DECEMBER 2008

Air Force Seeks (Non Lethal) City Stopper -- Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) bombs have been written about for quite some time, and are supposed to have been used in a number of conflicts in the past 15 years. These weapons are designed to shut down cities, as well as military communications and weapon systems, not physically destroy them.
Related Article: How to build a Faraday Cage

JAIL FOR JUDGES - America Facing a Judicial Meltdown! Even jury hiring is frozen - To cut costs, New Hampshire courts won't hold criminal or civil jury trials for a month. At least 19 other states have slashed court budgets and other state services.


Brasscheck TV: Key US election fraud suspect killed -- Mike Connell was the computer expert who engineered the Karl Rove election frauds. The day before the 2008 presidential election he was called into court and compelled to testify. This past Friday, December 19th, he was killed in a plane crash - cause unknown.

Kenyan government imposes gag order on Obama family -- The Kenyan government has barred unapproved contacts between the media and President-elect Barack Obama's extended family. No media contact: 'We are doing this because we want to ensure better flow of information'

The truth on Truvia or how they altered Stevia -- Manufactured by Cargill (in conjunction with Coca Cola ) This is a non-organic, manufactured and possibly a chemically processed product originally starting with from Stevia leaves (the real thing). There is no evidence, yet, that the finished product is healthy, or that it remains a STEVIA-like product, with its original beneficial qualities intact.

New Berry-Based Natural Sweetener "Brazzein" to Hit the Market in 2009 -- The sweetener brazzein, to be marketed under the brand name Cweet, is a protein derived from the berry of the west African plant oubli (Pentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon). It has long been used as a food source by both humans and animals (particularly apes) in the region, and was first synthesized into a sugar alternative in 1994 by researchers from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Store traffic weak just before holidays says survey -- Just 38.7 percent of Americans went shopping during the final weekend before Christmas, the lowest turnout in at least six years, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

FBI diverts anti-terror agents to Bernard Madoff $50 billion swindle -- The FBI has been forced to transfer agents from its counter-terrorism divisions to work on Bernard Madoff’s alleged $50 billion fraud scheme as victims of the biggest scam in the world continue to emerge.

UK: HSBC banker found hanged in five-star hotel suite -- Christen Schnor, 49, was found by a hotel worker hanging by a belt in the closet of his £500-a-night suite at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel in Knightsbridge, West London.
* Another banker also kills herself -- An autopsy of Joplin banker Kristy Hunt has revealed she died of self-inflicted wounds, the Joplin Police Department said Thursday.

4 Houston recruiters commit suicide -- At age 35, this young man became the fourth member of the Army's Houston Recruiting Battalion to commit suicide in the past three years — something Henderson's widow and others blame on the psychological scars of combat, combined with the pressure-cooker job of trying to sell the war.

World faces "total" financial meltdown: Bank of Spain chief -- The governor of the Bank of Spain on Sunday issued a bleak assessment of the economic crisis, warning that the world faced a "total" financial meltdown unseen since the Great Depression.

AP study finds $1.6B went to bailed-out bank execs -- Banks that have their hands out in Washington this year were handing out multimillion-dollar rewards to their executives last year.

Flying J files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; truck stops remain open -- Flying J filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday, Dec. 22, but says all its truck stops will remain open and that customers won’t notice any difference.

US DOT Misreports Gasoline Tax Revenue -- Motor fuel excise tax revenue was up $185 million in 2008, not down, contrary to US Department of Transportation claims.

The Federal Reserve Bank is the Reason for America's Downfall -- Thomas Jefferson warned 200 hundred years ago that if private bankers were allowed to issue America 's money, indebtedness, foreclosure and suffering would follow. Yet, in 1913, private bankers gained control over America 's money by the passage of the Federal Reserve Act. We are now suffering for ignoring Jefferson 's warnings.

U.S. De-Regulates Factory Farm Pollution -- On the heels of a decision to allow factory farms to apply for permits to discharge waste into waterways, the Bush administration on Thursday exempted the industry from reporting hazardous air emissions to the federal government, prompting a consumer group to accuse the outgoing president of undoing years of environmental protections and "putting millions of Americans at risk."

Guinea’s Army Suspends Constitution After Conte Dies -- Guinean army officers suspended the constitution and dissolved the government after the death of President Lansana Conte, who ruled the west African bauxite exporter for 24 years, an army captain said on state radio. (Guinea is the largest exporter of bauxite to make aluminum)

Field Manual No. FM 3-0 -- The Army and the Role of Land Power (Chapter 1)

Commentary on preparedness -- You got to let go of the remote control...the wake up call is in your house!

FBI informant: Blagojevich was mob-connected bookie -- Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has gained notoriety for his involvement in a pay-to-play corruption scandal -- but is it possible that he was once a petty criminal?

Where'd the bailout money go? Shhhh, it's a secret -- After receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers, the nation's largest banks say they can't track exactly how they're spending the money or they simply refuse to discuss it.

U.S. report: Hezbollah fought Israel better than any Arab army -- A new report from the U.S. Army War College warns that the American military must learn the lessons of the Second Lebanon War, in which Hezbollah operated more like a conventional army than a guerrilla organization.

Key witness in Rove probes killed -- Mike Connell's untimely death will haunt Karl Rove and the Republican Party. As the key witness in investigations into election fraud and the firing of US attorneys, Mike Connell informed investigators that he had received death threats.

Bush Insider Who Planned To Tell All Killed In Plane Crash: Non-Profit Demands Full Federal Investigation -- Michael Connell, the Bush IT expert who has been directly implicated in the rigging of George Bush's 2000 and 2004 elections, was killed last night when his single engine plane crashed three miles short of the Akron airport.

Key witness in Rove probes killed -- Mike Connell's untimely death will haunt Karl Rove and the Republican Party. As the key witness in investigations into election fraud and the firing of US attorneys, Mike Connell informed investigators that he had received death threats.

Yahoo adds currency exchanges -- Check it out.

In Need of Cash, More Companies Cut 401(k) Match -- Companies eager to conserve cash are trimming their contributions to their workers’ 401(k) retirement plans, putting a new strain on America’s tattered safety net at the very moment when many workers are watching their accounts plummet along with the stock market.

Bloomberg Misquotes Ron Paul Seconds After He Speaks -- Another embarrassing corporate media faux pas was revealed when, during an interview with Congressman Ron Paul, Bloomberg put up a caption seconds after Paul called for less financial regulation, claiming that he had called for more. (you have to scroll down a bit to view the article)

Stampede for 'Bush shoe' creates 100 new jobs -- Ramazan Baydan, owner of the Istanbul-based Baydan Shoe Company, has been swamped with orders from across the world, after insisting that his company produced the black leather shoes which the Iraqi journalist Muntazar al-Zaidi threw at Bush during a press conference in Baghdad last Sunday.

Key witness in Rove probes killed -- Mike Connell's untimely death will haunt Karl Rove and the Republican Party. As the key witness in investigations into election fraud and the firing of US attorneys, Mike Connell informed investigators that he had received death threats. Military to be on high alert for inauguration -- About 11,500 troops, including chemical attack experts, will join the security detail as Obama takes the oath of office.

Scientists find hole in Earth's magnetic field -- Recent satellite observations have revealed the largest breach yet seen in the magnetic field that protects Earth from most of the sun's violent blasts, researchers reported.

Key witness in Rove probes killed -- Mike Connell's untimely death will haunt Karl Rove and the Republican Party. As the key witness in investigations into election fraud and the firing of US attorneys, Mike Connell informed investigators that he had received death threats. Northcom Chief Vows to Address Worries About New Homeland Unit -- A senior military official pledged Wednesday to address congressional concerns about a new homeland emergency response task force that is designed to respond to a chemical, biological or nuclear attack.

Cheney: If president does it during wartime, it's legal -- All of President Bush's actions during his years as a wartime leader were done with full legal authority, Vice President Dick Cheney said on Fox News Sunday.

Shocking study finds most will torture if ordered -- Scientists said on Friday they had replicated an experiment in which people obediently delivered painful shocks to others if encouraged to do so by authority figures.

Only Two Companies in US Confirm Using BPA-Free Cans -- Only two canned food companies in the nation were found not to contain any BPA! Read More...

Texas bills pursue transportation money, tackle corridor plan -- Confronted with a struggling transportation fund, lawmakers in Texas soon are expected to wage battle on various methods to help generate $14 billion for roads and bridges throughout the state. Another bill is intended to sideline the planned Trans-Texas Corridor.

Dishonest Pet Food and Treat Labels -- If you think it's challenging sorting through slick marketing to find a nutritious dog food or cat food, it's even worse with dog and cat treats. The American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the FDA considers a pet treat as 'supplemental' to the pet's diet so even fewer regulations apply. This is not good news for pet lovers.

Kissinger Calls For New International System Out Of World Crises -- "I think that when the new administration assess the position in which it finds itself it will see a huge crisis and terrible problems, but I can see that it could see a glimmer in which it could construct an international system out of it." Kissinger said, referring to the transition between the Bush and Obama administrations.

JAMA Anti-Vitamins Studies Flawed -- So what did the JAMA studies really show? Read More...

Darpa: Unleash the Stem Cells of War! -- Troops in the field, however, often get blood that's weeks old. So Darpa-backed researchers are working on a $2 million project to "manufactur[e] the red stuff on the spot."

The Pentagon is muscling in everywhere -- It's time to stop the mission creep.

Kids Learn that Killing Is Fun at the Army's Lethal New Theme Park -- The Army Experience Center , located in the Franklin Mills Mall just north of Philadelphia , bills itself as a "state-of-the-art educational facility that uses interactive simulations and online learning programs to educate visitors about the many careers, training and educational opportunities available in the Army."

Raid on Family's Home and Organic Food Co-Op Challenged -- "The use of these police state tactics on a peaceful family is simply unacceptable," Buckeye Institute President David Hansen said. "Officers rushed into the Stowers' home with guns drawn and held the family - including ten young children - captive for six hours. This outrageous case of bureaucratic overreach must be addressed."

A Not So Merry Christmas And What To Do -- We can help someone we know to have a Merry Christmas, or just perform a self-less act of kindness in whatever way we can. These acts of kindness can go on throughout the year.

Hundreds line up for 50 jobs at fast food joint -- Hundreds line up for shot at fewer than 50 jobs at new fast-food store, with similar turnout expected today.

Zimbabwe introduces 10 billion dollar banknote -- Zimbabwe's central bank has introduced a 10 billion Zimbabwe dollar banknote, worth $20 on the black market, to try to ease desperate cash shortages, state-run media said on Friday.
 
Congress gets $4,100 pay raise -- Congress members in 2008 will receive salaries of $169,300, a boost of $4,100 over the salary they have had since January 2006.

YouTube: Americans are NOT stupid - WITH SUBTITLES -- A Must watch.

GM likely to cut Pontiacs -- Automaker may reduce brand to one model from six to save on production costs and wages.

Gold Topped All Currencies in 2008 -- The surprise move by the Fed to lower the Fed funds rate by more than 75 basis points to a record low and an unprecedented band between 0.25% and 0% led to sharp falls in the dollar (low of 1.4188 to the euro) and a spike in the gold price to over $859.40/oz.

The Bill Nobody Noticed: National DNA Databank -- S.1858: In April of 2008, President Bush signed into law S.1858 which allows the federal government to screen the DNA of all newborn babies in the U.S. This was to be implemented within 6 months meaning that this collection is now being carried out. Congressman Ron Paul states that this bill is the first step towards the establishment of a national DNA database.

FedEx to cut wages in face of downturn -- FedEx on Thursday moved to slash employees’ salaries and other benefits in the face of what Fred Smith, chief executive, called “the worst economic conditions in the company’s 35-year operating history”.

Ariz. police say they are prepared as War College warns military must prep for unrest; IMF warns of economic riots -- A new report by the U.S. Army War College talks about the possibility of Pentagon resources and troops being used should the economic crisis lead to civil unrest, such as protests against businesses and government or runs on beleaguered banks.
Related Articles:
IMF warns: Economic riots – police prepare for unrest -- Pentagon resources and U.S. troops may be used if needed to quell protests and bank runs during an economic crisis, the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Institute reported.
Arizona Police Trained for Economic Civil Unrest -- Mike Sunnucks, writing for the Phoenix Business Journal, reports that Arizona state and local police “say they have broad plans to deal with social unrest, including trouble resulting from economic distress. The security and police agencies declined to give specifics, but said they would employ existing and generalized emergency responses to civil unrest that arises for any reason.”

Personalized spam rising sharply, study finds -- Yes, guys, those spam e-mails for Viagra or baldness cream just might be directed to you personally. So, too, are many of the other crafty come-ons clogging inboxes, trying to lure us to fake Web sites so criminals can steal our personal information.

Feds rate U.S. nursing homes -- View the USA searchable database of ranked nursing homes. (links within the article)

Shoe-thrower Asks for Pardon -- The jailed journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush has asked for a pardon for what he described as "an ugly act," a spokesman for Iraq's prime minister said Thursday.

New Army Field Manuel announced -- The Army has released its first new training field manual in six years, highlighting the need for units to be ready to conduct stability operations after traditional combat has ended.

Link to War College Report -- .pdf file format.

DHS wants green card holders' fingerprints -- Millions of green card holders will be fingerprinted and photographed every time they enter the United States as part of an expansion of a controversial biometric program, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on Thursday.

GM Opens Eighth China Plant -- GM expects to boost China sales about 9 percent next year as it adds new models and an economic stimulus plan helps revive overall demand. Auto sales in China have declined in three of the past four months because of the global economic slowdown.

Hyperinflation and Civil Unrest in America -- With Global Research reporting the Federal reserves unprecedented expansion of the Monetary Base in recent weeks setting the stage for a future "Weimar-style hyperinflation perhaps before 2010," would explain the reasoning behind the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team being trained at Fort Stewart, Ga., under NORTHCOM, for "civil unrest and crowd control. "Reports the Army Times.

IMPOSTOR PRESIDENT OBAMA: VICTORY WILL BE SHORT LIVED By: Devvy Kidd -- The importance of Edwin's column can not be ignored. Despite one of the largest grass roots efforts in the 19 years I've been in the 'freedom movement,' the Supreme Court spit on the U.S. Constitution; so did the electoral college delegates on the same day.

Philippines Moves to Fight Pig Ebola -- Global health authorities are preparing an emergency mission to the Philippines after U.S. scientists discovered a strain of the Ebola virus in dead pigs there that had previously only been found in monkeys.

No rest for the unemployed -- The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor reported that nonfarm payrolls fell by a whopping 533,000 jobs in November, and the official government-approved unemployment rate rose from 6.5% to 6.7%.

Ithica NY printing it's own currency -- Our local currency, Ithaca HOURS, exchangeable in a twenty-mile radius, has had some positive effects locally. Interestingly, it is responsible for what could be called "media tourism" with a steady stream of radio, TV and print journalism crews coming here to do stories on this economic curiosity, as you mention in your story.

Coke's Stevia ('Truvia') - What's Really In It? -- "If they would use aspartame knowing the gun was loaded, why would anyone trust Coke with Truvia. When the FDA embargoed stevia years ago to please the manufacturers of aspartame, I fought for it - fought for what is healthy, the pure green stevia leaf. I would no more put Truvia in my mouth than I would aspartame."

Scientists Discover New Element, the Heaviest Yet Known to Science: Governmentium (satire) -- The following report on a major scientific discovery is making the rounds on the 'net. The original author is unknown, so we don't know who to credit for this, but it was most likely written by someone working for the government while ON the government clock!

Pepper Ball Training and Demonstration Held -- (Pa state police) note it mentions for civil unrest in article.

Analysis of TOPOFF 4 by Army Corps of Engineers -- TOPOFF (Top Officials) is a series of full-scale exercises, mandated by Congress, to build the nation’s capacity for effective, coordinated response to terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Each TOPOFF involves a two-year cycle of planning, seminars, exercises, and training leading up to a command post exercise in the first year, then to a full-scale exercise in the second.

Barack Obama's Stealth Socialism -- During his NAACP speech earlier this month, Sen. Obama repeated the term at least four times. "I've been working my entire adult life to help build an America where economic justice is being served," he said at the group's 99th annual convention in Cincinnati.

Blagojevich eager to tell his story -- Gov. Blagojevich says he is ready to tell his side of the scandal to the people of Illinois.
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich says he is ready to tell his side of the story to end talk of the scandal that has shaken US politics.

Jurors' Handbook -- A Citizens Guide to Jury Duty.

Parliament speaker quits over shoe hurler -- Iraqi parliament speaker has announced his resignation after lawmakers engaged in a quarrel over the journalist who hurled shoes at Bush. "I have no honor leading this parliament and I announce my resignation," Mahmoud al-Mashhadani said amid disarray in the parliament, Sky News reported.

Plum Island Lab Moving To Kansas -- Looks like Kansas has been selected to house the level 4 Agra facility. A smart move, putting a lab that researches foreign animal diseases like Classical Swine Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, Nipah Virus and other pathogens in the midst of our agricultural center. I hope the new upgraded facility will be better policed than Long Island's Plum Island. We all remember the accidents, mishaps, strike etc.

Dubai to build 1st refrigerated beach -- The world's first refrigerated beach is to be built at a luxury hotel in Dubai, located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf.

USDA To Test Meat, Poultry For Melamine, WHY? -- After All, The FDA Says There's Nothing To Worry About.

OPEC cuts record 2.2 million barrels a day -- OPEC on Wednesday agreed to slash 2.2 million barrels from its daily production - its single largest cut ever - while bloc outsiders Russia and Azerbaijan announced their own cutbacks of hundreds of thousands of barrels from the market.

Einstein researchers find convincing evidence that probiotics are effective -- Up to one in five people on antibiotics stop taking their full course of antibiotic therapy due to diarrhea. Physicians could help patients avoid this problem by prescribing probiotics, according to a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University published in American Family Physician.

Fitzgerald renews interest in Rezko-Obama deal -- Since arresting Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has renewed interest in convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko's part in the purchase of Barack Obama's Chicago mansion, according to a former real estate analyst who says he was interviewed by the federal prosecutor in the past 10 days.

Dosed Again! -- One man's story of reaction to MSG.

Obama citizenship issue has merit, AOL poll says -- America Online is conducting a new poll asking readers whether they believe there is any merit to the controversy surrounding Barack Obama's citizenship – and most respondents say "yes."

Motorola to freeze pension plans, cut exec pay -- The company, which blamed the recession for the moves disclosed Wednesday, will permanently freeze its U.S. pension plans, temporarily suspend matching 401(k) contributions and reduce the base salary of its two co-chief executives.

'This is your captain. Sorry... but I'm not qualified to land the plane,' -- Flybe pilot tells stunned passengers!!!

FDA Stuns Scientists, Declares Mercury in Fish to be Safe for Infants, Children, Expectant Mothers! -- In a truly astonishing betrayal of public safety (even for the FDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today revoked its warning about mercury in fish, saying that eating mercury-contaminated fish no longer poses any health threat to children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and infants.

More Obama challenges thrown out by supreme court -- Two cases raising questions about Barack Obama's eligibility to be president under the U.S. Constitution's requirement chief executives be "natural born" citizens have been turned back by Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

China bans 17 harmful substances in food -- China has published a list of 17 acids, chemicals and other substances that have been banned as food additives, amid a four-month safety campaign following a scandal over tainted milk. Read More...

New Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack is a Strong Supporter of Genetically Engineered Food & Crops -- In an essay published in October, he urged greater investment in cellulosic ethanol, bio-fuel production plants and wind farms, and advocated "carbon credits" for farmers whose production reduces greenhouse gases associated with global warming. Some advocates of organic food, meanwhile, have criticized Vilsack as being too supportive of biotechnology company efforts to market genetically modified foods. Related Article: Vilsack to be Nominated for Secretary of Agriculture

Top Trends Of 2009 by Gerald Celente -- In our "Top Trends of 2009," we forecast "The Collapse of '09," which in turn will spiral into the "Greatest Depression" the worst economic conditions America has ever experienced.

Are Statins Causing Rising Rates of Heart Failure? -- Quietly, another colossal drug debacle flies under the radar of the mainstream media. Last week, The New England Journal of Medicine reported that blood pressure medication is not effective in the treatment for the rapidly rising rate of heart failure in patients over the age of 65. This means that Western Medicine has no treatment for a relatively recent problem – one that I believe is a side effect of taking statins.

Economic crisis stalls NAFTA superhighway -- Amid an economic storm, there is good news for opponents of North American integration under the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, or SPP, Jerome Corsi's Red Alert reports.

Officer who body-slammed cyclist indicted -- The New York City police officer who was seen on YouTube last summer tackling a bicyclist in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack, has been indicted. Patrick Pogan, a cop for just three weeks before a videotape appeared on YouTube that showed him slamming a cyclist to the ground without providing any warning, is charged with misdemeanor assault and felony counts for allegedly falsifying his report.

Throw shoe at Bush: The Video Game -- Check it out in your spare time.

Silverstein case ruling limits airlines' liability for 9/11 -- NYC ruling limits airlines' liability for 9/11. Judge limits liability of aviation defendants to replacement costs of WTC towers. A judge says developer Larry Silverstein cannot recover more from the aviation industry than the $2.8 billion value of the World Trade Center if his lawsuits succeed.

Video: Air Force's Killer Bugbots Attack -- The U.S. military has been working for a while on tiny, buglike drones — to serve as miniature flying spies, Defense Department robot-makers say. But this video, from the Air Force Research Laboratory, shows that the military is also interested in turning these "Micro Air Vehicles," or MAVs, into biomorphic weapons that can lie in secret for weeks at a time — and then strike an adversary with lethal accuracy.

Supreme Court OKs Gitmo Suit vs. Rumsfeld, Officers -- The US Supreme Court on Monday revived a lawsuit by four former British detainees at the Guantanamo Bay military prison, ordering a lower court to reconsider their claims of torture and religious bias.

A Message to the NWO from The Georgia Guidestone -- An anonymous patriot appeared at the Georgia guidestones, sending a riveting message to the global elite, giving them their final warning. If they do not repeal their heinous acts and restore our rights we will rise up in a way that they will never forget. We will overthrow every high ranking position and replace their seats with patriots while we try the elite for treason.

Goldman Sachs posts $2.1 billion loss -- Venerated Wall Street firm slips into the red for the first time since going public in 1999; loss bigger than expected.

US Working Group on the Food Crisis -- The US Working Group on the Food Crisis is an ad hoc group of organizations from around the US, representing various sectors of the food system, including anti-hunger, family farm, community food security, environmental, international aid, labor, food justice, consumer, and other groups.

U.S missile strike suspected in Pakistan -- A suspected U.S. missile strike killed two people and wounded three in a northwest Pakistan militant stronghold near the Afghan border, intelligence officials and a witness said Tuesday.

Bush Administration created executive pay loophole -- The Bush Administration inserted an eleventh-hour provision into the $750 billion bailout bill to protect executive bonuses, a single sentence that will torpedo efforts to reduce bonuses even as companies slash tens of thousands of jobs and use taxpayer money to gobble up other companies at fire-sale prices.

Fewer businesses plan year-end bonuses -- Some owners are cutting into their own paychecks to preserve their employees': While 26% of those that typically pay bonuses are eliminating them entirely this year, 32% of the owners surveyed by Paycycle said they will cancel their own bonus but still pay bonuses to some of their staffers.

Bush: Sacrifice Free Market To Save Economy -- US President George W. Bush said in an interview Tuesday he was forced to sacrifice free market principles to save the economy from "collapse."

Shoe thrower 'beaten in custody' -- The brother of the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush has said that the reporter has been beaten in custody.

Send Shoes To Bush The Genocidal Maniac -- Demand the release of the Iraqi journalist Muntazer Al-Zeidi and flood the White House with old shoes. Speaking Shoes to Power Campaign! Read More...

Gold could surge as investors seek alternatives to paper assets -- Gold could once again surge above $1,000 an ounce as the dollar plummets and investors seek alternatives to stocks, bonds and bank deposits as well as protection from inflation.

Rise of Bankruptcy Rate in Region Outpaces Rest of Nation -- Bankruptcy filings are accelerating in the New York metropolitan area at a faster pace than in the rest of the nation, according to figures released on Monday by the federal bankruptcy courts.

How Washington Hospitals Unleashed an MRSA Epidemic -- Over the past decade, the number of Washington hospital patients infected with a frightening, antibiotic-resistant germ called MRSA has skyrocketed from about 140 a year to more than 4,700. But these numbers, revealed by a Seattle Times investigation, don't appear in public documents. Read More...

The Blackwater killings in Baghdad -- Lawyer Hassan Jabir was stuck in traffic when he heard Blackwater USA security contractors shout ‘Go, Go, Go.’ Moments later bullets pierced his back, he said Thursday from his hospital bed. Read More...

DHS sends out grant applications -- The Homeland Security Department today began distributing applications for grants to state agencies totaling $48.6 million for Real ID projects and $34 million for emergency operations centers.

YouTube: Rep. Manzullo Questions Bailout Czar Neel Kashkari -- Congressman Don Manzullo grills Interim Assistant Treasury Secretary Neel Kashkari on the bailout plan, questioning why a failed company that was bailed out with taxpayer dollars -- AIG -- was allowed to give a $3 million bonus to an executive.

Coke's new drink may be unveiled without FDA approval -- The FDA has approved stevia only as a dietary supplement, but labeled it an "unsafe food additive" in 1991 because some studies suggested adverse health effects from stevia-based products. Companies working with Coke and Pepsi to make the sweetener have submitted new data to refute that but have yet to receive approval.

Thousands rally for Bush shoe thrower in Iraq -- Thousands of Iraqis have demanded the release of a local TV reporter who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush at a Baghdad news conference.

Sacred shoe: Comments on shoe thrower -- Blog comments on the "shoe throwing" incident.

Send your old shoes to Dubya's Library -- Got an old pair of shoes lying around, waiting to be used in a ritual gesture of disrespect? Send 'em to the GW Bush library so they can put them on the My Pet Goat shelf.

YouTube: Don't give up your guns! -- 2nd Amendment - American Patriots Protect your gun rights at all cost !

Bush admin approves rule to allow chemical tankers to travel through major cites on railroads -- The Bush administration has finalized a controversial regulation that will allow railroads to continue to ship dangerous chemicals through major cities.

The Lew Rockwell Show -- 84. Gerald Celente: $2000 Gold and the Break up of the US.

Thousands of Pounds of Pork Recalled: Contaminated with Dioxins -- Several firms are recalling tens-of-thousands of pounds of pork due to possible dioxin contamination after being notified by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) that routine surveillance tests indicated the presence of dioxin in pork products that were sent to multiple importers in the United States.

Sarah Palin's church damaged by arson -- The church was badly damaged by arson, leading the governor to apologize if the fire was connected to "undeserved negative attention" from her failed campaign as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Sold as 'non-lethal,' Tasers killed 400 since 2001 -- They are marketed as non-lethal weapons that allow police to capture suspects or criminals without causing any permanent harm.

Bush on Al Queda not exisitng in Iraq before invasion - He says "so what?"

Mr. President! Free Ramos and Compean -- Sign petition to commute sentences of Border Patrol agents.

A widely-used, understudied chemical alters inflammation -- A international team of researchers used human and nonhuman cells to determine the effects of dibutyltin (DBT) on the immune system. They were particularly interested in the chemical's influence on the glucocorticoid hormone receptor. Read More...

Dr. Tenpenney's page on Gardasil -- PRINT OUT THESE WORD DOCUMENTS AND HAND THEM OUT TO YOUR FRIENDS!

Gardasil Linked to Seventy-Eight Outbreaks of Genital Warts -- The Gardasil vaccine has been linked to 78 outbreaks of genital warts, according to an article in The Fiji Times entitled "Are our girls guinea pigs?" by Matelita Ragogo. That’s right. In addition to all of the other adverse reactions to this controversial vaccine, children who receive it are subject to outbreaks of genital warts. Unfortunately, not too many doctors take the time to educate parents about some of these possible reactions prior to giving little girls this expensive jab.

UK: Army hit by crisis as hundreds of troops quit to save marriages -- The Army needs 20,000 extra troops to support units decimated by illness, injury and soldiers quitting to save their marriages, say senior defence sources. Commanders say they are so overstretched in Helmand and Iraq that they will struggle to provide the 5,000 extra soldiers the Government plans to send to Afghanistan as part of a US-led 'surge'.

Russian warships head for Cuba -- Russia said on Monday it was sending a group of warships to Soviet-era ally Cuba in its latest defiant naval move around US waters, part of a drive to revive old Cold War ties with Latin America. The warships will visit Havana on December 19-23, the navy said, continuing a tour that has already taken in US foes Venezuela and Nicaragua and seen the ships pass through the Panama Canal for the first time since World War II.

Sneaky Cat Steals Neighbors' Toys! -- A cat burglar has been identified in Swindon, England, -- a cat that steals stuffed animals from homes that is!

Shoes thrown at Bush on Iraq trip -- A surprise visit by US President George Bush to Iraq has been overshadowed by an incident in which two shoes were thrown at him during a news conference. An Iraqi journalist was wrestled to the floor by security guards after he called Mr. Bush "a dog" and threw his footwear, just missing the president.

Mystery illness paralyses girl given cervical cancer jab -- A 12-year-old schoolgirl has been left paralysed from the waist down by a mystery illness that came on 30 minutes after she was given the new anticervical cancer jab.

A Second Mortgage Disaster On The Horizon? -- 60 Minutes: New Wave Of Mortgage Rate Adjustments Could Force More Homeowners To Default.

RBS Says Losses Tied to Madoff May Reach $601 Million -- Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc said it may lose as much as 400 million pounds ($601 million) on investments tied to Bernard Madoff, the investment adviser whose money-management firm collapsed last week.

Bird flu spreads in India -- Medical workers were going door-to-door to look for people with symptoms of avian influenza in northeast India on Friday as the infection in birds spread further, officials said. 

Federal judge rules Akron cameras are constitutional -- A federal judge has ruled that traffic-enforcement cameras don’t violate the US Constitution.

Microsoft wants to get under your skin -- Microsoft's HealthVault, the medical records database, is to be integrated with VeriMed's human-embedded RFID tags, allowing doctors to access the medical records of unconscious patients with a quick scan of the arm.

Alternative Currencies Grow in Popularity -- Most of us take for granted that those rectangular green slips of paper we keep in our wallets are inviolable: the physical embodiment of value. But alternative forms of money have a long history, and appear to be growing in popularity.

"Hundreds Dead" in Failed Diabetes Drug Trial -- 257 in the intensive treatment group have died, compared with 203 within the standard treatment group," the NIH announced. At the time of the experiment's cancellation, patients had been undergoing treatment for an average of four years.

Chicago Workers to Rest of Country: 'Don’t Let It Die' -- The sit-in by 240 union workers who were abruptly terminated from their jobs at a Chicago window-manufacturing plant last week raises the question of the rights of workers in the midst of a national economic crisis. Late last night, the workers ended their sit-in after the Bank of America, which had cut off financing for the company, agreed to lend the company $1.35 million to pay workers their severance packages.

U.S. troops' new mission: America's 'special events'-- New rules published in the Federal Register would allow certain civilians to call American soldiers into action inside the U.S. to prevent environmental damage or respond to "special events" and "other domestic activities."

Why gold should recover significantly in 2009 -- Even though gold and the gold stocks especially have taken a hit, we expect them to recover significantly in 09. Read why.

Blues / Bluegrass / Folk Rock -- Brother Phil -- SOUTH YARMOUTH, Massachusetts.

Cheney Was a Powerful Force During Bush's Presidency -- Vice President Cheney pushed President Bush to expand his powers.

Yucca Mountain ‘full’ even before it accepts any nuclear waste -- The repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada is technically “full” even before any nuclear waste is shipped there to be stored.

Amish homeowners: Religion trumps building codes -- Daniel Borntreger's home looks like hundreds of other Wisconsin farmhouses: two-story A-frame, porch, clothes on the line. But his home could cost him thousands of dollars in fines. Borntreger, an Amish farmer, built the house himself according to Amish tradition — but without a building permit. Read More...

WELCOME TO HIGHWAYROBBERY.NET -- A web site on fighting red light cameras in CA.

Illinois AG files plea with Court to strip Gov Blagojevich of his power to direct Tollway activities -- Illinois Attorney-General Lisa Madigan has asked the state Supreme Court for an injunction preventing Governor Blagojevich from "directing the activities of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority" among other gubernatorial powers.

Mugabe's party says opposition plots overthrow -- Zimbabwe's ruling party renewed accusations Monday that its opponents are training in neighboring Botswana to overthrow President Robert Mugabe, heightening political tensions as the country faces a spreading cholera epidemic.

Report: Homelessness, hunger on rise in US cities -- Homelessness and hunger increased in an overwhelming majority of 25 US cities in the past year, driven by the foreclosure crisis and rising unemployment, a survey showed Friday.

Russia scraps right to jury trial -- The country's parliament voted to back a bill backed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's dominant United Russia party giving three judges the right to rule on cases involving terrorism, hostage-taking, armed insurrection, sabotage and civil disturbances.

YouTube: Alarming Military Escalation by Homeland Security for "Disaster Event"! -- What "disaster event" are they preparing for...???

Auto industry bailout plan dies in the Senate -- A $14-billion emergency bailout for U.S. automakers collapsed in the Senate after the United Auto Workers union refused to accede to Republican demands for swift wage cuts.

Ron Paul: Bailouts Will 'Destroy the Dollar' -- Ron Paul tells Newsmax that bailouts of U.S. corporations are “bad morally” — and says current federal economic policies “will literally destroy the dollar.”

Ron Paul: Printing Money Only Prolongs The Pain -- Congressman identifies Federal Reserve as the real problem.

Indian farmers find a use for Corporate Cola -- Unintended consequences of pesticide contamination in Coke and Pepsi sold in India.

PNC selling 61 National City branches in Pennsylvania -- The U.S. Justice Department is requiring PNC Financial Services Group Inc. to sell 61 National City branches in western Pennsylvania. The concentration in that region exceeds regulator guidelines. PNC and National City rank No. 1 and No. 2 in Pittsburgh market share, with more than 250 branches. Combined, they have 53 percent of the deposits in Pittsburgh.

GM, Chrysler Survival Options Narrow After Vote Fails -- General Motors Corp. may be in bankruptcy within weeks, followed shortly by Chrysler LLC, after the U.S. Senate rejected a $14 billion rescue plan and the companies’ options for survival dwindled.

World's Foremost Investor Says Most Big U.S. Banks Are Bankrupt -- (Reuters) - Jim Rogers, one of the world's most prominent international investors, on Thursday called most of the largest U.S. banks "totally bankrupt," and said government efforts to fix the sector are wrongheaded.

Freight Haulers Slam on the Brakes -- Some industry executives and analysts predict that 2009 could be the worst year for freight-transportation volume in three decades or more.

Halliburton accused of supplying rotten food to U.S. forces -- U.S military contractor KBR, a former subisidary of Halliburton, is facing a number of lawsuits over its activities in Iraq, and elsewhere. KBR is the largest contractor for the United States Army and a top-ten contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. In one class-action suit Joshua Eller, a civilian who worked for the U.S. Air Force in 2006 at the Balad air force base northeast of Baghdad, alleges KBR 'knowingly and intentionally supplied to U.S. forces and other individuals food that was expired, spoiled, rotten, or that may have been contaminated with shrapnel, or other materials'.

Homeland Security Goes Hollywood -- A new reality television show focused on the agencies and employees of the Department of Homeland Security is sure to find fans among bureaucrats and department observers, and also is likely to draw some criticism from those who wonder if a primetime television show is the best use of the agency's time.

New Website on Vaccines -- FierceVaccines.com

New unemployment claims surge unexpectedly -- New claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, exceeding even gloomy expectations for an economy stuck in a recession that seems to be deepening.

Bank of America to cut up to 35,000 jobs -- Bank of America has said it plans to cut between 30,000 and 35,000 jobs over three years following the completion of its takeover of Merrill Lynch.

KB Toys declares bankruptcy; Faces Liquidation -- The nations number 2 toy retailer, KB stores has declared bankruptcy and will close down it’s 277 stores citing a “sudden” drop in sales. The companies 11,000 employees will be left looking for work.

Study finds link between political corruption and FEMA money -- "We find each $100 of FEMA-provided disaster relief increases the average state's corruption by nearly 102 percent," write Peter Leeson (George Mason) and Russell Sobel (West Virginia U.). "Our findings suggest that notoriously corrupt regions of the United States, such as the Gulf Coast, are in part notoriously corrupt because natural disasters frequently strike them. They attract more disaster relief, which makes them more corrupt."

Daniel Rubin: When justice turns a blind eye -- This is a Philly story of mistaken identity gone wrong- about a guy who went to jail for 32 hours, given a forced TB vaccine etc...horror story indeed.

Now I've heard everything stupid news!! -- Company launches pre-chewed pencils!

What You Don't Know About a Drug Can Hurt You -- Untold Numbers of Clinical-Trial Results Go Unpublished; Those That Are Made Public Can't Always Be Believed.

World Bank warns of Great Depression II -- The world could go through its worst recession since the Great Depression as a massive financial crisis has slashed global investment and sharp drops in commodity prices severely hurt poor-country exports, the World Bank warned on Tuesday.

ISPs Give Rudd Government Two Finger Salute -- The Rudd Government is continuing to encounter ISP resistance to its plans for a trial of Internet filtering technology, with SA-based national operator Internode and Perth's iiNet refusing to have anything to do with it, and Optus saying it will participate only in a strictly limited way.

Horrifying, Laboratory Animals Rendered in to Pet Food -- It is gut-wrenching to know that these test animals have little to no quality of life. Once the testing is complete for that animal, what happens next is even more unimaginable. Animals used for laboratory testing, filled with drugs and test diseases, can end up in pet food.

GERALD CELENTE: The Trends Research Institute® - Tracking, Analyzing and Forecasting International Business Trends

India, Pakistan Air Forces on High Alert -- Pakistani F-16s were seen flying over the capital of Islamabad today as the air forces of both Pakistan and neighboring India were reportedly placed on high alert. The navies of both nations are also aggressively patrolling in the Arabian Sea.

Judge awards $8.6M in Scott malpractice case -- A judge says the U.S. government must pay $8.6 million in damages over a Scott Air Force Base doctor’s misdiagnosis of flesh-eating bacteria. Read More...

More than 10% of kids use alternative treatments -- A surprisingly large number of children — nearly 12% — are using herbal supplements and other complementary and alternative therapies, according to the first national study on the subject, released Wednesday.

Doctors say ban on long-acting Asthma medications could set back patients -- An unusually large panel of some 30 medical and scientific advisers will vote Thursday on whether the risks of the drugs - Advair, Foradil, Serevent and Symbicort - outweigh the benefits. The Food and Drug Administration, whose own scientists are at odds, sought the advice in making a final decision. Doctors who treat adults and children with asthma strongly urged the FDA not to ban the drugs.

Laid Off? You Have 62 Days to Get Health Coverage, So Here's What to Do -- And we really mean 62 days. Under HIPAA, if you go without health insurance for 63 days or more, you will be subject to a preexisting-condition exclusion. When you enroll in a new health plan, the insurer can exclude from coverage any health condition—cancer, heart disease, diabetes—for which you received treatment in the six months leading up to your enrollment.

Spam sizzles in hard times -- Hard global times mean sizzling business for Hormel, maker of Spam, as consumers eye cheaper meals to weather the economic storm.

Ohio sheriff orders deputies not to evict -- A sheriff in southwest Ohio has ordered deputies to ignore eviction orders when people have nowhere else to live.

8 really, really scary predictions -- Dow 4,000. Food shortages. A bubble in Treasury notes. Fortune spoke to eight of the market's sharpest thinkers and what they had to say about the future is frightening.

Statin Drugs Cause Eye Disorders -- In all, the researchers found 23 cases of loss of eye range of motion, 8 cases of ptosis, and 18 cases of ptosis combined with double vision. The good news: These eye disorders completely went away in all patients when statins were discontinued.

Air Force Seeks (Non Lethal) City Stopper -- Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) bombs have been written about for quite some time, and are supposed to have been used in a number of conflicts in the past 15 years. These weapons are designed to shut down cities, as well as military communications and weapon systems, not physically destroy them.
Related Article: How to build a Faraday Cage

Texas Spends $10 Million a Year Promoting Toll Roads -- The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) spends more than $10 million a year on a governmental and public affairs operation which rivals in size that used by many federal agencies. Using documents obtained under the freedom of information act, the San Antonio Express News found 63 headquarters employees were assigned to the Government and Public Affairs division at an annual cost of $6.5 million. Another 67 were assigned media relations duties at the headquarters and in regional offices at a cost of $4 million per year.

Tentative deal reached on auto bailout -- The $15 billion plan could see a vote as early as Wednesday.

Whole Foods Sues FTC to Halt Kangaroo Court Proceedings -- Many health consumers don't know this, but the FTC is running a "Kangaroo Court" operation where they sue various health companies and require them to show up in the FTC's own "administrative court" that's stacked with the FTC's own "Judges" and answers to no law.

Layoff Tracker -- This site tracks layoffs mainly in the tech sector-(note even CARLYLE GROUP is laying off!)

Walgreens Recalls 173 Teddy Bears With Chocolate Bars: Melamine Alert! -- WALGREENS IS RECALLING 173 TEDDY BEARS WITH CHOCOLATE BARS SOLD IN STORES SINCE LATE SEPTEMBER 2008. ANALYSIS BY THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION FOUND THAT CERTAIN SAMPLES OF THE CHOCOLATE PROVIDED WITH THE TEDDY BEARS WERE CONTAMINATED WITH MELAMINE.

Senate Republicans Set To Filibuster Detroit Rescue Deal -- The White House and Congressional Democrats reached an "agreement in concept" on a rescue plan for Detroit automakers. Media reports expect a tough battle for passage in the Senate, where a GOP filibuster is likely to force supporters to garner 60 votes for the deal.

Lemons Protect Against Kidney Stones -- Lemons and other citrus fruits contain chemicals that can help prevent against the development of kidney stones, says John Milner, a urology expert from the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

How to Survive a Government Raid on Your Farm -- One of the best ways the Fund's legal expertise can be utilized is during a farm raid. If you find yourself at the farm gate facing an inspector who does not have a warrant, call a Fund lawyer to help walk you through the process.

Illinois governor arrested in "Corruption crime spree" -- Tuesday's predawn rousting of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich marked a stunning climax to a tale of alleged public corruption unmatched in the state's storied history and thrust the state into an unprecedented political crisis.

Illinois Tollway contracts used by Governor to raise $s for slush fund -- The Illinois Tollway is heavily involved in corruption charges following the dramatic arrest of state Governor Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff by the Feds and their indictment on multiple criminal counts.One incident cited in the indictment is Gov Blagojevich saying he expected an Illinois Tollway contractor to raise $500k for his Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund and that he was willing to commit more state funds to the Tollway contract if the contractor raised more money for his slush fund. The Governor has taken a close interest in the Tollway's activities and has heavily exploited the Tollway in his publicity.

Cancer to be world's top killer by 2010, WHO says -- Cancer will overtake heart disease as the world's top killer by 2010, part of a trend that should more than double global cancer cases and deaths by 2030, international health experts said in a report released Tuesday.

Docs Talk the Talk, But Do They Take Flu Shots? -- Some Doctors and Other Health Care Professionals Steer Clear of Flu Shots.
According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a significant chunk of health care professionals declined to get vaccinated against the influenza virus during the 2006-07 flu season, with only about 40 percent opting for a jab.

YouTube: Countdown: Comment on the Bush Legacy -- Keith Olbermann debunks the talking points memo put out by the Bush administration trying to rewrite his legacy.

Suspicious letters sent to at least 6 governors -- Suspicious letters containing powdery substances addressed to governors were intercepted in at least six states on Monday, but no injuries were immediately reported.

Fed approves Chinese bank CCB to open office in US -- The US Federal Reserve said Monday it had authorized China Construction Bank, a leading Chinese state bank, to operate in the United States. The proposed New York City branch of CCB "would engage in wholesale deposit-taking, lending, trade finance, and other banking services," the Fed said in a statement.

CITY COPS PREP FOR 'MUMBAI' -- In the aftermath of the deadly Mumbai terror attacks, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has come out with guns blazing - with a plan to get all 1,000 rookie cops ready to use heavy artillery in time for New Year's Eve, The Post has learned.

And now for a world government -- A "world government" would involve much more than co-operation between nations. It would be an entity with state-like characteristics, backed by a body of laws. The European Union has already set up a continental government for 27 countries.

Google Earth accused of aiding terrorists -- An Indian Court has been called to ban Google Earth amid suggestions the online satellite imaging was used to help plan the terror attacks that killed more than 170 people in Mumbai last month.

Smiles banned on Indiana driver's license -- Drivers seeking a license in Indiana may be asked to brush their hair but they won't be asked to smile. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has imposed restrictions on anything that might prevent facial recognition software from distinguishing one driver's appearance from another's, The Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal reported Tuesday. That includes smiling and wearing glasses, hats and scarves, said bureau spokesman Dennis Rosebrough, adding, "A straight-faced photograph enhances the effectiveness of the technology."

Words associated with Christianity and British history taken out of children's dictionary -- Words associated with Christianity, the monarchy and British history have been dropped from a leading dictionary for children. Oxford University Press has removed words like "aisle", "bishop", "chapel", "empire" and "monarch" from its Junior Dictionary and replaced them with words like "blog", "broadband" and "celebrity". Dozens of words related to the countryside have also been culled.

Clothing with a brain: 'Smart fabrics' that monitor health -- Researchers in United States and China are reporting progress toward a simple, low-cost method to make "smart fabrics," electronic textiles capable of detecting diseases, monitoring heart rates, and other vital signs.

Tsunami Warning Signs Pop Up Along Coast -- ”Eventually, all coastal communities in California will have tsunami warning signs,” Troy Nicolini of the National Weather Service told the Redwood Times up north where many of the signs have been stolen, vandalized or damaged in the last five months. And now it appears they're starting to hit the Los Angeles area, according to the blogger at Good Story News who is not thrilled one bit. Check out the photos at the above link!

Treasury Bills Trade at Negative Rates as Haven Demand Surges -- Treasuries rose, pushing rates on the three-month bill negative for the first time, as investors gravitate toward the safety of U.S. government debt amid the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Race to build deep-water wind farms is a long one -- Behind the scenes in the U.S. and in Europe, the race is on to build the world's first deep-water wind farms, ones that would operate on floating platforms in waters hundreds of feet deep, like oil rigs found in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Obama Birth Certificate Challenge Turned Down By Supreme Court -- The Supreme Court has turned down an emergency appeal from a New Jersey man who says President-elect Barack Obama is ineligible to be president because he was a British subject at birth. (Thanks Mathilda)!

One thriving sector: The business of war -- Candidates spoke to hiring personnel (at tables) about 200 job openings during a job fair Tuesday at BAE Systems in Nashua.

Homemade baby formula -- The advice to make homemade baby formula as an alternative to commercial formula has been one of the most controversial positions taken by the Weston A. Price Foundation -- and also one that has elicited the most grateful praise The following information has been compiled by the authors over a period of several years and should cover most situations encountered by parents giving homemade formula to their babies.

F/A-18 crashes into San Diego neighborhood -- Officials said two people were killed when an F/A-18 military jet about to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar slammed into a San Diego neighborhood today. The pilot was able to eject safely.

WTC7: NIST Finally Admits Freefall -- In its draft report, released in August 2008, NIST attempted to cover up evidence that WTC7 fell at freefall, but the coverup was transparent. In its final report, released in November 2008, NIST finally acknowledged freefall, but couched it in a bizarre framework that continues to deny its clear significance.

Poor Families Pressed Into Vaccine Trials by Drug Companies; 12 Babies Die -- Major pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has been accused of pressuring poor Third World parents into enrolling their children in experimental drug trials that have led to the deaths of at least 12 infants.

Eat more nuts -- Here's a health tip in a nutshell: Eating a handful of nuts a day for a year - along with a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables and fish - may help undo a collection of risk factors for heart disease.

Europe Develops RFID License Plate Tracking -- The European Union is spending 8.1 million Euros (US $10.3 million) on wireless tracking systems designed to allow authorities to issue automated tickets for increasingly minor traffic infractions.

Teens Hit Tanning Beds Despite Laws -- State laws meant to keep teens out of indoor tanning booths haven't made a dent, a new study has found, disappointing doctors hoping to reduce deadly skin cancers. About 20 states now have some law aimed at curbing minors' use of indoor tanning, said Vilma Cokkinides, an American Cancer Society researcher who was one of the study's authors. Each of the laws allowed young people to use tanning parlors provided they had some form of parental consent, in some cases a note from a parent. Only one — California — had a stricter prohibition, banning children 14 and under from using
tanning facilities.

Hearst News Bans Rense! -- Yes, it's true. That towering guardian of the people's right to know, the legendary Hearst News Media Empire has prohibited its employees from accessing Rense.com because, as Hearst states in the screen capture below, Rense.com is 'EXTREME'...whatever that means.

North American Union Fact Sheet -- Check it out in your spare tiem (This is a .pdf File format)

UK: BROWN READY TO SWAP POUND FOR EURO -- Senior Tories yesterday received reports that the Prime Minister has held private talks on the economic crisis with the President of the European Commission at Downing Street. They are demanding to know whether a move to sell out Britain to Brussels and adopt the euro was on the agenda.

Emergency Storage Food Among Products in Highest Demand -- Reports are that guns and ammunition are selling at levels up to 50% higher than previous records. The demand for gold has similarly erupted and Survival gear and emergency food producers are shipping product as fast as they can get it through their facilities and onto the loading docks.

Local food cooperative searched by state -- An Ohio Department of Agriculture agent seized food, electronic devices and documents from a Pittsfield Township organic and natural food cooperative believed to be unlicensed, according to a search warrant filed yesterday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court.

Obama: Don't stock up on guns -- As gun sales shoot up around the country, President-elect Barack Obama said Sunday that gun-owning Americans do not need to rush out and stock up before he is sworn in next month.

Girls flee circumcision in Kenya -- In some countries, girls tend to drop out of school after being circumcised. At least 300 girls in south-western Kenya have fled from home and sought refuge in churches in a bid to escape forced female genital mutilation (FGM). Female circumcision is banned in Kenya, but remains common in some areas where it is considered to be part of a girl's initiation into womanhood. 

Top 10 Famous Quotes About Propaganda -- Check them out!

Obama Birth Certificate Petition -- SIGN THE PETITION FOR PUBLIC RELEASE OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

IN THE SHADOW OF NEMESIS By Dr. Edwin Vieira, Jr., Ph.D., J.D. -- So, what now? The simple solution, if Barack Obama believes that he truly is “eligible to the Office of President,” is for him to repair to Hawaii in a burst of publicity and make his original birth certificate available for examination by each and every unbiased forensic document analyst who cares to scrutinize it. And if, on the other hand, he already knows that he is ineligible, he should step aside gracefully. Now, before it is too late. He has no other choice, because events will give him none. When one walks in the cold shadow of Nemesis, hubris is not enough of a cloak.

Republic Windows and Doors: Standoff continues as workers protest layoffs -- CHICAGO (WLS) -- Workers are refusing to leave a Chicago factory they have occupied since Friday.They started a sit-in after getting three days notice that the plant was being shutdown.

Eric Shinseki to be named VA secretary -- President-elect Barack Obama has chosen retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki to be the next Veterans Affairs secretary, turning to a former Army chief of staff once vilified by the Bush administration for questioning its Iraq war strategy.

In lean times, SoCal residents trade guns for food -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department allows residents to anonymously relinquish firearms in return for $100 gift cards for Ralphs supermarkets, Target department stores or Best Buy electronics stores.

U.S. Somalis fear teens left to join jihad -- Mr. Samatar and other relatives confirmed Saturday that their loved ones left Minneapolis, home to one of the nation's largest Somali communities, together on Nov. 4. The young men were identified as Burhan Hassan, 17; Mohamoud Hassan, 18; and Abdisalam Ali, 19.

Scientists back brain drugs for healthy people -- Healthy people should have the right to boost their brains with pills, like those prescribed for hyperactive kids or memory-impaired older folks, several scientists contend in a provocative commentary.

$25 oil, $1 gas? -- Oil industry analysts at Merrill Lynch say the price of oil could fall to as low as $25 a barrel in 2009 – before moving up again.And the CEO of Gulf Oil says the price of gas could drop to $1 a gallon before long.

Greece rocked by second day of anti-police riots -- Thousands of youths rampaged through Athens and the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on Sunday, burning dozens of shops and vehicles in a second day of rioting after police shot dead a 15-year-old boy.
***In pictures: Greek riots

New rule lifts ban on firearms in national parks -- People will soon be able to carry concealed, loaded guns in most national parks and wildlife refuges. The Bush administration said Friday it is overturning a 25-year-old federal rule that severely restricts loaded guns in national parks.

First Georgia Community Bank is the 23rd bank to be closed this year -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said that the four branches of the Jackson, Ga.-based First Georgia Community Bank will reopen on Saturday as part of United Bank, of Zebulon, Ga.

Bailed-Out Bank Goes on Toll Road Buying Binge -- Just one week after receiving a pledge of $306 billion in support from US taxpayers, Citigroup announced the intended $10 billion acquisition of a debt-laden Spanish toll road group.

Let's push psychiatric drugs for healthy people - A study in Journal Nature.
***Review of above article from Natural news

Chemical Used on Crops could Make You Fat -- Many people who eat organic food and use natural products are trying to avoid pesticides that are linked to cancer and other diseases. Now Japanese researchers say there is another advantage to "going green" and avoiding toxins and chemical additives in the environment. A common pollutant has been found to have a potent effect on gene activity and could be contributing to the obesity epidemic.

Climate change: Sci-fi solutions no longer in the margins -- With political efforts to tackle global warming advancing slower than a Greenland glacier, schemes for saving Earth's climate system that once were dismissed as crazy or dangerous are gaining in status.

Review: Dan Carlson's Sonic Bloom Boosts Growth of Garden Plants -- Yes, sound therapy for plants! Much like humans, plants feel less stressful and more open to their environment when they experience the right sounds. A low-stress environment filled with crickets and harmonious music causes the stoma to open, allowing the plants to take in more nutrition.

Blackwater Case Will Be Tough to Win -- Federal prosecutors in Washington likely face an uphill fight in their case against five indicted Blackwater Worldwide guards who are expected to surrender to authorities Monday.

Unmanned ground vehicle robots for SWAT teams? -- The EyeDrive unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) uses remote-controlled 360-degree panoramic video technology and a patented Point & Go sensor guidance mode to run down and "instinctively eliminate" human targets at ranges of up to 90 feet, according to ODF Optronics.

New World Order being taught in schools -- Despite being told by his teachers that the ‘New World Order’ is a laughable conspiracy theory, one 9/11 truth activist found that a chapter in his high school-issued history book was titled ‘Chapter 33: America and the New World Order’– which lays out the supposed benefits of NAFTA and the United States’ world-wide ‘peacekeeping’ mission.

Economic Crisis? Not at the U.N. -- As international financial markets sink ever deeper in red ink, the United Nations continues as if very little has changed.

VIDEO: Ford's State-of-the-Art Plant in Brazil -- Ford's most advanced assembly plant operates in rural Brazil.

Canadian leader shuts Parliament to keep power -- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper shut down Parliament on Thursday in an unprecedented attempt to keep his government in power, fending off a no-confidence vote he was all but certain to lose.

Russian warship to cross Panama Canal -- A Russian warship will sail through the Panama Canal this week for the first time since World War II, the navy announced Wednesday, pushing ahead with a symbolic projection of Moscow's power in a traditional U.S. zone of influence. (brought forward from yesterday - Dec. 4, 2008)

Justice Thomas Forces Supreme Court to Probe Obama's Citizenship -- In a highly unusual move, U.S. Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has asked his colleagues on the court to consider the request of an East Brunswick, N.J. attorney who has filed a lawsuit challenging President-elect Barack Obama’s status as a United States citizen.

Yet another federal suit filed over Obama birth certificate -- Another legal effort to force state officials to produce a copy of President-elect Barack Obama's birth certificate has been filed, this time in federal court. The new challenge is an outgrowth of a legal suit filed in Mississippi, which questioned whether Obama is a "natural born citizen" of the U.S.

Judicial Watch Announces Hillary Clinton Constitutionally Ineligible to Serve as Secretary of State -- According to the Ineligibility Clause of the United States Constitution, no member of Congress can be appointed to an office that has benefited from a salary increase during the time that Senator or Representative served in Congress.

The consumer guide to toxic chemicals in toys -- HealthyToys.org includes test results for more than 1,500 toys and children’s products. This site is a first step in providing parents, grandparents, and others who care about children with the information they need to make better choices when purchasing toys and other children’s products.

AT&T to cut 12,000 jobs, 4 percent of staff -- Pressured by the economic turmoil and the mounting loss of traditional phone customers, AT&T Inc. is cutting 12,000 jobs, about 4 percent of its work force. Job cuts will begin this month and run throughout 2009.

U.S. Troops May Be Deployed In Arizona -- U.S. Defense Department plans to deploy as many 20,000 U.S. troops within the U.S. for homeland security and anti-terrorism efforts could result in a significant number being placed or having some kind of presence in Arizona and the Southwest, according to security experts.

Iraq centre treats the invisible wounds of US soldiers -- One study, by the Rand Corporation, found that some 300,000 out of 1.6 million soldiers rotating back to the United States since 2001 showed signs of psychological problems of varying degrees.

US Soldier Seeks Political Asylum in Germany -- André Shepherd is the first American GI to have applied for political asylum in Germany. Shepherd, who deserted to avoid going back to fight in Iraq, argues that the war there is in violation of international law.

Bird flu is spreading in India -- Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup district R C Jain confirmed that bird flu has spread to Azara area of the district after affecting a large area of Hajo near Guwahati.

Genetically Modified Crops Reach 9 Percent of Global Primary Crop Production -- Genetically modified crops reached 9 percent of global primary crop production in 2007, bringing the total GM land area up to 114.3 million hectares, according to Worldwatch Institute estimates published in the latest Vital Signs Update. The United States continues to be the global leader in production, accounting for half of all GM crop area.

Last Minute Rulemaking by Bush USDA Threatens Organic Farmers -- Some farm advocates believe that the new rules, if enacted, would put out of business the majority of organic livestock farmers-including hundreds who are operating ethically.

Discover Sprouted Nuts and Give Your Pancreas a Break -- Nuts are one of the healthiest foods to ad to your diet. Eating nuts not only reduces the risk of heart attack by a huge 60%, but research shows that people who eat more nuts are usually thinner and they have lower levels of LDL cholesterol and reduced risk of osteoporosis. Eating nuts even lowers the risk of cancer and reduces inflammation. Although this resume is quite impressive, nuts can be made even more nutritious, delicious and healthy by sprouting or soaking them. When it comes to boosting the benefits of nuts, as well as seeds and grain, sprouting is like a mini-miracle.

10 Dirtiest Foods You're Eating -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every day, 200,000 Americans contract food poisoning. Identify and sanitize the 10 dirtiest foods.

Interior Dept. Changes Rule to Remove Congress Veto -- In another regulatory action in the waning days of the Bush administration, the Interior Department on Thursday unveiled a new rule that challenges Congress’s authority to prevent mining planned on public lands.

Fragranced Products Emit Toxic Chemicals -- Commonly used fragranced products emit a wide variety of chemicals into the air, some of which are federally regulated as toxic or hazardous substances, according to a study conducted by researcher Anne C. Steinemann of the University of Washington-Seattle and published in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review.

No Relief in Sight as Radio Ad Revenue Sinks -- Newly released data suggests that the U.S. radio industry could be on track to record its worst annual drop in ad revenue in decades.

H.R. 6257: Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2008 -- Amends the federal criminal code to reinstate, for 10 years, the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act's assault weapons ban to prohibit the manufacture, transfer, or possession of a semiautomatic assault weapon or a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Specifies models and features of banned weapons. Be sure to check out the links on the left hand column of this article.

Satellite Navigation For Emergency Management -- GMV has announced the results of the HARMLESS project, an international FP6 research effort aimed at studying and promoting the use of the Galileo and EGNOS satellite navigation systems for emergency management, humanitarian aid and law enforcement support.

Michigan State University Suspends Student for E-Mailing Professors -- A leader of Michigan State University’s student government faces suspension for “spam” after she carefully selected and e-mailed about 8 percent of the school’s faculty members encouraging them to express their views about changes to the freshman orientation and academic calendars.

YRC, Teamsters strike deal; more companies calling for relief -- The deal for relief from union agreements brokered between YRC and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters apparently paved the way for more companies to attempt deals with various labor unions.

ObamaForgery.com - Your Action Needed Now -- Send letters to the Justices of the Supreme Court and make calls to the White House, the Department of Justice, and conservative members of the House Judiciary Committee. CLICK HERE to find out how!!! 

H.R. 6257: Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2008 -- Amends the federal criminal code to reinstate, for 10 years, the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act's assault weapons ban to prohibit the manufacture, transfer, or possession of a semiautomatic assault weapon or a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Specifies models and features of banned weapons. Be sure to check out the links on the left hand column of this article.

Nerve Agent Leak Found at Kentucky Weapons Depot -- Army officials detected a GB vapor leak Monday from an M55 rocket stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison County. Inspectors discovered the leak during routine maintenance and monitoring procedures.

IDF preparing options for Iran strike -- The IDF is drawing up options for a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities that do not include coordination with the United States, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Group says lead levels in toys improved from last year but urges stricter standards -- After the high-profile recalls of millions of lead-contaminated toys last year, a watchdog group said Wednesday that its tests found fewer toys with high levels of chemicals in them this year. But about a third of the toys tested still contained a worrisome level of chemicals.

Treachery Inside The US Supreme Court by Devvy Kidd -- Events involving Barack Hussein Obama and his eligibility under the U.S. Constitution to serve as president is historical and has never happened in our life time. Not only is the prostitute media ignoring this issue of paramount importance, now the supreme court justices are being manipulated. Outrageous doesn't even begin to cover such chicanery.

Indiana soldiers sue over chemical exposure in Iraq -- Sixteen Indiana National Guard soldiers have filed a federal lawsuit against a defense contractor they say knowingly allowed them to be exposed to a toxic chemical in Iraq.

Government recommends Kansas for biodefense lab -- The federal government wants Manhattan, Kan., to be the location for a replacement for the aging Plum Island Animal Disease Research Center in Long Island, N.Y.

Zimbabwe 'asks for cholera help' -- Zimbabwe's government has asked for urgent international help to tackle its cholera outbreak, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

DARPA seeks Hitchhikers Deep Thought program -- Pentagon boffinry chiefs are seeking to develop radical AI software capable of boiling down information from the news, overhead spy planes, wiretaps and so on "into a form that is more suitable for human consumption". Specifically, this means using the data to produce "a cohesive story that is germane to the goals of a decision-maker".

Private sector sheds 250,000 jobs in November -- Private employers cut 250,000 jobs in November, the most in seven years, a report by a private employment service said on Wednesday.

1 in 5 young adults has personality disorder -- Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.

Financial crisis a distraction, says Nobel winner -- The global financial crisis is distracting attention from other pressing issues such as high food and energy prices, and environmental damage, Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus told AFP Wednesday.

Tortilla chips going biotech as limits change on seeds -- White corn, the variety that's milled into chips, taco shells and tortillas, has for years been free of genetic engineering. Millers and companies such as snack-food giant Frito-Lay bought only conventional, biotech-free varieties of the specialty corn from farmers. But that's changing. Read More...

'Natural-born' requirement called 'stupidest provision' -- An associate lawyer in a Chicago-based firm whose partner served on a finance committee for then-Sen. Barack Obama has advocated for the elimination of the U.S. Constitution's requirement that a president be a "natural-born" citizen, calling the requirement "stupid" and asserting it discriminates, is outdated and undemocratic.

Massachusetts lawmakers discuss privatizing turnpike -- A legislative panel in Massachusetts met Wednesday, Dec. 3, to discuss transportation funding options, including the possibility of leasing the Massachusetts Turnpike to private investors.

United Auto Workers grants concessions, exec warns of depression -- Worried about their jobs and warned that the cost of failure could be a depression, hundreds of leaders of the United Auto Workers voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to make concessions to the struggling Detroit Three, including all but ending a much-derided program that let laid-off workers collect up to 95 percent of their salaries.

Government data-mining programs lack oversight -- Americans leave behind countless digital footprints from everyday activities like making a phone call or using a credit card--footprints government agencies regularly track as part of their counterterrorism efforts.

PA is in trouble -- Rendell freezes non union workers pay. More than 13,000 nonunion state employees will go without raises in 2009 as the Rendell administration scrambles to fill an ever-deepening hole in the state budget.

Epilepsy Drug May Increase Autism Risk -- A new study shows that women who take the epilepsy drug valproate while pregnant may significantly increase their child’s risk of developing autism.

FEMA leaves behind tons of debris in Texas after hurricanes -- A 30-mile scar of debris along the Texas coast stands as a festering testament to what state and local officials say is FEMA's sluggish response to the 2008 hurricane season.

YouTube: Obama Vs. Constitution (60 Sec. TV Ad) -- Currently, there are 16 cases in 12 states (with 2 before the Supreme Court) contending that Barack Obama is constitutionally ineligible to be sworn in as President of the United States. This video outlines the challenges to his presidency and sheds light on his international upbringing.

ObamaForgery.com - Your Action Needed Now -- Send letters to the Justices of the Supreme Court and make calls to the White House, the Department of Justice, and conservative members of the House Judiciary Committee. CLICK HERE to find out how!!!

MRSA could be wiped out with... OREGANO, say British scientists -- The MRSA super-bug could be wiped out using natural oil from oregano, scientists revealed.

FDA Reluctantly Admits Mercury Fillings Have Neurotoxic Effects on Children -- For the first time, the FDA has issued a warning that the mercury contained in silver dental fillings may pose neurological risks to children and pregnant women.

Mob runs riot as Zimbabwe runs out of water -- The Zimbabwe National Water Authority turned off the pumps in the capital after it ran out of chemicals needed to to purify supplies. Water supplies to residents in Harare were cut by the authorities yesterday as Zimbabwe’s cholera epidemic tightened its grip and the city witnessed its worst unrest for a decade.

Where are the acorns? -- With acorns in short supply in Pennsylvania this year, squirrels are forced to find other food.

US soldiers re-enlisting because of poor economy -- In 2008, as the stock market cratered and the housing market collapsed, more young members of the Army, Air Force and Navy decided to re-up.

Selenium Curbs AIDS Virus, may Fight Cancer -- After decades of attempting to fight AIDS with experimental vaccines and drugs, scientists have recently discovered how several natural substances could be powerful weapons against the disease.

Nations sign cluster-bomb ban,US and Russia refuse -- Nations began signing a treaty banning cluster bombs Wednesday in a move that supporters hope will shame the U.S., Russia and China and other non-signers into abandoning weapons blamed for maiming and killing civilians.

Credit-Card Hackers in New Attack -- Holders of credit and debit cards are reporting an epidemic of unauthorized charges on their bills. It could be the sign of a massive card-fraud operation in the making. A company called Adele Services, based in Melville, N.Y., has been charging cards small amounts — 21 to 29 cents. Such charges are usually attempts by card fraudsters to test whether a particular card number is valid.

Bailed-out Citigroup invests $10 billion in toll roads -- An infrastructure subsidiary of recently bailed-out Citigroup has purchased a Spanish toll road company and its assets for $10 billion. The Citigroup subsidiary known as Citi Infrastructure Partners then sold $800 million of its newly acquired assets to separate companies from Spain and Italy.

Talcum powder as dangerous as asbestos -- dangers are that talc is related to asbestos – a known carcinogen – and that the presence of talc particles is linked to tumors. However, the FDA did not regulate cosmetic talc even after 1993 when the National Toxicology Program reported that cosmetic talc, which had no fibers, was the cause of tumors in animals.

Indictments Against Cheney, Gonzales Tossed Out -- A judge dismissed indictments against Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and told the south Texas prosecutor who brought the case to exercise caution as his term in office ends.

Somali Pirates Fail to Hijack US Cruise Liner -- Pirates near Somalia chased and shot at a U.S. cruise liner with more than 1,000 people on board but failed to hijack the vessel, a maritime official said Tuesday.

Tranquilizer Detox Withdrawal Can Last Years -- "The two most dangerous drugs to detox off of are benzos and alcohol," said Dr. Harris Stratyner, vice chairman of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. "A lot of insurance companies want you in the hospital if you're coming off of alcohol or benzos".

What Business Does Melamine Have in US Baby Formula Products? -- According to an Associated Press article published over the weekend, the FDA is going back on its previous statement that melamine contamination would not be tolerated in infant and baby formula sold in the United States. Now it appears that, despite sharing any evidence of studies supporting the safety of their decision, the FDA is allowing 1 part per million of melamine in baby formula sold in the United States so long as it doesn’t also include cyanuric acid, which combines with melamine to form melamine cyanurate.

Dogs of War: A contractor's tale -- "On the modern, outsourced battlefield, contractors are sustaining injuries and fatalities in increasing numbers." Read More...

Slump in activity at LA and Long Beach ports -- The California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have seen a big drop in activity, according to a report Tuesday morning, Dec. 2, on National Public Radio.

National Service Required to Kill America -- What is not well known among the public but is common knowledge inside the intelligence and defense agencies, is that these community services are already training with and using the very same kind of uniforms that the nazi youth and fascists used in Europe pre-war in the 1920s and 1930s.

Citizen Corps Council ID document -- Citizen Corps Councils can pre-order vests and other forms of identification clothing to distribute to volunteers at a deployment site. These forms of ID can held distinguish volunteers from the general public as well as trained volunteers from untrained, spontaneous volunteers.

You may Not Know: Your Food has been Genetically Engineered -- Your right to know will be taken from you because after seven years of debate, the FDA refuses to require labeling and has decided it’s not important for the consumer to be informed that his purchase from the meat counter has been genetically engineered.

Amero to become USA’s new currency when dollar collapses -- Pictures of the new currency that will supposedly replace the US dollar have appeared on the Russian Internet. The United States is reportedly working on the new currency, the amero, which will be common for the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Americans Turning to Survivalists for Advice By Nicholas K. Geranios -- The Armchair Survivalist believes the nation is falling into chaos, and he wants to help.

The Bush Move Game -- A little humor goes a long way!

Obama Letter: Aired in the Chicago Tribune -- Check it out! (This is a .pdf file format).

Gun sales booming across the nation -- People are buying guns and ammo by the handful, not only locally, but across the nation, and reports on the buying surge tend to focus on the election of Barack Obama as the impetus.

Gun owners dodge tax on ammunition -- Pennsylvania gun owners dodged a bullet when lawmakers failed to enact legislation that would have levied a 5-cent tax on each shell and required encoding ammunition with serial numbers and registering those numbers in a statewide database.

Transition Watch: Obama faces major problems with DHS -- The Homeland Security Department is in disarray, and the incoming Obama administration faces a Herculean task in sorting it out, according to a Boston Globe report.

Major Poultry Producer Files for Bankruptcy Protection [Pilgrim's Pride] -- Facing a combination of high feed prices, a glut of product on the market and a swelling debt load, one of the nation’s largest poultry producers filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday.

YouTube: Peter Schiff Analogies -- Ron Paul economic advisor Peter Schiff uses analogies to describe our current economic crisis. Topics include debt-financed consumption, business cycles, the Federal Reserve, the cronies in Washington, and the modern American service economy.

YouTube: PETER SCHIFF COLLAPSE ADVICE -- Listen to what he has to say.

Lawmaker wants strict regulation on the sale of herbal medicines -- FOR fear that the sale of some herbal medicines and food supplements in the country could pose danger to public health, a lawmaker asked Congress to impose stricter regulations on the distribution and promotion of said products.

Some US doctors may give up vaccines due to cost -- About one in 10 U.S. doctors who vaccinate privately insured children are considering dropping that service largely because they are losing money when they do it, according to a new survey.

Malls are next to face foreclosure -- The full scope of the housing meltdown is not clear, and already there are ominous signs of a new crisis -- one that could turn out the lights on malls, hotels and storefronts nationwide.

Pentagon to Detail Troops to Bolster Domestic Security -- The U.S. military expects to have 20,000 uniformed troops inside the United States by 2011 trained to help state and local officials respond to a nuclear terrorist attack or other domestic catastrophe, according to Pentagon officials.

Obama's Team Includes Dangerous Biotech "Yes Men" -- Biotech "Yes Men" on Obama's team threaten to expand the use of dangerous genetically modified (GM) foods in our diets. Instead of giving us change and hope, they may prolong the hypnotic "group think" that has been institutionalized over three previous administrations--where critical analysis was abandoned in favor of irrational devotion to this risky new technology.

Imaging guru: 'Certification' of birth time, location is fake -- A computer imaging expert, who examined the "Certification of Live Birth" Barack Obama's campaign posted online to rebut charges he is ineligible to be president due to the Constitution's "natural born citizen" requirement, says it's a fake, and further, that such fraud is criminal.

Obama Fomenting A Constitutional Crisis: Constitutional Lawyer Discusses Ramifications Of Controversy -- Controversy continues to surround President-elect Barack Obama's eligibility to serve as president, and a case involving his birth certificate waits for its day before the U.S. Supreme Court. A constitutional lawyer said were it to be discovered that Mr. Obama is not a natural-born U.S. citizen, it would have grave consequences for the nation.

U.S. ignored warnings on financial meltdown -- The Bush administration backed off proposed crackdowns on no-money-down, interest-only mortgages years before the economy collapsed, buckling to pressure from some of the same banks that have now failed.

America's Child Soldiers: US Military Recruiting Children to Serve in the Armed Forces -- In violation of its pledge to the United Nations not to recruit children into the military, the Pentagon “regularly target(s) children under 17,” the American Civil Liberties Union(ACLU) says.

ND farmer defies government by draining wetlands -- Armed with a tractor or a backhoe, Alvin Peterson moves dirt to drain prairie potholes on his land, saying he's putting the land back to the way God intended. The 78-year-old retired farmer from Lawton, in northeastern North Dakota, has been in hot water with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over wetlands for more than 40 years. The agency had an easement contract with his father for the potholes to house and feed wildlife.

New friendly fire coverup: Army shreds files on dead soldiers -- Hours after Salon revealed evidence that two Americans were killed by a U.S. tank, not enemy fire, military officials destroyed papers on the men.

Melamine In China Soybeans Fed To Organic Poultry! -- It is not just in one food item, now we see it used as fertilizer thus poisoning our crops...both organic and factory-farmed. Organic soybeans from China are contaminated with it. It is used in powdered milk thus poisoning baby formula. Read More...

Chesapeake Energy, Largest US Natural Gas Producer, Runs Out Of Cash -- Chesapeake Energy Corp., the nation's largest producer of natural gas, seeks to raise up to $1.8 billion through common stock sales in an effort to fund its drilling and exploration activities and mitigate the impact of lower natural gas prices on cash flow.

PepsiCo Pursues Ancient Leaf as Cola ‘Breakthrough’ -- The Food and Drug Administration is poised to act on allowing a zero-calorie sweetener derived from the stevia plant grown in Paraguay and China. Approval may allow the world’s two largest soda makers to reverse three years of U.S. soft-drink sales declines with beverages containing the natural extract, according to Mariann Montagne, an analyst at Minneapolis-based Thrivent Asset Management.

DOUBLESPEAK AND AMERICAN SOCIALISM -- It’s not fashionable these days to tell the truth about our financial and economic problems. The reason is simple—the media want to keep the American people in the dark about what is happening to their country.

Expert: Small Ark. earthquakes could be warning -- A series of small earthquakes that rattled central Arkansas in recent weeks could be a sign of something much bigger to come.

Uranium Found in Kansas Drinking Water Supplies -- The radioactive element uranium has been found above federal limits in the drinking water supplies of nine Kansas communities, says Don Whittemore, a geochemist with the Kansas Geological Survey. Now these communities must devise solutions to bring down the uranium levels.

Family clings to hope, struggles without water -- This family still smiles despite a flood of problems that include contaminated well water at their home in the town of Cedar, Iowa - being laid off work then in October - then having to borrow money to replace the furnace.

FDA Touts Efforts to Enhance Food Safety -- -- Responding to criticism that it has done a poor job safeguarding the nation's food supply, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a report Monday detailing its efforts to protect consumers.

Outbreak Of Severe Diarrheal Illness In Northeastern Oklahoma -- The Oklahoma State Department of Health announced today that the Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove, OK, has undergone a rigorous inspection process and has been cleared to resume normal business operations. The restaurant had been closed since August 25 after being identified as the source of a large foodborne outbreak in northeastern Oklahoma resulting in severe diarrheal illness.

Prevent Foodborne Illness This Holiday Season -- The OSDH suggests the following food safety tips to enjoy your holiday season....read more...!

Genome of Ultra-Resistant E. coli Published -- Mad rantings about politics, evolution, and microbiology...So onto to an incredibly resistant Escherichia coli strain.

VIDEO: The Video that could cost Obama the election -- You tube video of Barack Obama in Kenya supporting Raila Odinga, the election and violence afterwards.

Venezuela, Russia to start naval exercises today, Dec. 1, 2008 -- Exercises will include anti-aircraft defense and tactics to combat terrorism and drug trafficking. Some will involve helicopters and planes.

Gold over $2,000? -- Citigroup says gold could rise above $2,000 next year as world unravels!

Massacre in Mumbai: Up to SEVEN gunmen were British and 'came from same area as 7/7 bombers' -- British-born Pakistanis were among the Mumbai terrorists, Indian government sources claimed today, as the death toll rose to at least 150.

Days after India says it’s clean, bird flu strikes Assam block -- a fortnight after India declared itself free of avian flu, preliminary reports have confirmed a fresh outbreak of the virus in Hajo block of Kamrup district in Assam where more than 200 poultry birds have died since last Saturday.

For stores, the holiday season may already be over -- The holiday shopping season began Friday with a blitz of early morning specials. For some merchants, though, it's practically over already.

Danger - What Foods Should I Avoid? -- A comprehensive list of what to avoid.

Terrorists could strike Britain by infecting country with bird flu -- Terrorists could strike Britain by infecting the country with bird flu or Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

How to Protect Yourself From Cancer-Causing Acrylamides in the Foods You Love -- A new study shows that adding certain compounds to your diet can protect you from the harmful effects of acrylamides found in many of American's favorite foods.

17 Babies Nearly Killed by Blood Thinner Overdose at Texas Hospital -- At least 17 newborn infants received massive overdoses of blood thinning drugs, possibly leading to the deaths of two of them. The children received a major overdose of the blood thinner heparin in the neonatal intensive care unit of Christus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Bird flu outbreak in Assam, culling operations on -- Authorities in Assam have started culling chicken and ducks since Friday following a fresh outbreak of bird flu in poultry. According to official reports samples have been sent to laboratories in Bhopal and some have tested positive for the H5N1 stain.

What the data miners are digging up about you -- Databases know more about you than you realize.

Fears legislative meddling in Mass Pike could trigger financial collapse -- There are fears that legislative meddling in the the proposed toll increases approved by the board of the Massachusetts Turnpike could trigger default orders and calls against about $500m in borrowings. This week Turnpike CEO Alan LeBovidge issued a statement in which he said that the Turnpike's liabilities under three shaky swap contracts have "skyrocketed" to $447m. And the numbers change every day, most often upward.

Fed continues to stonewall in Freedom of Information Act suit -- The Federal Reserve is refusing to identify the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers or the troubled assets the central bank is accepting as collateral.

Violation of oath form -- Let's start writing tickets to the plitiCONS in DC who violate OUR Constitution!!! Download, print, and mail to your House Rep!

Civil disorder, riots, war by 2009, 2010. Gold to pass $2,000 oz -- An internal memo from a top Citibank analyst reveals what the banks really think about the global financial situation, and the outlook is grim.

Weaponizing Satanic Powers -- “We are seeing the preparation for the most advanced, supernatural military system in the history of the world: empowered, enlarged, enlightened, transmuted, with a raging insatiable and demonic agenda. And nothing we are seeing now can prepare us for the next few years.

The Famine of 2009 -- With food shortages threatening to become the biggest crisis of the 21st century, you can bet food riots are coming to America. In fact, top trend forecaster, Gerald Celente, warns on coming US food riots.

H1N1 Tamiflu Resistance in United States Near 100% -- The above comments from this week’s weekly report from the CDC confirm that most H1N1 in the Unites States this season will have H274Y and be oseltamivir resistant.

Cops force U.S. soldiers to lick 'urine' off ground -- Two Iraq war veterans who claim police forced them to lick what was believed to be human urine off the ground have filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit against the officers.

Summary of Evidence of Controlled Demolition at the World Trade Center -- This work is dedicated to Chief of Department Peter J. Ganci Jr. and his 342 fellow F.D.N.Y. members killed in action while trying to save others.