Saturday, March 1, 2008

FBI Calls InfraGard Story “Patently False”

Matthew Rothschild

The Progressive
March 1, 2008


Al-Ghamdi


The FBI’s Cyber Division Assistant Director Shawn Henry said, “The article’s claims are patently false.”

I’ve got the FBI on my case.

Three weeks ago The Progressive published my story on InfraGard, a secretive but large group of business executives that works hand in glove with the FBI.

The article was called “The FBI Deputizes Business.” and we posted it February 8 on our website, and then on the cover of The Progressive’s March issue.

In the story, I reported on a whistleblower, himself a member of InfraGard, who told me that InfraGard members had been given permission by the FBI and Homeland Security to “shoot to kill” in the event of martial law.

Well, on February 15, the FBI issued a press release denouncing the article.

The FBI’s Cyber Division Assistant Director Shawn Henry said, “The article’s claims are patently false.”

First, Henry nitpicked the headline of the article, saying: “The title, however catchy, is a complete fabrication.” Is it really? FBI Director Mueller himself called InfraGard members “partners in our mission to protect America,” adding that they were his “first line of defense.”

MORE: http://www.infowars.com/?p=538

At Least 45 Killed in Israeli Strikes in Gaza

http://news.google.com

Damschroder To Step Down As Director of FCBOE After ProgressOhio Releases Emails


Score one for the good guys!

Last month ProgressOhio initiated a public records request to the Franklin County Board Of Elections.

Not Everything Should Be A Secret: ProgressOhio Files Public Records Request to the Franklin County BOE

"Pursuant to R.C. 149.43, please provide all records, including, but not limited to, emails (whether on private or government email accounts), memoranda, or other correspondence to or from Matt Damschroder . . .

Our findings were reported by Executive Director of ProgressOhio.org Brian Rothenberg in his column"Shadows On High".

Shadows On High: Election Machine Drama; All Damm-ed Up And Nowhere to Go!

From todays Columbus Dispatch:

Shake-up to precede primary at Franklin County Board of Elections

A deal is in the works to change leaders at the Franklin County Board of Elections, just days before the presidential primary draws scrutiny to Ohio.

The board will meet at 1 p.m. Sunday to swap its director and deputy director and name a new chairman.

The move follows rumors that Director Matthew Damschroder would be booted, both because he is bloodied by battles with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and because he is a Republican and political control has shifted to Democrats.

The changes are intended to allay Brunner's concerns. She is responsible for Ohio's elections and has a laundry list of grievances against Damschroder, including what she sees as sloppy voting safeguards and his efforts to torpedo her reforms.

"I want qualified people to run the board of election," Brunner said. "I can work with just about anybody. … What I can't abide is someone not following the law, cutting corners and essentially creating problems for voters."
William A. Anthony Jr. confirmed Friday that he will step down as chairman of the board, clearing the way for fellow Democrat Dennis L. White to be voted in as director at the board's organizational meeting.

Damschroder, a Republican, will move to deputy director. Doug Preisse, chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party, is expected to be voted in as chairman of the elections board, which he joined just last week.

Ohio law requires bipartisan oversight of elections boards; a single party may not control both the chairman and director.

Anthony and Preisse and fellow board member Kim Marinello each said they'd vote for Damschroder as deputy director. Former Chairman Michael F. Colley could not be reached for comment. But Preisse said they'd spoken recently and "he seemed satisfied with the way things are coming together."

Anthony said he'd counseled Damschroder to lie low after e-mails became public showing he was working against Brunner's decision to return to paper ballots because of concerns over the electronic machines' security and accuracy.

"I told him, 'That wasn't politically smart, man,' " he said.

Not Everything Should Be A Secret: ProgressOhio Files Public Records Request to the Franklin County BOE

Shadows On High: Election Machine Drama; All Damm-ed Up And Nowhere to Go!

Bush Meets NATO Secretary General




29 February 2008

Stearns report - Download (MP3) audio clip
Stearns report - Listen (MP3) audio clip

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says the trans-Atlantic alliance is winning the war in Afghanistan and is a force for peace in an independent Kosovo. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, the NATO leader met with President Bush Friday for talks ahead of April's NATO summit in Romania.

President Bush meets with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, 29 Feb 2008
President Bush meets with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, 29 Feb 2008
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, President Bush said the United States is committed to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

"We are committed to a comprehensive strategy that helps folks in Afghanistan realize security at the same time economic prosperity and political progress."

While all 26 NATO members have troops in Afghanistan, some have limited their deployments to safer areas where combat with Taliban fighters is less likely.

The United States wants more NATO troops from more member states on the frontlines.

De Hoop Scheffer said the alliance has a long-term commitment to Afghanistan.

Largest anti-Arroyo protest in Manila

Largest anti-Arroyo protest in Manila
Web posted at: 3/1/2008 1:21:4
Source ::: AFP
Thousands of Filipinos gather in Manila's financial district of Makati City calling for the ouster of President Gloria Arroyo, yesterday. (EPA)

manila • Two former Philippine presidents took to the stage yesterday to call for embattled President Gloria Arroyo's resignation in the largest anti-government protest in years.

Disgraced former president Joseph Estrada and the woman who helped unseat him, former president Corazon Aquino, led more than 15,000 people through a Manila financial district as security forces went on full alert in the capital.

"Enough Gloria. You should resign," Aquino told the crowd after she climbed on a stage to address the protesters. “The time calls for everyone to unite to stop this deception and get the truth out.”

For months, Arroyo has been plagued by a corruption scandal implicating her husband and a key political ally in alleged kickbacks in a failed $329m broadband deal with Chinese company ZTE Corp.

Estrada, who was pardoned by Arroyo last year shortly after being sentenced to life in prison for massive corruption, joined Aquino on stage. It was an unlikely pairing since Aquino had joined the public uprising in 2001 that led to his ouster and the instalment of Arroyo as president.

"What do we do if people overstay their welcome," Estrada said, letting the crowd roar out its answer: "Resign!" Placards reading "Gloria, Resign" and calling Arroyo “Luckiest Bitch’ referring to her avoiding several impeachments and coup attempts-were brandished, along with a giant effigy of a red Arroyo devil. "This will be the strongest rejection yet of Mrs Arroyo," said Renato Reyes of the leftist political group Bayan.

Armenian riot police break up election protest


RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

Video news

Allahshukur Pashazade: PKK terrorists can settle in the occupied Azerbaijani territories as the territories are uncontrolled



Armenian police clear protesters
BBC News - 5 hours ago
Police in Armenia's capital, Yerevan, have moved to clear demonstrators camped out in the centre to protest at the presidential election result.
UPDATE 2-Armenian riot police break up election protest Reuters
The image “http://www.pr-inside.com/images/pics/115834-thousands-rally-in-support-of.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.
Armenian police disperse protest AFP
The Associated Press - Reuters India - Indian Muslims - Voice of America

Photo 1 of 3

Supporters of Armenian opposition presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian in Yerevan

Armenian presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian won 21.5 percent of the vote, according to official results

The image “http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44461000/jpg/_44461534_demo_ap_203b.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.


http://afp.google.com/media/ALeqM5jDlJkt-kUND1f--34mA0Tu8wDo4A?size=m

http://afp.google.com/media/ALeqM5i47I4UH3HVwxk3w4jcQNm3xx4fqw?size=m

all 242 news articles »

Hezbollah denounces deployment of US warships


Kuwait Times
Hezbollah Scolds US for Sending Ships Toward Lebanon
New York Times - 6 hours ago
By ROBERT F. WORTH BEIRUT, Lebanon - As American warships moved toward Lebanon on Friday, Hezbollah accused the United States of threatening regional stability, and the country’s pro-Western prime minister took pains to distance himself from the ...
Deployment of US naval ship not related to events in Lebanon ... Indian Muslims
Hezbollah denounces deployment of US warships International Herald Tribune
Voice of America - The Associated Press - Times Online - Reuters
all 246 news articles »

Scientists find bacteria in snowflakes



Scientific American
Scientists find bacteria in snowflakes
New York Daily News - 46 minutes ago
BY CORKY SIEMASZKO Scientists have discovered something that will make many people think twice about lapping up those beautiful white snowflakes - they're often held together by bacteria.
Airborne Bacteria Make It Rain, Researchers Find Wired News
Study Shows Bacteria Are Common in Snow The Associated Press
eFluxMedia - FOXNews - USA Today - 2TheAdvocate
all 242 news articles »

Mukasey Refuses to Prosecute Bush Aides




Washington Post
Mukasey Refuses to Prosecute Bush Aides
Washington Post - 4 hours ago
By Dan Eggen Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey refused yesterday to refer two new House contempt citations to a federal grand jury, saying the White House aides involved in the case cannot be prosecuted because they were following legal advice from ...
Attorney general declines to investigate Bush advisers CNN
Mukasey rejects contempt citations Detroit Free Press
ABC News - The Associated Press - New York Times
all 628 news articles »

NATO chief disputes US view of Afghan control

NATO chief disputes US intelligence assessment on Afghanistan
International Herald Tribune - 7 hours ago
AP WASHINGTON: NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer took issue with the US intelligence chief's recent estimate that the Afghan government controlled only about 30 percent of the country.
NATO chief disputes US view of Afghan control Reuters
Bush Does Not Commit to NATO Bids The Associated Press
Bloomberg - Voice of America - AHN - KWTX
all 239 news articles »

Judge OKs Mandatory Anthrax Vaccine

Anthrax Ruling to Be Appealed
Washington Post - 7 hours ago
By Christopher Lee An attorney for six Defense Department employees said yesterday that they will appeal a federal judge's dismissal of their lawsuit challenging the Pentagon's policy of compulsory anthrax vaccinations for certain troops.
Military wins round for mandatory anthrax vaccination CNN
Judge OKs Mandatory Anthrax Vaccine The Associated Press
CIDRAP - Stars and Stripes - JURIST - Team 4 News
all 181 news articles »

Guns, 'Anarchist Book' Found With Ricin

Guns, 'Anarchist Book' Found With Ricin
The Associated Press - 46 minutes ago
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Firearms and an "anarchist type textbook" were found in the same motel room where several vials of the deadly toxin ricin was found, police said Friday.
Video: Ricin Found in Las Vegas Motel AssociatedPressMan in Critical Condition in Ricin Case New York Times
Washington Times - Bloomberg - BBC News - International Herald Tribune
all 996 news articles »

New Israeli raids on Gaza kill 26


Wounded Palestinian at hospital in Beit Lahiya
More than 50 Palestinians and an Israeli have died in recent days
Israeli forces have carried out further attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing at least 26 Palestinians.

Medical staff said four children aged nine to 16 were among the dead, as well as at least six Palestinian militants.

Five Israeli troops were lightly injured in clashes with gunmen inside Gaza, after tanks entered three areas in the north of the territory.

The raids came as Israel said it might launch a full-scale attack on Gaza in response to militant rocket attacks.

Sderot residents give their views on what to do about rocket fire

The BBC's Katya Adler in Jerusalem says Israel's leaders have been under pressure from some quarters to launch a ground invasion.

However, a recent opinion poll has indicated a majority of Israelis favour a truce with the Islamist movement Hamas, which controls Gaza.

Civilian deaths

Gaza's citizens were kept awake for another night by the sounds of Israeli military aircraft and missile strikes.

ISRAEL-HAMAS ATTACKS
Saturday
At least 20 Palestinians killed in overnight raids
Friday:
Ashkelon activates warning system after rocket hits
Thursday:
Four children killed near Jabaliya refugee camp
Five Hamas militants and two from PRC killed
Wednesday:
Six-month-old boy killed near interior ministry
Five Hamas militants killed near Khan Younis
Islamic Jihad militant killed near Bureij refugee camp
Israeli civilian killed in Sderot

On one occasion, a house east of the Jabaliya refugee camp was struck - two children, a brother and sister, were killed.

Two more civilians, a father and his 19-year-old son, died in an airstrike outside their home.

Later, a 15-year-old girl and her 16-year-old sister were also killed.

Israel says its aim is to stop Palestinian militants firing rockets across the border.

But several more were launched in recent hours, three hitting the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon and causing light injuries to four people.

On Thursday a rocket fired by Hamas killed an Israeli student in the southern town of Sderot, the first such death in nine months.

Palestinian militant leaders say they are responding to Israeli attacks.

More than 50 Palestinians and one Israeli have been killed in the violence since Wednesday.

We Are Change & KPFK Host 911 Truth Seminar For 400 People



WeAreChange Portland asks Senator Ron Wyden about 9/11

WeAreChange Portland asks Senator Ron Wyden about 9/11
We Are Change
Tuesday, 26 February 2008


WeAreChange Portland asks Senator Wyden to champion the issue of 9/11 Truth and ask for a new, truly independent investigation. Ron respectfully disagrees with the laws of physics.

Sick 9/11 workers rally in rainy D.C. for more help

Sick 9/11 workers rally in rainy D.C. for more help
Sci-Tech/Health
Wednesday, 27 February 2008

New York Daily News

WASHINGTON - Chanting "$25 million isn't enough!" dozens of sick 9/11 first responders stood in the rain on Capitol Hill Tuesday and urged President Bush to restore funding to help pay their medical bills.

Joseph Zadroga, whose son James died of lung disease after working 100 hours at the site for the NYPD, said the government needs to help those who helped the city get back on its feet after the towers fell.

"They dug this country out of a hole and now it's time for this country to dig them out of their holes," he said as he held back tears.

Bush has budgeted just $25 million for 9/11 health care programs in 2009 - compared with $108 million for this year.

The Daily News, in a series of Pulitzer Prize-winning editorials, has also fought for more funding for the city's sick heroes.

"We lost 3,000 lives on 9/11, but thousands more have lost their health," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens). She is sponsoring a bill named after James Zadroga that would mandate health care funding for ailing 9/11 workers.

Read more...

Friday, February 29, 2008

Will hunt terror groups in Pak if US interest threatened:Obama

Will hunt terror groups in Pak if US interest threatened:Obama
Elections 2008
Wednesday, 27 February 2008

Udayavani

Washington, February 27: Maintaining a tough line, Democrat presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Wednesday said if American interests are threatened, his administration will hunt down terror outfits including in places like Pakistan.

At the same time, Obama clarified that he never said that he would "bomb" Pakistan but only act in the face of actionable intelligence about terrorist targets and if Islamabad is unable or unwilling to take action.

The remarks of the Illinois Senator came during a debate in Ohio, after rival Hillary Clinton questioned his stand on foreign policy issues, including Pakistan.

"Senator Obama... basically threatened to bomb Pakistan, which I don't think was a particularly wise position to take," Clinton said.

"I never said I would bomb Pakistan. What I said was that if we have actionable intelligence against (Osama) bin Laden or other key al-Qaeda officials and Pakistan is unwilling or unable to strike against them, we should," Obama said.

Read more...

Ohio Voter Mugging 2008: OEJC Announces Quarantine That Machine Initiative

Ohio Voter Mugging 2008: OEJC Announces Quarantine That Machine Initiative
11:25 PM on Feb. 29, 2008

Ohio Voter Mugging 2008:

OEJC Announces Quarantine That Machine Initiative

During its Election Education Forum in Dayton, Ohio this month, the Ohio Election Justice Campaign unveiled its citizen action initiative, Quarantine That Machine, for use during Ohio's primary election this Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Developed by an Ohio pollworker for use by other pollworkers and voters, Quarantine That Machine is a simple-to-follow initiative.

As explained by Paddy Shaffer, Director of the OEJC, "If the voting machine you use behaves in an illegal manner, it should be treated as part of a crime scene. The theft of your vote is a crime by the voting machine and its vendors against YOU.

Treat it as such." Voters are also encouraged to report problems through the new mobile blogging community, Utterz. With utterz, voters can blog the machine problems immediately from their cell phone with audio, video, images, and text. Utterz provides a phone number for people to call in and "speak" a blog entry, which appears as an audio file. Voters are asked to tag their entry "Ohio Voter Mugging 2008" and to identify the scene of the crime.

For more information on this blogging community and to join before the primary, visit http://www.utterz.com.

Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) February 29, 2008 -- During its Election Education Forum in Dayton, Ohio this month, the Ohio Election Justice Campaign (OEJC) unveiled its citizen action election initiative, Quarantine That Machine, for use during Ohio's primary election this Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Developed by an Ohio pollworker for use by other pollworkers and voters, Quarantine That Machine is a simple-to-follow initiative. As explained by Paddy Shaffer, Director of the OEJC, "If the voting machine you use behaves in an illegal manner, it should be treated as part of a crime scene. The theft of your vote is a crime by the voting machine and its vendors against YOU. Treat it as such."

As outlined by Ms. Shaffer, voters should watch for the following problems when voting on the touch screen machines:

1. Vote Hopping - This is when you vote for a candidate or an issue, and your vote visually hops and goes to another candidate or issue on the screen. We are generally told it is a calibration problem. For the voter, this means your vote is not recorded for who or what you intended. You have been robbed.

2. Paper Tape Does Not Match Your Vote - Please take the time to read the paper tape when you vote. The paper tape should correspond exactly with your vote on the touch-screen machines. This paper tape is called the Voter Verified Paper Trail (VVPT). In Ohio, the VVPT is your official ballot for an audit or recount.

Note: If you wear glasses, bring them as the paper tapes are hard to read. The typeface is small, and some tapes are printed very light.



The above problems are not "glitches." There are evidence of significant problems with the machine. As Project EVEREST, the state-sponsored study of the electronic voting machines demonstrated, the machines are extremely vulnerable to sabotage, whether accidental or intentional, http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/info/everest.aspx.

If either of these problems occur while voting, the voter should


1. Tell the poll worker what happened;
2. Inform the poll worker that the machine must be immediately pulled from use in the election;
3. Instruct the poll worker not to manipulate the machine in an effort to correct the problem; and
4. File a police report with local law enforcement. Remind law enforcement to record the serial number of the machine.

As explained by Ms. Shaffer, it is critical that the machine not be harmed or manipulated in any way. It needs to be in the "same condition" for any forensic investigation. In previous elections, pollworker response to these problems has ranged from inaction to shaking the machine, canceling the vote and suggesting a revote, or pushing the reset button. These actions do not correct the problem; in some cases they simply result in more lost votes.

Pollworkers, when informed of the above problems, should
1. Have the voter move away from the machine. Thank the voter for catching the discrepancy and explain what just happened.
2. Place an OUT OF ORDER sign on the machine. Treat the problem voting machine as evidence in a possible crime scene.
3. File a police report with independent law enforcement and notify the Board of Elections of the problem.
4. Restart the voter on another machine or on a paper ballot that will be counted, not a provisional ballot that "may" be counted.

As explained by Ms. Shaffer, "Poll workers are the public guardians of our elections. We are confident they will take the steps necessary to address these severe problems with the appropriate action. These machines should not be returned to local election officials but rather quarantined by independent investigative authorities."

All citizens are also encouraged to report the problems through the new mobile blogging community, Utterz. With utterz, voters can blog the machine problems immediately from their cell phone with audio, video, images, and text. Utterz provides a phone number for people to call in and "speak" a blog entry, which appears as an audio file.

Utterz provides a way for voters to immediately document their machine problems, share them with others, and create a public and transparent archive of voting machine problems. Please tag your entry "Ohio Voter Mugging 2008" and identify the scene of the crime. For more information on this blogging community and to join before the primary, visit http://www.utterz.com.

On December 17th, 2007, the OEJC met with Michael W. Deemer, Chief Deputy Attorney General for Government Affairs of the Ohio Attorney General's (AG) office, and two other legal staff members, informed them of the Quarantine That Machine program, and asked them to develop a plan for law enforcement to follow in implementing this program. As discussed during that meeting, Chapter 3599 of the Ohio Revised Code includes numerous provisions which would authorize such an action by either a poll worker or a voter since the above problems may represent a violation of this chapter.

For more information on the status of the Ohio AG's plan for the upcoming Ohio primary, contact Michael W. Deemer at (614) 728-5462; mdeemer@ag.state.oh.us; Christopher Geidner, Counsel to the Attorney General, (614)-752-4332; cgeidner@ag.state.oh.us; or Ben Espy, Executive Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice, bespy@ag.state.oh.us.

For more information on the OEJC or to donate: http://www.electiondefensealliance.org/OEJC or http://www.wakeupandsaveyourcountry.com/oejc.html.

Ohio election justice videos by Jeff Kirkby, Vocab Video: http://www.vocabvideo.com. Video footage of meeting with AG during Funeral for Democracy by Bruce Duncanson, Redpeacecross Media: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1349662229528021316.

Background info: "Ohio Holds Funeral on Anniversary of 2004 Elections," http://www.prnewsnow.com/TextNews/168067.html; "Lobbyists Hack Your Elections: The OEJC Calls for Voting Systems Recall, Return, and Refund," http://www.prnewsnow.com/Public_Release/Legal%20And%20Law/170544.html; "Thugs Gag Your Vote: OEJC Calls for Day of Silence on Sunday, January 6th, 2008," http://www.prnewsnow.com/TextNews/175189.html.

Soon U.S. Citizens Must Ask for Government Permission to Fly or Travel

Economic crisis

Soon U.S. Citizens Must Ask for Government Permission to Fly or Travel

Is it possible, after the precedent is set with air travel, the same will be applied to motor vehicle travel?

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Bush Denies Reality: “We’re Not Headed into a Recession”

Economic crisis

Bush Denies Reality: “We’re Not Headed into a Recession”

Bush, at odds with dozens of economic experts, calls the recession, threatening to fall into a full-blown depression, a “slowdown” and then hypes his “$157 billion financial stimulus package” that will exacerbate the deficit.

Rove: History Sent the Neocons 9/11

Rove: History Sent the Neocons 9/11

David Edwards and Nick Juliano
Raw Story
February 22, 2008






Former White House adviser Karl Rove received an ignominious superlative Thursday night after a speech this week in which he mused that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were delivered by history.

He was given the familiar distinction as "Worst Person in the World" on Keith Olbermann’s MSNBC show.

"Defending the Iraq war as an opportunity to prove the U.S. would not hesitate to defend itself against Islamic extremist, even the wrong ones, [Rove said] quote, ‘History has a funny way of deciding things. … Sometimes history sends you things and 9/11 came our way,’" Olbermann said on Thursday night’s episode of Countdown. "History has a funny way of deciding things — 9/11. Real funny, Karl. Karl Rove, today‘s ‘Worst Person in the World.’"

Rove spoke to a crowd of 1,200 at the University of Pennsylvania Wednesday evening. University officials would not reveal how much he was paid for the speech.

The former adviser to President Bush defended the Iraq war and proffered quotes from Democrats who believed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction before the invasion.

The country goes to war "not for the purpose of conquest but for the purpose of freedom," he said, according to the student newspaper, which did not report his 9/11 comment.

Those comments were noted by The Bulletin, another Philadelphia paper. It reported the exchange as follows.

[…]. On Iraq especially, the political strategist found it behooved him to underscore the unique circumstances under which the decision to go to war was made.

"History has a funny way of deciding things," he said. "Sometimes history sends you things, and 9/11 came our way."

Americans should not forget, he counseled, that every act of war sends a poignant political message and that any statement the U.S. could send by reluctance to fight Islamic extremists abroad will be taken as a sign of diminished will.[…]

This video is from MSNBC’s Countdown, broadcast February 21, 2008.

Infowars Headlines

Children killed in Gaza strike

Palestinian family in home destroyed by strike Children killed in Gaza strike
Four children have died in an Israeli air strike on Gaza, a day after a Hamas rocket killed an Israeli man.

Conrad Black must start jail term

Conrad Black must start jail term
Conrad Black and his wife Barbara Amiel arrive in court
Conrad Black was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail
Former media tycoon Conrad Black has lost a final attempt to delay the start of his six-and-a-half year jail term.

His period on bail will end on 3 March when he must report to a federal prison in Florida.

The former owner of the Daily Telegraph was convicted of three counts of fraud and one of obstructing justice.

His lawyers had asked a Chicago court to allow him to remain free on a bond while judges consider an appeal against his conviction.

Black was convicted in July last year of stealing millions of dollars from shareholders of Hollinger International, the newspaper empire he once led.

The court cleared Conrad Black of eight further fraud counts and one charge of racketeering.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7270254.stm

Kilauea volcano erupts in Hawaii

Volcano erupts Kilauea volcano erupts in Hawaii
watch

Israeli forces pound Gaza Strip

The image “http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44458000/jpg/_44458976_boy_ap_203300.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.
An injured Palestinian boy is carried into a Gaza City hospital after an Israeli air strike, late evening, 28 February
Gaza has been under sustained bombardment for two days
Israeli forces have kept up attacks on the Gaza Strip, where they have killed at least 32 Palestinians, militants and civilians, since Wednesday morning.

Four Palestinian boys were killed in an Israeli attack as they played in a field in northern Gaza on Thursday.

The Israelis say their attacks are a response to the firing of Palestinian rockets into southern Israel.

A BBC correspondent says Gazan drivers are staying at home, worried their vehicles could be hit from the air.

Well into the night, Israeli air strikes could still be heard in Gaza, the BBC's Aleem Maqbool reports.

There are no signs of either the Israeli army or the Palestinian militants backing down, and the people in Israeli border towns and across the Gaza Strip are bracing themselves for more violence, he adds.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7270300.stm

Sheriff tackles illegal immigration - Community

Sheriff tackles illegal immigration - Community

McCain's Lobbyist's Plane Flew out Saudi's after 9/11




The lavishly-furnished custom Boeing 727 airliner (727PX) which ferried Senator John McCain on four occasions during his Presidential run in 2000 also flew Saudi Royals out of the U.S. right after 9/11, carrying an entourage of Saudi Royals from Las Vegas to London six days after the 9/11 attack in a controversial operation later scrutinized by the 9/11 Commission.

The image “http://www.madcowprod.com/20mccain-190a.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.The image “http://www.madcowprod.com/0012783.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

The 727 figures in the current tempest over his relationship with female lobbyist Vicki Iseman, who provided and flew with McCain on the plane.

With hundreds of air charter companies and airliners to choose from, the Saudis chose a company that owns "Worship Ministries" and Christian Network, Inc., turning to Paxson Communications, a "Christian broadcaster" which owned the plane, to make its corporate jet available to spirit the Saudi princes and their entourage out of the U.S. six days after 9/11.

The Saudi Royal party made good their escape from Las Vegas on an airliner sporting a Christian symbol of peace, a dove, on it's tail, an intriguing detail and compelling human interest story—Muslims flying Air Jesus—that has to date been reported nowhere but in the MadCowMorningNews.

Go figure.

Full Story

The image “http://www.madcowprod.com/masthead.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

Gov Concedes Vaccine-Autism Case in Federal Court

http://www.infowars.com/images/vaccine.jpg

After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims.

After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims.

The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff’s identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case.

The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal "Vaccine Court," was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the "defendant" in all Vaccine Court cases.

The child’s claim against the government — that mercury-containing vaccines were the cause of her autism — was supposed to be one of three "test cases" for the thimerosal-autism theory currently under consideration by a three-member panel of Special Masters, the presiding justices in Federal Claims Court.

Keisler wrote that medical personnel at the HHS Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation (DVIC) had reviewed the case and "concluded that compensation is appropriate."

The doctors conceded that the child was healthy and developing normally until her 18-month well-baby visit, when she received vaccinations against nine different diseases all at once (two contained thimerosal).

LINK