experiencing anxiety, they should be able to quickly change the planned routine. Some options include offering the student some time alone before class begins, letting them complete a task with just one other student rather than in a small group, or giving them the choice to observe rather than participate.
- Give them a reason to come to schoolTeachers need to put in greater effort to make school relevant for students with high-functioning autism, as they think differently to the majority of other kids. Incorporating special interests into the curriculum is often key to these students wanting to attend school, engage and participate. Students with high functioning autism often develop special interests that become much more than a hobby, but a way of life, so this is a great way to get them interested in school. Focusing on a student's strengths and interests can increase confidence and engagement, especially when the student has other skill areas that need to be addressed. Testing content before it is taught allows the teacher to find out the student's strengths and weaknesses. The student can then take part in activities that explore their strengths in greater depth.
- Students should gradually be taught to assume responsibility for requesting and monitoring the things they need to prepare for adulthood. It's here they will ultimately be responsible for structuring their own environment for success.
- Sign in to Favourite Post a CommentTagsAutism, Autism spectrum disorder, High school
- Related articles 9 April 2014 Autism at school: seven questions for parents 7 April 2014 People with autism don't lack emotions but often have difficulty identifying them 12 March 2014 Unpicking the autism puzzle by linking empathy to reward 11 March 2014 Brain scans are fascinating but behaviour tells us more about the mind7 March 2014 Development problems higher in children with autistic siblings
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- Big Pharma
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- BBC News - Tamiflu: Millions wasted on flu drug, claims major report
- By James GallagherHealth and science reporter, BBC News
- 10 April 2014 Last updated at 01:56
- Hundreds of millions of pounds may have been wasted on a drug for flu that works no better than paracetamol, a landmark analysis has said.
- The UK has spent £473m on Tamiflu, which is stockpiled by governments globally to prepare for flu pandemics.
- The Cochrane Collaboration claimed the drug did not prevent the spread of flu or reduce dangerous complications, and only slightly helped symptoms.
- The manufacturers Roche and other experts say the analysis is flawed.
- The antiviral drug Tamiflu was stockpiled from 2006 in the UK when some agencies were predicting that a pandemic of bird flu could kill up to 750,000 people in Britain. Similar decisions were made in other countries.
- The drug was widely prescribed during the swine flu outbreak in 2009.
- Drug companies do not publish all their research data. This report is the result of a colossal fight for the previously hidden data into the effectiveness and side-effects of Tamiflu.
- It concluded that the drug reduced the persistence of flu symptoms from seven days to 6.3 days in adults and to 5.8 days in children. But the report's authors said drugs such as paracetamol could have a similar impact.
- On claims that the drug prevented complications such as pneumonia developing, Cochrane suggested the trials were so poor there was "no visible effect".
- Tamiflu was widely used during the swine flu outbreak Another justification for stockpiling was to slow the spread of the disease to give time for a vaccine to be developed. The report's authors said "the case for this is simply unproven" and "there is no credible way these drugs could prevent a pandemic".
- It also claimed that the drug had a number of side-effects, including nausea, headaches, psychiatric events, kidney problems and hyperglycaemia.
- Carl Heneghan, Professor of Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford and one of the report's authors, told the BBC: "I think the whole £500m has not benefited human health in any way and we may have harmed people.
- AnalysisBy James GallagherHealth and Science reporter, BBC News
- "Does a drug work?" should be an easy question to answer. Yet after hundreds of millions of pounds, either down the drain or saving lives depending on your stance, this question is being asked of Tamiflu.
- It stems from the way drugs are approved. Pharmaceutical companies conduct trials, some but not all of the data is made publicly available and regulators decide if it works. It is estimated that, entirely legally, half of clinical trials have never been reported and that favourable data is more likely to published.
- The UK Public Accounts Committee said the lack of data available to researchers and doctors was "of extreme concern".
- So the Tamiflu saga raises another important question - what other drugs are we using that might not work as well as we thought?
- Analysis: Do any drugs work?
- "The system that exists for producing evidence on drugs is so flawed and open to misuse that the public has been misled."
- Dr Tom Jefferson, a clinical epidemiologist and former GP, said: "I wouldn't give it for symptom relief, I'd give paracetamol."
- The Cochrane Collaboration researchers have not placed the blame on any individual or organisation, instead saying there had been failings at every step from the manufacturers to the regulators and government.
- However, there is disagreement about the findings and accusations that a simultaneous campaign to open up drug research is influencing the findings.
- The pharmaceutical company Roche said "we disagree with the overall conclusions" and warned they could "potentially have serious public health implications".
- Its UK medical director, Dr Daniel Thurley, told the BBC News website: "The definitive piece of research stands as the randomised control trials, which were shared with the regulators, which led to them in 100 countries around the world approving Tamiflu for treatment and prevention of flu."
- He said the Cochrane group had used the wrong statistics, which "systematically underestimate the benefits" of the drug, and used "unorthodox" methods to analyse the side-effects.
- He concluded: "One of the challenges we have here is actually knowing what they've done."
- Prof Wendy Barclay, who researches the influenza virus at Imperial College London, said reducing symptoms in children by 29 hours would be "pretty beneficial".
- She told the BBC: "Tamiflu works as well as any drug we have now or [that] is on the cards.
- "Yes, I think they should replenish the stockpile. What else can you do if a pandemic strikes? We won't have a vaccine for the first six months."
- It is a potential limitation of this study that the work has been carried out alongside campaigning on access to trial dataProf Kevin McConway, Open UniversityShe also questioned the validity of the research as it analysed the impact during seasonal flu: "If it works a little bit in season flu, the chances are they'll work quite a lot better in a pandemic situation and get more people back to school and work."
- Kevin McConway, a professor of applied statistics at the Open University, said it was an "impressive" piece of work.
- He said: "It is a potential limitation of this study that the work has been carried out alongside campaigning on access to trial data.
- "The writers of the review have a clear position in this controversy, and, although I personally do generally agree with their position, I feel it does at times lead to some confusion between reporting the results of the review of these particular drugs and commenting on the general position on access to and use of unpublished data."
- The Department of Health, which took the lead for the UK, said Britain was recognised as "one of the best prepared countries in the world for a potential flu pandemic" and "our stockpile of antivirals is a key part of this.
- "We regularly review all published data and will consider the Cochrane review closely."
- The World Health Organization, which classes Tamiflu as an essential medicine, said: "We welcome a new and rigorous analysis of available data, and look forward to consideration of its findings after it appears."
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- Rubbleization
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- Venezuela's Maduro charges US with fomenting Ukraine-style coup
- By Bill Van Auken10 April 2014Venezuela's President Nicols Maduro has charged that Washington is fomenting a Ukrainian-Style ''slow-motion'' coup against his government in a bid to ''get their hands on Venezuelan oil.''
- The accusation against the Obama administration was made in an interview with the British daily Guardian published Monday. It came as the Maduro governments headed into talks brokered by the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) with the right-wing opposition aimed at ending the political violence that has swept the country since mid-February.
- At least 39 people have been killed in the violence, including eight members of the police and security forces and several supporters of the Maduro government. Hundreds of people have been wounded and over 2,200 arrested, of which roughly 190 remain in custody.
- Maduro said the protests, organized by a hardline faction of the opposition coalition known as the MUD (Democratic Unity Roundtable), were in line with the kind of ''unconventional war that the US has perfected over the last decades,'' from the coups it backed in Latin America to the more recent events in Ukraine.
- This faction of the Venezuelan right, led by figures like Leopoldo L"pez, the head of the Voluntad Popular (Popular Will) political party, and former opposition deputy Mara Corina Machado, called the demonstrations under the slogan la salida (the exit or the way out) with the express aim of forcing Maduro, who won a narrow majority in presidential elections one year ago, from office.
- The protests, the Venezuelan president said, had ''the aim of paralyzing the main cities of the country, copying badly what happened in Kiev, where the main roads in the cities were blocked off, until they made governability impossible, which led to the overthrow of the elected government of Ukraine.''
- Those behind the unrest in Venezuela, which has been confined largely to the wealthy and better off sections of the middle class, were trying ''to increase economic problems through an economic war to cut the supplies of basic goods and boost an artificial inflation,'' Maduro further charged. ''To create social discontent and violence, to portray a country in flames which could lead them to justify international isolation and even foreign intervention.''
- There are unquestionably parallels between the US-orchestrated coup in Ukraine and the political unrest in Venezuela. In both cases, those in the leadership have enjoyed close collaboration with and direct funding from Washington. In Venezuela's case, some $5 million in overt funding (and no doubt considerably more in covert cash) has been funneled annually to opposition groups through agencies such as USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy. These same agencies provided direct assistance to the right-wing parties that overthrew the government in Ukraine.
- Also, as in the Ukraine, the US government has denounced the government's repression'--US Secretary of State John Kerry recently accused Maduro of waging a ''terror campaign'' against his own people--while portraying opposition demonstrators, who have torched public buildings and shot down policemen, as ''peaceful protesters.''
- Even while denouncing Washington's role, Maduro has searched for renewed accommodation with US imperialism, recently announcing the unilateral appointment of a new ambassador to the US, as well as a special commission to work on improving relations. Maduro last week also had a column published in the New York Times appealing for ''dialogue and diplomacy.'' He wrote: ''My government has also reached out to President Obama, expressing our desire to again exchange ambassadors. We hope his administration will respond in kind.''
- The Venezuelan government has likewise moved ahead rapidly with plans for talks with the MUD opposition aimed at reaching an accommodation with the Venezuelan right. Maduro announced Wednesday that the first round of public ''dialogue'' would be held the following day, April 10, with mediation to be provided by the foreign ministers of Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, as well as Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's representative in Venezuela.
- In a public statement, Maduro appealed for ''civilian and military support'' for laying the ''foundations for peace in new stage of republican life of our Bolivarian revolution of the 21st century.''
- He added, ''The road forward has to be one of dialogue to build the country; we won't convert them to socialism, nor will they convert us into capitalists.''
- Maduro said that he would propose two main items for discussion: a National Pacification Plan aimed at combating crime, and an Investment and Economic Development Plan, designed to confront inflation and shortages.
- In reality, the Maduro government has been seeking such ''dialogue'' and a pact with the Venezuelan right for some time. It entered into such talks in the wake of last December's municipal elections, after the ruling party defeated the opposition'--which had proclaimed the vote a referendum on Maduro's presidency'--by a margin of 10 percent.
- These talks were aimed at reaching a consensus on a set of economic adjustment measures designed to confront the country's deepening crisis, characterized by a 57 percent inflation rate last year, shortages of basic commodities and a declining growth rate (with the economy predicted to shrink by 0.5 percent over the course of this year). Among the proposals discussed were devaluation of the currency, ending subsidies on gasoline prices and other price hikes, all measures that spelled a further attack on the living standards of Venezuelan workers.
- Right-wing political figures, like Henrique Capriles, governor of Miranda and a two-time loser as a presidential opponent of first Hugo Chvez and then Maduro, voiced support for these IMF-style measures and indicated that they would coordinate security efforts in the face of anticipated popular opposition.
- While the violence unleashed by the hardline faction of the MUD upended these efforts, the government has nonetheless sought to revive ''dialogue'' with elements of the Venezuelan right, as well as with representatives of major capitalist interests in the country.
- In the midst of the protests, Maduro announced the convening of ''a national conference for peace,'' in which the government sat down with figures such as Lorenzo Mendoza, the billionaire owner of the Grupo Polar food conglomerate, the president of the big business federation Fedecmaras, Jorge Roig, and Miguel P(C)rez Abad, president of the Fedeindustria (small and medium-sized business groups). Also present were representatives of the political right and leading clerics of the Catholic Church.
- Capriles, who had earlier rejected talks with the government, indicated Wednesday that he now would participate. This is in part a reflection of the diminishing support for and participation in the anti-government protests.
- Having failed in their objective of toppling the government, the MUD opposition will now use the ''peace'' talks as a vehicle for pushing it further to the right, seeking further guarantees for the fat profits of Venezuela's financial and commercial sectors and for the wealth and privileges of those in the top income brackets. All such concessions will be paid for by Venezuelan workers, who have seen their real income decline sharply, even as the government has unleashed repression against those who have sought to mobilize independently to press their demands.
- In the end, the Venezuelan military will play a major role in determining the course of the Maduro government. Its active and retired officers are in control of 11 government ministries, including Defense, Interior and Economy, as well as the majority of the country's governorships. The announcement last month that three Air Force generals had been arrested on charges of plotting a coup in conjunction with the right-wing opposition is symptomatic of disquiet within top brass over the protracted violence in Venezuela.
- There is no way forward for the masses of workers and oppressed in Venezuela outside of organizing their own political power independently of the Maduro government and its ruling party in the struggle for a workers' government and a genuine socialist transformation of the country's economy.
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- Notice -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Somalia
- Office of the Press Secretary
- CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH
- On April 12, 2010, by Executive Order 13536, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have repeatedly been the subject of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and violations of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.
- On July 20, 2012, I issued Executive Order 13620 to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 in view of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2036 of February 22, 2012, and Resolution 2002 of July 29, 2011, and to address: exports of charcoal from Somalia, which generate significant revenue for al-Shabaab; the misappropriation of Somali public assets; and certain acts of violence committed against civilians in Somalia, all of which contribute to the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia.
- Because the situation with respect to Somalia continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, the national emergency declared on April 12, 2010, and the measures adopted on that date and on July 20, 2012, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond April 12, 2014. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536.
- This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.
-
- 6 Week Cycle
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- Harvard University report endorses police state measures in Boston Marathon lockdown
- By Nick Barrickman7 April 2014A new report by the Program on Crisis Leadership of Harvard University's Kennedy School, entitled ''Why was Boston Strong?'', examines the response of police and other government agencies to the events of April 15 last year, when two pressure cooker bombs detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The report purports to ''analyze how both prior preparation and action-in-the-moment contributed to the effectiveness of response.'' In the process, it uncritically endorses the anti-democratic methods utilized in the aftermath of the bombings.
- The report was released last week in the run-up to the one-year anniversary of the Boston bombings, in which three people lost their lives and more than 260 were injured. It also comes on the heels of a congressional report that whitewashes the extensive links between federal intelligence officials and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the elder of the two brothers charged with carrying out the bombings.
- Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout with police in the early morning hours of April 19. His younger brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was captured that evening. He is imprisoned and faces capital charges in Massachusetts.
- The authors of the report state that they ''are not trying to tell the full story of the Boston Marathon bombings.'' ''Instead,'' they write, ''through analysis of selected aspects of these events, we are seeking lessons that can help response organizations in Boston and other locales improve their preparation'' for similar events in the future.
- The report argues that the ''shelter-in-place'' order issued by authorities on the morning of April 19 was simply a means to trap the surviving suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. After his older brother was fatally wounded by police in a shootout in the Boston suburb of Watertown, the younger Tsarnaev had fled into the neighborhood amidst a ''hail of gunfire'' from pursuing officers.
- ''As the situation stabilized overnight with no further sign of the assailant, the determination was made at the command post to organize a systematic search within the cordoned-off area starting at dawn the following morning,'' the report continues, adding that ''the affected communities'... cooperated to a very considerable extent with this request.'' Armed officers were ''courteous and highly professional throughout the day,'' the report states.
- In fact, the imposition of virtual martial law in the city of Boston and its suburbs, on the pretext of searching for one suspected bomber, was a dry run for the suspension of constitutional rights and imposition of dictatorial rule. Federal, state and local police and intelligence agencies seized on the bombings as an opportunity to test out in a major metropolitan area'--the birthplace of the American Revolution'--plans for mass repression that had long been on the drawing boards, prepared under the cover of the post-9/11 ''war on terror.''
- For one day, citizens of Boston were forced to ''shelter in place'' as armed police, backed by military helicopters and machine gun-mounted armored vehicles, conducted door-to-door warrantless searches of the homes of terrified residents of entire communities.
- There was at the time no significant protest from any section of the political establishment or mass media of the unprecedented and wholesale violation of the US Constitution and the democratic rights of the residents of an entire urban area, signaling the readiness of the official institutions of the American ruling class to acquiesce in the de facto establishment of police state rule.
- The Harvard University Kennedy School report demonstrates that one year later, the political establishment in general, and those sections aligned with the Democratic Party in particular, continues to cover up the grave and reactionary implications of the Boston lockdown, as well as the many aspects of the Boston bombings that point in the direction of complicity by elements within the intelligence apparatus.
- The report makes certain tactical criticisms of the response of the authorities to the bombings, largely for not doing enough to ''secure'' the city and close off all avenues of escape for the suspect. It chides officials for having devised ''no simple way'... to hold the ground that they had already searched,'' concluding ''it might therefore have been possible for the suspect, even if he were in the area of the search, to move from an unsearched area to an already-searched area.''
- The report deals briefly with the security preparations for the marathon, a major international sporting event that draws tens of thousands of people to Boston. It makes no mention, however, of the evident failure of government officials to monitor the movements of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, a Chechen, despite warnings received by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from Russian officials that he was a dangerous radical with connections to Islamist separatist terrorists.
- The FBI claims to have investigated Tsarnaev and questioned him and his parents in 2011, only the close its inquiry having found no ''derogatory'' information. The following year he was allowed to fly unhindered to Dagestan in Russia's North Caucasus, where he reportedly met with known terrorists, and return to the US without being stopped or questioned. This despite his having been previously placed on a terrorist watch list.
- The defense lawyers for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev have submitted court papers alleging that the FBI sought to recruit Tamerlan Tsarnaev as an informant.
- Nor did the Harvard study note the testimony of the Boston police commissioner at the time of the bombings, who told a congressional panel last year that his department was never told by the FBI of the federal agency's knowledge of or extensive contacts with Tamerlan Tsarnaev, despite the presence of Boston police officials on a joint terrorist task force with the FBI and other federal agencies.
- The author also recommends:
- American democracy in shambles[22 April 2013]
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-
- Ministry of Truth
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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- The Truth About Chicago's Crime Rates | Chicago magazine | April 2014
- By David Bernstein and Noah Isackson
- Published Monday at 9:36 a.m.
- Share / It was a balmy afternoon last July when the call came in: Dead body found inside empty warehouse on the West Side.
- Chicago police officers drove through an industrial stretch of the hardscrabble Austin neighborhood and pulled up to the 4600 block of West Arthington Street. The warehouse in question was an unremarkable-looking red-brick single-story building with a tall barbed-wire fence. Vacant for six years, it had been visited that day by its owner and a real-estate agent'--the person who had called 911.
- The place lacked electricity, so crime scene technicians set up generators and portable lights. The power flickered on to reveal a grisly sight. In a small office, on soggy carpeting covered in broken ceiling tiles, lay a naked, lifeless woman. She had long red-streaked black hair and purple glitter nail polish on her left toenails (her right ones were gone), but beyond that it was hard to discern much. Her face and body were bloated and badly decomposed, her hands ash colored. Maggots feasted on her flesh.
- At the woman's feet, detectives found a curled strand of telephone wire. Draped over her right hand was a different kind of wire: thin and brown. The same brown wire was wrapped around each armrest of a wooden chair next to her.
- The following day, July 24, a pathologist in the Cook County medical examiner's office noticed something else that had been obscured by rotting skin: a thin gag tied around the corpse's mouth.
- Thanks to some still-visible tattoos, detectives soon identified this unfortunate woman: Tiara Groves, a 20-year-old from Austin. She was last seen walking alone in the wee hours of Sunday, July 14, near a liquor store two miles from the warehouse. At least eight witnesses who saw her that night told police a similar story: She appeared drunk and was upset'--one man said that she was crying so hard she couldn't catch her breath'--but refused offers of help. A man who talked to her outside the liquor store said that Groves warned him, excitedly and incoherently, that he should stay away from her or else somebody (she didn't say who) would kill him too.
- Toxicology tests showed she had heroin and alcohol in her system, but not enough to kill her. All signs pointed to foul play. According to the young woman's mother, who had filed a missing-person report, the police had no doubt. ''When this detective came to my house, he said, 'We found your daughter. . . . Your daughter has been murdered,'''' Alice Groves recalls. ''He told me they're going to get the one that did it.''
- On October 28, a pathologist ruled the death of Tiara Groves a homicide by ''unspecified means.'' This rare ruling means yes, somebody had killed Groves, but the pathologist couldn't pinpoint the exact cause of death.
- Given the finding of homicide'--and the corroborating evidence at the crime scene'--the Chicago Police Department should have counted Groves's death as a murder. And it did. Until December 18. On that day, the police report indicates, a lieutenant overseeing the Groves case reclassified the homicide investigation as a noncriminal death investigation. In his writeup, he cited the medical examiner's ''inability to determine a cause of death.''
- That lieutenant was Denis Walsh'--the same cop who had played a crucial role in the alleged cover-up in the 2004 killing of David Koschman, the 21-year-old who died after being punched by a nephew of former mayor Richard M. Daley. Walsh allegedly took the Koschman file home. For years, police officials said that it was lost. After the Sun-Times reported it missing, the file mysteriously reappeared.
- But back to Tiara Groves. With the stroke of a computer key, she was airbrushed out of Chicago's homicide statistics.
- The change stunned officers. Current and former veteran detectives who reviewed the Groves case at Chicago's request were just as incredulous. Says a retired high-level detective, ''How can you be tied to a chair and gagged, with no clothes on, and that's a [noncriminal] death investigation?'' (He, like most of the nearly 40 police sources interviewed for this story, declined to be identified by name, citing fears of disciplinary action or other retribution.)
- Was it just a coincidence, some wondered, that the reclassification occurred less than two weeks before the end of the year, when the city of Chicago's final homicide numbers for 2013 would be tallied? ''They essentially wiped away one of the murders in the city, which is crazy,'' says a police insider. ''But that's the kind of shit that's going on.''
- For the case of Tiara Groves is not an isolated one. Chicago conducted a 12-month examination of the Chicago Police Department's crime statistics going back several years, poring through public and internal police records and interviewing crime victims, criminologists, and police sources of various ranks. We identified 10 people, including Groves, who were beaten, burned, suffocated, or shot to death in 2013 and whose cases were reclassified as death investigations, downgraded to more minor crimes, or even closed as noncriminal incidents'--all for illogical or, at best, unclear reasons.
- This troubling practice goes far beyond murders, documents and interviews reveal. Chicago found dozens of other crimes, including serious felonies such as robberies, burglaries, and assaults, that were misclassified, downgraded to wrist-slap offenses, or made to vanish altogether. (We'll examine those next month in part 2 of this special report.)
- Many officers of different ranks and from different parts of the city recounted instances in which they were asked or pressured by their superiors to reclassify their incident reports or in which their reports were changed by some invisible hand. One detective refers to the ''magic ink'': the power to make a case disappear. Says another: ''The rank and file don't agree with what's going on. The powers that be are making the changes.''
- Granted, a few dozen crimes constitute a tiny percentage of the more than 300,000 reported in Chicago last year. But sources describe a practice that has become widespread at the same time that top police brass have become fixated on demonstrating improvement in Chicago's woeful crime statistics.
- And has there ever been improvement. Aside from homicides, which soared in 2012, the drop in crime since Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy arrived in May 2011 is unprecedented'--and, some of his detractors say, unbelievable. Crime hasn't just fallen, it has freefallen: across the city and across all major categories.
- Take ''index crimes'': the eight violent and property crimes that virtually all U.S. cities supply to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its Uniform Crime Report. According to police figures, the number of these crimes plunged by 56 percent citywide from 2010 to 2013'--an average of nearly 19 percent per year'--a reduction that borders on the miraculous. To put these numbers in perspective: From 1993, when index crimes peaked, to 2010, the last full year under McCarthy's predecessor, Jody Weis, the average annual decline was less than 4 percent.
- This dramatic crime reduction has been happening even as the department has been bleeding officers. (A recent Tribune analysis listed 7,078 beat cops on the streets, 10 percent fewer than in 2011.) Given these facts, the crime reduction ''makes no sense,'' says one veteran sergeant. ''And it makes absolutely no sense that people believe it. Yet people believe it.''
- The city's inspector general, Joseph Ferguson, may not. Chicago has learned that his office has questioned the accuracy of the police department's crime statistics. A spokeswoman confirmed that the office recently finalized an audit of the police department's 2012 crime data'--though only for assault-related crimes so far'--''to determine if CPD accurately classified [these categories of] crimes under its written guidelines and if it reported related crime statistics correctly.'' (The audit found, among other things, that the department undercounted aggravated assaults and batteries by more than 24 percent, based on the sample cases reviewed.)
- Meanwhile, the see-no-evil, hear-no-evil pols on Chicago's City Council have mostly accepted the police department's crime numbers at face value. So have most in the media. You can hardly turn on the news without hearing McCarthy or Mayor Rahm Emanuel proclaiming unquestioned: Murders down 18 percent in 2013! Overall crime down 23 percent! Twelve thousand fewer crime victims! ''These days, everything is about media and public opinion,'' says one longtime officer. ''If a number makes people feel safe, then why not give it to them?''
- If you want proof of the police department's obsession with crime statistics, look no further than the last few days of 2012. On the night of December 27, a 40-year-old alleged gang member named Nathaniel Jackson was shot in the head and killed in Austin. The next morning, newscasters proclaimed that Chicago's murder toll for the year had hit 500'--a grim milestone last reached in 2008, during the Great Recession.
- By lunchtime, the police department's spinmeisters at 35th and Michigan had challenged the reports. The actual total, they said, was 499. A murder case earlier in the year had just been reclassified as a death investigation.
- Critics howled. The bloggers behind Second City Cop declared: ''It's a miracle! The dead have risen!!!''
- By late afternoon, police had backed down; Jackson was, indeed, the 500th homicide of 2012. Chicago would end the year with 507 recorded murders, more than in any other city in the nation.
- Many inside the police force, as well as many outside criminologists, saw the spike in violence in 2012 as a statistical anomaly. Crime tends to go in cycles, they pointed out; the city topped 500 killings not only in 2008 but also in 2003, 2002, and 2001, to name a few.
- Still, it looked bad for Mayor Emanuel. His disapproval rating in the polls was rising sharply, particularly among black voters. Behind closed doors, according to a City Hall insider, Emanuel told his police chief that the department had better not allow a repeat performance of 2012 or McCarthy's days in Chicago would be numbered. (Through a spokeswoman, the mayor declined to comment for this article.)
- McCarthy called 2012's homicide total a ''tragic number'' and vowed that things would be different in 2013. The mindset inside police headquarters, recalls one officer: ''Whatever you gotta do, this can't happen again.''
- The chief felt even more pressure than his rank and file may have realized. For the former New Yorker to prove that his policing strategies worked in Chicago, he would need to keep the number of murders not just below 2012's total but also below 2011's: 435.
- To do so, McCarthy leaned even more heavily on a tool that has proved wildly successful in his hometown: CompStat. Borrowing performance-management principles from the business world, CompStat collects, analyzes, and maps a city's crime data in real time. These statistics help police track trouble spots more accurately and pinpoint where officers are needed most. The department's number crunchers can slice and dice the stats all sorts of ways, spitting out reports showing percentage changes in various crimes by neighborhood over different time frames, for example: month to month, week to week'--heck, hour to hour.
- Armed with those statistics, the police brass turn up the pressure in weekly meetings, grilling field commanders about crime in their areas. The statistics are widely said to make or break a career. ''The only evaluation is the numbers,'' says a veteran sergeant. ''God forbid your crime is up. If you have a 20 percent reduction this month, you'd better have a 21 percent reduction the next month.''
- The homicide numbers are especially important, says one cop: ''You should see these supervisors, like cats in a room filled with rocking chairs, afraid to classify a murder because of all the screaming they will hear downtown.''
- If the numbers are bad, the district commanders and officers get reamed out by McCarthy and the other bosses at headquarters. These targets frequently leave the meetings seething. Even McCarthy concedes that such meetings can get ugly. ''When I was a commander in New York, it was full contact,'' he told Chicago in 2012. ''And if you weren't careful, you could lose an eye.''
- Unfortunately for all concerned, January 2013 could not have started out worse. Five people were murdered in Chicago on New Year's Day. The number hit 17 by the end of the first full week. ''This is too much,'' Al Wysinger, the police department's first deputy superintendent, told the crowd in the January 17 CompStat meeting, according to a memo summarizing it. ''Last October and November, I kept saying we have to start 2013 off on the right foot. Wrong foot! We can't reiterate this much clearer.''
- As the month wore on, the death toll kept rising. Among the victims were headline grabbers Ronnie Chambers, 33, the last of his mother's four children to die from gun violence, and Hadiya Pendleton, 15, the honor student who was shot in a park about a mile from President Obama's house.
- And then there was 20-something Tiffany Jones from the South Side. (To protect the identity of her family, we have given her a pseudonym.)
- In January, Jones got into an argument with a male relative that turned into a ''serious physical fight,'' according to the police report. Her sister later told police that she saw the enraged man punch Jones in the head. Police and paramedics arrived to find Jones's siblings struggling to keep him out of the family's apartment.
- Inside, Jones was sitting on the couch, gasping for breath. When officers asked her if she wanted to press battery charges, she could only nod yes, the police report shows. She tried to stand but collapsed to the floor, no longer breathing. Rushed to the hospital, Jones was soon pronounced dead.
- The attending doctor noted head trauma and bleeding behind Jones's left eye. Seeing fresh bruises on her left cheek, left eye, and both arms, the investigating officers were leaning toward recommending a first-degree murder charge against the male relative, according to the police report. First-degree murder'--willfully killing or committing an act that creates a ''strong probability of death or great bodily harm'''--carries more severe penalties than any other homicide charge.
- The next day, however, a pathologist with the Cook County medical examiner's office came to the surprising conclusion that Jones had died from a blood clot that was unrelated to the fight. ''Because of the embolism,'' the pathologist noted to detectives, according to the police report, Jones ''would have died 'from just walking down the street.''''
- Disagreements between police and medical examiners are rare but not unheard of. When they do occur, the rule for police is clear. The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook expressly states that a police department's classification of a homicide should be based solely on a police investigation, not on the determination of a medical examiner or prosecutor's office.
- But the officers did not ask for a lesser homicide charge, such as involuntary manslaughter, against Jones's relative. Nor did they even charge him with battery. The reason, the report states: ''the lack of any complaining victim or witness to the domestic battery incident.'' Never mind that a dead victim cannot complain.
- Police sent the man on his way. And that was that. Search for this case in the police department's public database of 2013 crimes and you won't find it. It's as if it never happened.
- By the end of January, 44 people had been murdered in Chicago, more than in any first month since 2002. That big number'--and the national attention brought by Pendleton's killing'--set off more public furor about the inability of McCarthy and Emanuel to stem the bloodshed. A spokesman for the Fraternal Order of Police said that their strategies had ''failed miserably.''
- Even aldermen who had heaped praise on McCarthy in the past started to criticize. ''If this isn't dealt with soon,'' warned the 21st Ward alderman Howard Brookins, chairman of the City Council's black caucus, ''the mayor is gonna be forced to do something about McCarthy, or this could potentially become his snow issue.'' It was a reference to Mayor Michael Bilandic's mishandling of the Blizzard of '79, one of the most infamous career killers in Chicago political history.
- After January 2013, the number of homicides in Chicago began falling dramatically. February ended with just 14. March ended with 17. That compares with 29 and 52, respectively, in 2012.
- Emanuel and McCarthy were giddy. The policing changes they had made in the past three months had worked! Those changes included, a day after Pendleton's death, moving 200 officers from desks to the streets and bringing back the roving units Emanuel and McCarthy had disbanded when they first took over. What's more, in February, McCarthy started sending officers into 20 ''impact zones'' deemed the most dangerous in the city. In March, some 400 cops began patrolling these zones daily, racking up about $1 million in overtime per week.
- McCarthy was frustrated that the media was giving most of the credit for the murder reduction to the cold weather rather than to his policing strategies. The city called a news conference. ''We are clearly having an impact on the homicides,'' Emanuel told reporters on April 1. He declared that the number of murders in the first quarter of 2013 was lower than in any other first quarter in the past 50 years.
- The mayor didn't mention that the department's own records show that Chicago had the exact same number of homicides in the first three months of 2009 as it did in the first three months of 2013. Nor did he remind his audience that Chicago's population has shrunk by nearly 1 million people since 1960. Look at murder rates'--homicides per 100,000 people'--and you get 15 today. That rate is one-third higher than in 1960. And it's nearly four times New York City's current rate.
- April Fool's Day marked the unofficial start of a new city tactic: inundate the public with crime-decline statistics, carefully choosing time periods that demonstrated the biggest possible drops from the same period in 2012 or beyond, whatever sounded best. ''Between the time of 8:36 am 32 seconds and 8:39 am 15 seconds . . . crime went down an amazing 89%!!! compared to the same time last year,'' one wag posted on Second City Cop.
- Turns out the low March homicide numbers were made possible in part by curious categorizations of two more deaths. One is the case of Maurice Harris.
- On March 15, the 57-year-old Harris'--an older man playing a young man's game'--teamed up with a crew selling heroin near the corner of Cicero and Van Buren on the West Side. It was a sliver of turf that belonged to a street gang, the Undertaker Vice Lords.
- Midmorning, Harris saw about five men walking up the block. His crew scattered. Harris got a tap on the shoulder, then a punch in the face, according to the police report. Moments later, he was on the sidewalk, taking repeated punches and kicks and blows to the head with a metal pipe. When the beatdown finally ended, Harris told a witness that he couldn't feel his legs.
- He was rushed to Loretto Hospital, then transferred to two other hospitals'--Mount Sinai and Rush'--as his condition worsened. On March 19, Harris began slurring his words, and his arms went numb. Doctors put in a breathing tube; they also diagnosed a spinal cord injury. On March 21, six days after the beating, Harris died.
- Police recorded the Maurice Harris case as a battery, which is indisputably true. But not as a homicide.
- At first, the Cook County medical examiner's office said that an autopsy was inconclusive. The pathologist, according to the police report, ''deferred the cause and manner of death pending further studies.''
- Eight months later, on November 13, the same pathologist made a final ruling'--a head scratcher to every police source we spoke to who reviewed the case. Harris, the doctor determined, died from a pulmonary embolism, diabetes, and drug abuse. The police report summarized the pathologist's findings: ''The victim showed no significant evidence of injuries sustained from the battery [and] that in no way did it appear that the battery contributed to the cause of his death and therefore ruled his death as natural.''
- That's all detectives needed to close their death investigation. But they still had to wrap up the battery case. They declared it solved, reporting that they knew what had happened, knew who beat up Harris, and had enough evidence to ''support an arrest, charge, and [turn] over to the court for prosecution.'' But because the victim was dead and ''there is no complaining witness to aid in the prosecution,'' there was no reason to move forward. Harris's attackers were therefore never apprehended.
- On March 28, three weeks after Chicago filed a Freedom of Information Act request to the Cook County medical examiner's office about the case of Maurice Harris, the office changed its death ruling from ''natural'' to ''undetermined.'' The ruling cited new information from medical records that, a spokesman for the medical examiner says, the office had requested ''some time ago'' but had only just received.
- The current chief medical examiner, Stephen Cina, was appointed by Cook County board president Toni Preckwinkle in July 2012. That was shortly after previous examiner Nancy Jones resigned following an avalanche of negative publicity about bodies stacking up at the city morgue.
- It was also a few months after Preckwinkle and the county's board of commissioners had passed ordinances giving themselves more power over the office'--for example, imposing a five-year term limit and making it easier to fire the medical examiner by a simple majority vote. Previously, the medical examiner's tenure could last a lifetime: a Supreme Court''like term meant to insulate the position from the political and police pressures so notorious in ''Crook County.''
- As the former deputy medical examiner of Broward County in famously corrupt South Florida, Cina was plenty used to politics. ''If I get an inordinate amount of pressure, I don't intend to buckle or break under it,'' he vowed to the Sun-Times.
- Cina says he has made numerous changes to the office to bring it more in line with national standards. ''We've rewritten every standard operating procedure in the place,'' he says. He also says that he has ''tweaked'' how his office assigns the cause and manner of a death. For example, he added the ruling ''homicide by unspecified means'''--the ruling that police used to shut down the Tiara Groves homicide investigation. ''Some people may not be familiar with the term, but it's an acceptable cause of death,'' Cina insists.
- Might changes under Cina help explain the perplexing findings in other 2013 cases, such as those of Maurice Harris and Tiffany Jones? There is no evidence that the medical examiner's office intentionally issued misleading or inaccurate rulings to help the city keep its homicide count down. ''I've never felt pressure one way or another to make my ruling,'' Cina says. ''I'm pro''scientific truth more than anything.''
- But knowledgeable sources who reviewed these cases for Chicago say that the way the medical examiner's rulings were worded gave police the wiggle room they needed to avoid ''taking a hit'' on the statistics, as one detective put it. Says a source who used to work at the medical examiner's office: ''I can see the powers that be in the police department saying, 'Here's our out.''''
- On March 17, two days after Maurice Harris got pummeled, police were called to the top floor of a red-brick three-flat in Pilsen. A man who had just returned home from a trip smelled a ''foul odor'' coming from a plastic air mattress in the bedroom of a roommate he hadn't seen in weeks. When he started pulling debris from the mattress, he saw a grotesquely decomposed human head. The rest of the body was cocooned in garbage.
- Investigators opened the bag to find that the corpse was a woman's, wrapped in a blood-soaked blanket. She was wearing turquoise jogging pants, a black camisole, a hoodie, and boots. Police identified her as Michelle Manalansan, 29, a student at Harold Washington College. She had last been seen at her downtown apartment on February 9. The police report adds that investigators were told by witnesses that the absent roommate ''was the last person seen with [Michelle].''
- The roommate, police learned, was wanted by the Cook County sheriff for a probation violation. They also learned that a relative had bought him a ticket to Los Angeles on a train that left Chicago six days after Manalansan disappeared.
- Despite the circumstances, police classified the case as a noncriminal death investigation. A detective soon made it an even lower priority: He suspended the case until the roommate could be ''located and interviewed.''
- Manalansan's death certificate on file with the Cook County clerk's office says that she died by homicide'--specifically, blunt head and neck trauma. But at presstime, her case had still not been classified as criminal. The roommate was still at large.
- With a hint of disgust, one retired veteran detective who reviewed the cases of Michelle Manalansan, Maurice Harris, Tiffany Jones, and Tiara Groves for Chicago called all four ''counters.'' That is, cases that he believes the police should have counted as homicides. ''I'm not surprised that these cases have not come to light, based on who the victims are,'' he says. ''However, it is a travesty that the cases are not being investigated.'' (While all cases are technically ongoing until they are closed, detectives say that death investigations are much lower priorities than homicide investigations.)
- As the spring of 2013 wore on, Mother Nature delivered a blessing: a deluge. That April would be the wettest on record and was relatively quiet; bad weather tends to keep criminals off the streets.
- Murders began ticking up again in May. And June ended with 45, only three below 2012's total. Still, when the Chicago Police Department added up the homicides for the first half of the year, they got 184'--a whopping 30 percent fewer than the year-ago period. ''Fewer murders than in any year since 1965,'' McCarthy told reporters.
- One factor, as the Tribune first noted, was that the department excluded from the count three homicides that occurred within city limits but on expressways patrolled by state police. (There would be another expressway homicide before the end of the year.) Before McCarthy's arrival, the department did not exclude such crimes from its homicide total, according to longtime police sources.
- The second half of the year, of course, includes the dog days of summer, the high-crime period that really sends sweat down the backs of police leaders. And July exploded. Over the long Independence Day weekend alone, 13 people were killed and more than 70 were shot in Chicago. The ensuing days weren't much better. ''It's mayhem,'' declared one state lawmaker, Monique Davis, of the South Side. She called on Governor Pat Quinn to send the Illinois National Guard and the state police to Chicago to help keep the peace. By month's end, the murder count had hit 53, versus 50 in July 2012.
- 'We are not going to rest until people feel the reality of these numbers.'
- Mayor Rahm Emanuel at a December 15 press conference, on Chicago's 2013 violence reduction
- In August'--typically Chicago's hottest month'--the stress inside Chicago Police Department headquarters was palpable. That's when several police insiders first told Chicago about what they called ''the panel.''
- Said to be made up of a small group of very high-level officers, the panel allegedly began scrutinizing death cases in which the victims didn't die immediately or where the circumstances that led to the deaths couldn't be immediately determined, sources say. Panel members were looking for anything that could be delayed, keeping it off the books for a week, a month, maybe a year. ''Whatever the case may be, it had to wait until it came back from the panel,'' says a well-placed police insider. ''All this was to hide the murder numbers, that's all they are doing.'' (How many cases did get delayed, if any, is unknown.)
- By the end of August the department had counted 286 homicides since January'--80 fewer than in 2012.
- With the summer all but behind them, the police brass pretty much knew that, barring some extraordinary crime wave, the year's homicide count would not eclipse 2012's. But 2013's total this far was still eight more than recorded during the same period in 2011. For McCarthy, beating the 2011 number was starting to look like an elusive goal.
- On September 19, two gun-toting gangbangers opened fire on a crowded pickup basketball game in Cornell Park, in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. One of them used an AK-47. When the bullets stopped flying, 13 people had been wounded, including a three-year-old boy. But no one died. A ''miracle,'' McCarthy said. (In the stats book, the shootings counted as only one ''shooting incident'' in CompStat. Read more about that in part 2 of this story.)
- Two days after gunfire lit up Cornell Park, an extra-alarm fire erupted in a three-story apartment building at 112th Street and King Drive, in the Roseland neighborhood. When firefighters arrived just before 2 a.m., much of the building and the stairwell was engulfed in flames.
- Inside, they found Millicent Brown-Johnson, 28, in a purple nightgown, her body covered in black soot, unconscious on the floor of her third-floor apartment. Her eight-year-old son, Jovan Perkins, was passed out in the stairwell, ravaged by second- and third-degree burns, according to the police report.
- Ambulances rushed them to the hospital. Brown-Johnson, who had been working at the American Girl Place store on Michigan Avenue as she pursued a degree in physical therapy, did not survive. Perkins, a second grader, died later that night.
- Firefighters and police immediately determined the fire to be suspicious. The next day they found a plastic gas container inside a garbage can in Palmer Park, across the street from the charred building.
- On September 28, the medical examiner's office ruled that both mother and son had died of smoke inhalation and that, based on the police and fire department investigations, their deaths were homicides.
- However, the case was classified as a death investigation, not a murder investigation, and the police did not include the two deaths in their year-end homicide count. Nor have police caught the arsonist. ''How will I ever get justice if the case is not even categorized the right way?'' asks Austin Perkins, the boy's father, a truck driver from Hammond, Indiana.
- Excluding Brown-Johnson and Perkins from Chicago's homicide statistics helped the September numbers clock in at 42 rather than 44. At this point, the 2011 numbers were actually beginning to look beatable. Through the first nine months of 2013, the department's murder tally was 322, versus 317 for the same period two years before.
- The breakthrough happened in October. On the last day of the month, the 2013 year-to-date total was 352, versus 353 in 2011, by the department's count. McCarthy had edged out 2011 by just one number.
- October 31 also marked Superintendent McCarthy's annual budget hearing before the Chicago City Council. He positioned himself in front of three giant charts: a set of blue bars illustrating how murders had dropped 20 percent over the past 10 months; a fever line plunging toward ''40-year lows'' in index crimes, particularly murders; and another blue bar chart highlighting a 15 percent drop in overall crime for 2013, again labeled the ''lowest level in 40 years.''
- Aldermen, some wearing Halloween costumes, gave these numbers about as much scrutiny as they had the epically disastrous parking meter deal. The daylong session was essentially a love fest. ''You've done excellent work, and those charts say it all,'' cheered Ariel Reboyras, alderman of the 30th Ward, on the city's Northwest Side. ''I say, numbers don't lie.''
- Latasha Thomas, of the 17th Ward, which includes high-crime Englewood on the South Side, encouraged McCarthy to dial up the good news. ''I just think your PR needs to be a lot better,'' she said. ''We need to be shouting about what you are doing and not just throwing up these stats.''
- ''No doubt about it,'' McCarthy replied.
- But it wasn't until the end of November that police leaders could breathe more easily. The official year-to-date homicide count was now 376. With just one month of 2013 remaining, it now seemed a safe bet that the total wouldn't top 2011's count of 435.
- But why settle there? According to police insiders, McCarthy and his deputies now hungered to reach a new goal: to keep 2013's number of homicides below 400, the lowest level since before Americans first landed on the moon. ''They wanted to really have the big headline,'' says a detective. Every homicide mattered. Including Patrick Walker's.
- Just after 5 a.m. on November 29, the day after Thanksgiving, a 2012 Chevy sedan with four men inside sped along a residential street in the Pill Hill neighborhood on the city's Far South Side. Driving conditions were good: clear, no ice, no snow. Yet the car suddenly veered off the road near the intersection of 93rd and Constance, sliding into the opposite lane, clipping a parked vehicle, sailing over the curb, and bashing into a light pole. It stopped only after hitting a tree.
- When police got to the car, they found that the three passengers had suffered only minor injuries. However, the driver, a 22-year-old named Patrick Walker, was unresponsive, according to the police report. Officers assumed that he had suffered serious head trauma in the accident. An early case report from the medical examiner's office said that ''brain matter'' was found on the steering wheel.
- The young man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died two hours later. Police told the Tribune that ''alcohol was suspected as a factor in the crash.''
- Later that day, however, an autopsy showed that Walker had not died from the accident. He had been killed by a single gunshot to his right temple.
- Interestingly, the Sun-Times had already reported that police found one of Walker's passengers, Ivery Isom, 22, with a loaded Glock 9 mm and a 20-round ammunition clip at the accident scene. Police also found a bullet shell in the back seat, according to the police report. (Isom was charged with two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He pled not guilty; at presstime, his next court appearance was scheduled for April 28.)
- On November 30, a pathologist deferred the cause and manner of Walker's death ''pending police investigation.'' That means the autopsy is inconclusive until the police further investigate the circumstances of his death.
- Walker's death certificate, filed with the Cook County clerk's office, says that he was murdered. No one disputes that he died from a bullet in his brain. But at presstime'--four months after the shooting'--the public record shows Walker's case inexplicably classified not as a homicide but as a death investigation.
- That means, according to the department's own records, Walker's killing is not included in the city's 2013 homicide total.
- In mid-December, McCarthy and Emanuel called a news conference to highlight the release of a report from a professor at Yale University. It had found that Chicago was on track to have its lowest homicide rate since 1967 and its lowest violent crime rate for nearly as long. ''This is not just 2013 against 2012,'' Emanuel told the Sun-Times. ''This is 2013 against the last 40 years. That is what is significant.''
- Standing in front of a poster-size map showing the drops in overall crime in all of the city's 22 police districts, the mayor and the superintendent then took questions.
- ''Have you changed the way you measure statistics?'' one reporter asked.
- ''I don't buy the premise of the question,'' Emanuel answered and quickly moved on.
- The reporter persisted: ''Has the police department changed the way they measure it?''
- ''The answer is no,'' McCarthy jumped in. ''There's something called a Uniform Crime Report, which is the national standard by which we record crime. So that's the answer, no.''
- Well . . . not exactly. Two weeks earlier, in fact, various media outlets had reported details of an odd change in how Chicago's police department was counting ''delayed homicides'''--those in which there is a time lag between injury and death. ''To meet federal and state guidelines,'' the Sun-Times said, police reviewed all murders in 2013 and 2012. ''Under those guidelines, a murder should be classified in the year the person was injured, and not in the year the person died.''
- Huh? There were never any changes to federal guidelines, a FBI spokesman told Chicago. The standards of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program make it crystal clear that a homicide should be reported in the year of the victim's death.
- Next we called the Illinois Uniform Crime Report'--a one-person office within the state police department that collects statistics from law enforcement agencies in Illinois'--to check whether the state rule on delayed homicides had changed in 2013. The staffer told us that it hadn't; that delayed homicides in Illinois have always been counted in the year of injury.
- Confused? So were we. So we e-mailed Adam Collins, the director of news affairs for the Chicago Police Department. He e-mailed back: ''In late 2013 . . . CPD began working to bring the city into stricter adherence with federal reporting standards. The Unified Crime Reporting System dictates each agency follow their state reporting procedures for federal reporting. According to Illinois reporting procedures, murders where the injury and death occurred in different years are to be tracked to the year of the incident, and CPD had for years been including these incidents in the wrong year.''
- However, every Chicago police leader, officer, and administrator with whom we spoke says that hasn't been the department's practice. It's not a murder until the injured person dies, they point out. Before then, it's an aggravated battery. ''CPD is interpreting the state guidelines incorrectly,'' says an expert source on Chicago Police Department statistics. ''It's a numbers game.''
- Welcome to the Dali-esque world of Chicago crime reporting.
- No matter who you believe, it's clear that the department did change the way in which it counts delayed homicides'--but only for the years in which McCarthy has been in charge. It subtracted four murders from the 2013 total, according to Collins. And it subtracted seven murders from 2012, five in which the injuries occurred in 2011.
- Did the department add back those five murders to 2011? It doesn't appear so. Remember that there were 435 homicides in 2011, according to the 2012 year-end CompStat report. But at presstime, the City of Chicago's own public data portal listed only 434 homicides in 2011.
- How is it fair to compare 2013's homicide totals with those of years before the department changed the rules of the game? It's not, according to John Eterno, a former NYPD cop and CompStat expert, now a professor of criminal justice at Molloy College in Long Island. ''You can't compare over the years when you do things like that,'' he says.
- All of this creative number crunching, former police officials say, is a radical departure from past practices. Veteran members of the force blame McCarthy. Muddling murder statistics ''benefits no one but the superintendent,'' says the retired high-level detective. ''Not the citizens, not the investigators. It only benefits him.''
- It certainly doesn't benefit the victims' families. ''I cry many days and many nights,'' says Alice Groves, whose daughter Tiara has been dead for eight months. ''It makes me feel like they are trying to sweep this under the covers. They want to look good. They want the city to look good. But they ain't thinking about the family who lost their loved one.''
- New Year's revelry was still in full swing on January 1, 2014, when the Chicago Police Department sent out an e-mail blast just after 2 a.m. The subject line: ''Chicago Ends 2013 at Historic Lows in Crime and Violence, More Work Remains.''
- Despite the measured tone of that last phrase, the chest thumping was deafening: ''fewest murders since 1965''; ''lowest murder rate since 1966''; ''lowest overall crime rate since 1972''; ''fewest robberies, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts and arsons in recorded history.'' And on and on, percentage after percentage, statistic after statistic after statistic.
- But try this: Add back the 10 cases Chicago found that, if classified as sources say they should have been, would have counted as homicides. (There may be more.) Add back the four homicides that occurred on Chicago's expressways. Add, too, the four delayed homicides that the department had stripped out in December. What you get is not 414 murders in 2013, but at least 432.
- What you also get is the kind of public record that every Chicagoan deserves. Not to mention the knowledge that police are doing their jobs. The killers of Tiara Groves, Tiffany Jones, Maurice Harris, Michelle Manalansan, Millicent Brown-Johnson, Jovan Perkins, and Patrick Walker may remain on the streets. As long as their deaths are not considered homicides, that's unlikely to change, detectives say.
- Saddest of all, perhaps, the victims' grieving families and friends are left with the belief that the system is profoundly unjust. ''I wake up every day and I know my son and my son's mom were murdered,'' says Austin Perkins, Jovan's father. ''I just don't understand how police can categorize it the way they are categorizing it. I just want answers. I just want justice.
- ''You can't go around setting buildings on fire and killing people and not be held accountable.''
- The second part of this special report, which focuses on other violent crimes and on property crime, will run in the June 2014 issue. Top Photo: Clint BlowersThis article appears in the May 2014 issue of Chicago magazine. Subscribe to Chicago magazine.ShareCrime and Law
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- Greater Scrutiny For Nonprofit News? | NetNewsCheck.com
- In this time of vast upheaval in the form and function of journalism, nonprofit newsrooms now find themselves being held to a higher level of scrutiny, writes Kevin Davis of Investigative News Network. He explains how nonprofit newsrooms are mitigating the perceptions and risks of undue influence.
- In this time of vast upheaval in the form and function of journalism, nonprofit newsrooms now find themselves being held to a higher level of scrutiny. It's coming from for-profit peers suspicious of funders who appear more interested in the democratic function of the Fourth Estate rather than traditional capitalistic consideration.
- Many see successful nonprofits such as ProPublica, Kaiser Health News, the Center for Investigative Reporting, Voice of San Diego, the Texas Tribune and more than 90 others as invaluable assets, willing partners and producers of socially necessary, but commercially difficult, investigative and public service journalism.
- Story continues after the ad
- Other members of the for-profit media have of late publicly questioned the validity and sustainability of the nonprofit news movement, even going so far as to denounce nonprofits as illegitimate, impermanent or worse: shills of the foundations and philanthropists that have invested in what is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing segments of the news media landscape.
- At the core of the various op-ed pieces, blog posts and Tweets is a fundamental question: Can mission-driven organizations with limited access to and, therefore limited number of, financial resources legitimately, sustainably and ethically perform the core public accountability functions of the fourth estate. Or, as some of the more public media watchers such as Jeff Jarvis and Michael Wolff have suggested, is for-profit journalism the only legitimate and logical area for media investment.
- As the CEO & Executive Director of the Investigative News Network, a coalition of 94 nonprofit newsrooms in the United States, I admit to be nothing less than a dedicated and tireless advocate for the nonprofit news movement. Having previously worked in and with for-profit news organizations of all shapes and sizes over my nearly 20-year career, I have seen a fair share of stories spiked, advertisers aggrandized and legitimate story ideas suppressed out of fear of rocking the now ever-shakier boat.
- Yet there appears to be a double-standard as it relates to nonprofit news. That somehow, because of the perceived lack of market-driven economics, nonprofit newsrooms are inherently more prone to manipulation by the people that fund them. Ethics and the elimination of real conflict of interest are legitimate and important issues with which every media outlet, not just nonprofits, ought to be concerned.
- That said, the primary argument and case that I see in the media is in regards to the perceived lack of editorial independence of nonprofit news organizations. Specifically, it has been suggested in some circles that the small number of journalism-supporting foundations and philanthropists (which are in aggregate the largest sources of funding currently for the nonprofit news organizations in the United States) have agendas which influence the coverage of the nonprofit news organizations that they support.
- This has been the argument behind a series of pieces by PandoDaily, which has interestingly written extensively on the topic of late. Two reports in particular have alluded to this issue: one about a large gift to WNET by the Arnold Foundation, the other on entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar's supposed conflict-of-interest between his investment in First Look Media's The Intercept (featuring renowned journalists such as Glenn Greenwald) and his interest in pro-West Ukrainian opposition groups. (Full disclosure: the Democracy Fund, which is currently a project of the Omidyar Network is a funder of the Investigative News Network. Also, WNET's CEO, Neal Shapiro, is a member of our board).
- Rather than rehashing the accusations within the reports or the veracity of the rebuttals, it is important to note how the nonprofit newsrooms of INN are actively mitigating these inherent risks and trying to avoid the appearance of impropriety in order to be able to produce news and information that is valued and utilized by the audiences and communities that they serve.
- Editorial independence for non-profit news organization's is the freedom of journalists and editors to make decisions without interference and/or direction from any funding source be that a foundation, corporate underwriter or individual philanthropist.
- The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism '' an INN-member nonprofit news organization '' clearly states in its ''about'' section that ''The Center's Policy on Financial Support'... requires that the Center's news coverage be independent of donors and that all providers of revenue will be publicly identified.''
- The Center goes on to cite INN's own policy on transparency, which requires members to disclose information about donors and financial practices, produce nonpartisan investigative journalism, and ''apply high journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness and which prevent conflicts of interest that compromise the integrity of the work.''
- In short, the reason our organization requires the disclosure of all donors above $1,000 is because we believe that the public has a right to know who is funding the content and draw their own conclusions about the implications that funding may or may not have. The only exception to this rule is if an organization can demonstrate a clear need for a donor to remain anonymous and demonstrate how that donation does not and cannot influence or affect the journalism being produced.
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- PBS | Ombudsman | Tensions Over Pensions
- Hold the presses, if there are any of them left operating. Late this afternoon, just after this column was written, member-station WNET in New York and PBS issued a statement resolving the controversy that is discussed below. The joint statement is important, surprising, costly and, in my view, a very positive development. So, unlike a major news story, the major news here is at the bottom.
- So, As I Was Saying Before News Interrupted. . .Two storms blew through PBS in the past two days. One came from above on Thursday, shutting down much of the Washington area (including PBS headquarters) and New York. The other came the day before from an unlikely corner and stirred up the place. It came in the form of a lengthy article posted online at PandoDaily by David Sirota titled: "The Wolf of Sesame Street: Revealing the secret corruption inside PBS's news division."
- The headline is clever and timely, playing off the Oscar-nominated film "The Wolf of Wall Street," although the article has nothing to do with the esteemed, and independent, "Sesame Street" children's series, and PBS actually doesn't have a "news division."
- I have other quarrels with some of the language and characterizations used in the article, but the most important thing about it is that it is important. It shines a light, once again, on what seems to me to be ethical compromises in funding arrangements and lack of real transparency for viewers caused, in part, by the complicated funding demands needed to support public broadcasting, and in part by managers who make some questionable decisions.
- Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often. Although I write critically about one thing or another that goes wrong in a vast public broadcasting service, PBS and its stations in the broadest sense adhere to very high standards. My job is to call them on it when they slip, even if they do not agree.
- Getting Right to ItSirota's article was picked up and headlined by many major websites and produced a heavy flow of critical email to me and other PBS destinations. Here's how he started it:
- "On December 18th, the Public Broadcasting Service's flagship station WNET issued a press release announcing the launch of a new two-year news series entitled 'The Pension Peril.' The series, promoting cuts to public employee pensions, is airing on hundreds of PBS outlets all over the nation. It has been presented as objective news on major PBS programs including the PBS News Hour. However, neither the WNET press release nor the broadcasted segments explicitly disclosed who is financing the series. Pando has exclusively confirmed that 'The Pension Peril' is secretly funded by former Enron trader John Arnold, a billionaire political powerbroker who is actively trying to shape the very pension policy that the series claims to be dispassionately covering . . . In this particular case, PBS seems to be defying its own rules and regulations about conflicts of interest. At the same time, the fact that PBS is obscuring the financial arrangement suggests the network may be deliberately attempting to hide those conflicts from its own viewers."
- I have written a number of times over several years about questionable financial support that has attracted my attention and that of some viewers on drones, Dow Chemical, George Shultz, Las Vegas and Koch/PBS. I would urge those interested in this issue to read the PandoDaily article because there are a lot of elements to it.
- Some PerspectiveBut I also think it is important, at least at this stage, to point out a couple of things to readers of this column that jumped out at me as needing some clarifying. First, there is absolutely no question that the issue of un-funded and under-funded liabilities in many states is a very big one and that government pension obligations is a big part of it. So this is a worthy subject.
- Second is to state that I am not an expert on this issue but the segments of this series that I saw on television and online did not convey a message of bias to me as a viewer. However I'm open to the idea that for those following this very closely there was a detectable message, as Sirota says, and that there are other potential spending cuts that are better than the pension category and that are not discussed in the series.
- Third, it seems to me, in looking into this just a day or two after it unfolded, that this is more an issue of what the New York station, the well-known Channel Thirteen, did than what PBS or even the PBS NewsHour did. PBS does not produce television programs. It distributes programs produced by member stations, all of which are independent, or by independent filmmakers. The PBS NewsHour is produced at WETA just outside Washington, D.C. For all of its almost 40-year history, the NewsHour has been a five weekday-night program. In September of last year, it added a Saturday and Sunday night weekend edition. That program comes under the PBS NewsHour rubric but it is produced by WNET in New York and, as far as I can tell, none of the "Pension Peril" segments have been aired by the weeknight NewsHour.
- Finally, Sirota writes: "The news of PBS actively soliciting financing from billionaire political activists '-- and custom tailoring original program proposals for those financiers '-- follows a wave of damning revelations about the influence of super-wealthy political interests over public broadcasting. Thanks to collusion with PBS executives, those monied interests are increasingly permitted to launder their ideological and self-serving messages through the seeming objectivity of public television." The main "wave of damning revelations" that Sirota refers to is the article in The New Yorker magazine by Jane Mayer last year about the Koch brothers that I also wrote about.
- This is indeed troubling, but as I wrote earlier there is no actual evidence that the Koch brothers sought to interfere editorially, and the same may be true of the Arnold Foundation. But as I also said at the time, and repeat now, there is clearly a danger of hard-to-prove self-censorship by PBS-related producers somewhere along the line when large funders with political agendas wind up as big-money supporters of public broadcasting.
- The Two BiggiesSo, this brings me to the two issues where I felt WNET (and PBS if they were part of this) went seriously wrong.
- One is that the decision to accept a grant of $3.5 million from the Arnold Foundation, with a stated interest in "public employee benefits reform," flunks PBS's own "perception test," which is part of the service's Funding Standards and Practices. This is long but worth reading. It says, in part: " . . . where a clear and direct connection between the products, services or other interests of a proposed funder and the subject matter of the program would be likely to lead a significant portion of the public to conclude that the program has been influenced by that funder . . . the proposed funding will be deemed unacceptable regardless of the funder's actual compliance with the editorial control provisions."
- The other is what I would say is a common-sense failure not to be far more transparent to the viewers about who funded this particular and well-publicized series of segments on the PBS NewsHour Weekend. WNET argues that in all three segments thus far, the Arnold Foundation is listed as a supporter. But they are listed along with all other supporters of the program and not listed or identified anywhere as sole funders of this very specific series dealing with "Pension Peril." The foundation is never mentioned in the press release that accompanied launch of the series, and there is only one line at the end of one online transcript of one segment that mentions where the funding comes from.
- The irony here is that because the foundation financial support for this specific series is virtually impossible for an average viewer to find if you depend on WNET to let you know, or unless you happen to know something about the foundation and spot its name in the longer list of Weekend program sponsors, you wouldn't really know they are flunking the perception test.
- In all the previous columns I've written about this kind of issue, it was viewers who took offense because the funding and the subject matter were apparent either on-screen or in the text and you could voice your opinion about that. In this case, nobody really knew until Sirota wrote about it.
- In a statement issued yesterday in response to the controversy about the handling of these segments, Oregon Public Broadcasting said, in part: "Our view is that while the Arnold Foundation was listed as a funder of PBS NewsHour Weekend, WNET should also have clearly disclosed the foundation's specific funding of the Pension Peril series." Other station managers made the same point to me privately.
- Okay, here is the block-buster new statement by WNET and PBS:
- WNET AND PBS STATEMENTOver the past few days, PBS and WNET have been in close consultation regarding the funding for Pension Peril, a WNET initiative that aired in part on the PBS NewsHour Weekend; it looked at the critical issue of the economic sustainability of public pensions. These segments were funded by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the country, which has interests in many areas including criminal justice, K-12 education and public accountability.
- Concerns have been raised about the funding of these segments because pension reform is one area of focus for the Arnold Foundation. While PBS stands by WNET's reporting in this series, in order to eliminate any perception on the part of the public, our viewers, and donors that the Foundation's interests influenced the editorial integrity of the reporting for this program, WNET has decided to forego the Arnold Foundation support and will return the gift.
- "We made a mistake, pure and simple," said Stephen Segaller, Vice President of Programming at WNET. "The PBS NewsHour Weekend is a new production and while we thought we were following the guidelines and the correct vetting processes, we were incorrect. WNET sought the Arnold Foundation funding because of our belief that public pensions is an important issue. The Arnold Foundation did not direct or prescribe our reporting, never attempted to do so, and is not responsible for our mistake."
- WNET believes that the topic of public pensions is a matter of journalistic importance and will continue to report on it as it has in the past.
- PBS and WNET are grateful for the support of the foundations, corporations and individual members of public television stations that together make our mission-driven service possible. With the help of our many stakeholders, we look forward to continuing to provide the public with outstanding content found nowhere else in American media.
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- BREAKING: PBS to return John Arnold's $3.5 million, following Pando expos(C) | PandoDaily
- By David SirotaOn February 14, 2014
- Following Pando's exclusive report on a secret financing deal between public broadcasting officials and the nation's leading anti-pension activist, officials from PBS have announced they are returning the $3.5 million from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
- In a breaking-news story published Friday afternoon, the New York Times credited PandoDaily for breaking the original story and ultimately for public broadcasting officials' decision to return the money:
- WNET, the New York City public television broadcaster, said Friday that it will return a $3.5 million grant it received to sponsor an ambitious project on public pensions amid charges that it solicited inappropriate underwriting for the series.
- In the absence of the funding from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, the project, called ''Pension Peril,'' will go on hiatus'...
- Earlier, following a critical report on Wednesday by David Sirota on the website PandoDaily, WNET officials said they were comfortable with the foundation's funding. Mr. Sirota sharply criticized WNET for accepting the Arnold Foundation money because John Arnold, a former hedge fund manager, has financially backed efforts to convince municipalities to cut public employee pension benefits.
- Earlier today, Pando reported on WNET and Arnold Foundation officials refusing to disclose the full details of their contract to allow Arnold to fund PBS's anti-pension reporting. This deal appeared to violate PBS's own clear conflict of interest rules, as Arnold has been the lead financier of the nationwide political campaign to cut retirement benefits for police officers, firefighters, teachers and other public workers.
- Additionally today, public broadcasting officials sent a letter to outraged viewers that they would continue to accept Arnold's money and continue to promote his anti-pension agenda.
- This afternoon's announcement is a reversal of that decision.
- You can read Pando's ''Wolf of Sesame Street'' exclusive that broke this story here. It details how public broadcasting officials skewed the series to echo Arnold's anti-pension message, failed to explicitly disclose the funding arrangement and then refused to release the terms of their agreement with Arnold.
- Update: PBS ombudsman weighs in, describing the news as ''[a] very positive development'... [Pando's story] shines a light, once again, on what seems to me to be ethical compromises in funding arrangements and lack of real transparency for viewers caused, in part, by the complicated funding demands needed to support public broadcasting, and in part by managers who make some questionable decisions.''
- [Illustration by Hallie Bateman]
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- The Wolf of Sesame Street: Revealing the secret corruption inside PBS's news division | PandoDaily
- By David SirotaOn February 12, 2014
- [Update 14th Feb 2014: Following Pando's expos(C), PBS has announced it will return John Arnold's $3.5m donation.]
- On December 18th, the Public Broadcasting Service's flagship station WNET issued a press release announcing the launch of a new two-year news series entitled ''The Pension Peril.'' The series, promoting cuts to public employee pensions, is airing on hundreds of PBS outlets all over the nation. It has been presented as objective news on major PBS programs including the PBS News Hour.
- However, neither the WNET press release nor the broadcasted segments explicitly disclosed who is financing the series. Pando has exclusively confirmed that ''The Pension Peril'' is secretly funded by former Enron trader John Arnold, a billionaire political powerbroker who is actively trying to shape the very pension policy that the series claims to be dispassionately covering.
- The Wolf of Sesame Street
- In recent years, Arnold has been using massive contributions to politicians, Super PACs, ballot initiative efforts, think tanks and local front groups to finance a nationwide political campaign aimed at slashing public employees' retirement benefits. His foundation which backs his efforts employs top Republican political operatives, including the former chief of staff to GOP House Majority Leader Dick Armey (TX). According to its own promotional materials, the Arnold Foundation is pushing lawmakers in states across the country ''to stop promising a (retirement) benefit'' to public employees.
- Despite Arnold's pension-slashing activism and his foundation's ties to partisan politics, Leila Walsh, a spokesperson for the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF), told Pando that PBS officials were not hesitant to work with them, even though PBS's own very clear rules prohibit such blatant conflicts. (note: the term ''PBS officials'' refers interchangeably to both PBS officials and officials from PBS flagship affiliate WNET who were acting on behalf of the entire PBS system).
- To the contrary, the Arnold Foundation spokesperson tells Pando that it was PBS officials who first initiated contact with Arnold in the Spring of 2013. She says those officials actively solicited Arnold to finance the broadcaster's proposal for a new pension-focused series. According to the spokesperson, they solicited Arnold's support based specifically on their knowledge of his push to slash pension benefits for public employees.
- The foundation's spokesperson said PBS executives approached Arnold ''with the proposal for the series, having become aware of LJAF's interest'' in shaping public pension policy, and moving that policy toward cutting retirement benefits for public workers.
- According to newly posted disclosures about its 2013 grantmaking, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation responded to PBS's tailored proposal by donating a whopping $3.5 million to WNET, the PBS flagship station that is coordinating the ''Pension Peril'' series for distribution across the country. The $3.5 million, which is earmarked for ''educat(ing) the public about public employees' retirement benefits,'' is one of the foundation's largest single disclosed expenditures. WNET spokesperson Kellie Specter confirmed to Pando that the huge sum makes Arnold the ''anchor/lead funder of the initiative.'' A single note buried on PBS's website '' but not repeated in such explicit terms on PBS airwaves '' confirms that the money is directly financing the ''Pension Peril'' series.
- With PBS's ''Pension Peril'' series echoing many of the same pension-cutting themes that the Arnold Foundation is promoting in the legislative arena, and with the series not explicitly disclosing the Arnold financing to PBS viewers, the foundation's spokesperson says her organization is happy with the segments airing on stations throughout the country. However, she says the foundation reserves ''the ability to stop funding'' the series at any time ''in the event of extraordinary circumstances.''
- The news of PBS actively soliciting financing from billionaire political activists '' and custom tailoring original program proposals for those financiers '' follows a wave of damning revelations about the influence of super-wealthy political interests over public broadcasting. Thanks to collusion with PBS executives, those monied interests are increasingly permitted to launder their ideological and self-serving messages through the seeming objectivity of public television.
- The stealth Arnold-PBS connection, however, represents a major escalation in the larger trend. In this particular case, PBS seems to be defying its own rules and regulations about conflicts of interest. At the same time, the fact that PBS is obscuring the financial arrangement suggests the network may be deliberately attempting to hide those conflicts from its own viewers.
- An affront to PBS rules about ''pre-ordained conclusions''
- As a taxpayer-funded entity, PBS's official rules clearly prohibit the funding of programming by a benefactor who ''has asserted, or has the right to assert, editorial control over a program.'' Those rules also do not allow programming to be funded by a benefactor who is ''pre-ordaining the conclusion the viewer should draw from the materials presented.''
- The Arnold Foundation refused to share with Pando the details of its PBS agreement, but denied that it has editorial control over the ''Pension Peril'' series. However, as mentioned, the foundation reiterated that it reserves the right to cut off funding under the ''extraordinary circumstances.'' It is possible that loosely defined phrase may allow the foundation to halt funding if it does not like the ideological tenor of the PBS pension coverage it is financing. Such a hovering threat would seem to represent at least de facto editorial influence.
- For PBS's part, WNET officials refused to provide any details of the Arnold Foundation-PBS contract with a spokesperson telling Pando that ''such agreements are always confidential.'' This refusal came despite PBS being a public institution that watchdog groups insist is subject to Freedom of Information Act regulations.
- Whether or not the foundation has direct editorial control of PBS news content, the series still appears to violate PBS's rules against ''pre-ordained'' conclusions.
- For example, the series' title '' Pension Peril - is the oft-repeatedideologicalbuzzphraseofanti-pensioncampaigners. It also inherently pre-ordains the Arnold Foundation's conclusion that public pension shortfalls are an imminent emergency (''peril''), even though dataprovethat is not the case. To the contrary, as the Center for Economic and Policy Research notes, the shortfalls are ''less than 0.2 percent of projected gross state product over the next 30 years'' and ''even in the cases of the states with the largest shortfalls, the gap is less than 0.5 percent of projected state product.'' That's far less than the amount state and local governments are spending on corporate subsidies. As McClatchy Newspapers has noted: ''There's simply no evidence that state pensions are the current burden to public finances that their critics claim.''
- Yet, from the Arnold Foundation's publications to the Arnold-funded ''Pension Peril'' series, those subsidies are not labeled an emergency by PBS programming, but pensions are.
- Similarly, in eachepisodeofthe Arnold/PBS series that has aired, the reporting has followed the Arnold Foundation's rhetorical lead by forwarding the idea that pension benefit cuts should be the primary policy solution to public budget problems. It does this by promoting the need for cuts to guaranteed retirement incomes and/or by refusing to mention that pension shortfalls are dwarfed by the amount state and local governments collectively spend each year on corporate subsidies (many of which do not create jobs).
- For instance, in the series' debut report in November for the nationally aired NewsHour, PBS trumpeted the Netherlands decision ''to make cuts to payments they made to pensioners.'' The program then contrasted that with American public employees, who the PBS correspondent said ''are guaranteed a set payment no matter whether (pension) funds are there or not.'' That latter statement is belied by variousexamplesof governments reneging on their pension promises to U.S. public employees.
- Likewise, in the ''Pension Peril'' series' follow up report for the NewsHour on Illinois pension cuts, PBS staged a one-on-one interview with an Associated Press reporter who insisted that the state is being bankrupted by pension obligations. AP correspondent Sara Burnett said:
- In order to make these payments each year, as you mentioned in the intro, the state is putting about 20 cents of every taxpayer dollar into the pension funds. That's money that could be going to schools. There are social service agencies that have not been paid what the state owes them for months at a time. They've got a multi'--I think it's close to eight billion dollar backlog of unpaid bills sitting in Springfield waiting to be paid because there isn't money to do it.
- Yet, like the Arnold Foundation's pension policy papers, both PBS's ''Pension Peril'' correspondent and the AP reporter did not mention that according to budget data, pension shortfalls in Illinois are far smaller than the amount the state is spending on expensive taxpayer subsidies to corporations. Indeed, there is '' and has been '' plenty of money for Illinois to pay its ''unpaid bills.'' The state is just choosing to spend that money on huge subsidies to corporations like Sears and Google rather than paying its bills or making its required pension payments.
- Up next was a politically timed ''Pension Peril'' segment just two weeks before the inauguration of New York mayor Bill de Blasio. In the discussion decrying the New York City's pension shortfall as ''unsustainable,'' PBS did not mention that the city is so flush with cash it spends a stunning $4 billion a year on economic development subsidies. In recent years, it has put taxpayers on the hook for $458 million for professional sports stadiums and hundreds of millions of dollars more for the construction of lavish office towers for Goldman Sachs and Bank of America.
- Then came the ''Pension Peril'' segment that aired on the NewsHour on February 8th. The piece trumpeted a Vallejo, California city councilor who voted to slash pension benefits for her city's public employees.
- The piece cited Vallejo's budget deficit as rationale for cutting pensions, but did not mention that California's $45 billion in annual tax expenditures and its $4 billion in annual corporate subsidies (many of them wasteful) are much bigger than the pension shortfalls its state and local governments face. Additionally, the piece did not mention that the state's retirement system this year posted huge gains, helping it continue to recover from losses incurred during the financial collapse of 2008.
- But most troubling of all, the report on Vallejo promoted the city councilor's ''campaigning to change (state) law to give cities the right to negotiate for pension cuts.'' PBS's ''Pension Peril'' correspondent noted that the legislator's coalition is ''hoping to get the initiative onto the ballot'' so that cities can unilaterally cut public employee pensions. What the PBS ''Pension Peril'' series omitted is the fact that the ''Pension Peril'' series' own benefactor, John Arnold, is the major financier of the very California ballot initiative PBS was promoting. Arnold's involvement in that ballot measure follows his earlierfunding of pension-cutting advocacy in California, which PBS also did not mention.
- Violating regulations about ''interests''
- Along with barring editorial control and program financing from funders who want to ''pre-ordain'' conclusions, PBS's rules also state that ''when there exists a clear and direct connection between the interests'... of a proposed funder and the subject matter of the program, the proposed funding will be deemed unacceptable regardless of the funder's actual compliance with the editorial control provisions.''
- As one example, PBS says ''a series of documentaries, interviews, and commentary on the subject of drug abuse would not be accepted if funded by a special purpose nonprofit corporation whose principal mission is to foster the understanding of drug-related community programs.'' As another example, PBS says ''a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eradicate heart disease or to raise money for leukemia research could not fund a program designed to educate the public about these respective illnesses.''
- Yet, despite these rules, PBS has solicited and accepted millions of dollars specifically for pension-focused reporting from the Arnold Foundation, whose core mission is about ''work(ing) actively in the area of public employee benefits reform'' and convincing the public that ''the way to create a sound, sustainable and fair retirement savings program is to stop promising a benefit'' to public workers.
- When asked about these clear violations of PBS's own rules, WNET's spokesperson would only say: ''WNET and other PBS producers approach some foundations, and not others, for support of particular projects. We follow PBS rules in every particular.''
- Obscuring the Arnold connection
- On its website, PBS notes that both its own rules and Federal Communications Commission regulations require full disclosure of all funding sources for programming on the public's airwaves. For all content, ''All underwriters must be identified in video by their name and/or logo,'' says PBS guidelines. Additionally, for programs dealing specifically with ''controversial issues'' like pension cuts, PBS notes that its own rules and FCC regulations require more explicit disclosure.
- Despite those rules and regulations, though, Pando could find no explicit disclosure in any PBS ''PensionPeril'' episodes that the series is directly financed by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, much less that the foundation's benefactor, John Arnold, is one of the nation's biggest financiers of the ongoing legislative push to slash public pension benefits.
- Likewise, while the PBS News Hour has occasionally mentioned the Arnold Foundation in a long list of funders at the very end of its show, it has not mentioned the foundation's specific financing of pension-related content or the ''Pension Peril'' segments; it has not mentioned the Arnold Foundation in introducing or concluding those particular segments; and it has not disclosed the Arnold Foundation's ongoing legislative advocacy in the national debate over pension policy.
- Additionally, WNET did list the Laura and John Arnold Foundation as one of scores of annual donors, but did not indicate that, according to the Arnold Foundation itself, the money is for programming to ''educate the public about public employees' retirement benefits.'' PBS's only mention of the Arnold Foundation in connection with the ''Pension Peril'' series appears to be a single line at the bottom of one PBS website transcript, but that line was not mentioned on air, where most of PBS's viewers are exposed to PBS content. Beyond that one mention, searches for mentions of the Arnold Foundation and John Arnold on both PBS'swebsite and WNET'swebsite turn up no results.
- Responding to Pando's inquiries, PBS officials could provide no evidence that PBS explicitly disclosed to its television viewers that the Arnold Foundation is financing the ''Pension Peril'' series.
- The decision to not explicitly tell PBS viewers that the ''Pension Peril'' series is financed by the nation's leading anti-pension political activist may not be a mere oversight, considering one PBS official's private comments' about the project. According to a source who met with PBS about an unrelated initiative two months after the launch of the Arnold-financed ''Pension Peril'' series, an executive at the network said PBS was deliberately concealing details of the Arnold/PBS funding arrangement.
- ''We were sitting in a meeting talking about another issue and (PBS officials) were drawing examples of how they were working with other campaigns, and one of their executives said they've got a series called pension peril coming up talking about the threat of pensions at the state and local level,'' said the source. ''I asked who was funding that project, and the executive said that at this point they are not disclosing who their funders are, and everybody sitting around the room kind of paused.''
- The source said another PBS official later privately confirmed that the ''Pension Peril'' series is being funded by the Arnold Foundation.
- A stealth takeover of the public airwaves
- A billionaire political activist like Arnold exerting financial '' and thus ideological '' control over PBS news programming is the culmination of a larger campaign by ideological and corporate interests to politicize public broadcasting. As Pando's Yasha Levine and others have documented, on National Public Radio that campaign has involved the radio network promoting politically skewed coverage of political front groups and corporate interests that are now permitted to finance NPR's journalism. That trend shows no sign of abating under NPR's new CEO, who came to the job after a career as a financial-industry lobbyist, Republican Party benefactor and board member of corporate-financed conservative think tanks.
- On PBS, the campaign has been even more intense. During fights over funding for public broadcasting during the Bush era, one FCC official told the Washington Post that under withering pressure from conservative ideologues and corporate special interests, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting became ''engaged in a systematic effort not just to sanitize the truth, but to impose a right-wing agenda on PBS.''
- In recent years, this campaign has seen public television stations ignore PBS's own rules about editorial control and pre-ordained conclusions. Indeed, stations across the country have started airing programming from wealthy ultraconservative foundations and corporate interests looking to promote their political messages through the PBS brand.
- For instance, on the political front, there has been the ''Free Markets Series'' promoting right-wing icons like scion Steve Forbes, Cato scholar John Allison, and author Ayn Rand. Championing archconservative economic ideology, the show is financed by the John Templeton Foundation, whose namesake was a billionaire Wall Street investor and which is run by a financier of right-wing political causes. According to the program's website, in 2012 alone the Free Market Series ''was telecast on PBS affiliates 20,722 times, over 249 stations, across 43 states and 129 markets, including nine of the top ten Nielsen markets.''
- Similarly, American University's annual survey of public television notes that in 2014, there will be ''an extended slate of documentaries from Bob Chitester, the producer who introduced Milton Friedman to public TV viewers in 1980.'' According to the survey, Chitester ''will bring libertarian perspectives on contemporary issues to public TV stations with ''eight new programs in the works.'' Those include the programs ''Unintended Consequences: Evils of the Welfare System'' and ''Money and Morality'' '' the latter described as designed to show ''that the accumulation of wealth does not necessarily lead to corruption and cronyism.'' Chitester's work is produced by the ''Free to Choose Network.'' That organization is funded in part by the Koch Family Foundations; is headed by a board comprised of corporate and financial executives; and lists a panoply of right-wing media voices as its official ''fellows.''
- On the corporate front it has been a similar trend. Back in 2002, PBS promoted an economic series funded in part by John Arnold's old employer, Enron. In 2012, PBS's own ombudsman Michael Getler slammed the network for ''flunking the perception test'' when it aired a series sponsored by Dow Chemical that conveniently promoted Dow's business interests. A year later, Getler similarly criticized PBS for airing a documentary about drones that was funded by drone manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
- Then came high-profile revelations about WNET's relationship with New York Senator Charles Schumer (D) and the station's then-board-member, David Koch of Koch Industries. As reported by the New Yorker, WNET executives went out of their way to appease the conservative Koch in advance of the airing of Academy Award winner Alex Gibney's documentary, ''Park Avenue,'' which raised critical questions about wealth inequality and political corruption in America. Though both Koch and Schumer rejected requests to be interviewed by Gibney for the film and though both of them hadn't even seen the film, WNET made a heretofore unprecedented move by allowing the pair to append their own personal criticism to the end of the film.
- ''It was akin to someone calling the New York Times and being allowed to put a big ad at the end of an article claiming the whole article is bunk even though they hadn't read the article,'' Gibney said in an interview with Pando. ''If the Kochs had made a movie and I was angry, would PBS have run my statement at the end the film? Probably not.''
- According to the New Yorker, WNET also invited Koch to appear on an on-air roundtable to discuss the film yet refused to invite Gibney to the same roundtable (Koch declined, but the network had a representative from the Koch-funded Manhattan Institute on). The magazine also reported that the blowback from Koch about Gibney's film ultimately ended up prompting WNET to help spike an already-in-the-pipeline public television documentary about the Koch Brothers themselves.
- Now comes news that PBS is actively shaping program proposals in order to solicit a billionaire activist's financing for his ideological campaign to slash public employee pensions. Not only that, PBS is airing the content financed by that billionaire without explicit disclosure '' and worse, camouflaged in PBS's ostensibly objective news programs.
- A move toward native advertising
- In its presentation and integration, the ''Pension Peril'' series represents a significant evolution beyond even these aforementioned stealth infiltrations. Unlike the other examples which do not necessarily cover breaking news in recurring fashion, the ''Pension Peril'' series is an ongoing real-time program on an active and evolving political campaign that its own benefactor is shaping. Additionally, unlike the other examples, it represents an insidious kind of disclosure-free native advertising.
- Whereas PBS's standalone series like POV openly admit that the content viewers are about to see is a subjective point of view, the ''Pension Peril'' series has been broadcast as a part of PBS's allegedly objective news programming. That, along with the lack of explicit disclosure, has served to obscure the content's financial, political and ideological links to Arnold and his pension-cutting crusade.
- Strategy-wise, this technique mimics the Bush administration's most controversial television propaganda. As the New York Times reported in 2005, the administration spent public resources to produce ''prepackaged, ready-to-serve news reports'' that ''were subsequently broadcast on local stations across the country without any acknowledgement of the government's role in their production.'' In PBS's current iteration of the scheme, private special-interest money is now financing prepackaged news reports. Public resources are then used to promote those reports on publicly owned stations across the country '' and with little disclosure of the original funding source.
- That leaves millions of unsuspecting viewers wholly unaware that the PBS ''reporting'' they are watching is not objective news, but instead an ideological advertisement funded by a billionaire trying to manipulate public policy.
- Update:The Wolf of Sesame Street responds to Pando '' much bark, no bite, still stonewalling
- [Illustrations by Hallie Bateman]
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- EUROLand
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- Swedes to give six-hour workday a go
- Municipal staff in Gothenburg will act as guinea pigs in a proposed push for six-hour workdays with full pay, with hopes that it will cut down on sick leave, boost efficiency, and ultimately save Sweden money.
- Published: 08 Apr 2014 15:24 CET
- "We think it's time to give this a real shot in Sweden," Mats Pilhem, Left Party deputy mayor of Gothenburg, told The Local.
- He explained that the municipal council would use two different departments - a test group and a control group, in essence. Staff in one section will cut down to six-hour days, while their colleagues in a different section stick to the ordinary forty-hour week. All employees will be given the same pay.
- "We'll compare the two afterwards and see how they differ. We hope to get the staff members taking fewer sick days and feeling better mentally and physically after they've worked shorter days," he said.
- Pilhem said he hoped the move would create more jobs, as he had seen evidence that longer shifts entailed less efficiency. In some sectors, such as elderly care, the problem was not staff shortages, he claimed, but people working inefficiently over longer shifts.
- He added that a Gothenburg car factory had recently tested the six-hour method and the results were encouraging.
- The opposition in the western city has reacted strongly to the test run.
- Maria Ryd(C)n of the Moderates, who also sits on the city council, told the Metro newspaper that the proposal was a "dishonest and populist ploy" with elections just around the corner. She added that she didn't think such a move would have any impact on quality.
- But Pilhem said the plan was nothing new.
- "We've worked a long time on this, we've not planned it to be an election thing," he said. "These people are always against shortening hours."
- Swedes find 200-year-old gravestone in living roomA Swedish family renovating their living room was shocked to find a gravestone from the 1800s under the floorboards. ...
- Stroke patient overhears organ donation chatDoctors in Sweden discussed organ donation within earshot of Jimi Fritze as he lay in hospital after a stroke. The ...
- Russian 'plans for war on Sweden' cause concernRussia has intensified its espionage efforts in Sweden to include war preparations, Swedish security service S¤po warned on Monday. ...
- The magic of Sweden's personal ID numberWhen I first moved to Sweden, I wondered how I'd ever survive the cold. But I knew little of the ...
- No wonder Swedish kids can't solve problemsAs another dismal Pisa report leaves parents up in arms and policymakers fretting, The Local's David Landes tells of a ...
- Stockholm magic a surprise YouTube hitStatistics have never been so captivating, said the team behind a new promo video about life in Stockholm that went ...
- Sweden ranked second best place to be youngSweden is the best country in Europe to be young, and the second best in the world, according to a ...
- 'Hey expats, let Swedes swear in English'The furore this week over the name of the Gothenburg sandwich shop, F**king Awesome Sandwich, is a depressing reminder of ...
- VIDEO: How to embrace The Swedish HugA week after writing a column about Swedes and their obsession with hugs, The Local's Oliver Gee hits the streets ...
- 'You're quite pretty... for a black girl'"Do you want an orange negro?" Comments such as this litter Fanna Ndow Norrby's life. Her Instagram @svartkvinna handle has ...
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- Shut Up Slave!
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- Gun drama at the Palace Queen's Guard points bayonet at 'intruder' | UKNW
- A QUEEN'S Guard points his rifle at a ranting man who tried to force his way into Buckingham Palace.The ceremonial soldier, with bayonet fixed, broke royal protocol by dashing 50 yards to intervene.
- The suspect had screamed at cops for five minutes and walked towards the Palace gates.
- Warehouse supervisor Gareth Scanlan, of Rugby, Warwicks, who was at the scene, told The Sun on Sunday: ''He was trying to get closer or inside.
- ''There was a lot of shouting before the guard went in with his bayonet '-- it was shocking.
- Sightseer Gareth, 32, added: ''The man said, 'Oh, you're a big boy now,' and the guard '-- who I think was Scottish judging by his accent '-- said, 'Yes, I am a big boy.
- ''Then the guard actually pushed the guy away.''
- Police ushered the man away and gave him ''words of advice''. No arrests were made.
- Army chiefs are believed to have backed the soldier, from the Coldstream Guards, though they must not normally leave their posts unless a royal is under threat.
- SAS hero Andy McNab said: ''He should get a promotion for having the balls to go and stop something. He was on ceremonial duties, but he is still there to protect the Palace.
- ''If it happened at the White House, someone would have got shot. Yet here we think it's OK to have a pop at the people protecting our country.''
- Colonel Richard Kemp, ex-Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, said: ''The soldier was absolutely right to get involved if he felt there was a risk of the situation escalating.''
- The drama happened near the Palace's North Centre Gate on Friday.
- An Army spokesman said: ''We are very clear that the Metropolitan Police lead on royal security arrangements including outside the Palace itself.''
- QUEEN'S Guards are fully operational soldiers who have often completed tours of Afghanistan.
- They are on sentry duty for two hours at a stretch and can stamp and shout if visitors try to hinder them.
- If a threat continues, they are allowed to point their weapons.
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- VIDEO-CLIPS-DOCS
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- VIDEO-Erin Burnett OutFront -
- Anish Patel of Dukane Seacom, the company that manufactures the pingers aboard Flight 370, tells CNN the pings detected by the Ocean Shield were actually at 33.3 mHz '' a lower frequency than the standard locator beacon frequency of 37.5 mHz.
- Mr. Patel joined CNN aviation analyst Miles O'Brien and Richard Quest of "Quest Means Business" to explain why the detected pings might have a lower frequency.
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- VIDEO-How a black box pinger works | National News - Home
- Ships in the Indian Ocean are trying to zero in on a signal they believe could be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370's flight data recorder. Dukane-Seacom, the company that makes many of the pingers on airline black boxes, opened its doors for an inside look at how these pingers work.
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- VIDEO-Parliament punch-up: Ukrainian nationalists slammed by opposition for inspiring crisis in southeast '-- RT News
- Published time: April 08, 2014 19:50Deputies of Ukraine's Supreme Rada (parliament) in session.(RIA Novosti / Grigoriy Vasilenko)
- A brawl broke out in the Ukrainian parliament after the leader of the Communist Party blamed right-wing nationalists for fomenting the split of the country by failing to address the concerns of southeast regions and ''eliminating'' their independence.
- A brawl broke out in the Ukrainian parliament Tuesday after the Communist leader blamed the nationalists for encouraging the split of the country by failing to address the concerns of south-eastern regions and ''eliminating its independence.''
- Fistfights in Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, have been a common sight in recent years, certainly before the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovich. A return to brawling on the parliament floor, instead of in the streets outside, might be a sign that the situation in the country is finally stabilizing. On Tuesday, the scuffle occurred toward the end of a speech by Communist Party leader Pyotr Simonenko, who blamed the current crisis on the nationalists.
- The MP accused the Kiev government of being passive in the southeastern regions, where people demand that authorities address their social problems and make Russian a second official language.
- Simonenko said that the new government is describing the activists seizing administrative buildings in the eastern cities of Donetsk, Lugansk and Kharkov as ''separatists.'' And that is while those who were doing exactly the same in western Ukraine before the February coup were referred to as ''patriots,'' Simonenko said.
- ''I used to claim that nationalists were pursuing pro-American and pro-Western policies, but I was wrong,'' he said. The MP recalled that radical protesters had seized administration offices and weapon arsenals at an earlier stage of the crisis, thanks to which ''thousands of barrels'' are still in hands of those who set up armed gangs.
- ''Was it not you who set an example for such a scenario? You were fulfilling not an American but a Russian scenario on destroying Ukraine's independence,'' he said.
- Following these words, two deputies from the far-right nationalist Svoboda party ran to the rostrum to push Simonenko away. Communist lawmakers rushed to help their leader, with others joining the fray and exchanging punches. The scuffles lasted about five minutes.
- Later Tuesday, parliament speaker and acting president Aleksandr Turchinov vowed that MPs should not descend to using fists again and apologized to other lawmakers for the incident. Leaders of all factions condemned the use of any kind of force in parliament and agreed that lawmakers will not use such practices in future, Ukrainian media reported him as saying.
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- VIDEO-Sharpton Defends His Cooperation With FBI, But Claims He Wasn't an Informant | MRCTV
- MRC TV is an online platform for people to share and view videos, articles and opinions on topics that are important to them '-- from news to political issues and rip-roaring humor.
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- Copyright (C) 2014, Media Research Center. All Rights Reserved.
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- VIDEO-FY2015 State Department Budget | Video | C-SPAN.org
- April 8, 2014Secretary of State John Kerry testified on national security and foreign policy priorities for the State Department in the proposed fiscal'... read more
- Secretary of State John Kerry testified on national security and foreign policy priorities for the State Department in the proposed fiscal year 2015 international affairs budget.'The proposal includes $46.2 billion in spending for the State Department, USAID, and Overseas Contingency Operations.'It also includes $1.5 billion to support humanitarian efforts in Syria and $4.6 billion to secure diplomatic personnel and facilities overseas.'In his opening statement, Secretary Kerry provided an assessment on the situation in Ukraine, Mideast peace negotiations, and Iran nuclear talks.'Other topics included embassy security, political unrest and violence in Venezuela, and cuts to the Western Hemisphere portion of the State Department budget. close
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- Transcript typeFilter by SpeakerSearch this transcript*The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.
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- VIDEO- U.S. Post Office Intercepting Record Number Of Packages Containing Marijuana - YouTube
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- VIDEO- SMART CAR TIPPING! "I Hope This Doesn't Become A Trend!" - YouTube
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- VIDEO-"I DO Believe There IS Some Sort Of Cover-Up By Some Government Agency" Sarah Bajc On Flight 370 - YouTube
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- VIDEO-BBC News - Fort Hood memorial: Obama pays tribute to dead soldiers
- President Barack Obama has said the US "could do more" to keep firearms out of the hands of those suffering from mental health issues.
- Mr Obama was speaking at a memorial for the victims of a gun attack at Ford Hood military base in Texas last Wednesday.
- Army Specialist Ivan Lopez was reportedly being assessed for post-traumatic stress disorder when he shot dead three men, before turning the gun on himself.
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- VIDEO- Sources and Secrets: Prospects for a Federal Shield Law - YouTube
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- VIDEO-Eric Holder Plays Race Card: What AG & POTUS Have Ever Been Treated This Way - YouTube
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- VIDEO- GOP Rep. Blake Farenthold Refuses to Question Eric Holder Because He Should Be in Jail - YouTube
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- VIDEO- The Death of Money with Jim Rickards - YouTube
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- VIDEO- CBS: White House Getting "Roughed Up" Over Its Own Gender Gap - YouTube
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- AUDIO-Environmentalist Duncan Stewart may run for election in Europe | Shows
- 12:36 Monday 7 April 2014Environmental campaigner Duncan Stewart has described getting elected to the European Parliament as 'a simple matter'.
- The TV presenter is to decide in the next couple of days if he will run in next month's elections.
- If he does, it will be as an Independent candidate.
- This morning, he told Newstalk Breakfast that he wouldn't run a conventional campaign:
- During the interview, Mr. Stewart threatened to walk out of the Newstalk Breakfast studio unless he was given more time to speak about environmental issues. You can listen to the full interview, including the exchange between Duncan Stewart and presenter Shane Coleman here:
- He told Newstalk there is a 'false debate' around climate change and global warming 'deniers' are keeping the public in doubt on the issue.
- ''First of all everybody seems to avoid climate change because it's not popular, it doesn't bring in ratings. It's not good for advertising...''
- ''We need to present people with the facts and the fact is that we are facing the biggest issue for human beings, which is climate change.''
- ''The Intern-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report is out there for everyone in the media to become informed about.''
- Why is there a need for balance in the climate change debate?Stewart went on to make the raise the question over why there is a need for balance in the debate on climate change when science has proved that it is fact.
- ''If there was a programme here about the holocaust, would we give equal time, would we give what's called balance, what is interpreted by the media as balance to holocaust deniers?...Then why are we doing it with climate change which has been proven for years? Is it that everybody wants to dodge climate change? We want to hide from it.''
- ''The science says it. It's not about opinion and it's not about belief. This is fact."
- Effects of climate change on farming:''I was out with farmers last winter and I saw how they were suffering with the huge problem of feedstock. There is a whole problem with farmers realising that the inclement weather that's out there '' the extreme, unpredictable weather '' is affecting farming. Now farming is the backbone of our economy and every farmer out there knows that weather has changed.''
- Mr Stewart discussed the coverage of climate change in the media, as well as the possibility of his standing in the upcoming European elections.
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- VIDEO-LOOK! Sarah Bajc Was Director for Tescom in Tel Aviv Israel, Business Director of Microsoft China! - YouTube
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- AUDIO-VIDEO-33-AP Radio: Updated Hourly - AP Radio: Updated Hourly | Listen via Stitcher Radio On Demand
- Get up to date on the world's news with this 3 minute radio brief by The Associated Press, updated every hour. Listen to over 15,000 radio shows, podcasts and live radio stations for free on your iPhone, iPad, Android and PC. Discover the best of news, entertainment, comedy, sports and talk radio on demand with Stitcher Radio. more
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- VIDEO-NSA operation ORCHESTRA: Annual Status Report - YouTube
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- VIDEO- Navy Laser Weapon System LaWS will be deployed in 2014 - YouTube
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- VIDEO- Internet group Anonymous targets APD - YouTube
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- VIDEO-Rich Chinese Are Paying Thousands Of Dollars For A Couple Of Walnuts | Business Insider
- Forget the property or jade bubble, China's wealthiest are now driving up walnut prices, with walnuts costing as much as tens of thousands of dollars, according to Reuters.
- Walnuts which cost 350 yuan 10 years ago, now cost as much as 3,500 yuan, or 20,000 '' 30,000 yuan now.
- Watch the video to see what it's all about.
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- Don't Miss: China Is Entering The 'Danger Zone' [Charts] >
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- VIDEO-COMMON CORE- Parent Sees Opportunities with Common Core - YouTube
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- VIDEO-Justice Department Operations | Video | C-SPAN.org
- April 8, 2014Attorney General Eric Holder testified at a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Department of Justice operations.
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- People in this videoCoble, John "Howard"U.S. Representative[R] North CarolinaCohen, Stephen "Steve"U.S. Representative[D] TennesseeConyers, John Jr.U.S. Representative[D] MichiganForbes, J. "Randy" RandyU.S. Representative[R] VirginiaIssa, DarrellU.S. Representative[R] CaliforniaJackson Lee, SheilaU.S. Representative[D] TexasJohnson, Henry "Hank" C. Jr.U.S. Representative[D] GeorgiaKing, Steven "Steve"U.S. Representative[R] IowaLofgren, ZoeU.S. Representative[D] CaliforniaNadler, JerroldU.S. Representative[D] New YorkPierluisi, Pedro R.Resident Commissioner[D] Puerto RicoScott, Robert "Bobby"U.S. Representative[D] VirginiaSensenbrenner, F. "James" James Jr.U.S. Representative[R] WisconsinGoodlatte, Robert "Bob"U.S. Representative[R] VirginiaHolder, Eric H. Jr.Attorney GeneralDepartment of JusticeMore PeopleHosting OrganizationRelated VideoClips from This Video
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- VIDEO-IMF Managing Director's Opening Remarks
- Fiscal Forum, IMF Managing Director's Opening Remarks April 8, 2014
- Categories: Annual and Spring meetings
- Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director
- IMF Seminar: Managing the Transition to "Normality"'--Implications for Fiscal Policy
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- VIDEO- CNN: "Stunned" By W.H. Equal Pay Rhetoric, Rollout "Didn't Quite Work Out" As Intended - YouTube
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- VIDEO- Al Sharpton: "I'm a Cat Not a Rat" - YouTube
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- VIDEO-BBC News - Ukraine crisis: Protesters declare Donetsk 'republic'
- 7 April 2014Last updated at 16:55 ET Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.
- Steve Rosenberg in Donetsk: "People here want this region, and other regions in eastern Ukraine, to break away and join Russia"
- Pro-Russian protesters who seized the regional government building in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk are reported to have declared a "people's republic".
- The rebels have called for a referendum on secession from Ukraine by 11 May.
- Ukrainian security officials are being sent to the eastern cities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv after pro-Russia groups occupied government buildings.
- Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov called the unrest an attempt by Russia to "dismember" Ukraine.
- Continue reading the main storyAt the sceneWhen I was in Donetsk three weeks ago, the regional administration building reminded me of a fortress: it was protected by a ring of riot police, barbed wire and water cannon parked in the yard.
- Looking at the building this evening, the change couldn't be more dramatic. The police have disappeared. In their place, pro-Russia activists are chanting "Russia! Russia!" Russian flags are flying from flagpoles outside.
- The number of protesters on the square isn't large: 1,000 at most. And it was only a few hundred who stormed the building last night. What's more, surveys show that separatist sentiment in Donetsk and other parts of eastern Ukraine is not strong.
- But small numbers can achieve big things when there is a power vacuum. And so far, the pro-Kiev authorities in Donetsk appear unable to restore order.
- In an address on national TV, he said it was "the second wave" of a Russian operation to destabilise Ukraine, overthrow the government and disrupt planned elections.
- Russia's foreign ministry accused Kiev of "blaming" Moscow for all its troubles.
- But US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the events "did not appear to be spontaneous".
- He called on Russia to "publicly disavow the activities of separatists, saboteurs and provocateurs" in a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
- The pair also discussed convening direct talks between Ukraine, Russia, the US and the European Union within ten days, the US state department said.
- 'War with Russia'Russia recently annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula after a referendum there which Ukraine did not see as valid.
- As tensions mounted on Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya told Russia's Ekho Moskvy news agency that Kiev would go to war with Russia if it sent troops into eastern Ukraine.
- Moscow has thousands of troops massed along its border with Ukraine. It says it has no intention of invading but reserves the right to protect the rights of ethnic Russians.
- BBC Moscow correspondent Daniel Sandford says Donetsk - an industrial city with a population of about a million - differs from Crimea in that it has many Ukrainian speakers as well as a Russian-speaking majority.
- Opinion polls there have shown considerable support for a united Ukraine, he adds.
- Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.
- Footage shows an unnamed delegate addressing the Donetsk Region People's Council, to declare it a "people's republic"
- Online footage showed a Russian speaker telling the Donetsk assembly: "I proclaim the creation of the sovereign state of the People's Republic of Donetsk."
- Earlier on Monday, protesters seized state security buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk.
- Protesters broke into Donetsk's regional government building and another in Kharkiv - Ukraine's second largest city - on Sunday. Ukrainian authorities say protesters have now left the building in Kharkiv.
- At an emergency cabinet meeting, interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk blamed Russia for the seizures.
- "The plan is to destabilise the situation, the plan is for foreign troops to cross the border and seize the country's territory, which we will not allow,'' he said, adding that people engaged in the unrest had distinct Russian accents.
- He said Russian troops remain within 30km (19 miles) of the frontier.
- Police have blocked roads into Luhansk and armed reinforcements are being sent to the restive cities.
- Officials said Ukrainian National Security Secretary Andriy Parubiy and Security Service chief Valentyn Nalyvaychenko have been sent to the city.
- Continue reading the main storyCrisis timeline21 Nov 2013: President Viktor Yanukovych abandons an EU deal Dec: Pro-EU protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square 20-21 Feb 2014: At least 88 people killed in Kiev clashes 22 Feb: Mr Yanukovych flees; parliament removes him and calls election 27-28 Feb: Pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in Crimea. 16 Mar: Crimea voters choose to secede in disputed referendum 18 Mar: Russian and Crimean leaders sign deal in Moscow to join the region to Russia Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has already arrived in Kharkiv and First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Yarema is on his way to Donetsk, a spokeswoman said.
- She said the three officials had "all the authority necessary to take action against separatism."
- President Turchynov has cancelled a visit to Lithuania to deal with the unfolding events.
- Russia's foreign ministry said it was "closely watching" events in eastern Ukraine, "particularly in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions".
- It reiterated Moscow's demands for the creation of a federal Ukraine with broader powers for provinces.
- "Stop pointing to Russia, blaming it for all of the troubles of today's Ukraine," the statement said.
- The crisis has heightened nervousness in many other eastern European states, with Czech President Milos Zeman saying Nato should deploy troops in Ukraine if Russia invades.
- "If Russia decides to extend its territorial expansion to eastern Ukraine, the fun is over," he told Czech public radio on Sunday.
- In another development on Monday, Nato said it was limiting Russian diplomats' access to its headquarters in Brussels.
- It comes days after Nato foreign ministers agreed to suspend all practical co-operation with Moscow over its annexation of Crimea.
- Crimea deathThe latest developments come as Ukraine's defence ministry said a Russian soldier had killed a Ukrainian military officer still loyal to Kiev in eastern Crimea late on Sunday.
- The circumstances are unclear. Russian news agencies said prosecutors had opened a criminal investigation into the death.
- Also on Monday, Russia's consumer protection agency said it had suspended imports from six Ukrainian dairy producers after finding their products violated regulations.
- Last week Kiev temporarily suspended seven Russian food companies from selling products in Ukraine.
- Ukraine is facing a tough economic situation after Russia's Gazprom almost doubled the price of gas it supplies to Ukraine.
- The country's foreign exchange reserves have fallen to about $15bn (£9bn) from $20.42bn on 1 January, Ukraine's central bank said on Monday. The currency, the hryvnia, has also lost about 30% of its value so far this year.
- Eastern Ukraine was the political heartland of Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian president who fled to Russia in February after months of protests.
- Russia has branded the new leadership in Kiev illegitimate.
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- VIDEO-Miracles do happen says Malaysia transport minister over Flight MH370 | News.com.au
- Australia urges caution over reports of 'ping' picked up by Chinese ship helping in the search for missing plane. Paul Chapman reports
- ''Miracles do happen'' ... Malaysia's acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein (second right) at a press conference on the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.Source: AP
- MALAYSIA'S transport minister has said, after underwater sounds detected by a ship are found to be consistent with an aircraft's black box, said he was unable to rule out that some of its passengers remained alive.
- ''Miracles do happen,'' Hishamuddin Hussein told a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur. ''We continue to hope and pray for survivors.''
- After a month-long search for answers filled with dead ends, today's news brought fresh hope given that the two black boxes, which contain flight data and cockpit voice recordings, are the key to unravelling exactly what happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and why.
- Hishamuddin said that investigators were ''cautiously hopeful'' that there would be more news within ''days, if not hours.''
- ''I urge all Malaysians to unite in their prayers and not give up hope,'' he said.
- ''We have been through a real rollercoaster ride on some of the leads we have received. I am more optimistic about this one.''
- HISHAMUDDIN HUSSEIN: Missing flight MH370 is a ''blessing in disguise''
- MISSING FLIGHT MH370: ''Our most promising lead'' says search co-ordinator
- MISSING FLIGHT MH370: Did Malaysia Airlines plane fly to lost island
- ''Most promising lead'' ... said Angus Houston, the head of a joint agency coordinating the search.Source: News Corp Australia
- The Beijing-bound Boeing 777 was carrying 239 people when it vanished on Saturday, March 8.
- Angus Houston, the head of a joint agency coordinating the search, though warned that it could take days to confirm whether the signals picked up by the Australian navy ship Ocean Shield are indeed from the black boxes that belonged to Flight MH370, but called the discovery very encouraging.
- ''Clearly this is a most promising lead, and probably in the search so far, it's probably the best information that we have had,'' Houston said.
- ''We've got a visual indication on a screen and we've also got an audible signal '-- and the audible signal sounds to me just like an emergency locator beacon.''
- There was little time left to locate the devices, which have beacons that emit ''pings'' so they can be more easily found. The beacons' batteries last only about a month '-- and tomorrow marks exactly one month since the plane disappeared during a flight from Kuala Lumpur.
- Still trying to find a piece of the aircraft ... HMAS Success's rigid hull inflatable boat following a reported sighting of potential debris in the southern Indian Ocean.Source: AFP
- The Australian navy's Ocean Shield, which is carrying hi-tech sound detectors from the U.S. Navy, picked up two separate signals late Saturday night and early Sunday morning within a remote patch of the Indian Ocean far off the Western Australian coast that search crews have been crisscrossing for weeks. The first signal lasted two hours and 20 minutes before it was lost. The ship then turned around and picked up a signal again '-- this time recording two distinct ''pinger returns'' that lasted 13 minutes, Houston said.
- ''Significantly, this would be consistent with transmissions from both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder,'' Houston said.
- Still, Houston cautioned that it was too early to say the transmissions were coming from the missing jet.
- ''I would want more confirmation before we say this is it,'' he said. ''Without wreckage, we can't say it's definitely here. We've got to go down and have a look.''
- The airliner's black boxes normally emit a frequency of 37.5 kilohertz, and the signals picked up by the Ocean Shield were both 33.3 kilohertz, said US Navy Capt. Mark Matthews. But officials contacted the device's manufacturer and were told the frequency of black boxes can drift near the end of their shelf lives.
- The Ocean Shield was slowly canvassing a small area trying to find the signal again, though that could take another day, Matthews said.
- ''It's like playing hot and cold when you're searching for something and someone's telling you you're getting warmer and warmer and warmer,'' he said. ''When you're right on top of it you get a good return.''
- If they pick up the signal again, the crew will launch an underwater vehicle to investigate, Matthews said. The Bluefin-21 autonomous sub can create a sonar map of the area to chart where the debris may lie on the sea floor. If it maps out a debris field, the crew will replace the sonar system with a camera unit to photograph any wreckage.
- But that may prove tricky, given that the sub can only dive to about 4,500 metres '-- the approximate depth of the water. That means the vehicle will be operating to the limits of its capability.
- Leading the search ... Crew on the Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Lekiu look at HMAS Success in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.Source: AFP
- Given the difficulties involved, officials warned the mystery of Flight MH370 would still take time to resolve.
- ''It could take some days before the information is available to establish whether these detections can be confirmed as being from MH370,'' Houston said. ''In very deep oceanic water, nothing happens fast.''
- Geoff Dell, discipline leader of accident investigation at Central Queensland University in Australia, said it would be ''coincidental in the extreme'' for the sounds to have come from anything other than an aircraft's black box.
- ''If they have a got a legitimate signal, and it's not from one of the other vessels or something, you would have to say they are within a bull's roar,'' he said. ''There's still a chance that it's a spurious signal that's coming from somewhere else and they are chasing a ghost, but it certainly is encouraging that they've found something to suggest they are in the right spot.''
- Meanwhile, the British ship HMS Echo, was using sophisticated sound-locating equipment to try to determine whether two separate sounds heard by a Chinese ship about 555 kilometres away from the Ocean Shield were related to the plane. The patrol vessel Haixun 01 detected a brief ''pulse signal'' on Friday and a second signal on Saturday.
- The crew of the Chinese ship reportedly picked up the signals using a sonar device called a hydrophone dangled over the side of a small boat '-- something experts said was technically possible but extremely unlikely. The equipment aboard the British and Australian ships is dragged slowly behind each vessel over long distances and is considered far more sophisticated.
- The search effort was also continuing on the ocean surface today. Twelve planes and 14 ships were searching three designated zones, one of which overlaps with the Ocean Shield's underwater search. All of the previous surface searches have found only fishing equipment or other sea trash floating in the water, but have found no debris related to the Malaysian plane.
- Twelve plane and 14 ships in the search ... Able Seaman Maritime Logistics '-- Chef Bradley Fox keeping a lookout on the forecastle of HMAS Success.Source: AFP
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- VIDEO-Russia, China leading efforts to bypass U.S. as IMF reforms stall on Capitol Hill - Washington Times
- IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde continues to insist that there is little ... more >Russia challenged U.S. power at the IMF well before Moscow's annexation of Crimea last month, a move that raised diplomatic tensions and prompted the leading Western powers to impose economic sanctions on Russia.
- China has used more cautious diplomacy, even as it explores alternative financial aid mechanisms that eventually could make the IMF obsolete. China's extensive loans and assistance to other developing countries already dwarf the aid provided by the World Bank and the IMF.
- Even nations with historically friendly ties to the U.S. are losing patience. India's finance minister recently noted that the congressional impasse reflects badly not only on Washington but also on the whole economic order set up by the U.S. and its Western allies after World War II.
- ''This is perhaps the first visible failure of the G-20. This has reduced the credibility of the G-20,'' India's economic affairs secretary, Arvind Mayaram, told reporters at the G-20 meeting in Sydney. Implementation of the 2010 reforms is ''vital for the credibility, legitimacy and effectiveness of the IMF,'' he said.
- IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde continues to insist that there is little she can do without U.S. approval. Analysts point out that European countries, which continue to dominate the IMF's board of directors and stand to lose the most clout under the reforms, have been happy to let the U.S. block the legislation even while publicly deploring the congressional delays. While American voting power would be mostly undiluted under the reforms, the greater power given to emerging countries would come largely at the expense of smaller European countries that would lose voting shares.
- (C) Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
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- VIDEO- Years of Living Dangerously Premiere Full Episode - YouTube
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- VIDEO- New climate change documentary explores impact on humans - YouTube
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- VIDEO-Hillary with pussy riot
- (CNN) '' A photo of Hillary Clinton and members of the Russian pop band Pussy Riot has gone viral, with more than 9,000 retweets on Twitter and over 10,000 "favorites."
- Clinton's Twitter account posted the photo, saying "Great to meet the strong & brave young women from #PussyRiot, who refuse to let their voices be silenced in #Russia."
- The former secretary of state posted the photo Friday after meeting with band members while the annual Women in the World Summit in New York.
- Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina were imprisoned for nearly two years after being convicted of "hooliganism" and inciting religious hatred for performing a punk song slamming Putin in a Moscow cathedral and then posting a video of it online.
- They were also briefly detained during the Sochi Winter Olympic Games earlier this year.
- Hillary Clinton embarks on busy three-state swing'
- First on CNN: Hillary Clinton to return to Arkansas days in speech to education group