http://www.liveleak.com/browse?q=economic Wed, 22 May 2013 22:46:44 -0400 Liveleak http://edge.liveleak.com/80281E/u/u/ll2/logo.gif http://www.liveleak.com/browse?q=economic Wed, 22 May 2013 19:05:42 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c29_1369263769 Luke 22 36 . http://www.jonmcnaughton.com/ . I like to paint pictures that express how I feel about what is happening in America. We have a disease. It's infecting every aspect of our society and it's time we did something about it. Some of these people I really like and some I don't, but for the sake of our health, our children and our sanity, we need to take drastic action quickly. What if we could bring them all together, put them on a deserted island and quarantine them for say a hundred years? They believe they have all the answers to everything. But every liberal idea I've ever seen has led to total failure. If they were right, their new island home would be a utopia before long. Let's look at the most liberal communities in the country. New York City, Detroit, Chicago...how are they doing? Yes, I say let's quarantine them and let nature take its course. You might have this disease if you believe: We should remove guns from law-abiding citizens who have a right to protect themselves, and leave them in the hands of criminals who will acquire the firearms illegally anyway they can. How many gun-free zones do you know that have low murder rates? The same liberals who are trying to save us, turn around and demand abortion rights for women at the expense of over 53 million human lives. Raise the national debt to meet the continued demand for welfare and entitlement spending at the expense of our country's economic future. Fight a war against terrorism without identifying who the enemy is because of political correctness and then allow illegal aliens to cross the border by the millions. Provide kid glove treatment to Islamic radicals and unfriendly regimes and then show religious intolerance to Jews and Christians. Allow a minority of Gay Rights Activists to dictate the definition of marriage and force Christians to comply. Use environmentalism to thwart the energy interests of Americans at a time of great financial stress and national security. McNaughton Answers to Liberal Questions: Why are you making fun of these people? Most of my paintings are serious in nature, (although liberals find them amusing) this one is more of a satire. This means to me, that although it is humorous on the surface, the underlying message is very serious. Liberals use humor relentlessly as a tool to suppress conservative ideas. As always, if my paintings can cause someone to think about or debate the serious issues, it was successful. Are you selling prints of this? No, there are copyright restrictions. There are some things more important than money. My hope is to help people wake up to effects of liberalism in America. Do you think all liberals are bad? Well, yes, but I'm talking about their ideologies, which are destructive. I have many liberal friends. I know many good people that for some unfortunate reason are infected by the disease. How did you decide whom to include in the painting? I chose well-known liberals in different fields that influence Americans every day. There are many more who I could have included that I think are spreading the disease. Perhaps, some liberals will be pleased if they were included in the painting; like a "badge of honor." Why is Satan in the painting? Are you saying these people are Satanic?? I don't know that. Perhaps most of them are just deceived. Satan is what I call the "Number One Liberal." Liberalism is about control. Satan wants to promise you everything in exchange for your freedom. He uses lies; deceit and compulsion to have you do his bidding. In the end, you are left with nothing. How has any liberal idea ever ended well? It is instant satisfaction at the expense of your soul. Yes, liberalism is a disease. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c29_1369263769 Luke 22 36 Jon McNaughton: Liberalism is a Disease . Jon McNaughton, Liberalism, Disease, Obama, Satan, New York City, Detroit, Chicago, abortion, welfare, entitlement, terrorism, political correctness, illegal aliens, religious intolerance. Wed, 22 May 2013 18:01:23 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5e5_1369259994 Tutsi The World Bank has announced $1bn in development funding for Africa's Great Lakes region, where renewed fighting this week between the government and rebels in eastern Congo has raised fears once again of an escalation in the conflict. Jim Yong Kim, the bank's president, unveiled on Wednesday the proposed aid financing for one of Africa's most intractable conflict regions on the first day of a trip with UN chief Ban Ki-moon to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. The tour has coincided with clashes between Congo's army and fighters from the M23 rebel group near the eastern city of Goma on the border with Rwanda. At least 19 people have been killed this week. Kim said in a statement released in Kinshasa that the funds would help finance health and education services, hydro-electric projects and cross-border trade in the area. "We believe this can be a major contributor to a lasting peace in the Great Lakes region," he said. "This funding will help revitalise economic development, create jobs, and improve the lives of people who have suffered for far too long." This week's fighting was the first since November, when M23 fighters routed the Democratic Republic of Congo's army and briefly seized Goma, despite the presence of thousands of UN peacekeepers. UN experts accused Rwanda of sending troops and weapons across the border to support the M23 last year. Rwanda denies the accusation. Peace talks between M23 and the Congolese government in Kampala, the capital of neighbouring Uganda, have stalled. The M23 is mainly made up of the members of a previous Tutsi-dominated rebel group which integrated into the ranks of the army following a 2009 peace deal. But they deserted en masse last year and have stepped up training in their strongholds in preparation for the deployment of a UN Intervention Brigade with a mandate to neutralise armed groups across the region. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/05/20135228350854241.html http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5e5_1369259994 Tutsi World Bank offers $1bn to Africa Great Lakes Africa great lakes Wed, 22 May 2013 17:53:12 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f51_1369259498 Tutsi President Robert Mugabe has signed Zimbabwe's new constitution into law, clearing the path to crucial elections later this year. A beaming Mugabe - flanked by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, his main political rival, and Deputy President Joice Mujuru - signed multiple copies of the charter on Wednesday at State House in the capital, Harare, to cheers and applause from aides. Approved overwhelmingly in a referendum in March this year, the constitution clips the powers of the president, limits presidential tenures to two five-year terms and does away with the post of prime minister. However, it does not apply retroactively so the 89-year-old Mugabe could technically extend his three decades in office by another 10 years. "This day is an historic day, it's about the future," Eric Matinenga, the Constitutional Affairs Minister said at the signing ceremony. "I can assure you that this document which is before us is a good document." A new constitution is one of the pre-conditions for elections to pick a successor to the shaky compromise government Mugabe formed four years ago with Tsvangirai. Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since the country gained independence from Britain in 1980, tainted by allegations of rights abuses against his opponents and critics. 'New path' The constitution was unopposed through both houses of parliament. Tsvangirai said the charter had set the southern African country "on a new path" after nearly a decade of economic decline and political violence that started in 2000 with the seizure of white-owned commercial farms by Mugabe supporters. Mugabe and Tsvangirai formed a power-sharing government four years ago to avoid a descent into full-scale conflict in the aftermath of a bloody presidential run-off election in 2008. The power-sharing government faced frequent difficulties over the allocations of key government posts, the implementation of key reforms and over charges of violence. The five-year coalition parliament, formed under the same agreement, expires on June 29, and parliamentary and presidential elections should follow within 90 days of that date. The date for the elections is yet to be announced. Mugabe and his allies want the polls as soon as possible, while Tsvangirai insists on the application of reforms first to ensure a free and fair vote. Many obstacles remain, not least finding the estimated $130m needed to pay for the election, and reaching agreement on outside monitors. Harare has turned down offers of United Nations or donor assistance. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f51_1369259498 Tutsi Zimbabwe's Mugabe signs new constitution Zimbabwe Mugabe Wed, 22 May 2013 17:26:42 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f78_1369257797 Diverdanm 1. Reneged on pledge to filibuster FISA Amendments Act (July 2008) 2. Lobbied for $700 billion Paulson TARP bank bailout 3. Pushed for no sanctions against Lieberman despite his support for John McCain 4. Nominated healthcare company lobbyist Tom Daschle as Secretary of HHS 5. Had neoliberal Robert Rubin as his chief economics adviser 6. Then had the equally neoliberal Larry Summers assume this role 7. Chose the failing upwards Timothy Geithner to head Treasury 8. AIG bonuses and money to Goldman under Obama 9. Doubling down in Afghanistan 10. Delay and reduction of withdrawal from Iraq 11. Moving Guantanamo activities to Bagram 12. Military commissions for some detainees 13. Support for indefinite detention 14. Refusal to release torture photos under FOIA 15. Refusal to investigate and prosecute Bush era criminality 16. Geithner's DOA economic rescue programs: the PPIP and TALF 17. Minimal help for homeowners and no cramdowns 18. Treatment of Chrysler and GM with bankrupcy compared to bank no fail "stress tests" 19. Kabuki of TARP repayment by banks while still dependent on government credit lines 20. Extra-Constitutional use of the Fed by the Executive for fiscal policy 21. Credit Card bill without usury caps and with 9 month delay for other reforms 22. Business friendly Mary Schapiro named to head SEC 23. Gary Gensler who helped deregulate derivatives named to head CFTC 24. $787 billion stimulus: too little, too late, poorly structured 25. Use of financial crisis to attack Social Security and Medicare 26. The great healthcare non-debate 27. Continued use of state secrets argument in ongoing Bush era cases 28. Use of signing statements, including one to punish whistleblowers 29. Vetting process problems, especially tax related ones 30. Leaving Dawn Johnsen's nomination to head OLC twisting in the wind 31. Eric Holder, failure to reform DOJ, not removing worst of Bush USAs 32. Failure to move against new oil bubble 33. Retention of Bush Defense team: Gates, Patraeus, and Odierno 34. Continued missile strikes inside Pakistan 35. Keeping Bush's domestic spying programs and adding a new one, cybersecurity 36. Choice of Elena Kagan who favors expansive Presidential powers as Sollicitor General, her subsequent nomination to the Supreme Court 37. Leaving EFCA (to help counter anti-union companies) to wither in Congress 38. Welcoming Arlen Specter who brings nothing to the Democrats into the party 39. Weak ineffective proposals for financial reform 40. Obama wanted John Brennan at CIA but settled for making him his counter- terrorism adviser 41. Chas Freeman with broader Mideast perspective done in by AIPAC 42. Dennis Blair made DNI; failed to act to stop atrocities in East Timor 43. Choice of McChrystal involved in torture in Iraq to head Afghanistan command 44. Obama threat to suspend intelligence cooperation with UK over Binyam Mohamed case 45. Efforts to keep Bush and Obama White House logs secret 46. Playing games with "Don't ask, don't tell" 47. Filing a brief to overturn Jackson (access to lawyer) in the Montejo case 48. Not withdrawing Bush brief in Osborne DNA case 49. Egregious brief in challenge to Defense of Marriage Act 50. The Supplemental which made Iraq and Afghanistan Democratic wars 51. Choice of Rahm Emanuel as the President's Chief of Staff 52. Choice of Dennis Ross as Iran envoy and then his move to the White House 53. Politically embarrassing processes to fill Obama and Clinton's Senate seats 54. Choice of Bill Richardson, then Judd Gregg to head Commerce Department 55. Reneging on pledge to re-negotiate NAFTA 56. Obama's throwing his pastor Jeremiah Wright to the curb, then reaching out to religious conservative Rick Warren 57. Continued challenges to habeas corpus petitions over indefinite detention, the Janko case 58. The Obama White House website 59. Continuing an ineffective program that Iran can exploit politically 60. Going slow on climate change when there is no time to 61. Not withdrawing a Bush-era amicus brief in the Ricci v. DeStefano reverse discrimination case and supporting a rollback of Title VII 62. Appointment of a CIA General Counsel who doesn't know if waterboarding is torture 63. Appointment of a DNI General Counsel who doesn't know if waterboarding is torture 64. CIA delay in a FOIA request concerning torture 65. The influence of Goldman Sachs in the Obama Administration 66. Attempt to keep secret the Cheney interview on the Plame affair 67. Mountaintop removal under Obama 68. Attempt to restrict Congressional notification on intelligence matters 69. Opposition to a second stimulus 70. Another egregious attempt to fight a habeas corpus petition in the Jawad case 71. Continuing charter schools and standardized tests 72. Holder's decision to support a weak, narrow review of torture 73. Re-appointment of Ben Bernanke as Fed Chairman 74. Continuing renditions 75. Politically dubious company was used to vet reporters in Afghanistan 76. Judge vetoes a too weak SEC plea bargain with Bank of America 77. Justice's argument for making Bagram a new Guantanamo, the al Maqaleh case 78. Defense to turn over databases to poorly controlled fusion centers 79. Obama changes but keeps Bush's Star Wars program 80. Failure to win an Israeli freeze on settlements 81. White House refuses to back its own staffer environmentalist Van Jones 82. Politicized US Attorney in the Siegelman case cleared by Office of Special Counsel 83. Criticism of Iranian nuclear program; support of Israeli nuclear weapons 84. Support for a weakened reporter's shield law 85. Use of the Zazi case to retain broad Patriot Act surveillance provisions 86. Wilner v. NSA, continuing the coverup of warrantless surveillance of communications between attorneys and detainees 87. Attempt to spike the Goldstone report on Israeli-Hamas war crimes in Gaza 88. Slowness in filling federal judgeships 89. Inadequate aid to overwhelmed state budgets 90. Attempting to dodge the Supreme Court deciding whether innocent Guantanamo detainees can be resettled in the US 91. Allowing drilling in the waters off the north coast of Alaska 92. Keeping detainee accounts of CIA torture secret 93. Current FBI manual allows for widespread domestic spying 94. Securitization invalidates most foreclosures 95. Geithner wanting unlimited powers to save large banks 96. Another state secrets defense to conceal domestic spying 97. Circuit Court dismissal of Maher Arar suit 98. Weakening Sarbanes-Oxley and calling it financial reform 99. Unemployment 100. Inspector General for Fannie and Freddie ousted for investigating fraud 101. Gaming courts to convict Guantanamo detainees 102. White House counsel removed for his principled stands on torture and Guantanamo 103. US seizes mosques claiming Iranian connection 104. Howard Dean removed as head of the DNC 105. Scientist with close ties to Monsanto put in charge of all governmental agricultural research 106. Pesticide lobbyist nominated as Chief Agricultural Negotiator for trade 107. Effort to let some government contractors avoid paying taxes 108. A bad US Attorney nomination for Northern Iowa 109. Hunger in America 110. The breast cancer recommendations fiasco 111. Ongoing confusion and disorganization in the military commissions process 112. Phillip Carter another official in closing Guantanamo resigns 113. Refusal to sign anti-land mine treaty 114. The Ghizzawi case and the legal limbo of "cleared for release" 115. Black prisons at Balad and Bagram 116. Delay in declassifying historic documents 117. Max Baucus' conflicts of interest in healthcare and with his girlfriend 118. Major security breach at a White House party and a ridiculous assertion of "executive privilege" 119. Dana "Pig Missile" Perino nominated to the Broadcasting Board of Governors 120. Cass Sunstein, an anti-regulator in a regulatory position 121. Warrantless for profit electronic surveillance by telecoms and search engines 122. The government sides with torture lawyer John Yoo and attacks Bevins actions again 123. The TSA publishes its security manual online 124. Toxic legal arguments in al Zahrani v. Rumsfeld, yet another Bevins action 125. The Nobel Peace Prize and a neocon acceptance speech 126. Blackwater's involvement in military and CIA assassination and drone programs 127. Congressional Research Service censorship in the firing of Morris Davis 128. AIG writes off $25 billion in debt and sticks taxpayers with the bill 129. The Administration plays hardball to kill an amendment that would lower drug costs 130. A poorly considered blank check to Fannie and Freddie 131. Continuing a Bush botch in the Nisoor Square massacre case 132. Jonathan Gruber, a major defender of Obamacare was also a paid consultant for it 133. A Geithner related cover up of the AIG at par payments on swaps 134. Adoption of stealth signing statements 135. al Bihani, more bad legal reasoning in another Guantanamo habeas case 136. Cutting Medicare and Social Security by deficit commission proposed 137. A 3 year non-freeze budget freeze proposed 138. NASA flights privatized 139. OPR report on Yoo and Bybee watered down and its relation to the Padilla case 140. Government targeting of US citizens for assassination 141. Abuse of informants by ICE agents 142. Obama leaves Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board empty 143. Obama backs firing of teachers in Rhode Island 144. Irish human rights advocate Edward Horgan has US visa pulled 145. Threatened veto of 2010 Intelligence Authorization Act over Congressional notifications 146. Obama Administration intimidation of whistleblowing site: wikileaks 147. Fish and Wildlife Service continues to ignore science on endangered species 148. Senate vacation more important than jobless benefits 149. Government seeks to compel turnover of emails without a warrant 150. Obama goes after an NSA whistleblower: the Thomas Drake case 151. Obama goes after a CIA whistleblower: the James Risen case 152. Weakening Miranda rights in national security cases 153. Advocating the privatizing of public housing 154. Another step in making Bagram the new Guantanamo, the al Maqaleh case, the appeals court edition 155. Massey mining disaster, 29 die because of corporate greed and poor regulation 156. Obama proposal for a line item veto 157. A military commander allowed to use military forces for intelligence operations without Presidential approval 158. Political pandering in sending 1200 National Guardsmen to the Southwest border 159. A sad record on resisting Guantanamo habeas petitions 160. Israel attacks an aid convoy for Gaza; Obama punts 161. A further erosion of Miranda: Berghius v. Thompkins 162. Naming James Clapper, a Bush appointee, to be the next DNI 163. DOJ seeks to protect Vatican in sex abuse scandal 164. Yahya Wehelie, an American exiled without charge 165. Failure to replace National Labor Relations Board members means hundreds of decisions must be reviewed 166. SCOTUS opts for overly broad definition of material support to terrorist groups 167. Speaker Pelosi backstabs Social Security 168. Complaints by government scientists of political interference at Bush era levels 169. Flip flop on free trade agreement with Colombia 170. SEC declares major victory but lets Goldman off easy 171. Private contracting of intelligence continues under Obama 172. Two Guantanamo prisoners to be deported back to Algeria against their will 173. The Shirley Sherrod affair: trumped up charges of racism and a bungled response 174. Whitewash report on Bush era US Attorney firings 175. Despite its record, Blackwater still gets big US government contracts 176. Wikileaks releases government files showing Pakistan involvement with Taliban and admission that things are going poorly in Afghanistan 177. Obama seeks to get access to everyone's web histories without a court order 178. Teacher funding sacrificed to keep Education Secretary Arne Duncan happy 179. State's top Iran hand resigns over Obama's Iran policy 180. Citizens United: validation of unlimited corporate political funding 181. Push to expand US arms sales around the world 182. Project Vigilant, Infragard and "volunteer" corporate spying for the government 183. Obama's approval hits Bush levels in Arab world 184. Effort to pre-empt state environmental lawsuits involving green house gases 185. Justice's Anti-trust division asleep at the wheel 186. Kagan's recusals render her even more ineffective on the Supreme Court 187. Poverty level highest since 1994 188. Courts run interference for corporate violators of international law 189. Warren named to set up but not to run Consumer Financial Protection Board 190. Chief economic adviser Larry Summers leaves; Obama looks for someone even more pro-business to replace him 191. DOJ IG report goes soft on Bush era surveillance against peace groups and other activists; meanwhile the Obama Administration conducts raids against similar groups 192. Move to put backdoors in the internet to facilitate spying and more requirements on banks on international money transfers of any size 193. HHS Secretary Sebelius delays for at least two years required insurance coverage for contraception 194. Americans on Medicaid increased to 48.5 million in 2009 195. Big home lenders suspend foreclosures as their documentation gets challenged in court 196. HR 3808, a bill passed by Congress, to facilitate the acceptance of false documentation by banks in foreclosure proceedings 197. ICE raids and deportations increase under Obama 198. Social Security COLA frozen for second straight year; no action taken 199. Waivers for military aid to countries with child soldiers 200. Big and deserved losses in the 2010 elections 201. 42 million Americans on food stamps at the end of FY 2010 202. No indictments for those involved in the CIA destruction of the torture tapes 203. The Bowles-Simpson Cat Food Commission proposals 204. $3 billion in aid for Israel for a 90 day settlement freeze 205. No change in Democratic Congressional leadership after 2010 election disaster 206. Forced proselytizing still prevalent at US Air Force Academy 207. TSA harassment and violation of the 4th Amendment 208. More TSA idiocy: full body scans and invasive pat downs 209. The response to the 2009 coup in Honduras 210. Use of diplomatic personnel to spy at the UN 211. Fed proposes rule change to Truth in Lending Act to protect bank fraud 212. FCC head Genachowski takes an axe to net neutrality 213. Lieberman and Amazon.com seek to censor wikileaks 214. Pressuring the Spanish government into dropping torture prosecutions against 6 high level Bush officials 215. Neoliberal free trade deal with South Korea at a time of high unemployment 216. Hamfisted banning access to wikileaks by government departments 217. Massive screwup in printing $100 bills 218. Extending tax cuts for the rich in a poor compromise on jobless benefits 219. Dancing boys of Afghanistan paid for by US contractor Dyncorp 220. EPA backtracks on smog standards 221. Former OMB director Peter Orszag goes to Citigroup 222. Obama breaks the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to supply Israel with nuclear fuel 223. DREAM Act for children of illegal immigrants done in by Senate Democrats 224. DOJ drops investigations of corrupt members of Congress 225. The FBI's Guardian database, another useless, intrusive surveillance program 226. Pentagon weakens rules on contractor conflicts of interest 227. Investigation by state Attorney Generals into foreclosuregate: no criminal charges 228. Obama names Mr. NAFTA Bill Daley as his new Chief of Staff 229. Obama names neoliberal free trader Gene Sperling to replace Larry Summers 230. Executive Order to make regulations more business-friendly 231. Gulet Mohamed: Detention and torture of US citizens by proxy 232. Nelson v. NASA: government can demand intrusive, unnecessary information about its employees 233. Choice of GE's outsourcing CEO Jeffrey Immelt as Obama's Jobs Czar 234. Failure to weaken or eliminate the filibuster 235. Corporate targeting of Wikileaks and liberal organizations 236. Reaction to the popular revolution in Egypt 237. HHS Secretary Sebelius helps states cut Medicaid rolls and funding 238. Petraeus accuses parents not US attacks for burns to children in Afghanistan 239. US general in Afghanistan sets up illegal propaganda program targeting Americans 240. Obama plans to devastate small block grants program for the poor 241. Silence on the Wisconsin labor protests 242. Former Senator Christopher Dodd quickly becomes lobbyist after promising not to 243. Obama reinstitutes sham review tribunals at Guantanamo 244. DOJ colludes with Bush era official Scott Bloch to keep him out of jail 245. The treatment of Bradley Manning 246. State Department spokesman PJ Crowley forced to resign over Manning comments 247. Massive conflicts of interest in David Stevens at HUD and soon to be head of main lobbying group for the mortgage industry 248. Mild reaction to bloody anti-democratic repression in Bahrain and Yemen 249. Torture psychologist appointed to White House task force 250. FBI program which allows them to investigate anyone doesn't work (surprise) 251. In his Libya war, Obama has completed the unconstitutional process of Presidents' usurpation of Congress' power to make war 252. Obama accepts award for transparency in secret 253. Democrats create PACs to receive unlimited contributions from anonymous donors 254. 2011 government shutdown threat as Shock Doctrine 254. The 2011 "great" biprtisan budget deal 255. The OCC deal to cover for banks in foreclosuregate 256. Reshuffling neocons at DOD and the CIA 257. Leak of Detainee Assessments shines light on the weakness of cases against many Guantanamo inmates 258. Geithner shields foreign exchange derivatives from Dodd-Frank regulation 259. Crazy new application for some US passports 260. DOJ wants SCOTUS to allow for GPS tracking without a warrant 261. An industry stacked panel to study fracking 262. SCOTUS attacks small claim class actions 263. SCOTUS okays fraud in financial presentations 264. SCOTUS attacks large class actions and Title VII 265. DOJ's non-investigation of torture produces few results 266. Department of State threatens participants of Gaza flotilla with terrorism charges 267. Detainees now held on ships to avoid judicial scrutiny 268. CIA operating a black site prison in Somalia 269. SCOTUS and DC Appeals Court torpedoing detainee habeas petitions 270. SCOTUS greatly expands warrantless searches; Obama DOJ approves 271. Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve after the 2011 spike in gasoline prices 272. Christine Varney, head of DOJ Anti-Trust Division, goes to law firm that had case before her 273. Senseless 2011 debt ceiling crisis, budget cutting, and attacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid 274. TSA closes US airspace to Mexican human rights activist 275. DHS guts its unit monitoring right wing terrorism in US 276. "Recovery" benefited corporations, not workers 277. Harassment of a government scientist Charles Monett because his work clashes with drilling in the Arctic 278. African Americans and Hispanic wealth took hardest hit from financial crises 279. Cass Sunstein sitting on labor rules to protect child workers 280. Oil leasing in Gulf resumes 281. Administration pressures NY AG Schneiderman to go along with bogus mortgage settlement 282. DOJ dumps responsibility for its bungled gun running sting on handy US Attorney 283. US ranks 41st in the world in infant mortality 284. White House engages in selective prosecution of Dan Choi over DADT protest 285. COBRA extension ditched 286. Obama spikes EPA ozone limits 287. 2011 Obama fictional jobs plan 288. Contractors cost twice as much as unionized federal workers doing the same work 289. New EPA greenhouse gas limits also being drawn out 290. CFTC proposes ineffectual limits on commodity speculation 291. State Department targets career officer Peter Van Buren for writing critical book 292. Secret Law and the OLC legal justification for killing a US citizen abroad 293. US incomes fall more after recession than during it 294. Another Afghanistan fail: torture rampant in Afghan prisons 295. Bank of America dumps derivative exposure on to the FDIC with Fed approval 296. New rule to legitimize government lying in response to FOIA requests 297. Cronyism and the Keystone XL pipeline 298. Despite pledge, Obama still taking money from lobbyists 299. Secure Communities and deportation as a business 300. The Occupy movement and the attacks upon it 301. DOJ prosecuting financial fraud at the lowest rate in 20 years 302. US stops funding of UNESCO 303. 42% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck 304. The Post Office facing cuts because of unnecessary prefunding mandates http://obamascandalslist.blogspot.com/2009/10/table-of-contents.html http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f78_1369257797 Diverdanm Obama Scandal list... update May 2013 obama, corruption, politics, president, liar, scandal, list, kenya, Wed, 22 May 2013 11:11:11 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b58_1369229212 BloodyPeasant Another video about the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes, this time produced jointly by the USGS and the state of Tennessee with more of a focus on Tennessee itself. The 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes were an intense intraplate earthquake series beginning with an initial pair of very large earthquakes on December 16, 1811. These earthquakes remain the most powerful earthquakes to hit the eastern United States in recorded history. These events, as well as the seismic zone of their occurrence, were named for the Mississippi River town of New Madrid, then part of the Louisiana Territory, now within Missouri. There are estimates that the earthquakes were felt strongly over roughly 50,000 sq mi, and moderately across nearly 1 million square miles. The historic 1906 San Francisco earthquake, by comparison, was felt moderately over roughly 6,200 sq mi. The 1811-1812 earthquakes The four earthquakes December 16, 1811, 2:15 a.m. (M ~7.2 - 8.1) epicenter in northeast Arkansas. It caused only slight damage to man-made structures, mainly because of the sparse population in the epicentral area. The future location of Memphis, Tennessee experienced level IX shaking on the Mercalli intensity scale. A seismic seiche propagated upriver, and Little Prairie (a village that was on the site of the former Fort San Fernando, near the site of present-day Caruthersville, Missouri) was heavily damaged by soil liquefaction. December 16, 1811, 8:15 a.m. (M ~7.2-8.1) epicenter in northeast Arkansas. This shock followed the first earthquake by six hours and was similar in intensity. January 23, 1812, 9 a.m. (M ~7.0-7.8) epicenter in the Missouri Bootheel. The meizoseismal area was characterized by general ground warping, ejections, fissuring, severe landslides, and caving of stream banks. Johnson and Schweig attributed this earthquake to a rupture on the New Madrid North Fault. This may have placed strain on the Reelfoot Fault. February 7, 1812, 4:45 a.m. (M ~7.4-8.0) epicenter near New Madrid, Missouri. New Madrid was destroyed. At St. Louis, Missouri, many houses were severely damaged, and their chimneys were toppled. This shock was definitively attributed to the Reelfoot Fault by Johnston and Schweig. Uplift along a segment of this reverse fault created temporary waterfalls on the Mississippi at Kentucky Bend, created waves that propagated upstream, and caused the formation of Reelfoot Lake by obstructing streams in what is now Lake County, Tennessee. Susan Hough, a seismologist of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), has recently estimated the earthquakes' magnitudes as "right around magnitude 7. Possibly a bit below, possibly a bit above, but not as big as 7.5." Eyewitness accounts John Bradbury, a Fellow of the Linnean Society, was on the Mississippi on the night of December 15, 1811, and describes the tremors in great detail in his Travels in the Interior of America in the Years 1809, 1810 and 1811, published in 1817. After supper, we went to sleep as usual: about ten o'clock, and in the night I was awakened by the most tremendous noise, accompanied by an agitation of the boat so violent, that it appeared in danger of upsetting ... I could distinctly see the river as if agitated by a storm; and although the noise was inconceivably loud and terrific, I could distinctly hear the crash of falling trees, and the screaming of the wild fowl on the river, but found that the boat was still safe at her moorings. By the time we could get to our fire, which was on a large flag in the stern of the boat, the shock had ceased; but immediately the perpendicular banks, both above and below us, began to fall into the river in such vast masses, as to nearly sink our boat by the swell they occasioned ... At day-light we had counted twenty-seven shocks. Eliza Bryan in New Madrid, Territory of Missouri, wrote the following eyewitness account in March, 1812. On the 16th of December, 1811, about two o'clock, a.m., we were visited by a violent shock of an earthquake, accompanied by a very awful noise resembling loud but distant thunder, but more hoarse and vibrating, which was followed in a few minutes by the complete saturation of the atmosphere, with sulphurious vapor, causing total darkness. The screams of the affrighted inhabitants running to and fro, not knowing where to go, or what to do-the cries of the fowls and beasts of every species-the cracking of trees falling, and the roaring of the Mississippi- the current of which was retrograde for a few minutes, owing as is supposed, to an irruption in its bed- formed a scene truly horrible. John Reynolds (February 26, 1788 - May 8, 1865) who was the 4th governor of Illinois, among other political posts, mentions the earthquake in his biography My Own Times: Embracing Also the History of My Life (1855): On the night of 16th November, 1811, an earthquake occurred, that produced great consternation amongst the people. The centre of the violence was in New Madrid, Missouri, but the whole valley of the Mississippi was violently agitated. Our family all were sleeping in a log cabin, and my father leaped out of bed crying aloud "the Indians are on the house" ... We laughed at the mistake of my father, but soon found out it was worse than the Indians. Not one in the family knew at the time that it was an earthquake. The next morning another shock made us acquainted with it, so we decided it was an earthquake. The cattle came running home bellowing with fear, and all animals were terribly alarmed on the occasion. Our house cracked and quivered, so we were fearful it would fall to the ground. In the American Bottom many chimneys were thrown down, and the church bell in Cahokia sounded by the agitation of the building. It is said the shock of an earthquake was felt in Kaskaskia in 1804, but I did not perceive it. The shocks continued for years in Illinois, and some have experienced it this year, 1855. The Shaker diarist Samuel Swan McClelland described the effects of the earthquake on the Shaker settlement at West Union (Busro), Indiana, where the earthquakes contributed to the temporary abandonment of the westernmost Shaker community. Consequence of the 1811-12 earthquakes Sand blows were common throughout the area, and can still be seen from the air in cultivated fields. The shockwaves propagated efficiently through the firm midwestern bedrock, with residents as far away as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Norfolk, Virginia, awakened by intense shaking. Church bells were reported to ring as far as Boston, Massachusetts and York, Ontario (now Toronto), and sidewalks were reported to have been cracked and broken in Washington, D.C. There were also reports of toppled chimneys in Maine. Disaster relief A request, dated January 13, 1812, by William Clark (famous for his exploration of the American West with Meriwether Lewis and the Corps of Discovery from 1803 to 1805), then the governor of the Louisiana Territory (the territory was renamed the Missouri Territory soon after the quake to eliminate confusion with the new state of Louisiana), asked for federal relief for the "inhabitants of New Madrid County." Whereas the Catalogue of miseries and afflictions, with which it has pleased the Supreme Being of the Universe to visit the inhabitants of the earth there are none more truly awful and destructive than Earthquakes ... The inhabitants of the late District now County of New Madrid, in this Territory, have lately been visited with several calamities of this kind, which have deluged large portions of their country and involved in the greatest distress many families, whilst others have been entirely ruined ... In the opinion of the said General Assembly provisions ought to be made by law for or cashiered to the said inhabitants relief, either out of the public fund or in some other way as may can meet to the cost demand availability of the General Government. This is possibly the very first request that the U.S. Federal Government had received for aid from one of its territories. Slave George murder The earthquakes helped bring to justice the murderers of George Lewis (commonly known as "Slave George"). George was slain on the night of December 15-16, 1811 by two nephews of Thomas Jefferson, Lilburn Lewis and Isham Lewis, who were also relatives of Meriwether Lewis. After killing him with an axe in front of other slaves, George's owners intended to burn his remains, but the first New Madrid earthquake interrupted their effort, and so the corpse was interred in a brick chimney. The murder might well have escaped discovery by authorities, except that the January 23 and February 7 quakes caused the chimney to partially collapse, exposing George's remains. Lilburn and Isham Lewis were quickly investigated, arrested and charged. Lilburn killed himself; Isham escaped from jail and probably died during the War of 1812. Geologic setting The underlying cause of New Madrid earthquakes is not well understood, but modern faulting seems to be related to an ancient geologic feature buried under the Mississippi River alluvial plain, known as the Reelfoot Rift. Reelfoot rift The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is made up of reactivated faults that formed when what is now North America began to split or rift apart during the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia in the Neoproterozoic Era (about 750 million years ago). Faults were created along the rift and igneous rocks formed from magma that was being pushed towards the surface. The resulting rift system failed but has remained as an aulacogen (a scar or zone of weakness) deep underground. Another unsuccessful attempt at rifting 200 million years ago created additional faults, which made the area weaker. The resulting geological structures make up the Reelfoot Rift, and have since been deeply buried by younger sediments. But the ancient faults appear to have made the rocks deep in the Earth's crust in the New Madrid area mechanically weaker than much of the rest of North America. This weakness, possibly combined with focusing effects from mechanically stronger igneous rocks nearby, allows the relatively small east-west compressive forces that exist in the North American plate to reactivate old faults, making the area prone to earthquakes. Since other rifts are known to occur in North America's stress environment but not all are associated with modern earthquakes, (for example the Midcontinent Rift System that stretches from Minnesota to Kansas), other processes could be at work to locally increase mechanical stress on the New Madrid faults. Stress changes associated with bending of the lithosphere caused by the melting of continental glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age, has been considered to play a role, as well as downward pull from sinking igneous rock bodies below the fault. It has also been suggested that some form of heating in the lithosphere below the area may be making deep rocks more plastic, which concentrates compressive stress in the shallower subsurface area where the faulting occurs. There may be local stress from a change in the flow of the mantle beneath the NMSZ, caused by the sinking Farallon Plate, according to one model. Seismic zone When epicenters of modern earthquakes are plotted on a map, three trends become apparent. First is the general northeast-southwest trend paralleling the trend of the Reelfoot Rift, in Arkansas, south of where the epicenters turn northwest. This is a right-lateral strike-slip fault system parallel to the Reelfoot Rift. The second is the southeast to northwest trend that occurs just southwest of New Madrid. This trend is a stepover thrust fault known as the Reelfoot Fault, associated with the Tiptonville dome and the impoundment of Reelfoot Lake. Epicenter locations on this fault are more spread out because the fault surface is inclined and dips into the ground, towards the south, at around forty degrees. Slip is towards the northeast. Motion on this fault in the 1811-1812 series created waterfalls on the Mississippi. The third line, extending northeast from the northwestern end of the Reelfoot Fault is another right-lateral strike-slip fault, termed New Madrid North. The epicenters of over 4,000 earthquakes can be identified from seismic measurements taken since 1974. It can be seen that the earthquakes originate from the seismic activity of the Reelfoot Rift. The zone which is colored in red on the map is called the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Recent earthquakes 4000 earthquake reports since 1974 The zone remains active today. In recent decades minor earthquakes have continued. New forecasts estimate a 7 to 10 percent chance, in the next 50 years, of a repeat of a major earthquake like those that occurred in 1811-1812, which likely had magnitudes of between 7.5 and 8.0. There is a 25 to 40 percent chance, in a 50-year time span, of a magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquake. Recurrence potential In a report filed in November 2008, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency warned that a serious earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone could result in "the highest economic losses due to a natural disaster in the United States," further predicting "widespread and catastrophic" damage across Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and particularly Tennessee, where a 7.7 magnitude quake or greater would cause damage to tens of thousands of structures affecting water distribution, transportation systems, and other vital infrastructure. The potential for the recurrence of large earthquakes and their impact today on densely populated cities in and around the seismic zone has prompted research devoted to understanding the New Madrid Seismic Zone. By studying evidence of past quakes and closely monitoring ground motion and current earthquake activity, scientists attempt to understand their causes and recurrence intervals. The lack of apparent land movement along the New Madrid fault system has long puzzled scientists. In 2009 two studies based on eight years of GPS measurements indicated that the faults were moving at no more than 0.2 millimeters (0.0079 in) a year. In contrast, the rate of slippage on the San Andreas Fault averages as much as 37 mm (1.5 in) a year across California. Description from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Madrid_quakes For similar videos visit: http://disasters.liveleak.com http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b58_1369229212 BloodyPeasant The 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes (720p) new madrid earthquake, mo, quake, 1811, 1812, tennesee, tennessee, tenessee Wed, 22 May 2013 10:16:14 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5e1_1369231221 Zurm The economic recession in Europe has had wide-ranging effects, from tensions within the Eurozone to the rise of new political parties in across the continent. While rising right-wing parties has been cyclical in Europe-they tend to grow during economic downturns and fade during periods of growth-their current resurgence is nonetheless troubling. As the economic stagnation continues on the continent, it remains to be seen what will happen to these political groups. In France, the National Front has been a major third party since its inception in 1972, when it was created by Jean-Marie Le Pen to unite the country's various nationalist movements. Although the party's popularity has fluctuated, it has never received significant representation in the legislature due to the French electoral system. In 2011, leadership of the party was handed off to Jean-Marie's youngest daughter, Marine Le Pen, who has revitalized the group and significantly boosted its popularity. Like other far right parties in Europe, the National Front is eurosceptic, harsh on immigration, and traditional on social issues. Its economic policy is also highly conservative; it favors protectionism and a return to the gold standard. The Great Recession and resultant Euro Crisis seem to have strengthened the National Front, reinforcing euroscepticism and leading many frustrated by a stagnant economy to embrace xenophobia and social conservatism. In the 2012 French presidential election, many saw Sarkozy veer to the right in the second round of voting in an attempt to win Le Pen's votes. This strategy ultimately failed as it allowed Hollande, a left-wing candidate, to win the center. More recently, as Hollande's popularity has declined, one poll placed Marine Le Pen's popularity at an incredible 32 percent, over Hollande's dismal 24 percent. Frightening to many, the National Front has become a strong and persistent force in French political life. In Greece, the Golden Dawn has arisen as a political force because of anger over austerity measures, forced upon Greece as a condition of the numerous Eurozone bailouts, coupled with racial and ethnic prejudice, high unemployment and soaring poverty rates. In Greece's June 2012 election the party gained seats in the parliament. Since last June, the party's popular support has climbed to roughly 11.5%, and has stayed steady for the past few months. Golden Dawn draws its primary support from the rural poor and unskilled labor force, mixing violent rhetoric (and action) against Jews, Roma, and other minorities, while also promoting plans for support networks for the poor. The party promises a "social action program" for the economically disadvantaged, provided, of course, that they can prove Greek heritage. Golden Dawn has organized several Greek-only blood banks, food drives, and support services for the elderly. These programs are popular among Greeks with few social supports left, but within Golden Dawn they are part of a wider campaign which often includes activities like "protecting" neighborhoods from immigrants. Golden Dawn's "stormtroopers" patrol many urban centers, beating, and sometimes killing, foreigners and minorities. In March, the party's attention turned to Greece's youth, starting a campaign to attract future voters as young as six In Hungary, Jobbik, the far-right anti-Semitic party, won a staggering 17% of the vote in 2010's parliamentary elections. Unlike Golden Dawn, which targets the rural poor and unskilled labor force, Jobbik draws a large portion of its support from young, college-educated professionals. Supporters cite economic concerns as equal to issues of "national identity," expressing anti-Roma, anti-Semitic, and anti-immigrant sentiment and fears of other perceived threats to Hungarian culture. The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's increasingly autocratic Fidesz party has done little to stem the rise of Jobbik; instead, the Hungarian far-right and far-left are often seen joining forces in anti-Fidesz rallies. The supporters of Jobbik, however, are not fighting against autocracy; rather, they are fighting against the current government and its policies. Jobbik's agenda is simple; stronger laws against Roma "criminality," restoration of Hungarian culture through expulsion of "unwanted ethnic groups," and severing of ties to the European Union, which the party claims will both boost the economy as well as stem unwanted immigration. Germany too has seen the rise of right wing parties in recent years, most notably, the National Democratic Party of Germany. It is best described as racist, anti-Semitic and anti-foreigner, in addition to its desires to abolish the current German Constitution. The upper house of the German Parliament is seeking to ban the party from taking part in elections. This has become an issue in recent years after a report published by the Social Democratic Party found that anti-foreign sentiment, right-wing authoritarian dictatorship, chauvinism and social Darwinism is on the rise. Another report by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation found that nearly a third of respondents believed foreigners were in Germany to take advantage of the welfare state's benefits and that about 60 percent of respondents were in favor of restrictions on the practice of Islam. The prevalence is the highest it has been in East Germany since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Although not a political group, terrorist groups like the National Socialist Underground have drawn particular attention for their increased use of violence as a political tool. Law enforcement aims to combat right wing groups with tactics of prevention and repression. Repression includes traditional law enforcement methods while prevention aims to educate parents and teachers on the methods these groups use to recruit young people. Over in the United Kingdom, the rise of the Independent Party (UKIP) has garnered attention after they enjoyed surprising success in recent local elections, in which the party won 147 council seats. Led by Nigel Farage, a former commodities trader, the party promotes a platform of euroscepticism and xenophobia. Popular in response to the financial and eurozone crises, the party seeks a restricted immigration policy, and withdrawal of United Kingdom from the European Union. Although the party won local elections, it is unlikely that they will do well on the national stage, despite speculation that they may destabilize the essentially two-party system now in place. The party is not expected to gain more that 25 percent of the vote, which is a generous estimate. The UKIP has poached core Conservative voters from the Conservative Party, so the ruling party now has to focus on regaining its base rather than turning its efforts to expanding its appeal to solidify their governing majority. Despite the Independent Party's recent news coverage, the UK is hardly witnessing a similar emergence of far right parties like other European countries have seen. In Finland, the True Finns party became the third biggest party in the Parliament. An anti-immigrant party, the Sweden Democrats, has risen to third in polls ahead of a general election due next year, reflecting unease about immigrants among many voters. http://politicsandpolicy.org/article/right-wing-resurgence-haunts-europe http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5e1_1369231221 Zurm Right-wing Resurgence in Europe Right-wing,Resurgence,Europe Tue, 21 May 2013 22:55:44 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=23d_1369191177 roburat The dire manners and "uncivilised behaviour" of some Chinese tourists abroad are harming the country's image, said a top official who lamented their poor "quality and breeding", according to state-run media. Wang Yang, one of China's four vice premiers, singled out for condemnation "talking loudly in public places, jay-walking, spitting and wilfully carving characters on items in scenic zones". Such "uncivilised behaviours" were "often criticised by the media and have damaged the image of Chinese people and caused vicious impact", he said, according to the website of the People's Daily, the ruling Communist Party's mouthpiece. China proclaims itself a 5,000-year-old civilisation but at a government meeting Thursday on a new tourism law Wang said: "The quality and breeding of some tourists are not high yet." Chinese consumers have become increasingly affluent on the back of its economic boom and foreign holidays are ever more popular, with shopping often a key activity. Destination countries, including debt-laden European states, have been easing visa restrictions to attract more tourists from China, but reports have also emerged of complaints about etiquette. "Improving the civilised quality of the citizens and building a good image of Chinese tourists are the obligations of governments at all levels and relevant agencies and companies," said Wang, a former party chief of Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong. Authorities should "guide tourists to conscientiously abide by public order and social ethics, respect local religious beliefs and customs, mind their speech and behaviour... and protect the environment," he said. A mainland Chinese mother who asked her son to relieve himself in a bottle in a crowded Hong Kong restaurant sparked an outpouring of online anger in February in the former British colony, where some locals deride mainlanders as "locusts". Travel authorities in rich eastern province of Jiangsu earlier this year urged travellers to "take less cash, never show off money or valuables" after 23 Chinese visitors were robbed in Paris. http://ph.news.yahoo.com/chinese-tourists-uncivilised-top-official-065348761.html http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=23d_1369191177 roburat Some Chinese Tourist Have Uncivilised Behaviour uncivilised behaviour, tourist, chinese Tue, 21 May 2013 09:11:51 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=674_1369141687 th1sf8te First it was rebel members of parliament, now business leaders have waded into the debate over Britain's membership of the European Union. Top industry figures have signed a letter in the British Independent newspaper, saying the economic case to stay in Europe is "overwhelming." Virgin founder Richard Branson is among them.The leaders say the UK stands to lose up to 108 billion euros a year if it goes it alone. It comes as British Prime Minister David Cameron is accused of "losing control" of his Conservative party, amid internal divisions over Europe. He has recently been forced to back a new bill that would enshrine an in-out referendum pledge in law. Cameron's problems have been made worse by claims that an unidentified, close aide described Conservative grassroots Eurosceptics as "mad swivel-eyed loons." The comments have been denied by Downing Street. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=674_1369141687 th1sf8te <span class="highlight">Economic</span> case for UK to stay in Europe is 'overwhelming' Economic case for UK to stay in Europe is 'overwhelming' Sun, 19 May 2013 22:37:54 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5d3_1369017322 volker_muller55 A report says that sex workers in Westminster are at greater risk of violence because of a fall in demand and an increase in those selling sex. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-... Taken from: BEFORE TURNING THE GUN ON HIMSELF Available direct from Doug Stanhope at: http://www.dougstanhope.com/store/ Available for digital download: UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0... US - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007... http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5d3_1369017322 volker_muller55 Keynesian <span class="highlight">Economic</span> Theory As Applied To Private Sector Independent Contracting economics, humor, Doug Stanhope, standup Thu, 16 May 2013 15:38:22 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=020_1368732728 Lake8737 Philippines stared a thing that it can't finish. Google translate The family of the killed crew Hong Shicheng said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency correspondent in Taiwan hope that the mainland to Taiwan fishermen fishing protection operations in the disputed waters of the Philippines. Shot and killed the crew Hong Shicheng niece Hongfeng Hui said, if the continent is to send warships, advanced fighters patrolling in the incident area, "You see the Philippines still dare to all kinds of evil". He said that many Taiwanese fishermen agree that the cross-strait joint fishing protection, in fact, before the number of fishing boats in Taiwan after the dangerous waters of the pirate-infested Malacca Strait, will hang on board the five-star red flag. The reporters contact Xiaoliuqiu fishermen, local fishing boats hang the five-star red flag, the official boat of the Philippines will not dare to come and harassment. If the two sides jointly fishing protection, local fishermen will be more at ease. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=020_1368732728 Lake8737 Taiwan's military might and <span class="highlight">economic</span> sanctions hurt Philippines badly china,chinese,taiwan,philippines Fri, 17 May 2013 13:32:59 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5a4_1368811520 TheAnswer May 17th, 2013 - The Golden Dawn party is at the centre of another political row in Greece after one of its MPs was expelled from parliament amid cries of "Heil Hitler".The sitting president had already warned Panayiotis Iliopoulos for repeatedly violating parliamentary rules by insulting fellow deputies. After he had called them "goats", "scoundrels" and "wretched people", security guards were called to lead him away. The phrase "Heil Hitler " was clearly heard three times - although who shouted it is in dispute. Golden Dawn claims the cries came from left-wing deputies from the opposition Syriza party. However, Stavros Kontonis, an MP from Syriza, is having none of it. "For the second time this week we hear Hitler being glorified inside parliament by Golden Dawn MPs. It's strange the fact that in order to distance themselves from praising Hitler in a provocative way, they claimed it was me who uttered this phrase ironically. But this is refuted by their own evidence," he told euronews. Amid anger at the recession and resentment at immigration, Golden Dawn won 18 seats in last year's Greek elections. Several deputies have had their immunity from prosecution lifted pending criminal charges. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5a4_1368811520 TheAnswer Golden Dawn and Syriza clash over 'Heil Hitler' cries in Greek parliament Golden Dawn, Greece, Economic Collapse, Thrown Out of Parliament Tue, 21 May 2013 21:12:57 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a7c_1369184263 BekasKhan By Michael Hirsh National JournalKABUL, Afghanistan - None of President Hamid Karzai's top advisers knew that he had been receiving tens of millions of dollars in secret cash from the CIA, Afghanistan's senior anticorruption official said, and he added that he did not believe the Afghan leader's claim that he had been giving the agency regular receipts for the money. Mohammad Yasin Osmani, the head of the Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, said in an interview last week that he and 39 other advisers who audit expenditures throughout the government "were not aware" of the decade-old payouts, which Karzai acknowledged at a news conference in Kabul on May 4. But Osmani, like other Afghan government officials, was reluctant to criticize Karzai or accuse him of personal corruption, highlighting a growing friction between Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force led by the United States over an issue that threatens to upend the rebuilding effort here, and possibly U.S. plans for a post-2014 "strategic partnership" with Afghanistan. Many Afghan officials and politicians contend that their nation's reputation for rampant corruption is exaggerated-according to Transparency International, a monitoring group, Afghanistan is the most corrupt nation on earth, along with Myanmar, North Korea, and Somalia. They say that more to blame are poor procedures by ISAF and Washington that hand aid money directly over to graft-plagued contractors and subcontractors. Ashraf Ghani, a former finance minister who is currently the chairman of the Afghan Transition Coordination Commission, said the Karzai cash controversy is viewed in Washington as simply more evidence of Afghanistan's corrupt ways. But he asked: "What does it say about the way the American government conducts itself?" It is, perhaps, a fair point, especially coming after a decade in which the $60 billion American rebuilding effort in Iraq was deemed hopelessly corrupt-in part because, Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen concluded in his final report in March, in many cases U.S. officials did not consult with Iraqis closely or deeply enough to determine what reconstruction projects were really needed. Now the Afghans are saying the same thing. Even as the security transition to the Afghan National Security Forces is said to be going more smoothly, civilian transition from U.S. to Afghan oversight is a disaster, Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal said in an interview. "The transition has not happened," he said, although as the ISAF-formed "provincial reconstruction teams" are being dismantled. U.S. aid rules have themselves become a source of corruption, Osmani says. Too many private contractors skim off the top as they subcontract a job out, a practice that the Afghan government itself would not permit, he says. Beyond that, "nobody has the right to monitor international community projects," and yet international auditors are often too leery of going to insecure areas. So little monitoring occurs. And in some cases U.S.-built projects appear to be following the pattern in Iraq. Osmani cited a case in which the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, John Sopko, criticized a $73 million contract given by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to DynCorp International for a shoddily built Afghan National Army base in Kunduz Province. "They didn't allow the government to go out and supervise the project!" Osmani said. The finger-pointing on both sides suggests a long-married couple-10 years of geopolitical marriage in this case-who are fed up with each other but can't bear the idea of divorce. And the mood is getting testier. In a recent report, Sopko accused the Afghan government of "targeting American contractors with unjust taxes and intimidation." Zakhilwal says the allegations are false. Even in the case of Afghanistan's biggest economic weakness, the heroin trade, Afghan officials say the corruption is far greater outside Afghanistan than inside. "From 2002 to 2009, $420 billion to $460 billion was made by international dealers , while $18 billion made by the Afghan mafia," says Ghani, citing a report by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. "The illegal economy is totally integrated into globalization: with credit and transport." The question of whether Afghanistan is just too corrupt to save has shaped the entire U.S. approach to post-9/11 Afghanistan, tilting the Obama administration gradually away from "nation-building" and toward a more pared-down counterterrorism strategy. In February 2008, three U.S. senators who are today the Obama administration's key foreign-policy heavyweights-Joe Biden, Chuck Hagel, and John Kerry-had a crucial dinner with Karzai at the Afghan president's palace. After Hagel raised the subject of corruption in Karzai's government, including runaway graft and narcotics connections, Karzai replied, "My dear senator, there is no corruption in my government." Things then got testier. The American visitors insisted they had a list of corrupt officials and that Karzai's brother was at the top of it, but the Afghan leader disingenuously denied it all-until Biden, by the dessert course, threw down his napkin. "This dinner is over," he said, walking out. Hagel and Kerry followed. Biden never really regained his trust in Karzai, and by 2009, after he became Barack Obama's vice president, he turned into the new administration's No. 1 skeptic about nation-building. The doubts about Karzai, culminating in charges of election fraud, also poisoned the Afghan president's relations with the late Richard Holbrooke, Obama's special representative for Afghanistan. Karzai continues to deny charges of personal corruption, including about the CIA money. "This money was not given to warlords," he said at the May 4 news conference in Kabul. "The major part of this money was spent on government employees such as our guards.... It has been paid to individuals, not movements.... We give receipts for all these expenditures to the U.S. government." Even Osmani is skeptical about that last point. Asked whether he believed there were "receipts," he responded, "No." But there are clearly two sides to every corruption story, and the U.S. and Afghan governments need to get their stories straight if the "partnership" is to survive after 2014. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a7c_1369184263 BekasKhan Which Is More Corrupt: Afghanistan or America? Afghanistan Occupation by US NATO Taliban Pakistan terrorist Punjabi ISI Al Qaeda Iran Intel India Haqqani China to Occupy Afghanistan