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source: viroqua institute
one nation, under surveillance
crowd control
News
spread of the red
fun d' mental
Weather
number 175 12.07.08
| redstat archive |
| verbatim archive |
| Slim Harpo Tribute Page |
President-elect Barack Obama
introduced his national security team
this week at a press conference in
Chicago, confirming advance reports
that he would nominate primary rival
Hillary Clinton to become Secretary of
State and retain Defense Secretary
Robert Gates. The group, which also
includes Eric Holder as the nominee for
Attorney General and Arizona Governor
Janet Napolitano as the prospective
chief at Homeland Security, resembles
the previously announced economic
team in that it is comprised of veteran
Washington operators, many with ties
to the Clinton administration.
While politicians from both parties and
introduced his national security team
this week at a press conference in
Chicago, confirming advance reports
that he would nominate primary rival
Hillary Clinton to become Secretary of
State and retain Defense Secretary
Robert Gates. The group, which also
includes Eric Holder as the nominee for
Attorney General and Arizona Governor
Janet Napolitano as the prospective
chief at Homeland Security, resembles
the previously announced economic
team in that it is comprised of veteran
Washington operators, many with ties
to the Clinton administration.
While politicians from both parties and
the mainstream media have largely
praised the “pragmatic” and
“experienced” appointments, some
progressive organizations that supported
the Obama candidacy have been
disappointed and dismayed by the
center-right administration that is taking
shape. At the Chicago event unveiling
the security lineup, Obama was careful
to reiterate that he would consult with
his military commanders on the timing
and scope of troop withdrawals from
Iraq, “calibrating”, as the New York
Times put it, one of his most prominent
campaign stances. Political observers
explain Obama’s recent policy
maneuvering as part of a shift that began
after he wrapped up the Democratic
praised the “pragmatic” and
“experienced” appointments, some
progressive organizations that supported
the Obama candidacy have been
disappointed and dismayed by the
center-right administration that is taking
shape. At the Chicago event unveiling
the security lineup, Obama was careful
to reiterate that he would consult with
his military commanders on the timing
and scope of troop withdrawals from
Iraq, “calibrating”, as the New York
Times put it, one of his most prominent
campaign stances. Political observers
explain Obama’s recent policy
maneuvering as part of a shift that began
after he wrapped up the Democratic
nomination last spring, pointing to his
Senate vote over the summer to
grant retroactive immunity to
telecommunications companies that
cooperated with illegal Bush
administration surveillance programs.
Judging by leaks from within the
Obama transition team, it now seems
doubtful that the new administration
will seriously pursue investigations of
war crimes or other serious
allegations against the Bush White
House. The Obama presidency will in
any case be defined more by the
current administration’s economic
crimes than by its human rights and
civil liberties violations. it's all true
Senate vote over the summer to
grant retroactive immunity to
telecommunications companies that
cooperated with illegal Bush
administration surveillance programs.
Judging by leaks from within the
Obama transition team, it now seems
doubtful that the new administration
will seriously pursue investigations of
war crimes or other serious
allegations against the Bush White
House. The Obama presidency will in
any case be defined more by the
current administration’s economic
crimes than by its human rights and
civil liberties violations. it's all true
Private health insurance plans, which
now serve up to 25 percent of all
Medicare beneficiaries, have
increased the costs and complexity of
medical care without delivering
promised improvements and
efficiencies, according to a pair of
studies of the so-called Medicare
Advantage plans released last week.
Critics of the programs note that the
government pays a premium of 13
percent to the private plans for no
discernible benefit. During the
campaign President-elect Barack
Obama pledged to reduce payments
to the private plans, which are
operated primarily by large health
services corporations.
According to Bloomberg News,
three healthcare giants—Humana,
WellCare, and HealthSpring—depend
on Medicare Advantage plans for
more than 80 percent of their gross
annual earnings. The plans include
health maintenance organizations
(HMOs), preferred provider
organizations (PPOs), and private
fee-for-service plans, which cost an
average of 17 percent more than
traditional Medicare. it's all true
now serve up to 25 percent of all
Medicare beneficiaries, have
increased the costs and complexity of
medical care without delivering
promised improvements and
efficiencies, according to a pair of
studies of the so-called Medicare
Advantage plans released last week.
Critics of the programs note that the
government pays a premium of 13
percent to the private plans for no
discernible benefit. During the
campaign President-elect Barack
Obama pledged to reduce payments
to the private plans, which are
operated primarily by large health
services corporations.
According to Bloomberg News,
three healthcare giants—Humana,
WellCare, and HealthSpring—depend
on Medicare Advantage plans for
more than 80 percent of their gross
annual earnings. The plans include
health maintenance organizations
(HMOs), preferred provider
organizations (PPOs), and private
fee-for-service plans, which cost an
average of 17 percent more than
traditional Medicare. it's all true
Private Premium
Part of the Plan
Part of the Plan
Obama Security Appointments Promise More of the Shame
| “I've been in the Bible every day since I've been the president." Washington DC 11.12.08 |
| verbatim number 34.1 |
A recent study that compared
societal religiosity and societal
health found that there is no
correlation between a society’s
level of religious belief and the
well being of its citizens. In fact,
the study, which was reported in
the Journal of Religion and
Society, found that societies that
place a high value on the worship
of a deity are generally more
violent, more promiscuous and
less healthy.
Researchers compared developed
countries in the west, such as
England, Japan and the United
States, and found that countries
that are highly secular have lower
rates of crime, suicide and sexual
promiscuity. The study, by
contrast, found that “no
democracy is known to have
combined a strong religiosity and
popular denial of evolution with
high rates of social health.”
The study found that of the
countries reviewed, “the United
States is the only prosperous
nation where the majority
absolutely believes in a creator
and evolutionary science is
unpopular.”
The study’s author, Gregory S.
Paul, said, “In general, higher
rates of belief in and worship of a
creator correlate with higher
rates of homicide, juvenile and
early adult mortality, STD
infection rates, teen pregnancy
and abortion in the prosperous
democracies. The United States
is almost always the most
dysfunctional of the developing
democracies, sometimes
spectacularly so.” it's all true
societal religiosity and societal
health found that there is no
correlation between a society’s
level of religious belief and the
well being of its citizens. In fact,
the study, which was reported in
the Journal of Religion and
Society, found that societies that
place a high value on the worship
of a deity are generally more
violent, more promiscuous and
less healthy.
Researchers compared developed
countries in the west, such as
England, Japan and the United
States, and found that countries
that are highly secular have lower
rates of crime, suicide and sexual
promiscuity. The study, by
contrast, found that “no
democracy is known to have
combined a strong religiosity and
popular denial of evolution with
high rates of social health.”
The study found that of the
countries reviewed, “the United
States is the only prosperous
nation where the majority
absolutely believes in a creator
and evolutionary science is
unpopular.”
The study’s author, Gregory S.
Paul, said, “In general, higher
rates of belief in and worship of a
creator correlate with higher
rates of homicide, juvenile and
early adult mortality, STD
infection rates, teen pregnancy
and abortion in the prosperous
democracies. The United States
is almost always the most
dysfunctional of the developing
democracies, sometimes
spectacularly so.” it's all true
In over two years since the
implementation of a controversial
screening method in America’s airports,
where screeners use behavior profiling
techniques to asses which travelers may
be terrorists, less than one percent of
the travelers that have been subjected to
searches based upon being targeted using
the “behavior observation and analysis
techniques” have been arrested.
The Transportation Security
Administration has subjected more than
160,000 travelers to additional searches
and questioning after being singled out
by airport luggage screeners who use
behavior analysis techniques. Just over
1200 individuals have been arrested after
having their behavior profiled, and the
vast majority of arrests have been of
people traveling with a phony IDs or
who are smuggling small amounts of
implementation of a controversial
screening method in America’s airports,
where screeners use behavior profiling
techniques to asses which travelers may
be terrorists, less than one percent of
the travelers that have been subjected to
searches based upon being targeted using
the “behavior observation and analysis
techniques” have been arrested.
The Transportation Security
Administration has subjected more than
160,000 travelers to additional searches
and questioning after being singled out
by airport luggage screeners who use
behavior analysis techniques. Just over
1200 individuals have been arrested after
having their behavior profiled, and the
vast majority of arrests have been of
people traveling with a phony IDs or
who are smuggling small amounts of
illegal drugs. As previously reported by
redstateupdate.net, under the TSA
behavior analysis program called
Screening Passengers by Observation
Techniques, or SPOT, airport screeners
are trained to look for passengers who
display “involuntary physical and
psychological reactions that people
exhibit in response to the fear of being
discovered.”
The TSA program was initially used in 43
large metropolitan airports but has been
expanded to be used by in 150 airports,
including small facilities where as few as
20 flights are scheduled per day. The
TSA reports that 3400 of its employees
are trained to use behavior-profiling
techniques. The agency will not say if
the use of profiling tactics by its
screeners has resulted in the
apprehension of a terrorist. it's all true
redstateupdate.net, under the TSA
behavior analysis program called
Screening Passengers by Observation
Techniques, or SPOT, airport screeners
are trained to look for passengers who
display “involuntary physical and
psychological reactions that people
exhibit in response to the fear of being
discovered.”
The TSA program was initially used in 43
large metropolitan airports but has been
expanded to be used by in 150 airports,
including small facilities where as few as
20 flights are scheduled per day. The
TSA reports that 3400 of its employees
are trained to use behavior-profiling
techniques. The agency will not say if
the use of profiling tactics by its
screeners has resulted in the
apprehension of a terrorist. it's all true
In a ruling that gives priority to the
federal government’s claim of secrecy
over the privacy rights of American
citizens, a panel of judges ruled that
authorities can conduct searches and
surveillance of US citizens in foreign
countries without seeking the approval
of a judge as is required by the US
Constitution.
The three-judge panel of the US Court
of Appeals for the Second Circuit in
Manhattan made their ruling in a case
having to do with three alleged terror
suspects who were convicted of helping
to plan the bombing of two US
embassies in Africa in the late 1990s.
The ruling effectively strips American
citizens of one of their most
fundamental constitutional rights, the
protection from unwarranted searches
and surveillance by their own
federal government’s claim of secrecy
over the privacy rights of American
citizens, a panel of judges ruled that
authorities can conduct searches and
surveillance of US citizens in foreign
countries without seeking the approval
of a judge as is required by the US
Constitution.
The three-judge panel of the US Court
of Appeals for the Second Circuit in
Manhattan made their ruling in a case
having to do with three alleged terror
suspects who were convicted of helping
to plan the bombing of two US
embassies in Africa in the late 1990s.
The ruling effectively strips American
citizens of one of their most
fundamental constitutional rights, the
protection from unwarranted searches
and surveillance by their own
government, when they are not actually
physically present in the US.
US agents wiretapped the phone
conversations of Wadih el-Hage for a
year without ever seeking the approval
of a court. El-Hage is a naturalized
American citizen who is alleged by the
government to be a close aide to Osama
bin Laden and who resided in Nairobi.
The panel said in their ruling that, while
it was true that the defendant in the
case, el-Hage, had suffered a “significant
invasion of privacy by virtue of the
government’s yearlong surveillance of his
telephone communications,” the
“sustained and intense monitoring” was
necessary for national security reasons.
Federal agents, the court ruled, had a
“self-evident need to investigate threats
to national security.”
physically present in the US.
US agents wiretapped the phone
conversations of Wadih el-Hage for a
year without ever seeking the approval
of a court. El-Hage is a naturalized
American citizen who is alleged by the
government to be a close aide to Osama
bin Laden and who resided in Nairobi.
The panel said in their ruling that, while
it was true that the defendant in the
case, el-Hage, had suffered a “significant
invasion of privacy by virtue of the
government’s yearlong surveillance of his
telephone communications,” the
“sustained and intense monitoring” was
necessary for national security reasons.
Federal agents, the court ruled, had a
“self-evident need to investigate threats
to national security.”
The panel went further to say that
US authorities did not need to seek
the approval of a foreign government
to perform surveillance of Americans
who happened to live in their
country. There was no need, the
three-judge panel said in their ruling,
for US intelligence agents to "press
foreign governments for the
provision of legal rights not
recognized by their criminal justice
systems."
The court said, however, that while
there was no need for the
government to seek a warrant to
record the conversations of el-Hage,
"The Fourth Amendment’s
requirement of reasonableness-
but not the Warrant Clause-applies
to extraterritorial searches and
seizures of US citizens.” it's all true
US authorities did not need to seek
the approval of a foreign government
to perform surveillance of Americans
who happened to live in their
country. There was no need, the
three-judge panel said in their ruling,
for US intelligence agents to "press
foreign governments for the
provision of legal rights not
recognized by their criminal justice
systems."
The court said, however, that while
there was no need for the
government to seek a warrant to
record the conversations of el-Hage,
"The Fourth Amendment’s
requirement of reasonableness-
but not the Warrant Clause-applies
to extraterritorial searches and
seizures of US citizens.” it's all true
| Percent of labor force working more than 40 hours per week selected countries |
| united states |
| denmark |
| % 20 40 60 80 |
| japan |
| ireland |
| france |
| norway |
| england |
| canada |
A Country That
Believes Has More
Violence and Thieves
Believes Has More
Violence and Thieves
US Citizens' Rights to Privacy Confiscated at Nation's Borders
Airport Facial Profiling Program Nets Few Arrests
Researchers leading the unprecedented
Census of Marine Life project, scheduled
for completion in 2010, have warned
that their studies reveal that ocean
environments are undergoing a period of
rapid change. An international effort
involving more than 2000 scientists from
82 countries, the Census has already
identified thousands of new species and
varieties, creating the most detailed
picture ever assembled of oceanic
biodiversity. Over the course of eight
years, researchers have also been able to
observe the effects of climate change on
marine life in a global context,
documenting the impact of disruptive
human activities on ancient ecosystems.
The Census of Marine Life, which was
started in 2000, is already seen as a
major scientific achievement, establishing
baseline data for future research in a
wide range of disciplines. “It’s been a
remarkable time of exciting new
discoveries and frightening revelations of
how quickly the oceans are changing,”
said Paul Snelgrove, a Canadian marine
biologist leading a team of researchers
working on the Census, in an interview
with the Inter Press News Service.
The Census has confirmed that over 90
percent of the large predator species
such as sharks, tuna, and swordfish that
Census of Marine Life project, scheduled
for completion in 2010, have warned
that their studies reveal that ocean
environments are undergoing a period of
rapid change. An international effort
involving more than 2000 scientists from
82 countries, the Census has already
identified thousands of new species and
varieties, creating the most detailed
picture ever assembled of oceanic
biodiversity. Over the course of eight
years, researchers have also been able to
observe the effects of climate change on
marine life in a global context,
documenting the impact of disruptive
human activities on ancient ecosystems.
The Census of Marine Life, which was
started in 2000, is already seen as a
major scientific achievement, establishing
baseline data for future research in a
wide range of disciplines. “It’s been a
remarkable time of exciting new
discoveries and frightening revelations of
how quickly the oceans are changing,”
said Paul Snelgrove, a Canadian marine
biologist leading a team of researchers
working on the Census, in an interview
with the Inter Press News Service.
The Census has confirmed that over 90
percent of the large predator species
such as sharks, tuna, and swordfish that
once populated the oceans have
vanished. According to Snelgrove,
“We’re also seeing evidence of climate
change with the shifting distribution of
species.”
Scientists working on the project have
been able to track conditions related to
climate change including fluctuations in
temperatures and salinity, as well as
increasing acidification of waters directly
affected by industrial development. The
project has also documented the
dramatic disappearance of sea ice and
locally increasing levels of methane gas
that have been attributed to cracks and
fissures in permafrost caused by global
warming. The Census includes the first
comprehensive studies of marine
biodiversity in Polar Regions.
Researchers estimate that the Census
will ultimately catalog more than
230,000 named marine species.
Scientists hope to continue many of
parts of the program, such as the
underwater electronic Ocean Tracking
System. Also to remain in place is the
Global Ocean Observing System, a
network of satellites that has revealed,
researchers warn, a pressing need for
some form of international governance
over the open oceans. it's all true
vanished. According to Snelgrove,
“We’re also seeing evidence of climate
change with the shifting distribution of
species.”
Scientists working on the project have
been able to track conditions related to
climate change including fluctuations in
temperatures and salinity, as well as
increasing acidification of waters directly
affected by industrial development. The
project has also documented the
dramatic disappearance of sea ice and
locally increasing levels of methane gas
that have been attributed to cracks and
fissures in permafrost caused by global
warming. The Census includes the first
comprehensive studies of marine
biodiversity in Polar Regions.
Researchers estimate that the Census
will ultimately catalog more than
230,000 named marine species.
Scientists hope to continue many of
parts of the program, such as the
underwater electronic Ocean Tracking
System. Also to remain in place is the
Global Ocean Observing System, a
network of satellites that has revealed,
researchers warn, a pressing need for
some form of international governance
over the open oceans. it's all true
Project Charts Rising Tide of Threats to Oceans