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Nederlander akkoord met aftappen om terrorisme te onderzoeken | nu.nl/tech | Het laatste nieuws het eerst op nu.nl
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 13:48
  Bijna driekwart van de Nederlanders vind het geen probleem dat de overheid internet- en telefoonverkeer aftapt als dat is vanwege de strijd tegen het terrorisme. Ze zijn bereid privacy daarvoor op te geven.Dat blijkt uit onderzoek van NUtech.
  73 procent van de ruim 2000 ondervraagden geeft aan dat de Nederlandse overheid burgers moet kunnen aftappen als dat mogelijk terrorisme voorkomt. 18 procent is er tegen.
  Zeven op de tien respondenten denken bovendien dat de overheid sowieso al op grote schaal communicatie via internet en telefoon 'afluistert'. 20 procent maakt zich daar ernstige zorgen over terwijl 35 procent zich slechts 'een beetje zorgen' maakt. De grootste groep (44 procent) maakt zich geen zorgen.
  Het onderzoek van NUtech is uitgevoerd vanwege de recente onthullingen rond PRISM, het aftapprogramma van de Amerikaanse overheid. De VS tappen op grote schaal internet- en telefoonverkeer af. Ook in Nederland zou dit gebeuren, hoewel minister Plasterk (Binnenlandse Zaken) dat onlangs nog tegensprak.
  PrivacyschendingIn de VS is ook onderzoek gedaan naar de mening van Amerikanen over het aftappen van hun communicatie. Een krappe meerderheid van 56 procent is daar voor aftappen om terrorisme te voorkomen. In Nederland is dat dus veel meer.
  62 procent van de Amerikanen stelde in het onderzoek dat onderzoek naar terrorisme belangrijker is dan privacyschending. Precies hetzelfde percentage geeft in het Nederlandse onderzoek, uitgevoerd door Peil.nl van Maurice de Hond, aan dat privacy geschonden mag worden om terrorisme te voorkomen.
  Ongeveer een op de drie Nederlanders vindt dat privacy niet geschonden mag worden, zelfs als daardoor het opsporen van terroristen moeilijker is. Over het algemeen blijken mensen die stemmen op VVD, CDA en PVV aftappen meer te steunen. Vrouwen geven gemiddeld ook eerder hun privacy op dan mannen.
  Alle uitkomsten van het onderzoek zijn op NUtech te vinden
  5 dingen die je moet weten over PRISM
  Door: NU.nl/Colin van Hoek
VIDEO-BREAKING! Glenn Greenwald Responds To News Edward Snowden Has Left Hong Kong - YouTube
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 13:27
Julian Assange on Edward Snowden exit from Hong Kong
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  Source: Hacker News
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 13:22
  Political asylum: Supporters of Edward Snowden march to the US Consulate in Hong Kong. Photo: Reuters
  WikiLeaks has brokered an offer of political asylum for United States intelligence whistle-blower Edward Snowden and is assisting his travel from Hong Kong via Moscow to another as yet unidentified country.
  WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange on Sunday confirmed his organisation's involvement in Mr Snowden's sudden departure from Hong Kong ahead of US government efforts to secure his extradition on espionage and other charges arising from the leak of top secret US National Security Agency surveillance programs.
  "Mr Snowden is flying in an Aeroflot aircraft over Russian airspace, accompanied by WikiLeaks legal advisers," Mr Assange said.
  "He is expected to land in Moscow at 5pm, local time (11pm, 23 June, Eastern Australian Standard Time) and will be met by diplomats from the country that will be his ultimate destination. Diplomats from that country will accompany him on a further flight to his destination."
  Mr Assange declined to name the country in question in advance of a formal announcement, but described it as a "democratic country" and said that Mr Snowden would be able to travel "by a safe route" and that papers had been issued to ensure his safe passage.
  "Owing to WikiLeaks' own circumstances, we have developed significant expertise in international asylum and extradition law, associated diplomacy and the practicalities in these matters," Mr Assange said.
  "I have great personal sympathy for Ed Snowden's position. WikiLeaks absolutely supports his decision to blow the whistle on the mass surveillance of the world's population by the US government."
  Mr Assange, who has himself spent a year at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London where he has diplomatic asylum, said that he was "thankful to the countries that have been doing the right thing in these matters. WikiLeaks hopes that Ed Snowden's rights will be protected, including his right to free communication".
  "I am also thankful and proud of the courage of WikiLeaks' staff and all those who have assisted his exit from Hong Kong."
  The Hong Kong government earlier on Sunday announced that Mr Snowden had left the special administrative region of China "on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel".
  The Hong Kong government's statement also said the documents for Mr Snowden's extradition submitted by the US government "did not fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law".
  "As the [Hong Kong] government has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for a provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr Snowden from leaving Hong Kong."
  Iceland has been widely tipped as a possible destination for Mr Snowden.
  Two days ago an Icelandic businessman linked to WikiLeaks said he had readied a private plane to fly Mr Snowden to Iceland if the Icelandic government was prepared to grant him asylum.
  "We have made everything ready at our end now we only have to wait for confirmation from the (Icelandic) Interior Ministry," Olafur Vignir Sigurvinsson said. Mr Sigurvinsson is a former director of DataCell, a company which processed payments for WikiLeaks.
  "We could fly Snowden over tomorrow if we get positive reaction from the Interior Ministry. We need to get confirmation of asylum and that he will not be extradited to the US. We would most want him to get a citizenship as well," Mr Sigurvinsson added.
NSA Whistleblower Russ Tice Alleges NSA Wiretapped Barack Obama as Senate Candidate - YouTube
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 13:21
  NSA Whistleblower Russ Tice Alleges NSA Wiretapped Barack Obama as Senate Candidate - YouTube Cryptogon News NetworkDatabase queries: 48 | Page load time: 0.1s | Memory usage: 6.1 MB | PHP v.5.2.17 | MySQL v.5.5.32-log | Hotaru CMS v.1.4.2
VIDEO-Fatboy Slim - Weapon Of Choice [OFFICIAL VIDEO] - YouTube
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 13:11
A taste of Field Day audio'...
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  Source: brainwagon
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:56
  I haven't been doing much work on ham radio lately. In fact, I haven't even had my IC-735 hooked up since before Thanksgiving. But today, I decided to try to dust off the old equipment and see if I could get it powered up. After much digging around for all the right cabling, I got it mostly together, and started tuning around.
  I'm not a contester, and in fact have never really worked Field Day: I prefer a more leisurely approach to ham radio. But I do like tuning around. I started out by testing my rig out with 10w of output power on JT65 on 20m. It took me a bit of work to get it sorted, but finally I started showing up on the PSK Reporter map, indicating that at least my signal was radiating. I didn't have much luck getting anyone to call back though: it was already after dark, and propagation seemed to be waning. So, I went down to 30m and tried chirping out some WSPR. While doing that, I noticed a WSPR signal, and fired up ARGO to capture this nice grab of K5CO:
  But 30m was fading for me too, and I wasn't entirely happy with my setup. So, I decided just to tune around listening to SSB signals on 40m. Down around 7.271Mhz, I caught KH6RS working a bit of a mini-pileup from Hawaii. I turned on Audacity and recorded a bit of the audio, which demonstrates the kind of reception I get with my current, quite limited antennas. Still, if you guys didn't get a chance to tune around today, it might be vaguely comforting.
  KH6RS on 40m from Maui'...Hope you all had a fun field day.
REGIME CHANGE - BRAZIL
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  Source: aangirfan
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:55
  Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator has written: It's Not About 20 Cents, It's About U.S-Guided Regime Change - JUNE 22, 20132. "To the irritation of Washington, Brazil has failed to extend support on issues such as the 2011 intervention in Libya, where Brasilia thought the Western powers were jumping the gun and abused the UN mandate to pursue regime change." 3. "Brazil has been irked by US failure to support its long-held ambition for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council."4."Washington, traditionally the main foreign-arms supplier to Brazil, won't overlook Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev's February visit to Brazil to sign an agreement on selling air-defence equipment with President Rousseff."
  Brazil balks at serving as junior partner to the US - by Alistair Burnett (June 13, 2013)
  5. "The highest-profile disagreement between the two has been over the Brazilian attempt, along with Turkey, to break the deadlock between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear programme. "Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva went to Iran with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May 2010 to sign a confidence-building deal with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to send Iranian-enriched uranium for reprocessing abroad, so it could not be diverted to any weapons programme. "The US immediately rejected the deal. "Then secretary of state Hillary Clinton accused Brazil and Turkey of making the world 'a more dangerous place'.Rio. CIA'S DRUGS GANGS"Then Foreign Minister Celso Amorim insisted the US had been kept abreast of the negotiations; when asked at an international security conference later in the year why the US had rejected the deal, he said, 'Some people just can't take 'yes' for an answer.' "He suggests the Americans were happy to go along with the initiative because they thought it would fail; when it succeeded, they turned on Brasilia. "The agreement was essentially the same as a proposed deal that Iran and the UN Security Council's permanent five powers, plus Germany, almost signed eight months before in Geneva - another reason Brazil was taken aback by the US condemnation."US diplomats and analysts take the view that Brazil is often unhelpful, by which they seem to mean it doesn't always support US policy.
  "For their part, the Brazilians say the US doesn't want to accept that the world has changed, and Washington can't accept that it must deal with emerging economies on an equal footing.Brazil balks at serving as junior partner to the US - by Alistair Burnett (June 13, 2013)
  6. "The countries have also had their share of trade disputes over products from orange juice to cotton, whereas the US has tried to limit access to its markets for Brazilian produce.
NHL.com - The National Hockey League
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:53
  LIVE UPDATESEN | FR | RU | SEView Full SitePrivacy Policy | Terms of Service | Mobile FeedbackNHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.
  (C) NHL 2013 All Rights Reserved
BBC News - Rosneft in $270bn China oil supply deal
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:50
  21 June 2013Last updated at09:34 ETRussian state oil company Rosneft has agreed to double its oil supplies to China, in a deal worth $270bn (£175bn) over 25 years.
  Under the terms of the deal, Rosneft will supply 300,000 barrels of oil a day to China starting in 2015.
  It is a further sign that Russia - the world's biggest oil producer - is focusing on Asia, not Europe, as its main business partner of the future.
  Rosneft will receive $70bn upfront, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
  Rosneft's chairman Igor Sechin told reporters in St Petersburg that the supply deal would be one of the biggest in the country's history.
  The upfront payments will be particularly welcome for Rosneft, whose debt level has surged since it acquired Anglo-Russian producer TNK-BP in a $55bn cash-and-stock deal in October 2012.
  According to ratings agency Standard and Poor's, Rosneft faces large debt maturities of $6.6bn in 2013, $15.9bn in 2014, and $16.2bn in 2016. The Chinese payments will lighten this load considerably.
  Russia currently exports about 4.4 million barrels of oil per day, with Asian markets accounting for 17% of that.
Top US Journalist Attempting To Reach Israeli Consulate Assassinated
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  World's Largest English Language News Service with Over 500 Articles Updated Daily
  "The News You Need Today'...For The World You'll Live In Tomorrow."
  What You Aren't Being Told About The World You Live In
  IronMountainApocalypse: The True Story Of 2013
  A ''must have'' book for those seeking to understand the true events surrounding the most troubled years of our modern times. (Continued)
  Picking up the Pieces: Practical Guide for Surviving Economic Crashes, Internal Unrest and Military SuppressionBy: Sorcha Faal ''In the span of less than 3 months gasoline prices will rise 500%. The prices of both food and shelter rise over 300%. (Continued)
  Partisans Handbook:By: Sorcha Faal ''Essential Survival Guide For Resisting Foreign Military Occupation, Escape And Evasion Techniques, Surviving Interrogation, Facing Execution, Wilderness Survival (Continued)
  June 20, 2013
  Top US Journalist Attempting To Reach Israeli Consulate Assassinated
  By:Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers
  A grim report circulating in the Kremlin today prepared by the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) claims that award winning American journalist Michael Hastings[photo top left] was assassinated by a US military drone strike early this past Tuesday morning (PDT) while attempting to reach what he believed would be a safe haven at the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles, California.
  Hastings, this report says, was instrumental in destroying the careers of two of Americas top war leaders, Generals Stanley McChrystal and David Petraeus, along with earning the ire of former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton whose top aide, Philippe Reines, told Hastings this past September (2012) to ''F**k off'' and ''Have a good life'' after being questioned about Clintons role in what is referred to as the Benghazi Attack which killed 4 Americans in Libya including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.
  Hastings 2010 Rolling Stone article ''The Runaway General'' is credited with being the impetus behind the downfall of General McChrystal, and his 2012 BuzzFeed News Service article ''The Sins Of General David Petraeus'' likewise helped in the savaging of General Petraeus whom Hastings said, ''seduced America and should never have been trusted by the American people.''
  Interestingly, this report says, GRU ''electronic assets'' reporting on the assassination of Hastings were conducting ''routine operations'' in the Southern California region monitoring the US Navy's testing of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) known as the ShadowHawk® [see videoHERE][photo 3rd left] manufactured by Vanguard Defense Industries.
  While performing what GRU analysts say in this report were ''routine night flight observations'' of a small fleet of ShadowHawks® at the US Marine Base Camp Pendleton in Southern California during the early morning hours of 18 June, a single ShadowHawk® broke formation and ''sped'' towards the Los Angeles whereupon it fired upon a vehicle nearing the intersection of Highland and Melrose avenues at around 04:15 PDT destroying it and, presumably, killing its sole occupant Michael Hastings.
  Upon the ShadowHawk® destroying this vehicle, described by eyewitnesses as a Mercedes Benz, this report continues, GRU signal intelligence analysts (SIGINT) identified ''at least'' 4 cellular communications between this vehicle and the Israeli Consulate located at 11766 Wilshire Blvd, and which further GRU GPS and cellular data analysis revealed Hastings was headed towards at a ''high rate of speed.''
  As the ShadowHawk® attack upon Hastings's vehicle occurred with his being only 14.3 kilometers (8.9 miles) from his presumed safety under Israeli protection at their Los Angeles consulate, this report says, even at that early hour many residents were awakened by the explosion providing ''excellent'' eyewitness testimony which ''severely'' conflicts with Americas mainstream propaganda organs.
  Where the US mainstream media is reporting Hastings's vehicle was destroyed after it slammed into a tree, this report continues, these eyewitnesses say otherwise, and as has been further noted by the InfoWars News Service who write:
  ''Photographs of the crash scene'... reveal that the car Hastings was in did not experience a high-speed crash. ''There is no impact damage to this car. The only damage there is BLOWN OUT in the back, not smashed in the front and it obviously missed the tree as it rolled to a stop,'' writes Jim Stone. ''This was a Mercedes, not a Pinto, which means it did not burst into flames on its own. One (seldom quoted) eyewitness said the car 'exploded.'''
  Even worse for the American media in their attempt to cover-up Hastings assassination, this report says, was the video taping by Los Angeles based Loud Lab News Service[view raw videoHERE] of the assassination site clearly showing Hastings vehicle did not collide with a tree, but was, instead, showing all the characteristics of it being hit by a missile.
  As to why Hastings was assassinated this GRU report doesn't speculate upon, other than to note that the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Hastings ''had the CIA in his sites'' and Wikileaks is reporting today that: ''Michael Hastings contacted WikiLeaks lawyer Jennifer Robinson just a few hours before he died, saying that the FBI was investigating him.''
  This GRU report does note, however, that Hastings, during this past week, had ''extensive contact'' with former CIA and NSA whistle blower analyst Edward Snowden whom many considers the ''most wanted man in America'' for his releasing of top-secret documents detailing Obama's growing police state.
  The significance of Hastings contact with Snowden, this report says, lies in Obama's being able to assassinate any American he so chooses without charges or trial, and was this past March (2013) confirmed by US Attorney General Eric Holder, who in a letter to the US Congress stated: ''President Barack Obama has the legal authority to unleash deadly force'--such as drone strikes'--against Americans on U.S. soil without first putting them on trial.''
  Raising the greatest fears of GRU analysts, this report concludes, is that Hastings assassination is linked to the upcoming ''false-flag event'' being planned by the Obama regime that many Russian intelligence experts warn is but ''weeks, if not days, away.''
  June 20, 2013 (C) EU and US all rights reserved. Permission to use this report in its entirety is granted under the condition it is linked back to its original source at WhatDoesItMean.Com. Freebase content licensed under CC-BY and GFDL.
  [Ed. Note: Western governments and their intelligence services actively campaign against the information found in these reports so as not to alarm their citizens about the many catastrophic Earth changes and events to come, a stance that the Sisters of Sorcha Faal strongly disagrees with in believing that it is every human beings right to know the truth. Due to our missions conflicts with that of those governments, the responses of their 'agents' against us has been a longstanding misinformation/misdirection campaign designed to discredit and which is addressed in the report ''Who Is Sorcha Faal?''.]
  Apocalypse Slams Into America, Few Notice
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  They Are Going To Come For You'...Why Are You Helping Them?
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LPFM Window To Open In October 2013; Revised Form 318 Released
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:37
  PUBLIC NOTICE
  Federal Communications Commission
  News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
  445 12th St., S.W.Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
  Washington, D.C. 20554
  TTY: 1-888-835-5322
  DA 13-1385
  Released: June 17, 2013
  MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF THE REVISED
  FCC FORM 318 AND THE FILING PROCEDURES FOR
  OCTOBER 15 OCTOBER 29, 2013 LOW POWER FM FILING WINDOW
  As directed by the Commission,1 this Public Notice ("Notice") announces procedures and filingrequirements that will apply to the upcoming Low Power FM ("LPFM") new station and major changefiling window. The window is available for LPFM proposals in the entire FM band (channels 201-300).The window will open on October 15, 2013, and close at 6:00 pm EDT on October 29, 2013.The Commission established the LPFM service in 2000 and more than 800 LPFM stations havebeen licensed from the initial 2000-2001 windows. The Commission recently modified a number ofLPFM licensing and service rules to implement the Local Community Radio Act2 and to otherwisepromote a robust and sustainable community radio service. Potential applicants are encouraged to reviewthese recent Commission Orders.3Participation.
  Each applicant must be a nonprofit educational organization, or a Tribe orTribally-controlled organization, or a state or local government or a non-government entity that willprovide a noncommercial public safety radio service to protect the safety of life, health, or property.4Each applicant will be required to document its eligibility.5 Applicants also must be "local" as that termis defined in the Commission's Rules.6LPFM applications filed during this window must protect all FM, FM Translator, FM Boosterand TV Channel 6 authorizations. LPFM applications also must protect pending broadcast applications inthese services that were filed prior to the date of this Notice. Finally, LPFM applications must protect1 See Creation of a Low Power Radio Service, Fifth Order on Reconsideration and Sixth Report and Order, 27 FCCRcd 15402, 15481 (2012) ("Sixth Report and Order").2 Pub. L. No. 111-371, 124 Stat. 4072 (2011).3 Sixth Report and Order, 27 FCC Rcd at 15424-15482; Creation of a Low Power Radio Service, Fifth Report andOrder, Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Fourth Order on Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 3315(2012).4 See 47 C.F.R. 73.853. See also Creation of a Low Power Radio Service, Report and Order, 15 FCC Rcd 2205,2212-15 (2000) (nonprofit and public safety applicant eligibility) ("Report and Order"); Creation of a Low PowerRadio Service, Fifth Order on Reconsideration and Sixth Report and Order, 27 FCC Rcd 15402, 15454-57 (2012)(tribal applicant eligibility).5 See FCC Form 318 Instructions, Section II, B. (April 2013).6 See 47 C.F.R. 73.853(b).
  existing vacant FM allotments.7 Consistent with established processing rules, an LPFM application thatfails to protect these authorizations, applications, and allotments will be dismissed with no opportunity tocorrect the deficiency.8Revised FCC Form 318.
  By this Notice, the Bureau is also making available the revised FCCForm 318, Application for Construction Permit for a Low Power FM Broadcast Station (April 2013version). The revised form is effective immediately and must be used by all LPFM applicants. Allprevious editions of the FCC Form 318 are obsolete and may not be used in the October 15-October 29,2013, filing window.Filing Requirements.
  Those wishing to participate in this LPFM window must electronicallycomplete and timely file FCC Form 318, Application for Construction Permit for a Low Power FMBroadcast Station. No fee is required when filing FCC Form 318.Applications must be filed between October 15, 2013 and October 29, 2013. Applications filedearlier in the window will not receive any preference over those filed later in the window. Applicationsfiled before October 15, 2013, or after October 29, 2013, will be returned. Incomplete and patentlydefective applications will be dismissed without any opportunity to amend.9Electronic Filing Instructions.
  Applications must be filed through the Media Bureau'sConsolidated Database System (CDBS) online filing system. The CDBS electronic filing system hasnumerous business rules and other edit checks to help ensure that filings are substantially complete whenfiled. When filing a new or major change proposal, applicants must select "New station" or "MajorChange in licensed facility," respectively, on the Pre-form for Form 318 (Question 2 ApplicationPurpose).10 Instructions for use of the electronic filing system are available in the CDBS User's Guide,which can be accessed from the electronic filing website at:http://licensing.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbs_ug.htmFor assistance with electronic filing, call the Audio Division Help Desk at (202) 418-2662.Applicants are encouraged to access the system and prepare their applications and amendments attheir earliest convenience. Applicants may begin to complete applications immediately. Applicants arealso encouraged to submit their applications early during the window to ensure proper submission. Anapplicant may amend a filed application without limitation during the window by checking the Section I,Question 3 box "Amendment to pending application."11 Applications and amendments filed during the7 See 47 C.F.R. 73.807 and 73.825.8 See, e.g., Low Power FM Filing Window, Public Notice, 15 FCC Rcd 24817, 24818 (MB 2000).9 See 47 C.F.R. 73.801 (incorporating 73.3566 into Subpart G). See also Report and Order, 15 FCC Rcd at2257.10 Although LPFM permittees may file "major modification of construction permit" applications, the Bureaustrongly discourages such filings. They will be subject to competing proposals. Such an applicant will have noassurance that its major modification proposal will be comparatively preferred to mutually exclusive filings or,assuming that it is, that the application will be granted prior to the expiration of the underlying construction permit.The Bureau will automatically dismiss any major modification application upon expiration of the associated permit.It is imperative that an applicant submitting a major modification of construction permit application have analternate plan to complete station construction prior to the construction permit deadline.11 Form 318, Section 1, Question 3 (April 2013); 47 C.F.R. 73.871(a).2
  window will not be made available to the public until after the close of the filing window. To ensure thesecurity of its application, it is important that an applicant shares its CDBS account passwords with onlythose individuals who are authorized to view and/or modify proposals in progress.To complete the filing process, applicants must select the specific application under "Work inProgress" and then click on the "File Form" button. Applicants that have successfully filed Form 318will immediately receive a CDBS response similar to the following:FCC MB CDBS Electronic Filing
  Application Reference Number: 20131018ABC
  Successfully filed at Oct 18 2013 12:01AM
  Applicants that believe they have filed correctly and have not received such a message from the electronicfiling system should log into their CDBS account and determine the status of the application. If the statusis other than "Ready" or "Filed," the application has NOT been properly filed and will NOT be processed.Following the close of the window, the Commission staff will return and/or dismiss
  applications and amendments not submitted in accordance with the procedures described in thisPublic Notice. No curative amendments for such applications and amendments will be acceptedafter the close of the window.The Commission must receive electronically filed applications no later than 6:00 PM EDT onOctober 29, 2013.Finding an LPFM Station Channel.
  Applicants may use the Bureau's LPFM Channel Finder tohelp determine if a proposed transmitter site would meet minimum LPFM station spacing requirements.This internet-based utility is available on the FCC web site at: http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/low-power-fm-lpfm-channel-finder. The LPFM Channel Finder incorporates certain technical changesimplemented by the LPFM Sixth Report and Order.12 The site also provides additional information onthe LPFM service, including the text of the Sixth Report and Order, specific rule requirements for LPFMapplicants, and methods to determine the coordinates of an applicant's proposed transmitter site. Pleasenote that the LPFM Channel Finder tool is intended solely to assist LPFM applicants in tentativelyidentifying available FM channels.13 There is no guarantee that channels represented as "available" willbe technically acceptable at the time an application is filed. An applicant should consider using aconsulting engineer or a party familiar with the LPFM technical rules to determine the technicalacceptability of its application, particularly if the applicant is requesting a second-adjacent channelspacing waiver.Application Limitation.
  Nonprofit educational organizations may not file more than oneapplication in this window. Tribal applicants may not file more than two applications. Not-for-profitorganizations or governmental entities proposing to operate public safety or emergency services may filemore than one application. However, applicants proposing public safety or emergency services mustdesignate a "priority" application if multiple applications are submitted. Non-priority applications will bedismissed if competing applications are filed in the window. For applicants subject to the one applicationfiling limit, a second application filed by such an applicant in this window would be treated as a12 See Sixth Report and Order, 27 FCC Rcd at 15424-15449.13 The Bureau will update the Channel finder in the coming months to reflect database changes.3
  "conflicting" application subject to dismissal under Section 73.3518.14 This restriction applies evenwhere more than one frequency is available at its proposed transmitter site.Conflicting Applications. After the close of the LPFM filing window, in cases of conflicting,
  i.e., "mutually exclusive," applications, mutual exclusivity determinations will be made with regardto all timely and complete filings.15 Thus, unless the applicants propose a settlement, the Commissionwill use a point system to select among the mutually exclusive applications.16 Applicants may claim apoint for the following criteria if the applicant: (1) has an established community presence of at least twoyears; (2) pledges to originate locally at least eight hours of programming per day; (3) pledges to maintaina publicly accessible main studio that has local program origination capability; (4) can certify that itqualifies for a point under both the local program origination and the main studio criteria; (5) can certifythat neither it nor any party to the application has an attributable interest in another broadcast station; and(6) is a Tribal Applicant proposing to locate its transmitting antenna site on that Tribal Applicant's TribalLands.17The comparative qualifications of applicants, i.e., maximum possible points awarded pursuant toSection 73.872, are established as of the close of the filing window. While new and major changeapplications may be amended without limitation during the filing window,18 amendments that wouldimprove the comparative position of these new and major change applications will not be accepted afterthe close of the filing window.19Additional information on the LPFM service and LPFM station licensing procedures may befound at: http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/low-power-fm-broadcast-radio-stations-lpfm.For additional information, contact:Assistance with FRN numbers and passwords: FRN Help Desk 1-(877) 480-3201, Option 4Electronic filing assistance: Konrad Herling or David Trout, (202) 418-2662Legal inquiries: Tom Hutton or Parul P. Desai, (202) 418-2700Engineering inquiries: James Bradshaw or Gary Loehrs, (202) 418-2700Press inquiries: Janice Wise, (202) 418-8165FCC14 47 C.F.R. 73.3518. See also 47 C.F.R. 73.801 (making Section 73.3518 applicable to LPFM stations).15 47 C.F.R. 73.870(d).16 47 C.F.R. 73.872.17 Id. See also Form 318 Instructions, Section III, A-G (April 2013) (providing detailed instructions to determineeligibility for point system factors).18 47 C.F.R. 73.871(a).19 47 C.F.R. 73.871(b).4
  Note: We are currently transitioning our documents into web compatible formats for easier reading. We have done our best to supply this content to you in a presentable form, but there may be some formatting issues while we improve the technology. The original version of the document is available as a PDF, Word Document, or as plain text.
DN!
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  Archived Version
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:34
  JUAN GONZLEZ: We turn now to a major victory in the fight for media democratization. In response to a 15-year campaign, the Federal Communications Commission has opened the application process for thousands of new noncommercial FM radio licenses, including licenses in urban areas. This means nonprofits, labor unions and community groups have a one-time-only chance this year to own a bit of the broadcast airwaves. It's being heralded as, quote, "the largest expansion of community radio in United States history." The FCC's application window will run from October 15th to October 29th.
  AMYGOODMAN: The Philadelphia-based nonprofit Prometheus Radio Project has led the 15-year campaign to challenge corporate control of the media and open up this space on the dial. In this video, the group explains the power of community media. This clip features Cam Tu Nguyen, the Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association; then Ash-Lee Henderson of Concerned Citizens for Justice; and Emery Wright of Project South.
  CAM TU NGUYEN: When we don't have the media and'--or the media is controlled by another group that doesn't have our side of the story, our perspective, our community interest, and other people hear from them, and we have nothing to combat that. We have'--we don't have our own radio station, our own newspaper, to put our truth out there, our version, our perspective, out there. Then, in a way, they control the battle.
  ASH-LEEHENDERSON: We have to fight for those spaces. Like, we'--we, as social justice movement builders, need to really own spaces and be able to control narratives, because we believe that, like, the people know how to tell their own stories, and they know the solutions to their own problems.
  EMERYWRIGHT: How do we get accurate information to our folks? You know, how do we have authentic conversations across borders and boundaries that divide us?
  AMYGOODMAN: For more, we're joined now by Jeff Rousset, national organizer of the Prometheus Radio Project, and Ram"n Ram­rez. He's the president of PCUN, the largest Latino organization in Oregon. In 2006, Prometheus Radio Project helped the organization establish a low-power FM station called "Movement Radio," with the slogan "The Voice of the People." They've used the station to inform farmworkers about labor rights, as well as the larger Latino community about immigration reform efforts, health issues and other community-related topics.
  We welcome you both to Democracy Now! So, Jeff, let's start off with what this window is in October.
  JEFFROUSSET: Sure. Thank you, Amy.
  This is a historic opportunity for communities all over the country to have a voice over their airwaves. The airwaves are supposed to belong to the public. And now this is a chance for groups to actually own and control their own media outlets all over the country. As you said, this is the culmination of a 15-year organizing campaign. And so, what the FCC did this week is they launched the application process for nonprofit organizations, labor unions, schools, Native American tribes and community groups to actually apply for a slice of the airwaves in their communities locally. It's the biggest chance in decades for communities of color, women, workers, immigrants, environmentalists, veterans, other communities who have been systematically ignored or marginalized by the mainstream media to own and control their own media outlets across the country and use it to share local news and to provide a platform for local artists on the air.
  JUAN GONZLEZ: Now, what's made it possible now to do this? Obviously'--is it changes in terms of digital broadcasting that makes it more possible to avoid interference? Or what precisely has made this happen now?
  JEFFROUSSET: So, there's always been this opportunity, but big broadcasters fought for more than a decade to keep radio in the hands of a few big corporations. However, a grassroots movement over the last 15 years has been fighting to open up this space on the dial. So, you know, when you're flipping through the radio dial between commercials and you hear static, we're actually squeezing small, local, people-powered radio stations into the radio dial in those places, so we're going to turn that static into sound and use that to amplify people's voices all over the country.
  AMYGOODMAN: Ram"n Ram­rez, what does this mean for you?
  RAM'N RAMREZ: This is an important victory. We were part of the struggle to convince our Congress to open up the airwaves to community organizations and labor unions and immigrant rights groups, so that groups can use it as an organizing tool. And Radio Movimiento: La Voz del Pueblo, which is the'--our radio station that was developed with the help of the Prometheus Radio Project, we've been able to use it as an organizing tool, not only to organize farmworkers'--we are the farmworker union of Oregon'--but also to provide information and give people that never had a voice'--for example, we're broadcasting in four indigenous languages from Mexico and Central America, and we're giving those folks a voice in the community that they never had.
  So, the idea that we could expand this radio or this medium to hundreds of community organizations and unions and immigrant rights groups throughout the country is just a wonderful victory for us. And we want to be part of that. We want to share our experiences and our victories and also our successes to help other groups, because I'll tell you that having your own'--controlling your own media outlet is awesome. It's a powerful tool. It's not only about putting information out and using it as an organizing tool, but it's also about building leadership capacity in your community, because these folks learn how to program. They know how to put together'--they research. They're not only programmers, but they're also getting their communities involved, and they're providing information, valuable information, on a number of topics of that particular community. This is a really important victory.
  JUAN GONZLEZ: And, Jeff, for people who are out there listening in the various cities and communities around the country, who have maybe never been involved with a radio station, how would they take advantage of this? What kind of assistance does Prometheus provide them? Because there's actually financial considerations, application procedures, technical training you must have.
  JEFFROUSSET: Sure. So, most of the groups that we're working with actually don't have experience using radio, producing radio. That's what we're here for. We're really here to help groups not only to navigate the FCC process, but also to develop the kinds of skills and trainings, and connect people and resources so that groups can actually get on the air and be successful and build these successful radio stations.
  AMYGOODMAN: And how do they find if there's a space on the dial in their city, where they are, in their community?
  JEFFROUSSET: Sure. So, we're encouraging folks to go to our website, go to PrometheusRadio.org, and sign up with us if you're interested. This is a one-shot opportunity. And the work that we do over the next four months will really help shape and determine the course of the media landscape in this country for the next 40 years. And we've got lots of tools developed. We built a site called RadioSpark.org, where you can actually put in your zip code and see what frequencies are available'--100.3, 103.5. This is all up and down the FM dial.
  AMYGOODMAN: How many frequencies are available across the country?
  JEFFROUSSET: More than a thousand. And for the first time ever, they're available in most of the biggest cities in the country. So, in a place like Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, one of these stations will be able to reach over 100,000 local listeners, plus stream online. So it's a very powerful tool. But this is a one-shot opportunity, so we want folks to get involved. And you can sign up with us if you want to start a station yourself, or if you want to support others to expand independent media. Of course, many of the low-power FM stations on the air today broadcast Democracy Now!, and this is a platform to keep producing local coverage, local news, and also to open up space for more outlets like Democracy Now!, for more Amys and Juans to pop up all over the country, get that kind of training and really transform the media. But it's a one-time chance.
  JUAN GONZLEZ: And, Ram"n, quickly, the impact that this has had on your organizing in Oregon?
  RAM'N RAMREZ: Well, we've been able to use it as a mobilizing tool. You know, Oregon just recently, for example, was one of those states that reinstated driver's license for undocumented workers in the state of Oregon'--major, major victory. How did we do that? Well, part of it, the radio had to do with it. We mobilized thousands of people, and we asked the people in our rallies who attended committee hearings, "How did you hear about this?" "Radio Movimiento, that's how we'--that's how we got here." So, it's a powerful tool. It's benefited us. And we want to be able to share that with other community organizations, because prior to us having this radio, we didn't know anything.
  AMYGOODMAN: We have to leave it there, but we will certainly continue to follow this issue. Jeff Rousset, with Prometheus Radio Project, Ram"n Ram­rez, with PCUN, the largest Latino organization in Oregon.
Police State : Cameras In Cable Box To Monitor TV Viewers
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:23
  It hardly gets more Orwellian than this. New technology would allow cable companies to peer directly into television watchers' homes and monitor viewing habits and reactions to product advertisements. The technology would come via the cable box, and at least one lawmaker on Capitol Hill is standing in opposition. Mass. Democratic Rep. Michael Capuano has introduced a bill, the We Are Watching You Act, to prohibit the technology on boxes and collection of information absent consumer permission. The bill would also require companies that do use the data to show "we are watching you" messages on the screen and to explain just what kinds of information is being captured and for what reasons, AdWeek reported.The technology includes cameras and microphones that are installed on DVRs or cable boxes and analyzes viewers' responses, behaviors and statements to various ads '-- and then provides advertisements that are targeted to the particular household.Specifically, the technology can monitor sleeping, eating, exercising, reading and more, AdWeek reported.
  "This may sound preposterous, but it's neither a joke nor an exaggeration," said Mr. Capuano in a statement, AdWeek reported. "These DVRs would essentially observe consumers as they watch television as a way to super-target ads. It is an incredible invasion of privacy."
The Daily Dot - 9 ways the NSA can track Americans without a warrant
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:19
  President Obama wants Americans to rest assured: By law, the NSA is only allowed to track someone without a warrant if they're a foreigner.
  But the NSA, we've seen, uses loopholes in that law'--what Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), has for years called "back door" searches on Americans. For instance, as long as the NSA doesn't have explicit proof that a target is American, an agent can, using a program like PRISM, track a person's communications by legally demanding information from Gmail or Facebook. That agent just has to have a reasonable belief that their target is foreign.
  Thanks to leaked documents provided by the Guardian, we have the NSA's handy checklist of what makes a person foreign enough to track. Keep in mind this list is not exhaustive; it's just a start. According to the document, "the NSA considers, among other things, the following factors":
  1. You've called or a received a call from somebody the NSA thinks is connected to a foreign power.
  "Information indicates that the telephone number has been used to communicate directly with another telephone number reasonably believed by the U.S. Intelligence community to be used by an individual associated with a foreign power or foreign territory."
  2. Somebody connected to a foreign power put your number in their contacts list.
  "Information indicates that the telephone number is listed in the telephone directory of a telephone used by an individual associated with a foreign power or foreign territory."
  3. They found a phone book or online directory that lists your number as tied to a foreign power.
  "Publicly available sources of information (e.g. telephone listings) match the telephone number to an individual reasonably believed by the U.S. Intelligence Community to be associated with a foreign power or foreign territory."
  4. The NSA already had your number in a database because it came up in an earlier investigation.
  "Information contained in various NSA-maintained knowledge databases containing foreign intelligence information acquired by any lawful means, such as electronic surveillance, physical search, or the use of pen register and trap or trace device, or other information, reveals that the telephone number had previously been used by an individual associated with a foreign power."
  5. You've emailed, Skyped, IM'd, tweeted at, Facebook messaged, or in any other way communicated with a foreign power of interest over the Internet.
  "Information indicates that a user of the electronic communications account/address/identifier has communicated directly with an individual reasonably believed to be associated with a foreign power or foreign identity."
  6. You use AIM with a person connected to a foreign power. Or such a person has you in their contacts list.
  "Information indicates that the electronic communications account/address/identifier is included in the "buddy list" or address book of an electronic communications account/address/identifier reasonably believed by the U.S. Intelligence Community to be used by an individual associated with a foreign power or foreign territory."
  7. Your public online activity matches that of a person the NSA thinks is somehow connected to a foreign power.
  "Public Internet postings match the electronic communications account/address/identifier to an individual reasonably believed by the U.S. Intelligence Community to be associated with a foreign power or foreign territory."
  8. The NSA has, after processing metadata like those Verizon phone records it collects every day, decided that any some part of your online persona is used by a person connected to a foreign power.
  "Information made available to NSA analysts as a result of processing metadata records acquired by any lawful means, such as electronic surveillance, phyiscal search, or the use of a pen register or trap and trace device, or other information, reveals that the electronic communications account/address/identifier is used by an individual associated with a foreign power or foreign territory."
  9. You try to hide your tracks online by using a service like TOR, which allows your Internet protocol (IP address) to appear to come from elsewhere.
  "Information indicates that Internet Protocol ranges and/or specific electronic identifiers or signatures (e.g., specific types of cryptology or steganography) are [...] extensively used by individuals associated with a foreign power or foreign territory."
  If the NSA does ever find conclusive proof that you're American, well, it's supposed to delete your file. As assistant Attorney General James Cole told the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday, in those cases, "if we inadvertently acquire any of it without meaning to, again, once that's discovered, we have to get rid of it. We have to purge it."
  And if you're not American, well, you're probably out of luck.
  Illustration by Fernando Alfonso III
Video - Semi-naked shoppers grab free clothes in Madrid store - Business
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:11
  Netanyahu says Iran seeking arsenal of 200 atomic bombs: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told The Washington Post that the election of Hassan Rohani had no impact on the nuclear programme since it was Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's intention to continue efforts to amass 200 nuclear weapons Palestinian territories celebrate: Palestinians are celebrating at the news that a wedding singer, 23-year old Mohammed Assaf from the Gaza Strip, has won the Arab Idol talent TV show held in the Lebanese capital Beirut US Secretary of State in peace visit: US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to travel to Jordan and Jerusalem on 27-29 June, where he is scheduled to hold meetings with Jordanian, Israeli, and Palestinian National Authority officials on advancing Middle East peace Two Palestinians executed in Gaza for collaborating with Israel: The Gazan Interior Ministry has hanged two men convicted of spying for Israel over a period in excess of 10 years
Facebook Security's Notes
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  Archived Version
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:10
  At Facebook, we take people's privacy seriously, and we strive to protect people's information to the very best of our ability. We implement many safeguards, hire the brightest engineers and train them to ensure we have only high-quality code behind the scenes of your Facebook experiences. We even have teams that focus exclusively on preventing and fixing privacy-related technical issues before they affect you.
  Even with a strong team, no company can ensure 100% prevention of bugs, and in rare cases we don't discover a problem until it has already affected a person's account. This is one of the reasons we also have a White Hat program to collaborate with external security researchers and help us ensure that we maintain the highest security standards for our users.We recently received a report to our White Hat program regarding a bug that may have allowed some of a person's contact information (email or phone number) to be accessed by people who either had some contact information about that person or some connection to them.
  Describing what caused the bug can get pretty technical, but we want to explain how it happened. When people upload their contact lists or address books to Facebook, we try to match that data with the contact information of other people on Facebook in order to generate friend recommendations. For example, we don't want to recommend that people invite contacts to join Facebook if those contacts are already on Facebook; instead, we want to recommend that they invite those contacts to be their friends on Facebook.
  Because of the bug, some of the information used to make friend recommendations and reduce the number of invitations we send was inadvertently stored in association with people's contact information as part of their account on Facebook. As a result, if a person went to download an archive of their Facebook account through our Download Your Information (DYI) tool, they may have been provided with additional email addresses or telephone numbers for their contacts or people with whom they have some connection. This contact information was provided by other people on Facebook and was not necessarily accurate, but was inadvertently included with the contacts of the person using the DYI tool.
  After review and confirmation of the bug by our security team, we immediately disabled the DYI tool to fix the problem and were able to turn the tool back on the next day once we were satisfied that the problem had been fixed.
  We've concluded that approximately 6 million Facebook users had email addresses or telephone numbers shared. There were other email addresses or telephone numbers included in the downloads, but they were not connected to any Facebook users or even names of individuals. For almost all of the email addresses or telephone numbers impacted, each individual email address or telephone number was only included in a download once or twice. This means, in almost all cases, an email address or telephone number was only exposed to one person. Additionally, no other types of personal or financial information were included and only people on Facebook '' not developers or advertisers '' have access to the DYI tool.
  We currently have no evidence that this bug has been exploited maliciously and we have not received complaints from users or seen anomalous behavior on the tool or site to suggest wrongdoing. Although the practical impact of this bug is likely to be minimal since any email address or phone number that was shared was shared with people who already had some of that contact information anyway, or who had some connection to one another, it's still something we're upset and embarrassed by, and we'll work doubly hard to make sure nothing like this happens again. Your trust is the most important asset we have, and we are committed to improving our safety procedures and keeping your information safe and secure.
  We have already notified our regulators in the US, Canada and Europe, and we are in the process of notifying affected users via email.
  We appreciate the security researcher's report to our White Hat program, and have paid out a bug bounty to thank him for his efforts.
Top Obama official WE will kill the dollar WWIII allready underway????
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 12:00
HAWK! All Agencies Activated Domestic Event 10 to 14 Days Jun 21
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 11:57
The Ultimate Revolution | by Aldous Huxley
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 11:56
Why Those Who Feel They Have Less Give More | The Business Desk with Paul Solman | PBS NewsHour
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 11:49
  Previous Entry | Main
  Why Those Who Feel They Have Less Give More
  What is it that wealth does to people? On Thursday's Making Sen$e segment, Paul Solman traveled to the University of California, Berkeley, to examine the connection between wealth and happiness. His report on the psychology of wealth, which appears above and is slated to air on PBS NewsHour Friday, shows that people who feel less well-off, whether in real terms or in simulated settings, tend to act more charitably. An excerpted transcript of his extended interview with University of California, Berkeley, psychologist Dacher Keltner follows. Dacher is the founding faculty director of the Greater Good Science Center at Berkeley.
  Dacher Keltner: We're starting to paint this really interesting picture of how wealth influences generosity. If you study at the societal level, who gives higher proportions of their income away to charity? Lower class people give more.
  And what's really interesting is we're finding that lower class people just have a sharper sensitivity to need and to people who could use a little help. But when you simply prime, or you just get people from an upper class background, to think about the need in their environment, you see rises in generosity.
  Paul Solman: Rises to the same extent that poorer people give away their money?
  Dacher Keltner: Yeah. The very simple experiment that we've done is if we have upper class individuals going through an experience of compassion or see something that portrays suffering, you see rises in generosity to comparable levels of the poor.
  Paul Solman: But the simple Darwinian story is if I have more resources than you, I can have more kids than you; my kids will pass on my DNA, which is the resource-hoarding DNA.
  MORE ON WEALTH AND BEHAVIOR:Dacher Keltner: That was sort of an older view of how we evolved as the particular social species we are, but what we're learning through a lot of new advances in evolutionary biology is that we really had to cooperate to make it as a species. We had to cooperate in terms of food gathering, defending against predators and so on. And human cultures evolved particular tendencies to reward the generous -- to ensure that there weren't people hoarding resources and that the resources were more equally distributed.
  There are really interesting new literatures on this called competitive altruism, which is as you give things away, in many different cultures, from hunter-gatherer societies to today's America, you rise in the respect of your peers.
  Paul Solman: How does this fit into your project here, The Greater Good Science Center?
  Dacher Keltner: For a long time, I've been interested in a question that has confounded people who have thought about human evolution, and this goes back to Alfred Russel Wallace, Thomas Huxley and Charles Darwin, which is: Why in the world are people good to other people? Why are we kind? Why do we give things away?
  Thirty-one percent of Americans volunteer for strangers on a regular basis. We give enormous amounts away. And what we've started to learn is that there are big parts of our nervous system that make it inherently pleasurable to be generous to others. That's fascinating to me. We are also learning a lot about the social processes by which generosity becomes contagious. It is contagious. There are studies of workplaces where, if I move to a part of an organization where people give a lot to charity, I don't know why, but I start giving a lot to charity. What is it about the species we are that produces a lot of striking generosity in our social behavior?
  Paul Solman: And your answer is...?
  Dacher Keltner: My answer is hyper-vulnerable offspring that are born very dependent, taking years, decades to reach the age of viability. And that just changed everything. That meant we had to cooperate with each other; we had to share things.
  Paul Solman: In the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition of Richard Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene," he said the only thing he would change is he would call the book "The Cooperative Gene."
  Dacher Keltner: Yeah. Now I think people who are interested in the evolution of cooperation are realizing that genes and cells have to cooperate with each other to build the systems that make up who we are, and I would push it even further.
  I'm really excited about a set of findings about oxytocin, a neuropeptide that's manufactured in your hypothalamus and it goes into your brain, and then shoots through your bloodstream and your body. There are genes that help build up that oxytocin system -- you find one on the third chromosome and people who have a particular version of it are very generous, right. So that tells us you're genetically programmed to cooperate.
  We've known for a long time that oxytocin helps with milk letdown and breast feeding, and more recently, studies are finding that it helps you trust and cooperate and share resources with others. And that has led to this whole incredible line of work that we've been part of: that if I just get a little whiff of oxytocin in a nasal spray, I give more money to strangers; I read people's emotions more effectively; I am tighter with my group; if I'm in a fight with my romantic partner, I resolve the conflict more constructively.
  Paul Solman: But there's this counter philosophy, exemplified by Ayn Rand, which is that altruism is actually bad because it suppresses our freedom to be ourselves.
  Dacher Keltner: Yeah, there's a lot of very deeply entrenched skepticism about altruism in western culture that goes back millennia, and one of the great advocates of this skepticism is Ayn Rand. I'll quote from her 1960 essay: "If any civilization is to survive, it is the morality of altruism that men have to reject." And she had this argument that thinking about the needs of others is an enemy of freedom, and strength and self-expression.
  There are a lot of new data that show if you're generous, and charitable and altruistic, you'll live longer; you'll feel more fulfilled; you'll feel more expressive of who you are as a person; you probably will feel more control and freedom in your life. So the science calls that thesis into very deep question.
  Paul Solman: And yet that's a thesis that has a lot of traction these days.
  Dacher Keltner: It does, but, you know, I'm really encouraged by, you know, what's happening with the millennials and the interest that places like Facebook and Google are showing in terms of promoting charity and generosity and a consideration of other people's interests.
  I'm lucky enough to be doing a bit of work on Facebook that's oriented towards making their site more compassionate, and they are actively interested in creating pieces of the social network that are for giving away things. So, it's going to be interesting to see if they deliver on that.
  Paul Solman: But you're telling our audience that they would be better off if they gave away more.
  Dacher Keltner: Yes. We know that generosity gives you bursts of dopamine, which is a sense of pleasure and enthusiasm about life. We know that acts of generosity will activate parts of your peripheral nervous system that calms stress response, which is interesting. So, giving counteracts stress. We know from longitudinal research that people who give through charity 14 hours a week or so -- they live longer. Their life expectancy actually gets a dramatic boost through acts of charity. So, you put this story together: charity gives you happiness; it takes you out of that stress modality and your nervous system towards more optimal functioning, and then it gives you longevity. I don't know what else you need -- those are good data, from my standpoint.
  This entry is cross-posted on the Rundown -- NewsHour's blog of news and insight.
  -- Posted June 21, 2013 | Comments (
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How Google pulled the plug on the Peak District - Home News - UK
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 11:47
  It seems an improbable candidate to incur the wrath of Google: a website promoting the beauty of the Peak District, featuring divine images of the rolling moors and articles by writers who know its acres best. But the creators of the site, which has done more than most to draw tourists to stay in Britain's first National Park, are on the verge of closing down, having being blacklisted and wiped from search results. Google has deemed them to have broken the search engine's opaque rules but not told them how to make amends.
  The story of the 'Let's Stay Peak District' website was one of simple entrepreneurial flair before it was wiped from the Google map overnight, in April last year. Established by businessman and photographer Mike Cummins in 2001, it was an attempt to seize the growing opportunity of website business by advertising Peak District holiday accommodation all in one place. It was the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the UK's first National Park and hundreds signed up, each paying about £100-150 a year. Cummins produced most of the content, took the photographs and commissioned quality articles from, among others, the well-known Peak District specialist writer and broadcaster Roly Smith. Within two years, hundreds of cottages, b&bs, hotels and campsites were listed and the site was turning over £30,000'' enough for Cummins, 59, to jack in his other work and run it full time.
  The position the site commanded on Google searches made all the difference. The top few 'sponsored' listings pay Google for the privilege but a place in the natural top three generates the highest results. Cummins' site earned top ranking for all the key Peak District searches, year after year, ensuring that the quality of his site content was high enough for pubs, hotels and tourism organisations to link from their sites to his. Links from other sites are the vital component of a top ranking.
  By 2005, new site, Let's Stay UK, was spun off from the orignal and franchises were sold. Let's Stay was soon a portal for accommodation from Kent to Lancashire, Snowdonia to Suffolk. The pressure to stay top grew and Cummins, whose wife Bridget, 56, began to work with him, examined how search engine optimisation (SEO) could help him, spending 10 per cent of his marketing budget, from 2011, to engage a specialist company in the field, Super Mango.
  And then the sky fell in. Cummins, who knew that his position in a key number of search results was vital, awoke to his nightmare 14 months ago, switching on the computer to undertake his usual routine of 20 check searches to find that Let's Stay Peak District had dropped dramatically and almost vanished overnight. ''In the UK, over 85% of searches use Google and suddenly we have gone and there is no way to find out why,'' he says.
  It was the Super Mango founder, Antony Murray, who directed Cummins through the back alleyways of the site '' Google's Webmaster Tools area where the search engine occasionally corresponds with messages and alerts. And sure enough, there was the message which told him that he had been in contravention of rules governing ''unnatural links'' to his site. Those two words have dominated the Cummins' lives in the last 14 months, a period during which they have been no closer to understanding what they have done wrong.
  The rules governing what Google likes and dislikes when it makes its automated, algorithmic assessment of which sites should sit top of the search results are very opaque. But one dislike is sites which massage the traffic by placing links to them on other sites which have no connection to it: effectively 'fooling' Google. In the competitive search result environment, this does happen. Links can end up on obscure overseas sites, porn sites or even sites with no content, set up only to provide links. They call it ''black hat marketing.'' A Google trawl of its system, codenamed Penguin, was undertaken to uncover this at around the time Cummins was blacklisted.
  Cummins didn't see how his site could be offending in this way '' ''I was convinced the whole thing must be a mistake,'' he says - but he engaged another specialist, SEO Thing whom he knew had personal contacts with Google, to go through every available link. All those that might be deemed high risk were removed and Cummins submitted what is known as a 'reconsideration request' last December, asking to be reinstated.
  Google emailed back five days later to say no. ''We still see unnatural links,'' they said. Cummins threw out links Langton deemed a medium-risk of offending Google, aware that by doing so he may reduce traffic to the site which had given it such a high ranking and fall outside of the all-important first search page. He submitted another 'reconsideration request' in February. ''I could hardly bring myself to look at the reply,'' he says. ''Accommodation owners were calling to ask why the bookings had dried up and many stopped renewing their listings.'' 'No' was the answer, once again.
  More links were removed '' ''virtually anything pointing to us,'' says Cummins '' and another request to be removed submitted in April. Same response. ''It's like a prison sentence for our business,'' says Cummins. ''And the agony of it all is that there is no-one we can ask for help on the inside of Google. The experts told us that a manual (human) reviewer would have considered our second request to be reinstated. But we can't get an understanding of how we're at fault''
  SEO specialists have been reluctant to discuss the case with The Independent this week because they fear they will damage their own working relationship with Google. Barney Jones, the former employee who lifted the lid on Google's tax avoidance told The Independent that the hundreds of staff Google employ in the UK are employed in engineering and advertising sales, with little support for search systems. ''There is limited power of comeback in a situation like this '' yet potentially millions of people who could feel aggrieved. The difficulty is how you would deal with them all.'' He rejected the idea that that Google may have acted to force the tourism businesses, or the website, to buy Google AdWords.
  In desperation, the Cummins continue to investigate how they might be at fault. The Derbyshire Dales MP Patrick McLoughlin has taken up the case, with no results yet. ''We've lost about £60,000 in business,'' said Mike Cummins. ''It feels like 12 years of very hard work have come to nothing.'' Google did not respond to requests to explain about the Cummins' problem.
Erdogan: Turkey, Brazil hit by same conspiracy
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 11:41
  ANKARA, Turkey (AP) '-- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has blamed a wave of anti-government protests in Turkey on a foreign-led plot to destabilize his government, suggested Saturday that protest-hit Brazil was the victim of the same alleged conspiracy.
  Erdogan was addressing tens of thousands of his supporters in the Black Sea coastal city of Samsun, the latest stop in a series of rallies he has called to shore up his political support.
  The protests in Turkey erupted three weeks ago after riot police brutally cracked down on peaceful environmental activists who opposed plans to develop a park next to Istanbul's Taksim Square. The demonstrations have turned into expressions of discontent with what critics say is Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian bent since taking power a decade ago.
  Thousands of protesters returned to Taksim Square on Saturday for a memorial for at least four people '-- three demonstrators and one police officer '-- killed during the protests. Some chanted ''Dictator Tayyip!''
  Erdogan denies he is authoritarian and points to elections in 2011 that returned him to a third term in office with 50 percent of the vote.
  Brazil, meanwhile, has been hit by mass rallies set off this month by a 10-cent hike in bus and subway fares in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and elsewhere. The protests soon moved beyond that issue to tap into widespread frustration in Brazil over a range of issues, including high taxes, woeful public services and enormous government spending for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
  Erdogan, who has steered Turkey toward healthy economic growth, has alleged that unspecified foreign forces, bankers and foreign and Turkish media outlets are behind the protests because they want to harm Turkish interests. In Samsun, the Turkish leader said Brazil '-- another emerging market '-- was the target of the same destabilizing plot.
  ''The same game is now being played over Brazil,'' Erdogan said. ''The symbols are the same, the posters are the same, Twitter, Facebook are the same, the international media is the same. They (the protests) are being led from the same center.
  ''They are doing their best to achieve in Brazil what they could not achieve in Turkey. It's the same game, the same trap, the same aim.''
  Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
Stop Watching Us | Stop Watching Us
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 11:37
  Dear Members of Congress,
  We write to express our concern about recent reports published in the Guardian and the Washington Post, and acknowledged by the Obama Administration, which reveal secret spying by the National Security Agency (NSA) on phone records and Internet activity of people in the United States.
  The Washington Post and the Guardian recently published reports based on information provided by an intelligence contractor showing how the NSA and the FBI are gaining broad access to data collected by nine of the leading U.S. Internet companies and sharing this information with foreign governments. As reported, the U.S. government is extracting audio, video, photographs, e-mails, documents, and connection logs that enable analysts to track a person's movements and contacts over time. As a result, the contents of communications of people both abroad and in the U.S. can be swept in without any suspicion of crime or association with a terrorist organization.
  Leaked reports also published by the Guardian and confirmed by the Administration reveal that the NSA is also abusing a controversial section of the PATRIOT Act to collect the call records of millions of Verizon customers. The data collected by the NSA includes every call made, the time of the call, the duration of the call, and other "identifying information" for millions of Verizon customers, including entirely domestic calls, regardless of whether those customers have ever been suspected of a crime. The Wall Street Journal has reported that other major carriers, including AT&T and Sprint, are subject to similar secret orders.
  This type of blanket data collection by the government strikes at bedrock American values of freedom and privacy. This dragnet surveillance violates the First and Fourth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, which protect citizens' right to speak and associate anonymously, guard against unreasonable searches and seizures, and protect their right to privacy.
  We are calling on Congress to take immediate action to halt this surveillance and provide a full public accounting of the NSA's and the FBI's data collection programs. We call on Congress to immediately and publicly:
  Enact reform this Congress to Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act, the state secrets privilege, and the FISA Amendments Act to make clear that blanket surveillance of the Internet activity and phone records of any person residing in the U.S. is prohibited by law and that violations can be reviewed in adversarial proceedings before a public court;Create a special committee to investigate, report, and reveal to the public the extent of this domestic spying. This committee should create specific recommendations for legal and regulatory reform to end unconstitutional surveillance;Hold accountable those public officials who are found to be responsible for this unconstitutional surveillance.Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Tapping Tesla to Save Trapped Miners
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 06:34
  Lifesaving link. Trapped miners can use this magnetic wave generator and receiver to communicate with people on the surface.
  Credit: Diana Gerrish/Lockheed Martin Corp.
  In early January 2006, a methane explosion tore through a coal mine in Sago, West Virginia, trapping 13 miners nearly 100 meters underground. Cut off from communicating with the miners, authorities could not determine where they were'--or even if they were still alive. By the time rescuers reached the miners 2 days later, all but one had died.
  After the incident, Gary Smith, a retired engineer, sent a letter to his ex-manager at the Lockheed Martin Corp. in Syracuse, New York. Smith, who grew up in a West Virginia mining family, asked his former colleagues if anyone knew of a technology that could provide reliable communications during such disasters. After reading reports of the Sago incident and discussing similar emergencies with federal mine safety officials, the Lockheed Martin engineers updated a very old one.
  The team focused on a concept developed over a century ago by Nikola Tesla. The noted pioneer in electricity and radio had shown that a magnetic wave generator could be used for wireless communications.
  Basically, the generator works like an electromagnet. Powered by standard alternating current or battery, it runs electricity through a wire that is coiled around a metal cylinder, creating a harmless, low-energy magnetic field that extends for hundreds of meters. Just like radio, the field can carry an audio signal by modulating (raising or lowering) its strength instant by instant. But unlike radio, cell phones, and satellite phones'--whose electromagnetic waves can't pass very far through rock, clay, or other materials that conduct electricity'--a magnetically generated signal penetrates the ground easily. On the other end, a coiled antenna wire about 100 meters long receives the signal, and an amplifier converts it into sound.
  In the 1890s, Tesla experimented with the concept as a possible alternative to Marconi's wireless telegraph. But the device's relatively short range and high signal noise made it impractical for widespread use. Short range is not a problem in most mine situations, explains engineer David LeVan, who led the Lockheed Martin research team. The devices the group developed, called the MagneLink Magnetic Communication System, combine a refrigerator-size magnetic generator with a briefcase-size receiving antenna. One such unit operates on the surface; the other, down in the mine. LeVan says tests earlier this year at a mine in Mavisdale, Virginia, showed that the low-frequency signal can penetrate through 500 meters of solid rock, making it usable in more than 85% of underground mines in the United States.
  The team solved the problem of signal noise with the same type of digital signal-processing software used in cellular phones, LeVan says. The software also allows users to send and receive text messages. Although the units are rather bulky, they fit easily next to miners' emergency shelters with other lifesaving equipment. The underground transmission antenna is wrapped around one of the coal pillars that help to support the roof of the mine tunnel. A box made of polycarbonate (photo, in foreground) houses the receiving antenna.
  Each generating unit can operate at least 24 hours on 12-volt battery power, which complies with U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requirements, and contains a telephone handset and text-message pad. Its low energy output means it poses no danger of sparking, which could set off an explosion if methane gas is present.
  MagneLink program manager Warren Gross says that during field tests, miners offered many suggestions for making the units simpler to operate in emergencies. It's important, he says, that users need only turn the unit on, pick up the phone, and talk or text. Gross says the company is awaiting MSHA certification. If the agency approves the system, he says the units should start rolling off the assembly line by the end of this year.
  Todd Moore, the director of safety services for CONSOL Energy, a coal-mining company in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, says he has been advocating for this technology ever since the Sago disaster, which involved another coal company. "No one can predict what will be destroyed" in an explosion, says Moore, a lifelong mining safety engineer who assisted in the Sago rescue effort. "Our coal mines are the size of downtown Manhattan." Moore, who has supervised MagneLink tests but was not involved in the research, envisions each mine being equipped with at least several underground units, while topside units move around as necessary. "I am truly convinced [it] can save lives in the coal industry," he says.
"The True Wireless" by Nikola Tesla
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  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 06:24
  Electrical Experimenter, May 1919
  In this remarkable and complete story of his discovery of the "True Wireless" and the principles upon which transmission and reception, even in the present day systems, are based, Dr. Nikola Tesla shows us that he is indeed the "Father of the Wireless." To him the Hertz wave theory is a delusion; it looks sound from certain angles, but the facts tend to prove that it is hollow and empty. He convinces us that the real Hertz waves are blotted out after they have traveled but a short distance from the sender. It follows, therefore, that the measured antenna current is no indication of the effect, because only a small part of it is effective at a distance. The limited activity of pure Hertz wave transmission and reception is here clearly explained, besides showing definitely that in spite of themselves, the radio engineers of today are employing the original Tesla tuned oscillatory system. He shows by examples with different forms of aerials that the signals picked up by the instruments must actually be induced by earth currents'--not etheric space waves. Tesla also disproves the "Heaviside layer" theory from his personal observations and tests. EDITOR.
  Ever since the announcement of Maxwell's electro-magnetic theory scientific investigators all the world over had been bent on its experimental verification. They were convinced that it would be done and lived in an atmosphere of eager expectancy, unusually favorable to the reception of any evidence to this end. No wonder then that the publication of Dr. Heinrich Hertz's results caused a thrill as had scarcely ever been experienced before. At that time I was in the midst of pressing work in connection with the commercial introduction of my system of power transmission, but, nevertheless, caught the fire of enthusiasm and fairly burned with desire to behold the miracle with my own eyes. Accordingly, as soon as I had freed myself of these imperative duties and resumed research work in my laboratory on Grand Street, New York, I began, parallel with high frequency alternators, the construction of several forms of apparatus with the object of exploring the field opened up by Dr. Hertz. Recognizing the limitations of the devices he had employed, I concentrated my attention on the production of a powerful induction coil but made no notable progress until a happy inspiration led me to the invention of the oscillation transformer. In the latter part of 1891 I was already so far advanced in the development of this new principle that I had at my disposal means vastly superior to those of the German physicist. All my previous efforts with Rhumkorf coils had left me unconvinced, and in order to settle my doubts I went over the whole ground once more, very carefully, with these improved appliances. Similar phenomena were noted, greatly magnified in intensity, but they were susceptible of a different and more plausible explanation. I considered this so important that in 1892 I went to Bonn, Germany, to confer with Dr. Hertz in regard to my observations. He seemed disappointed to such a degree that I regretted my trip and parted from him sorrowfully. During the succeeding years I made numerous experiments with the same object, but the results were uniformly negative. In 1900, however, after I had evolved a wireless transmitter which enabled me to obtain electro-magnetic activities of many millions of horse-power, I made a last desperate attempt to prove that the disturbances emanating from the oscillator were ether vibrations akin to those of light, but met again with utter failure. For more than eighteen years I have been reading treatises, reports of scientific transactions, and articles on Hertz-wave telegraphy, to keep myself informed, but they have always imprest me like works of fiction.
  The history of science shows that theories are perishable. With every new truth that is revealed we get a better understanding of Nature and our conceptions and views are modified. Dr. Hertz did not discover a new principle. He merely gave material support to hypothesis which had been long ago formulated. It was a perfectly well-established fact that a circuit, traversed by a periodic current, emitted some kind of space waves, but we were in ignorance as to their character. He apparently gave an experimental proof that they were transversal vibrations in the ether. Most people look upon this as his great accomplishment. To my mind it seems that his immortal merit was not so much in this as in the focusing of the investigators' attention on the processes taking place in the ambient medium. The Hertz-wave theory, by its fascinating hold on the imagination, has stifled creative effort in the wireless art and retarded it for twenty-five years. But, on the other hand, it is impossible to over-estimate the beneficial effects of the powerful stimulus it has given in many directions.
  As regards signaling without wires, the application of these radiations for the purpose was quite obvious. When Dr. Hertz was asked whether such a system would be of practical value, he did not think so, and he was correct in his forecast. The best that might have been expected was a method of communication similar to the heliographic and subject to the same or even greater limitations.
  In the spring of 1891 I gave my demonstrations with a high frequency machine before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers at Columbia College, which laid the foundation to a new and far more promising departure. Altho the laws of electrical resonance were well known at that time and my lamented friend, Dr. John Hopkinson, had even indicated their specific application to an alternator in the Proceedings of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, London, Nov.13, 1889, nothing had been done towards the practical use of this knowledge and it is probable that those experiments of mine were the first public exhibition with resonant circuits, more particularly of high frequency. While the spontaneous success of my lecture was due to spectacular features, its chief import was in showing that all kinds of devices could be operated thru a single wire without return. This was the initial step in the evolution of my wireless system. The idea presented itself to me that it might be possible, under observance of proper conditions of resonance, to transmit electric energy thru the earth, thus dispensing with all artificial conductors. Anyone who might wish to examine impartially the merit of that early suggestion must not view it in the light of present day science. I only need to say that as late as 1893, when I had prepared an elaborate chapter on my wireless system, dwelling on its various instrumentalities and future prospects, Mr. Joseph Wetzler and other friends of mine emphatically protested against its publication on the ground that such idle and far-fetched speculations would injure me in the opinion of conservative business men. So it came that only a small part of what I had intended to say was embodied in my address of that year before the Franklin Institute and National Electric Light Association under the chapter "On Electrical Resonance." This little salvage from the wreck has earned me the title of "Father of the Wireless" from many well-disposed fellow workers, rather than the invention of scores of appliances which have brought wireless transmission within the reach of every young amateur and which, in a time not distant, will lead to undertakings overshadowing in magnitude and importance all past achievements of the engineer.
  The popular impression is that my wireless work was begun in 1893, but as a matter of fact I spent the two preceding years in investigations, employing forms of apparatus, some of which were almost like those of today. It was clear to me from the very start that the successful consummation could only be brought about by a number of radical improvements. Suitable high frequency generators and electrical oscillators had first to be produced. The energy of these had to be transformed in effective transmitters and collected at a distance in proper receivers. Such a system would be manifestly circumscribed in its usefulness if all extraneous interference were not prevented and exclusiveness secured. In time, however, I recognized that devices of this kind, to be most effective and efficient, should be designed with due regard to the physical properties of this planet and the electrical conditions obtaining on the same. I will briefly touch upon the salient advances as they were made in the gradual development of the system.
  The high frequency alternator employed in my first demonstrations is illustrated in Fig. 1. It comprised a field ring, with 384 pole projections and a disc armature with coils wound in one single layer which were connected in various ways according to requirements. It was an excellent machine for experimental purposes, furnishing sinusoidal currents of from 10,000 to 20,000 cycles per second. The output was comparatively large, due to the fact that as much as 30 amperes per square millimeter could be past thru the coils without injury.
  Fig. 1. Alternator of 10.000 Cycles p.s., Capacity 10K.W.. Which Was Employed by Tesla in His First Demonstrations of High Frequency Phenomena Before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers at Columbia College, May 20, 1891.
  The diagram in Fig. 2 shows the circuit arrangements as used in my lecture. Resonant conditions were maintained by means of a condenser subdivided into small sections, the finer adjustments being effected by a movable iron core within an inductance coil. Loosely linked with the latter was a high tension secondary which was tuned to the primary.
  Fig. 2. Diagram Illustrating the Circuit Connections and Tuning Devices Employed by Tesla In His Experimental Demonstrations Before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers With the High Frequency Alternator Shown in Fig. 1.
  The operation of devices thru a single wire without return was puzzling at first because of its novelty, but can be readily explained by suitable analogs. For this purpose reference is made to Figs. 3 and 4.
  Fig. 3. Electric Transmission Thru Two Wires and Hydraulic Analog.
  Fig. 4. Electric Transmission Thru a Single Wire Hydraulic Analog.
  In the former the low resistance electrical conductors are represented by pipes of large cross section, the alternator by an oscillating piston and the filament of an incandescent lamp by a minute channel connecting the pipes. It will be clear from a glance at the diagram that very slight excursions of the piston would cause the fluid to rush with high velocity thru the small channel and that virtually all the energy of movement would be transformed into heat by friction, similarly to that of the electric current in the lamp filament.
  The second diagram will now be self-explanatory. Corresponding to the terminal capacity of the electric system an elastic reservoir is employed which dispenses with the necessity of a return pipe. As the piston oscillates the bag expands and contracts, and the fluid is made to surge thru the restricted passage with great speed, this resulting in the generation of heat as in the incandescent lamp. Theoretically considered, the efficiency of conversion of energy should be the same in both cases.
  Granted, then, that an economic system of power transmission thru a single wire is practicable, the question arises how to collect the energy in the receivers. With this object attention is called to Fig. 5, in which a conductor is shown excited by an oscillator joined to it at one end. Evidently, as the periodic impulses pass thru the wire, differences of potential will be created along the same as well as at right angles to it in the surrounding medium and either of these may be usefully applied. Thus at a, a circuit comprising an inductance and capacity is resonantly excited in the transverse, and at b, in the longitudinal sense. At c, energy is collected in a circuit parallel to the conductor but not in contact with it, and again at d, in a circuit which is partly sunk into the conductor and may be, or not, electrically connected to the same. It is important to keep these typical dispositions in mind, for however the distant actions of the oscillator might be modified thru the immense extent of the globe the principles involved are the same.
  Fig. 5. Illustrating Typical Arrangements for Collecting Energy In a System of Transmission Thru a Single Wire.
  Consider now the effect of such a conductor of vast dimensions on a circuit exciting it. The upper diagram of Fig. 6 illustrates a familiar oscillating system comprising a straight rod of self-inductance 2L with small terminal capacities cc and a node in the center. In the lower diagram of the figure a large capacity C is attached to the rod at one end with the result of shifting the node to the right, thru a distance corresponding to self-inductance X. As both parts of the system on either side of the node vibrate at the same rate, we have evidently, (L+X)c = (L-X)C from which X = L(C-c/C+c). When the capacity C becomes commensurate to that of the earth, X approximates L, in other words, the node is close to the ground connection. The exact determination of its position is very important in the calculation of certain terrestrial electrical and geodetic data and I have devised special means with this purpose in view.
  Fig. 6. Diagram Elucidating Effect of Large Capacity on One End.
  My original plan of transmitting energy without wires is shown in the upper diagram of Fig. 7, while the lower one illustrates its mechanical analog, first published in my article in the Century Magazine of June, 1900. An alternator, preferably of high tension, has one of its terminals connected to the ground and the other to an elevated capacity and impresses its oscillations upon the earth. At a distant point a receiving circuit, likewise connected to ground and to an elevated capacity, collects some of the energy and actuates a suitable device. I suggested a multiplication of such units in order to intensify the effects, an idea which may yet prove valuable. In the analog two tuning forks are provided, one at the sending and the other at the receiving station, each having attached to its lower prong a piston fitting in a cylinder. The two cylinders communicate with a large elastic reservoir filled with an incompressible fluid. The vibrations transmitted to either of the tuning forks excite them by resonance and, thru electrical contacts or otherwise, bring about the desired result. This, I may say, was not a mere mechanical illustration, but a simple representation of my apparatus for submarine signaling, perfected by me in 1892, but not appreciated at that time, altho more efficient than the instruments now in use.
  Fig. 7. Transmission of Electrical Energy Thru the Earth as Illustrated in Tesla's Lectures Before the Franklin Institute and Electric Light Association in February and March, 1893, and Mechanical Analog of the Same.
  The electric diagram in Fig. 7, which was reproduced from my lecture, was meant only for the exposition of the principle. The arrangement, as I described it in detail, is shown in Fig. 8. In this case an alternator energizes the primary of a transformer, the high tension secondary of which is connected to the ground and an elevated capacity and tuned to the imprest oscillations. The receiving circuit consists of an inductance connected to the ground and to an elevated terminal without break and is resonantly responsive to the transmitted oscillations. A specific form of receiving device was not mentioned, but I had in mind to transform the received currents and thus make their volume and tension suitable for any purpose. This, in substance, is the system of today and I am not aware of a singe authenticated instance of successful transmission at considerable distance by different instrumentalities. It might, perhaps, not be clear to those who have perused my first description of these improvements that, besides making known new and efficient types of apparatus, I gave to the world a wireless system of potentialities far beyond anything before conceived. I made explicit and repeated statements that I contemplated transmission, absolutely unlimited as to terrestrial distance and amount of energy. But, altho I have overcome all obstacles which seemed in the beginning unsurmountable and found elegant solutions of all the problems which confronted me, yet, even at this very day, the majority of experts are still blind to the possibilities which are within easy attainment.
  Fig. 8. Tesla's System of Wireless Transmission Thru the Earth as Actually Exposed In His Lectures Before the Franklin Institute and Electric Light Association in February and March, 1893.
  My confidence that a signal could be easily flashed around the globe was strengthened thru the discovery of the "rotating brush," a wonderful phenomenon which I have fully described in my address before the Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, in 1892 [Experiments with Alternate Currents of High Potential and High Frequency], and which is illustrated in Fig. 9. This is undoubtedly the most delicate wireless detector known, but for a long time it was hard to produce and to maintain in the sensitive state. These difficulties do not exist now and I am looking to valuable applications of this device, particularly in connection with the high-speed photographic method, which I suggested, in wireless, as well as in wire, transmission.
  Fig. 9. The Forerunner of the Audion-the Most Sensitive Wireless Detector Known, as Described by Tesla In His Lecture Before the Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, February, 1892.
  Possibly the most important advances during the following three or four years were my system of concatenated tuned circuits and methods of regulation, now universally adopted. The intimate bearing of these inventions on the development of the wireless art will appear from Fig. 10, which illustrates an arrangement described in my U.S. Patent No. 568,178 of September 22, 1896, and corresponding dispositions of wireless apparatus. The captions of the individual diagrams are thought sufficiently explicit to dispense with further comment. I will merely remark that in this early record, in addition to indicating how any number of resonant circuits may be linked and regulated, I have shown the advantage of the proper timing of primary impulses and use of harmonics. In a farcical wireless suit in London, some engineers, reckless of their reputation, have claimed that my circuits were not at all attuned; in fact they asserted that I had looked upon resonance as a sort of wild and untamable beast!
  Fig. 10. Tesla's System of Concatenated Tuned Circuits Shown and Described In U. S. Patent No. 568,178 of September 22, 1896, and Corresponding Arrangements in Wireless Transmission.
  It will be of interest to compare my system as first described in a Belgian patent of 1897 with the Hertz-wave system of that period. The significant differences between them will be observed at a glance. The first enables us to transmit economically energy to any distance and is of inestimable value; the latter is capable of a radius of only a few miles and is worthless. In the first there are no spark-gaps and the actions are enormously magnified by resonance. In both transmitter and receiver the currents are transformed and rendered more effective and suitable for the operation of any desired device. Properly constructed, my system is safe against static and other interference and the amount of energy which may be transmitted is billions of times greater than with the Hertzian which has none of these virtues, has never been used successfully and of which no trace can be found at present.
  A well-advertised expert gave out a statement in 1899 that my apparatus did not work and that it would take 200 years before a message would be flashed across the Atlantic and even accepted stolidly my congratulations on a supposed great feat. But subsequent examination of the records showed that my devices were secretly used all the time and ever since I learned of this I have treated these Borgia-Medici methods with the contempt in which they are held by all fair-minded men. The wholesale appropriation of my inventions was, however, not always without a diverting side. As an example to the point I may mention my oscillation transformer operating with an air gap. This was in turn replaced by a carbon arc, quenched gap, an atmosphere of hydrogen, argon or helium, by a mechanical break with oppositely rotating members, a mercury interrupter or some kind of a vacuum bulb and by such tours de force as many new "systems" have been produced. I refer to this of course, without the slightest ill-feeling, let us advance by all means. But I cannot help thinking how much better it would have been if the ingenious men, who have originated these "systems," had invented something of their own instead of depending on me altogether.
  Before 1900 two most valuable improvements were made. One of these was my individualized system with transmitters emitting a wave-complex and receivers comprising separate tuned elements cooperatively associated. The underlying principle can be explained in a few words. Suppose that there are n simple vibrations suitable for use in wireless transmission, the probability that any one tune will be struck by an extraneous disturbance is 1/n. There will then remain n-1 vibrations and the chance that one of these will be excited is 1/n-1 hence the probability that two tunes would be struck at the same time is 1/n(n-1). Similarly, for a combination of three the chance will be 1/n(n-1)(n-2) and so on. It will be readily seen that in this manner any desired degree of safety against the statics or other kind of disturbance can be attained provided the receiving apparatus is so designed that is operation is possible only thru the joint action of all the tuned elements. This was a difficult problem which I have successfully solved so that now any desired number of simultaneous messages is practicable in the transmission thru the earth as well as thru artificial conductors.
  The other invention, of still greater importance, is a peculiar oscillator enabling the transmission of energy without wires in any quantity that may ever be required for industrial use, to any distance, and with very high economy. It was the outcome of years of systematic study and investigation and wonders will be achieved by its means.
  The prevailing misconception of the mechanism involved in the wireless transmission has been responsible for various unwarranted announcements which have misled the public and worked harm. By keeping steadily in mind that the transmission thru the earth is in every respect identical to that thru a straight wire, one will gain a clear understanding of the phenomena and will be able to judge correctly the merits of a new scheme. Without wishing to detract from the value of any plan that has been put forward I may say that they are devoid of novelty. So for instance in Fig. 12 arrangements of transmitting and receiving circuits are illustrated, which I have described in my U.S. Patent No. 613,809 of November 8, 1898 on a Method of and Apparatus for Controlling Mechanism of Moving Vessels or Vehicles, and which have been recently dished up as original discoveries. In other patents and technical publications I have suggested conductors in the ground as one of the obvious modifications indicated in Fig. 5.
  Fig. 12.Arrangements of Directive Circuits Described In Tesla's U. S. Patent No. 613,809 of November 8. 1898, on "Method of and Apparatus for Controlling Mechanism of Moving Vessels or Vehicles."
  For the same reason the statics are still the bane of the wireless. There is about as much virtue in the remedies recently proposed as in hair restorers. A small and compact apparatus has been produced which does away entirely with this trouble, at least in plants suitably remodeled.
  Nothing is more important in the present phase of development of the wireless art than to dispose of the dominating erroneous ideas. With this object I shall advance a few arguments based on my own observations which prove that Hertz waves have little to do with the results obtained even at small distances.
  In Fig. 13 a transmitter is shown radiating space waves of considerable frequency. It is generally believed that these waves pass along the earth's surface and thus affect the receivers. I can hardly think of anything more improbable than this "gliding wave" theory and the conception of the "guided wireless" which are contrary to all laws of action and reaction. Why should these disturbances cling to a conductor where they are counteracted by induced currents, when they can propagate in all other directions unimpeded? The fact is that the radiations of the transmitter passing along the earth's surface are soon extinguished, the height of, the inactive zone indicated in the diagram, being some function of the wave length, the bulk of the waves traversing freely the atmosphere. Terrestrial phenomena which I have noted conclusively show that there is no Heaviside layer, or if it exists, it is of no effect. It certainly would be unfortunate if the human race were thus imprisoned and forever without power to reach out into the depths of space.
  Fig. 13.Diagram Exposing the Fallacy of the Gilding Wave Theory as Propounded In Wireless Text Books.
  The actions at a distance cannot be proportionate to the height of the antenna and the current in the same. I shall endeavor to make this clear by reference to diagram in Fig. 14. The elevated terminal charged to a high potential induces an equal and opposite charge in the earth and there are thus Q lines giving an average current I=4Qn which circulates locally and is useless except that it adds to the momentum. A relatively small number of lines q however, go off to great distance and to these corresponds a mean current of ie = 4qn to which is due the action at a distance. The total average current in the antenna is thus Im = 4Qn + 4qn and its intensity is no criterion for the performance. The electric efficiency of the antenna is q/Q+q and this is often a very small fraction.
  Fig. 14. Diagram Explaining the Relation Between the Effective and the Measured Current In the Antenna.
  Dr. L. W. Austin and Mr. J. L. Hogan have made quantitative measurements which are valuable, but far from supporting the Hertz wave theory they are evidences in disproval of the same, as will be easily perceived by taking the above facts into consideration. Dr. Austin's researches are especially useful and instructive and I regret that I cannot agree with him on this subject. I do not think that if his receiver was affected by Hertz waves he could ever establish such relations as he has found, but he would be likely to reach these results if the Hertz waves were in a large part eliminated. At great distance the space waves and the current waves are of equal energy, the former being merely an accompanying manifestation of the latter in accordance with the fundamental teachings of Maxwell.
  It occurs to me here to ask the question'--why have the Hertz waves, been reduced from the original frequencies to those I have advocated for my system, when in so doing the activity of the transmitting apparatus has been reduced a billion fold? I can invite any expert to perform an experiment such as is illustrated in Fig. 15, which shows the classical Hertz oscillator altho we may have in the Hertz oscillator an activity thousands of times greater, the effect on the receiver is not to be compared to that of the grounded circuit. This shows that in the transmission from an airplane we are merely working thru a condenser, the capacity of which is a function of a logarithmic ratio between the length of the conductor and the distance from the ground. The receiver is affected in exactly the same manner as from an ordinary transmitter, the only difference being that there is a certain modification of the action which can be predetermined from the electrical constants. It is not at all difficult to maintain communication between an airplane and a station on the ground, on the contrary, the feat is very easy.
  Fig. 15. Illustrating One of the General Evidences Against the Space Wave Transmission.
  To mention another experiment in support of my view, I may refer to Fig. 16 in which two grounded circuits are shown excited by oscillations of the Hertzian order. It will be found that the antennas can be put out of parallelism without noticeable change in the action on the receiver, this proving that it is due to currents propagated thru the ground and not to space waves.
  Fig. 16. Showing Unimportance of Relative Position of Transmitting and Receiving Antennae In Disproval of the Hertz-wave Theory.
  Particularly significant are the results obtained in cases illustrated in Figures 17 and 18. In the former an obstacle is shown in the path of the waves but unless the receiver is within the effective electrostatic influence of the mountain range, the signals are not appreciably weakened by the presence of the latter, because the currents pass under it and excite the circuit in the same way as if it were attached to an energized wire. If, as in Fig. 18, a second range happens to be beyond the receiver, it could only strengthen the Hertz wave effect by reflection, but as a matter of fact it detracts greatly from the intensity of the received impulses because the electric niveau between the mountains is raised, as I have explained with my lightning protector in the EXPERIMENTER of February.
  Fig. 17. Illustrating Influence of Obstacle In the Path of Transmission as Evidence Against the Hertz-wave Theory.
  Fig. 18. Showing Effect of Two Hills as Further Proof Against the Hertz-wave Theory.
  Again in Fig. 19 two transmitting circuits, one grounded directly and the other thru an air gap are shown. It is a common observation that the former is far more effective, which could not be the case with Hertz radiations. In a like manner if two grounded circuits are observed from day to day the effect is found to increase greatly with the dampness of the ground, and for the same reason also the transmission thru sea-water is more efficient.
  Fig. 19. Comparing the Actions of Two Forms of Transmitter as Bearing Out the Fallacy of the Hertz-wave Theory.
  An illuminating experiment is indicated in Fig. 20 in which two grounded transmitters are shown, one with a large and the other with a small terminal capacity. Suppose that the latter be 1/10 of the former but that it is charged to 10 times the potential and let the frequency of the two circuits and therefore the currents in both antennas be exactly the same. The circuit with the smaller capacity will then have 10 times the energy of the other but the effects on the receiver will be in no wise proportionate.
  Fig. 20. Disproving the Hertz-wave Theory by Two Transmitters, One of Great and the Other of Small Energy.
  The same conclusions will be reached by transmitting and receiving circuits with wires buried underground. In each case the actions carefully investigated will be found to be due to earth currents. Numerous other proofs might be cited which can be easily verified. So for example oscillations of low frequency are ever so much more effective in the transmission which is inconsistent with the prevailing idea. My observations in 1900 and the recent transmissions of signals to very great distances are another emphatic disproval.
  The Hertz wave theory of wireless transmission may be kept up for a while, but I do not hesitate to say that in a short time it will be recognized as one of the most remarkable and inexplicable aberrations of the scientific mind which has ever been recorded in history.
A Comparison of the Tesla and Marconi LF Wireless Systems | Tesla FAQ No. 38
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  What is the difference between present day low-frequency wireless transmitters and Tesla's system? When used as a wireless transmitter how does the performance/efficiency and characteristics of an electrical oscillator change when working with a sphere capacitor antenna, rather than working with a conventional monopole antenna?
  In answering this question, three basic forms of wireless telecommunications antennas or launching structures are considered. All three consist of an electric dipole excited with an identical impedance matched high voltage radio frequency power supply. The first is the Hertz antenna, a vertical 1/2-wave dipole antenna, center fed, positioned 1/2 wavelength above the ground. Needless to say, this is not a practical configuration at low frequencies. Next is the Marconi antenna, a vertical 1/4-wave monopole antenna element with its lower end at ground level. A vertical conductor with no loading coil and no capacitive top loading is assumed. It is fed at its base by the standard RF power supply plus an appropriate matching section, with the opposing terminal grounded. Third is the Tesla launching structure, a vertical high aspect-ratio 1/4-wave helical resonator with large capacitive top loading and small overall height as compared to the electrical 1/4 wavelength. The 1/4-wave resonator is base fed by the standard RF power supply plus an appropriate matching section, with the opposing terminal grounded. In the second and third cases a ground connection is used, and this must be constructed in such a way as to introduce the least possible resistance to ground.
  Comparing these three configurations it is assumed the Hertz antenna, a physical embodiment of an electric dipole in free space, approaches an ideal source of electromagnetic radiation emitted in the form of space waves. These space waves can reach the receiver either by ground-wave propagation or by reflection from the ionosphere, known as sky-wave propagation. Sky-wave propagation will not be discussed here.
  The Marconi antenna is a modified 1/2-wave Hertz antenna. It is adapted to the real-world conditions encountered in the construction of low frequency transmitters. These adaptations are imposed by the wavelength involved and the resulting physical dimensions required of the antenna. The dipole antenna is modified in that its lower half, 1/4 wavelength long, exists only as a mirror image of its upper counterpart. The resulting 1/4-wave vertical monopole antenna takes advantage of the fact that at low frequencies the ground acts as a mirror for the radiated energy. The ground reflects a large amount of the energy that is radiated downward from the antenna mounted over it. In the physical construction of the ground connection is important to have as high a conductivity as possible. The object is to provide the best possible reflecting surface for the downward radiated energy from the antenna. The ground consists of a number of bare conductors arranged radially and connected, 1/2 wavelength long, buried a short distance beneath the earth's surface. In practice these conductors may act as part of the reflecting surface as well as making the connection to ground itself. An alternative type of ground is the counterpoise. It is a wire structure erected a short distance above the ground, and insulated from the ground. The counterpoise operates by virtue of its capacitance to the ground. Not unlike the Hertz antenna, the Marconi antenna is a source electromagnetic radiation in the form of space waves. Typically, these waves, that is to say the ground waves, take a direct or reflected path from the transmitter to the receiver. They may also be guided by the earth's surface as a ground-hugging Norton surface wave. The direct-wave component of the ground wave is limited only by the distance to the horizon from the transmitter plus a small distance added by atmospheric diffraction around the curvature of the earth. The ground-reflected component is the portion of the radiated wave that reaches the receiving antenna after being reflected from the Earth's surface. Prevailing wave propagation theory teaches that the surface-wave component is wholly the result of electrical currents induced in the ground by refraction of a portion of the reflected-wave component. Upon reflection from the Earth's surface the reflected wave undergoes a 180deg phase reversal. When both transmitting and receiving antennas are on, or close to, the ground, and the distance between them approaches the above-described limit, the direct and reflected components tend to cancel out, and the resulting distant field intensity is principally that of the surface wave. Because part of its energy is absorbed by the ground, the electrical intensity of the surface wave is attenuated at a much greater rate than inversely as the distance. It is the conductivity of the underlying terrain that determines the attenuation of the surface-wave field intensity as a function of distance. The ground currents of a vertically polarized surface wave do not short-circuit a given electric field but rather serve to restore part of the used energy to the following field. The better the conducting surface, the more energy returned and the less energy absorbed. [Antennas and Radio Propagation, TM 11-666, Dept. of the Army, Feb. 1953, pp. 17-23.]
  Of course the Tesla launching structure is also part of an electric dipole, consisting of the elevated capacitance, the helical resonator plus connections, and the Earth itself. The above-ground portion is not intended as a source of electromagnetic radiation, rather, it is designed to minimize the production of electromagnetic radiation. [The working of the structure's helical resonator may be associated with a transverse magnetic wave. [Corum and Corum] and with an interaction with the Earth's magnetic field [Papadopoulos.] The principle that the ground acts as a mirror, which reflects electromagnetic energy radiated downward by the antenna mounted over it, is not applicable. In operation, the Tesla launching structure induces ground currents in the earth along with an associated surface wave (this may be similar to the Zenneck surface wave) which propagate the transmitted energy. At the Wardenclyffe facility the ground connection consisted of a 300-foot long vertical pipe driven downward from the bottom of a 120-foot deep shaft, placing the maximum depth of the installation beneath the earth's surface at 420 feet. A conducting path is also establish through the rarified upper level atmosphere between the transmitting and receiving stations elevated high voltage terminals, leading to the name "air-ground system." Tesla clearly stated that his system used conduction and that energy escapes from the system in the form of electromagnetic radiation. The conducting media are the earth below and the atmosphere above 5 miles elevation. While the region from 5 miles up to the ionosphere is not an ohmic conductor, the density or pressure is sufficiently reduced to so that, according to Tesla½s theory, the atmosphere½s insulating properties can be easily impaired allowing an electric current to flow. His theory further suggests that the conducting region is developed through the process of atmospheric ionization, shifting the effected portions thereof to a plasma state. A magnetic field is developed by each plant½s helical resonator, meaning that an embedded magnetic field is also involved. The atmosphere below 5 miles is also viewed as a propagating medium for a portion of the above ground circuit, and being an insulating medium, electrostatic induction or so called ½displacement currents½ would be involved rather than true electrical conduction. Tesla felt that with a sufficiently high electrical potential on the elevated terminal the practical limitation imposed upon its height could be overcome. He anticipated that a highly energetic transmitter, as was intended at Wardenclyffe, would charge the elevated terminal to the point where the atmosphere around and above it would break down and become ionized, (see U.S. Patent No. 645,576, ½System of Transmission of Electrical Energy½) leading to a flow of true conduction currents between the two terminals through the troposphere path connection.
  Assuming individually optimized RF power supplies and grounding systems, the only other difference between the Marconi antenna and the above-ground portion of the Tesla launching structure is in the geometry. Using a frequency of, say, 25 kHz, a idealized quarter-wave Marconi-type antenna would consist of a vertical conductor extending about 9,750 feet above the earth's surface. A Tesla-type launching structure for the same frequency would be much shorter, the bottom third or so consisting of a helical resonator followed by a relatively large conducting cylinder connected to a spherical or torriod-shaped terminal of large surface area.
  The problem is to characterize the performance of these two different structures in response to the application of the rapidly varying alternating current. In the first case, antenna theory indicates that with proper coupling between the transmission line and the antenna, the structure will be an efficient radiator of electromagnetic energy. Because the velocity of the electric current in the conductor is finite, it takes some time for the applied charge to build up on the antenna. The electric field follows the charges moving along the monopole antenna and the lines tend to spread out toward the position they would occupy under static charge conditions. During the next quarter cycle, the monopole is discharged and some of the field lines break away to form closed loops. Energy continues to propagate out into space as long as there is excitation. The implication here is that energy is irretrievably lost from the monopole. This lost energy exists in the form of electromagnetic radiation, that is to say, radio waves. Along with the field energy lost or radiated by the monopole, a certain fraction of the energy returns to the vertical conductor during each RF cycle. Consequently, it might be said that the fields near the antenna represent both energy storage and radiation components, with the storage component falling off as the distance increases. [The Radio Amateurs Handbook, ARRL, 1978, Chapter 21 -- Radiation and Antennas, p. 588]
  In the case of the Tesla-type launching structure it appears the delay effect responsible for the dissipating radiation of energy, such as manifested with a quarter-wave monopole, is reduced and the stored-energy component of the electric field is increased. While the amount of time expended to charge the structure remains the same as with the Marconi antenna, the overall distance between the bottom feed-point and the structure's upper extremity is much smaller. For example, if the structure were to be 500 feet in height, when compared with the monopole the greatest overall distance the wave disturbance or a point of charge could move would be in the order of 5 percent. The field throughout space would follow the charge movements more efficiently. This implies that once the polarity of the RF source reversed a greater proportion of the energy in the field would return to the transmitting element and electromagnetic radiation would be suppressed. Much of the RF energy, which in the case of the Marconi antenna is dissipated in the form of electromagnetic radiation, is physically retained within the oscillating system.
  A considerable expenditure might be expected for the complete antenna structure of a conventional long wave wireless facility½if it is to perform efficiently. Installing the grounding system would not be much of a problem. Somewhat the opposite would be the case in the construction of a proper magnifying transmitter. Here is a little of what Tesla had to say about this:
  "You see the underground work is one of the most expensive parts of the tower. In this system that I have invented it is necessary for the machine to get a grip of the earth, otherwise it cannot shake the earth. It has to have a grip on the earth so that the whole of this globe can quiver, and to do that it is necessary to carry out a very expensive construction. I had in fact invented special machines. . . ."
  In conclusion, it appears fundamentally identical electrical oscillators consisting of an RF power supply, an elevated conductor and a robust ground connection can be configured in ways which are conducive to the production of two different types of surface wave. It is proposed that low frequency wireless communications can be accomplished by the production of either electromagnetic radiation in the form of space wave induced ground currents and an accompanying electromagnetic wave called the Norton surface wave, or the generation of a pulsed magnetic field and production of ground currents flowing between the transmitter and the receiver resulting in an accompanying trapped electromagnetic surface-wave bearing a resemblance to the Zenneck surface wave. Once again to quote Tesla,
  "From my circuit you can get either electromagnetic waves, 90 percent of electromagnetic waves if you like, and 10 percent in the current energy that passes through the earth. Or, you can reverse the process and get 10 percent of the energy in electromagnetic waves and 90 percent in energy of the current that passes through the earth.
  "It is just like this: I have invented a knife. The knife can cut with the sharp edge. I tell the man who applies my invention, you must cut with the sharp edge. I know perfectly well you can cut butter with the blunt edge, but my knife is not intended for this. You must not make the antenna give off 90 percent in electromagnetic and 10 percent in current waves, because the electromagnetic waves are lost by the time you are a few arcs around the planet, while the current travels to the uttermost distance of the globe and can be recovered.
  "This view, by the way, is now confirmed. Note, for instance, the mathematical treatise of Sommerfeld, ["Propagation of Waves in Wireless Telegraphy," Arnold N. Sommerfeld, Ann. Phys. (Leipzig), 28, 1909, pp. 665-737.] who shows that my theory is correct, that I was right in my explanations of the phenomena, and that the profession was completely misled. This is the reason why these followers of mine in high frequency currents have made a mistake. They wanted to make high frequency alternators of 200,000 cycles with the idea that they would produce electromagnetic waves, 90 percent in electromagnetic waves and the rest in current energy. I only used low alternations, and I produced 90 percent in current energy and only 10 percent in electromagnetic waves, which are wasted, and that is why I got my results." (Nikola Tesla On His Work With Alternating Currents and Their Application to Wireless Telegraphy, Telephony and Transmission of Power)
Tesla Radio | Appendix
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  TESLA'S WORLD WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM -- Abstract TESLA ON GLOBAL WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSMISSION [revised 4/25/2012]FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES [4/3/2012] ONE SYSTEM, TWO METHODS [4/25/2012] THE TRUE WIRELESS TRANSMISSION_RECEPTION PRIZE (Yahoo! Wireless Energy Transmission Tech Group; revised 4/7/2012) FCC METHODS OF MEASUREMENTS OF RADIO NOISE EMISSIONS FROM INDUSTRIAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT [2/1986] WIRELESS TRANSMISSION THEORY [revised 7/17/2011]WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSMISSION '' INTERIM SUMMARY STATEMENT [revised 7/17/2011]SCALING DOWN TESLA'S WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR EXPERIMENTATION [revised 10/27/2011]USING TESLA COILS FOR WIRELESS TRANSMISSION [revised 3/16/2009]BUILDING A HAND-HELD TESLA COIL RECEIVER [created 12/24/2008]THE EXPERIMENTAL REALIZATION OF A LOW POWER SOLID-STATE TESLA COIL TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER [revised 3/16/2009]WANTED: A MULTI-PHYSICS MODEL [created 8/14/2009] WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSMISSION '' SUMMARY STATEMENT [6/4/2010]WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSMISSION, Tesla Coil Builder's List [4/20/2007]A DISCUSSION OF TESLA'S WIRELESS WORK, Tesla Coil Builder's List [11/11/2006] TESLA WIRELESS SYSTEM THREADS ON 4HV [2/22/2009] RF COILS, HELICAL RESONATORS AND VOLTAGE MAGNIFICATION BY COHERENT SPATIAL MODES, K.L. Corum and J.F. Corum, 2001TESLA COILS AND THE FAILURE OF LUMPED-ELEMENT CIRCUIT THEORY, K.L. Corum and J.F. Corum,1999TESLA COIL RESEARCH, J.F. Corum and J. Daum, 1992TESLA'S PRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC FIREBALLS by Kenneth L. Corum and James F. Corum, TCBA NEWS, Vol. 8, No. 3, 1989A TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE EXTRA COIL AS A SLOW WAVE HELICAL RESONATOR, J. F. Corum and K. L. Corum, 1986THE TRANSIENT PROPAGATION OF ELF PULSES IN THE EARTH-IONOSPHERE CAVITY, J. F. Corum, Ph.D. and A-H. Aldinejad, Ph.D., 1986A PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE COLORADO SPRINGS DATA, J. F. Corum and K. L. Corum, 1984 ACTIVE ANTENNA, U.S. Patent No. 5,296,866, John F. Sutton, March 22, 1994A MEASUREMENT OF THE MAGNETIC EARTH-IONOSPHERE RESONANCES IN THE 3-30 HZ. RANGE," John F. Sutton and Craig Spaniol, 1988 OSCILLATOR-SHUTTLE-CIRCUIT (OSC) NETWORKS FOR CONDITIONING ENERGY IN HIGHER-ORDER SYMMETRY ALGEBRAIC TOPOLOGICAL FORMS AND RF PHASE CONJUGATION, U.S. Patent 5,493,691, Barrett, February 20, 1996ACTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEMS, U.S. Patent 5,486,833, Barrett, January 23, 1996 A GENERALIZATION OF CLASSICAL ELECTRODYNAMICS FOR THE PREDICTION OF SCALAR FIELD EFFECTS, Koen J. van VlaenderenNIKOLA TESLA'S WIRELESS SYSTEMS, Andr(C) Waser, 2000NIKOLA TESLA'S RADIATIONS AND THE COSMIC RAYS, Andr(C) Waser, 2000ELECTRIC SCALAR WAVES - Review to Meyl's Experiment, Andr(C) Waser, 2000more ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY, Bo Thid(C), 2004ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY, Bo Thid(C), 2008WIRELESS TESLA TRANSPONDER : FIELD-PHYSICAL BASIS FOR ELECTRICALLY COUPLED BIDIRECTIONAL FAR RANGE TRANSPONDERS ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION OF NIKOLA TESLA, by Prof. Dr. Konstantin Meyl, Furtwangen University, GermanyELECTROMAGNETIC ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATIBILITY : A PARABLE POTENTIAL VORTICES ELECTRIC WEATHER FORCES : A TESLA VISION, Charles Yost, 1984 NIKOLA TESLA'S CONCEPTS FOR TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY WITHOUT WIRES, Leland Anderson, 1999RARE NOTES FROM TESLA ON WARDENCLYFFE, Leland Anderson, Electric Spacecraft Journal, Apr./May/June, # 26, 1998 RESEARCH OF NIKOLA TESLA IN LONG ISLAND LABORATORY, Aleksandar MarinÄiÄ‡, 1986 THE ANCIENT AND MODERN HISTORY OF EM GROUND-WAVE PROPAGATION, James Wait, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 5, Oct. 1998 USING POWER MOSFETS to Drive Resonant Transformers, Gary L. Johnson, 1989 ISOTROPIC CAPACITY, Richard Hull WIRELESS TRANSMISSION OF POWER : Resonating Planet Earth, Toby Grotz, 1991 WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSMISSION '' FOLLOW-UP STATEMENT, Gary Peterson THE GENERATION OF PLASMA WAVES AT THE EARTH'S SURFACE . . ., Gary Peterson[Draft, last revision: 02/21/2008]WARDENCLYFFE AND THE WORLD SYSTEM : The history and design of Tesla's wireless telecommunications facility on Eastern Long Island, Gary PetersonOPERATING PRINCIPLES OF THE WARDENCLYFFE APPARATUS, Gary PetersonTESLA'S SYNCHRONISED RECEIVING APPARATUS, Gary PetersonLOW FREQUENCY WIRELESS EXPERIMENTATION, Gary PetersonWORKING MODELS OF TESLA'S GROUND AND AIR SYSTEM, Gary Peterson AN APPRAISAL OF TESLA'S WIRELESS WORK, Henry Bradford ANTENNAS AND RADIO PROPAGATION, TM 11-666, Dept. of the Army, Feb. 1953]ANTENNAS AND WIRELESS PROPAGATION, Tom Penick A DISCUSSION OF ANTENNA THEORY, Paul Graham (K9ERG)How Do The Isotrons Work So Well? MODELING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY IN THE MANTLE, Fumiko Tajima, 2000 Schumann, fullekrueg_martinSchumann, fusare_scottSchumann, maltsev_bieszczady MODELS IN SCIENCE MEASUREMENTS AND SIMULATIONS, D. Jefferies Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of America v. United States MISREADING THE SUPREME COURT : A Puzzling Chapter in the History of Radio, David Wunsch [local]REREADING THE SUPREME COURT : Tesla's Invention of RadioWallace Brand [local] Plasma Dictionary THE SCHUMANN CAVITY, J. J. THOMSON'S SPHERICAL RESONATORS AND THE GATEWAY TO MODERN PHYSICS, by K. L. Corum and J. F. Corum, Ph.D.ATMOSPHERIC FIELDS, TESLA'S RECEIVERS AND REGENERATIVE DETECTORS, K. L. Corum, J. F. Corum, Ph.D., and A. H. Aidinejad, Ph.D.CRITICAL SPECULATIONS CONCERNING TESLA'S INVENTION AND APPLICATIONS OF SINGLE ELECTRODE X-RAY DIRECTED DISCHARGES FOR POWER PROCESSING AND TERRESTRIAL RESONANCES, J. F. Corum and K. L. Corum, 1986.SPHERICAL TRANSMISSION LINES AND GLOBAL PROPAGATION : An analysis of Tesla's experimentally determined propagation model, K. L. Corum, J. F. Corum, Ph.D., and J. F. X. Daum, Ph.D. 1987.NIKOLA TESLA AND THE DIAMETER OF THE EARTH : A discussion of one of the many modes of operation of the Wardenclyffe Tower, K. L. Corum and J. F. Corum, Ph.D. 1996.NIKOLA TESLA AND THE ELECTRICAL SIGNALS OF PLANETARY ORIGIN, K. L. Corum and J. F. Corum, Ph.D., International Tesla Conference, "Tesla, III Millennium," Belgrade, Yugoslavia. 1996.TESLA AND THE MAGNIFYING TRANSMITTER : A popular study for engineers, K. L. Corum and J. F. Corum, Ph.D. 1990.FIRE BALLS, FRACTALS AND COLORADO SPRINGS: A rediscovery of Tesla's RF techniques, K. L. Corum and J. F. Corum, Ph.D. 1990.TESLA COILS: 1890-1990--100 YEARS OF CAVITY RESONATOR DEVELOPMENT, K. L. Corum and J. F. Corum, Ph.D. 1990.NIKOLA TESLA, LIGHTNING OBSERVATIONS, AND STATIONARY WAVES, K. L. Corum and J. F. Corum, Ph.D. 1994.Calculators
VIDEO-Top Intelligence Bureaucrats Grilled About Security Contractors After Snowden Leak - YouTube
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VIDEO-"Just Think What This Country Would Be Like If You Had One Major Attack Like Boston Every Month!" - YouTube
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VIDEO-NSA Today Is Collecting EVERYTHING Including Content Of Every Digital Communication Phone & Internet - YouTube
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The Clinton Body Count
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  Related stories, mostly about specific people on the list:Benghazi and the Lust for Power. Ricky Ray Rector is a name you will probably seldom see in the mainstream media. On January 24, 1992, the state of Arkansas executed Rector for murder. Rector, however, was mentally deficient. He was so mentally deficient that he put aside a piece of pecan pie from his last meal and told his guards he would finish it after his execution. Then presidential candidate and Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton could have stopped the execution. Instead, Clinton made sure the execution went ahead as scheduled, breaking off his primary campaign in New Hampshire to return to Arkansas to personally oversee the implementation of the sentence. [...] While candidate Clinton killed one person to get Gennifer Flowers off the front pages, President Clinton was willing to bomb an entire country to get Monica Lewinsky out of the news cycle.
  Clinton Library Builder's CFO Disappears Amid Audit. John Glasgow had a healthy salary, with an opportunity to pick up stock in the construction company where he worked. He was the kind of guy who paid back a $500 bonus he got for completing an anti-smoking program because he started to light up again. But now Glasgow has been missing since Jan. 28, with his car found abandoned the next day, and family and police say it's impossible to tell whether he killed himself, was abducted or left to start a new life elsewhere.Search Continues for John Glasgow, New Details Emerge. Conway [Arkansas] attorney, Frank Shaw said his client, Jonathan Brawner told police not only where John Glasgow is buried, but also who is responsible. In an interview Shaw said, "I can't comment on who did it, why they did it and those other kind of facts because I'm not privy to all of that and Little Rock homicide is in the middle of an investigation." When asked if he knew who 'did it' Shaw said, "Yes," and wouldn't elaborate. He said his client has told law enforcement and that there is more than one person involved.
  Jon Brawner, the man claiming to have helped bury John Glasgow, failed to abduct Jim Daven in 2009. Our partners at Arkansas Business recently took a closer look at Jon Brawner. The convicted felon claims he helped bury Glasgow's body. Arkansas Business reports his credibility is obviously suspect. He served time for masterminding the failed abduction of commodities broker Jim Daven in 2009, about 18 months after John Glasgow vanished.
  Construction CFO Disappears During Four-Minute Drive. John Glasgow was last seen just after 5 a.m. on January 28, 2008, pulling out of his driveway. While it was a few hours earlier than he would regularly leave for work, he was putting the finishing touches on a large financial deal involving the multimillion dollar construction company for which he served as Chief Financial Officer, and another major company in Little Rock. His commute normally took about four minutes. Something happened during that time, because he never made it to work.
  John Glasgow: Missing Since: 01/28/08. When normally reliable CFO John Glasgow left home but never arrived at work, friends and family were immediately concerned.
  Kathleen Willey suspects Clintons murdered husband. Asked if she suspects her husband Ed, a lawyer and son of a prominent Virginia lawmaker, was murdered, Willey replied, "Most definitely." "I'm having someone with a forensics background look at this, and I intend to pursue this further, now that these questions have been raised," she told WND, pointing to alleged discrepancies in the autopsy report. Does she believe the Clintons were involved? "I do have suspicions," Willey said, "yes."
  Hillary Clinton faces sensational claims from another woman in Bill's past. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign faced damaging allegations yesterday from one of the women who claim to have been groped by former president Bill. Kathleen Willey suggests in a new book that the former First Couple could have been involved in her husband Ed's death. '... He died from a gunshot wound to the head on the day Willey claimed she was sexually assaulted by Clinton in the Oval Office. Willey insists her husband's death was murder and not suicide.
  Businessman pardoned by Clinton found dead. A controversial businessman once pardoned by former President Bill Clinton has been found dead inside his Miami Beach condo, authorities confirmed Thursday [11/2/2006]. Almon Glenn Braswell, 63, was found dead Saturday at 1500 Ocean Dr. His death has been labeled "unclassified" pending more tests, the Miami-Dade medical examiner's office said.
  The "unfortunate coincidences" continue ...Clintons' neighbor dies after roadside shooting. A woman who lives on the same cul-de-sac as former President Clinton died Monday after a mysterious shooting on an isolated road that left her lawyer husband wounded, authorities said. Sgt. Marc Simmons, a detective, said 55-year-old Peggy Perez-Olivo died about 3 p.m. at a hospital. He said there are still no arrests.
  Update 1:Gun recovered near scene of Clinton neighbors' shooting. State police have recovered a gun that was dumped in a lake near the scene of a roadside shooting that killed a neighbor of Bill and Hillary Clinton and wounded the woman's husband.
  Update 2:Ex-Clinton Neighbor Goes On Trial In Wife's Death. Prosecutors allege that a disbarred lawyer who lived three houses down from the Clintons in suburban New York executed his wife in "a seemingly perfect murder." Assistant District Attorney Christine O'Connor told a jury Friday that Carlos Perez-Olivo shot his wife in the back of the head as she dozed in their car on Nov. 18, 2006.
  The Train Deaths: Countdown to justice
  Another witness bites the dust: The Ron Miller case.
  The Clinton Body Count: There are at least 30 internet sites keeping track of the people in Clinton's orbit who have died under mysterious circumstances since the first year Clinton became Governor of Arkansas. These suspicious deaths have continued right up to the present.
  What a difference a day makes. In twelve hours I was able to find enough information to turn my blood cold. In four months, I've been able to find enough verification to compel me to put my name to this editorial.
  Charles Ruff was one of Clinton's attorneys during the impeachment trial and was known to have inside information on the White House emails scandal as well. Original reports were that he died in an accident in his home although no details were given. Then the report changed to claim that he was found in his bedroom unconscious, then declared dead on arrival at the hospital. The authorities will provide no details other than the usual (and quite premature) assurances that there was no foul play involved.
  Caution: This article includes thinly redacted vulgarity.Why The Clintons Belong in Prison: An interview with Melrose Larry Green. (Q:) What are the top crimes perpetrated by the Clintons for which they deserve to be in prison? (A:) I feel that Bill Clinton committed treason when he sold American military secrets to the Red Chinese government. I think that Bill Clinton is guilty of rape (of Juanita Broaddrick). I think that there are numerous examples of bribery committed by Bill and Hillary Clinton during the final round of Presidential pardons (especially the case of Marc Rich and his ex-wife Denise Rich.) Let's not forget the dozens of unexplained deaths surrounding Bill and Hillary Clinton '-- Ron Brown, Vince Foster, Mary Mahoney '-- for which there have been no proper investigations.
  D.C. Police Silent on Murder of Former White House Intern. On July 6, 1997, a brutal triple murder took place at a Starbucks restaurant in an upscale Georgetown neighborhood. The victims were Aaron Goodrich, 18; Emory Evans, 25; and Mary Caitrin Mahoney, 25. According to a July 13 Washington Post story, ballistics test indicated that 10 shots were fired from two different guns, sometime after 9:15 p.m. The Post story characterized the crime as an "execution-style" murder. '... Making the story particularly interesting is the fact that Mary Mahoney was shot as many as five times, according to some press reports.
  Mary C. Mahoney and Eric Butera: Mary Mahoney, 25, was murdered at the Georgetown Starbuck's coffee bar over the 4th of July '97 weekend. She was a former White House intern who worked with John Huang. Apparently she knew Monica Lewinsky and [knew about] her sexual encounters with Bill Clinton. Although not verified, it has been said that Lewinsky told Linda Tripp that she did not want to end up like Mahoney. '... Eric Butera was an informant who came forward offering information regarding the murder of White House intern Mary Mahoney. He was then sent into a known crack house to make an undercover buy for the police and was beaten to death.
  Here is the connection.Too Many Dots. [Mary Caitrin] Mahoney had landed an internship working in the office of the Secretary of Commerce, Norman Mineta for Doris Matsui. Matsui is the wife of California Democrat Representative Robert Matsui. ... Matsui worked closely with John Huang, with the title of deputy assistant to President Clinton. Together they raised over $3 million in campaign funds from Asia and Asian-Americans. $1.2 million had to be returned because it came from corporations and non-citizens.
  More about the Mahoney murder: Washington police have never been able to solve this triple murder in a posh section of the nation's capital. '... Yet, no one '-- not Kenneth Starr, not Congress, nor any other investigative agency in government or the press '-- has bothered to look into this suspicious murder.
  The Starbucks Murders: Of the 40 to 90 people surrounding the President who have died mysteriously, the story of Mary Caitrin Mahoney, 25, is only just now being resolved (or covered up). Mary was an intern in the White House. She was gunned down in July of 1997 inside Starbucks in Washington DC where she worked. No money was taken. This Starbucks was frequented by Monica Lewinski and Chelsea Clinton. If you read the Starr report and notice that Monica was afraid and said that she did not want to end up like Mary, this is the Mary in which she refers.
  Did He Cry for Caity Mahoney? July 7, 1997: The Starbucks Massacre. Former White House intern Mary "Caity" Mahoney and two co-workers are killed execution style at the Starbucks Coffeeshop in Georgetown. ... Caity was singled out for the most horrendous fate -- as if she'd been the killers' prime target. Of the ten shots fired, she was hit five times at point blank range, including at least once in the face. The final bullet was delivered to the back of her head after she'd already fallen. In one hand, in a death grip, Caity clutched the keys to the store's safe, which held the weekend's receipts of more than $10,000. D.C. cops were mystified by the apparent lack of motive in the crime.
  Starbucks Fall-Back Fall Guy: [Scroll down] Also heightening suspicion is the extremely sparing and incidental mention of the fact that the apparent primary target of the shooter or shooters wrath, night manager Mary Caitrin (Caity) Mahoney, had been one of the original interns in the Clinton White House and that she was a Democratic Party activist. Since Monica Lewinsky's name became a household word, there has never been any mention at all in the mainstream press, to this writer's knowledge, of the two former interns names in the same breath'....
  The murders of Kevin Ives and Don Henry: August 23, 1987, in a rural community just south of Little Rock, two teenage boys were murdered because they witnessed a police-protected drug drop. The drop was part of a drug smuggling operation based at a small airport in Mena, Arkansas.
  1st Amendment wins victory in court. [Patrick] Matrisciana was sued for libel in 1996 by two Arkansas law enforcement officers mentioned in a documentary video the filmmaker produced. The video, "Obstruction of Justice: the Mena Connection," focuses on the unsolved deaths of Kevin Ives and Don Henry. In the documentary, Pulaski County Sheriff's Department Lts. Jay Campbell and Kirk Lane were listed among six law enforcement officers that alleged eyewitnesses said could be implicated "in the murders and the subsequent cover-up."
  Little Rock Airport to be renamed for Bill and Hillary Clinton. The Little Rock Airport Commission has scheduled a discussion at its meeting Tuesday [3/20/2012] to rename the airport the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport.
  The Editor says...Better yet, how about the Kevin Ives and Don Henry airport in Mena, Arkansas?
  Arkancide. Here's what to do if you disagree: Make a list of all the deceased. Google them. Verify that they were real people with real connections to the Clintons and who really died violently -- and were not just imaginary people invented by anti-Clinton propagandists. Find out how they were connected to the Clintons and what information they were going to divulge. Find out when the Clintons became aware of this. Find out how soon afterwards each potential witness was bumped off. Explain why so many of these murders had similar MO's (bullets fired into the back of the head, exploding planes etc.). Explain why so many of these murders were described as suicides by the coroner. Find out who appointed the coroner.
  Clinton's dead lawyers.
  Somewhat related:Hillary Was Key Partner in Clinton Attack Machine. With the paperback version of Clinton's memoirs set to hit bookstores in early June, World Ahead Publishing has unveiled Their Lives: The Women Targeted by the Clinton Machine by Candice E. Jackson. Billed as the stories that Clinton left out of My Life, Jackson uncovers the trail of bribes, threats and intimidation that Clinton's inner circle leveled at the women who got in their way.
  Hillary's First Big Lie. Among the people the Clintons reached out to [in 1992] '-- in this case, through a proxy '-- was Sally Perdue, a former Miss Arkansas and Clinton paramour. "[The proxy] said that there were people in high places who were anxious about me and they wanted me to know that keeping my mouth shut would be worthwhile," Perdue would later relate. "Worthwhile" meant a GS-11 or higher job with the federal government. If she turned down the offer and talked to the media, "He couldn't guarantee what would happen to my pretty little legs." Perdue was the least of the Clintons' problems in 1992. More potentially troublesome were the women that Clinton had criminally assaulted or humiliated '-- Juanita Broaddrick, Elizabeth Ward Gracen, and Paula Jones among others. Jones, though not raped like Broaddrick or attacked like Gracen, would prove Bill Clinton's undoing.
  The Mysterious Death of Ron Brown ... and 34 other people, including Shelly Kelly.It's time for Obama to talk about Brown. In early December 1997, after eighteen months of successful damage control by the White House, the black community in Chicago finally learned of the anomalies in the death of Ron Brown. Bill Clinton's Secretary of Commerce, Brown had dreamed of becoming America's first black president from the time he was a little boy. And although he was, as Joe Biden might have put it, as "articulate and bright and clean" as Barack Obama, he never got the chance.
  The Left's Blind Eye to the Obvious. The Air Force concluded that the controlled descent of [Ron] Brown's USAF plane into a Croatian mountainside was "inexplicable." The maintenance chief responsible for the airport's navigation system showed up with a bullet hole in his chest the day before his Air Force interview. Brown's fatal head injury struck the forensic photographer and attending pathologist as having the size and shape of a gunshot wound. He was nonetheless buried (over the protest of the pathologists) without an autopsy. The photographer and three Armed Service pathologists would sacrifice their careers going public with their discontent. The major media reported close to none of this.
  What really happened to Ron Brown: In Argentina, during the dark days, they called them "los desaparecidos," the disappeared. On April 10, 1996, Ron Brown was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery and then joined his fellow desaparecidos. So thoroughly has Brown disappeared from view that the only articles I could find on Google News about the 10th anniversary of his death were those that I had written myself.
  Did Bill Clinton order Ron Brown killed? [Scroll down] All 35 people aboard are dead except for stewardess Shelly Kelly, who, riding in the tail, sustained only minor cuts and bruises. So far. ... Four hours and 20 minutes after the crash the first Croatian Special Forces search party arrives on the scene and finds only Ms. Kelly surviving. They call for a helicopter to evacuate her to the hospital. When it arrives, she is able to get aboard without assistance from the medics. But Kelly never completes the short hop. She dies en route. According to multiple reports given to journalist/editor Joe L. Jordan, an autopsy later reveals a neat three-inch incision over her main femoral artery. It also shows that the incision came at least three hours after all her other cuts and bruises. Further necropsies will not happen. Clinton has ordered the cremation of all victims. It is hard to perform autopsies on ashes.
  Ron Brown's Loose Lips Seal His Fate. Ron Brown '-- who at various times has been under investigation by the Commerce Department Inspector General, the FDIC, the Justice Dept., the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, and the Senate Judiciary Committee '-- was only two weeks away from being indicted with respect to a bribe paid by Oklahoma company Dynamic Energy Resources. "I am too old to go to jail," Brown loudly proclaimed. "If I go down, I'll take everyone else down with me." Brown assumed the threat would force Democratic bigwigs to rally around him, to make sure that the charges he faced were buried in an appropriate fashion. But Brown miscalculated. His own words buried him instead.
  Ron Brown's Death Still A Mystery. Maj. General Charles Coolidge, who headed the Air Force investigation of the accident, won't explain why his report failed to mention the radical course correction by the plane that sent it into the mountain. When the Air Force plane carrying Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown crashed in Croatia in April 1996, rumors immediately circulated that the beacon that was supposed to guide the plane to the airport had been set to guide the plane into the mountain nearby. This was allegedly done by an employee at the airport who was found shot to death three days later.
  Was Ron Brown Assassinated? Experts Differ on Ron Brown's Head Wound. A circular hole in the skull of Commerce Secretary Ron Brown could have been a gunshot wound and certainly should have prompted an autopsy, according to an Air Force lieutenant colonel and forensic pathologist who investigated the jet crash in which Brown died. "Even if you safely assumed accidental plane crash, when you got something that appears to be a homicide, that should bring everything to a screeching halt," Lt. Col. Steve Cogswell, a doctor and deputy medical examiner with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, told the Tribune-Review.
  10 years after Ron Brown: After the crash in Croatia, the bodies were brought to America and examined by a team from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. '... The chief of the photographic unit, Chief Petty Officer Kathleen Janoski, saw there were no lethal injuries to Brown's body '-- other than what appeared to be a bullet hole in his head. She showed the wound to two colleagues, both colonels, who agreed with her.
  The assassination of Ron Brown: [Ron] Brown had gone to Croatia to broker a sweetheart deal between the neo-fascist strongman who ran Croatia, Franjo Tudjman, and Enron Corporation. This was all part of the Clintons' desperate drive to raise money for their 1996 re-election campaign.
  Did Ron Brown die for Enron's sins? An explosive new expose on the man "who knew too much".
  Book review:Ron Brown's Body: How One Man's Death Saved the Clinton Presidency and Hillary's Future. Considering the highly disturbing implications of his explosive book's title, investigative reporter Jack Cashill's work deserves a better fate than the silent treatment it has thus far received in the establishment media.
  Was Ron Brown murdered, and, if so, how and by whom? "At the end of day," says Jack Cashill who began the project a skeptic, "it is not irresponsible to talk about murder, nor to ask what Hillary Clinton was doing in Bosnia a week before Brown's death."
  The Sun Peeked Through the "Worst Storm in a Decade". Jack Cashill notes that he dedicates his book to the six Air Force crew members "who died in honorable service to their country through no fault of their own."
  The bullet hole that should have shaken Washington: Jack Cashill shows why there is no innocent explanation for what happened to Ron Brown.
  CIA Documents on Ron Brown Declared Secret: Central Intelligence Agency documents on Ron Brown's involvement with the Chinese army are secret in the interests of "national security," according to an April 30 CIA letter. The Clinton commerce secretary died in 1996 in a plane crash while under investigation for illegal financial ties to Beijing.
  Everything but the News! CNN is famous for having a scoop on a breaking story, then, very oddly, the next hour it is discontinued. This happens on other news sources also. For example, the first announcement of Ron Brown's plane crash was said to have happened in the Adriatic Sea and that divers were preparing to go down to search for bodies. The next announcement, an hour or so later, was that the plane had crashed into the mountains! There was one survivor, a female flight attendant. She walked to a rescue helicopter but was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Was that in the news?
  Ron Brown: Evidence Of A Cover up. When the rescuers arrived, they found one survivor, an Air Force Sergeant named Shelly Kelly, one of two stewardesses assigned to the T-43 (a modified Boeing 737) which had only recently been converted from a navigation training aircraft equipped with all the latest navigation aids to a VIP passenger transport. The rescuers spotted Shelly Kelly moving about the wreckage, several hours after the crash itself. Shelly was placed on a helicopter and evacuated to the hospital, but strangely, was dead on arrival'....
  Where are the Black Boxes? Within hours of the crash, the Croatian Ministry of Transport announced that they had the black boxes. One and half days after the crash, Croatian TV (plus Russian and French TV) announced that the FDR (flight data recorder) and the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) were safely in the hands of U.S. Marines. The U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, also stated that a black box was on board. Later, the Pentagon brass stoutly disputed all this, stating that there were no black boxes aboard. It is difficult to imagine that America's #2 VIP plane had no black box. Veteran Air Force mechanics claim that they never have seen a T-43A without a black box.
  Why the Lies About Ron Brown? It is clear that the government lied, destroyed evidence that proved it, and punished those who disclosed it.
  "Too many lies are being told. Too many lives are being destroyed. And I think it's time for the truth to come out."
  '-- Kathleen Willey quoted from Potshots
Nigella Lawson: the best way to end abuse is to shine a light on it | Barbara Ellen
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Culture | guardian.co.uk
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 03:14
  After Nigella Lawson had her throat seized and nose twisted by her husband, Charles Saatchi, outside a Mayfair restaurant, one of the things that struck me was when Saatchi said he accepted the police caution to avoid "this hanging over all of us".
  Who is "us" '' himself and Lawson? At which point did this shabby little assault, so casually done it turned my stomach, become her shared responsibility? I must have missed the photograph where she throttled her husband. I fail to see any "us" about this upsetting spectacle '' it all looked distinctly one way to me. Which is a key point. At least we can look. It can't be dismissed as hearsay. There are actual photographs recording the event and amen to that.
  Part of the media whirlwind has concentrated on condemnation of the paparazzo. What rot: if someone photographs something, does that make them responsible for it? Do we blame war photographers for the situation in Syria?
  I'm not claiming that anything noble was going on, but inadvertently that snapper may have done Nigella a huge favour. I would go further and say there's an argument for many women needing a pap around to record such incidents.
  Away from this particular case, it would be good generally to see abuse flushed out into the open. Far too often, it's kept hidden away in the shadows. Abusers don't tend to wear badges, saying: "Hi, I'm an abuser!" Crucially, victims hide too. A major facilitating factor of abuse is the embarrassment and denial of the abused.
  Victims suffer in silence and become expert at coping, making excuses, covering up, pacifying their abuser '' to the point of "enabling" their own abuse.
  At the same time, it's about keeping the big bad secret. If "it" gets out, never mind the upheaval many ordinary sufferers face (children, finances, loss of home), there is the terror of stigma. Stigma exerts an all-powerful influence, wherever you might be on the social scale. Stigma is no respecter of wealth and class.
  Add the fact that victims are usually exhausted (a rarely aired facet of abuse is how knackering it is) and this explains how victims become groomed: ground down to the point where they don't want to admit what's going on, even to themselves.
  Isolated too. It's as if they are stuck in a dense fog and only their abuser is in there with them, forming a sick alliance, a co-dependency of "us".
  This is as true of a woman (it's usually women) being physically beaten and dabbing make-up on to her bruises, as it is of another woman "laughing off" yet another vicious public put-down from their spouse with the "what a character!" denial mechanism.
  The abused are great at denial mechanisms '' everything from "He doesn't mean it" to "He's under pressure at work", to what I'd term the "Heathcliff" (a couple so passionate there are bound to be fireworks). Is this what Tracey Emin meant when she talked about people not understanding how "in love" Saatchi and Lawson are?
  But what is love if it doesn't involve respect, boundaries or common courtesy? If Saatchi spent his career knowing not to grab advertising cronies by the throat, as let's assume he did, then perhaps he should have done the same for his wife.
  The fact he didn't, and was photographed in the act, was, I hope, revelatory to the only person who matters. Who knows what Nigella will do? I'm sure she's mortified by the furore, to which I'm contributing. However, maybe sometimes, people need to be shocked out of their private denial zone, admit to themselves that what they're experiencing is abuse (experience that relief and release) '' more people than who'd care to admit it. The same people who'd benefit from receiving the kind of relationship wake-up call that can't be ignored, even if it is from an opportunistic pap.
  Sam's little grey cells clearly aren't workingPity Sam Taylor-Wood being selected to direct the film version of EL James's Fifty Shades of Grey. That's got to be akin to filming the readers' letters pages in Penthouse circa 1979.
  What a nightmare translating all that "I'm too sexy for my shirt!" drivel for the big screen, with cinema-goers falling about laughing at the first sight of creepy "business magnate" Christian Grey approaching with the furry handcuffs and gag.
  Taylor-Wood would be better off standing aside to let some director from the blockbuster action movie genre take over.
  Anastasia could be played by any actress in possession of a bra and pants set (matching, mind!). Steven Seagal could play Grey and they could introduce a terrorist plot where, stripped to the waist, wearing a bandana, Seagal/Grey gets blasted into orbit, thus doing all womankind a huge erotic favour.
  Anything would be better than staying faithful to the text, thus being stuck with the artistic equivalent of filming the spiritual journey of a pair of discounted Ann Summers' love balls. If Taylor-Wood does take this on, best of luck to her '' she's going to need it.
  Barack's colour still matters for someThe FBI has foiled a Ku Klux Klan member's bizarre-sounding plot to assassinate Obama with a ray-gun blast of radioactive poison. To make matters even odder, the plotter, Glendon Crawford, approached a Jewish organisation to help fund the gun. I'm confused '' is there a branch of the KKK that isn't antisemitic? In the event, the Jewish group and the KKK both told the FBI and Crawford and his accomplice, Eric Feight, were arrested.
  An unnerving story, but what initially took me by surprise was, well, my own surprise. Later, reading about the failed attempt at Jewish funding, it became clear that this particular insane plot may have been more anti-Muslim than anti-black. Still, my original reaction was to be taken aback. I'd forgotten about Obama's skin colour as well as the notion that it might be a factor in placing him in danger.
  Of course race was all important when Obama was elected: it was wonderful to have a black president; distressing to think that his skin colour might make him more of a target. Since then, maybe one of Obama's achievements is that, while race would always be a major factor in any US presidency, he's also come to represent so much more.
  Which is how it should be: any president, black or white, should ultimately be judged on their policies and integrity. Perhaps the greatest compliment you could pay the first US black president is for race to have become less of an issue within the space of his two terms '' at least to a white Briton. But then a story such as this comes along, illustrating that, while some of us no longer register the US president's skin colour, we have to be mindful that there are plenty out there who still do.
  ' Comments will be switched on later this morning
Russia, China sign 'unprecedented' $270B oil deal
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: BlackListedNews.com
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 03:07
  Russian oil giant Rosneft and Chinese state firm CNPC on Friday signed a $270 billion deal to supply China with oil over 25 years, an agreement hailed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as "unprecedented".
  The agreement was signed by Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin and CNPC head Zhou Jiping in the presence of Putin and visiting Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.
  "An estimated value of the contract in current market parameters is absolutely unprecedented -- 270 billion dollars," Putin told participants of the annual Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum.
  Addressing chiefs of global energy companies like Eni, Exxon Mobil and Statoil, Putin reiterated Russia's plan to diversify its energy clients away from its traditional reliance on Europe.
  Putin has made a priority of stabilising Russia's sometimes prickly relations with its giant eastern neighbour at a time when its ties with the West are becoming ever more problematic.
  Read More...Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
Are You Smart Enough to Be a Citizen? Take Our Quiz - Eric Liu - The Atlantic
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 02:56
  To become a citizen of the United States, naturalizing immigrants must take a test. Many native-born Americans would fail this test. Indeed, most of us have never really thought about what it means to be a citizen. One radical idea from the immigration debate is the repeal of birthright citizenship'--guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment'--to prevent so-called anchor babies. Odious and constitutionally dubious as this proposal may be, it does prompt a thought experiment: What if citizenship were not, in fact, guaranteed by birth? What if everyone had to earn it upon turning 18, and renew it every 10 years, by taking an exam? What might that exam look like?
Obama Admin. Charges NSA Whistleblower Snowden with Espionage
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Dave says...
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 02:56
  The Obama administration Friday charged National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden with espionage.
  Snowden, 29, leaked to the Washington Post and to the Guardian (U.K.) a cache of documents exposing the NSA's wholesale violation of the Fourth Amendment through the dragnet surveillance of phone records and monitoring of internet traffic.
  The Washington Post reports that U.S. officials have requested that Hong Kong detain Snowden on ''a provisional arrest warrant.''
  According to the criminal complaint filed by the federal government against Snowden in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the former NSA networking contractor will be charged with theft, ''unauthorized communication of national defense information'' and ''willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person.''
  The last two counts are violations of the Espionage Act of 1917.
  The Washington Post story on the filing of the espionage charges against Snowden reports that the district court chosen by the Justice Department because Snowden's former employer, Booz Allen Hamilton, is headquartered within that jurisdiction and it is ''a district with a long track record of prosecuting cases with national security implications.''
  With the formal filing of the charges against him, Snowden becomes the eighth person to be charged under the Espionage Act by the Obama administration.
  Another former government employee, James Hitselberger was working as a linguist for the U.S. Navy when he became the seventh to be charged under the nearly-century old law.
  President Obama has targeted each of these men '-- including Edward Snowden '-- for their efforts to expose government corruption. In fact, the others charged with espionage are targets of an apparent vendetta against whistleblowers in direct contradiction of the president's promise to protect them.
  In 2008, then-president-elect Obama declared, "We need to empower federal employees as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance. Barack Obama will strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse of authority in government."
  Not that politicians have a habit of keeping campaign promises, but President Obama's policy of zealously pursuing, prosecuting, and punishing those who report abuses in government is remarkable for its relentlessness.
  Steven Aftergood, the director of the Federation of American Scientists' government secrecy project, is quoted in a story published by Reason magazine online, explaining, ''The administration's aggressive pursuit of leaks represents a challenge to the practice of national security reporting, which depends on the availability of unauthorized sources if it is to produce something more than 'authorized' news.''
  This ferocity has come to the attention of others, as well. Speaking at a symposium on investigative reporting held in April 2012 at Berkeley, Edward Wasserman powerfully chronicled the chilling effect that the Obama administration's pursuit of whistleblowers is having on such disclosures and against the journalists who report them.
  Wasserman, the Knight Professor of Journalism Ethics at Washington & Lee University, informed the audience,
  [The Obama] Justice Department has conducted six prosecutions over leaks of classified information to reporters. Five involve the Espionage Act, a powerful law that had previously been used only four times since it was enacted in 1917 to prosecute spies.
  The first whistleblower cited in Wasserman's address was Thomas Drake. Drake was a senior executive at the National Security Agency who made the mistake of revealing to the Baltimore Sun that the NSA's Trailblazer Project, a project intended to analyze data carried on in the United States and elsewhere through the Internet, cellphones, and e-mails, not only violated the Fourth Amendment's proscription against unwarranted searches and seizures, but it was a ''billion-dollar computer boondoggle.''
  In April 2010, Drake was indicted by a federal grand jury of several crimes, including violation of the Espionage Act. A spokesperson for the Government Accountability Project reported that the government's prosecution of Drake left him devastated. ''His intelligence career is over, his finances are drained and he is personally spent,'' said Jesselyn Radack.
  Early in the summer of 2011, after several expos(C)s ran in newspapers and on television, the Obama administration dropped all the charges against Drake in return for Drake's guilty plea to a misdemeanor of misusing NSA computers. Drake was sentenced to one year of probation and community service.
  The second target of the government's attack on whistleblowers was Shamai Leibowitz, an FBI linguist who was eventually sentenced to 20 months in a federal prison for leaking documents to a blogger.
  Leibowitz testified that he believed that the papers he transmitted while working for the FBI contained evidence of ''violations of the law'' including the illegal attempt by the embassy of Israel to influence American foreign policy.
  In exchange for his guilty plea to one count of disclosure of classified information, Leibowitz agreed to never file petitions to look at documents related to his case and to "never disclose'' any classified or sensitive information to which he had access while on contract with the FBI.
  Next on the list of those who believed (wrongly) that President Obama would keep his campaign promise to shield from prosecution those government employees brave enough to bring to light hidden abuses and waste is John Kiriakou.
  Kiriakou was an agent with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) who was indicted in 2012 by a federal grand jury for disclosing to reporters the name of another CIA asset who was tasked with interrogating alleged al-Qaeda financier, Abu Zubaydah.
  The indictment included one charge of making false statements, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence, and four counts of violating federal law, including the Espionage Act '-- an offense punishable by up to 10 years in a federal prison.
  In October, Kiriakou pleaded guilty to violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act and will serve up to 30 months in a federal prison.
  There is little wonder why the Obama administration would seek to silence Kiriakou: In 2007, Kiriakou told ABC News that he considered waterboarding an ''unnecessary'' form of interrogation.
  Wasserman then mentions two others upon whom the federal government must place the muzzle of prosecution:
  Stephen Kim, a State Department analyst, allegedly told a reporter for Fox News '-- wait for it '-- that the U.S. was worried North Korea might respond to new U.N. sanctions by testing another A-bomb; and Jeffrey Sterling, who allegedly disclosed a botched CIA operation in Iran that was described in a 2006 book by a Times reporter.
  A story published by Politico confirmed that ''the case [against Kiriakou] is the sixth of six leak-related prosecutions brought during President Barack Obama's term '-- a higher tally than under all previous presidents combined.''
  Supporters of the president may wonder why he didn't think this through a little better and provide the whistleblowers with the protection he promised rather than seek to silence the journalists who break the stories given them by these well-informed sources.
  The answer to that question was given in a comment made ''rather gloatingly'' by ''a national security representative'' to Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: ''We're not going to subpoena reporters in the future. We don't need to. We know who you're talking to.''
  Given this president's propensity for rapidly and relentlessly enlarging the size and power of the surveillance state apparatus, it is certain that Dalglish's statement is truer than we would like to believe.
  The Washington Post reports that after the paper broke the story of Snowden's impending prosecution, ''senior administration officials said late Friday that the Justice Department was barraged with calls from lawmakers and reporters and decided to unseal the criminal complaint.''
  Based on his earlier statements, Snowden is likely to fight extradition from Hong Kong to the United States. Should the Chinese authorities in Hong Kong entertain Snowden's challenge to the request for his arrest, the case could be decided by a Hong Kong court and ''could last many months'' according to legal experts interviewed by the Washington Post.
  Photo of banner supporting Edward Snowden: AP Images
  Joe A. Wolverton, II, J.D. is a correspondent for The New American and travels frequently nationwide speaking on topics of nullification, the NDAA, and the surveillance state. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Facebook Reveals User Information Exposed in Data Breach
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 02:48
  Facebook Reveals User Information Exposed in Data BreachPosted on Jun 22, 2013The world's largest social networking company acknowledged late Friday that a technical flaw in its system inadvertently allowed the phone numbers and email addresses of 6 million users over the past year to be accessed by unauthorized viewers.
  Facebook says it worked out the bug within 24 hours of discovering it last week and has begun notifying users whose contact information was exposed.
  The company wrote on its Facebook Security page that it didn't believe that the bug had been ''exploited maliciously.'' It added that ''we have not received complaints from users or seen anomalous behavior on the tool or site to suggest wrongdoing.''
  The Associated Press via The Washington Post:
  Facebook said in a blog post that the cause of the bug is ''pretty technical'' but that the problem is tied to its ''Download Your Information'' tool.
  The company uses the information that users upload to better tailor the friend suggestions it issues. The bug caused some of this information to be inadvertently stored in association with a person's contact information as part of their Facebook account.
  As a result, if someone downloaded an archive of their Facebook account through the ''Download Your Information'' tool, they may have been provided with additional addresses or telephone numbers for their contacts or people with whom they have some connection. Because the contact information was provided by other people on Facebook, it was not necessarily accurate.
  Read more
  '--Posted by Tracy Bloom.
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Using Shell Commands to Gleen Data From Log Files
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Hacker News
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 02:47
  Two colleagues of mine ask a very similar question for interviews. The question is not particularly hard, nor does it require a lot of thought to solve, but its something that as a developer or a ops guys you might find yourself needing to do. The question is, given a log file of a particular format, tell me how many times something occurs in that log file. For example tell me the number of unique IP addresses in an access log, and the number of times each IP had visited this system.
  Its amazing how many people don't know what to do with this. One of my peers ask people to do this using the command line, the other tells the candidate they can do this anyway then want. I like this question because its VERY practical; I do tasks like this everyday, and I expect the people I work with to be able to do.
  A More Concrete ExmapleI like the shell solution, because its basically a one liner. So lets walk through it using access logs as an example.
  Here is a very basic sample of a common access_log I threw together for this:
  Lets say you want to count the number of times a unique IP addresses who've visited this system. Using nothing more than awk, sort, and uniq you can find the answer. What you'll want to do is pull the first field with awk, then pipe that through sort, and then uniq. This isn't fancy, but it returns the result very quickly without a whole lot of fuss.
  Like so:
  This gives you each hostname or IP, and the number of times they've contacted this server.
  Upping the ComplexityNow for something more complex lets say you want to get the most commonly requested document that returns a 404. So, again we can do this all in a shell one-liner. We still need awk, sort, uniq, but this time we'll also use tail. This time we can use awk to examine the status field(9), then print the URL field(7) if the status returned was 404. We can then use sort, uniq, and sort to order the results. Finally we'll use tail to only print the last line, and awk, to print the requested document.So here is what this looks like:
  Of course there are many other ways to do this. This is a totally simple way to do it, and the best part of this is that you can count on these tools being on almost every *nix system.
  Follow @gpapilion
Notice -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to North Korea
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 02:40
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  June 21, 2013
  NOTICE- - - - - - -CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCYWITH RESPECT TO NORTH KOREA
  On June 26, 2008, by Executive Order 13466, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula. The President also found that it was necessary to maintain certain restrictions with respect to North Korea that would otherwise have been lifted pursuant to Proclamation 8271 of June 26, 2008, which terminated the exercise of authorities under the Trading with the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. App. 1-44) with respect to North Korea.
  On August 30, 2010, I signed Executive Order 13551, which expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by the continued actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, manifested by its unprovoked attack that resulted in the sinking of the Republic of Korea Navy ship Cheonan and the deaths of 46 sailors in March 2010; its announced test of a nuclear device and its missile launches in 2009; its actions in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) 1718 and 1874, including the procurement of luxury goods; and its illicit and deceptive activities in international markets through which it obtains financial and other support, including money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking, which destabilize the Korean Peninsula and imperil U.S. Armed Forces, allies, and trading partners in the region.
  On April 18, 2011, I signed Executive Order 13570 to take additional steps to address the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 and expanded in Executive Order 13551 that will ensure the implementation of the import restrictions contained in UNSCRs 1718 and 1874 and complement the import restrictions provided for in the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.).
  Because the existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula and the actions and policies of the Government of North Korea continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, expandedin scope in Executive Order 13551, and addressed further in Executive Order 13570, and the measures taken to deal with that national emergency, must continue in effect beyond June 26, 2013. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466.
  This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.
  BARACK OBAMA
Letter from the President -- Regarding the War Powers Resolution
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 02:40
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  June 21, 2013
  Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
  Certain U.S. forces recently deployed to Jordan solely to participate in a training exercise. This exercise ended on June 20, 2013. At the request of the Government of Jordan, a combat-equipped detachment of approximately 700 of these forces remained in Jordan after the conclusion of the exercise to join other U.S. forces already in Jordan.
  This detachment that participated in the exercise and remained in Jordan includes Patriot missile systems, fighter aircraft, and related support, command, control, and communications personnel and systems. The detachment will remain in Jordan, in full coordination with the Government of Jordan, until the security situation becomes such that it is no longer needed.
  The deployment of this detachment has been directed in furtherance of U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, including the important national interests in supporting the security of Jordan and promoting regional stability, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.
  I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I appreciate the support of the Congress in these actions.
  Sincerely,
  BARACK OBAMA
CIA RIOTS IN BRAZIL
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: aangirfan
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 02:29
  Arnold Schwarzenegger wants 'CIA riots' in Brazil?Beyonce wants 'CIA riots' in Brazil?How many millions might the CIA be spending on propaganda, using people with posh American accents?
  Joe Biden was in Brazil at the end of May 2013, preparing the way for the CIA riots?China and the U.S. are in competition in Brazil.
  "China and the United States, are making moves on Latin America, hoping to gain more geopolitical influence in a booming region..."
  The US military in Brazil.Brazil's economy is now the world's sixth largest, thanks to the current government.Poverty has been greatly reduced by the current government.In the last Presidential election the Workers Party candidate Dilma Rousseff, backed by Lula, defeated the the Brazilian Social Democratic Party's Jose Serra.Jose Serra is more pro-USA; and is strongly anti-Iran, anti-Venezuela and anti-Bolivia.
  Serra would have reduced spending on education, health and poverty programs.
  In the case of Brazil's massive oil and gas fields, Serra would have increased the role of private foreign oil companies.
  (Prof. James Petras, at Global Research, on 20 August 2010, Brazil and Venezuela: Two Turning Point Elections this Fall)
SquirrelMail - Webmail for Nuts!
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 02:18
  This is very similar to the MailServerSMTPProblem, except it deals with your IMAP server.
  Potential causes:
  The server you specified doesn't exist (typo).You don't have an IMAP server running on the server you specified.It is not on the port you specified (it usually runs on port 143).You are denied access to the IMAP server.There is no Maildir directory for that username (will happen with Qmail MTA's).Telnet to port 143 (or whatever) of the IMAP server and see if you get a response of some sort. You can use "a01 logout" to close the IMAP connection if it exists. If that works, check your configuration again for SquirrelMail and check your configuration for the IMAP server. Maybe the IMAP server's logs will provide some insight?
  I had to do a couple things:
  Turn on IMAP in xinetd.Figure out how I can connect to my IMAP server by using "telnet xxxx.example.com 143" or whatever. The notes above are good for testing this. After you figure out how you can connect, you need to rerun the server configuration utility. If you're using Red Hat 8.0, you should set it up like this:SquirrelMail Configuration : Read: config.php (1.2.0)---------------------------------------------------------Server Settings1. Domain : xxx.example.com2. IMAP Server : xxx.example.com3. IMAP Port : 1434. Use Sendmail/SMTP : SMTP6. SMTP Server : xxx.example.com7. SMTP Port : 258. Authenticated SMTP : false9. POP Before SMTP : false10. Server : uw11. Invert Time : false12. Delimiter : detectNotice how the server is "uw" and NOT "cyrus". Red Hat 8.0 uses UW by default.
  The SquirrelMail error "There was an error contacting the mail server." is also displayed even if the IMAP server is running, but is configured to require TLS/SSL authentication. This means that SquirrelMail is required to authenticate with the IMAP server in an encrypted stream as opposed to clear text.
  I am presently (March 2003) seeing issues with SquirrelMail 1.2.1.1 and FreeBSD 5.0 (UW IMAPd) out-of-the-box, but I suspect that it is my SquirrelMail configuration that is at fault.
  Error connecting to IMAP server: .0:I was getting this error on OpenBSD. This was happening because (by default) Apache is run chroot'ed so DNS lookups fail. Changing the configuration to use hard-coded IP addresses instead of names for $imapServerAddress resolved this.
  I had the same error under Debian, hard-coding the IP addresses solved the problem.
  ERROR: ERROR : Connection dropped by imap-server. Query: LOGIN "username" "password"I got this error on login and also in the left frame. This is an intermittent error. The username and password are displayed in plain text on the error page, which is a security issue. I believe my web host (Dreamhost) is on version 1.4.1. They have told me this is a SquirrelMail issue.
  ERROR : Connection dropped by imap-serverI had this intermittent problem and discovered it was an issue with extremely large attachments in the mail spool. I think the issue is the following: with large mail spools or with large attachments within the mailspools, imapd requires a lot more time to parse through the spool. SquirrelMail times out while waiting for imapd to respond. (the default time-out in SquirrelMail 1.x is 15 seconds).
  Possible solutions:
  Remove large attachments from the mail spool.Convert the mail spool to a binary format such as mbx that can be parsed and handled more quickly than a straight text file.Use a larger timeout while waiting for the IMAP read request to complete. Thick clients such as Outlook have a configurable timeout from 1 minute to 10 minutes... I believe SquirrelMail 2.x has better support for a longer timeout.If you want to increase the timeout in SquirrelMail 1.x go to line 444 of functions/imap_general.php and change the last parameter of the fsockopen() call from 15 [seconds] to something larger. Keep in mind that if you increase this, you may also need to increase the "max_execution_time" parameter in your php.ini file.
  Instead of the previous fix, you should add the following line at line 445 of functions/imap_general.php so that the stream doesn't time out while fgets() is waiting:
  stream_set_timeout($imap_stream,600); // wait max 10 minutes for IMAP request to completeThis solved my problem with a 250 MB inbox.
  ADDENDUM:
  From PHP 4.3.0 & up, it's easier to change default_socket_timeout in php.ini to eg. 600. This way, the SquirrelMail source code can be left untouched.
  * ERROR : Unknown imap response.Query: FETCH 1:* (FLAGS UID RFC822.SIZE BODY.PEEK[HEADER.FIELDS (Date To Cc From Subject X-Priority Content-Type)])Server responded: Error occurs when "show all" is clicked , also when selected e-mails are opened.
  Using SquirrelMail 1.4.3a
  May be a problem with Internet connection if your Internet connection / bandwidth low this problem occurs.
  Definitely not a problem with bandwidth, as myself and others have experienced it over 1mb-10mb connections. Seems to be quite random.
  Make sure that the permission are mysql:mail in /Maildir
  chown -R mysql:mail Maildir/
  SquirrelMail 1.4.4
  ERROR : Connection dropped by imap-server. IMAP crashes. Nothing in any of the logs. IMAP cannot be restarted. Machine has to be rebooted. It's crashing about every 3rd day. Bizarre.
  Any ideas?
  I had the same problem, later found an offending entry in hosts.deny
  [surely this was not intermittent then?]
  This "connection dropped" error message is obviously a 'nice' translation by SquirrelMail. Could someone tell us the raw error that occurs to cause this kind of failure? Then we can perhaps look at IMAP references to find out what could be happening.
  Hosts.deny is clean... Still having a crash every 72 hours or so.
  IMAP itself is not crashing. I can still telnet in...it's just
  SquirrelMail seems to see the IMAP connection dropped...with nothing logged. ever.
  I got the "connection dropped" error message from one user after setting up SquirrelMail. I'm using Courier IMAP. I discovered that he did not have a Courier Maildir in his home directory. I set him up with a default and that solved the problem.
  Owen
  ERROR : Unknown imap response.Query: FETCH 1:* (FLAGS UID RFC822.SIZE BODY.PEEK[HEADER.FIELDS (Date To Cc From Subject X-Priority Content-Type)])Server responded: SquirrelMail 1.4.4 This error happens when "show all" is selected. At the time this happens, the IMAP server is very lightly loaded. At one time we seemed to be able to fix this problem by deleting the user's .pref file; but this doesn't seem to help any more (since we upgraded to 1.4.4?). Once this happens SquirrelMail response to everything slows to a crawl. Anyone have any ideas?
  Ron
  Fedora Core 4 runs Apache under SELinux settings, so it cannot connect to the mail system (SMTP, IMAP, Sendmail).
  Temporarily disable SELinux with this: "setenforce 0" and restart Apache.
  You can permanently disable SELinux with the instructions here: http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/selinux-faq-fc3/index.html#id2825880
  Disabling SELinux also fixed the problem on my server.
  On FC5: run "system-config-securitylevel", in SELinux tab click "Modify SELinux policy", then in "HTTPD Service" check box next to "Allow HTTPD scripts and modules to connect to the network".
  On Red Hat Enterprise Linux/CentOS 5: setsebool httpd_can_network_connect on will allow you to connect to the IMAP server, without having to disable SELinux.
  I have the same, and it was stupidly easy. I have aliases and the user "kgrzelak" cant see his mail cause it's aliased to the user "grzelak".
  Raising the instances in /etc/xinetd.conf on Red Hat based machines seems to help with this. Default is 60, I raised mine to 250.
  I am receiving an error message after 2-3 days of uptime when using SquirrelMail (Horde works fine).
  I either get: "ERROR: Unknown IMAP response." or "ERROR: Connection dropped by IMAP server."
  I saw a post on http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/pipermail/imap-use/2005-December/000056.html
  with the same symptoms, and the answer was to fix SquirrelMail, or slow the IMAP server down. The problem goes away when I `strace` the imapd process, which in effect slows down the IMAP server.
  Anyone know the proper way to fix this issue?
  ERROR: Unknown IMAP response.
  Query: FETCH 1:* (FLAGS UID RFC822.SIZE INTERNALDATE BODY.PEEK[HEADER.FIELDS (Date To Cc From Subject X-Priority Importance Priority Content-Type)])
  Server responded:
  btw, this is version 1.4.6 with courrier-imap
  ERROR : Connection dropped by imap-serverI had this error after log into SquirrelMail. My NEW server was missing the libfam libraries. I have fixed this by running yum install gamin gamin-devel, which solved the problem.
  Alaa
  ERROR : Connection dropped by imap-serverI had the same error after log into SquirrelMail.
  No error was found in log files! Running tcpdump -i lo -n -s 1500 -X tcp port 143 discovered the problem Account's mailbox directory is not owned by the correct uid or gid.
  Solution: Edit Courier config file imapd and set IMAP_MAILBOX_SANITY_CHECK=0.
  Derk, 2010-12-27
  ERROR : Connection dropped by imap-serverI had this error after login into SquirrelMail. I did some investigation and noticed that my Courier IMAP Spawned 2 processes eating up the entire CPU. This was using when Firefox or Internet Explorer. So I thought, let's use Lynx and voil : I could log in and no more spinning processes etc. Now the question is: why? JavaScript perhaps? I will dig further and report my findings here.
  The "bug" exists in 1.4.9a and 1.5.1. In 1.5.1 it says:
  ERROR: Unknown error: I am beginning to suspect out friend PHP 5.2.1, but it is weird that it works under Text mode. In any case, questions or solutions: steve ( at) ion (do t) lu
  Steve
  I never figured this out. I just installed dovecot (instead of courier) instead and it worked perfectly
  2009-05-23
  I had this issue after recovering some mailboxes on to a new server - it transpired that the problem was permissions related on the user home dirs .. chmod as required and everything worked.
  Dan K, 2009-05-23
  For one of my mailboxes, I got:
  "ERROR: Connection dropped by IMAP server. Query: FETCH 1:* (FLAGS UID RFC822.SIZE INTERNALDATE BODY.PEEK[HEADER.FIELDS (Date To Cc From Subject X-Priority Importance Priority Content-Type)])"
  It turned out that while manipulating a user's inbox, one of the files had incorrect ownership in his maildir and it caused Dovecot to issue that error. Fortunately, Dovecot's logs pointed it out.
  AlexF, 2009-05-27
  I simple check the maillogs and delete or move the particular .log file which is causing this problem.
  NiteshM, 2010-29-10
  ---
  I had 160GB of mailboxes with 2800 accounts, the only way i could solve this problem was to edit the
  /usr/lib/courier-imap/etc/imapd
  and change MAXDAEMONS=400
  from default of 150
  !Satish Asnani, 2011-08-30
  !Mail Administrator, BHEL, Bhopal
  !Contact; 9425604848
  Mine was caused by the system time of the storage server (where the Maildir is hosted) being out of sync with the Mailserver running Courier for > 30sec.
  IMAP message is:
  * BYE Clock skew detected. Check the clock on the file server.Martin - 2011-09-27
VIDEO-Downing Street affair Samantha Cameron Boris Johnson sex tape - YouTube
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 01:43
Nikola Tesla On Wireless Energy Transmission
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Sun, 23 Jun 2013 01:16
  Energy Transmission By Means of a Spherical Conductor Transmission Line With an Upper Half-space Return Circuit.
  Tesla's ideas about electrical conduction through the "natural media" fall into two categories: closed circuit and open circuit. [Henry Bradford]In 1932 journalistJohn J.O'Neill conducted an interview with Tesla in which he talked about the difference between the wireless transmission of electric energy using what Mr. Bradford describes as either ''closed circuit'' or ''open circuit'' principles.
  I also asked him if he is still at work on the project which he inaugurated in the '90's of transmitting power wirelessly anywhere on earth. He is at work on it, he said, and it could be put into operation. . . . He at that time announced two principles which could be used in this project. In one the ionizing of the upper air would make it as good a conductor of electricity as a metal. In the other the power is transmitted by creating "standing waves" in the earth by charging the earth with a giant electrical oscillator that would make the earth vibrate electrically in the same way a bell vibrates mechanically when it is struck with a hammer. "I do not use the plan involving the conductivity of the upper strata of the air," he said, "but I use the conductivity of the earth itself, and in this I need no wires to send electrical energy to any part of the globe." [''Tesla Cosmic Ray Motor May Transmit Power 'Round' Earth,''Brooklyn Eagle, July 10, 1932.]
  The closed circuit system consists of a large Tesla coil transmitter, an ionized path connecting the transmitter to the upper atmosphere, the upper atmosphere, a second ionized path connecting the upper atmosphere back down to a receiving location, and the receiver itself. The circuit back to the transmitter is completed through the earth. The upper atmosphere, like any low-pressure gas, is not an ohmic conductor, but will conduct electricity if broken down; i.e., ionized. The portion of the upper atmosphere between the transmitter and the receiver would then conduct current like a neon tube of planetary proportions. It would require a certain amount of energy to maintain the electrical discharge through it.
  The earth is 4,000 miles radius. Around this conducting earth is an atmosphere. The earth is a conductor; the atmosphere above is a conductor, only there is a little stratum between the conducting atmosphere and the conducting earth which is insulating. . . . Now, you realize right away that if you set up differences of potential at one point, say, you will create in the media corresponding fluctuations of potential. But, since the distance from the earth's surface to the conducting atmosphere is minute, as compared with the distance of the receiver at 4,000 miles, say, you can readily see that the energy cannot travel along this curve and get there, but will be immediately transformed into conduction currents, and these currents will travel like currents over a wire with a return. The energy will be recovered in the circuit, not by a beam that passes along this curve and is reflected and absorbed, . . . but it will travel by conduction and will be recovered in this way. [Nikola Tesla On His Work With Alternating Currents and Their Application to Wireless Telegraphy, Telephony, and Transmission of Power, Leland I. Anderson, Editor,Twenty First Century Books, 1992, pp. 129-130.]
  In operation, the electrical energy flowing through the atmospheric conductor is characterized by its high voltage and low current, and through the terrestrial conductor by its high current and low voltage. For any given power level, the loss in the atmospheric plasma transmission line is proportional to the value of the resistance (R) of the ionized path between the two stations, and inversely proportional to the amount of current (I) flowing along this path. The voltage drop (E) across R is given by Ohm's law, E = IR. There is an inverse relationship between voltage and current, so for any given load, increasing the transmission line voltage reduces the current. Looking at this relationship a different way, real power in a transmission line is dissipated as heat due to the resistive element R impeding the flow of electrons. Decreasing the current or rate of flow of electrons through the conductor results in fewer electron 'collisions' resulting in less energy dissipation in the form of heat. Thus, for any given load with a constant transmission-line resistance, reducing the current that flows through the transmission line also reduces the voltage drop. This reduction in end-to-end voltage drop equates to greater transmission-line efficiency. [SeeI2 R, Double Proportion of Resistance to Power.]
  In Tesla's words,
  . . . by such means as have been described practically any potential that is desired may be obtained, the currents through the air strata may be rendered very small, whereby the loss in the transmission may be reduced. [SYSTEM OF TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, Sept. 2, 1897, U.S. Patent No. 645,576, Mar. 20, 1900.]
  Tesla's wireless transmitter-receiver station was designed to develop extremely high potentials on the elevated terminal in order to minimize the loss due to the atmospheric plasma transmission line resistance. Another characteristic of the Tesla apparatus is that a high current flows in the conductor that connects the oscillator to the earth. Looking at an entire atmospheric conduction system, each of the transmitter-receiver stations serves, in a sense, as a lever and a fulcrum that impedance matches the heavy-current power flowing through the terrestrial ground path with the high-voltage power flowing through the atmospheric path. [Kenneth L. Corum and James F. Corum]
  An independent power source is required at the receiving location to sustain the conducting path to the upper atmosphere. Both the transmitter and the receiver have to be capable of ionizing the upper atmosphere out to some distance, in much the same way that a corona discharge ionizes the air out to a radius at which its electric field falls below the breakdown value for air, or the leader in a lightning discharge ionizes the air ahead of the bolt.
  Tesla described the ionization process like this:For example, a conductor or terminal, to which impulses such as those here considered are supplied, but which is otherwise insulated in space and is remote from any conducting-bodies, is surrounded by a luminous flame-like brush or discharge often covering many hundreds or even as much as several thousands of square feet of surface, this striking phenomenon clearly attesting the high degree of conductivity which the atmosphere attains under the influence of the immense electrical stresses to which it is subjected. This influence is however, not confined to that portion of the atmosphere which is discernible by the eye as luminous and which, as has been the case in some instances actually observed, may fill the space within a spherical or cylindrical envelop of a diameter of sixty feet or more, but reaches out to far remote regions, the insulating qualities of the air being, as I have ascertained, still sensibly impaired at a distance many hundred times that through which the luminous discharge projects from the terminal and in all probability much farther. [SYSTEM OF TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, Sept. 2, 1897, U.S. Patent No. 645,576, Mar. 20, 1900.]
  Both wireless stations would be individually capable of ionizing the upper atmosphere in their vicinities out to distance that is based upon four physical parameters. Tesla identified these as the ''electromotive force'' of the transmitted impulses, the atmospheric density, the height of the elevated terminal above the ground, ''and also, apparently, in slight measure, . . . the degree of moisture contained in the air.'' By using a vertical ionizing beam of ultraviolet radiation the requirement for very tall towers is reduced.
  I have also found it practicable to transmit notable amounts of energy through air strata not in direct contact with the transmitting and receiving terminals, but remote from them, the action of the impulses, in rendering conducting air of a density at which it normally behaves as an insulator, extending, as before remarked, to a considerable distance. . . . [Ibid.]
  The region from the upper troposphere and upward, located between the transmitter and the receiver, would become available as a conductor by inducing the plasma state within that region. This is the ''aurora'' effect described by Tesla in the 1916 interview.
  I have constructed and patented a form of apparatus which, with a moderate elevation of a few hundred feet, can break the air stratum down. You will then see something like an aurora borealis across the sky, and the energy will go to the distant place." [Nikola Tesla On His Work With Alternating Currents and Their Application to Wireless Telegraphy, Telephony, and Transmission of Power, 1992, p. 110.]
  Tesla also spoke about instances in which the connection between the elevated terminals is, in part, by electrostatic induction.
  In some cases when small amounts of energy are required the high elevation of the terminals, and more particularly of the receiving '' terminal D, may not be necessary, since, especially when the frequency of the currents is very high, a sufficient amount of energy may be collected at that terminal by electrostatic induction from the upper air strata, which are rendered conducting by the active terminal of the transmitter or through which the currents from the same are conveyed. [SYSTEM OF TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, Sept. 2, 1897, U.S. Patent No. 645,576, Mar. 20, 1900.]
  This means that a wholly conductive path between the transmitting and the receiving stations is not an absolute requirement. A portion the transmitter's energy can be collected at the receiver by electrostatic induction alone. This also suggests that a flow of energy may occur between the two high-altitude ionized regions by means of electrostatic induction, that is to say, by so-called displacement current. Once the initial station-to-upper-atmosphere connections are established by the means of displacement current and electrical conduction through the vertical ionized paths, each high-altitude ionized region grows in size in the direction of its counterparts with the passage of time,I have likewise observed that this region of decidedly-noticeable influence continuously enlarges as time goes on, and the discharge is allowed to pass not unlike a conflagration which slowly spreads, this being possibly due to the gradual electrification or ionization of the air or to the formation of less insulating gaseous compounds. [Ibid.]
  To accomplish this would be a stupendous undertaking. It strikes me that Tesla's concept of transmitting electric power wirelessly via electrical conduction through a closed circuit consisting of the earth and the atmosphere is not promising from a practical viewpoint. This is because of the enormous voltages needed to reach to useful distances from the transmitter through the atmosphere, and the power requirements for maintaining the air path in an ionized state.
  Wireless power transmission by means of the atmospheric method appears to be feasible. It can be accomplished exactly as Tesla said it could without violating the known laws of physics. Perhaps it has not been adopted for economic reasons, and because certain basic engineering challenges that Tesla addressed while developing the system have not been revisited. Perhaps the point-to point atmospheric conduction method is simply impractical.I [have] contemplated the possibility of transmitting . . . high tension currents [on the order of twenty million volts] over a narrow beam of radiant energy ionizing the air and rendering it, in measure, conductive. After preliminary laboratory experiments, I made tests on a large scale with the transmitter referred to [in Colorado Springs] and a beam of ultra-violet rays of great energy in an attempt to conduct the current to the high rarefied strata of the air and thus create an auroral such as might be utilized for illumination, especially of oceans at night. I found that there was some virtue in the principal but the results did not justify the hope of important practical applications. [The New Art of Projecting Concentrated Non-dispersive Energy Through Natural Media.]
  Tesla spoke about the commercial establishment of a wireless system in which the transmitted energy is utilized in at least three different ways'--high-frequency lighting, turning electric motors, and wireless telecommunications.
  Wireless communications is not as demanding as the transmission of power. Tesla seems to have favoured carrier frequencies in the range of tens of kilohertz or so, which would be reasonable for transmission of information at a useful rate. He had in mind transmitters and receivers as those shown in his patent drawings, communicating through the earth via current from the ground terminal of the transmitter and the partially or wholly ionized path described above. This raises the question of whether the current from the ground terminal of a Tesla transmitter, which definitely would exist, would have a range comparable to or greater than that of a radio wave from a radio transmitter of the same power and frequency, and the induced earth current that would accompany it.
  The principal difference between Tesla's system, either closed or open circuit, and open circuit low frequency radio systems is that a radio transmitter is designed primarily to emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation from its antenna, whereas the Tesla communications transmitter is designed primarily to inject an electrical current into the earth at its ground terminal. The mode of propagation for both systems appears to me to be the same; i.e., earth currents and surface charge coupled to a vertical electric field in the Earth-ionosphere cavity.
  Mr. Bradford describes the mode of propagation for both the Tesla system and LF radio systems as, ''earth currents and surface charge coupled to a vertical electric field in the Earth-ionosphere cavity.'' While this is not a description of space wave electromagnetic radiation, it is, however, consistent with the definition of the electromagnetic field associated with an electrical current flowing through a transmission line. Of course there is also a space wave component associated with the emissions of an LF radio transmitter in the form of electromagnetic radiation launched from its antenna. Tesla argued the emissions from the great low frequency AM radio transmitters of the early 20th century were, predominantly, in the form of transmission line surface waves. The principal difference between the Tesla-produced and radio-produced disturbances appears to be the difference in the configuration of currents and fields close to the transmitter.
  The basic idea is that the earth currents and charge-coupled electromagnetic field associated with Tesla coil transmissions gradually decouple from the associated charge carriers and become ordinary radio waves as a function of the distance from the transmitter. Mr. Bradford states,
  I do not believe that the theory for it has been worked out, but in principle it is a straightforward application of electromagnetic theory.
  An alternative hypothesis is one in which the configuration of the electromagnetic field associated with an ordinary radio antenna changes as it moves out of the near-field zone, as described by presently accepted antenna and propagation theory, while the configuration of the electromagnetic field associated with a Tesla coil transmitter remains essentially unchanged as it moves out beyond the near-field zone, through the far-field zone, all the way to a well grounded phase-conjugate or synchronized Tesla coil receiver.There are two distinctly different forms of electromagnetic-wave propagation. The first is by means of electromagnetic radiation or ordinary radio waves, such as emitted by an ordinary dipole radio antenna. The second is by ordinary electrical conduction, such as takes place when a current flows through a transmission-line accompanied by a charge-coupled electromagnetic field.
  There are two types of transmitter-antenna excited propagation modes. The first is by means of an ordinary radio wave launched by a dipole antenna in the form of electromagnetic radiation. The second is by means of a charge-coupled transmission-line wave launched by a high voltage, pulse-driven, top loaded helical resonator in the form of earth currents and a charge-coupled electromagnetic field. A small radio-wave component might also be present, but this is viewed as an energy loss. What might be called a hybrid propagation mode is a combination of the radio wave and the charge-coupled electromagnetic transmission-line wave launched by a grounded or counterpoise monopole antenna, i.e., the Marconi-type antenna, the emissions of which more or less predominate as electromagnetic radiation plus an electromagnetic transmission-line wave component. In addition to space waves, Marconi antennas also appear to launch the type of transmission-line or surface wave described by Arnold Sommerfeld and Johann Zenneck. This surface wave is different from the well-known Norton Surface Wave that is the result of the interaction of the ground wave part of a radio antenna's radiated space wave with the earth's surface. There may be an interaction between the Zenneck and Norton surface waves which occurs along the interface between the two half-spaces resulting in the creation of an interference pattern extending outward around the launching structure.
  My guess is that at very large distances from the transmitter, the two disturbances would be indistinguishable.
  If, as predicted, the disturbances produced by the two launching structures are distinctly different then the effects at a distance will be very much distinguishable. In fact, the emissions of a refined Tesla coil transmitter in the far-field zone should be practically undetectable when using an ungrounded radio receiver with a balanced magnetic loop antenna; quo erat demonstratum. So it would boil down to which method of producing the disturbance is the most efficient and cost effective. One disadvantage of very long distance radio is that VLF transmitting antennas tend to be very large and inefficient, which is one reason why long distance radio communications mostly switched from long wave to short wave in the 1930's. One thing bothers me. If the Tesla earth currents propagate to long distances at low frequencies, why don't the earth currents from the ground terminals of low frequency radio transmitters do likewise, or do they?
  According to Tesla they do. Some portion of the earth current associated with the excitation of a well-grounded LF radio-transmitting antenna propagates to great distances.Counsel You say radio engineers put too much energy into the radiating part. What, as a matter of fact, according to your conception, is the part of the energy that is received in the receivers in the present system? . . . To illustrate my question, take for instance the energy used at Sayville [Long Island, New York] and the reception of that at Nauen [Germany]. I want to know whether it is your idea that the reception there is due to the earth currents that you have described or to the radiated energy.
  TeslaIt is far more due to the earth currents than to the radiated energy. I believe, indeed, that the radiated energy alone could not possibly produce the effect across the Atlantic. It is simply because they are incidentally sending a current through the globe'--which they think is their current'--that the receiver is affected. The current produces variations of potential at the earth's surface in Germany; these fluctuations of potential energize the circuit, and by resonance they increase the potential there and operate the receiver. But I do not mean that it is absolutely impossible to use my apparatus and operate with electromagnetic waves across the Atlantic or Pacific. I only say that according to calculations, for instance, which I have made of the Sayville plant, the radiated energy is very small and cannot be operative. I have also calculated the distribution of the charge on the antenna. I am told that the Sayville antenna is without abrupt changes of capacity. It is impossible. There are changes even in a cylindrical antenna; but particularly in that form at Sayville'--there are very abrupt changes. [Nikola Tesla On His Work With Alternating Currents and Their Application to Wireless Telegraphy, Telephony, and Transmission of Power, p. 142.]
  A grounded radio transmitter generates an earth current, and observations of it might help to answer questions about the range of earth currents. However, distinguishing current from the ground terminal from earth current induced by the radio wave (or part of the wave, depending on how you look at it) might be difficult. The two types of earth current might be distinguishable because earth current from the ground terminal of a radio transmitter should be free from the variations in the strength of the radio wave (e.g., day-night) caused by the ionosphere. I am not aware of such observations. On the other hand, VLF to MF radio transmitters often use some sort of counterpoise instead of a ground connection, and do not produce an earth current directly. The most reliable answers would come from a computer analysis.
  Freely speculating for a moment, perhaps a powerful Tesla coil earth resonance transmitter operated at a non-earth-resonance frequency might result in the creation of radio waves somewhat as predicted by Mr. Bradford. In the operation of a Tesla coil transmitter, earth resonance results from the constructive interference of outgoing Tesla waves with the reflection of preceding Tesla waves returning from the antipode. If the transmission frequency were to be adjusted away from being purely constructive, then radio waves might result. Going out on a limb even further, rather than a gradual transition from Tesla waves to Hertz waves with an increase in distance from the transmitter, the radio wave emissions might be global in nature and ubiquitous.
  "The chief engineer shook his head slowly, "all radio stations went off the air at seven-fifty-one, and nobody can discover why. We've called the electronic laboratory of the State Science Institute. They said it looks like radio waves, but of a frequency never produced before, never observed anywhere, never discovered by anybody. It looks like a wall of radio waves jamming the air, and we can't get through it, we can't touch it, we can't break it. What's more, we can't locate its source, not by any of our usual methods. Those waves seem to come from a transmitter that makes any known to us look like a child's toy! That's it, Dr. Stadler, it can't be possible, it shouldn't be possible, but there it is." [Atlas Shrugged]
  Ionospheric effects like the day-night variations indicate that the radio signal received is mainly accounted for by radio waves. Is it that low frequency radio transmitters generally use counterpoises rather than actual earth connections? Is it that the currents from the ground terminals of the transmitters (as opposed to induced currents in the electrical disturbance in the Earth-ionosphere cavity; see the next section) do not propagate to a significant distance? Once again, the answers to these questions, like all the other questions, could be found theoretically by straightforward computations made on a realistic model of the transmitter, receiver, and intervening medium.
  Construction and operation of full-size Tesla transmitting and receiving apparatus, as described in his patents and elsewhere, will also facilitate this computer analysis. The creation of a realistic model demands the collection of empirical data related to the performance of actual functioning Tesla coil transmitters, and active and passive Tesla coil receivers. At the same time these data were being collected it can also be shown that radio waves are not involved with the transfer of electrical energy between the Tesla transmitting and receiving stations. This can be done using a radio receiver with a balanced magnetic loop antenna, tunable to the Tesla coil transmitter's operating frequency. The radio receiver's antenna can be configured in such a way so it interacts more efficiently with radio waves than with the non-radiating emissions of the Tesla coil transmitter. Grounded monopole and low-counterpoise radio antennas cannot be used. Even the vertical 1/2-wave dipole antenna, with or without loading coils and suspended high above the ground to minimize capacitive coupling to the earth would be compromised in its performance.
  The Schumann Cavity Resonance HypothesisProposed Energy Transmission By Means of a Concentric Spherical Shell Waveguide
  Tesla spoke about the wireless transmission of electric energy utilizing some type of terrestrial resonance mode. Three different forms of terrestrial resonance have been identified. These are the ''single-wire transmission line'' resonances (for lack of a better term), the transverse cavity resonances, and the Schumann cavity resonances. As their names suggest, the latter two are resonances that can be excited in the concentric spherical shell waveguide formed from the earth and the ionosphere. Of these three, only transmission systems utilizing the transmission line resonances and the Schumann resonances are under consideration for power transmission. Both mechanisms fall under Mr. Bradford's so-called ''open circuit" category.
  Natural lightning excites the Schumann resonances. They are observed at the lowest few resonance frequencies (about 8 Hertz and multiples of that). Their measured Q's of order 5 - 10 suggest that the electrical disturbances produced by lightning make a few circuits of the Earth before damping out, and create a fairly definite terrestrial standing wave of a few cycles duration. What is wanted for wireless transmission of power is for the electrical load connected to the receiver to draw power from the transmitter via the standing wave. I.e., when the load is switched on, the transmitter should "feel" the load, as it would in a closed circuit, and respond by providing more power via the standing wave. According to my estimates, this would require an Earth-ionosphere cavity Q of order ~10^6 or 10^7 at the lowest Schumann resonance frequencies, whereas it appears the actual value is more like 5 or 10. Cavity Q is defined here as the ratio of the electric field energy stored in the Earth-ionosphere cavity per cycle of the oscillation to the average power input to the cavity from the transmitter.
  This estimate of the required Q is based on the requirement that the current induced in the input impedance of the receiver should reciprocally induce power in the output impedance of the transmitter similar to the power that was transmitted initially. This is a way of expressing the coupling between the transmitter and receiver required for the transmitter to "feel" the load on the receiver. The Q in my estimate is the value that produces an electric field in the cavity strong enough to induce the required current in the input impedance of the receiver. At higher frequencies, the required Q is larger, but I expect that the Q of the Earth-ionosphere cavity probably decreases because propagation losses in the Earth and ionosphere increase. So my opinion is that Schumann electrical oscillations would not allow efficient transfer of power from the transmitter to the receiver over long distances.
  Conclusions
  The concept of transferring power with small losses in this manner will not work because the standing wave would occur in the Earth-ionosphere cavity, which is too lossy (Q too small) to enable a standing wave of sufficient amplitude to be generated. This limitation is independent of the power of the transmitter. In order for the transmitter to feed power to the receiver as efficiently as it would in a closed low-loss circuit, the power transferred to the receiver should be able to transfer power of the same order of magnitude reciprocally to the transmitter. This is a necessary condition for the transmitter to ''feel'' the load connected to the receiver, and to supply power to it via the standing wave. In order to do this, the required Q of the Earth-ionosphere cavity is of the order of 10^6 or so at the lowest Earth-ionosphere cavity Schumann resonant frequency of about 8 Hz, according to my estimates, whereas measurements based on the spectrum of natural electrical radio noise yield a Q of only about 5 to 10. I believe that the situation only gets worse at higher frequencies because of increasing energy losses in the earth and ionosphere, as is the case in radio transmission.
  In my opinion the reason Tesla believed that he could generate very high Q whole-earth oscillations was that he did not know about the existence of the ionosphere and its damping effect. He also dismissed the practicality of long-range radio because he was unaware of the ionosphere and its reflecting properties.
  On the other hand, it has been pointed out that wireless energy transmission using the concentric spherical shell model, as discussed above, is not consistent with the Tesla type transmitter.The conceptual difficulty with this model is that, at the very low frequencies that Tesla said that he employed (1-50 kHz), earth-ionosphere waveguide excitation, now well understood, would seem to be impossible with the either the Colorado Springs or the Long Island apparatus (at least with the apparatus that is visible in the photographs of these facilities). ["Spherical Transmission Lines and Global Propagation, An Analysis of Tesla's Experimentally Determined Propagation Model," K. L. Corum, J. F. Corum, Ph.D., and J. F. X. Daum, Ph.D. 1996, p. 10.]
  The maximum recommended operating frequencies of 25 kHz as specified by Tesla is far above the highest easily observable Schumann resonance mode (the 9th overtone) that exists at approximately 66.4 Hz. Tesla's selection of 25 kHz is wholly inconsistent with the operation of a system that is based upon the direct excitation of a Schumann resonance mode.Another terrestrial propagation mode is far more promising.
  Energy Transmission By Means of a Spherical Conductor ''Single-wire'' Surface Wave Transmission Line
  The type of transmitter used to excite this propagation mode is described and illustrated in Tesla's patent ART OF TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL ENERGY THROUGH THE NATURAL MEDIUMS, May 16, 1900, U.S. Patent No. 787,412, Apr. 18, 1905 and elsewhere. It is essentially the same as the transmitter used for the atmospheric conduction method, connected to the ground and to an elevated terminal, with the elevated terminal having the modified spherical shape seen in a number of photographs and artistic renderings of the Wardenclyffe wireless station prototype. A similar rendering of a Wardenclyffe-type structure appears in the specifications of Tesla's APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL ENERGY, Jan. 18, 1902, U.S. Patent 1,119,732, Dec. 1, 1914 in which this terminal is drawn as a modified torus.
  It is apparent from documents on file at the U.S. Patent Office pertaining to U.S. Patent No. 787,412 that Tesla collected actual performance data. In response to a question from U.S. Patent Examiner G.C. Dean regarding three stated requirements that, ''seem essential to the establishment of the resonating condition'' Tesla's attorneys responded, These three requirements, as stated are in agreement with his numerous experimental observations. . . . we would point out that the specification does not deal with theories, but with facts which applicant has experimentally observed and demonstrated again and again, and in the commercial exploitation of which he is engaged. ["Spherical Transmission Lines and Global Propagation, An Analysis of Tesla's Experimentally Determined Propagation Model," K. L. Corum, J. F. Corum, Ph.D., and J. F. X. Daum, Ph.D. 1996, p. 3n.]
  Tesla determined that the time required for a transmitted pulse or wave train to travel from the transmitter to the antipode and back again is .08484 seconds. This equates to a fundamental earth resonance frequency of 11.786892 Hz. He believed that by incorporating a portion of the earth as part of a powerful earth-resonance Tesla coil transmitter an electrical disturbance could be impressed upon the earth and detected, ''at great distance, or even all over the surface of the globe."Tesla also made an assumption that Earth is a charged body floating in space.
  A point of great importance would be first to know what is the capacity of the earth? and what charge does it contain if electrified? Though we have no positive evidence of a charged body existing in space without other oppositely electrified bodies being near, there is a fair probability that the earth is such a body, for by whatever process it was separated from other bodies'--and this is the accepted view of its origin'--it must have retained a charge, as occurs in all processes of mechanical separation. [ON LIGHT AND OTHER HIGH FREQUENCY PHENOMENA , Nikola Tesla, Inventions, Researches and Writings of Nikola Tesla, 1894, pp. 294-373.]
  Tesla was familiar with demonstrations that involved the charging of Leiden jar capacitors and isolated metal spheres with electrostatic influence machines. By bringing these elements into close proximity with each other, and also by making direct contact followed by their separation the charge can be manipulated. He surely had this in mind in the creation of his mental image, not being able to know that the model of Earth's origin was inaccurate. The presently accepted model of planetary origin is one of accretion and collision. If it be a charged body insulated in space its capacity should be extremely small, less than one-thousandth of a farad. [Ibid.]
  We now know that Earth is in fact a charged body relative to the uppermost atmospheric strata, made so by processes'--at least in part'--related to an interaction of Earth's magnetosphere with the continuous stream of negatively charged particles called the solar wind, flowing outward from the center of our solar system.But the upper strata of the air are conducting, and so, perhaps, is the medium in free space beyond the atmosphere, and these may contain an opposite charge. Then the capacity might be incomparably greater. [Ibid.]
  We also know one of the upper strata of Earth's atmosphere, the ionosphere, is conducting.In any case it is of the greatest importance to get an idea of what quantity of electricity the earth contains. [Ibid.]
  Earth possesses a naturally existing negative charge with respect to the conducting region of the atmosphere beginning at an elevation of about 50 kilometers. The potential difference between the earth and this region is on the order of 400,000 volts. Near the earth's surface there is a ubiquitous downward directed E-field of about 100 V/m. In LIGHTNING PROTECTOR, May 6, 1916, U.S. Patent 1,266,175, May 14, 1918 Tesla referred to this charge as the ''electric niveau'' or electric level.
  It is difficult to say whether we shall ever acquire this necessary knowledge, but there is hope that we may, and that is, by means of electrical resonance. If ever we can ascertain at what period the earth's charge, when disturbed, oscillates with respect to an oppositely electrified system or known circuit, we shall know a fact possibly of the greatest importance to the welfare of the human race. I propose to seek for the period by means of an electrical oscillator, or a source of alternating electric currents. . . . [Ibid.]
  A Tesla coil earth resonance transmitter creates a local disturbance in the earth's charge that manifests itself as an annular deviation in the density of the background electric field. This disturbance propagates away from the transmitter and diminishes in intensity as the distance from the transmitter increases. A sufficiently powerful transmitter produces a field distortion that propagates all the way to the antipode, at which point the energy is reflected back towards its point of origin. The transmission of electrical energy across the entire globe and its reflection all the way back to its source is the basis of Tesla's earth resonance method.
  While the atmospheric conduction method requires that both transmitting and receiving apparatus be placed into operation, a properly tuned and sufficiently powerful earth resonance transmitter, on the other hand, can be made to operate exactly as intended without any man-made Tesla-type receivers being activated. The earth itself fulfills the requirement that a synchronized receiver be present.
  ConclusionLong-distance wireless transmission by means of the Atmospheric Conduction Method is feasible, defying none of the known laws of physics, but a power transmission system based upon this method may not be practicable. The hypothesized Schumann Cavity Resonance Method, unto itself, is unworkable. Wireless transmission by means of the Earth Resonance Method may be possible, a feasibility study using a sufficiently powerful and properly tuned Tesla coil earth-resonance transmitter being called for.
David Ferrucci: Life After Watson
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:42
  To the degree there was a human face of Watson, the ''Jeopardy!'' computer champion, it was David Ferrucci. He was the I.B.M. researcher who led the development of Watson, an artificial intelligence engine. The goateed computer scientist was always articulate and at ease in front of a camera or a microphone.
  Dr. Ferrucci has left I.B.M. to join the giant hedge fund Bridgewater Associates. And the weight of the Watson-related fame, it seems, played a role. ''I was so linked to the Watson achievement, and where I.B.M. was taking it, that I felt I was almost losing my identity,'' he said in a recent interview.
  After Watson beat the best human Jeopardy champions in 2011, its artificial intelligence technology was directed toward new challenges, like assisting doctors in making diagnoses in a research project at the Cleveland Clinic.
  Dr. Ferrucci led that next-generation Watson research as well. But he went to Bridgewater at the end of last year. Bridgewater, a private company, made no announcement of its new hire. Yet word of Dr. Ferrucci's departure from I.B.M. has been circulating among scientists in the artificial intelligence field. And I caught up with him recently for an interview, supplemented by a lengthy e-mail he titled, ''My Reflections.''
  Dr. Ferrucci, 51, said he had ''a great, great career'' at I.B.M., spanning 20 years, and ''they paid me very well.''He said he ''never imagined myself at a hedge fund,'' but eventually the appeal of working in a smaller environment in an entirely new field for him '-- applying artificial intelligence to macroeconomic modeling '-- won him over.
  Dr. Ferrucci said the more recent work he was doing at I.B.M., called WatsonPaths, was the direction he thought artificial intelligence research needed to go to make further advances, and it was the approach he saw Bridgewater pursuing to economic modeling.
  Much of artificial intelligence today, he said, focuses on mining vast amounts of data to make predictions. Those predictions are based on statistical probabilities and patterns '-- a certain symptom is highly correlated with a certain disease, for example.
  ''But in a purely data-driven approach, I can't explain my decisions,'' Dr. Ferrucci said. ''People are so enamored with the data-driven approach that they believe correlation is sufficient.''
  The Big Data formula, he noted, has proved to be ''incredibly powerful'' for tasks like natural-language processing '-- a central technology behind Google search, for instance.
  WatsonPaths, by contrast, builds step-by-step graphs, or paths, that trace possible causes rather than mere statistical correlations. In the case of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic project, for example, the paths go from an observation of symptoms to a conclusion about the diagnosis of a disease and treatment.
  That approach is a hybrid of the Big Data tools, which sift through troves of medical literature, and logic tools to identify likely chains of inference '-- what humans see as logical explanations for the ''why'' of things. The approach is also a step in the direction of classic artificial intelligence, which relied on knowledge rules and relationships, to create so-called expert systems. The blend combines elements of what Dr. Ferrucci termed ''my 30-year journey in A.I.''
  At Bridgewater, Dr. Ferrucci sees a similar path to modeling the economy and markets. ''Their approach to investment,'' he wrote in his e-mail, ''is based on a fundamental understanding of how the global 'economic machine' works.''
  Its models, he added, are ''informed by but not blindly driven by the data.'' The opportunity, Dr. Ferrucci wrote, is to build ''predictive systems that fit perfectly with my interests. How cool is it to imagine a machine that can combine deductive and inductive processes to develop, apply, refine and explain a fundamental economic theory?''
  Cool, indeed. If successful, perhaps Bridgewater could share its findings with the Fed and the Treasury rather than merely trading for its own account. In the realm of policy, economic modeling and forecasting could use some help.
VIDEO-GM Crops 'Safe And Beneficial', Says Minister
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:32
  GM foods are probably safer than those produced conventionally, the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has said.
  In a speech to scientists and people from the industry Mr Paterson attacked critics who derided genetically modified crops as "Frankenfoods" and said it was time for better informed discussion on the use of the technology.
  Mr Paterson said that major European studies had concluded that there was "no scientific evidence associating GMOs (genetically modified organisms) with higher risks" for the environment or safety.
  Mr Paterson, who has previously expressed his backing for GM, said he wanted the UK to be at the forefront of developing GM technology.
  Mr Paterson wants the UK to be at the forefront of developing GM technologyAnd in a warning to the European Union, which has tight restrictions on growing GM crops, he said: "While the rest of the world is ploughing ahead and reaping the benefits of new technologies, Europe risks being left behind. We cannot afford to let that happen."
  There is just one active GM crop trial in the UK, for wheat that has been engineered to contain a gene from peppermint that deters aphids and attracts their predator, a parasitic wasp.
  There are no commercial crops grown in this country, but livestock is commonly reared on imported feed which has been genetically modified.
  He said: "As with all technologies, public and environmental safety is paramount. The reality is that in Europe and elsewhere, GM is perhaps the most regulated of all agricultural technologies.
  GM food is still regarded with concern by some"There are some that describe GM crops as 'Frankenfoods', deliberately termed to imply that they pose a risk to human health and the environment.
  "The truth is that products are subject to extensive testing and development in tightly controlled conditions - progressing from laboratory, to glasshouse, to field trials only when it's safe to do so."
  Mr Paterson was visiting Rothamsted Research in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. He visited the field where the active GM crop trial is taking place.
  The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council welcomed Mr Paterson's endorsement of GM.
  Chief executive Douglas Kell said: "GM is one tool in a range of options that can help us to tackle complex problems, such as the need to produce enough food for a growing population."
  But opponents said it was too early to conclude that GM crops are safe to eat.
  Mike Childs, Friends of the Earth's head of policy, research and science, said: ""Despite decades of research, there are still no miracle crops to tackle the challenges agriculture faces, such as climate change, soil degradation, water shortages and growing demand.
  "Where GM crops are grown, they are exacerbating the very intensive farming practices that are part of the problem.
  "Ministers must urgently get behind a different approach to food and farming that delivers real sustainable solutions rather than peddling the snake oil that is GM."
  Peter Melchett, policy director of organic campaign group Soil Association, said: "Owen Patterson's GM dream will make it harder to feed the world.
  "The British Government constantly claim that GM crops are just one tool in the toolbox for the future of farming.
  "In fact, GM is the cuckoo in the nest."
VIDEO-Shia Labeouf: One-In-Five Phone Calls Are Recorded (2008-09-16) - YouTube
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:10
VIDEO-Comprehensive Experimental Analyses of Automotive Attack Surfaces - YouTube
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 19:36
General Wesley Clark and Former International Finance Corporation Head Lars Thunell Join Fisterra Board of Directors - Yahoo! Finance
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 19:31
  NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
  Blackstone (BX) and Fisterra Energy (''Fisterra''), a company owned by funds managed by Blackstone on behalf of its private equity investors, today announced that General Wesley Clark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, and Lars Thunell, former International Finance Corporation head, have joined Fisterra's Board of Directors. Earlier this year, Blackstone, together with a management team led by Pedro Barriuso, the former Executive Chairman of Element Power and former head of Iberdrola Renewables, formed Fisterra to identify, develop, finance, construct and operate large-scale independent power projects, with a focus in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.
  General Clark and Lars Thunell will also serve as Senior Advisors to Blackstone with a focus on the firm's private equity activities in the energy sector.
  Sean Klimczak, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, said, ''We are thrilled to welcome both General Clark and Lars Thunell to the team. General Clark's experience and breadth of knowledge will be invaluable to both Fisterra and Blackstone, as we continue to invest in and construct power projects around the world.'' Sean Klimczak added, ''Lars brings a strong understanding of how to finance and complete large-scale energy projects and has a wealth of investment experience in many of the countries in which we operate or would seek to operate.''
  Pedro Barriuso, Chairman and CEO of Fisterra, said, ''I am delighted to have both Lars Thunell and General Clark join Fisterra. Mr. Thunell and General Clark are perfect compliments to our management platform and will be invaluable as we build Fisterra into a premier global power development company.''
  General Wesley Clark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, said, ''Helping countries overcome their energy challenges and develop energy security is critical to economic growth and sustainable development. I am pleased to join Fisterra's Board of Directors and look forward to supporting the team as they work to accomplish their goals.''
  Lars Thunell, former Head of International Finance Corporation, said, ''Developing energy solutions for emerging markets plays a crucial role in strengthening economies and creating growth. Fisterra has the right team and experience to develop affordable, safe and reliable power projects around the world, and I look forward to joining the team.''
  General Clark rose to the rank of four-star general as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, during his tenure in the United States Army. Since retiring from the military in 2000, he has served in several private sector positions, and in September 2003, he ran as a Democratic candidate for President of the United States. General Clark has chaired several public and private companies and is a progressive leader in pursuing energy solutions. He graduated first in his class at West Point and completed degrees in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. His awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Defense Distinguished Service Medal (five awards), Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, honorary knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments and numerous awards from other governments, including the award of Commander of the Legion of Honor (France). He also serves as a member of the Clinton Global Initiative's Energy & Climate Change Advisory Board and ACORE's Advisory Board.
  Lars Thunell is a seasoned chief executive with over 30 years of management experience, most recently as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President of the International Finance Corporation, the financing arm of the World Bank. Under Mr. Thunell's leadership, the International Finance Corporation tripled its annual financing of infrastructure, healthcare and energy projects around the world from $6 billion to over $20 billion, the majority of which are in emerging markets.
  About Blackstone
  Blackstone is one of the largest alternative asset managers in the world, with more than $218 billion in assets under management, and is a leading global private equity firm and energy private equity franchise. Since its inception in 1985, Blackstone has invested over $42 billion of equity in 172 transactions across the globe. Blackstone is currently investing out of Blackstone Capital Partners VI (''BCP VI''), a $16.7 billion diversified general purpose private equity fund, and Blackstone Energy Partners (''BEP''), a $2.5 billion energy-focused private equity fund. Blackstone's private equity investments in the energy sector are funded jointly by BEP and BCP VI, which together represent over $5 billion of equity capital allocated to energy.
  Over the last decade, Blackstone has built a leading energy sector private equity investing franchise with an extensive track record of investing in partnership with talented management teams seeking to capitalize on their growth opportunities and realize the full potential of their assets. Led by David Foley, the Chief Executive Officer of BEP, this dedicated team of professionals has committed and invested more than $7.5 billion of equity in over 25 energy transactions, across a broad range of geographies and throughout the energy value-chain: upstream, midstream, services & equipment, downstream and power. Power companies represent a significant share of Blackstone's capital commitments to the energy sector and remain a key focus area for new investments. Blackstone's current portfolio of power investments includes: Sithe Global, Moser Baer, Monnet, Global Offshore Wind and PQ Energy.
  Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow us on Twitter @Blackstone.
Noodles & Co.: An IPO With Growth Potential - Seeking Alpha
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 19:30
  Noodles & Company (NDLS) is scheduled for a $75 million IPO on Friday, June 28, 2013. Noodles has a market cap of $312.2 million. The stock is set to be priced in the $13.00-$15.00 range.
  The company, which opened its first location in 1995, offers food from around the world. This includes Asian, Mediterranean, and American dishes.
  Companies within the same sector that are already public include Chipotle (CMG) and Panera Bread (PNRA).
  Information and insights that follow were derived from the following filing that the company made with the SEC:
  Amended S1
  Noodles says it is in the fast casual segment of the restaurant industry. It has higher prices than traditional fast food places like McDonald's (MCD), which offers sandwiches for as low as $1.00. Noodles is able to compete with these traditional fast food places and other fast casual restaurants due to the variety of dishes and the service it offers. Noodles delivers food to your table, which one would expect of a more expensive full-service restaurant. No tip is expected of the customer.
  In recent years, the fast casual segment has grown faster than the overall industry, though there is no guarantee that this trend will continue. Noodles' profit margin of 20.3% is very competitive for the restaurant industry.
  Noodles says that a person spends approximately $8.00 at its restaurant. Fast Casual puts the cost of the typical meal at fast casual restaurants in the $8.00-$15.00 range.
  While the company does franchise, the majority of its restaurants are company-owned. At the end of fiscal year 2012, only 51 of 327 total restaurants were franchised. Franchises only accounted for 1% of revenue in the last three fiscal years. Noodles plans to open 38-42 company-owned restaurants and 6-8 franchises in 2013.
  The customer base is loyal, with approximately 40% of customers visiting at least once a month. Noodles was named Top 10 "Most Loved" food and beverage brands in social media by DigitalCoco and Top Social Media Brands and Top Social Consumer Sentiment by Restaurant Social Media Index. Both were based on comments made by customers on social media.
  Earnings growth is positive. Over the past four years, EPS has grown from $0.04 to $0.22 for an annualized growth rate of 112.5%. Growth has slowed in recent years as you can see below.
  Fiscal Year2009201020112012EPS (in USD)0.040.100.160.22% Growth in EPS over prior yearN/A1506037.5Noodles intends to grow to 2,500 restaurants over the next 15-20 years based on current growth rates.
  It is concerning that a large portion of the proceeds from this IPO is going towards paying off debts instead of fueling company growth. Noodles plans to use $66.0 million of the $77.5 million expected net proceeds to pay down debt. This is unnecessary considering the maturity date is August 1, 2017. The remaining proceeds will be used for working capital and other corporate expenses.
  Noodles has no intention to pay dividends. Instead, earnings will be used to finance development and expansion.
  An important thing to take into consideration when evaluating restaurants is consumer sentiment. Restaurants must keep customers happy to ensure repeat customers and free advertising through word of mouth.
  Noodles unfortunately has issues providing a consistent experience across its restaurants as shown by the many mixed reviews that can be found online. Certain Noodles locations have mostly negative reviews, while others have mostly positive reviews, so this is not a fundamental issue with Noodles. How Noodles handles this consistency issue will decide its future.
  Conclusion
  The huge growth opportunity for Noodles & Company can't be ignored. It occupies a unique position within the restaurant industry. Noodles' customers are loyal and it has a solid plan for expansion. However, I am concerned about Noodles' ability to provide a consistent experience across its restaurants.
  Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.(More...)
  Additional disclosure: I am long BWLD.
Girlfriend of New York's governor Cuomo is checked into Rome hotel room where Gandolfini died
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 15:51
  Food Network star and her family staying at Soprano star's roomSandra Lee 'saddened' to learn of tragic coincidenceBy George Stark, Donna Mcconnell, Hugo Gye and Daily Mail Reporter
  PUBLISHED: 08:08 EST, 22 June 2013 | UPDATED: 08:10 EST, 22 June 2013
  The girlfriend of New York's governor has been booked into the luxury Rome hotel room where James Gandolfini was found suffering a heart attack, less than two days after the actor's death.
  The star of the Sopranos was found in the bathroom of room 449 of the Boscolo Exedra Roma by his son on Wednesday night.
  By Friday however, Andrew Cuomo's girlfriend Sandra Lee checked into the same room.
  Saddened: Sandra Lee, with Governor Cuomo. The Food Network star was sad to discover her family have been booked in the hotel room where Gandolfini died
  She has booked a couple of rooms, including 449, a source close to the 46-year-old told the New York Post.
  The Emmy-winning cook on the Food Network was said to be saddened when she discovered Gandolfini had suffered his heart attack in one of the rooms her family have booked.
  He was found in the hotel room's bathroom by his 13-year-old son, Michael, at about 10pm. The 51-year-old screen star was declared dead an hour later at the Policlinico Umberto I Hospital.
  The actor, who friends said did not have heart problems, had to be carried out of the hotel by six men, but a family friend said he did not have heart trouble,
  'He was happy. He was healthy,. He was doing really fine,' a friend told the New York Post.
  The results of a post-mortem examination showed he died of natural causes.
  'Nothing else was found in his system,' family friend and spokesman Michael Kobold, said.
  Vacation: Sandra Lee is spending time with her family in Rome
  Gandolfini's body is due to be flown to the U.S.by Wednesday or Thursday, and his funeral will be held in New York.
  'In Italy, it can take up to 10 days to get all the necessary documents and paperwork to repatriate the body. We are looking forward to working with the Italian government and officials to shorten that process,' Mr Kobold said.
  'Once we have the clearance, we will put him on a flight to America.'
  The actor's widow, Deborah Lin, was spotted in public for the first time since his death.
  Ms Lin, who had been married to Gandolfini for five years, was spotted at a Los Angeles shopping mall buying clothes for their baby daughter before the funeral.
  In Gandolfini's home state of New Jersey, flags will be flown at half-mast on state buildings on Monday, New Jersey governor Chris Christie said.
  The actor had been in Italy for the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily. He had been due to receive an award at the event and teach a class.
  'He was on vacation with his son. He has an eight-month-old daughter. Everything was going really great. I just spoke to him on Father's Day. He was fine. He was happy,' Mr Kobold said.
  The actor, best known for his role as Tony Soprano in HBO series The Sopranos, had been drinking cocktails, beer and shots as he dined with his son just hours before suffering a fatal heart attack, it has been claimed.
  The actor, who was 51, had struggled with alcohol addiction and had been seen attending several Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in New York, according to reports.
  A source at the Hotel Boscolo in Rome has claimed the actor ordered pina coladas, shots of rum and beer during the al fresco meal on Wednesday evening, as it emerged doctors battled for 40 minutes to save him after he suffered a heart attack in his room just hours later.
  'Final pictures': A holidaymaker took this photograph of James Gandolfini enjoying dinner in Rome on Tuesday night - around 24 hours before he passed away suddenly following a suspected heart attack
  At ease: Witnesses said Gandolfini appeared to be enjoying dinner and the 'magical atmosphere'
  Gandolfini first ordered a pina colada with two additional shots of rum on the side, a hotel source told the New York Post.
  He then ordered the exact same round to wash down helpings of fried prawns with chilli mayonnaise and foie gras, followed later by two beers, the member of staff claimed.
  The previous night the Emmy-award winning star had dined with his 13-year-old son Michael in Rome's Trastevere neighbourhood, enjoying a Campari and soda and a red wine.
  His waiter Andrei Burca said of the actor: 'He had a big smile, a big laugh, and looked happy.'
  Medical staff rushed to Hotel Boscolo on Wednesday night after Gandolfini's son found his father suffering the attack in their bathroom at about 10pm.
  Sadness: Gandolfini's sister Johanna Antonacci arrives at the Rome morgue where the body of her brother is being held following an autopsy, which confirmed he died of a heart attack
  Details about Gandolfini's final moments come as a photograph has emerged apparently showing Gandoflini enjoying an evening out with his family the night before his sudden death
  In what could be the last picture of the award-winning actor, Gandolfini appeared at ease and in good health as he ate dinner at the Sabatini Restaurant with his son Michael, according to fellow holidaymaker Blake Kahn, who took the photo.
  Another member of Kahn's group, Dee Duncan of Roswell, Georgia added that Gandolfini looked as if he was enjoying the 'magical atmosphere' as jugglers and magicians performed in the square.
  Kahn, from Atlanta, Georgia, later shared the images with 11Alive.
  His Sopranos colleagues have led tributes from the showbiz world, with the show's creator David Chase who compared him to Mozart, praising him as 'one of the greatest actors of this or any time'.
  Witness: James Gandolfini was found suffering a heart attack in a hotel bathroom by his 13-year-old son Michael. They are pictured with his second wife Deborah Lin at a film premiere in 2011
  Tests: The mortuary of Umberto hospital where Gandolfini was pronounced dead on Wednesday night. His body will undergo an autopsy on Thursday, as is required by Italian law
  Mario Sesti, director of the film festival which the star was due to attend this weekend, claimed that Gandolfini was excited by his Italian vacation because of his family's link to the country.
  'He was so happy to be in Italy, to reconnect with his Italian roots, and he was very excited to come here and receive this award,' he told USA Today.
  Gandolfini was born and brought up in New Jersey, but both his parents were Italian.
  The Taormini Film Festival will host a tribute to the actor in place of a round-table discussion which Gandolfini had agreed to take part in.
  The actor and his family had spent a 'beautiful day out together' in Rome before his tragic passing, according to Gandolfini's assistant, Tom Richardson.
  In a sign that he was generous until the end, a holidaymaker claimed on Facebook that Gandolfini, who was staying at the same hotel, witnessed a boy stealing a few Euros from her and 'ran after me in to the elevator to make sure that I was ok.' 'Good man,' she added.
  Married to the mob: In character with his Sopranos co-stars Edie Falco, Robert Iler and Jamie-Lynn Sigler
  James Gandolfini in some of his most memorable film & TV roles
  According to Mike Sullivan, a close friend of Gandolfini's, Richardson told him: 'When they got back to the hotel, Jimmy went to use the restroom. And something happened in there.
  'His sister said he was alive when they took him out in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.'
  When paramedics arrived to take Gandolfini to hospital, they found him lying on the bathroom floor, according to hotel owner Antonio D'amore.
  The actor was taken to hospital at 10.20pm, and was pronounced dead at 11pm when efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, according to Dr Modini.
  Gandolfini's first wife Marcy Wudarski, Michael's mother, is said to have immediately booked a flight to Italy to comfort her son after learning of the actor's death.
  The couple were married for three years until they divorced in 2002.
  Divorce papers from 2002 show Wudarski accused him of battling serious issues with drugs and alcohol which saw him 'punch himself in the face with frustration'.
  Hotel: Gandolfini had a heart attack in his bathroom at the Hotel Boscolo, pictured, in Rome
  Emergency services: An ambulance parked in the square outside the hotel today
  The scene: People walk in the entrance of the morgue of Policlinico Umberto I hospital where the body of actor Gandolfini was brought after he was reported dead late Wednesday
  At the hospital: Members of the media gather outside the emergency department of Policlinico Umberto I
  According to GQ, those who worked with the actor on the HBO drama from 1999 to 2007 saw him frequently 'berate himself in disgust, curse and smack the back of his own head'.
  Wudarski also alleged that he dated a string of women, including a stripper.
  In response, Gandolfini claimed that his wife constantly threatened to kill herself and blamed her emotional instability and volatile temper for the marriage breakdown.
  He filed for divorce on the grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment. At the time his wife said his departure had come as a shock.
  Gandolfini married his second wife, former model Deborah Lin, in Hawaii in 2008, and Liliana was born last October. After his daughter's birth, Gandolfini said he was 'thrilled' to become a father for the second time.
  Grief: Family spokesman Michael Kobold giving a statement on Gandolfini's death
  Tributes: Fans leaves flower and gifts outside of Gandolfini's New York City apartment on Thursday
  New Jersey remembers 'Tony Soprano'
  The actor rose to fame playing a hitman in the 1993 film True Romance, and roles in films such as Terminal Velocity and Get Shorty followed.
  However, it was not until his breakout role in 1999 in the hit television show The Sopranos that he became a household name.
  He played the powerful mob boss Tony Soprano, whose stressful gangster and family life left him needing to visit a psychiatrist, played by Lorraine Bracco.
  His compelling portrayal of the ruthless mob boss who suffered from panic attacks saw him win three Emmy Awards for the role.
  The character apparently died in the series finale, although the audience was never shown the moment of his death, with the screen just fading to black instead.
  Speaking to Vanity Fair about the ending, Gandolfini said: 'What the f***? I mean, after all I went through, all this death, and then it's over like that?'
  Gandolfini's managers Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders paid tribute to the star, saying in a statement: 'Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply. He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving.'
  Breakout role: Gandolfini is best known for his role as Tony Soprano in hit HBO series The Sopranos
  Compelling: Gandolfini (Tony Soprano) and Lorraine Bracco, as Dr. Jennifer Melfi, in a scene from the fourth season of The Sopranos
  Tribute: Sopranos creator David Chase, pictured with Gandolfini, compared the actor with Mozart
  First big role: Gandolfini in 1993's True Romance, in which he also played a mobster
  Cable channel HBO, which hosted The Sopranos until the show ended in 2007, called the actor a 'special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone, no matter their title or position, with equal respect.'
  'We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family,' HBO added.
  'He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time. He will be deeply missed by all of us.'
  The Sopranos creator David Chase called his leading actor 'a genius'.
  He said: 'Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that. He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes.
  'I remember telling him many times, "You don't get it. You're like Mozart." There would be silence at the other end of the phone.'
  Devoted dad: James was said be 'thrilled' at the arrival of his daughter last year; he is pictured carrying her to lunch with his wife in May
  Family tragedy: The actor was married twice, to Deborah Lin, left, mother of his nine month old daughter, and right, Marcy Wudarski the mother of son Michael who has flown to Rome to be with him
  James Gandolfini marries Deborah Lin. The couple tied the knot on the islands of Hawaii over the Labor Day weekend in 2008
  Mr Chase added: 'He wasn't easy sometimes. But he was my partner, he was my brother in ways I can't explain and never will be able to explain.'
  Chris Albrecht, who commissioned the crime drama for HBO and approved Gandolfini for the role, told Deadline: 'Absolutely stunned. I got the word from Lorraine Bracco and just got off with Brad Grey who had just heard from David Chase.
  'We had all become a family. This is a tremendous loss.'
  And Steve Schrirripa, who played Bobby Baccalieri in the show, said upon hearing the news: 'I had to get up and leave. It was like being told a brother had died. Jimmy Gandolfini was as great a friend as he was an actor and a human being.
  'The phone hasn't stopped. I spoke to a lot of the guys from The Sopranos. We were crying. People joke about us being a family. But we are a family.'
  Public in Rome reacts in shock to James Gandolfini's death
  Complex character: James Gandolfini alongside actors Tony Sirico Federico Castellucio, and Steven Van Zandt in The Sopranos
  The mob boss: Gandolfini was the head of a mob family in show Sopranos
  Celebrated: James and his on-screen wife Edie Falco both won at the 2000 Golden Globes for their roles as Tony and Carmela Soprano
  His co-star Joseph Gannascoli, who plays Vito Spatafore in the show, told MailOnline that Gandolfini was a 'tremendous person'.
  An emotional Gannascoli said: 'He came to my wedding with his son and spoke beautiful words in front of everyone to me and my wife.'
  He said that the greatest tragedy was that Gandolfini's son and daughter would grow up without their father. The actor said that Gandolfini was a generous guy with no airs about him who made everyone feel comfortable.
  He told of a time that Gandolfini had been scheduled to make an appearance at his Brooklyn restaurant and despite being ill and it pouring with rain, he took pictures with everyone in a line of people who had queued around the block.
  Gandolfini's sudden and unexpected death has prompted a huge outpouring of grief from those who worked with the actor, with many celebrities taking to Twitter to pay tribute.
  Actor and friend Gilles Marini revealed on his Facebook page that Gandolfini had traveled to Italy with his son Michael for a 'boy trip'.
  Tribute: Gandolfini's picture is displayed in the window of a restaurant in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York following his sudden death on Wednesday
  Versatile: James Gandolfini starred opposite Twilight's Kristen Stewart in the heartwarming 2010 movie Welcome To The Rileys
  'I am heartbroken. My bud James Gandolfini just died. Last Saturday he told me at our kids graduation [that] he was so happy to go with his son to Italy. A boy trip!' Marini wrote.
  He added: 'It was an honor to have met this man, such a great Dad! I spent so much time with James son teaching him soccer. I feel for that kid it must be so hard right now for little [Michael].'
  'RIP James Gandolfini. A great friend,' wrote Jeff Daniels, his co-star in Broadway's God of Carnage.
  'I am so deeply saddened by the untimely passing of sweet James Gandolfini!', tweeted Christina Applegate, his co-star in the 2004 comedy Surviving Christmas. 'My heart is broken for his family!! I'm in shock.'
  Steve Carell, who was about to work with the larger-than-life star in HBO Films' Bone Wars, added: 'James Gandolfini. Unbelievably sad news. A fine man.'
  In his younger days: As a basketball star at Ridge High School, Park Ridge in New Jersey
  Following the success of the HBO television series - which finished in 2007 - he continued to make big screen appearances in critically acclaimed films including In The Loop and The Taking of Pelham 123.
  Senior year: James Gandolfini, in 1979 at Park Ridge High School, New Jersey
  He appeared alongside Twilight actress Kristen Stewart in the heartwarming drama Welcome to the Rileys and voiced the 'Wild Thing' Carol in Where the Wild Things Are.
  He recently played Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in the Oscar nominated film Zero Dark Thirty.
  In his personal life, Gandolfini made his first public appearance with Deborah at the premiere of the second half of the sixth and final series of The Sopranos in March 2007.
  At their wedding a year later, they exchanged vows in front of family and friends at Honolulu's Central Union Church.
  Deborah wore a white gown made of Italian lace, and the church was decorated with white lilies and rhododendrons.
  Born in Westwood, New Jersey, Gandolfini graduated from Park Ridge High School, where he cut his teeth acting in school plays, and went on to study communications at Rutgers University.
  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has described himself as a 'huge fan' of Gandolfini.
  'It's an awful shock. James Gandolfini was a fine actor, a Rutgers alum and a true Jersey guy,' he said.
  In his school days: Gandolfini poses with a female friend in a picture from his High School year book in 1979; he was voted 'class flirt'
  Gandolfini started his professional acting career treading the boards in New York, and made his Broadway debut in the 1992 revival of A Streetcar Named Desire with Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin.
  Although his first film role came before in the 1987 comedy horror movie Shock! Shock! Shock! and also had a minor role in the Melanie Griffith thriller A Stranger Among Us.
  Gandolfini had a number of projects completed before his death including Violet & Daisy starring Saoirse Ronan, and another project by director Nicole Holofcener starring Catherine Keener.
  In an interview in December last year, Gandolfini sounded upbeat about a slew of smaller roles following the breathtaking blackout ending in 2007 of The Sopranos.
  'I'm much more comfortable doing smaller things,' Gandolfini said.
  'I like them. I like the way they're shot; they're shot quickly. It's all about the scripts - that's what it is - and I'm getting some interesting little scripts.'
  LOVING TRIBUTES: CELEBRITIES EXPRESS THEIR GRIEF ON TWITTERBroadway: James with actor Jeff Daniels
  'RIP James Gandolfini. A great friend,' wrote Jeff Daniels, his co-star in Broadway's God of Carnage.
  'I am so deeply saddened by the untimely passing of sweet James Gandolfini!' tweeted Christina Applegate, his co-star in the 2004 comedy Surviving Christmas. 'My heart is broken for his family!! I'm in shock.'
  Steve Carell, who was about to work with the larger-than-life star in HBO Films' Bone Wars, tweeted: 'James Gandolfini. Unbelievably sad news. A fine man.'
  Olivia Wilde, who starred with the actor in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, said: 'James Gandolfini was a kind, funny, wonderful guy. I'm so lucky to have worked with him. Sending love to his family. Such a sad, sad day.'
  Patrick Wilson wrote: 'R.I.P. James Gandolfini. So awful. What a fantastic actor'...so much to say but I can't even process. My condolences to his family.'
  Bush rocker Gavin Rossdale said: 'james gandolfini'' so sad what an incredible actor. more loss. be good to each other. it's all so short.'
  Actor Jonah Hill: 'I'm truly heartbroken to hear that James Gandolfini has passed away. He is one of my all time favorite actors. Tragic loss.'
  Touching tribute: Actress Rose McGowan posted this picture of herself and James on Twitter
  Rose McGowan posted a picture of herself with the actor, saying: 'I am heartbroken about James Gandolfini. He was a gentle giant and great man. I love this picture, I loved him.'
  Carson Daly: 'SO SAD! PRAYING FOR HIS FAMILY- wow- Shocked by this news today'....'
  Josh Henderson: 'Just read about James Gandolfini.. Never met him but what a damn good actor. Gone way to soon. Rip brother.. #prayers'
  Dominic Monaghan: 'Oh man James gandolfini died. Fantastic in the soprano, and true romance. A great talent.'
  Alyssa Milano: 'Rest in peace, Mr. Gandolfini.'
  Rainn Wilson: 'Arrivederci, James Gandolfini. You were one of the great greats. We'll miss your dangerous, big heart. #RIPGandolfini'
  Josh Groban: 'Thank you James Gandolfini for some of the most brilliant tv moments of all time. So sad!!!'
  Giuliana Rancic: 'Just heard James Gandolfini has died of a heart attack at the age of 51. So incredibly sad.'
  Leah Remini: 'R.I.P James Gandolfini. My prayers to his family and friends. He will certainly be missed by us who loved watching him'
  James Gandolfini in his epic role as Tony Soprano
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Discussion of human resonant frequency
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 09:36
  Discussion of human resonant frequencySAO/NASA ADSPhysics Abstract Service· Table of Contents· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)·· Translate This PageTitle:Discussion of human resonant frequencyAuthors:Brownjohn, James M.; Zheng, XiahuaAffiliation:AA(Nanyang Technological Univ)Publication:Proc. SPIE Vol. 4317, p. 469-474, Second International Conference on Experimental Mechanics, Fook S. Chau; Chenggen Quan; Eds. (SPIE Homepage)Publication Date:06/2001Origin:SPIEBibliographic Code:2001SPIE.4317..469BAbstractHuman bodies are often exposed to vertical vibrations when they are in the workplace or on vehicles. Prolonged exposure may cause undue stress and discomfort in the human body especially at its resonant frequency. By testing the response of the human body on a vibrating platform, many researchers found the human whole-body fundamental resonant frequency to be around 5 Hz. However, in recent years, an indirect method has been prosed which appears to increase the resonant frequency to approximately 10 Hz. To explain this discrepancy, experimental work was carried out in NTU. The study shows that the discrepancy lies in the vibration magnitude used in the tests. A definition of human natural frequency in terms of vibration magnitude is proposed.
The frequency of the human body is?
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 09:33
  I don't want to ask this question in a New Age metaphysical type of way so please don't interpret it as such. What frequency does the human body run at?Does this question make sense or is it too broad?
  I will try to fire off a frew seperate examples of what I mean so that the question is more answerable.
  1) Human Brain - neuroscientists find a range of a few Hz to 20 plus Hz. We've all heard the terms Alpha waves, Beta waves, Delta waves and Theta waves to describe the different brain states. What is this measurement of exactly, in a physical sense?
  2) Membrane Potentials - we all know they govern tons of biological transport systems, like the classic ion channels where ions of CL-, Na+, K+ pass through membrane channels that have voltage potentials. Does it make sense to ask what frequency these work at?
  3) Heart Beat - Clearly this can be measured in Hz. If your heart beats 120 bpm, its beating at 2Hz.
  4) Your skin - Human's are constantly radiates thermal radiation off their skin's surface, I'm guessing a frequency of ~1000Hz.
  5) Vision - The human brain processes visual images at ~60Hz in brightly lit conditions.
  So those examples are a few that I could think of off hand. Personally, of the 5 I'd choose Vision as the best fit for an answer when someone asks what frequency the human body runs at. It bothers me that so many unchecked people use 'frequency' to describe mystical things, in a sort of intellectual cop out. Ok, rant over, but seriously is there a better measure of the human body's frequency than vision?
Deaths connected to the Obama White House
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 08:41
  Mama Lois'' Anderson: 79, and her 52 year old daughter Zelda White: Two US women aid workers were shot dead in Nairobi in Kenya (2008) were the retired Presbyterian Church missionaries of Pennsylvania (USA), known to thousands of Africans. The suspected killers of the US women, who were travelling in a car with diplomatic license plates, allegedly shot dead by police later. They were well known for their work. There is speculation that they possibly had knowledge of the birth and care for Barack Obama in Kenya and were later murdered to cover the trail. When murdered, the Husband had his full wallet which the thieves/car jacker didn't take, and there was never a connection made to the said attackers the police later shot dead, but blamed for the double homicide/car jacking. Their church was burned in 2008, possibly to destroy any possible birth records there. Then police chief Mohammed Hussein Ali was later removed from office by Obama supported Kenyan strongman Odinga. All possible witnesses ended up dead, all possible records of the care of infant Obama burned in the church fire, and the public official responsible out of office.
  Lt. Col. Christopher Raible and Sgt. Bradley Atwell: Died in the Camp Bastion attack 3 days after the Benghazi attack
  Mohammed Bakhti : A prominent figure in Tunisia's Salafist movement has died nearly two months after launching a hunger strike following his arrest for an attack on the US embassy, his lawyer and the justice ministry have said.
  Jeff Joe Black: Found dead on a hiking trail from ''blunt force trauma to the head'': Chicago activist who claimed that Emmanuel was put into place in Chicago to oversee a coming false flag event.
  Larry Bland and Nate Spencer: Two other black members of Trinity Church Murdered at the same time '' Report: Mother Of Obama's Murdered Gay Lover Speaks Up '' With Video
  Andrew Breitbart - Died of a massive heart attack, walking outside late at night, alone, in the dark approximately one week before he was to produce tapes of Obama's extremist activities in college. More speculation: Breitbart: ''Wait 'Til They See What Happens March 1st'', Breitbart's Footage Shows Obama 'Palling Around' With Terrorists'..... Sheriff Joe Arpaio: I Spoke with Andrew Breitbart Shortly Before he Died '...'...An Eyewitness Speaks Out About Andrew Breitbart's Death Scene'... Breitbart's skin color described as bright red. '... Was Andrew Breitbart assassinated?'...More murder speculation: Was Andrew Breitbart Murdered?'...'...'....Coroner: Breitbart Died of Heart Failure'...* Christopher Lasseter, Dissapears'.....witness to Breitbart's death vanishes -Follows suspicious demise of member of coroner's team (possibly in hiding to avoid reporters), '.... Breitbart witness: He dropped like sack of bricks Describes 'thick white band' around forehead at death
  Steve Bridges Dies At 48 - Impersonator Who Offended 0bama '...Steve Bridges as President Obama '' August 2011 '....It appeared that he died of natural causes...: On the Steve Bridges website, they are now calling his death 'an accident''...that the probable cause of death was due to ''upper airway anaphylaxis'', caused by a severe allergic reaction.. '-- CSI Show: Murder by anaphalaxis?'... A real life example of possible murder by anaphalaxis
  Robin Copeland, 46, 11/4/2011: former Energy Department official who took part in several significant disarmament programs, died suddenly
  Michael Cormier - respected forensic technician for the Los Angeles County Coroner died under suspicious circumstances at his North Hollywood home April 20, the same day Andrew Breitbart's cause of death was finally made public. Medical examiners in Los Angeles are investigating the possible poisoning death'...'...Conspiracy theorists cry foul after Andrew Breitbart's 'coroner' dies of arsenic poisoning- '....Police Debunk Theories Linking Breitbart, L.A. Coroner Tech Deaths ; No Answers in Death of Technician Linked to Andrew Breitbart: Killed by high amounts of arsinic in his system ; Breitbart's Coroner Murdered. News From LA
  Madelyn Payne Dunham: Obama's grandmother, died 2 days before the general election. Flew up to see her for one hour '' alone. No records. Cremated immediately, ashes dispersed.
  BEVERLY ECKERT, Continental Flight Victim, Was 9/11 Widow (VIDEO, SLIDESHOW), was at the White House with Barack Obama, part of a meeting the president had with relatives of those killed in the 2001 attacks
  Extortion 17: On 6 August 2011, a U.S. Boeing CH-47 Chinook military helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was shot down while transporting a quick reaction force attempting to reinforce an engaged unit of Army Rangers in Wardak province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan The resulting crash killed all 38 people on board'--25 American special operations personnel, five United States Army National Guard and Army Reserve crewmen, seven Afghan commandos, and one Afghan interpreter'--as well as a U.S. military working dog. It is considered the worst loss of U.S Military life in the Afghanistan campaign, surpassing Operation Red Wings in 2005. There were 15 Navy SEAL's killed. ; Afghanistan's Benghazi: The Shoot-Down of Extortion 17 ; TrentoVision 5.9.13 '' Navy SEAL Extortion 17 EXPOSED '' Obama Failures ; Obama increased special op's missions from an average of 56 a month to 334 per month (statement begins at 26 minute mark of video) ; Afghan Benghazi: Extortion 17, Betraying Seal Team 6
  Bechir Gholli. Student also arrested for attack on embassy
  Bill Gwatney, a close friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton and a Clinton super delegate at an upcoming convention in Denver and was fatally shot in 2008. Shooter had a post-it note with a mystery phone number. Did Obama Assassinate Clinton delegates? Bill Gwatney and Stephanie Tubbs Jones? Video: Bill Gwatney Murder Linked to Obama
  Lieutenant Quarles Harris Jr.-A key witness in a federal probe into passport information stolen from the State Department was fatally shot in front of a District church. Obama's Passport Breach: Unanswered Questions, and an Unsolved Murder : Harris worked for a security firm run by John Brennan, later to be a terrorism advisor to Obama. Listed as a detail in Youtube video ''Shocking Secrets and Verifiable Facts about Barack Obama the MSM Refuses to Report'' (at approx. 22 minutes in the video); Was an employee of John Brennan when murdered. John Brennan confirmed to head CIA.
  Andy P. Hart: Guantanamo attorney dead in apparent suicide'....Hart was assigned to defend Mohammed Rahim al-Afghani, one of 16 detainees at Guantanamo which the US government has designated as ''high-value.''
  Michael Hastings:Rolling Stone Journalist, Author Believed to be Dead in Hollywood Crash'... known for his interview of Gen. Stanley McCrystal: Michael Hastings death: Coroner still hasn't ID'd badly burned victim: Picture of the burned out car ; autopsy results will take weeks; Video report .. was covering a story about the defense dept. and Hollyood'... nervous wreck ; Michael Hastings, journalist who helped bring down US general, dies at 33 ; WikiLeaks Claims Michael Hastings Told Them FBI Was Investigating Him Hours Before He Died ; Hastings' death in fiery car crash is just the latest in a growing list of dead investigative journos ; Michael Hastings' Chilling Final Story.'...''>''Why Democrats Love to Spy on Americans'' ; Michael Hastings researching Jill Kelley case before death ; Hastings ''Boston Brakes'' Killing a Warning? ; FBI says journalist Michael Hastings was not under investigation
  Hazem: 'Benghazi attack suspect' dies in Cairo shootout
  Stephanie Tubbs Jones:found brain dead in 2008. Democratic Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Cleveland, a super delegate and one of Hillary Clinton's most prominent black supporters, was found in her car unconscious Also: Did Obama Assassinate Clinton Delegates? Additional: Hollywood Producer Bettina Viviano: Bill Clinton Directly Told Me Barack Obama Not Eligible '' '....Caucus death threats (audio)'... also reported by Jerome Corsi at WND: Hillary supporter's untold Obama horror stories Allegations of intimidation, manipulation, sudden death
  Christopher Kelly-Committedsuicide, under pressure to testify against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich
  David Koschman, Mudered in a Chicago Rush Street brawl by Richard J. ''R.J.'' Vanecko, a nephew of Mayor Daley and White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley- Homicide case involving Daley nephew closed without charges , Witness to Killing Involving Daley Nephew: Deceased Didn't Start It
  The Krim Children: CNBC Exec's Children Murdered, 1 Day After CNBC Reports $43 Trillion Bankster Lawsuit ; Police: Nanny stabbed herself upon mother's arrival ; Screen Shot of original CNBC Article : Another source for article: '...Targets of Spire Law Group; Law Suit Documents ; Book; ''Bankster Chronicles''
  Kam Kuwata '' was found dead inside his Venice home after friend '-- concerned that they had not heard from him for a few days '-- alerted police. Political consultant in California. Democratic insider. Possibly the Obama consultant referred to in the Ulsterman Report: Alledgedly viewed bizarre drug induced behavior from Obama during the the 2008 campaign.: ''The Troubling Timeline'''.... The Death of a Political Operative '' The Troubling Timeline'... (UPDATED)
  Chris Kyle: Author of ''American Sniper'' among the dead at Rough Creek ; Former Navy SEAL & 'American Sniper' Author Chris Kyle Reportedly Killed at TX Lodge ; Deadliest sniper in U.S. military history is 'shot and killed point- blank by veteran suffering from PTSD' at Texas gun range ; Conspiracy? Chris Kyle The Third High Profile Firearms Business Owner Killed in Past Month, Along With 30 SEALs The Past Four Years ; Suspicions Raised After Deaths of Three Firearms Experts ; Murdered Navy SEAL Was Obama Gun Control Foe ;Revealed: Marine who 'killed' famous sniper threatened to 'blow his brains out and kill his family months before shooting two men at gun range' ; Obama Has Yet To Acknowledge Death Of Legendary Seal Sniper Chris Kyle (2/13/13) ; Chris Kyle Widow: Former Navy SEAL 'Died Because Somebody Wanted to Kill Him'
  Marco McMillian: Mississippi's first gay mayoral candidate, 34, 'was beaten and burned' before his body was found dumped on a riverbank. Victim of a hate crime? Pictured with Obama. Another black and gay associate of Obama murdered. (see Nachumlist file Is Obama Gay? )
  Stefanie Moses: NYPD sergeant photographed with Obama at 9/11 ceremony'....found dead in apparent suicide: '--''Face of the NYPD'...commits suicide on Long Island after fighting with her girlfriend; NYPD Sgt. Stephanie Moses On Meeting Pres. Obama
  John Noveske; the owner of Noveske Rifleworks. Vehicle run off the road '' Two gun makers killed in two days, and no answers (Photos)
  Renee L Abena Obama: baby girl Born on October 31, 2004. The infant died less than two months later on December 25, 2004. ''..the death was not reported by any hospital in the State of Maryland, but by a funeral home (indicated by the SSDI code ''72'"). BHO's biographies do not report the death of an infant in 2004, yet here was a baby girl who bore his last name''and the initial of his grandmother's middle name''Madelyn ''Lee'' Dunham. A search of the Social Security Death Index produced ''No Results,'' though a genealogical index at WorldVitalRecords.com produced a Social Security number: ''215-71-0752.'' From: ''Who was Renee L. Abena Obama?''
  Alex Okrent: -Apparently found deat at Obama's campaign headquarters in Chicago. Witnesses say he collapsed, found dead after. Okrent had long been a staffer back the Obama 2004 U.S. senate campaign, on staff for eight years. Parents immediately say the cause of death was ''heart attack'', but no autopsy was yet performed. Medical examiner said the cause of death was ''inconclusive''. Internet recornds have been scrubbed. Twitter account timeline also makes no mention of his work for Obama: Okrent Twitter file (on Twitter). - Speculation as to whether he was a witness to an Obama gay connection: Who Is Dead Obama Staffer Alex Okrent? Youtube video: Who is Dead Obama Staffer Alex Okrent? Part 1 '...'...'...-Part 2 ; Autopsy Inconclusive for Obama Campaign Worker Who Collapsed at Chicago Campaign HQ ; Gay opinion piece'...-Alex Okrent: Equality is a Moral Equivalent; What Do Colorado Shooter James Holmes And Obama Staffer Alex Okrent Have In Common?'....no digital footprint on the internet; Was Obama Staffer Alex Okrent Murdered Because he was Going to Expose Obama's Anti-Israel Ties?
  Donald A. Perry: Chick-fil-A's public relations director dead of heart attack : Is Rahm Emanuel bullying Chick-fil-A over gay marriage? : Emanuel goes after Chick-fil-A for boss' anti-gay views ; Rahm: Chick-fil-A Values Are Not Chicago Values ; Rahm backs down: We never said we'd block Chick-fil-A from Chicago, says spokesman
  Albert Peterson: Wealthy Defense Contractor commits suicide, kills family; Man Kills His Entire Family, Feared Obama Would Get Re-Elected ; Pictured: 'Beautiful' family slain hours after church by 'mentally ill father who was tormented by the prospect of Obama winning the election''He said he wanted to expose something at work. He also got the impression at work, that if they didn't vote for Obama and get him elected, they would lose their jobs,' '' (See Obama and Your Prvacy- Nachumlist file)
  Rafael Prieto: Secret service apparent suicide under investigation: D.C., police are investigating the apparent suicide of a U.S. Secret Service supervisory agent assigned to President Obama's security detail. -Was under investigation for going to prostitutes; Secret Service agent kills self amid affair probe'....Prieto's apparent cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning
  Keith Ratliff; ..was well known for a series of videos he produced on Youtube, known as ''FPSRussia,'' in which various high-powered firearms were demonstrated. Found with a single shot in the head '' Two gun makers killed in two days, and no answers (Photos) ; Partner YouTube video-maker FPSRussia Home Raided by ATF
  Eva Rausing: Found dead with no cause of death yet established. Her husband has been suspected as the killer. Rausing's family says she was at Occidental College at the same time as Obama. ''Family of tragic Tetra Pak wife Eva Rausing reveal she began dabbling with 'hard drugs' while at the same college as Barack Obama as husband is arrested for murder'''... Suspected cause of death from drug overdose.
  John McCarthy Roll: '' was the Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, murdered by the same gunman attacking Gabrielle Giffords. Theory that Roll's prelimiary ruling on ''United States of America v. $333,520.00 in United States Currency et al'' (Case Number: 4:2010cv00703 Filed: November 30, 2010) was cause for the assassination and that the shooter used the mass shooting as a cover for the government. - Claim: Giffords hit a planned assassination: Judge Roll real target ; Judge John Roll '' Wake Up Tucson
  Michael Scott - Although Chicago school board president Michael Scott's death had been ruled a suicide by the Cook County medical examiner's office, Chicago police characterized the case as a death investigation, and have not concluded that Scott's death was a suicide- was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury looking into the admissions practices of Chicago's elite schools. -also was under scrutiny over Olympics-related real estate dealings.
  Navy SEAL Commander Job Price, 42: US Navy SEAL commander dies in Afghanistan: suicide '--''SEAL Team Four commander in Afghanistan 'commits suicide' as body of married father is found shot dead: Rumor?- Clinton Injured, US Navy Seal Killed In Secret US Mission To Iran ; State Department Denies Hillary Clinton Injured in Plane Crash '... but- ABC News Report on Emergency Landing of a US Plane in Iran 16 days earlier ; US Navy Seal Commander, Who Killed Osama Bin Laden, Commits 'Apparent Suicide' In Afghanistan
  SEAL Team 6: Helicoptor shot down by terrorists. Possibly given location by infiltrators. Obama rules of engagement possibly lead to deaths. Father of fallen SEAL begs for military officer to tell the truth about ''criminal'' rules of engagement ; The deaths of Seal Team Six '...who never would fly an entire company in one helicopter alone. UNBELIEVABLE: 'More Than 20 Navy SEALS From The Unit That Killed Osama Bin Laden' Die In Helicopter Crash ; 31 US troops, mostly elite Navy SEALs, killed in Afghanistan 7 Afghan commandos also die in attack; SEALs were from same unit but not same team that killed Osama bin Laden ; Navy SEAL Team 6 Families To Reveal Government's Culpability In Death Of Their Sons ; OUTRAGE! Obama Administration Allowed Radical Cleric to Curse US Navy SEAL Heroes at Funeral Services (Video) ; TrentoVision 5.9.13 '' Navy SEAL Extortion 17 EXPOSED '' Obama Failures ; SEAL Team Six Parents Demand Obama Answer For Funeral Desecration
  Malcolm Shabazz: Malcolm X's Grandson dies in Mexico. Was 'thrown off a building', or 'shot'. Two men arrested in Malcolm Shabazz murder in Mexico, more sought; Obama was in Mexico on May 2nd. Shabazz is murdered on May 9th. Is Obama the secret son of Malcolm X? ; Rumors that Obama was a child of Malcom X?
  Brett D. Shadle: SEAL, Special Warfare Operator Chief ; Member of SEAL Team 6 killed, another SEAL injured in parachute accident
  Matt Simmons, an investment banker and whistle blower in the British Petroleum oil spill. Died suddenly at home of a heart attack at the age of 67. An autopsy by the state medical examiner's office concludes that Simmons died from accidental drowning ''with heart disease as a contributing factor.'' Speculation of murder: Assassinations by induced heart attack and cancer.; Did The CIA Assassinate Matt Simmons For Blowing The Whistle On The BP Gulf Oil Spill Coverup?
  Holiyah Soetoro Sobah, aka Lia Soetoro, Obama's adopted sister: died under mysterious, sudden, and unusual circumstances just as she was getting ready to be reunited with her childhood companion and adopted brother. She spoke of many specific incidences in the household, where she grew up with ''Barry'' in Indonesia. She saved many items that Barry used during childhood. She was looking forward to seeing him, because she'd seen him on TV and was told that was ''Barry'', her little brother; however, Lia had reservations about it and so was anticipating seeing the scars he had from falling out of the mango tree and the limp she said he walked with. That was not to be because she up and died. Read about it here and watch video of here'...'.....PDF document from a web site of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia appears to confirm a relationship between Lia and Barack Hussein Obama. Update On The Sudden Death Of Obama's Sister Lia Soetoro: Information From The Consulate General Of The Republic Of Indonesia.
  Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz, Obama's First Dog Trainer Dies At 52. Rumored to be salaried at over $102,000 per year at tax-payer expense
  Ambassador Chris Stevens: (Also see the Nachumlist: ''Benghazi-Gate'' file ) Killed by a mob in Libya. The Obama administration ignored warnings two days prior to the attacks. Hillary Clinton made the decision not to post Marines. New now comes out that Stevens was gay: meaning that Obama sent a publicly gay man to be an ambassador in a Muslim country. Obama skipped intel meetings for days leading up to the attacks despite credible information of the attacks. Video: Libyan democratic party spokesman: amb christopher stevens was a muslim (Statement that Ambassador Chris Stevens was a Muslim is made between 1:00 & 1:20); Col. David Hunt: ''State Department just allowed our guys to get killed'' : Glenn Beck video: Stevens was a CIA operative and weapons dealer- Glenn Beck ''the Blaze TV'' 9-17-12 US arms terrorists in Middle East? ; Report: Terrorist Behind Ambassador Murder 'Ally of Sorts' to Obama Admin ; Report: Murdered Ambassador Knew He Was On Al Qaeda Hit List ; Video of Stevens Murder: What Really Happened- Video which some news outlets claimed had showed Libyans trying to save Ambassador Stevens turns out to show the opposite.; Clinton: 'No Info' Amb. Stevens Was on al Qaeda 'Hit List' ; Evidence mounts that al-Qaida group killed US ambassador to Libya ; Obama Politicizes The Sacrifices Of The SEALs '' Again ; Did Hillary Clinton send a gay ambassador to Libya as intentional provocation? ; CNN obtains journal of slain ambassador, reportedly goes against his family's wishes ; Anderson Cooper admits that CNN found slain American ambassador's journal inside U.S. consulate in Libya and 'secretly' used it in reporting ; Obama Went to Bed While Consulate was Under Siege ; CNN Hid Knowledge of Libya Ambassador Diary For Days ; Report: State Dept Left Consulate Unsecured Days After Ambassador Murder ; Prior attacks on the embassy'...Flashback: Bomb targets U.S. mission in Libya's Benghazi ; US Consulate in Libya Bombed Twice in Run-Up to 9/11 Attack, Ambassador Known Target (+video) ; Obama to UN: It's Not My Fault Stevens is Dead ; Obama Administration Knew Libya Attack Was Terrorism Within 24 Hours ; Obama Administration Deleted State Dept. Memo From Internet After Discovering Al-Qaeda Was Behind Benghazi Attack ; Christopher Stevens, U.S. ambassador to Libya, dead body. No bruises on face.; Despite looting of the embassy and the loss of sensitive documents, CNN finds Stevens' diary. ; Benghazi: The Unanswered Question- what lapses on the part of the Obama/Clinton State Department made his murder sickeningly easy?; In Libya, Security Was Lax Before Attack That Killed U.S. Ambassador, Officials Say ; Did the White House order a cover-up over the murder of Libya's US Ambassador? ; Report: Obama Admin Rejected Military Intervention in Benghazi During Attack ; Benghazigate: Obama Chose Not to Save Ambassador Stevens' Life ; Was Ambassador Stevens' death a hit? ; Mother of Slain State Dept. Official Tired of Being Lied To and Stonewalled by Obama Administration ; Benghazi Attack Was Botched Kidnapping To Trade Blind Sheik'... and arranged by Obama? ; Obama Arranged Benghazi Trip That Resulted In Murder Of US AMB Chris Stevens; '... Stevens in possession of death certificate of Osama Bin Laden?, '' OBL died in 2001? ; CIA operators were denied request for help during Benghazi attack, sources say: '.....Denied 3 Times ; John McCain: Obama Administration has Classified Benghazi Surveillance Tapes Top Secret ; Obama avoids question on whether Americans in Libya were denied requests for help ; Why Did CIA Director Petraeus Suddenly Resign '... And Why Was the U.S. Ambassador to Libya Murdered? : (Ann Barnhardt) Proof Benghazi was Murder of Stevens: ''Hillary (Clinton) began pushing the fake ''protests against a video blaspheming the prophet'' BEFORE WOODS AND DOHERTY WERE KILLED. Per the story below, the Associated Press first published a story on Hillary's official statement on Benghazi at 10:58pm Eastern, which means that the State Department must have released it BEFORE 10:58 pm EDT. Which means that is was actually written and composed hours before that. State Department press releases in the Secretary of State's name aren't written and released without all kinds of ''approvals'' and process. And this statement is written in nuanced prose, referencing ''religious tolerance'' and all kinds of bullshit. It isn't a flash bulletin. It was thought out, long and hard. Doherty and Woods were killed by mortar fire between 11:14 and 11:26 pm EDT. Here is the citation link.'' ;Lindsey Graham: Hillary Clinton 'got away with murder'; The secret war behind Benghazi A stealth campaign of assassinations, run by CIA nominee John Brennan, resulted in the death of the US ambassador, a new book claims'...- Claim that secret war ran behind the back of Gen. Patreus ; Video: The John Brennan puzzle is slowly being pieced together: Stevens recruited by Hillary Clinton to run guns to Syria from Libya ; Ambassador Chris Stevens didn't have to die in Benghazi '' The real story of what led to his death on 9/11: Book Benghazi: The Definitive Report ;More evidence of slain U.S. ambassador's secret activities
  Aaron Swartz:26-year-old genius, computer prodigy, co-creator of RSS and Reddit, commits suicide after Obama DOJ harassment; 'kill list' critic ; Attorney for Aaron Swartz: Prosecutors' Arguments Were ''Disingenuous and Contrived'' ; Aaron Swartz dead; was this brilliant internet revolutionary 'taken out?' The cause of death is currently unconfirmed. : The father of information activist Aaron Swartz blames US prosecutors for his son's death: Aaron Was Killed By The Gov't ; Aaron Swartz' suicide raises questions for Eric Holder and the Justice Dept. ; Issa, Cummings press Holder for answers about Aaron Swartz trial ; Aaron Swartz files reveal how FBI tracked internet activist
  Shane Todd : found dead in his Singapore apartment last summer; he apparently hanged himself, but his family claims he was murdered: '' Was he murdered? Mystery death of American engineer working in Singapore on cutting-edge military technology ´who had deep misgivings about his work' ; WH: Obama will talk to China about hacking our weapons systems ; Flashback: Sudden death of U.S. engineer in Singapore linked to cyber espionage? ; Mystery surrounding American's death in Singapore deepens as parents quit inquest into son's death ; Singapore Says US Scientist Hanged Himself
  Ashley Turton, wife of the Obama administration's House of Representatives liaison, Dan Turton, was found dead in a burning car Monday morning, Roll Call and other news outlets are reporting. Fire officials said it appeared the car crashed as it was pulling in or out of the garage behind a rowhouse in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., at about 5 a.m. Neighbors dialed 911 after spotting the fire. The body was discovered after fire crews doused the blaze. The fire also charred part of the garage. Nobody in the house was injured, fire officials said. Ashley Turton worked as a lobbyist for the utility giant Progress Energy, according to Politico. She was a former staffer for U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.The Rahm Emanuel Connection to the Deceased Ashley Turton, '-- The ATF investigates - Ashley Turton Crashed Under the Influence
  Jessica Upshaw: Mississipi State Rep. found dead Sunday of an apparent suicide . Ardent opponant of Agenda 21 (see Nachumlist file Obama and Agenda 21). Chaired a committee that stops Agenda 21 legislation in committe: Anti-Agenda 21 Bill Dies in Mississippi House Committee Chaired by Rep. Jessica Upshaw ; Was directing BP oil spill fine money ; 'kills herself' at home of former lawmaker'...fifth Mississipi legislator to die in the last few months
  John Wheeler- former presidential and Pentagon aide John Wheeler III was found in a Delaware garbage dump. Wheeler's cell phone discovered '' Cause of death released in Wheeler case, blunt force trauma '-- Wheeler's cell phone found in a taxi '-- His family wants information '' John Wheeler was assassinated by a hitman in a targeted killing, his widow has claimed '' Who killed Jack Wheeler? ; John Wheeler III Murdered for Threatining to Expose US Military Test of Poison Gas?
  Victoria Windsor: Blogger, researcher into ancestry: .. .reported that.she had ''found evidence that the records of Madelyn Payne Dunham and Stanley Armour Dunham had been ''tampered with.'' Cause of death not yet revealed. Said to have died from a ''sudden illness''.
  Donald Young -Openly gay friend of Obama's at Murdered at Trinity Church in Chicago-'...Key Witness In Obama Passport Fraud Case - Video report: Obama-Donald Young murder (December 24, 2007)'...'...'....All 3 Homosexual Members Of Obama's Trinity Church Murdered Within 6 Weeks.'.... -Jeff Kuhner interview with Larry Sinclair. Choir Director Murdered To Conceal Obama's Homosexuality/Drug Use? ;
  Jaime Zapata - Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent who was murdered in an ambush. Revelation that I.C.E. Report of Investigation on seizure of Fast & Furious weapons in Texas in August 2010 was signed by Zapata. Speculation that he was murdered as part of a coverup the Gunwalker scandal. (Nachumlist Gunrunner-Gate scandal files here)
  Ilya Zhitomirskiy:22-year old a co-founder of the start-up social networkDiaspora, which has been described as the ''anti-Facebook'' for its emphasis on personal privacy and decentralized data collection. Friends and associates of Mr. Zhitomirskiy said there were indications of suicide.
  Related Murder/Coverups
  The Boston Marathon Bombing: (See Boston Marathon Massacre file) Did authorities have word before of an attack on the Boston Marathon?: Bomb Sniffing Dogs : Saudi held in Boston terror bombing ''smelled of gunpowder'''...asked: ''Did anyone die?''; Kerry meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister abruptly closed ; Injured Saudi is a witness, not a suspect, in Boston bombing ; no other suspects ; ''Innocent'' Saudi has ties to several Al-Qaeda Terrorists ; AMERICAN AIRLINES flight grounded after passengers panic over Iraqis shouting to each other in Arabic ; American Airlines grounds flights nationwide due toglitch ;Drastic security changes coming to large-scale public events, experts say ; Numerous other bomb threats to institutions throughout the nation.; Pictures at the Boston Marathon made public after the FBI said they had no suspects ; Michael Savage Interviews Walid Shoebat on Boston Marathon Bombing Incident '' 4/16/13 ; Arrest has been made in Boston marathon bombing and suspect will be brought to court after a 'dark-skinned male' ; Authorities change story:- Feds deny reports of Boston suspect in custody;Boston bomber is caught on camera: FBI reveals store footage shows 'dark-skinned man in backwards hat' planting second explosive moments before blasts tore through marathon crowds ; FBI Cancels Boston Bombs News Conference ; Obama meets with Saudi foreign minister, discusses Syria; Saudi National & Exchange Student Ali Alharbi Is Being Deported Back to Kingdom ; Saudi National in Boston Bombing being deported on ''National Security Grounds'' ; Photo of questioned Saudi in Hospital after Boston bombings, and more unanswered questions ; Saudi National Once Considered 'Person of Interest' May Be Deported on 'Security' Grounds - And How It's Supposed to Be Framed ; Boston runners were warned: Squamish man: 'If you run tomorrow, you're going to die' ; 1 of 2 suspects in Boston bombing killed '...'...''World View: ISLAM'' ; Boston Bombing Suspect Posted Video on Al Qaeda Prophecy on YouTube ; Report: Alharbi visited by Michelle Obama in Hospital ; Boston Jihadi Bombers members of Wahhabi cell funded by Saudi Al Qaeda ; FBI Boston Bombing Video Altered To Hide Fact Bomber Was Black Ops Mercenary? ; Authorities change story:- Feds deny reports of Boston suspect in custody ; Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and the Imam ; Source-Saudi National's Deportation Record Altered ; Boston marathon bombing happened on same day as 'controlled explosion' drill by Boston bomb squad ; Interview With Boston Marathon Eyewitness Confirms Bomb Squad Drill ; Senator: Law Enforcement May Have Had Advance Warning of Boston Bombings (video) ; Did CNN use ''Crisis Actors''? ; Report: Federal Judge Compromised Investigation By Prematurely Mirandizing Tsarnaev ;
  FBI Special Agents Christopher Lorek and Stephen Shaw: 2 FBI Agents Involved in Dzhokar Tsarnaev's Arrest ''FALL'' Out of Helicopter and Die ; The 2 FBI Agents Who Arrested Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Did Not Die Mysteriously
  Ibragim Todashev: Feds: Man shot after attacking agent was being questioned about Boston bombing suspects and 2011 triple murder
  Phillip Marshall; Murders Children & Self in CA, 9/11 Conspiracy Author, Each had been shot once in the head with a handgun, as was the family's dog. Phillip Marshall has been identified as a former pilot for Eastern and United airlines. He self-published a number of books, including at least two about his 9/11 conspiracy theories: ''The Big Bamboozle'' (February 9, 2012) and ''False Flag 911: How Bush, Cheney and the Saudis Created the Post-911 World'' (July 29, 2008). Additional information: A previous novel published in 2003, ''Lakefront Airport, New Orleans,'' detailed his claimed experience as a pilot for the US during Iran/Contra. claims to have served as a contract pilot for the CIA's Special Activities Division during the Iran-Contra affair, flying shipments to and from Nicaragua.; ''100% Certain'': 9/11 Author Was Killed in Black Ops Hit ; CIA Killed Phillip Marshall for Leaking 9/11 Secrets: Dr. Kevin Barrett
  Algerian massacre: Algerian Terrorists Demand Release of Blind Sheik in Exchange for American Hostages: Theory- another false flag
  The Sandy Hook school massacre: (Also see The Sandy Hook Massacre Page on Nachumlist)27 people shot dead in school shooting. including children. Shooter commits suicide. White House immediately exploits murders for gun control attempts as Obama goes to Sandy Hook and speaks. Gun control legislation immediately called for. White House fundraises using Sandy Hook. Connecticut state police warned that people posting ''misinformation'' on social media websites would be ''investigated and prosecuted.'' '' Initial reports that a ''second gunman'' arrested in the woods behind the school was involved in the massacre were later dropped without explanation. Facebook Suspends Account For Questioning Official Narrative on Shooting; Adam Lanza's Hard Drive Damaged Beyond Repair? Motive for Shooting Hidden : Adam Lanza Was On Antipsychotic Drug Known To Cause Aggressive Behavior,'-- Something Strange About Robbie Parker.. Video:.Robbie Parker, the Father of slain child comes to microphone- laughing'... Video: then tears up for the camera.. within a day, sets up a fund: Emillie Parker Fund, to raise money; Emilie Parker family plans memorial, fund for fellow victims ; Russian Report (rumor?) on Sandy Hook Massacre: Connecticut Massacre Blamed On Son Of Top CIA Analyst: Russian rumor continued: Hunger Games ''Experiment'' Said Behind Connecticut Massacre ; Nancy Lanza Not a Teacher? ; Conspiracy Theory: Sandy Hook Massacre a ritual killing ; Hiram Masonic Temple next to Sandy Hook school ; Sandy Hook Shooting: Grieving Parents Hoax..Worked for Home Security as Crisis Actors ; Another pair of actors in Sandy hoax exposed. 100% BUSTED! : Website: crisisactors.org ; Crisis Actors: Are They Being Used To Fake Events? ; Video: The Sandy Hook Actors PART 1 ; Part 2; Part 3 ; Video: Sandy Hook Actors Exposed? Same as Giffords Shooting? Banking connection to murderer's parent Lanza: Peter Lanza's Libor Bid Rigging Connection: -Nancy Lanza a Morgan Stanley Investment Broker ; Police Officer Exposes The Unanswered Questions Of The Sandy Hook Tragedy ; Three Days Before Shooting ''United Way Extends Our Most Sincere Condolences To Sandy Hook Families'' ; United Way: No, we didn't know about Dec. 14 Sandy Hook shooting in advance'...''flawedGoogle search'...'' ; Sandy Hook Massacre Linked to DHS Exercise? ; Prominent rifle manufacturer killed in mysterious car crash days after posting psych drug link to school shooters ; Anderson Cooper Goes After 'Anonymous Internet Trolls' Pushing Conspiracies About Newtown And Gun Control. ; The Sandy Hook Shooting '' Fully Exposed (VIDEO) ; Sandy Hook '' The Truth (Controversial Documentary) That DHS spent two years in Sandy Hook running training drills 2005 London Subway Bombing, 9/11 2001Terror Attack, 2012 Sandy Hook Massacre all had a version or versions of the Dept. of Homeland Security running drills or class courses in the exact same place at the exact same time'.....''Planning for the needs of children in disasters''Set at the same exact time and in the exact same location as the Sandy Hook Massacre; What Was DHS Doing In Sandy Hook? False Flag Two Years In The Making Or Department Of Homeland Security Fail? ; Today Show: No assault weapons used in Sandy Hook Massacre ; NBC Admitted: No 'Assault Rifle' Used in Newtown Shooting ; Still No Police Report, or Toxicology Results, on Sandy Hook Killer ; Sandy Hook Elementary shooter has no brain deformities, medical examiner says ; Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theories Edge Toward The Mainstream ; CNN video of police charge at Sandy Hook is not Sandy Hook ; Probe of Newtown shooter Adam Lanza focusing on murderer's 'psychotic break' and unlocked guns ; Sandy Hook Panel Set to Begin Review of School Shooting ; Newtown Is Hometown of Sugarmann; His Group Seeks Assault Weapons Ban- Josh Sugermann founded Violence Policy Center (VPC) after leaving The Coalition to Ban Handguns in 1988. He is generally credited with mainstreaming the term 'assault weapon' in his 1988 work '' ''Assault weapons and accessories in America'' ;Foreign language heard being spoken in the Sandy Hook raw footage ; We Take You Inside the Mind of a Sandy Hook Truther: CIA Conspiracy? 7 Shooters? An Attempt to 'Disarm People and Attack the 2nd Amendment'? ; Sandy Hook DA cites 'potential suspects,' fears witness safety ; Detectives investigating Newtown massacre find Adam Lanza's violent video games, ponder the 20-year-old mimicking a gory game scene ; SSDI changed Adam Lanza's date-of-death from Dec. 13 to Dec. 14, 2012'...according to the original SSDI entry, the man who we are told was the lone gunman who perpetrated the Sandy Hook massacre, had died the day before he killed his 27 victims;Conn. massacre records secret, media seek access ; Newtown clerk refuses to issue Sandy Hook victims' death certificates ; WATCH '' 'Fell Off The Face Of The Earth' '' CNN: No Record Of Adam Lanza Existence Since 2009 ; '...-Sandy Hook Shooting: Active-Shooter Drill Confirmed by Law Enforcement Raises Suspicion of False Flag Operation ; Beck: Cover-Up of Saudi Link to Boston Bombing 'is so Far Beyond Benghazi' it is Criminal '..... (full audio HERE 13:07) ; Report: Boston Jihadis Were U.S./Saudi Agents Who Turned On Their Masters ; Photos: Private military operatives hired to 'work' the Boston marathon with black backpacks, radiation detectors, tactical gear ; Psyops: Mind Control Marathon and Boston Bombings ; Boston Bombings a 'Gift' to Putin, Says Chechen Opposition Leader ; Report: Federal Judge Compromised Investigation By Prematurely Mirandizing Tsarnaev ; Tamerlan Tsarnaev Triple Murders Were ALL Jews Targeted for Religion on 10th Anniv of 9/11'....-Three mourned after brutal Waltham murder ; Newtown shooter toxicology results released
  US Terror-Storm Lurking as Possible False Flag Averted'...'...'---Roy Antigua, recently arrested with a plethora of fake ID's, and disguises, including medical smocks, and other outfits.
  Sikh Temple Massacre: Army Vet Wade Michael Page Identified as Wisconsin Temple Shooter, 'Psychological operations specialist'; ''White Supremacist'' Who Spent Time In Eastern Carolina And Ft. Bragg; Sikh temple shooter who gunned down six was skinhead 'white supremacist' army vet 'with 9/11 tattoo and was part of race hate group' ; Read The Letter Congress Sent To The Attorney General Months Ago Addressing Hate Crimes Against Sikhs ; Conference of Mayors, ...Calls for Stricter Gun Laws Following Sikh Temple Shooting ; FBI Takes Over the Investigation ; India blames the White House for the Wisconsin Massacre ; Obama: America needs ''soul searching'' on gun violence ; FBI: Sikh temple shooter Wade Page died of self-inflicted gunshot; Obama orders flags at half-staff after Wisconsin shooting ; Wisconsin Sikh Temple mass shooting: FOUR shooters, not one as officially reported
  Aurora massacre: several links between James Holmes and U.S. government research (Salk Institute involved in neurologically enhancing soldiers' abilities on battlefield'...connections to DARPA); Holmes Family Has Deep DARPA Connections ; A growing number of alternative media publications are now claiming that an October 2011 photograph of an Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protester getting carted off by law enforcement officials in New York is of none other than the Colorado Killer, James Holmes. ; More Signs Point to James E. Holmes As Occupy 'Black Bloc' Member-'... Plotted to Kill Cops With Firebombs Just Like Black Bloc Chicago; Picture of Holmes arrested in New York Protest ; Fox Reporter Won't Name Sources in Aurora Shooting Story; Faces Jail
  More on the Aurora massacre: Colorado Shooting victims: Was Colorado Shooting Staged By The Government? (video link on YouTube here) New York Times openly admits domestic terror plots masterminded by the FBI; FBI 'entrapment' tactics questioned in web of phony terror plots and paid informants ; FBI intercepts its own terrorist plot against US Capitol, Pentagon ; FBI nabs five mastermind 'geniuses' after teaching them how to blow up a bridge in Cleveland ; New York Times...Terrorist Plots, Hatched by the F.B.I.'...-Question: How does an unemployed medical student afford$20,000 in weapons gear? Was there an accomplice? -'...Holmes had $26,000 Federal grant for studies'.... Colorado theater shooting suspect was neuroscience Ph.D. student: Where does an unemployed, introverted medical school student get the training to deploy sophisticated booby traps, tactical body armor, weapons systems, and more..; Staged just in time for the vote on the UN Small Arms Treaty? Was it part of a deliberate plot like the Fast and Furious Scandal? (see file on Gunrunner-Gate), Obama made sure to visit the victims...-More claims that the shooting was a staged event: Colorado Shooting Patsy Was Under Air Force Psychiatrist's Care ; Real life shooting imitates training exercise at Parker medical school ; Obama orders flags flown at half-staff.
  Jenny Gallagher, a nurse who treated victims of the ''Batman'' shooting in Aurora, Colorado is dead at age 46. The reported cause of death: drowning. Said, she ''saw everything at Hospital''
  Stephen Ivens FBI special agent : Body Found. Worked in counter terrorism. Is the FBI Investigating Obama? Video: What Really Happened To FBI Special Agent Stephen Ivens ? ; FBI Agent Fleeing Massive Manhunt Warns ''They're All Insane'' : Speculation of a 'False Flag' operation such as Operation Northwoods. Shortly before his death: Donald Sachtleben, former FBI agent, arrested on child pornography charges. Note: Two Hikers happened to find Ivens' body, but over 100 FBI agents could not.
  Eric Holder's Two Decades Of Concealing Murder ; Brother of Murder Victim Seeks Details of FBI's 'Sensitive Informant Program' ; Are FBI Informants Working Inside America's Churches?
  Interview with Trentadue's brother: Clinton/Obama/Holder connection to Trentadue murder
  Eric Holder and the Strange Case of Kennth Michael Trentadue (PDF) ; Training Ground For Eric Holder's Fast And Furious Cover-up, Part 1; Part 2 ; Part 3 ; Part 4
  Obama restores funding to the brutal government of Indonesia. -'...( 2010)'...Widow of Murdered Indonesian Human Rights Activist Munir Calls on Indonesia to Hold His Govt. Killers Responsible'... Munir fell suddenly ill: Secret Government Squad blamed -''Kopassus'''... who has poisoned political dissidents: Obama grew up in Indonesia during the brutal Suharto years
  Following Orders: The Death of Vince Foster, Clinton White House Lawyer
  '...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'....
  Working Theories'....
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  Does Obama murder people?'...Interview with Dr. Jim Garrow details support and threats he's received: ''Obama does kill people'' (audio) ;Blogger overhears intel officials saying NSA leaker should be 'disappeared' ( See Obama and Your Privacy) : Code name 'Verax': Snowden, in exchanges with Post reporter, made clear he knew risks- The U.S. intelligence community, he wrote, ''will most certainly kill you if they think you are the single point of failure that could stop this disclosure and make them the sole owner of this information.''
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  Sunil Tripathi: (Boston Massacre Suspect)Missing student's body possibly located in Providence river Police in Providence fished a body out of the river they believe may belong to missing student '...Reddit Thread, speculation on why Tripathi went missing
  Waco Fertilizer Plant fire explodes. Theory: Object seen on video coming in and ignigting a great explosion- WATCH '' Call To Debunkers For Newest Conspiracy Theory: 'Object' Slams Into Waco Plant, Causing Explosion . Event occurs shortly after Boston Marathon Massacre. ; Texas plant explosion a bombing? Officials open up criminal investigation after man found with 'destructive device'
  Anne Smedinghoff, young U.S. diplomat killed in an attack in southern Afghanistan: Shades of Benghazi: State Department changes story on Afghanistan blast that killed diplomat ; Assassination Incorporated 1600 Penn Avenue: The Smedinghoff Murder- author claims that the White House and NSA directed an assassination of Smedinghoff.
  ICE Union Boss: Obama Doesn't Care If Immigration Enforcement Officers Die
  Tim Russert: Died of a massive heart attack'... just before the 2008 presidential debates, that he might have moderated.
  Sex And Murder In The Land Of Obama?: Unknown gay partner of Obama murdered? Tale of alledged witness
  Crossing Obama Can Be Deadly! ('...thread at ''We the People'')Mysterious Deaths Surround Obama!
  MilitarySuicides Hit New High
  The one that got away?'...-Massad Ayoob, firearms expert, was in helicopter that crashed in St. Lucie County on Saturday.
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Radio Free Albemuth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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  Radio Free Albemuth is a novel by Philip K. Dick, written in 1976 and published posthumously in 1985. Originally titled VALISystem A, it was his first attempt to deal in fiction with his experiences of early 1974. When his publishers at Bantam requested extensive rewrites he canned the project and reworked it into the VALIS trilogy. Arbor House acquired the rights to Radio Free Albemuth in 1985. They then published an edition under the current title (the original was too close to VALIS), prepared from the corrected typescript given by Dick to his friend Tim Powers.
  Plot summary[edit]In this alternate history, the corrupt United States president Ferris F. Fremont (FFF for 666, 'F' being the 6th letter in the alphabet) becomes Chief Executive in the late 1960s following Lyndon Johnson's administration. The character is best described as an amalgam of Joseph McCarthy and Richard Nixon, who abrogates civil liberties and human rights through positing a conspiracy theory centered around a (presumably) fictitious subversive organization known as "Aramchek". In addition to this, he is associated with a right-wing populist movement called "Friends of the American People" (FAPers).
  Ironically enough, the President's paranoia and opportunism lead to the establishment of a real resistance movement that is organized through narrow-beam radio transmissions from a mysterious alien near-Earth satellite by a superintelligent, extraterrestrial, but less than omnipotent being (or network) named VALIS.
  As with its successor, VALIS, this novel is autobiographical. Dick himself is a major character, though fictitious protagonist Nicholas Brady serves as a vehicle for Dick's alleged gnostictheophany on February 11, 1974. In addition, Sadassa Silvia is a character who claims that Ferris Fremont is actually a communistcovert agent recruited by Sadassa's mother when Fremont was still a teenager.
  As with VALIS, Radio Free Albemuth deals with Dick's highly personal style of Christianity (or Gnosticism). It further examines the moral and ethical repercussions of informing on trusting friends for the authorities. Also prominent is Dick's dislike of the Republican Party, satirizing Nixon's America as a Stalinist or neo-fascist police state. Fremont eventually captures and imprisons Dick and Brady after the latter attempts to produce and distribute a record that contains subliminal messages of revolt against the current dictatorship. Brady and Silvia are executed, and Dick narrates the concluding passage about his life in a concentration camp, where his supposedly latest work is actually penned by a ghost writer and regime-approved hack. Suddenly, however, he hears music blaring from a transistor radio which contains the same subliminal message. He and his friends, it turns out, were just a decoy set up by VALIS to detour the government from stopping a much more popular A-List band from releasing a similar record with a better-established recording company. As Dick realizes this and hears youngsters repeating the lyrics he realizes that salvation may lie within the hearts and minds of the next generation.
  Relationship to VALIS[edit]When he rewrote Radio Free Albemuth as VALIS beforehand, Dick incorporated the plotline of Radio Free Albemuth as a backdrop film (also titled VALIS) that recapitulated the central theological and existential concerns of his novel as a mise en abyme - that is, a miniature copy of his central preoccupations at this stage of his literary career, common to both works. The word "albemuth" was derived by Dick from the Arabic word Al Behemoth, "the whale", itself an oblique reference to Fomalhaut, the star Dick at one time believed VALIS came from in real life.[1]
  Film adaptation[edit]John Alan Simon wrote, produced and directed a film adaptation of Radio Free Albemuth. Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette stars as Sylvia. Filming took place in October 2007 at Los Angeles' Lacy Street Studios and multiple other locations. The film was released in February 2010.
  References[edit]
Schumann resonances - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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  Animation of Schumann resonance in Earth's atmosphere.The Schumann resonances (SR) are a set of spectrum peaks in the extremely low frequency (ELF) portion of the Earth's electromagnetic field spectrum. Schumann resonances are global electromagnetic resonances, excited by lightning discharges in the cavity formed by the Earth's surface and the ionosphere.
  Description[edit]This global electromagnetic resonance phenomenon is named after physicist Winfried Otto Schumann who predicted it mathematically in 1952. Schumann resonances occur because the space between the surface of the Earth and the conductive ionosphere acts as a closed waveguide. The limited dimensions of the Earth cause this waveguide to act as a resonant cavity for electromagnetic waves in the ELF band. The cavity is naturally excited by electric currents in lightning. Schumann resonances are the principal background in the electromagnetic spectrum[1] beginning at 3 Hz and extend to 60 Hz,[2] and appear as distinct peaks at extremely low frequencies (ELF) around 7.83 (fundamental),[3] 14.3, 20.8, 27.3 and 33.8 Hz.[4][5]
  In the normal mode descriptions of Schumann resonances, the fundamental mode is a standing wave in the Earth''ionosphere cavity with a wavelength equal to the circumference of the Earth. This lowest-frequency (and highest-intensity) mode of the Schumann resonance occurs at a frequency of approximately 7.83 Hz, but this frequency can vary slightly from a variety of factors, such as solar-induced perturbations to the ionosphere, which comprises the upper wall of the closed cavity.[citation needed] The higher resonance modes are spaced at approximately 6.5 Hz intervals,[citation needed] a characteristic attributed to the atmosphere's spherical geometry. The peaks exhibit a spectral width of approximately 20% on account of the damping of the respective modes in the dissipative cavity. The 8th partial lies at approximately 60 Hz.[citation needed]
  Observations of Schumann resonances have been used to track global lightning activity. Owing to the connection between lightning activity and the Earth's climate it has been suggested that they may also be used to monitor global temperature variations and variations of water vapor in the upper troposphere. It has been speculated that extraterrestrial lightning (on other planets) may also be detected and studied by means of their Schumann resonance signatures. Schumann resonances have been used to study the lower ionosphere on Earth and it has been suggested as one way to explore the lower ionosphere on celestial bodies. Effects on Schumann resonances have been reported following geomagnetic and ionospheric disturbances. More recently, discrete Schumann resonance excitations have been linked to transient luminous events '' sprites, elves, jets, and other upper-atmospheric lightning. A new field of interest using Schumann resonances is related to short-term earthquake prediction.
  History[edit]The first documented observations of global electromagnetic resonance were made by Nikola Tesla at his Colorado Springs laboratory in 1899. This observation led to certain conclusions about the electrical properties of the Earth, and which made the basis for his idea for wireless energy transmission.[6]
  Tesla researched ways to transmit power and energy wirelessly over long distances (via transverse waves and longitudinal waves). He transmitted extremely low frequencies through the ground as well as between the Earth's surface and the Kennelly-Heaviside layer. He received patents on wireless transceivers that developed standing waves by this method. Making mathematical calculations based on his experiments, Tesla discovered that the resonant frequency of the Earth was approximately 8 hertz (Hz).[7] In the 1950s, researchers confirmed that the resonant frequency of the Earth's ionospheric cavity was in this range (later named the Schumann resonance).
  In 1893, George Francis FitzGerald noted that the upper layers of the atmosphere must be fairly good conductors. Assuming that the height of these layers are about 100km above ground, he estimated that oscillations (in this case the lowest mode of the Schumann resonances) would have a period of 0.1 second.[8] Because of this contribution, it has been suggested to rename these resonances as Schumann''FitzGerald resonances.[9] However FitzGerald's findings were not widely known as they were only presented at a meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, followed by a brief mention in a column in Nature.
  Hence the first suggestion that an ionosphere existed, capable of trapping electromagnetic waves, is attributed to Heaviside and Kennelly (1902).[10][11] It took another twenty years before Edward Appleton and Barnett in 1925,[12] were able to prove experimentally the existence of the ionosphere.
  Although some of the most important mathematical tools for dealing with spherical waveguides were developed by G. N. Watson in 1918,[13] it was Winfried Otto Schumann who first studied the theoretical aspects of the global resonances of the earth''ionosphere waveguide system, known today as the Schumann resonances. In 1952''1954 Schumann, together with H. L. K¶nig, attempted to measure the resonant frequencies.[14][15][16][17] However, it was not until measurements made by Balser and Wagner in 1960''1963[18][19][20][21][22] that adequate analysis techniques were available to extract the resonance information from the background noise. Since then there has been an increasing interest in Schumann resonances in a wide variety of fields.
  Basic theory[edit]Lightning discharges are considered to be the primary natural source of Schumann resonance excitation; lightning channels behave like huge antennas that radiate electromagnetic energy at frequencies below about 100 kHz.[23] These signals are very weak at large distances from the lightning source, but the Earth''ionosphere waveguide behaves like a resonator at ELF frequencies and amplifies the spectral signals from lightning at the resonance frequencies.[23]
  In an ideal cavity, the resonant frequency of the -th mode is determined by the Earth radius and the speed of light.[14]
  The real Earth''ionosphere waveguide is not a perfect electromagnetic resonant cavity. Losses due to finite ionosphere electrical conductivity lower the propagation speed of electromagnetic signals in the cavity, resulting in a resonance frequency that is lower than would be expected in an ideal case, and the observed peaks are wide. In addition, there are a number of horizontal asymmetries '' day-night difference in the height of the ionosphere, latitudinal changes in the Earth magnetic field, sudden ionospheric disturbances, polar cap absorption, variation in the Earth radius of +/- 11km from equator to geographic poles, etc. that produce other effects in the Schumann resonance power spectra.
  Measurements[edit]Today Schumann resonances are recorded at many separate research stations around the world. The sensors used to measure Schumann resonances typically consist of two horizontal magnetic inductive coils for measuring the north-south and east-west components of the magnetic field, and a vertical electric dipole antenna for measuring the vertical component of the electric field. A typical passband of the instruments is 3''100 Hz. The Schumann resonance electric field amplitude (~300 microvolts per meter) is much smaller than the static fair-weather electric field (~150 V/m) in the atmosphere. Similarly, the amplitude of the Schumann resonance magnetic field (~1 picotesla) is many orders of magnitude smaller than the Earth magnetic field (~30''50 microteslas).[24] Specialized receivers and antennas are needed to detect and record Schumann resonances. The electric component is commonly measured with a ball antenna, suggested by Ogawa et al., in 1966,[25] connected to a high-impedance amplifier. The magnetic induction coils typically consist of tens- to hundreds-of-thousands of turns of wire wound around a core of very high magnetic permeability.
  Dependence on global lightning activity[edit]From the very beginning of Schumann resonance studies, it was known that they could be used to monitor global lightning activity. At any given time there are about 2000 thunderstorms around the globe.[26] Producing ~50 lightning events per second,[27] these thunderstorms create the background Schumann resonance signal.
  Determining the spatial lightning distribution from Schumann resonance records is a complex problem: in order to estimate the lightning intensity from Schumann resonance records it is necessary to account for both the distance to lightning sources as well as the wave propagation between the source and the observer. The common approach is to make a preliminary assumption on the spatial lightning distribution, based on the known properties of lightning climatology. An alternative approach is placing the receiver at the North or South Pole, which remain approximately equidistant from the main thunderstorm centers during the day.[28] One method not requiring preliminary assumptions on the lightning distribution[29] is based on the decomposition of the average background Schumann resonance spectra, utilizing ratios between the average electric and magnetic spectra and between their linear combination. This technique assumes the cavity is spherically symmetric and therefore does not include known cavity asymmetries that are believed to affect the resonance and propagation properties of electromagnetic waves in the system.
  Diurnal variations[edit]The best documented and the most debated features of the Schumann resonance phenomenon are the diurnal variations of the background Schumann resonance power spectrum.
  A characteristic Schumann resonance diurnal record reflects the properties of both global lightning activity and the state of the Earth''ionosphere cavity between the source region and the observer. The vertical electric field is independent of the direction of the source relative to the observer, and is therefore a measure of global lightning. The diurnal behavior of the vertical electric field shows three distinct maxima, associated with the three "hot spots" of planetary lightning activity: 9 UT (Universal Time) peak, linked to the increased thunderstorm activity from south-east Asia; 14 UT peak associated with the peak in African lightning activity; and the 20 UT peak resulting for the increase in lightning activity in South America. The time and amplitude of the peaks vary throughout the year, reflecting the seasonal changes in lightning activity.
  "Chimney" ranking[edit]In general, the African peak is the strongest, reflecting the major contribution of the African "chimney" to the global lightning activity. The ranking of the two other peaks '' Asian and American '' is the subject of a vigorous dispute among Schumann resonance scientists. Schumann resonance observations made from Europe show a greater contribution from Asia than from South America. This contradicts optical satellite and climatological lightning data that show the South American thunderstorm center stronger than the Asian center.,[27] although observations made from North America indicate the dominant contribution comes from South America. The reason for such disparity remains unclear, but may have something to do with the 60 Hz cycling of electricity used in North America (60 Hz being a mode of Schumann Resonance). Williams and Stori[30] suggest that in order to obtain "correct" Asia-America chimney ranking, it is necessary to remove the influence of the day/night variations in the ionospheric conductivity (day-night asymmetry influence) from the Schumann resonance records. On the other hand, such "corrected" records presented in the work by Stori et al.[31] show that even after the removal of the day-night asymmetry influence from Schumann resonance records, the Asian contribution remains greater than American. Similar results were obtained by Pechony et al.[32] who calculated Schumann resonance fields from satellite lightning data. It was assumed that the distribution of lightning in the satellite maps was a good proxy for Schumann excitations sources, even though satellite observations predominantly measure in-cloud lightning rather than the cloud-to-ground lightning that are the primary exciters of the resonances. Both simulations '' those neglecting the day-night asymmetry, and those taking this asymmetry into account, showed same Asia-America chimney ranking. As for today, the reason for the "invert" ranking of Asia and America chimneys in Schumann resonance records remains unclear and the subject requires further, targeted research.
  Influence of the day-night asymmetry[edit]In the early literature the observed diurnal variations of Schumann resonance power were explained by the variations in the source-receiver (lightning-observer) geometry.[18] It was concluded that no particular systematic variations of the ionosphere (which serves as the upper waveguide boundary) are needed to explain these variations.[33] Subsequent theoretical studies supported the early estimations of the small influence of the ionosphere day-night asymmetry (difference between day-side and night-side ionosphere conductivity) on the observed variations in Schumann resonance field intensities.[34]
  The interest in the influence of the day-night asymmetry in the ionosphere conductivity on Schumann resonances gained new strength in the 1990s, after publication of a work by Sentman and Fraser.[35] Sentman and Fraser developed a technique to separate the global and the local contributions to the observed field power variations using records obtained simultaneously at two stations that were widely separated in longitude. They interpreted the diurnal variations observed at each station in terms of a combination of a diurnally varying global excitation modulated by the local ionosphere height. Their work, which combined both observations and energy conservation arguments, convinced many scientists of the importance of the ionospheric day-night asymmetry and inspired numerous experimental studies. However, recently it was shown that results obtained by Sentman and Fraser can be approximately simulated with a uniform model (without taking into account ionosphere day-night variation) and therefore cannot be uniquely interpreted solely in terms of ionosphere height variation.[36]
  Schumann resonance amplitude records show significant diurnal and seasonal variations which in general coincide in time with the times of the day-night transition (the terminator). This time-matching seems to support the suggestion of a significant influence of the day-night ionosphere asymmetry on Schumann resonance amplitudes. There are records showing almost clock-like accuracy of the diurnal amplitude changes.[31] On the other hand there are numerous days when Schumann Resonance amplitudes do not increase at sunrise or do not decrease at sunset. There are studies showing that the general behavior of Schumann resonance amplitude records can be recreated from diurnal and seasonal thunderstorm migration, without invoking ionospheric variations.[32][34] Two recent independent theoretical studies have shown that the variations in Schumann resonance power related to the day-night transition are much smaller than those associated with the peaks of the global lightning activity, and therefore the global lightning activity plays a more important role in the variation of the Schumann resonance power.[32][37]
  It is generally acknowledged that source-observer effects are the dominant source of the observed diurnal variations, but there remains considerable controversy about the degree to which day-night signatures are present in the data. Part of this controversy stems from the fact that the Schumann resonance parameters extractable from observations provide only a limited amount of information about the coupled lightning source-ionospheric system geometry. The problem of inverting observations to simultaneously infer both the lightning source function and ionospheric structure is therefore extremely underdetermined, leading to the possibility of nonunique interpretations.
  The "inverse problem"[edit]One of the interesting problems in Schumann resonances studies is determining the lightning source characteristics (the "inverse problem"). Temporally resolving each individual flash is impossible because the mean rate of excitation by lightning, ~50 lightning events per second globally, mixes up the individual contributions together. However, occasionally there occur extremely large lightning flashes which produce distinctive signatures that stand out from the background signals. Called "Q-bursts", they are produced by intense lightning strikes that transfer large amounts of charge from clouds to the ground, and often carry high peak current.[25] Q-bursts can exceed the amplitude of the background signal level by a factor of 10 or more, and appear with intervals of ~10 s,[29] which allows to consider them as isolated events and determine the source lightning location. The source location is determined with either multi-station or single-station techniques, and requires assuming a model for the Earth''ionosphere cavity. The multi-station techniques are more accurate, but require more complicated and expensive facilities.
  Transient luminous events research[edit]It is now believed that many of the Schumann resonances transients (Q bursts) are related to the transient luminous events (TLEs). In 1995 Boccippio et al.[38] showed that sprites, the most common TLE, are produced by positive cloud-to-ground lightning occurring in the stratiform region of a thunderstorm system, and are accompanied by Q-burst in the Schumann resonances band. Recent observations[38][39] reveal that occurrences of sprites and Q bursts are highly correlated and Schumann resonances data can possibly be used to estimate the global occurrence rate of sprites.[40]
  Global temperature[edit]Williams [1992][41] suggested that global temperature may be monitored with the Schumann resonances. The link between Schumann resonance and temperature is lightning flash rate, which increases nonlinearly with temperature.[41] The nonlinearity of the lightning-to-temperature relation provides a natural amplifier of the temperature changes and makes Schumann resonance a sensitive "thermometer". Moreover, the ice particles that are believed to participate in the electrification processes which result in a lightning discharge[42] have an important role in the radiative feedback effects that influence the atmosphere temperature. Schumann resonances may therefore help us to understand these feedback effects. A strong link between global lightning and global temperature has not been experimentally confirmed as of 2008.
  Upper tropospheric water vapor[edit]Tropospheric water vapor is a key element of the Earth's climate, which has direct effects as a greenhouse gas, as well as indirect effect through interaction with clouds, aerosols and tropospheric chemistry. Upper tropospheric water vapor (UTWV) has a much greater impact on the greenhouse effect than water vapor in the lower atmosphere,[43] but whether this impact is a positive, or a negative feedback is still uncertain.[44] The main challenge in addressing this question is the difficulty in monitoring UTWV globally over long timescales. Continental deep-convective thunderstorms produce most of the lightning discharges on Earth. In addition, they transport large amount of water vapor into the upper troposphere, dominating the variations of global UTWV. Price [2000][45] suggested that changes in the UTWV can be derived from records of Schumann Resonances. According to the effective work made by the Upper Tropospheric Water Vapor (( UTWV )), we should highlight that the percentage of UTWV in normal condition of the Air mass can be meauserd as a minimal quantity, so that its influence can be considered very very low; in fact the higher percentage of it can be only found in the lower Tropspheric layers. But in the case of a high quantity of UTWV in the highest level of Troposphere, due to a warmer air mass of atlantic origins, for istance, the Water vapor, due to the low air temperature ((about minus 60 Degrees )) it turns into ice cristal, becoming clouds as Cirrus or Cirrus Stratus: no Water vapour exists as gas with so low temperature. So, we can say that the affirmation that Water vapor interacts with cloud, can be considered wrong as the clouds both those of low level of ((Atmosphere)) and those of higher levels of it are made of condensed or cristallised Water Vapor.
  Schumann resonances on other planets and moons[edit]The existence of Schumann-like resonances is conditioned primarily by two factors:
  A closed, planetary-sized spherical[dubious'' discuss] cavity, consisting of conducting lower and upper boundaries separated by an insulating medium. For the earth the conducting lower boundary is its surface, and the upper boundary is the ionosphere. Other planets may have similar electrical conductivity geometry, so it is speculated that they should possess similar resonant behavior.A source of electrical excitation of electromagnetic waves in the ELF range.Within the Solar System there are five candidates for Schumann resonance detection besides the Earth: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and its biggest moon Titan. Modeling Schumann resonances on the planets and moons of the Solar System is complicated by the lack of knowledge of the waveguide parameters. No in situ capability exists today to validate the results.
  Venus[edit]The strongest evidence for lightning on Venus comes from the impulsive electromagnetic waves detected by Venera 11 and 12 landers. Theoretical calculations of the Schumann resonances at Venus were reported by Nickolaenko and Rabinowicz [1982][46] and Pechony and Price [2004].[47] Both studies yielded very close results, indicating that Schumann resonances should be easily detectable on that planet given a lightning source of excitation and a suitably located sensor.
  Mars[edit]In the case of Mars there have been terrestrial observations of radio emission spectra that have been associated with Schumann resonances.[48] The reported radio emissions are not of the primary electromagnetic Schumann modes, but rather of secondary modulations of the nonthermal microwave emissions from the planet at approximately the expected Schumann frequencies, and have not been independently confirmed to be associated with lightning activity on Mars. There is the possibility that future lander missions could carry in situ instrumentation to perform the necessary measurements. Theoretical studies are primarily directed to parameterizing the problem for future planetary explorers.
  Detection of lightning activity on Mars has been reported by Ruf et al. [2009].[48] The evidence is indirect and in the form of modulations of the nonthermal microwave spectrum at approximately the expected Schumann resonance frequencies. It has not been independently confirmed that these are associated with electrical discharges on Mars. In the event confirmation is made by direct, in situ observations, it would verify the suggestion of the possibility of charge separation and lightning strokes in the Martian dust storms made by Eden and Vonnegut [1973][49] and Renno et al. [2003].[50] Martian global resonances were modeled by Sukhorukov [1991],[51] Pechony and Price [2004][47] and Molina-Cuberos et al. [2006].[52] The results of the three studies are somewhat different, but it seems that at least the first two Schumann resonance modes should be detectable. Evidence of the first three Schumann resonance modes is present in the spectra of radio emission from the lightning detected in Martian dust storms.[48]
  Titan[edit]It was long ago suggested that lightning discharges may occur on Titan,[53] but recent data from Cassini''Huygens seems to indicate that there is no lightning activity on this largest satellite of Saturn. Due to the recent interest in Titan, associated with the Cassini''Huygens mission, its ionosphere is perhaps the most thoroughly modeled today. Schumann resonances on Titan have received more attention than on any other celestial body, in works by Besser et al. [2002],[54] Morente et al. [2003],[55] Molina-Cuberos et al. [2004],[56] Nickolaenko et al. [2003][57] and Pechony and Price [2004].[47] It appears that only the first Schumann resonance mode might be detectable on Titan.
  Since the landing of the Huygens probe on Titan's surface in January 2005, there have been many reports on observations and theory of an atypical Schumann resonance on Titan. After several tens of fly-bys by Cassini, neither lightning nor thunderstorms were detected in Titan's atmosphere. Scientists therefore proposed another source of electrical excitation: induction of ionospheric currents by Saturn's co-rotating magnetosphere. All data and theoretical models comply with a Schumann resonance, the second eigenmode of which was observed by the Huygens probe. The most important result of this is the proof of existence of a buried liquid water-ammonia ocean under few tens of km the icy subsurface crust.[58][59][60][61]
  Jupiter and Saturn[edit]Jupiter is one planet where lightning activity has been optically detected. Existence of lightning activity on that planet was predicted by Bar-Nun [1975][62] and it is now supported by data from Galileo, Voyagers 1 and 2, Pioneers 10 and 11 and Cassini. Saturn is also confirmed to have lightning activity.[63] Though three visiting spacecraft '' Pioneer 11 in 1979, Voyager 1 in 1980 and Voyager 2 in 1981, failed to provide any convincing evidence from optical observations, in July of 2012 the Cassini spacecraft detected visible lightning flashes, and electromagnetic sensors aboard the spacecraft detected signatures that are characteristic of lightning. Little is known about the electrical parameters of Jupiter and Saturn interior. Even the question of what should serve as the lower waveguide boundary is a non-trivial one in case of the gaseous planets. There seem to be no works dedicated to Schumann resonances on Saturn. To date there has been only one attempt to model Schumann resonances on Jupiter.[64] Here, the electrical conductivity profile within the gaseous atmosphere of Jupiter was calculated using methods similar to those used to model stellar interiors, and it was pointed out that the same methods could be easily extended to the other gas giants Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Given the intense lightning activity at Jupiter, the Schumann resonances should be easily detectable with a sensor suitably positioned within the planetary-ionospheric cavity.
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 03:08
  Politics: The Last Mystery of the Financial Crisis
  The Last Mystery of the Financial Crisis
  By Matt TaibbiJune 19, 2013 | 9:00am EDT
  Photo Credit: Victor Juhasz
  What about the ratings agencies?
  That's what "they" always say about the financial crisis and the teeming rat's nest of corruption it left behind. Everybody else got plenty of blame: the greed-fattened banks, the sleeping regulators, the unscrupulous mortgage hucksters like spray-tanned Countrywide ex-CEO Angelo Mozilo.
  But what about the ratings agencies? Isn't it true that almost none of the fraud that's swallowed Wall Street in the past decade could have taken place without companies like Moody's and Standard & Poor's rubber-stamping it? Aren't they guilty, too?
  Man, are they ever. And a lot more than even the least generous of us suspected.
  Thanks to a mountain of evidence gathered for a pair of major lawsuits, documents that for the most part have never been seen by the general public, we now know that the nation's two top ratings companies, Moody's and S&P, have for many years been shameless tools for the banks, willing to give just about anything a high rating in exchange for cash.
  In incriminating e-mail after incriminating e-mail, executives and analysts from these companies are caught admitting their entire business model is crooked.
  "Lord help our fucking scam'‰.'‰.'‰.'‰this has to be the stupidest place I have worked at," writes one Standard & Poor's executive. "As you know, I had difficulties explaining 'HOW' we got to those numbers since there is no science behind it," confesses a high-ranking S&P analyst. "If we are just going to make it up in order to rate deals, then quants [quantitative analysts] are of precious little value," complains another senior S&P man. "Let's hope we are all wealthy and retired by the time this house of card[s] falters," ruminates one more.
  Ratings agencies are the glue that ostensibly holds the entire financial industry together. These gigantic companies '' also known as Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations, or NRSROs '' have teams of examiners who analyze companies, cities, towns, countries, mortgage borrowers, anybody or anything that takes on debt or creates an investment vehicle.
  Their primary function is to help define what's safe to buy, and what isn't. A triple-A rating is to the financial world what the USDA seal of approval is to a meat-eater, or virginity is to a Catholic. It's supposed to be sacrosanct, inviolable: According to Moody's own reports, AAA investments "should survive the equivalent of the U.S. Great Depression."
  It's not a stretch to say the whole financial industry revolves around the compass point of the absolutely safe AAA rating. But the financial crisis happened because AAA ratings stopped being something that had to be earned and turned into something that could be paid for.
  That this happened is even more amazing because these companies naturally have powerful leverage over their clients, as they are part of a quasi-protected industry that enjoys massive de facto state subsidies. Largely that's because government agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission often force private companies to fulfill regulatory requirements by retaining or keeping in reserve certain fixed quantities of assets '' bonds, securities, whatever '' that have been rated highly by a "Nationally Recognized" ratings agency, like the "Big Three" of Moody's, S&P and Fitch. So while they're not quite part of the official regulatory infrastructure, they might as well be.
  It's not like the iniquity of the ratings agencies had gone completely unnoticed before. The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission published a case study in 2011 of Moody's in particular and discovered that between 2000 and 2007, the agency gave nearly 45,000 mortgage-backed securities AAA ratings. One year Moody's doled out AAA ratings to 30 mortgage-backed securities every day, 83 percent of which were ultimately downgraded. "This crisis could not have happened without the rating agencies," the commission concluded.
  Thanks to these documents, we now know how that happened. And showing as they do the back-and-forth between the country's top ratings agencies and one of America's biggest investment banks (Morgan Stanley) in advance of two major subprime deals, they also lay out in detail the evolution of the industrywide fraud that led to implosion of the world economy '' how banks, hedge funds, mortgage lenders and ratings agencies, working at an extraordinary level of cooperation, teamed up to disguise and then sell near-worthless loans as AAA securities. It's the black box in the American financial airplane.
  In April, Moody's and Standard & Poor's settled the lawsuits for a reported $225 million. Brought by a diverse group of institutional plaintiffs with King County, Washington, and the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank taking the lead, the suits accused the ratings agencies of conspiring in the mid-to-late 2000s with Morgan Stanley to fraudulently induce heavy investment into a pair of doomed-to-implode subprime-laden deals, called Cheyne and Rhinebridge.
  Stock prices for both companies soared at the settlement, with markets believing the firms would be spared the hell of reams of embarrassing evidence thrust into public view at trial. But in a quirk, an earlier judge's ruling had already made most of the documents in the case public. Although a few news outlets, including The New York Times, took note at the time, the vast majority of the material was never reported, and some was never seen by reporters at all. The cases revolved around a highly exotic and complex financial instrument called a SIV, or structured investment vehicle.
  The SIV is a not-so-distant cousin of the special purpose entity, or SPE, which was the main weapon of destruction in the Enron scandal. The corporate scam du jour in those days was mass accounting fraud, in which a company would create an ostensibly independent corporate structure that would actually be controlled by its own executives, who would then move their company's liabilities off their own books and onto the remote-controlled SPE, hiding the firm's losses.
  The SIV is a similar concept. They first started showing up in the late Eighties after banks discovered a loophole in international banking standards that allowed them to create SPE-like repositories full of assets like mortgage-backed securities and keep them off their own books.
  These behemoths operated on the same basic concept as an ordinary bank, which borrows short-term cash from depositors and then lends money long-term in the form of things like mortgages, business loans, etc. The SIV did the same thing, borrowing short-term from investors and then investing long-term on things like student loans, car loans, subprime mortgages. Like banks, a SIV made money on the spread between its short-term debt and long-term investments. If a SIV borrowed on the commercial paper market at 3 percent but earned 6.5 percent on subprime mortgages, that was an easy 3.5 percent profit.
  The big difference is a bank has regulatory capital requirements. A SIV doesn't, and being technically independent, its potential liabilities don't show up on the books of the megabank that created it. So the SIV structure allowed investment banks to create and take advantage of, without risk, billions of dollars of things like subprime loans, which became the centerpiece of the new trendy corporate scam '' creating and then selling masses of risky mortgage-backed securities as AAA investments to institutional suckers.
  Ratings agencies helped this game along in two ways. First, banks needed them to sign off on the bogus math of the subprime era '' the math that allowed banks to turn pools of home loans belonging to people so broke they couldn't even afford down payments into securities with higher credit ratings than corporations with billions of dollars in assets. But banks also needed the ratings agencies to sign off on the safety and reliability of these off-balance-sheet SIV structures.
  The first of the two SIVs in question was dreamed up by a London-based hedge fund called Cheyne Capital Management (pronounced like Dick "Cheney"), run by an ex-Morgan Stanley banker duo who hired their old firm to build and stock this vast floating Death Star of subprime loans.
  Morgan Stanley had multiple motives for putting together the Cheyne deal. For one thing, it earned what the bank's lead structurer affectionately called "big fat upfront fees," which bank executives estimated would eventually add up to $25 million or $30 million. It was a lucrative business, and the top dogs wanted the deal badly. "I am very focused on'‰.'‰.'‰.'‰getting this deal done to get NY to stop freaking out" and "to make our money," said Robert Rooney, the senior Morgan Stanley executive on the deal. A spokesman for Morgan Stanley, however, told Rolling Stone, "Our sole economic interest was in the ongoing success of the SIV."
  But that wasn't Morgan Stanley's only motive. Not only could the bank make the "big fat upfront fees" for structuring the deal, they could also turn around and sell scads of their own mortgage-backed securities to the SIV, which in turn would be marketed to investors like Abu Dhabi and King County. In Cheyne, 25 percent of the original assets in the deal came from Morgan Stanley '' over time, $2 billion of the SIV's $9 billion to $10 billion portfolio of assets came from the bank as well.
  Internal Morgan Stanley memorandums show that the bank knowingly stuffed mortgages in the SIV whose borrowers were, to say the least, highly suspect. "The real issue is that the loan requests do not make sense," complained a Morgan Stanley employee back in 2005. He noted loans had been made to a "tarot reading house" operator who claimed to make $12,000 a month, and a "knock off gold club distributor" who claimed to make $16,000 a month. "Compound these issues," he groaned, "with the fact that we are seeing what I would call a lot of this type of profile."
  No matter '' into the soup it went! Morgan sold mountains of this crap into Cheyne's SIV, where it was destined to be sold off to other suckers down the line. The only thing that could possibly get in the way of the scam was some pesky ratings agency.
  Fortunately for the bank and the hedge fund, these subprime SIVs were a relatively new kind of investment product, so the ratings agencies had little to go on in the area of historical data to measure these products. One might think this would make the ratings agencies more conservative. In fact, caution in the face of the unknown was supposed to be a core value for these companies. As Moody's put it, "Triple-A structures should not be highly dependent on untestable assumptions."
  But when it came to the Cheyne SIV, Moody's punted on caution. In an e-mail sent to executives from both Morgan Stanley and Cheyne in May 2005, David Rosa, a Moody's senior analyst, admitted that when it came to this SIV, he had nothing to go on.
  "Please note that in relation to assumed spread [volatility] for the Aa and A there is no actual data backing up the current model assumptions," he wrote. In lieu of such data, he went on, "We will for now accept the proposal to use the same levels as [residential mortgage-backed securities] given that this assumption is supported by the analysis of the Aaa data'‰.'‰.'‰.'‰and Cheyne's comments on their views of this asset class."
  Translation: We have no historical data, so we'll just accept your reasoning for the time being, even though you have every incentive in the world to lie about the quality of your product.
  At one point, a Morgan Stanley analyst even claimed that the bank had written, in Moody's name, an entire 12-page "New Issue Report" for the Cheyne SIV '' a kind of ratings summary in which Morgan Stanley appears to have given itself AAA ratings for large chunks of the deal. "I attach the Moody's NIR (that we ended up writing)," yawns Morgan Stanley fixed-income employee Rany Moubarak in a March 2006 e-mail. The attached document came proudly affixed with the "Moody's Investors Service" logo. (Both Moody's and Morgan Stanley deny that anyone other than Moody's wrote that report.)
  Morgan Stanley ended up getting both Moody's and S&P to rate the deal, and that was not only common, it was basically industry practice. There were many reasons for this, but a big one was a concept called "notching," in which the agencies gave ratings penalties to any instrument that had not been rated by their own company. If a SIV contained a basket of mortgage-backed securities rated AA by Standard & Poor's, Moody's might "notch" those underlying securities down to A, or even lower. This incentivized the banks to hire as many ratings agencies as possible to rate every investment vehicle they created.
  Again, despite the fact that the ratings agencies enjoyed broad quasi-official subsidies, and despite the powerful market leverage that techniques like "notching" gave them, they still routinely chose to roll over for banks. And the biggest companies were equally guilty. In the case of the Cheyne deal, Standard & Poor's was every bit as craven as Moody's.
  In September 2004, an S&P analyst named Lapo Guadagnuolo sent an e-mail to Stephen McCabe, the agency's lead "quant" on the Cheyne deal, who apparently was on vacation. The e-mail chain was mostly a bunch of office gossip, where the two men e-whispered about an employee who was about to quit. But sandwiched in the office banter was an offhand line about the Cheyne deal and how full of shit it was. "Hi Steve!" Guadagnuolo wrote cheerily, adding, "How is Australia and how was Thailand????Back to [Cheyne]'‰.'‰.'‰.'‰As you know, I had difficulties explaining 'HOW' we got to those numbers since there is no science behind it'‰.'‰.'‰.
  "Thanks and regards'‰.'‰.'‰.'‰have you heard that [redacted] has resigned .'‰.'‰. and somebody else will follow suit today!!"
  McCabe, blowing off the "no science behind it" comment, answered eagerly, "Who, Who, Who????" The quadruple question mark must be an S&P-ism.
  A month later, McCabe seemed more concerned about the lack of science in the Cheyne deal. He complained in an e-mail to his boss, Kai Gilkes, who was the agency's senior quantitative analyst in Europe.
  "From looking at the numbers it is quite obvious that we have just stuck our preverbal [sic] finger in the air!!" he fumed.
  Gilkes was experiencing his own crisis of conscience by mid-2005, complaining in an oddly wistful e-mail to another S&P employee that the good old days of just giving things the ratings they deserved were disappearing. "Remember the dream of being able to defend the model with sound empirical research?" he wrote on June 17th, 2005. "If we are just going to make it up in order to rate deals, then quants are of precious little value."
  Frank Parisi, Standard & Poor's chief credit officer for structured finance, was even more downtrodden, saying that the model that his company used to rate residential mortgage-backed securities in 2005 and 2006 was only marginally more accurate than "if you just simply flipped a coin."
  Given all of this, why would top analysts from both Moody's and Standard & Poor's rate such a massive deal like Cheyne without any science to back it up? The answer was simple: money. In the old days, ratings agencies lived on subscriptions sold to investors, meaning they were compensated '' indirectly, incidentally '' by the people buying the financial products.
  But over time, that model morphed into the current "issuer pays" model, in which a company like Moody's or Standard & Poor's is paid directly by the "issuer" '' i.e., the company that is actually making the financial product.
  For Cheyne, for instance, the agencies were paid in the area of $1 million to $1.5 million to rate the deal by Morgan Stanley, the very company with an interest in getting a high rating. It's the ultimate in negative incentives, and was and continues to be a major impediment to honest analysis on Wall Street. Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, one of the few lawmakers to focus on reforming the ratings agencies after the crash, put it this way: "It's like one of the parties in court paying the judge's salary."
  Thanks to this model, ratings-agency business soared during the bubble era. A Senate report found that fees for the "Big Three" doubled between 2002 and 2007, from $3 billion to $6 billion. Fees for rating mortgage-backed securities at both Moody's and S&P nearly quadrupled.
  So there were powerful incentives to whitewash deals like Cheyne. The eventual president of Moody's, Brian Clarkson, actually copped to this awful truth in writing, in a 2004 internal e-mail. "To put it bluntly," he wrote, "the issuer could take its business elsewhere unless the rating agency provides a higher rating."
  Both Moody's and Standard & Poor's employees described complex/exotic new financial products like CDOs and SIVs as "cash cows," and behind closed doors, executives talked openly about the financial pressure to give scientifically unfounded analysis to products the banks wanted to sell.
  The minutes from a 2007 conference of Standard & Poor's executives show that the raters knew they were in way over their heads. Admitting that it was virtually impossible to accurately rate, say, a synthetic derivative loan deal with underlying assets in China and Russia, one executive candidly admits, "We do not have the capacity nor the skills in house to rate something like this." Another counters, "Market pressures have significantly risen due to 'hot money.'" The first retorts that bankers are pushing boundaries, asking the raters to help them play the highly cynical hot-potato game, in which bad loans are originated en masse and then instantly passed off to suckers who will take on all the risk. "Bankers say why not originate bad loans, there is no penalty," the executive muses.
  Hilariously '' or tragically, depending on your point of view '' an S&P executive at the conference even tossed off a quick visual sketch of their company's moral quandary. The picture is atrociously drawn (it looks like a junior high school student's rendering of a ganglion cell) and comes across like the Wall Street version of Hamlet, showing the industry traveling down a road and reaching a "Choice Point" crossroads, where the two options are "To Rate" and "Not Rate."
  The former '' basically taking the money and just rating whatever crap the banks toss their way '' is crudely depicted as a wide, "well marked super highway." Meanwhile the honorable thing, not rating shitty investments, is shown to be a skinny little roadlet, marked "Dark and narrow path less traveled."
  Obviously, the ratings agencies like S&P ultimately decided to take the road more traveled, choosing profits over scruples. Not that there wasn't some token resistance at first. For instance, some at S&P hesitated to allow the use of a questionable technique called "grandfathering," in which old and outdated rating models were used to rate newly issued investments.
  In one damning e-mail chain in November 2005, a Morgan Stanley banker complains to an S&P executive named Elwyn Wong that S&P was preventing him from putting S&P ratings on Morgan Stanley deals that used this grandfathering technique. "My business is on 'pause' right now," the banker complains.
  Wong took the news that S&P was holding up deals over the grandfathering issue badly. "Lord help our fucking scam," he said. "This has to be the stupidest place I have worked at." Wong, incidentally, was later hired by the U.S. Office of the Comptroller Currency, our top federal banking regulator.
  The purists, however, couldn't hold out for long. In the Cheyne case, when one of the "quants" tried to hold the line, Morgan Stanley went over their heads to someone on the business side at the company to get the rating it wanted.
  In July 2004, for instance, analyst Lapo Guadagnuolo sent an e-mail to Morgan Stanley's point man on the Cheyne deal, Gregg Drennan, and told him that the best he could do for the "mezzanine capital notes" or "MCN" piece of the SIV '' a piece that Drennan wanted at least an A rating for '' was BBB-plus. Drennan responded in an e-mail that CC'd Guadagnuolo's boss, Perry Inglis, telling him that Morgan Stanley "believe[s] the position the committee is taking is very inappropriate."
  Ultimately, the analyst committee agreed to give the dubious Mezzanine Notes an A rating, marking the first time these middle-tier investments in a SIV ever received a public A rating. For Wall Street, this was occasion to par-tay. In the summer of 2005, one of the Cheyne hedge-funders sent out a celebratory e-mail to Morgan Stanley execs, bragging about getting the ratings companies to cave. "It is an amazing set of feats to move the rating agencies so far," the hedgie wrote. "We all do all this for one thing and I hope promotions are a given. Let's hope big bonuses are to follow."
  Later on, S&P caved even further, agreeing to allow Morgan Stanley to lower the "capital buffer" in the deal protecting investors without suffering a ratings penalty. As late as February 1st, 2006, Guadagnuolo was defiantly telling Morgan Stanley that the one-percent buffer was a "pillar of our analysis." But by the next day, Morgan Stanley executive Moubarak had chopped Guadagnuolo's knees out. He cheerfully announced in a group e-mail that the bank had managed to remove this "pillar" and get the buffer knocked down to .75 percent.
  Tina Sprinz, who worked for the Cheyne hedge fund, sent an e-mail that very day to Moubarak, thanking him for straightening out the pesky analysts. "Thanks for negotiating that," she says. The ratings process shouldn't be a "negotiation," yet this word appears throughout these documents.
  In the Cheyne deal, just the plaintiffs in the lawsuit invested a total of $980 million in "rated notes," and those who invested in these "MCNs" were completely wiped out. Analysts from both agencies would express regret and/or trepidation about their roles in unleashing the monster deals and their failure to stop the business-side suits running the companies from selling them out. Gilkes, the S&P analyst who worried about shunning real science in favor of just making things up, later testified that the subprime assets in such SIVs were "not appropriate."
  "They should not have been rated," he said.
  If the significance of Cheyne is that it showed how the ratings agencies sold out in an effort to get business, the significance of the next deal, Rhinebridge, is that it showed how low they were willing to stoop to keep that business.
  Rhinebridge was a subprime-packed SIV structured very much like Cheyne, only both the quality of the underlying crap in the SIV and the timing of the SIV's launch were significantly more horrible than even Cheyne's.
  Not only did Morgan Stanley insist that the ratings agencies allow the bank to pack Rhinebridge full of a much higher quantity of subprime than in the Cheyne deal, they were also pushing this massive blob of toxic mortgages at a time when the subprime market was already approaching full collapse.
  In fact, the Rhinebridge deal would launch with high ratings from both agencies on June 27th, 2007, less than two weeks before both Moody's and S&P would downgrade hundreds of subprime mortgage-backed securities. In other words, both Moody's and S&P were almost certainly in the process of downgrading the underlying assets in the Rhinebridge SIV even as they were preparing to launch Rhinebridge with AAA-rated notes.
  "It was the briefest AAA rating in history," says the plaintiffs' lawyer Dan Drosman. "Rhinebridge went from AAA to junk in a matter of months."
  There is an enormous documentary record in both agencies showing that analysts and executives knew a bust was coming long before they sent Rhinebridge out into the world with a AAA label. As early as 2005, S&P was talking in internal memorandums about a "bubble" in the real-estate markets, and in 2006 it knew that there had been "rampant appraisal and underwriting fraud for quite some time," causing "rising delinquencies" and "nightmare mortgages."
  In June 2007, the same month Rhinebridge was launched, S&P's Board of Directors Report talked about a total collapse of the market. "The meltdown of the subprime-mortgage market will increase both foreclosures and the overhang of homes for sale."
  It was no better at Moody's, where in June 2007, executives were internally discussing "increased amounts of lying on income" and "increased amounts of occupancy misstatements" in mortgage applications. Clarkson, who would become president two months later, was told the week before Rhinebridge launched that "most players in the market" believed subprime would "perform extremely poorly," and that the problems were "quite serious."
  Yet the two ratings agencies not only kept those concerns private, they both took outlandish steps to declare just the opposite.
  In a pair of matching public papers, both Moody's and S&P proclaimed that summer that while subprime might be going to hell, subprime-packed investments like SIVs might be just fine. The Moody's report on July 18th read "SIVs: An Oasis of Calm in the Sub-prime Maelstrom," while an S&P report on August 14th, 2007, was titled "Report Says SIV Ratings Are Weathering Current Market Disruptions."
  The S&P report was so brazen that it even shocked a Morgan Stanley banker involved in the SIV deals. "I cannot believe these morons would reaffirm in this market," chortled the banker in an e-mail the day after the paper was released.
  Rhinebridge, cheyne and a hell of a lot of other subprime investments ultimately blew to smithereens, taking with them vast amounts of cash '' 40 percent of the world's wealth was wiped out in the aftermath of the mortgage bubble, according to some estimates. 2008 was to the American economy what 9/11 was to national security. Yet while 9/11 prompted the U.S. government to tear up half the Constitution in the name of public safety, after 2008, authorities went in the other direction. If you can imagine a post-9/11 scenario where there were no metal detectors at airports and people could walk on carrying chain saws and meat cleavers, you get a rough idea of what was done to reform the ratings process.
  Specifically, very little was done to change the way AAA ratings are created '' the "issuer pays" model still exists, and the "Big Three" retain roughly the same market share. An effort by Minnesota Sen. Al Franken to change the compensation model through a new approach under which agencies would be assigned randomly to rate new issues through a government agency passed overwhelmingly in the Senate, but in the House it was relegated to a study by the SEC '' which released its findings last year, calling for'‰.'‰.'‰. more study. "The conflict of interest still exists in the exact same way," says a frustrated Franken.
  The companies by now are all the way back in black. In 2012, for instance, Moody's profits soared 22 percent, to $1.18 billion. McGraw-Hill, the parent company of Standard & Poor's, scored $437 million in profits last year, with the rating business accounting for 70 percent of the company's profits.
  In February, the Obama Justice Department, in an action that seems belated, filed a $5 billion civil suit against Standard & Poor's, drawing upon some of the same data and documents that were part of the Cheyne and Rhinebridge suits. As part of that action, high-ranking officials at S&P were interviewed by government investigators and admitted that they had shaded their ratings methodologies to protect market share. In this deposition of Richard Gugliada, head of S&P's CDO operations, the government asks why the company was slow to implement updates to its model for evaluating CDOs:
  Q: Is it fair to say that Standard & Poor's goal of preserving an increasing market share and profits from ratings fees influence the development of the updates to the CDO evaluator?
  A: In part, correct.
  Q: The main reason to avoid a reduction in the noninvestment grade ratings business was to preserve S&P's market share in that category, correct?
  A: Correct.
  Years after the crash, it's a little insulting to see industry analysts blithely copping under oath to having traded science for market share, especially since the companies continue to protest to the contrary in public. Contacted for this story, Moody's and S&P insisted many of the documents in this case were simply taken out of context, and that their analysis throughout has been rigorous, objective and independent.
  It's a thin defense, but it's holding '' for now. McGraw-Hill stock plunged nearly 14 percent when news of the Justice Department suit leaked, and dropped nearly 19 percent for February, but has since regained much of its value '' its stock rose nearly 16 percent in March and April, as markets reacted favorably to, among other things, its recent settlement of the Cheyne and Rhinebridge suits. The markets clearly think the ratings agencies will survive.
  What's amazing about this is that even without a mass of ugly documentary evidence proving their incompetence and corruption, these firms ought to be out of business. Even if they just accidentally sucked this badly, that should be enough to persuade the markets to look to a different model, different companies, different ratings methodologies.
  But we know now that it was no accident. What happened to the ratings agencies during the financial crisis, and what is likely still happening within their walls, is a phenomenon as old as business itself. Given a choice between money and integrity, they took the money. Which wouldn't be quite so bad if they weren't in the integrity business.
  This story is from the July 4 - July 18, 2013 issue of Rolling Stone
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Rolling Stone Mobile - Politics
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 03:04
  Politics: The Last Mystery of the Financial Crisis
  The Last Mystery of the Financial Crisis
  By Matt TaibbiJune 19, 2013 | 9:00am EDT
  Photo Credit: Victor Juhasz
  What about the ratings agencies?
  That's what "they" always say about the financial crisis and the teeming rat's nest of corruption it left behind. Everybody else got plenty of blame: the greed-fattened banks, the sleeping regulators, the unscrupulous mortgage hucksters like spray-tanned Countrywide ex-CEO Angelo Mozilo.
  But what about the ratings agencies? Isn't it true that almost none of the fraud that's swallowed Wall Street in the past decade could have taken place without companies like Moody's and Standard & Poor's rubber-stamping it? Aren't they guilty, too?
  Man, are they ever. And a lot more than even the least generous of us suspected.
  Thanks to a mountain of evidence gathered for a pair of major lawsuits, documents that for the most part have never been seen by the general public, we now know that the nation's two top ratings companies, Moody's and S&P, have for many years been shameless tools for the banks, willing to give just about anything a high rating in exchange for cash.
  In incriminating e-mail after incriminating e-mail, executives and analysts from these companies are caught admitting their entire business model is crooked.
  "Lord help our fucking scam'‰.'‰.'‰.'‰this has to be the stupidest place I have worked at," writes one Standard & Poor's executive. "As you know, I had difficulties explaining 'HOW' we got to those numbers since there is no science behind it," confesses a high-ranking S&P analyst. "If we are just going to make it up in order to rate deals, then quants [quantitative analysts] are of precious little value," complains another senior S&P man. "Let's hope we are all wealthy and retired by the time this house of card[s] falters," ruminates one more.
  Ratings agencies are the glue that ostensibly holds the entire financial industry together.
  Post Comment
U.S. Army To Scrap $7 Billion In Equipment In Afghanistan : The Two-Way : NPR
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  Sat, 22 Jun 2013 02:48
  Mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles '-- MRAPs '-- like these are some of the more than $7 billion in equipment the U.S. Army is dismantling and selling as scrap in Afghanistan.
  Lucas Jackson/APMine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles '-- MRAPs '-- like these are some of the more than $7 billion in equipment the U.S. Army is dismantling and selling as scrap in Afghanistan.
  Lucas Jackson/APIn preparation for a complete exit from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, the U.S. military has destroyed more than 170 million pounds' worth of military equipment, The Washington Post reported.
  Military planners for the U.S. Army have decided not to ship back more than $7 billion of equipment '-- about 20 percent of what the Army brought into Afghanistan '-- because the shipping costs are too high and the need for the used equipment too low. Instead, the Army is destroying the equipment in-country: shredding it, crushing it and selling it on the Afghan scrap market.
  The equipment destruction is likely to raise questions in both the U.S. and Afghanistan about military planning and whether the U.S. Army should be finding ways for its vehicles and machinery to get reused. Shipping the equipment back to the U.S. or to other allied nations seems too costly, and donating it to the Afghans is complicated owing to thorny rules surrounding giving equipment to other countries, the Post reported. As such, Army officials have opted to destroy it.
  Much of the equipment being destroyed comes in the form of mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, or MRAPs, hulking vehicles built to counter the threat of roadside bombs. MRAPs cost approximately $1 million each, and the Army has labeled about 2,000 of the 11,000 MRAPs in Afghanistan "excess." The remaining 9,000 will be shipped out of the country for use elsewhere.
  Those excess MRAPs are in the process of being dismantled at scrap yards at the four U.S. military bases in Afghanistan. The machines are resilient and were built to withstand explosions, so breaking down each MRAP requires about 12 hours of work with special blowtorches.
  Part of the reason for destroying the equipment in-country rather than transporting it elsewhere '-- as the Army did when withdrawing from Iraq '-- has to do with the fact that the geography of Afghanistan presents unique challenges for retrograde, or removing military equipment from foreign war zones.
  "Afghanistan is landlocked, so everything moving in and out must go by air," says U.S. Army spokesman Wayne Hall. "This provides challenges for us to get the equipment out."
  Maj. Gen. Kurt J. Stein, head of the 1st Sustainment Command, who is overseeing the drawdown in Afghanistan, told the Post that leaving Afghanistan requires the largest retrograde mission in history.
Waarschuwing op sigarettenpakjes kleiner | nu.nl/politiek | Het laatste nieuws het eerst op nu.nl
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  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 19:56
  De waarschuwende teksten en foto's op sigarettenpakjes op de Europese markt worden kleiner.De 27 landen van de EU werden het vrijdag in Luxemburg eens dat 65 procent van het pakje gaat bestaan uit gezondheidswaarschuwingen.
  De Europese Commissie wilde dat 75 procent van een pakje uit angstaanjagende foto's van zwarte longen en teksten als ''Rokers sterven jonger'' zou bestaan.
  De EU komt met nieuwe regels voor de verpakkingen van tabak zodat ''jongeren niet verleid worden om te gaan roken''. Roken moet onaantrekkelijker worden en tabaksproducten moeten er dan ook uitzien en smaken als tabaksproducten.
  SmaakjeDaarom wilde het dagelijks bestuur van de EU dat sigaretten met een smaakje, zoals mentholsigaretten, verboden worden. De lidstaten laten een Europees testpanel bepalen om welke smaken het moet gaan, maar zijn ook voor een verbod van smaakjessigaretten. Bovendien mogen er geen ''misleidende labels'' op de pakjes komen als ''organisch'' of ''natuurlijk''.
  Ook rookloze tabaksproducten, zoals de e-sigaret, moeten gezondheidswaarschuwingen gaan voeren. Bovendien kwamen de EU-lidstaten overeen dat bij een bepaalde nicotinewaarde e-sigareten alleen nog maar op recept verkrijgbaar moeten zijn. Daarnaast kunnen landen zelf beslissen of ze een verbod op verkoop via het internet gaan opleggen.Ook mogen landen als ze willen er zelf voor kiezen strengere verpakkingseisen op te leggen.
  Nu de lidstaten het eens zijn, kan het dossier naar het Europees Parlement.
  Door: ANP
VIDEO-A million people across Brazil say "it's not about 20 cents" - YouTube
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  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 19:44
Fund manager gets 11 years for Facebook, Groupon shares scam
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  Source: Reuters: Technology News
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 19:19
  A smartphone user shows the Facebook application on his phone in the central Bosnian town of Zenica, in this photo illustration, May 2, 2013.
  Credit: Reuters/Dado Ruvic
  By Bernard Vaughan
  NEW YORK | Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:48pm EDT
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former fund manager John Mattera was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Friday, after pleading guilty of defrauding investors of $13 million with a story that he put their money in Facebook Inc and Groupon Inc shares before the companies went public.
  U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan said the sentence, at the high end of what prosecutors requested, was warranted because Mattera devastated his clients' savings, and also because of four prior convictions related to fraud and theft. Mattera had requested a sentence of less than four years.
  "You hurt a lot of people in a very serious way," Sullivan said, after delivering the sentence. "You've left a lot of wreckage in your path."
  Mattera, 51, former chairman of the advisory board for mutual fund Praetorian Global Fund Ltd, pleaded guilty in October to charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud in connection with the scheme.
  He admitted transferring $11 million from investors into an escrow account instead of safeguarding it ahead of the highly anticipated initial public offerings.
  He also admitted taking $2 million more from investors who thought he was investing in Facebook and Groupon while they were still private. Instead, prosecutors said Mattera spent nearly $4 million of it on luxury cars, jewelry, personal taxes and a lawsuit settlement.
  Mattera had two Rolls Royces and a Ferrari when he was arrested, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene Ingoglia said.
  "It's just blatant fraud," Ingoglia said.
  As part of his plea, Mattera agreed to pay restitution to the defrauded investors and forfeit $11.8 million.
  One investor, Marisa Light Cain, 51, lashed out at Mattera in court on Friday. She said she lost $100,000 in the scheme after going through a difficult divorce, and Mattera's sophisticated deception included a fake audit letter from KPMG and a full prospectus.
  "I want to let Mr. Mattera know that I lost my life savings," Cain said. "I want you to know that I have a son out there who will not be educated in college as he should be" because of the fraud.
  Cain said Mattera's 11-year sentence was of little solace. "I don't think it's long enough, personally," she said after the hearing.
  "I'm very sorry to all the victims," Mattera told Sullivan before the judge sentenced him. "I'm very sorry to my family."
  The sentence was substantially larger than several insider trading-related sentencings Sullivan has handed down in recent months. He sentenced two former hedge fund managers, Todd Newman and Anthony Chiasson, for example, to 4-1/2 and 6-1/2 years in prison, respectively.
  Sullivan said Mattera got the longer sentence because of his lengthy criminal background. Mattera failed to seize multiple opportunities to turn his life around, Sullivan said.
  "These crimes are just so selfish," Sullivan said. "This is money that people took years and years to save, and it was squandered."
  The case is USA v John Mattera, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 12-00127.
  (Reporting by Bernard Vaughan; Editing by David Gregorio)
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Senator Seeks Conflict-of-Interest Probes on Anthrax Drug Purchases
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  Source: Global Security Newswire Daily News
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 19:04
  The Obama administration should investigate its dealings with a biological defense adviser who apparently lobbied successfully for $334 million in anthrax antitoxin purchases from a firm he helped to lead, a key U.S. senator said on Wednesday.
  Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) urged Defense and Homeland Security department auditors to look into the hiring of Richard Danzig, who might not have informed officials of his position on the board of Human Genome Sciences. The Maryland-based company -- acquired last year by GlaxoSmithKline -- manufactured raxibacumab, a drug designed for use in treating antibiotic-resistant anthrax after a patient has acquired an inhaled form of the infection.
  "Not nearly enough questions have been asked about a scientifically unproven program that costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars," said McCaskill, chairwoman of the Senate Homeland Security Financial and Contracting Oversight Subcommittee.
  "At the same time, the person hyping the drug-resistant anthrax threat has a significant financial stake in these contracts and isn't disclosing that during his recommendations, and that's a red flag -- especially when the government is the only customer," McCaskill added in a press release.
Gogo falls in 1st day of trading on the Nasdaq
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  Source: Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 19:03
  Gogo falls in 1st day of trading on the NasdaqJavascript is currently disabled in your web browser. For full site functionality, it is necessary to enable Javascript. In order to enable it, please see these instructions.1 hour ago(AP)'--Shares of Gogo, which provides Internet services on airlines, declined in its first day of trading on the Nasdaq.
  The Itasca, Ill., company's stock fell $1.11, or 6.5 percent, to $15.89 in late morning trading Friday.
  Gogo Inc. raised $187 million from the initial public offering of 11 million shares.
  The offering was priced at $17 per share, at the high end of the projected $15 to $17 range.
  The underwriters may buy up to about 1.7 million additional shares to cover any excess demand.
  Gogo said in a regulatory filing that it plans to use net proceeds for working capital and other general corporate purposes, such as costs related to international expansion.
  Gogo is trading under the "GOGO" ticker symbol. The offering is expected to close on Wednesday.
  Explore further:Tableau Software soars in trading debut
  (C) 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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  (C) Phys.org' 2003-2013
  Gogo falls in 1st day of trading on the NasdaqJavascript is currently disabled in your web browser. For full site functionality, it is necessary to enable Javascript. In order to enable it, please see these instructions.1 hour ago(AP)'--Shares of Gogo, which provides Internet services on airlines, declined in its first day of trading on the Nasdaq.
  The Itasca, Ill., company's stock fell $1.11, or 6.5 percent, to $15.89 in late morning trading Friday.
  Gogo Inc. raised $187 million from the initial public offering of 11 million shares.
  The offering was priced at $17 per share, at the high end of the projected $15 to $17 range.
  The underwriters may buy up to about 1.7 million additional shares to cover any excess demand.
  Gogo said in a regulatory filing that it plans to use net proceeds for working capital and other general corporate purposes, such as costs related to international expansion.
  Gogo is trading under the "GOGO" ticker symbol. The offering is expected to close on Wednesday.
  Explore further:Tableau Software soars in trading debut
  (C) 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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  (C) Phys.org' 2003-2013
Rosneft in $270bn China oil deal
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: BBC News - Europe
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 19:02
  21 June 2013Last updated at09:34 ETRussian state oil company Rosneft has agreed to double its oil supplies to China, in a deal worth $270bn (£175bn) over 25 years.
  Under the terms of the deal, Rosneft will supply 300,000 barrels of oil a day to China starting in 2015.
  It is a further sign that Russia - the world's biggest oil producer - is focusing on Asia, not Europe, as its main business partner of the future.
  Rosneft will receive $70bn upfront, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
  Rosneft's chairman Igor Sechin told reporters in St Petersburg that the supply deal would be one of the biggest in the country's history.
  The upfront payments will be particularly welcome for Rosneft, whose debt level has surged since it acquired Anglo-Russian producer TNK-BP in a $55bn cash-and-stock deal in October 2012.
  According to ratings agency Standard and Poor's, Rosneft faces large debt maturities of $6.6bn in 2013, $15.9bn in 2014, and $16.2bn in 2016. The Chinese payments will lighten this load considerably.
  Russia currently exports about 4.4 million barrels of oil per day, with Asian markets accounting for 17% of that.
Treason 101 Introduction
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:43
  Your short course in Treason is a series of articles on how spies are caught, the prevalence of espionage, and why people spy.
  It starts with a short piece on How Spies Are Caught. That comes first, as it is so important for anyone who may be considering espionage to understand that they WILL be caught. Perhaps not right away, but eventually. The statute of limitations does not apply to the crime of espionage. Anyone who commits this crime will have to be looking over their shoulder for the rest of their life.
  The Insider Espionage Threat identifies four conditions that must exist before espionage occurs '' opportunity to commit the crime; motive; ability to overcome inhibitions such as moral values, fear of being caught, and loyalty to employer or co-workers; and a trigger that sets the betrayal in motion. The article then analyzes how these pre-conditions for betrayal are increasing as a result of changes in social and economic conditions in the United States, and in our relations with the rest of the world.
  Explosive growth in information technology is increasing exponentially the amount of information that can be collected and compromised by a single, well-placed spy. Insider Threat to Information Systems examines some of the unique security issues associated with computer professionals.
  Exploring the Mind of the Spy discusses what psychologists have learned by interviewing and testing arrested and convicted American spies. Motivations for espionage are far more complex than commonly believed. Selling secrets is usually the last act of a long-simmering emotional crisis. In many cases, the symptoms of this crisis have been observable, identifiable, and even treatable before the damage was done. Typically, however, the potential significance of the "at-risk" behavior has not been recognized or reported at the time by coworkers or supervisors.
  Espionage by the Numbers describes an unclassified database on all Americans arrested for espionage since the start of the Cold War. Based on media reports, trial records and unclassified official documents, the data base records information characteristics of the spies, characteristics of the espionage activity, and prevalence among the spies of several behaviors that are commonly associated with security risk.
  Related Topics:Counterintelligence Indicators, Reporting Improper, Unreliable, or Suspicious Behavior, How Do I Know When I'm Being Targeted and Assessed.
A million people started smoking again in the wake of 9/11, a new study has revealed
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  Archived Version
  Source: bertb news feed
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:33
  A scientist has called for free nicotine replacement therapies to be made available after traumatic events, following research that showed a million former smokers started smoking again in the aftermath of 9/11.
  Experts believe this sharp increase was due to the stress people experienced during and after the tragedy, which claimed nearly 3,000 lives.
  Smokers who had previously managed to kick the habit accounted for a ''significant'' 2.3 per cent rise in smoking rates across the US in the wake of the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington DC on September 11, 2001.
  Lead researcher Dr Michael Pesko at the Weill Cornell Medical College, in New York, said the investigation ''sheds light on a hidden cost of terrorism''.
  Scientists studied data from phone surveys carried out in every state across America to track rates of risky behaviour such as smoking and drinking habits. Researchers examined the responses of 1,657,985 adults and results suggested that during the fourth quarter of 2001 and 2003, between 900,000 and 1.3 million adult former smokers had started using tobacco again.
  In contrast, there was no increase in smoking rates after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 which claimed 168 lives.
  Dr Pesko said: ''This study provides the first unbiased estimate of the effect of stress on smoking, and the finding that there was such a big increase in smoking nationwide, seemingly due to one event, is extraordinary.
  "I was really surprised to find that former smokers across the nation resumed their old habit. I was expecting to see impacts just in the New York City area - or, at most, the tri-state area."
  He said one possibility would be to introduce programmes that offer free nicotine replacement therapies immediately after an event. ''Another strategy would be to alert health professionals to do more substance abuse screening during regular medical appointments following terrorist attacks, or any such event that is likely to stress the nation'', he added.
  The research, reported in the journal Contemporary Economic Policy, suggests that stressful events can have a negative impact on public health.
Message to Congress -- Continuation of the National Emergency on Russian Fissile Material
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:28
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  June 20, 2013
  TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
  Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the emergency declared in Executive Order 13617 of June 25, 2012, with respect to the disposition of Russian highly enriched uranium is to continue in effect beyond June 25, 2013.
  The risk of nuclear proliferation created by the accumulation of a large volume of weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian Federation continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13617 with respect to the disposition of Russian highly enriched uranium.
  BARACK OBAMA
Readout of Vice President Biden's Call with President Michel Martelly of Haiti
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:28
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  June 20, 2013
  Vice President Biden spoke yesterday with Haitian President Michel Martelly, continuing their dialogue at the recent meeting of Caribbean leaders in Trinidad and Tobago and furthering the enduring relationship between the United States and Haiti. The Vice President reiterated the United States' continued long-term support for Haiti's reconstruction and development as well as its democratic progress. The Vice President commended President Martelly for his leadership in addressing Haiti's many challenges and encouraged his continued efforts to pursue economic and social development through a Haitian-led approach. They discussed progress and challenges in key areas of mutual interest, including infrastructure development, police and security issues, strengthening the capacity of Haitian Government institutions, and promoting transparency and human rights. Vice President Biden commended Haiti on the successful and peaceful election that brought President Martelly to power and encouraged President Martelly to hold senatorial and local elections this year. The Vice President underscored the importance of elections in solidifying Haiti's democratic foundation. Vice President Biden reaffirmed that the United States is a committed friend and partner of Haiti and noted that he looks forward to deepening our cooperation to help Haiti build a more prosperous and secure country for its people.
Notice to Congress -- Continuation of the National Emergency on Russian Fissile Material
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:27
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  June 20, 2013
  NOTICE- - - - - - -CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECTTO THE DISPOSITION OF RUSSIAN HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
  On June 25, 2012, by Executive Order 13617, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the risk of nuclear proliferation created by the accumulation of a large volume of weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian Federation.
  Full implementation of the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Disposition of Highly Enriched Uranium Extracted from Nuclear Weapons, dated February 18, 1993, and related contracts and agreements (collectively, the "HEU Agreements") is essential to the attainment of U.S. national security and foreign policy goals. Assets of the Government of the Russian Federation directly related to the implementation of the HEU Agreements may be subject to attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process, thereby jeopardizing the full implementation of the HEU Agreements to the detriment of U.S. national security and foreign policy. In order to ensure the preservation and proper and complete transfer to the Government of the Russian Federation of all payments due to it under the HEU Agreements, in Executive Order 13617 I ordered the blocking of all property and interests in property of the Government of the Russian Federation directly related to the implementation of the HEU Agreements and declared any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process with respect to such blocked property to be null and void, unless licensed or authorized pursuant to Executive Order 13617 or Executive Order 13159 of June 21, 2000.
  The risk of nuclear proliferation created by the accumulation of a large volume of weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian Federation continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13617 of June 25, 2012, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond June 25, 2013. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared with respect to the disposition of Russian highly enriched uranium declared in Executive Order 13617.
  This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.
  BARACK OBAMA
Our banks are not merely out of control. They're beyond control | Joris Luyendijk | Comment is free | The Guardian
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:10
  'The banking system is highly dysfunctional, deeply entrenched, and enormously abusive, both to its own workers and the society it operates in.' Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty
  Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures. But the scandals kept coming, and so we entered stage three '' what therapists call "bargaining". A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches, from tiny increases in leverage ratios to bonus clawbacks and "electrified ring fences".
  Today's report by the parliamentary commission on banking standards (to which I gave evidence) is a perfect example of this tendency to fight the symptoms while keeping the dysfunctional system itself intact. The commission, set up after last year's Libor scandal, identifies all the structural problems and nails the fundamental flaw in finance today: "Too many bankers, especially at the most senior levels, have operated in an environment with insufficient personal responsibility." Indeed, as they like to say in the City, running a mega-bank these days is like "Catholicism without a hell", or "playing russian roulette with someone else's head".
  In response, the commission proposes jailing reckless bankers. Restoring the link between risk, reward and responsibility is a crucial step towards a robust and stable financial sector. But the report's focus on individual responsibility is also dangerously incomplete because it implies that the sector is merely out of control. This plays into the narrative that things can be fixed by tweaking rules and realigning incentives; in other words, by bargaining.
  In reality the financial sector is not out of control. It's beyond control. During the past two years I have interviewed almost 200 people working in finance in London: "front office" bankers with telephone-number bonuses as well as those in "risk and compliance" who are meant to stop them being reckless. I have also spoken to many internal and external accountants, lawyers and consultants.
  The picture emerging from those interviews is of big banks not as coherent units run by top bankers who know what they are doing. Instead these banks seem, in the words of Manchester University anthropologist Karel Williams, "loose federations of money-making franchises". One risk analyst talked about her bank as "a nation engaged in perpetual civil war", while a trader said, "You have to understand, it's us against the bank."
  I could give 50 similar quotes. Taken together, they leave but one conclusion: employees at the big banks themselves do not believe their top people know what's going on; the big banks have simply become too complex and too big to manage. If this is true, the solution is not so much to jail the top bankers when something goes wrong, it is to break up the banks into manageable parts. But the British establishment still seems incapable of accepting the notion that a bank that is too big to fail or manage is a also bank that is too big to exist.
  The same seems to apply to the need to restore market forces in the financial sector: the second source of structural dysfunctionality. Imagine a restaurant had served up product as toxic as that which big banks, credit rating agencies and accountancy firms were churning out until 2008. You would expect that restaurant to have closed. You would also expect new restaurants to have opened up in the area. This is how a free market should work: competition drives out bad practices.
  But where are the new credit-rating agencies, accountancy firms or big banks? Even worse, not only are there just four major accountancy firms, they are also financially dependent on the very banks they are supposed to audit critically. It's the same with the three credit-rating agencies dominating the market.
  And it gets worse. Imagine that a restaurant in your neighbourhood made the kind of money paid to top employees in banking, credit-rating and accountancy firms. You'd expect people rushing to open more restaurants, and with that increased competition you'd expect wages to come down. Again, this is how competition works. There are thousands and thousands of young graduates aching to get into investment banking, so no shortage of prospective chefs. So where are the new players in high finance?
  The reality is that global high finance is de facto a set of interlocking cartels that divide the market among themselves and use their advantages to keep out competitors. Cartels can extract huge premiums over what would be normal profits in a functioning market, and part of those profits go to keeping the cartel intact: huge PR efforts, a permanent recruiting circus drawing in top academic talent; clever sponsoring of, say, an ambitious politician's cycling scheme; vast lobbying efforts behind the scenes; and highly lucrative second careers for ex-politicians. There is also plenty of money to offer talented regulators three or four times their salary.
  Capitalists have an expression for this, and it's "market failure". Here is the source of so many of the perversities in modern finance, and the solution is not only to denounce those who can't resist its temptations, it's to take away those temptations. That probably means smaller banks, smaller and independent accountancy firms and credit-rating agencies, simpler financial products, and much higher capital requirements.
  Before studying bankers I spent many years researching Islam and Muslims. I set out with images in my mind of angry bearded men burning American flags, but as the years went by I became more and more optimistic: beyond the frightening rhetoric and sensationalist television footage, ordinary Muslim people go about their day like all other human beings. The problem of radical Islam is smaller and more containable than Islamophobes believe.
  With bankers I have experienced an opposite trajectory. I started with the reassuring images in my mind of well-dressed bankers and their lobbyists; surely at some basic level these people knew what they were doing? But after two years I feel myself becoming deeply pessimistic and genuinely terrified. This system is highly dysfunctional, deeply entrenched, and enormously abusive, both to its own workers and the society it operates in. The problem really is exactly as bad as the "banker bashers" believe.
  'It's a proto-fascist ideology. Top bankers as predators and us as prey' '' the latest interview in the blog
VIDEO-Senior NSW police officer shredded documents from meetings with Catholic Church officials - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:08
  Updated June 21, 2013 12:01:23
  New South Wales Police has admitted all records of a senior officer's involvement with a key Catholic Church body set up to deal with sexual abuse cases have been shredded.
  This includes briefing papers and all documentation over a five-year period from 1998 to 2003.
  The revelations come from Freedom of Information (FOI) documents obtained by the ABC's Lateline program.
  The top level group established by the Catholic Church's bishops is known as the Professional Standards Resource Group (PSRG).
  It was created in 1997 in response to the Wood Royal Commission into the police and paedophilia, and its key function was to advise the church on specific cases involving clergy and others.
  Earlier this year, a NSW Police spokesman told Lateline all the information provided by the church to the serving officer was anonymous.
  The names of the victims and the priests had been removed, allegedly at the request of victims who the church said did not want police involvement.
  The documents revealed on Lateline were lodged by NSW Greens MLC, David Shoebridge.
  They reveal that Inspector Beth Cullen, who was then a senior sergeant with the Sex Crimes Unit, shredded all documents pertaining to her role with the PSRG from 1998 to 2003.
  The letter from the NSW Police that accompanied the FOI documents reads:
  "Det Acting Superintendent Linda Howlett of the Sex Crimes Squad had advised the documents concerning the PSRG meetings were confidential and maintained by the Professional Standards Office of the Catholic Church.
  "Inspector Beth Cullen, the NSW Police representative on the PSRG, shredded hard copies of meeting material after each meeting.
  "Furthermore Inspector Cullen did not keep any documentation in relation to her work on the PSRG."
  Mr Shoebridge says there appears to be no "paper trail" of how and why this police officer was required to shred the documents.
  "We need all the documents produced, and in the absence of documents, we need the police explaining to the public about how they went about destroying these documents' evidence of crime," he told Lateline.
  "No police officer should be involved in internal church investigations about crimes. When there is a crime it should be investigated by police."
  Shredding documents 'unusual, extraordinary'The state's former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Nicholas Cowdery QC, also has serious concerns.
  "It is quite extraordinary because my experience has been that official police action is backed up by documents, reports and all the relevant material assembled during the official police activity," he said.
  "So for someone involved in such activity to shred documents like this I think it quite unusual and indeed extraordinary.
  "There is something about shredding documents - it is to put the documents out of reach, but in the mind of the person doing it, to shred documents is to destroy them and to make them unavailable for others."
  He says he cannot think of a time when it would be necessary or appropriate for a serving police officer to shred documents of their role on a civilian body.
  "No, I can't accept to destroy evidence - which is what it amounts to - evidence of what happened, so that the person that was involved can't refer back to the documentary evidence," he said.
  "So that person's superiors can't have access to a contemporaneous record that was made or preparatory documents - or documents that might have been provided by way of briefing before the meeting was organised - all that has gone.
  "I have sat on numerous committees and bodies with serving police officers who were there by reason of their position in the police force, they always make comprehensive notes of what is going on, they prepare reports for their superiors, they have records they can refer back to, if there is any uncertainty or confusion about what happened, it is to protect the officer as well as the institution."
  NSW Police Minister Mike Gallacher has written to the Police Commissioner's office asking for an urgent briefing on the matter.
  Cooperation between church and police needs scrutinyMr Cowdery says the Police Minister must reveal to the public the exact nature of the cooperation between the Catholic Church and NSW Police.
  "It is important... It is the case of the employer deciding what to do with the employee, that employee having been discovered to have committed serious criminal offences in some cases," Mr Cowdery told Lateline.
  "It may be that the employer wanted to take action just short of criminal prosecution, but the employer in that case would have to be held accountable for that decision and for that conduct as well, otherwise you might get the situation that the senior people making the decision, in relation to the priests and others, might be guilty of the offence of concealing a serious offence, of deliberately covering up an offence.
  "If there was a possibility of that happening I guess one of the ways to make the prosecution for that offence more difficult would be to remove any evidence of what was discussed at the meetings."
  The director of the Professional Standards Office (PSO) of the Catholic Church, Michael Salmon, says it was the common procedure of the meetings that everyone returned the documents to the PSO.
  He told Lateline this was to ensure confidential matters were not made public.
  "I understand that the members of the group had decided that confidential and sensitive briefing papers would be returned to the Professional Standards Office following meetings. This continues to be the practice," Mr Salmon said in a statement to Lateline.
  "I am not aware of members personally shredding briefing documents, but I assume from time to time they may have done so if unable to return them promptly to the Professional Standards Office.
  "Briefing papers from members of the group returned to the PSO are not retained as they do not form part of the formal record of meetings."
  'It gives rise to suspicion'But Mr Cowdery says it is concerning that the Catholic Church is the only body that retains the minutes of these meetings.
  "It is pretty extraordinary that only one party to a multi-party arrangement should retain records of what happened," he said.
  "Now it leaves open the suspicion that those records could be destroyed or manipulated in some way, could be selectively used to demonstrate particular consequences and outcomes.
  "It gives rise to suspicion where a full explanation might dispel any suspicion and put everything on a proper course, but we don't know because the documents have not been released."
  A spokesperson from the NSW Police released this statement tonight:
  "Original documentation concerning the meetings was confidential and maintained by the NSW Professional Standards Office of the Catholic Church.
  "The only material that was shredded were copies of that original documentation, which had been circulated to members of the Church's NSW Professional Standards Resource Group prior to each meeting.
  "The circumstances surrounding the appointment of representatives from the NSW Police Force to the Catholic Church's NSW Professional Standards Resource Group and the manner in which that group operated will be considered by the Special Commission of Inquiry.
  "NSW Police Force will continue to provide full cooperation and assistance to this inquiry.
  Mr Shoebridge has now referred all the documents to the federal royal commission and the special commission of inquiry in NSW.
  Topics:community-and-society, child-abuse, catholic, police, royal-commissions, sydney-2000, nsw
  First posted June 20, 2013 20:24:44
VIDEO-BBC News - Fritzl basement to be filled with concrete
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:07
  This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
'CIA-MOSSAD ORGANISES RIOTS IN BRAZIL'
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: aangirfan
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:05
  The CIA and its friends seem to be organising the riots in Brazil, using the term 'Gigante Acordou' - the Giant Awakes.
  Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff Brazil is under attack because it is friends with Russia and because it has a moderately successful economy?
  The riots in Brazil may have a link to Diageo.
  Reportedly, the drinks company Diageo has links to the CIA.
  Diageo helps to fund AmeriCares which is reportedly a CIA-front organisation.
  cia's 'christian' faction; americares, pedophile rings ... - Aangirfan
  Illuminati, Israeli Mossad, and Diageo are behind "protests" in BRAZIL
  "In 2011, Diageo made this TV ad for Johnnie Walker in Brazil:"The name of the ad was 'O gigante acordou' - 'the giant woke up'.
  In April 2013, Diageo Co. made another TV ad for Johnnie Walker Red Label in Brazil:
  "This ad says: 'Est na hora do pr"ximo passo', that means 'It's time for the next step'.
  "OK, now, a series of 'protests' have started in Brazil.
  "OK, guess what is the HASHTAG used to organize the protests on Twitter?
  "It's 'O Gigante Acorda' - 'The giant wakes up.'
  "It's now VERY CLEAR that the MYSTERIOUS AD made by Diageo for Johnnie Walker, talking about 'time for the next step' was a CODE WORD for unleashing this 'Operation O Gigante Acorda'.
  "Israeli Mossad is manipulating brainless youth to create those violent protests.
  "Just like it in Egypt, and now in Turkey...
  "It's 'Operation O Gigante Acorda'."
  Illuminati, Israeli Mossad, and Diageo are behind "protests" in BRAZIL
  ~~London false flag 22 June - Blog of BlogsSEVEN GREAT FOODS
NSA Snooping Was Only the Beginning. Meet the Spy Chief Leading Us Into Cyberwar | Threat Level | Wired.com
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 17:58
  He may be a four-star Army general, but Alexander more closely resembles a head librarian than George Patton. His face is anemic, his lips a neutral horizontal line. Bald halfway back, he has hair the color of strong tea that turns gray on the sides, where it is cut close to the skin, more schoolboy than boot camp. For a time he wore large rimless glasses that seemed to swallow his eyes. Some combat types had a derisive nickname for him: Alexander the Geek.
  Born in 1951, the third of five children, Alexander was raised in the small upstate New York hamlet of Onondaga Hill, a suburb of Syracuse. He tossed papers for the Syracuse Post-Standard and ran track at Westhill High School while his father, a former Marine private, was involved in local Republican politics. It was 1970, Richard Nixon was president, and most of the country had by then begun to see the war in Vietnam as a disaster. But Alexander had been accepted at West Point, joining a class that included two other future four-star generals, David Petraeus and Martin Dempsey. Alexander would never get the chance to serve in Vietnam. Just as he stepped off the bus at West Point, the ground war finally began winding down.
  In April 1974, just before graduation, he married his high school classmate Deborah Lynn Douglas, who grew up two doors away in Onondaga Hill. The fighting in Vietnam was over, but the Cold War was still bubbling, and Alexander focused his career on the solitary, rarefied world of signals intelligence, bouncing from secret NSA base to secret NSA base, mostly in the US and Germany. He proved a competent administrator, carrying out assignments and adapting to the rapidly changing high tech environment. Along the way he picked up masters degrees in electronic warfare, physics, national security strategy, and business administration. As a result, he quickly rose up the military intelligence ranks, where expertise in advanced technology was at a premium.
  In 2001, Alexander was a one-star general in charge of the Army Intelligence and Security Command, the military's worldwide network of 10,700 spies and eavesdroppers. In March of that year he told his hometown Syracuse newspaper that his job was to discover threats to the country. ''We have to stay out in front of our adversary,'' Alexander said. ''It's a chess game, and you don't want to lose this one.'' But just six months later, Alexander and the rest of the American intelligence community suffered a devastating defeat when they were surprised by the attacks on 9/11. Following the assault, he ordered his Army intercept operators to begin illegally monitoring the phone calls and email of American citizens who had nothing to do with terrorism, including intimate calls between journalists and their spouses. Congress later gave retroactive immunity to the telecoms that assisted the government.
  In 2003, Alexander, a favorite of defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, was named the Army's deputy chief of staff for intelligence, the service's most senior intelligence position. Among the units under his command were the military intelligence teams involved in the human rights abuses at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison. Two years later, Rumsfeld appointed Alexander'--now a three-star general'--director of the NSA, where he oversaw the illegal, warrantless wiretapping program while deceiving members of the House Intelligence Committee. In a publicly released letter to Alexander shortly after The New York Times exposed the program, US representative Rush Holt, a member of the committee, angrily took him to task for not being forthcoming about the wiretapping: ''Your responses make a mockery of congressional oversight.''
  Alexander also proved to be militant about secrecy. In 2005 a senior agency employee named Thomas Drake allegedly gave information to The Baltimore Sun showing that a publicly discussed program known as Trailblazer was millions of dollars over budget, behind schedule, possibly illegal, and a serious threat to privacy. In response, federal prosecutors charged Drake with 10 felony counts, including retaining classified documents and making false statements. He faced up to 35 years in prison'--despite the fact that all of the information Drake was alleged to have leaked was not only unclassified and already in the public domain but in fact had been placed there by NSA and Pentagon officials themselves. (As a longtime chronicler of the NSA, I served as a consultant for Drake's defense team. The investigation went on for four years, after which Drake received no jail time or fine. The judge, Richard D. Bennett, excoriated the prosecutor and NSA officials for dragging their feet. ''I find that unconscionable. Unconscionable,'' he said during a hearing in 2011. ''That's four years of hell that a citizen goes through. It was not proper. It doesn't pass the smell test.'')
  But while the powers that be were pressing for Drake's imprisonment, a much more serious challenge was emerging. Stuxnet, the cyberweapon used to attack the Iranian facility in Natanz, was supposed to be untraceable, leaving no return address should the Iranians discover it. Citing anonymous Obama administration officials, The New York Times reported that the malware began replicating itself and migrating to computers in other countries. Cyber­security detectives were thus able to detect and analyze it. By the summer of 2010 some were pointing fingers at the US.
  Natanz is a small, dusty town in central Iran known for its plump pears and the burial vault of the 13th-century Sufi sheikh Abd al-Samad. The Natanz nuclear enrichment plant is a vault of a different kind. Tucked in the shadows of the Karkas Mountains, most of it lies deep underground and surrounded by concrete walls 8 feet thick, with another layer of concrete for added security. Its bulbous concrete roof rests beneath more than 70 feet of packed earth. Contained within the bombproof structure are halls the size of soccer pitches, designed to hold thousands of tall, narrow centrifuges. The machines are linked in long cascades that look like tacky decorations from a '70s discotheque.
  To work properly, the centrifuges need strong, lightweight, well-balanced rotors and high-speed bearings. Spin these rotors too slowly and the critical U-235 molecules inside fail to separate; spin them too quickly and the machines self-destruct and may even explode. The operation is so delicate that the computers controlling the rotors' movement are isolated from the Internet by a so-called air gap that prevents exposure to viruses and other malware.
  In 2006, the Department of Defense gave the go-ahead to the NSA to begin work on targeting these centrifuges, according to The New York Times. One of the first steps was to build a map of the Iranian nuclear facility's computer networks. A group of hackers known as Tailored Access Operations'--a highly secret organization within the NSA'--took up the challenge.
  They set about remotely penetrating communications systems and networks, stealing passwords and data by the terabyte. Teams of ''vulnerability analysts'' searched hundreds of computers and servers for security holes, according to a former senior CIA official involved in the Stuxnet program. Armed with that intelligence, so-called network exploitation specialists then developed software implants known as beacons, which worked like surveillance drones, mapping out a blueprint of the network and then secretly communicating the data back to the NSA. (Flame, the complex piece of surveillance malware discovered by Russian cybersecurity experts last year, was likely one such beacon.) The surveillance drones worked brilliantly. The NSA was able to extract data about the Iranian networks, listen to and record conversations through computer microphones, even reach into the mobile phones of anyone within Bluetooth range of a compromised machine.
  The next step was to create a digital warhead, a task that fell to the CIA Clandestine Service's Counter-Proliferation Division. According to the senior CIA official, much of this work was outsourced to national labs, notably Sandia in Albuquerque, New Mexico. So by the mid-2000s, the government had developed all the fundamental technology it needed for an attack. But there was still a major problem: The secretive agencies had to find a way to access Iran's most sensitive and secure computers, the ones protected by the air gap. For that, Alexander and his fellow spies would need outside help.
  This is where things get murky. One possible bread crumb trail leads to an Iranian electronics and computer wholesaler named Ali Ashtari, who later confessed that he was recruited as a spy by the Mossad, Israel's intelligence service. (Israel denied the claim.) Ashtari's principal customers were the procurement officers for some of Iran's most sensitive organizations, including the intelligence service and the nuclear enrichment plants. If new computers were needed or routers or switches had to be replaced, Ashtari was the man to see, according to reports from semi-official Iranian news agencies and an account of Ashtari's trial published by the nonprofit Iran Human Rights Voice.
  In June 2008 he was brought to trial in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, where he confessed, pleaded guilty to the charges, expressed remorse for his actions, and was sentenced to death. On the morning of November 17, in the courtyard of Tehran's Evin Prison, a noose was placed around Ashtari's neck, and a crane hauled his struggling body high into the air.
  Ashtari may well have been one of the human assets that allowed Stuxnet to cross the air gap. But he was not Israel's only alleged spy in Iran, and others may also have helped enable malware transfer. ''Normally,'' says the anonymous CIA official, ''what we do is look for multiple bridges, in case a guy gets wrapped up.'' Less then two weeks after Ashtari's execution, the Iranian government arrested three more men, charging them with spying for Israel. And on December 13, 2008, Ali-Akbar Siadat, another importer of electronic goods, was arrested as a spy for the Mossad, according to Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency. Unlike Ashtari, who said he had operated alone, Siadat was accused of heading a nationwide spy network employing numerous Iranian agents. But despite their energetic counterintelligence work, the Iranians would not realize for another year and a half that a cyberweapon was targeting their nuclear centrifuges. Once they did, it was only a matter of time until they responded.
  Sure enough, in August 2012 a devastating virus was unleashed on Saudi Aramco, the giant Saudi state-owned energy company. The malware infected 30,000 computers, erasing three-quarters of the company's stored data, destroying everything from documents to email to spreadsheets and leaving in their place an image of a burning American flag, according to The New York Times. Just days later, another large cyberattack hit RasGas, the giant Qatari natural gas company. Then a series of denial-of-service attacks took America's largest financial institutions offline. Experts blamed all of this activity on Iran, which had created its own cyber command in the wake of the US-led attacks. James Clapper, US director of national intelligence, for the first time declared cyberthreats the greatest danger facing the nation, bumping terrorism down to second place. In May, the Department of Homeland Security's Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team issued a vague warning that US energy and infrastructure companies should be on the alert for cyberattacks. It was widely reported that this warning came in response to Iranian cyberprobes of industrial control systems. An Iranian diplomat denied any involvement.
  The cat-and-mouse game could escalate. ''It's a trajectory,'' says James Lewis, a cyber­security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. ''The general consensus is that a cyber response alone is pretty worthless. And nobody wants a real war.'' Under international law, Iran may have the right to self-defense when hit with destructive cyberattacks. William Lynn, deputy secretary of defense, laid claim to the prerogative of self-defense when he outlined the Pentagon's cyber operations strategy. ''The United States reserves the right,'' he said, ''under the laws of armed conflict, to respond to serious cyberattacks with a proportional and justified military response at the time and place of our choosing.'' Leon Panetta, the former CIA chief who had helped launch the Stuxnet offensive, would later point to Iran's retaliation as a troubling harbinger. ''The collective result of these kinds of attacks could be a cyber Pearl Harbor,'' he warned in October 2012, toward the end of his tenure as defense secretary, ''an attack that would cause physical destruction and the loss of life.'' If Stuxnet was the proof of concept, it also proved that one successful cyberattack begets another. For Alexander, this offered the perfect justification for expanding his empire.
Retired Federal Judge: Your Faith In Secret Surveillance Court Is Dramatically Misplaced | ThinkProgress
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 17:55
  A retired federal judge warned Friday against blind faith in the secret court deciding the scope of U.S. government surveillance. During a panel discussion on constitutional privacy protection in the wake of a leaked Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court decision that revealed widespread NSA data collection, U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner stood up in the audience to counter the statements of conservative law professor Nathan Sales that secret surveillance requests are subject to meaningful judicial review. She cautioned:
  As a former Article III judge, I can tell you that your faith in the FISA Court is dramatically misplaced.
  Two reasons: One '... The Fourth Amendment frameworks have been substantially diluted in the ordinary police case. One can only imagine what the dilution is in a national security setting. Two, the people who make it on the FISA court, who are appointed to the FISA court, are not judges like me. Enough said.
  Gertner, now a professor at Harvard Law School who teaches criminal law and criminal procedure, was a civil rights and criminal defense lawyer before being confirmed to the federal bench in 1993. In an interview with ThinkProgress, Gertner explained that the selection process for the secret national security court formed in 1978 is more ''anointment'' than appointment, with the Chief Justice of the United States '-- now John G. Roberts '-- selecting from a pool of already-conservative federal judges those he thinks are most suited to decide national security cases in secret:
  It's an anointment process. It's not a selection process. But you know, it's not boat rockers. So you have a [federal] bench which is way more conservative than before. This is a subset of that. And it's a subset of that who are operating under privacy, confidentiality, and national security. To suggest that there is meaningful review it seems to me is an illusion.
  Gertner, an attendee at the American Constitution Society's national convention, stood up during a panel discussion to make her comment after Sales, a law professor at George Mason University, suggested that individuals have some protection from excessive government surveillance because the Internet Service Providers who field government requests for information have the opportunity to challenge those requests before the secret court. ''This isn't a a paper tiger,'' he said. ''This is a court that engages in judicial review.'' Gertner urged the audience to be skeptical about the court's oversight, both because of its severely conservative make-up, and its secrecy. The judge whose order was leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden was Judge Roger Vinson, who authored the error-riddled federal court decision striking down the Affordable Care Act that even his fellow conservatives rejected.Gertner also questioned the need for a secret court, noting that national security protections exist within the civilian court system:
  I'm very troubled by that. When you get cases in court, in regular civilian court that have national security issues that have classified information, we developed a process whereby the parties would develop security clearances and it could be presented to the court without it being disclosed to anyone else. It is not entirely clear to me why a civilian court with those protections that is otherwise transparent couldn't do the job. That's the way we did it before. Then we moved to this national security court. The notion that we have to have a conversation about major incursions on civil liberties and that we have step back and say we don't really know, we haven't seen the standards, we haven't seen the opinions is extraordinary troubling in a democracy.
  The surveillance court has authorized almost every request for government surveillance since 1979, and flat-out rejected just .03 percent of the government requests, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. In the wake of the leak, the secret court held Wednesday that its own rules did not prevent the release of its decisions, should a federal court order their release. The plaintiffs will now have to continue their lawsuit to make one particular decision public. Senators introduced a bill this week to require the Attorney General to declassify all major FISC decisions.
User talk:CactusWriter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Fri, 21 Jun 2013 17:52
  Hi, you just speedily deleted this article per G12. The same user recreated the article. It was tagged as a copyright violation. They removed the tag and made some changes to the article at the same time. It's now been CSD-tagged again. You might also want to look at this verison of the user's talk page and this discussion on my talk page. As I write this, I can see you've deleted it again, but I still am going to leave this message to give you some additional background. I haven't decided whether the two editors should be blocked for socking. I'm also concerned that I'm WP:INVOLVED based on the content issues at the Colburn School article. Any thoughts on the socking or anything else? :-) --Bbb23 (talk) 00:59, 2 April 2013 (UTC)
  Hi, Bbb23. Sorry that I had logged out before seeing your question -- but it appears there are now plenty of eyes on this due to the SSI investigation. (IMO, the sock case is obvious -- and blocking the alternate account while watching the master is appropriate enough for now. And you correctly assessed that INVOLVED might be a problem for you personally.) I'll watchlist the editor and article -- now that they've been warned, further disruptions along those lines will result in a block. Cheers. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 17:20, 2 April 2013 (UTC)keystone international[edit]Hi! I have a question about a page of mine that you deleted? I was trying to set up a page for our school, Keystone International School, a private school in Istanbul, Turkey. But the message I received said it was copyright infringement? I used the materials from our website because this is the info that defines the school? Is there an issue with that? Could you explain how I can set up a page with infringing? I have permission from the school owner to publish info about the school. thanks Jennifer Ozkan Keystone International School Curriculum Coordinator ps you can respond to my school email as well: jennifer@keystoneschools.com.tr Jennifer317 (talk) 04:59, 2 April 2013 (UTC)
  Hi, Jennifer. Yes, it is a copyright violation to copy text onto Wikipedia unless the copyright holders have granted permission to do so. In your case, this means the Wikimedia Foundation's WP:OTRS office must receive an official e-mail from the Keystone International School's website granting permission to use the text under an CC-BY-SA 3.0 license. Or the Keystone's website must place a Creative Commons CC-BY-SA copyright notice on the page of their website.The message that was placed on your talk page which explains both these procedures. It asks you to click on this link: Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials#Granting us permission to copy material already online, where there are details on how to grant permission to Wikipedia. On the other hand, the best and fastest method for creating an article is simply use your own original words to write it. Good luck with your editing. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 17:37, 2 April 2013 (UTC)A Promise Was Made[edit]Hello CactusWriter, its been the first time and several years since I've addressed you on this issue of a promise in writing I made with you regarding the list of whistleblowers a few years ago. I'm requesting to allow putting at the bottom of my page that Genisco Case numbers to Texas Instruments Case numbers was the first "Instant Case" and rare event in the history of 31 U.S.C. 3729-3733 "Mr. Lincolns Law" and site the Publication number and the amendment afterwards within the false claims act itself and the date of the amendment under the false Claims Act of Oct. 27, 1986 introduced and championed - in by Senator Grassley and Senator Bermann. Thank you for your time, consideration and patience. Qui Tam Relator 03:54, 5 April 2013 (UTC) '-- Preceding unsigned comment added by Qui Tam Relator (talk ' contribs)
  Hi, Qui Tam Relator. I'm afraid that I'm uncertain what you mean by "my page" -- you do not have a page, nor does anyone have ownership of a page on Wikipedia. If you are talking about the List of Whistleblowers, I think the entry concerning Roland Gibeault states the facts sufficiently and has enough sourcing already. Cheers. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 01:38, 11 April 2013 (UTC)One question[edit]why you deleted my article? '-- Preceding unsigned comment added by DigiTv1 (talk ' contribs) 18:22, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
  DigiTv1, the article on Octavian David Constantinescu was first deleted for being blatant promotion, the second time it was deleted for failure to make any credible assertion about the individual's significance. (As you are aware, the messages explaining the reasons were placed on your talk page, but were deleted by you [1] and [2]). I see you have once again recreated the page and it is now Prodded because it is a biography of living person without any reliable independent sources. It appears that this individual is not yet notable enough for an encyclopedic article. I suggest that if you wish to create any more pages, you should use the WP:Article wizard -- this may help you avoid the problems you are encountering with failure to include proper references. Regards. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 01:26, 11 April 2013 (UTC)Matthew Bogusz Photo[edit]I personally own the Matthew Bogusz photo. Please remove your request for speedy deletion. I provided the photo to Northwestern University for them to use. I own the photo.
  Thank you. '-- Preceding unsigned comment added by Parkridge87 (talk ' contribs) 16:22, 14 April 2013 (UTC)
  Hi, Parkridge78. Please note that any permission to use copyrighted materials on Wikipedia must be given through official means -- either written permission to the Wikimedia Foundation or a licensing notice placed on an official website. If you wish to donate a photo to Wikipedia which has already been published, you will need to follow the procedure at Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials#Granting us permission to copy material already online. Until official release is given, we cannot allow the image to exist on WP -- or it will be considered a copyright violation. Regards. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 16:45, 14 April 2013 (UTC)List of Mudras (Yoga)[edit]Hi CactusWriter, I noticed that you recently deleted my article 'List of Mudras (Yoga)'. The article I created, was in fact not a duplicate of 'List of mudras'. As I stated on the 'List of mudras' talk page, the current 'List of mudras' page addresses mudras specifically related to Indian Classical Dance. The page on 'Mudra' indicates that there are different types of mudras - the page I created was about Yoga mudras specifically. I proposed on the talk page of 'List of mudras', that the name of this page be changed, and a disambiguation page be created to address different lists of mudras. Please let me know if this still causes a duplicate issue.SourabhJ (talk) 23:35, 14 April 2013 (UTC)
  Hi, SourabhJ. I think requesting a discussion for your proposal on the talk page first is a good idea. You can also discuss this with the Wikiprojects that have tagged the article as being under their watch. (For example, Wikipedia:WikiProject Yoga). Also, there doesn't seem to be any impediment to you expanding the scope of the current List of mudras to include all types. Nothing in that title requires that it be only about the dance. Otherwise, it should be moved to List of dance mudras or List of mudras (dance) (and all relevant links altered). In the meantime, I have userfied you original work while you proposal is discussed -- it can be found at User talk:SourabhJ/List of Mudras (Yoga). Good luck with your editing. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 17:19, 15 April 2013 (UTC)Inadvertant page deletion? (likely stemming from my error)[edit]Hello CactusWriter,
  Kevjonesin here. I'm writing regarding some page deletions that may have resulted from my misplacing/misusing a "{{db-user}}" code. I'm fairly new at doing anything beyond basic proofreading edits.
  Following is a copy of relevant entries I found today on my watchlist...
  (Deletion log); 17:50 . . CactusWriter (talk | contribs) deleted page Talk:Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization) 'Ž(G8: Talk page of a deleted page)(Deletion log); 17:50 . . CactusWriter (talk | contribs) deleted page Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization) 'Ž(U1: User request to delete pages in own userspace)
  A little background, when I created the Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization) page I did so by first creating a user subpage/sandbox User:Kevjonesin/Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization) with the intent to move it to 'mainspace' as an article when I had finished editing.
  I was tired by the time I got around to doing the move and fumbled (and, I thought, reverted) the first two attempts. At one point I failed to remove the "Kevjonesin/" prefix in the title when moving the article to mainspace resulting in an article titled "Kevjonesin/Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization" in mainspace. At another point I removed the prefix but forgot to change the drop down menu from "user" to "(article)" resulting in an article (and/or ghost-user?) "User:Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization".
  I then 'got it together' and successfully combined "(artice)" from the drop down menu with "Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization" in the title field and completed the desired move from sandbox to mainspace article. Then, if I recall correctly, thinking that a superfluous page had been left at "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization" (as the URL seemed to lead to a copy of the page) I went into the edit field and added "{{db-user}}" at the top. I think perhaps it should have been "{{db-userreq}}". Regardless, I suspect that this resulted in a removal request being flagged on the mainspace article page I had just strived to produce. [ Ah, the ironic joys of a learning curve : } ]
  At this point, as the watchlist entry for your page deletion of Hoshen (Israeli LGBT Organization indicated "(U1: User request to delete pages in own userspace)" I suspect that my misplaced/misused "{{db-user}}" may be what prompted you to remove the stub article (and associated 'talk' page) from 'mainspace'.
  Is this inference correct? If not, please explain.
  Is it possible to recover the article?
  Please pardon my clumsy 'baby-steps',
  --Kevjonesin (talk) 16:29, 15 April 2013 (UTC)
  No problem, Kevjonesin. I've restored the deleted page with its history and removed the speedy template. Cheers. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 16:47, 15 April 2013 (UTC)Cool. Thank You. : }--Kevjonesin (talk) 17:00, 15 April 2013 (UTC)Artice Writing Problem[edit]Dear Admin When I Am Writing About A Famous Person In wikipedia. Wikipedia Is Not Accepting My Article its saying i am writing about my self Or My Biography but its not true i am not writing about my self i am writing about another famous person whose significance is important and genuine to be included in wikipedia my article page is Wikipedia_talk:Articles_for_creation/Sourabh_Kumar please verify that page and respond to me writing about a genuine person whose significance is important is the policy of wikipedia and only that i am doing but then also wikipedia is removing my article its worst you should accept it only the thing is i am not able to do citing and reference please give me the tutorial of citing and reference hope you will verify that page --Sourabh242 (talk) 07:32, 27 April 2013 (UTC)
  Sourabh242, I find your statement to be disingenuous. The pages that you have written -- relating to a 16-year-old boy with your name -- have been deleted for having no credible notability, being promotional spam, having no reliable sources, etc. You have been notified repeatedly of these problems and provided numerous links to the relevant guidelines in Wikipedia. I see that you are now using the article as your own user page (which contradicts your claim above this is not you.) You are welcome to contribute to Wikipedia in other ways so long as you follow the core policies. However, if you continue to create articles about Sourabh_Kumar or add their name to current articles, it will be considered disruptive editing by a single-purpose account and you may be blocked from further editing. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 20:18, 27 April 2013 (UTC)Hi! I guess the AfD didn't reach a consensus as there is still a discussion going on here about the notability guidelines for diplomats! Should it be reinstated?? --Zayeem(talk) 08:46, 10 May 2013 (UTC)
  Hi, Zayeem. Because of a link in the AFD discussion to that RFC, I did read it prior to close. (There was no clear consensus to adopt the change at the time.) Each AFD does run on its own merits and, in this particular one, the preponderant weight of valid arguments was to delete. If the RFC does change notability criteria for diplomats, then I think reinstating the article under new guidelines and opening a new AFD would be fine. Regards. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 14:47, 10 May 2013 (UTC)May 2013[edit] Hello, I'm BracketBot. I have automatically detected that your edit to Orange County School of the Arts may have broken the syntax by modifying 1 "()"s. If you have, don't worry, just edit the page again to fix it. If I misunderstood what happened, or if you have any questions, you can leave a message on my operator's talk page.
  List of unpaired brackets remaining on the page
  net/resume.html|date=August 26, 2009}})Thanks, BracketBot (talk) 20:35, 14 May 2013 (UTC)Fixed'-- CactusWriter(talk) 16:13, 15 May 2013 (UTC)Sloper's Terrace is Real![edit]Just like the term "Greenwood Heights" in Brooklyn or "La Lengua" in SF, "Sloper's Terrace" is the new term being used by locals to describe the tiny micro-hood as mentioned in my entry. Your deleting the article is preventing the new neighborhood name from being easily found and is keeping this part of Brooklyn in the dark. Please retract your deletion! '-- Preceding unsigned comment added by Seaf01 (talk ' contribs) 02:58, 23 May 2013 (UTC)
  Wikipedia articles must abide by the appropriate content policies, particularly those covered in the five pillars. In particular, please read the Wikipedia policy on verifiability. If the term "Sloper's Terrace" is used, you will need to provide independent reliable sources which describe it. (Such as those used for Park Slope, Brooklyn or Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn.) Until those sources can be demonstrated, the entry is not a valid encyclopedic article. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 03:23, 23 May 2013 (UTC)I was deleted[edit]Hi,
  I'm trying to do a wikipedia entry for my husband, Alberto Isaac (actor/director) I made a website for him, and maybe that's why you took it off. I tried to rewrite the content but I guess it was still an infringement because his history, awards and plays/tv/movies done are the same.
  I went back and put some references in, too... from other sites (IMDB, Eastwestplayers.org,) and I was going to note some reviews he got in various newspapers in the last few decades but I found out you deleted it!
  I don't want to be blocked, and I'm trying as best I can to do this right.
  Help me please!Tobytoby2000 (talk) 15:29, 23 May 2013 (UTC)
  emily
  Hi, Emily. Yes, the article was deleted as a copyright violation because it closely paraphrased the source. To grant permission to use text you've already published online, the Wikimedia Foundation's WP:OTRS office must receive an official e-mail from the website granting permission to use the text under an CC-BY-SA 3.0 license. Or the website must place a Creative Commons CC-BY-SA copyright notice on the page of their website. A message that was placed on your talk page explains both these procedures. Just click on this link: Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials#Granting us permission to copy material already online for details on how to grant permission to Wikipedia. On the other hand, the best and fastest method for creating an article is to write it with completely original wording. Before rewriting the article, though, I is important that you read our guideline on Conflict Of Interest -- we strongly discourage editors from writing about themselves or their family. Good luck with your editing. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 14:52, 25 May 2013 (UTC)I consider it well enough sourced for mainspace, tho it would require editing for promotionalism. Please restore it . I'm aware that I don't actually need to ask you,but I prefer to, even for G13 DGG ( talk ) 01:01, 29 May 2013 (UTC)
  No problem. It's restored. Cheers. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 01:04, 29 May 2013 (UTC)Thanks, I think it's inevitable we will get 1 or 2 % of the G13s wrong--but we inevitable miss out of usable articles to at least that extent & probably much more at more every step of every procedure. I'm happy for what we can catch, and as for the rest, there's no way we can be perfect--it's not a realistic goal, here or in the RW. DGG ( talk ) 04:25, 29 May 2013 (UTC) .Talkback[edit]Hello, CactusWriter. You have new messages at Davey2010's talk page.Message added 02:50, 3 June 2013 (UTC). You can remove this notice at any time by removing the {{Talkback}} or {{Tb}} template.'' '†'Davey2010'†''†'Talk to me!'†' 02:50, 3 June 2013 (UTC)
  What is going on with you editing guys? I used the information from the www.ryanbanks.net website as a reference and you state its copyrighted. Giving credit to the source of where the information comes from makes sense and this is not for profit so there's no infringement. They're is definitely no excuse as to why you are blocking this from being made a page. its for information purposes only. Please learn more about copyright infringement before using that reason. everything has been sourced and proven without a shadow of a doubt. So leave the freaking www.wikipedia.org/Ryan_Banks page alone '-- Preceding unsigned comment added by KeithHenning (talk ' contribs) 01:13, 4 June 2013 (UTC)
  KeithHenning, I'm sorry but in your case where a page was created in almost its entirety from copy-pasted text, attribution is irrelevant. All text on Wikipedia is licensed for free redistribution and commercial reuse under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Unported License (CC-BY-SA). Therefore, copying the text without the permission of the copyright holder from a source that is not public domain or compatibly licensed is copyright infringement. Please read WP:Copyright Violations for a fuller explanation. However, please note that the pages you created about Ryan Banks were deleted because there was no credible claim of significance or importance for this individual. This is typical of pages which are entirely sourced to the individual's own website, rather than to independent reliable sources -- a core requirement for an encyclopedic article. Using the Article Wizard to create new pages can help guide you through these fundamental Wikipedia policies. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 14:40, 4 June 2013 (UTC)Contested Deletions[edit]Hiya, Thanks for warning me regarding contested deletions!I was trying to help, not disrupt, but in hindsight it's probably perceived as disruptive,Anyway thanks again :) - '†'Davey2010'†''†'Talk to me!'†' 18:19, 6 June 2013 (UTC)
  No problem. It's understood that there is a learning curve to Wikipedia guidelines -- we've all been there. Good luck with your continued editing. Cheers. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 06:16, 7 June 2013 (UTC)I did not know about Move article. I did my best to create a disambiguation page. Delljvc (talk) 17:39, 16 June 2013 (UTC)
  Delljvc, I understand -- and I do appreciate that you were trying to improve the topic. If you are unsure about other procedures, please feel free to ask, or you can ask a question at the WP:Help desk. Good luck with your editing. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 15:25, 17 June 2013 (UTC)The North West Frontier Province, Pakistan has been renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa few years ago, Can you Move and rename Military history of the North-West Frontier as Military history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Thanks. Delljvc (talk) 16:24, 19 June 2013 (UTC)
  Hi, Delljvc. I am not familiar with the subject and cannot offer an opinion at this time. However, before making a renaming move which might be controversial (and it was during previous discussions at Talk:Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), it is best to obtain a consensus of opinion from your fellow editors on the subject. You should post your above proposal using the procedure found at the WP:Requested move page at both Talk:Military history of the North-West Frontier and Talk:Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If the proposal is closed as successful, an administrator will then help move the page. Good luck. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 23:13, 19 June 2013 (UTC)Questions on Copyright[edit]Hello CactusWriter,
  I recently had an article deleted by you for reasons of Copyright Infringement
  05:17, 22 May 2013 CactusWriter (talk | contribs) deleted page John E. Phillips (G12: Unambiguous copyright infringement of http://www.amazon.com/John-E.-Phillips/e/B001HP7K6O/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1344638757&sr=1-2-ent)
  If you could elaborate on why this is a copyright infringement and how I might go about making not that.
  Thank you very much,
  Brooks '-- Preceding unsigned comment added by Blmacbeth (talk ' contribs) 19:44, 19 June 2013 (UTC)
  Hi, Blmacbeth. You created the article John E. Phillips as a word-for-word plagiarism of the copyrighted text already published on the Amazon website here (marked (C)1996-2013, Amazon.com, Inc at the bottom of the page). This was an absolute violation of copyright policy and required immediate deletion per Wikipedia's copyright violation policy. A message was placed on your talk page with links to Wikipedia essays on how to use text already published on-line. However, the easiest solution is never to create an article by copying text, but rather to use only one's own original words and structure. I suggest you use the WP:Article Wizard when creating a page -- it can help new editors avoid a myriad problems when attempting to make a proper encyclopedic article. Good luck with your editing. '-- CactusWriter(talk) 22:40, 19 June 2013 (UTC)Deletion of "Dvorak's Law"[edit]The Dvorak's Law page was not a Hoax. It was presented by John C. Dvorak on his podcast, "The No Agenda Show" on 6/13/2013.
  You may disagree with the content, but it certainly was not a hoax. Please reverse the deletion.
  EDIT by gqdawg:
  Dvorak's Law was referenced on the No Agenda Show multiple times over the past year -- especially in light of the recent reports of increased prostitution in Europe. John C. Dvorak was the first to realize the connection between worsening economic conditions and the increase in prostitution. He formally realized this law on No Agenda Show episode 521 on 6/13/20013. Evidence of the existence of Dvorak's Law can be found at the following location:
  http://static.curry.com/nashownotes/521/index.html
  Gqdawg (talk) 21:32, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
  The law is supported by this article in the Economist: http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21578434-old-industry-deep-recession-sex-doesnt-sell'-- Preceding unsigned comment added by 111.95.195.228 (talk) 14:40, 21 June 2013 (UTC)
  I appreciate your efforts to provide some "source" for an article, but they fail to meet the necessary criteria for an encyclopedic article. Please read the guidelines at Wikipedia is not for things made up one day and Wikipedia is not a dictionary -- the encyclopedic value of any concept or phrase uttered by you, your friend or anyone else into public space is determined by its significant use in discussions in independent reliable sources. (The Economist article which you have cited above might be a reliable source -- but only for an article concerning the current economy of prostitution in Britain. It does not make any mention of Dvorak or a Dvorak's Law.) '-- CactusWriter(talk) 16:57, 21 June 2013 (UTC)
Abenomics not raising low-end prostitution prices in Tokyo | The Tokyo Reporter
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  Shukan Post June 28
  In May, Akira Ikoma, the editor of a guide to men's entertainment called Ore no Tabi (My Journey), said that ''Abenomics'' had caused a spike in prices at high-end soapland bathhouses in Tokyo.However, the same editor tells Shukan Post (June 28) that the initiative '-- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's pledge to raise government spending in an effort to boost prices '-- is not impacting the low-end market in the same way.
  ''Because of Abenomics the high-end shops are making a killing for sure,'' says Ikoma. ''But lines of people are waiting in front of the dirt-cheap joints. A price of 5,000 yen is now the benchmark.''
  This dichotomy is termed ''Awanomics,'' in which awa (or bubble) has taken the place of the prime minister. Ikoma says that a price war is unfolding for the early-bird market in Yoshiwara, Japan's largest brothel quarter, which is located in Tokyo's Taito Ward.
  According to Ikoma, after one shop started offering 30 minutes of services for 6,000 yen to customers arriving before 7 a.m., a rival establishment matched the price and conditions.
  ''Both shops are cheaper than that offered in the 'health' industry,'' says Ikoma, referring to what is effectively the market for non-coital sex services, ''and by daybreak, a long line has formed. It's a new hot spot in Yoshiwara.''
  For those wishing to extend, soaplands offering 50-minute courses for 10,000 yen are also operating in Yoshiwara. Meanwhile, Violence, located in the Ikebukuro entertainment area, offers customers 50 minutes of foamy fun for 11,500 yen between 7 and 8 a.m.
  It is a popular spot. ''It is natural to have to wait three hours,'' assures Ikoma.
  In Gotanda, there is Happiness Tokyo, a soapland that serves customers between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at a rate of 13,000 yen for 50 minutes.
  From a cost performance perspective, clubs in the aforementioned health industry cannot be topped. The Thank You chain, which has more than 10 outlets in Tokyo, provides customers entry at a rate of 3,900 yen for 30 minutes.
  ''These joints mainly offer hand- and blow-jobs and non-penetration sex,'' says Ikoma, ''and make no mistake regarding the quality '-- even writers covering the trade come away fully satisfied.''
  Plus, health clubs are now attracting rather young attendants. ''Girls in their 20s are treating the job just as if they were working at a family restaurant or convenience store,'' the editor assures, ''and some of them are absolutely adorable.'' (K.N.)
  Source: ''Fuzoku gyokai de no nikyokuka gensho ga 'awanomikusu' to yobareteiru,'' Shukan Post (June 28, page 167)
  Note: Brief extracts from Japanese vernacular media in the public domain that appear here were translated and summarized under the principle of ''fair use.'' Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the translations. However, we are not responsible for the veracity of their contents. The activities of individuals described herein should not be construed as ''typical'' behavior of Japanese people nor reflect the intention to portray the country in a negative manner. Our sole aim is to provide examples of various types of reading matter enjoyed by Japanese.
  Related articles:
VIDEO-Project Free TV - Movies - 2009 - 2081
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  A short film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron, 2081 depicts a dystopian future in which, thanks to the 212th Amendment to the Constitution and the unceasing vigilance of the United States Handicapper General, everyone is "finally equal...." The strong wear weights, the beautiful wear masks and the intelligent wear earpieces that fire off loud noises to keep them from taking unfair advantage of their brains. It is a poetic tale of triumph and tragedy about a broken family, a brutal government, and an act of defiance that changes everything. Featuring an original score performed by the world-renowned Kronos Quartet (Requiem for a Dream) and narration by Academy Award Nominee Patricia Clarkson (Far From Heaven, Goodnight and Good Luck), 2081 stars James Cosmo (Braveheart, Trainspotting), Julie Hagerty (Airplane!, What About Bob?) and Armie Hammer (The Social Network).
LA Times - Michael Hastings researching Jill Kelley case before death
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Russ Tice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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  Russell D. Tice (born 1961) is a former intelligence analyst for the U.S. Air Force, Office of Naval Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and National Security Agency (NSA). During his nearly 20 year career with various United States government agencies, he conducted intelligence missions related to the Kosovo War, Afghanistan, the USS Cole bombing in Yemen, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In December, 2005, Tice helped spark a national controversy over claims that the NSA and the DIA were engaged in unlawful and unconstitutional wiretaps on American citizens. He later admitted that he was one of the sources that were used in The New York Times reporting on the wiretap activity in December 2005[citation needed].
  Tice received national attention as a whistleblower in May 2005, after speaking publicly about alleged retaliation by government officials for reporting his suspicions that a DIA colleague might be a Chinesespy, and about the need for legislation to protect whistleblowers[citation needed].
  Whistleblower[edit]Tice was terminated by the NSA in May 2005, just days after publicly urging Congress to pass stronger protections for federal intelligence agency whistleblowers facing retaliation. In September 2005, the inspector general issued an unclassified report that found "no evidence" to support Tice's claims[citation needed].
  In December 2005, Tice alleged the NSA and the DIA were engaged in unlawful and unconstitutional conduct against the American people, and helped spark a national controversy. Tice stated that the activities involved the Director of the NSA, the Deputies Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, and the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and were conducted via very highly sensitive intelligence programs and operations known as Special access programs (SAP), more commonly referred to as 'black world' programs, or 'black ops'. Tice was a technical intelligence specialist dealing with SAP programs and operations at both NSA and DIA[citation needed] .
  On December 16, The New York Times revealed that the NSA was engaged in a clandestine eavesdropping program that bypassed the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court. Media reports on January 10, 2006, indicated Tice was a source of the Times leak, which revealed that, under the direction of the White House and without requisite court orders, the NSA has been intercepting international communications to and from points within the US[citation needed] .
  Tice's resume was unclassified which had "shown" that he was in Space Communications. When asked about whether he's connected with Space Communications in any way in an interview on the website for Wired Magazine, he responded, "I watch Buck Rogers."
  In a letter dated December 18, 2005, to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and to Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, he said he was prepared to testify about the SAP programs, under the provisions of the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act. It is not known, however, what the testimony would specifically involve[citation needed].
  It has been assumed that the problem concerned the electronic surveillance of Americans, but in an interview published 13 January 2006 on the reasononline web site,[1] Tice said "there's no way the programs I want to talk to Congress about should be public ever, unless maybe in 200 years they want to declassify them. You should never learn about it; no one at the Times should ever learn about these things. But that same mechanism that allows you to have a program like this at an extremely high, sensitive classification level could also be used to mask illegality, like spying on Americans."[2]
  In a press release issued by the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition on December 22, 2005, Tice explained the public aspect of his charges, stating that:
  "As a Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) officer it is continually drilled into us that the very first law chiseled in the SIGINT equivalent of the Ten Commandments (USSID-18) is that Thou shall not spy on American persons without a court order from FISA. This law is continually drilled into each NSA intelligence officer throughout his or her career. The very people that lead the National Security Agency have violated this holyedict of SIGINT."[citation needed]On December 23, 2005, the Austin American-Statesman, reported Tice's allegations that spying on Americans may involve a massive computer system known as ECHELON, which is able to search and filter hundreds of thousands of phone calls and e-mails in a matter of seconds.
  On January 3, 2006, Tice appeared on the national radio/TV show Democracy Now! and said he wants to testify before Congress. Tice said "I'm involved with some certain aspects of the intelligence community, which are very closely held, and I believe I have seen some things that are illegal."
  On January 5, 2006, The Washington Times reported that Tice wants to testify before Congress about electronic intelligence programs that he asserts were carried out illegally by the NSA and DIA. "I intend to report to Congress probable unlawful and unconstitutional acts conducted while I was an intelligence officer with the National Security Agency and with the Defense Intelligence Agency," Tice stated in letters, dated December 16, 2005 and disclosed by the Times.
  In a letter dated January 10, 2006, Renee Seymour, Director of the NSA Special Access Programs Central Office, warned Tice that members of neither the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, nor of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence had clearance to receive the classified information about the SAP's that Tice was prepared to provide. An article by Chris Strohm in Government Executive says that some Congressional staffers believe that Tice "comes with baggage".
  In reaction to Tice's claims, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, two prominent figures in conservative media, launched an offensive against his credibility. On his Fox News broadcast of January 11, 2006, O'Reilly said that Tice should be jailed for his whistleblowing activity. But Tice told ABC News that "As far as I'm concerned, as long as I don't say anything that's classified, I'm not worried... We need to clean up the intelligence community. We've had abuses, and they need to be addressed."
  On February 14, 2006, UPI reports Tice testified to the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations that the Special Access Program might have violated millions of Americans' Constitutional rights, but that neither the committee members nor the NSA inspector general had clearance to review the program.
  On May 12, 2006, thinkprogress.org reported a story by CongressDaily in which Tice was said to be planning an appearance the next week before the Senate Armed Service Committee, when further revelations would be made on "a different angle" of the NSA's surveillance program.[3] Ultimately this did not occur and it is still unclear why.
  On July 26, 2006, he was subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury regarding violations of federal law. He reportedly said ''This latest action by the government is designed only for one purpose: to ensure that people who witness criminal action being committed by the government are intimidated into remaining silent.''[4]
  On the first of two consecutive appearances on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann (January 21[5] and January 22,[6] 2009), Russ Tice stated that while he worked in the NSA, his role was to follow the communications of specific individuals in a program separate from the one that had been previously disclosed. He stated that he initially understood that he was to identify the communication methods of journalists (and entire news organizations) so that they could avoid collection. He subsequently learned that these channels were being recorded 24/7. Since this appeared to be a political and not security operation of the NSA, Tice withheld disclosing it until the next administration. Tice also stated that programs were given dual military and intelligence status so that both types of congressional oversight could be simultaneously denied.
  On June 19, 2013, Tice claimed while being interviewed that the NSA had spied on Barack Obama himself while he was still a senator, along with monitoring federal judges, ranking military officials, and other members of congress, saying he himself had seen and held papers ordering such actions. [7][8]
  See also[edit]References[edit]External links[edit]FederalTimes.com - 'Whistleblower to be fired, watchdogs say', Stephen Losey, Federal Times (May 9, 2005)PulseJournal.com - 'NSA fires whistleblower', Rebecca Carr, Cox News Service (May 5, 2005)Democracy Now - transcript/video/MP3 of interview with Tice conducted by Amy Goodman about NSA Spying (January 3, 2006)WashTimes.com - 'NSA whistleblower asks to testify', Bill Gertz, Washington Times, (January 5, 2006)ABC News - 'NSA Whistleblower Alleges Illegal Spying', Brian Ross, ABC News, (January 10, 2006)UPI - 'Whistleblower says NSA violations bigger', UPI, (February 15, 2006)In These Times - 'NSA Thwarts Whistleblower', Leah A Nelson, In These Times, (May 15, 2006)Russ Tice at the Internet Movie DatabasePersondataNameTice, RussAlternative namesShort descriptionAmerican intelligence whistle blowerDate of birth1961Place of birthDate of deathPlace of death
VIDEO-NSA Whistleblower Russ Tice Alleges NSA Wiretapped Barack Obama as Senate Candidate - YouTube
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VIDEO-Joe Rogan - Toxoplasma in Brazil - YouTube
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AP News: Obama to meet with privacy, civil liberties board
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  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is holding his first meeting with a privacy and civil liberties board Friday as he seeks to make good on his pledge to have a public discussion about secretive government surveillance programs.
  Obama has said the little-known Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board will play a key role in that effort. The federal oversight board reviews anti-terror programs to ensure that privacy concerns are taken into account.
  The president is also tasking the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, to consider declassifying more details about the government's collection of U.S. phone and Internet records. Obama is specifically asking Clapper to review possible declassification of opinions from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which approves the surveillance efforts.
  Obama's meeting with the board was taking place Friday afternoon, but the White House wasn't planning to allow press coverage.
  The government has already lifted some of the secrecy surrounding the programs following disclosures earlier this month about their existence by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. Full Story
Larry Meyer: Obama Fired Bernanke - Business Insider
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  REUTERS/Larry Downing
  On Monday evening, President Obama said in an interview, "Well, I think Ben Bernanke's done an outstanding job. Ben Bernanke's a little bit like Bob Mueller, the head of the FBI - where he's already stayed a lot longer than he wanted or he was supposed to."That raised some eyebrows and really turned up the volume on the conversation on Tuesday regarding potential successors to replace Bernanke when his term as Chairman of the Federal Reserve expires in January.
  In an interview with CNBC, former Fed Governor Larry Meyer said Obama "basically fired Ben Bernanke on the spot."
  "This is really remarkable," said Meyer. "I almost fell off my chair when I heard the President's remarks last night. He basically fired Ben Bernanke on the spot, and gave a fairly tepid testimonial afterward."
  When pressed on his comments, Meyer said, "Of course, it's unclear what the President wants. You know, there's always a bit of hyperbole when I talk, but look: the President said [Bernanke] stayed 'longer than he wanted to and was supposed to.' What does that mean? I am just befuddled. So, that's why I started like that."
  Meyer, who served with Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Janet Yellen on the Board of Governors in the 1990s, thinks Yellen is the most likely candidate to replace Bernanke next year.
Urban Dictionary: Dvorak's law
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  The worse the economy, not only do the hookers get better looking, but they get cheaper.
  Some postulate that additionally, hookers get more business during a worse economy, however Dvorak himself attributes this to supply and demand which often leads to an increase in business (i.e. tricks) which is driven by the need to compensate for loss of revenue caused by the same reduction in cost stated in Dvorak's law.
Clare Daly - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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  Clare Daly (born April 1968) is an Irish politician.[1] She was elected as a Socialist PartyTeachta Dla (TD) for the Dublin North constituency at the 2011 general election.[2] She was previously a Socialist Party councillor for the Swords electoral area on Fingal County Council. She resigned from the Socialist Party on 31 August 2012.[3]
  Early life[edit]Daly is from Newbridge, County Kildare and grew up in a staunchly apolitical home. Her father, Kevin, was a colonel in the Irish Army and Director of Signals. A long-standing atheist, her brother and an uncle are in the Catholic priesthood.[4] Daly studied accountancy at Dublin City University.[4] She was twice elected president of the Students' Union and was prominent in the students' movement campaign for abortion rights and information. On leaving college she took a job in the catering section of Aer Lingus on a low wage,[4] and became SIPTU's shop steward at Dublin Airport when the airline was engaged in extensive cost-cutting and outsourcing. Daly was elected to the Labour Party's Administrative Committee as a youth representative. She was expelled from the Labour Party in 1989 alongside Joe Higgins and other supporters of the Militant Tendency.
  Local politics[edit]On 19 September 2003, Daly was jailed for a month, alongside 21 others from the Anti-Bin Tax Campaign for breaching a High Court order preventing protests leading to obstruction of the council's non-collection policy for those not paying bin charges.[5][6] She was also an organiser of the Anti-Water charges campaign in Swords in the mid-1990s.
  Daly was elected as a Councillor on Fingal County Council for the Swords area in 1999. She was re-elected at 2004 local elections and 2009 local elections, topping the poll on each occasion.
  Dil ‰ireann[edit]She first contested the 1997 general election, receiving 7.2% on that occasion and 8.2% at the by-election later in the year. At the 2002 general election she received 5,501 votes (12.5%), narrowly missing a seat. At the 2007 general election, she received 9% of the vote.
  Daly was elected to Dil ‰ireann at the 2011 general election taking 15.2% of the first preference vote.[7][8] She committed to facilitating the nomination of Senator David Norris for a place on the ballot paper ahead of the Irish presidential election, 2011.[9]
  She announced that she would not register to pay a new household charge brought in as part of the latest austerity budget, calling it "reprehensible", and telling Phil Hogan, the minister responsible, in the Dil: "You can't bring everyone to court".[10][11]
  In February 2012, a Socialist Party spokesperson told the Irish Independent to mind its own business when asked if she had private health insurance.[12]
  In February 2012 it was reported that she would introduce a bill to provide for limited access to abortion where there is ''real and substantial risk to the life'' of the pregnant woman, in line with the X Case. The bill was defeated before its second reading on 19 April 2012.[13]
  In June 2012, Daly refused to call for the resignation of her friend and political ally, Mick Wallace in the wake of his VAT controversy.[14] It was reported that the ULA were to confront her over this stance.[15]
  In July 2012, it was revealed she had used travel expenses for travelling to anti-household charge meetings.[16][17][18]
  She resigned from the Socialist Party on 31 August 2012.[3] In a statement, the Socialist Party said "it believed Ms Daly had resigned because she placed more value on her political connection with Independent TD Mick Wallace than on the political positions and work of the Socialist Party."[19] This claim was dismissed by Daly as "absolute nonsense".[20] She requested a share of the '‚¬120,000 Socialist Party's Leaders Allowance to allow her to continue to fund her activities as an Independent TD.[21]
  In April 2013, along with Joan Collins, she founded a new political party called United Left.[22]
  References[edit]^"Meet your 76 new TDs". RT‰ News. 9 March 2011. ^"Ms. Clare Daly". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 26 March 2011. ^ ab"Clare Daly resigns from the Socialist Party". RT‰ News. 1 September 2012. ^ abc"How firebrand Clare left the Socialists reeling". Sunday Independent. 9 September 2012. ^"Jail sentences for Joe Higgins and Clare Daly". Breakingnews.ie. 19 September 2003. ^Managh, Ray (18 September 2003). "TD and councillor risk jail in bin tax protest". Irish Independent. ^"Clare Daly". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 28 March 2011. ^Minihan, Mary (28 February 2011). "Higgins pledges to build new party of left as five elected under ULA banner". The Irish Times. ^Nihill, C­an (19 September 2011). "Boost for Norris as left-wing TDs to support nomination". The Irish Times. ^"Higgins urges public to boycott 'unjust' '‚¬100 Household Charge". The Journal. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011. ^O'Halloran, Marie; O'Regan, Michael (14 December 2011). "Kenny defends household charge". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 December 2011. ^"Health critics refuse to reveal if they have private cover". Irish Independent. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012. ^"Abortion legislation to be tabled". Irish Times. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012. ^Irish Independent, 16 June 2012, Weekend Review, Page 3^"Wallace no longer on speaking terms with his former pals in the technical group". The Herald. June 262012. Retrieved June 27, 2012. ^"Legal advice sought on TD expenses claims". RT‰ News. 4 July 2012. ^"Dil seeks legal advice on TD expenses claims". Irish Examiner. 4 July 2012. ^"Expenses not for TD's to travel to protests - Leinster House". Irish Independent. 4 July 2012. ^"Daly resigns from Socialist Party". The Irish Times. 1 September 2012. ^"Clare Daly denies exit from Socialist Party linked to Mick Wallace". RT‰ News. 2 September 2012. ^"Daly departure to hit allowances". The Irish Times. 3 September 2012. ^O'Connell, Hugh (25 April 2013). "Two TDs setting up new United Left political party". TheJournal.ie. Distilled Media. Retrieved 25 April 2013. External links[edit]
VIDEO-WOW MUST SEE Obama destroyed & called a war criminal in Irish Parliament WOW MUST SEE - YouTube
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Language of Truth and Lies: Performatives
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Talk:Dvoraks law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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  Thu, 20 Jun 2013 23:35
  This page should not be speedy deleted as pure vandalism or a blatant hoax, because... Dvorak's Law is a new and emerging law based on real life data metrics seen coming out of Cyprus, Greece and Spain. One of the first notable written references is actually the Wikipedia article that was speedy deleted. This speedy deletion actually prohibited the further discussion and eventual possible solidification of the law which was attempted on June 20th by Adam Curry (a known Government document analyst) and John C. Dvorak, the author of the potential law, but was not carried out once the deletion was revealed. The new priority outstanding item is to first get the reference to the law on Wikipedia reinstated (i.e. un-deleted) even if the status of the law is 'yet to be confirmed'. Furthermore this is NOT a joke or Hoax submission, and one arguable reason is that the law is an economic law that revolves around the oldest noted profession. We respectfully request that the article be un-deleted, as well as to be supplied with any requirements necessary for the article to live permanently. Thank you.--66.150.171.4 (talk) 23:09, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
Rupert Murdoch-Wendi Deng divorce, day two: Enter Tony Blair? | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
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  Curiouser and curiouser. Day Two of the Rupert Murdorch-Wendi Deng divorce story turned juicier when ex-British prime minister and Deng pal Tony Blair got dragged into it.
  Soon after news broke Thursday that billionaire media mogul Murdoch, 82, had filed for divorce from his third wife after 14 years of marriage, journalists in the U.S. and the U.K. with close contacts to Murdoch and his media empire, News Corp., began twittering about a scandalous possible reason for split.
  Said scandal turned out to be the claim that Deng, 44, had an affair with Blair, 60, who happens to be godfather of the couple's two young daughters, Grace, 11, and Chloe, 9.
  Blair, the former New Labor PM who was embraced politically by the conservative Tory/Republican Murdoch when he was in power, denied the claim through a spokesman today. But the way the denial was worded led to more speculation.
  And it's only Day Two! These opening stages suggest this divorce will not be handled in the customary manner of divorces among the high-and-mighty '-- discreet, amicable and behind closed doors '-- predicts Murdoch biographer Michael Wolff today.
  "This is not amicable, it's totally public, it's a throw-down-the-gauntlet, we-are-going-to-war kind of thing," says Wolff, a columnist for USA TODAY, The Guardian and Vanity Fair.
  In other words, it's signature Murdoch, he says. "If he feels that someone is going to war with him, he's going to strike first."
  Meanwhile, News Corp, which is preparing to split into two companies at the end of the month, announced that a key executive, CFO David DeVoe, would retire after 25 years with the company. Wolff described this news as "nearly as seismic" as the divorce.
  "What is happening over there?" Wolff tweeted today. "Beginning to sound like the climax of a Godfather movie, everybody killed, at News Corp."
  Also meanwhile, a posse of matrimonial lawyers rushed into TV studios to chatter all day about the pending divorce: What impact from the pre-nuptial agreement? (Yes, there is one.) Is divorcing in New York better for Murdoch than in his native Australia or in the U.K.? (Yup.) Was Murdoch's divorce from his second wife the most costly in human history? (Probably not.) Was it more than $1 billion or "only" $100 million? (People are still arguing over that.)
  Yes, the media on three continents just love a juicy divorce among billionaires. Even the News Corp-owned Wall Street Journal is covering it. But not Murdoch's rowdy New York Post , which posted just a small story early today with none of its characteristic schadenfreude at the marital woes of celebrities.
  If the Murdoch divorce turns protracted and nasty, it will be more difficult to cover, Wolff predicted, because so many key media outlets that news consumers rely on are owned by Murdoch.
  Still, imagine the dismay of a former British premier having to deny involvement in this mess. At first, the speculation was coy. BBC economics editor Robert Peston tweeted Thursday that he was told that "undisclosed reasons for Murdoch divorcing Deng are jaw-dropping - & hate myself for wanting to know what they are."
  Later, Wolff, the author of the Murdoch biography, The Man Who Owns The News: Inside The Secret World Of Rupert Murdoch, tweeted that "Rumor about the big B is everywhere except in print."
  Today,The Hollywood Reporter asked and got an aswer from Blair's London office. "If you are asking if they are having an affair, the answer is no," said the anonymous spokesman. That set off more tweeting about why the spokesman used the present tense instead of the past tense.
  It is true that Deng and Blair are close friends, Wolff says, but that doesn't necessarily mean an affair. In fact, Deng was so upfront about their friendship that she arranged for Wolff to interview Blair for his Murdoch book.
  "She is completely upfront, on the surface, having a great time with whatever she's doing, enthralled by her life," Wolff says. "She's irresistible, and I don't mean that sexually. If she took an interest in you, you would respond."
  So why is Murdoch divorcing her (especially after her valiant defense of him from a pie-thrower while he was testifying in Parliament in 2011)? Stay tuned.
Nearly 7 in 10 Americans are on prescription drugs, Mayo Clinic study finds
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  Archived Version
  Thu, 20 Jun 2013 14:40
  Nearly 7 in 10 Americans are on prescription drugs, Mayo Clinic study findsPublic release date: 19-Jun-2013[
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  Contact: Nick Hansonnewsbureau@mayo.edu507-284-5005Mayo Clinic
  Germ fighters, antidepressants, opioids top list; women, elderly likelier to have prescriptionsROCHESTER, Minn. -- Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two, Mayo Clinic researchers say. Antibiotics, antidepressants and painkilling opioids are most commonly prescribed, their study found. Twenty percent of patients are on five or more prescription medications, according to the findings, published online in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
  MULTIMEDIA ALERT: For audio and video of Dr. Jennifer St. Sauver talking about the study, visit the Mayo Clinic News Network. (http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/)
  Researchers find the data valuable because it gives insight into prescribing practices. The statistics from the Rochester Epidemiology Project in Olmsted County, Minn. are comparable to those elsewhere in the United States, says study author Jennifer St. Sauver, Ph.D., a member of the Mayo Clinic Population Health Program in the Mayo Clinic Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.
  "Often when people talk about health conditions they're talking about chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes," Dr. St. Sauver says. "However, the second most common prescription was for antidepressants -- that suggests mental health is a huge issue and is something we should focus on. And the third most common drugs were opioids, which is a bit concerning considering their addicting nature."
  Seventeen percent of those studied were prescribed antibiotics, 13 percent were taking antidepressants and 13 percent were on opioids. Drugs to control high blood pressure came in fourth (11 percent) and vaccines were fifth (11 percent). Drugs were prescribed to both men and women across all age groups, except high blood pressure drugs, which were seldom used before age 30.
  Overall, women and older adults receive more prescriptions. Vaccines, antibiotics and anti-asthma drugs are most commonly prescribed in people younger than 19. Antidepressants and opioids are most common among young and middle-aged adults. Cardiovascular drugs are most commonly prescribed in older adults. Women receive more prescriptions than men across several drug groups, especially antidepressants: Nearly 1 in 4 women ages 50-64 are on an antidepressant.
  For several drug groups, use increases with advancing age.
  "As you get older you tend to get more prescriptions, and women tend to get more prescriptions than men," Dr. St. Sauver says.
  Prescription drug use has increased steadily in the U.S. for the past decade. The percentage of people who took at least one prescription drug in the past month increased from 44 percent in 1999-2000 to 48 percent in 2007-08. Spending on prescription drugs reached $250 billion in 2009 the year studied, and accounted for 12 percent of total personal health care expenditures. Drug-related spending is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, the researchers say.
  ###
  The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Mayo Clinic Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.
  About Mayo Clinic
  Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.com and http://www.mayoclinic.org/news.
  Journalists can become a member of the Mayo Clinic News Network for the latest health, science and research news and access to video, audio, text and graphic elements that can be downloaded or embedded.
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  AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
  Nearly 7 in 10 Americans are on prescription drugs, Mayo Clinic study findsPublic release date: 19-Jun-2013[
  | E-mail
  | Share
  ]
  Contact: Nick Hansonnewsbureau@mayo.edu507-284-5005Mayo Clinic
  Germ fighters, antidepressants, opioids top list; women, elderly likelier to have prescriptionsROCHESTER, Minn. -- Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two, Mayo Clinic researchers say. Antibiotics, antidepressants and painkilling opioids are most commonly prescribed, their study found. Twenty percent of patients are on five or more prescription medications, according to the findings, published online in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
  MULTIMEDIA ALERT: For audio and video of Dr. Jennifer St. Sauver talking about the study, visit the Mayo Clinic News Network. (http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/)
  Researchers find the data valuable because it gives insight into prescribing practices. The statistics from the Rochester Epidemiology Project in Olmsted County, Minn. are comparable to those elsewhere in the United States, says study author Jennifer St. Sauver, Ph.D., a member of the Mayo Clinic Population Health Program in the Mayo Clinic Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.
  "Often when people talk about health conditions they're talking about chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes," Dr. St. Sauver says. "However, the second most common prescription was for antidepressants -- that suggests mental health is a huge issue and is something we should focus on. And the third most common drugs were opioids, which is a bit concerning considering their addicting nature."
  Seventeen percent of those studied were prescribed antibiotics, 13 percent were taking antidepressants and 13 percent were on opioids. Drugs to control high blood pressure came in fourth (11 percent) and vaccines were fifth (11 percent). Drugs were prescribed to both men and women across all age groups, except high blood pressure drugs, which were seldom used before age 30.
  Overall, women and older adults receive more prescriptions. Vaccines, antibiotics and anti-asthma drugs are most commonly prescribed in people younger than 19. Antidepressants and opioids are most common among young and middle-aged adults. Cardiovascular drugs are most commonly prescribed in older adults. Women receive more prescriptions than men across several drug groups, especially antidepressants: Nearly 1 in 4 women ages 50-64 are on an antidepressant.
  For several drug groups, use increases with advancing age.
  "As you get older you tend to get more prescriptions, and women tend to get more prescriptions than men," Dr. St. Sauver says.
  Prescription drug use has increased steadily in the U.S. for the past decade. The percentage of people who took at least one prescription drug in the past month increased from 44 percent in 1999-2000 to 48 percent in 2007-08. Spending on prescription drugs reached $250 billion in 2009 the year studied, and accounted for 12 percent of total personal health care expenditures. Drug-related spending is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, the researchers say.
  ###
  The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Mayo Clinic Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.
  About Mayo Clinic
  Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.com and http://www.mayoclinic.org/news.
  Journalists can become a member of the Mayo Clinic News Network for the latest health, science and research news and access to video, audio, text and graphic elements that can be downloaded or embedded.
  [
  | E-mail
  | Share
  ]
  AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
"It's A Massacre" - Each Day 134 Retail Outlets Close In Italy.
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  Archived Version
  Source: WT news feed
  Thu, 20 Jun 2013 13:32
  If anyone is still not convinced that surging stock bourses in Europe are indicative of anything more than central bank liquidity, carry trade allocation and localized asset bubbles, we present a snapshot of what is actually happening on the ground via Italy's Ansa: "It's a massacre," said Confesercenti President Marco Venturi. "Each day 134 shops, restaurants and bars close in recession-hit Italy, retail association Confesercenti said on Wednesday. Confesercenti, which represents small and medium-sized businesses in the retail and tourism sectors, said 224,000 enterprises had closed their shutters since the start of the global economic crisis in 2008.
  "Every day five green grocers, four butchers, 42 clothes shops, 43 restaurants and 40 bars and catering business close down".
  But who needs commerce when all those newly available day traders can just boot up their E-trade platform and trade their way, along with the trading mascot baby, to untold riches?
  Average:Your rating: NoneAverage: 4.8(16 votes)