America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq

"The invasion of Iraq in 2003 was not an isolated episode. It was the culmination of a 110-year period during which Americans overthrew fourteen governments that displeased them for various ideological, political, and economic reasons."

So writes author Stephen Kinzer in his new book "Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq."

Kinzer writes that "The "regime change" in Iraq seemed for a time -- a very short time -- to have worked. It is now clear, however, that this operation has had terrible unintended consequences. So have most of the other coups, revolutions, and invasions that the United States has mounted to depose governments it feared or mistrusted."

In this Democracy Now interview (which you can stream) you'll get a sense of the true nature of our government. The author explains that our history of interventions are directly tied to business interests, and not out of any sense of humanitarianism that's used as a public excuse for military action.

Only by understanding our history can you understand that our military is not used to help nor defend people of other nations, but to help and defend our business interests in other countries. Making the world safe for democracy is what you're always told, yet in truth, we make the world safe for corporate and banking profits.

Save the Internet

"Congress is pushing a law that would abandon Network Neutrality, the Internet’s First Amendment. Network neutrality prevents companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from deciding which Web sites work the best — based on who pays them the most. Your local library shouldn’t have to outbid Barnes & Noble for the right to have its Web site open quickly on your computer."

"Net Neutrality allows everyone to compete on a level playing field and is the reason that the Internet is a force for economic innovation, civic participation and free speech. If the public doesn’t speak up now, Congress will cave to a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign by telephone and cable companies that want to decide what you do, where you go, and what you watch online."

You may have been hearing rumors about the 'net beoming caste-based, where your ability to pay, will determine the quality of your access. This is the other side of the same coin, where companies will be coerced into paying extortion, to be able to get quality access to you. If you want to put a stop to this telecom greed, now's the time to speak up.

Research links digital images and cameras

"Child pornographers will soon have a harder time escaping prosecution thanks to a stunning new technology in development at Binghamton University, State University of New York, that can reliably link digital images to the camera with which they were taken, in much the same way that tell-tale scratches are used by forensic examiners to link bullets to the gun that fired them."

They've found another tool for the arsenal of the surveillance society we're all being trained to accept. Like all the other methods, this one too is promoted as being for your own good, to protect the children. Like all the other methods, this one too will be used in many other ways to identify law-abiding citizens who may be participating in legal activities that the government may consider subversive. Just as in all the other methods, this one would also be hard to stop as well, since to even protest it will get you nothing but accusations of being a child molester. Just as in all the other methods, this same pacifist statement applies;"if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about", right?

Study Shows Profits Driving Gasoline Price Spike

"The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights released a new study today of rising gasoline prices in California that found corporate markups and profiteering are responsible for spring price spikes, not rising crude costs or the national switchover to higher-cost ethanol, as the oil industry claims."

"Oil companies are opportunistically using the rising world price for crude oil as an excuse to excessively raise gasoline prices and pump up their profits, even though the spot market price for crude has gone up far more slowly than gasoline prices," said FTCR President Jamie Court. "In addition, the spot price is higher than most oil companies pay, since they either harvest their own crude or pay more stable and often much lower contract prices."

Ok so we already know this to be the case, but it's just nice to have it confirmed.

Heckler Charged With Harrassing Chinese President

"The U.S. government has charged Wenyi Wang, a Chinese national who has lived in the United States for 20 years, with threatening Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday while he met with President Bush at the White House."

"After waiting overnight in jail, Wang was formally charged with "knowingly and willfully intimidating, coercing, threatening or harassing … a foreign official performing his duties," a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in prison and a fine of $5,000."

"Wang did not break the law when she yelled "Stop oppressing the Falun Gong" at Hu or even when she unfurled a red-and-yellow banner of the Falun Gong, a religious movement banned in China. Wang broke the law — crossing from First Amendment protected speech to criminality — according to government prosecutor Angela George, when she yelled "Your time is running out," to Hu, and later, when she screamed "Anything you have done will come back to you in this life."

So, informing someone that they've created "bad karma" is now a crime. Let's cut the bullshit, her one and only real crime was embarrassing our dictator in front of an honored guest dictator.

Pure, wholesome, good old-fashioned dissent is not tolerated in America these days. Our right to protest our own, or anyone elses' government has become so stiffled over many years by rules and regulations, that we can now only protest by appointment, after applying for the proper permits and authorizations, and staying within certain designated areas, a certain distance away from the target of protest, and using only certain language, and signs must be constructed of certain materials....etc, etc, that it's just no fun anymore. Throwing a tomato would definately result in execution on the spot. And you know that's no joke.

She should have no problem "beating the rap", but the damage is done. Another warning has been implanted into your psyche that your peaceful, law-abiding, constitutionally protected acts of civil disobedience, are not welcome in the land of the formerly free.

Big Brother is listening

"In today’s threatcast Barrett Lyon and I resort to an air-gap technique to interview an engineer at ATT about the massive funneling of data and voice traffic into the NSA’s analysis centers. At first we looked into doing the interview directly with this guy, who we call Deep Packet, and masking his voice with digital effects. When we realized just what sort of processing power the NSA has available to them we decided that was not good enough to protect our source. Any digital effects could be reversed. So I got Barrett on the phone and he relayed my questions to Deep Packet via IRC and read his responses back to me."

"And those responses were chilling. Deep Packet gives a sense of an insider who at first did not believe the press reports but quickly learned that not only were they true but it went deeper."

"Deep Packet" Interview.mp3

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly Resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948

The General Assembly

Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Video - The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions

"Professor Griffin argues that "omissions and distortions" in the report amount to a cover-up by government officials and says that the available evidence suggests that the Bush administration was complicit in the 9/11 attacks."

"Professor Griffin covers topics he says have been inadequately answered by the commission. These include questions surrounding the attack on the Pentagon, the way in which the World Trade Center towers collapsed, and the behavior of President Bush and his Secret Service detail following notification that a second plane had hit the WTC. The talk was hosted by the Muslim- Jewish- Christian Alliance for 9/11 Truth and took place at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Includes Q&A."

Broadcast On C-Span 2 - Thursday, April 28, 2005

This is an older video presentation by the same David Ray Griffin who more recently spoke in California on the same topic, entitled "9/11, The Myth & The Reality", that I posted just a few days ago.

This is basically the same speech as the audio version, but as far as I'm concerned, this info can't be repeated often enough. He covers all the questions that were raised by the "official" accounts of what was supposed to have happened on 9/11, and points to one ugly conclusion that the government was involved in covering up, and lying about, practically everything that happened on that day. If we really were the totally suprised, innocent victims we're told we were, then why all the lies and cover ups? For all those who've questioned the official accounts from day one, there are no new revelations here, but for those just awakening, you'll learn why so many continue to insist a conspiracy of grand dimensions took place on that day, and won't stop bringing it up until everyone knows and understands the implications of our government covering up even one small aspect of 9/11 events. It doesn't take any leap of faith at all to see very clearly that all of the official stories about all of the events that day, are actually the ones that require the leaps of faith.

On the page, there's a link to Griffins' book, but it appears to have changed or gone dead. Not to worry though, I searched around and found another online version of it that you'll find here:

"THE NEW PEARL HARBOR"

Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance for 9/11 Truth

"MUJCA-NET is a group of scholars, religious leaders and activists dedicated to uniting members of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths in pursuit of 9/11 truth. We believe that the process of joining together in search of the truth about 9/11 will bring enormous benefits, regardless of what truths we may discover. While our endorsers and supporters have different views about the probable level of US government complicity in 9/11, all of us agree that a new, honest investigation of the possibility of official complicity is a matter of the most urgent national and global importance."

Peaking Of World Oil Production

"Oil is the lifeblood of modern civilization. It fuels the vast majority of the world’s mechanized transportation equipment – Automobiles, trucks, airplanes, trains, ships, farm equipment, the military, etc. Oil is also the primary feedstock for many of the chemicals that are essential to modern life. This study deals with the upcoming physical shortage of world conventional oil —an event that has the potential to inflict disruptions and hardships on the economies of every country. The earth’s endowment of oil is finite and demand for oil continues to increase with time. Accordingly, geologists know that at some future date, conventional oil supply will no longer be capable of satisfying world demand. At that point world conventional oil production will have peaked and begin to decline."

Philips tries to block ad-blocking

"Philips is attempting to patent a technique that would prevent viewers from skipping through ads embedded within recorded programmes or even channel surfing during broadcast ad breaks - or force viewers to cough up cash if they want to avoid the ads."

"A viewer may either watch the advertisements or pay a fee in order to be able to change channels or fast forward when the advertisements are being displayed," Philips' potential patent states."

This is the kind of crap that just gets under my skin. I block ads online because I have no intention of buying anything I don't need, and won't be forced to look at them. The same goes for TV, though I just ignore those, and see what else is on. Now they don't want me to do that anymore. Well screw'em. Soon as I have the misfortune of having to buy new electronics with any of this sort of nonsense, I'll be looking around for hacks to undo it. As soon as they get that crap to market, someone's going to rip it apart and figure out how to defeat it, and I'll be right there cheering them on.

I've never been swayed by any of the pro-ad excuses because I've never been the type of sucker they're looking for anyway, that runs out and buys just because I saw it on TV. I don't care if advertisers choose to sponsor programs so we can watch them for free, I wouldn't buy any of their wares unless I developed a need, outside of being told by them that I "must have it". If they think they're going to hold me hostage, they'd better develop a very thick skin. Hardware markers, sponsors, and show production companies are going to hear an earfull from me. I'll even go as far as telling them that I've defeated their practice, even if I haven't, just to screw with their heads.

To hell with patents and copyrights, once I buy something for my own personal use, I'll do with it whatever I damn well please.

Scientists Against Disease Mongering

"New conference addresses social implications of pharmaceutical companies marketing drugs for minor disorders."

"Pharmaceutical companies are marketing yesterday's unfortunate discomfort as today's official disorder, says an international group of scientists and physicians who gathered this week in Australia for the first ever Conference on Disease-Mongering. The meeting—and a series of papers published to coincide with it—addresses the social, financial and medical repercussions of disease mongering and calls on pharmaceutical companies, doctors and the general public to help put a stop to this practice."

Iran: The Next Neocon Target

"It’s been three years since the U.S. launched its war against Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction. Of course now almost everybody knows there were no WMDs, and Saddam Hussein posed no threat to the United States. Though some of our soldiers serving in Iraq still believe they are there because Saddam Hussein was involved in 9/11, even the administration now acknowledges there was no connection. Indeed, no one can be absolutely certain why we invaded Iraq. The current excuse, also given for staying in Iraq, is to make it a democratic state, friendly to the United States. There are now fewer denials that securing oil supplies played a significant role in our decision to go into Iraq and stay there. That certainly would explain why U.S. taxpayers are paying such a price to build and maintain numerous huge, permanent military bases in Iraq. They’re also funding a new billion dollar embassy- the largest in the world."

"The significant question we must ask ourselves is: What have we learned from three years in Iraq? With plans now being laid for regime change in Iran, it appears we have learned absolutely nothing."

Video - The Power of Nightmares parts I, II, III

"In the past, politicians promised to create a better world. They had different ways of achieving this. But their power and authority came from the optimistic visions they offered their people. Those dreams failed. And today, people have lost faith in ideologies. Increasingly, politicians are seen simply as managers of public life. But now, they have discovered a new role that restores their power and authority. Instead of delivering dreams, politicians now promise to protect us from nightmares. They say that they will rescue us from dreadful dangers that we cannot see and do not understand. And the greatest danger of all is international terrorism. A powerful and sinister network, with sleeper cells in countries across the world. A threat that needs to be fought by a war on terror. But much of this threat is a fantasy, which has been exaggerated and distorted by politicians. It’s a dark illusion that has spread unquestioned through governments around the world, the security services, and the international media."

"This is a series of films about how and why that fantasy was created, and who it benefits. At the heart of the story are two groups: the American neoconservatives, and the radical Islamists."

Part I
Baby It’s Cold Outside

Part II
The Phantom Victory

Part III
The Shadows In The Cave

A window into a world of need

When an economist and her three children gave up their lifestyle to live on a welfare budget for 40 days, they did not bargain for what they would find out.

"Every year, my family gives up something for Lent. This year, we sacrificed our lifestyle to live on a welfare budget for the 40-day period before Easter. This is what we learned:

"Welfare today isolates people. It makes poverty in our midst invisible, a situation that nearly 700,000 people on social assistance in Ontario today can attest to."

"And while my family became invisible for a while, the discomfiting truth is that Lent is temporary; poverty often is not."

Telecom giant pulled into domestic eavesdropping controversy

"AT&T, which provides phone and Internet service to millions of Americans, is ensnared in the widening controversy over the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping: A former employee claims firsthand knowledge of AT&T's cooperation in "wholesale" monitoring of Americans' communications."

"Mark Klein, who says he was an AT&T technician for more than 20 years, says that the company aids the National Security Agency in "conducting what amounts to vacuum-cleaner surveillance of all the data crossing the Internet -- whether that be people's e-mail, Web surfing, or any other data," according to a statement Klein released. AT&T has given the NSA extraordinary access to its central switching offices, the nerve centers of its digital networks, Klein contends."

Rumsfeld Potentially Liable for Torture

"Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld could be criminally liable for the torture of a detainee at Guantanamo Bay in late 2002 and early 2003, Human Rights Watch said today."

"A December 20, 2005 Army Inspector General’s report, obtained by Salon.com this week, contains a sworn statement by Lt. Gen. Randall M. Schmidt that implicates Secretary Rumsfeld in the abuse of detainee Mohammad al-Qahtani. Based on an investigation that he carried out in early 2005, which included two interviews with Rumsfeld, Gen. Schmidt describes the defense secretary as being "personally involved" in al-Qahtani’s interrogation."

"Human Rights Watch urges the United States to name a special prosecutor to investigate the culpability of Rumsfeld and others in the al-Qahtani case."

"The question at this point is not whether Secretary Rumsfeld should resign, it’s whether he should be indicted," said Joanne Mariner, Terrorism and Counterterrorism Program director at Human Rights Watch. "General Schmidt’s sworn statement suggests that Rumsfeld may have been perfectly aware of the abuses inflicted on al-Qahtani."

Audio - 9/11, The Myth & The Reality parts I & II

"In this definitive presentation given on March 30th, 2006 at the historic Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, California, Dr. David Ray Griffin deconstructs nine official myths, given that day."


Part I

Part II
Recorded 03/30/06 - Broadcast 04/05/06 on Guns And Butter

How to Break the American Trance

The following is a speech given by 92-year-old Doris "Granny D" Haddock, who walked across the U.S. in 1999-2000 for campaign finance reform. She made this speech to Citizens for Participation in Political Action in Boston, on Sept. 27, 2002.

"Some of you may be old enough to remember the Reagan Administration. Mr. Reagan and those around him believed in a very new kind of American hero. This new hero was a business hero -- not the fellow who built up a family furniture store on Main Street and supported the Little League and the Scouts; this new hero was not the woman who worked late hours to create a successful travel agency, nor was this new business hero anything like any of the hard-working Americans who built-up our middle class, advanced our standard of living and gave us the resources and leisure for the proper civic life of a democracy, with its leagues and Rotaries and Lions and Elks and VFWs and party conventions and all that glory."

"No, the Reagan business hero was the corporate takeover artist."

"Any regulations that might get in the way of these ruthless new capitalists were removed -- removed so that reptiles of uncommon greed and brutality might rule the earth, which they now nearly do."