Areas Covered Each Week:
Civil Liberties - Health - Environment - Democracy & International Relations - Economics - Science - The War on Terror - The Next War
Stories of the week:
Nearly 1 billion people are starving, UN food agency says (Daily Telegraph - UK)
And now for a world government (The Financial Times)
Perth protestors rally against internet censorship (The West Australian)
Rumsfeld linked to Abu Ghraib abuse (Reuters)
Sun's Magnetic Field May Impact Weather And Climate (Science Daily)
Bush relaxes wildlife law limits (BBC)
Plastic is polluting our oceans to a terrifying degree (Edmonton Sun)
Federal Reserve Refuses to Disclose Recipients of $2 Trillion (Bloomberg)
US arms sales- $32b in 2008 (The Times of India)
US Dollar Devaluation To Fix The Great Recession (Forbes)
Poor Families in Third World Pressed Into Vaccine Trials by Drug Companies; 12 Babies Die (Natural News)
Iraq in midst of ‘agricultural disaster’ (The National - Dubai)
Civil Liberties:
Perth protestors rally against internet censorship
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=113052
I am proud to say that attended and said a few words to the crowd. Next time we need 10 times that number to make the effort however.
Telstra says no to ISP censorship pilot
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24768352-2702,00.html
however Optus are taking part......
De Menezes jury damns police 'cover-up' and rejects officers' claims that they shouted a warning before firing
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1093190/De-Menezes-jury-damns-police-cover-rejects-officers-claims-shouted-warning-firing.html
September 11 families denounce Guantanamo trials
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4B96HA20081210?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews
Last week, a dear friend of the UK's freedom was laid to rest
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/07/damian-green-id-civil-liberties
UK DNA database court ruling - and 857,000 records must be now wiped clear
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/dec/05/dna-database-civilliberties
Yeah, sure they will.
Arresting MP’s and nationalising banks happen in dictatorships not Britain surely?
Http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/12/01/do0102.xml
Committee to investigate MP arrest
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20081209/tuk-committee-to-investigate-mp-arrest-6323e80.html
Australia looking into anti-torture legislation
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24778104-2702,00.html
How the government plans to record intimate information on every child in Britain
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1092513/has-child-cafed--how-government-plans-record-intimate-information-child-britain.html
UK runs 'Guantanamo camps', says detainees
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-runs-guantanamo-camps-says-detainees-1061291.html
'Back door' amnesty for 180,000 asylum seekers who slipped through the net
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1093324/Back-door-amnesty-180-000-asylum-seekers-slipped-net.html
The planned back-lash against immigrants across the Western World is getting closer, and stoked up more and more each day. When it happens a further excuse for authoritarian clampdowns will be a reality. Problem > Reaction > Solution (for explanation scroll down)
Your complaint will be resolved – by force-feeding you drugs
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/world/Your-complaint-will-be-resolved.4773200.jp
Rumsfeld linked to Abu Ghraib abuse
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20081212/twl-uk-usa-abuse-bd5ae06.html
UK support for identity cards falls
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20081211/tuk-support-for-identity-cards-falls-6323e80.html
Stop the music torture, rock bands tell U.S. military
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/latest-world-news/2008/12/10/stop-the-music-torture-rock-bands-tell-u-s-military-91466-22445771/
Mind-reading' software could record your dreams (or your thoughts)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16267-mindreading-software-could-record-your-dreams.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
Mexico to fingerprint mobile-phone owners
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hbIC6ZYe2A2fSIe1q-1dnh4TphiwD94VK6K81
Spying on pacifists, environmentalists and nuns
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-na-cop-spy7-2008dec07,0,1237214.story
The Ten Steps to a Closed Society - Number 5. Infiltrate Citizens' Groups (full list below)
Should Australian police have Tasers? Poll
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22073824-5013404,00.html
Taser Corp's PR agency earns their money
Defence Department admission it lied to Parliament over Habib rendition
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24792756-31477,00.html
Most Britons think UK is turning into police state
http://www.politics.co.uk/news/opinion-former-index/legal-and-constitutional/most-britons-think-uk-turning-into-police-state-$1254029.htm
Democracy & International Diplomacy:
Nearly 1 billion people are starving, UN food agency says
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/3698225/Nearly-1-billion-people-are-starving-UN-food-agency-says.html
And now for a world government
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/05c36962-c594-11dd-b516-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
and a few hours later, presumably after being hauled over the coals this appeared
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7a71b070-c729-11dd-97a5-000077b07658.html
Canadian PM wins suspension of Parliament
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4B34BC20081204
Canada's Harper Bushier than Bush
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/05/canada
Sudan build-up in oil-rich state
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7770065.stm
Un-manned drones to patrol part of border with Canada
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/08/us/08drone.html?_r=1
Clinton builds loyalist empire
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5299035.ece
Irish to vote (again) on EU treaty again as experts warn Britain could be signed up within a year
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1092720/irish-vote-eu-treaty-experts-warn-britain-signed-year.html
Irish ready to hold new EU vote
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7776961.stm
EU leaders agree on 'bribes' to convince Irish voters to vote yes to Treaty at second referendum
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1093813/Lisbon-adopted-EU-leaders-agree-bribes-convince-Irish-voters-vote-yes-Treaty-second-referendum.html
Are the Greek riots a taste of things to come?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/are-the-greek-riots-a-taste-of-things-to-come-1064479.html Yes
Environment:
Sun's Magnetic Field May Impact Weather And Climate: Sun Cycle Can Predict Rainfall Fluctuations
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081202081449.htm
An inconvenient truth?
Bottom drops out of recycling industry
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081207/ap_on_bi_ge/recycling_bust
all that recycling you have been doing over the years has been driven not by our collective conscience, but by the profit motive. Now expect landfills to be doing great work no matter how you sort your waste out for collection.
Bush relaxes wildlife law limits
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7778749.stm
Canada's 'dirty oil' challenge
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7763365.stm
Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan & Morgan Stanley Buy Into Carbon Offsets
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/goldman-sachs-buys-into-carbon-offsets/
Carbon trading is a scam. Until you realise that they will keep making billions out of your green guilt,
Science paves way for climate lawsuits
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/09/oil-business-climate-change-flooding
Another scam / witch hunt
Houston ties earliest snowfall record
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2008/12/11/houston-ties-earliest-snowfall-record/#more-4497
all man's fault apparently. Nothing to do with the sun
Britain shivers through coldest start to winter for 30 years
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1094190/Britain-shivers-coldest-start-winter-30-years-bookies-slash-odds-white-Christmas.html
Plastic is polluting our oceans to a terrifying degree
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/World/2008/12/07/7659651-sun.html
UK promises £100m to help reduce tropical deforestation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/12/deforestation-britain-aid-climate-change
Unfortunately statistically only 1/3rd of such pledges ever gets handed over
Finance & Economics:
Federal Reserve Refuses to Disclose Recipients of $2 Trillion
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=apx7XNLnZZlc&refer=home
US arms sales- $32b in 2008 - undermine global human rights: Study
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/USA/US_arms_sales_undermine_global_human_rights_Study/articleshow/3825188.cms
Obama vows strong new financial regulations
http://www.reuters.com/article/topnews/idusn0545867820081207?feedtype=rss&feedname=topnews
yes, he’ll give all the recent recipients of trillions of taxpayers money a good smack to teach them a lesson
Eight really scary predictions (from the man who predicted the credit crunch)
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fortune/0812/gallery.market_gurus.fortune/index.html
Dollar Devaluation To Fix The Great Recession
http://www.forbes.com/finance/2008/12/09/dollar-devaluation-gold-pf-ii-in_fb_1209soapbox_inl.html
As I have been warning this has always been the game plan. This massive devaluation will then lead to the US joining its NAFTA fellows in creating the AMERO currency union.
Obama to Borrow China’s Wealth, Clout in Effort to Steady World
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a8RcQQDb19c0&refer=home
Hyperinflation forces Zimbabwe to print $200 million notes
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/world/africa/12/06/zimbabwe.currency/index.html
How to unplug from the electricity grid
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026851.600-how-to-unplug-from-the-grid.html?full=true
Massive riots in Greek cities – banks amongst those targeted
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/aleqm5hbflggep5p_xn83bw3plwj020a-qd94umigo2
Anger as government threatens to sue HBOS merger challengers
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2473559.0.0.php
Bank of America to cut up to 35,000 jobs
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4BA6ZD20081211?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews
It’s lucky those bailout billions paid the Directors bonuses before this happened isn’t it?
US Auto bailout fails
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4B50CL20081212?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews
Of course once more people lose their jobs and the markets plummet I'm sure those reluctant senators will be "persuaded" to hand over yet more taxpayers billions
Goldman Sachs predicts fall in oil prices to $45 a barrel
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/12/oil-prices-goldman-sachs
And then a rise to $200+ once the bombs start dropping on Tehran
Iceland’s Meltdown
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200812/map-iceland
Treasury Bills Trade at Negative Rates as Haven Demand Surges
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aOGXsWKEI6F4&refer=home
$385bn to halt Japan downturn
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24792868-2703,00.html
Health:
Poor Families in Third World Pressed Into Vaccine Trials by Drug Companies; 12 Babies Die
http://www.naturalnews.com/025032.html
Irish pork recalled in contamination scare
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/07/2439919.htm
Daily nuts may help boost health
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7767753.stm
Fertility drugs increase cancer risk
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026864.700-fertility-drugs-increase-cancer-risk.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
More than 10% of US kids use alternative treatments
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-12-10-alternative-medicine_N.htm
Statin drugs cause eye disorders
http://www.naturalnews.com/025058.html
Chemical Used on Crops could Make You Fat
http://www.naturalnews.com/025022.html
Fluoride gets green light in Gold Coast
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/3966813.Fluoride_gets_green_light_Down_Under/
Another victory for the corporations who profit from poisoning the water supply with their industrial waste
Science & Technology:
Scientists get closer to creating artificial life: study
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5go629KWLWPNdSh9LdpJLDkVJcf4w
Just as Huxley warned in "A Brave New World"
Religion:
How to stop creationism gaining a hold in Islam
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16258-how-to-stop-creationism-gaining-a-hold-in-islam.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
Pope speaks out against greedy money-men who sparked credit crisis
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/3710447/Pope-speaks-out-against-greedy-money-men-who-sparked-credit-crisis.html
Remind me who is official head of the Vatican Bank and one of the biggest property & land holding organisations in the world?
Assisted suicide broadcast on TV
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7776323.stm
Education:
Aboriginal kids 'risk losing identity'
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24764268-2702,00.html
the loss of 60,000 years of cultural knowledge will be to the detriment to all mankind
Traditional subjects go in schools shake-up
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article5304304.ece
the dumming down of the British continues. I mean why would you need to know anything about something as irrelevant as history? It is not as though we can learn from it or anything.
The UK 'ministry of truth' censors children’s dictionary
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/3569045/words-associated-with-christianity-and-british-history-taken-out-of-childrens-dictionary.html
The War on Terror:
Pentagon preparing for Afghan surge
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/world/middleeast/12gates.html?_r=2
Pentagon approves Iraq sales worth up to $6 billion
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE4BA06E20081211
Taliban in 72 percent of Afghanistan, think-tank says
http://www.reuters.com/article/topnews/idustre4b70yb20081208?feedtype=rss&feedname=topnews
let’s look at the track record of all those who have invaded Afghanistan since Alexander the great. Mongols (lost), Persians (lost) British (lost), Russians (lost). All this for an oil pipeline that incidentally needs to then go through Pakistan..........
Iraqi restaurant blast kills 50
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7777342.stm
Babylon's history swept away in US army sandbags
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jvUpUKpfGU3mupF7Xpyb-WMQGQAg
Iraq in midst of ‘agricultural disaster’
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081212/FOREIGN/439906308/1002
Blackwater soldiers 'machine-gunned Iraqis as they tried to surrender'
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/world/Security--guards-39machinegunned-.4773217.jp
Taleban tax: allied supply convoys pay their enemies for safe passage
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5327683.ece
The Next War:
US Nuke umbrella for Israel
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=78162§ionid=351020202
NATO jets shadow Russian bombers over North Sea
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081212/118828766.html
Russia's 2nd military drill in the USA's "backyard"
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=78211§ionid=351020706
Thousands Call For Peace In India
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20081212/twl-thousands-call-for-peace-in-india-3fd0ae9.html
Obama's nuclear remark was 'cowboy' talk: Tehran
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hhHfwT7aq0TSPZNxkD5JbRTqGjrA
Israel's Netanyahu upbeat on Obama plans for Iran
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed2/idUSL8304909
Quote of the Week:
"Yes, the situation is dire. But history shows that when an army of citizens, supported by even a vestige of civil society, believes in liberty.....no power on earth can ultimately suppress them"
- Naomi Wolf, "Give Me Liberty"
If this is your first visit I would suggest that, after viewing the articles in this page, you click onto the "Blog Archive" on the right hand panel. Have a look at some of the previous editions too. That will give you a much fuller picture of what is happening than by simply reading what has happened in the last week.
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