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interpreting the constitution
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crowd control
News
Weather
spread of the red
spread of the red
number 150 04.27.08
source: World Health Organization
| redstat archive |
| Clarence Brown Tribute Page |
| verbatim archive |
Newly disclosed documents confirm that
the Bush administration continues to
assert that US intelligence agents may
legally use interrogation methods
prohibited under US and international
law in certain circumstances, which are
apparently to be considered on a case-by-
case basis.
A series of letters from Justice
Department officials to members of the
Senate Intelligence Committee argue
that CIA interrogations of terrorist
suspects could include harsh tactics in
certain hypothetical situations, based on
the seniority of the suspect or the
urgency of the threat. The letters were
obtained by the New York Times from
the Bush administration continues to
assert that US intelligence agents may
legally use interrogation methods
prohibited under US and international
law in certain circumstances, which are
apparently to be considered on a case-by-
case basis.
A series of letters from Justice
Department officials to members of the
Senate Intelligence Committee argue
that CIA interrogations of terrorist
suspects could include harsh tactics in
certain hypothetical situations, based on
the seniority of the suspect or the
urgency of the threat. The letters were
obtained by the New York Times from
Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of
Oregon.
Addressing the Geneva Conventions’ ban
on “outrages upon personal dignity”, a
Justice Department letter from March
states, “The fact that an act is
undertaken to prevent a threatened
terrorist attack, rather than for the
purpose of humiliation or abuse, would
be relevant to a reasonable observer in
measuring the outrageousness of the
act.” In a letter written in September, a
Justice Department official argues that
for conduct to be banned under the
Geneva Conventions, that conduct
“must be so deplorable that the
reasonable observer would recognize it
Oregon.
Addressing the Geneva Conventions’ ban
on “outrages upon personal dignity”, a
Justice Department letter from March
states, “The fact that an act is
undertaken to prevent a threatened
terrorist attack, rather than for the
purpose of humiliation or abuse, would
be relevant to a reasonable observer in
measuring the outrageousness of the
act.” In a letter written in September, a
Justice Department official argues that
for conduct to be banned under the
Geneva Conventions, that conduct
“must be so deplorable that the
reasonable observer would recognize it
as something that should be
universally condemned.” Last July the
White House announced that the
President had issued an executive
order requiring CIA interrogators to
comply fully with the Geneva
Conventions.
The letters offer a glimpse of the
legal basis for the administration's
secretive terrorist interrogation
programs. Earlier this year, Congress
passed legislation mandating that all
agencies conducting interrogations
comply with rules in the Army Field
Manual, but the president vetoed the
bill, saying that harsh methods had
proven effective. it's all true
universally condemned.” Last July the
White House announced that the
President had issued an executive
order requiring CIA interrogators to
comply fully with the Geneva
Conventions.
The letters offer a glimpse of the
legal basis for the administration's
secretive terrorist interrogation
programs. Earlier this year, Congress
passed legislation mandating that all
agencies conducting interrogations
comply with rules in the Army Field
Manual, but the president vetoed the
bill, saying that harsh methods had
proven effective. it's all true
Attorneys representing advocacy
groups in a lawsuit against the
Veterans Administration argued that
pervasive delays and a failure to
provide adequate health care services
have caused suicides among veterans
to rise at an alarming rate, a situation
that VA officials have attempted to
cover up. The lawyers introduced
evidence including internal VA emails
that discuss ways to evade questions
from CBS News about suicides and
attempted suicides among US
veterans. The case, which opened
last week in US District Court in San
Francisco, seeks to compel the
federal agency to dramatically
increase the availability and scope of
health care for eligible veterans.
The evidence included a December
email from Dr. Ira R. Katz, deputy
director of mental health for the VA,
that alerted colleagues that 12,000
veterans under VA care were
attempting suicide a year. The email,
which was headed "Shh!", went on to
ask, “Is this something we should
(carefully) address ourselves in some
sort of release before someone
stumbles on it?” it's all true
groups in a lawsuit against the
Veterans Administration argued that
pervasive delays and a failure to
provide adequate health care services
have caused suicides among veterans
to rise at an alarming rate, a situation
that VA officials have attempted to
cover up. The lawyers introduced
evidence including internal VA emails
that discuss ways to evade questions
from CBS News about suicides and
attempted suicides among US
veterans. The case, which opened
last week in US District Court in San
Francisco, seeks to compel the
federal agency to dramatically
increase the availability and scope of
health care for eligible veterans.
The evidence included a December
email from Dr. Ira R. Katz, deputy
director of mental health for the VA,
that alerted colleagues that 12,000
veterans under VA care were
attempting suicide a year. The email,
which was headed "Shh!", went on to
ask, “Is this something we should
(carefully) address ourselves in some
sort of release before someone
stumbles on it?” it's all true
One month into the second quarter,
earnings statements and economic
activity continue to confirm that fallout
from the implosion of international
securities markets is being felt all the
way down the food chain, in revolving
credit, auto loans, commercial real
estate, and retail sales. Market analysts
will be focused on this week’s GDP
number, the Fed’s action on interest
rates and the wording of its statement,
and earnings reports from companies
heavily dependent on consumer
discretionary spending. But disastrous
first quarter results in the banking sector
mean that the crisis is far from over, and
no amount of consumer spending or Fed
intervention can prevent the banks and
financials in general from acting as a drag
on the US economy for many quarters
into the future.
First quarter earnings for large
commercial banks and major Wall Street
investment houses were abysmal, with
most institutions reporting huge
writedowns and continued exposure in
a baffling array of securities markets
trading structured investment vehicles
(SIVs), collateralized debt obligations
(CDOs), mortgage backed securities
(MBSs), and asset backed commercial
paper (ABCP). As overvalued housing
earnings statements and economic
activity continue to confirm that fallout
from the implosion of international
securities markets is being felt all the
way down the food chain, in revolving
credit, auto loans, commercial real
estate, and retail sales. Market analysts
will be focused on this week’s GDP
number, the Fed’s action on interest
rates and the wording of its statement,
and earnings reports from companies
heavily dependent on consumer
discretionary spending. But disastrous
first quarter results in the banking sector
mean that the crisis is far from over, and
no amount of consumer spending or Fed
intervention can prevent the banks and
financials in general from acting as a drag
on the US economy for many quarters
into the future.
First quarter earnings for large
commercial banks and major Wall Street
investment houses were abysmal, with
most institutions reporting huge
writedowns and continued exposure in
a baffling array of securities markets
trading structured investment vehicles
(SIVs), collateralized debt obligations
(CDOs), mortgage backed securities
(MBSs), and asset backed commercial
paper (ABCP). As overvalued housing
markets “correct” and overheated credit
markets “unwind,” it has become
apparent to investors that these
securities, nominally valued at many
trillions of dollars, are essentially
worthless. Now, with the tacit backing
of the Fed, these institutions are
scrambling for fresh capital to replenish
their depleted cash reserves, each
quarter revealing another fraction of
their losses.
The three largest US banks all suffered
significant declines from the first quarter
of 2007. CitiGroup posted first quarter
earnings down 11 percent, Bank of
America earnings were down 77 percent,
and JPMorgan Chase reported earnings
49 percent lower than the previous year.
Wachovia surprised the market with a
loss of $393 million, and saw its share
price lose more than 10 percent in one
morning. The nation’s largest thrift,
Washington Mutual, posted a $1.1 billion
first quarter loss and announced it was
closing all 186 of its mortgage offices
and eliminating 3000 jobs.
The fact that these numbers didn't lead
to a major market downturn reveals the
extent to which traders suspect that the
banks, and the investment banks, are
technically insolvent. it's all true
markets “unwind,” it has become
apparent to investors that these
securities, nominally valued at many
trillions of dollars, are essentially
worthless. Now, with the tacit backing
of the Fed, these institutions are
scrambling for fresh capital to replenish
their depleted cash reserves, each
quarter revealing another fraction of
their losses.
The three largest US banks all suffered
significant declines from the first quarter
of 2007. CitiGroup posted first quarter
earnings down 11 percent, Bank of
America earnings were down 77 percent,
and JPMorgan Chase reported earnings
49 percent lower than the previous year.
Wachovia surprised the market with a
loss of $393 million, and saw its share
price lose more than 10 percent in one
morning. The nation’s largest thrift,
Washington Mutual, posted a $1.1 billion
first quarter loss and announced it was
closing all 186 of its mortgage offices
and eliminating 3000 jobs.
The fact that these numbers didn't lead
to a major market downturn reveals the
extent to which traders suspect that the
banks, and the investment banks, are
technically insolvent. it's all true
Justice Says Bush Torture Regime Not Illegal, Just Unconventional
No Easy Solution for Insolvency of Banks
VA Provides Cover-Ups
Instead of Coverage
Instead of Coverage
...is going to take
a while. "
Washington DC 03.28.08
a while. "
Washington DC 03.28.08
verbatim number 29.3
"Of course, routing
out these folks
who've burrowed in
society...
out these folks
who've burrowed in
society...
...who take
advantage of the
ability to be
criminals, or the
ability to intimidate
citizens, ...
advantage of the
ability to be
criminals, or the
ability to intimidate
citizens, ...
0 15 30 45 60 75
poland
| united states |
0
| Deaths by falling from a cliff selected countries |
peru
| spain |
uk
In an effort to meet the requirements of
the a law that was instituted after the
terror attacks in 2001, the US
Government has ordered all commercial
airlines and cruise ship lines to institute a
program for the collection and retention
of the fingerprints of all persons, both
US Citizens and foreign travelers, who
exit the United States. The initiative is
part of the over arching US-VISIT
program that was instituted by the
Department of Homeland Security and
also a recommendation of the
Congressional 9/11 Commission.
After years of becoming used to the
federal government amassing all types of
personal information about their
personal lives, from records of phone
calls and Internet activity to banking,
financial and medical histories,
Americans have not expressed alarm at
the a law that was instituted after the
terror attacks in 2001, the US
Government has ordered all commercial
airlines and cruise ship lines to institute a
program for the collection and retention
of the fingerprints of all persons, both
US Citizens and foreign travelers, who
exit the United States. The initiative is
part of the over arching US-VISIT
program that was instituted by the
Department of Homeland Security and
also a recommendation of the
Congressional 9/11 Commission.
After years of becoming used to the
federal government amassing all types of
personal information about their
personal lives, from records of phone
calls and Internet activity to banking,
financial and medical histories,
Americans have not expressed alarm at
the prospect of private corporations
collecting and digitally storing their
fingerprints. Canadians and Europeans
have, however, questioned the utility of
collecting the data and warned of the
dangers inherent in storing the personal
information. American air carriers have
likewise expressed their strong
resistance to the program, not on
account of their concern for the privacy
of their customers, but rather because
collecting the information is expected to
cost the companies $3.5 billion dollars
over the next ten years. In a statement
that received no media attention in the
US, Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff made the
following assessment about the new
fingerprinting requirement, “a
fingerprint is hardly personal data…
they’re like footprints, they’re not
particularly private.” it's all true
collecting and digitally storing their
fingerprints. Canadians and Europeans
have, however, questioned the utility of
collecting the data and warned of the
dangers inherent in storing the personal
information. American air carriers have
likewise expressed their strong
resistance to the program, not on
account of their concern for the privacy
of their customers, but rather because
collecting the information is expected to
cost the companies $3.5 billion dollars
over the next ten years. In a statement
that received no media attention in the
US, Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff made the
following assessment about the new
fingerprinting requirement, “a
fingerprint is hardly personal data…
they’re like footprints, they’re not
particularly private.” it's all true
Hundreds of government
scientists have reported that they
have personally been subject to
political interference in their
work. A survey of scientists
working at the Environmental
Protection Agency conducted by
the Union of Concerned
Scientists found that over half of
the respondents said that they
had been directly influenced by
political pressures to alter their
work product or their course of
scientific inquiry.
More than five thousand EPA
scientists were asked to
participate in the survey, and
1586 scientists completed the on
line questionnaire. 889 of the
scientists who returned the
questionnaire said that they had
experienced political interference
in the past five years.
The Union reported that 49
percent of the respondents knew
of “many or some” cases where
EPA political appointees
“inappropriately involved
themselves” in scientific decisions
and 42 percent reported they
were aware of cases where
“commercial interests have
inappropriately induced the
reversal or withdrawal of EPA
scientific conclusions.”
Forty percent of the scientists
who responded to the survey
who are long-term agency
employees said that the political
pressure has intensified over the
past five years. The survey
respondents included agency
chemists, engineers,
environmental scientists and
geologists. it's all true
scientists have reported that they
have personally been subject to
political interference in their
work. A survey of scientists
working at the Environmental
Protection Agency conducted by
the Union of Concerned
Scientists found that over half of
the respondents said that they
had been directly influenced by
political pressures to alter their
work product or their course of
scientific inquiry.
More than five thousand EPA
scientists were asked to
participate in the survey, and
1586 scientists completed the on
line questionnaire. 889 of the
scientists who returned the
questionnaire said that they had
experienced political interference
in the past five years.
The Union reported that 49
percent of the respondents knew
of “many or some” cases where
EPA political appointees
“inappropriately involved
themselves” in scientific decisions
and 42 percent reported they
were aware of cases where
“commercial interests have
inappropriately induced the
reversal or withdrawal of EPA
scientific conclusions.”
Forty percent of the scientists
who responded to the survey
who are long-term agency
employees said that the political
pressure has intensified over the
past five years. The survey
respondents included agency
chemists, engineers,
environmental scientists and
geologists. it's all true
Spokespersons for the Bush
administration and the US military have
recently intensified their rhetoric against
the government of Iran alleging that Iran
is supplying weaponry to insurgents in
neighboring Iraq and expressing concern
that Iran is determined to acquire
nuclear weapons. The US has recently
positioned a second battle carrier group
in the Persian Gulf and has stationed
warships in the Mediterranean Sea off
the coast of Lebanon giving rise to
renewed concerns that the Bush
administration has designs on attacking
Iran.
Last Monday, Defense Secretary Robert
Gates said in a speech at the military
academy in West Point, NY, said that
the regime in Iran is “hell bent” on
obtaining nuclear weapons and warned
that "the military option must be kept
administration and the US military have
recently intensified their rhetoric against
the government of Iran alleging that Iran
is supplying weaponry to insurgents in
neighboring Iraq and expressing concern
that Iran is determined to acquire
nuclear weapons. The US has recently
positioned a second battle carrier group
in the Persian Gulf and has stationed
warships in the Mediterranean Sea off
the coast of Lebanon giving rise to
renewed concerns that the Bush
administration has designs on attacking
Iran.
Last Monday, Defense Secretary Robert
Gates said in a speech at the military
academy in West Point, NY, said that
the regime in Iran is “hell bent” on
obtaining nuclear weapons and warned
that "the military option must be kept
on the table, given the destabilizing
policies of the regime and the risks
inherent in a future Iranian nuclear
threat." Late last week, the chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael
Mullen, said Iran has “expressed long-
term goals to be the regional power" and
the US is prepared for and planning
“potential military courses of action" to
counter what he said was Iran’s
"increasingly lethal and malign influence."
Also last week, a private cargo vessel
chartered by the US military fired
warning shots at what the department of
defense has characterized as two Iranian
vessel in the Persian Gulf. Iranian
officials said that there has been no
confirmation that the boats that were
fired upon were not Iranian vessels.
Gates said that the US has confirmation
policies of the regime and the risks
inherent in a future Iranian nuclear
threat." Late last week, the chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael
Mullen, said Iran has “expressed long-
term goals to be the regional power" and
the US is prepared for and planning
“potential military courses of action" to
counter what he said was Iran’s
"increasingly lethal and malign influence."
Also last week, a private cargo vessel
chartered by the US military fired
warning shots at what the department of
defense has characterized as two Iranian
vessel in the Persian Gulf. Iranian
officials said that there has been no
confirmation that the boats that were
fired upon were not Iranian vessels.
Gates said that the US has confirmation
that Iran is supplying weaponry and
training to Iraqi fighters. Gates
stated categorically, “What the
Iranians are doing is killing American
servicemen and -women inside Iraq."
On Tuesday, CBS reported that the
Pentagon has ordered military
commanders to “develop new
options for attacking Iran.” Experts
say that an aerial attack of Iran would
likely target both weapons facilities
and Iranian defense operations
facilities and could include the first
use of battlefield nuclear weapons
since the Second World War. The
Union of Concerned Scientists
estimates that a “limited” nuclear
attack on military bases in Iran would
result in 3 million Iraqi deaths from
radiation poisoning within a two-
week period. it's all true
training to Iraqi fighters. Gates
stated categorically, “What the
Iranians are doing is killing American
servicemen and -women inside Iraq."
On Tuesday, CBS reported that the
Pentagon has ordered military
commanders to “develop new
options for attacking Iran.” Experts
say that an aerial attack of Iran would
likely target both weapons facilities
and Iranian defense operations
facilities and could include the first
use of battlefield nuclear weapons
since the Second World War. The
Union of Concerned Scientists
estimates that a “limited” nuclear
attack on military bases in Iran would
result in 3 million Iraqi deaths from
radiation poisoning within a two-
week period. it's all true
DHS: Your Fingerprints Are Public Information
Attack on Iranian Republican Guard Designed To Rally US Republican Faithful
EPA Scientists Report
Rising Political Heat
Rising Political Heat