http://infowars.com/articles/nwo/nafta_super_disaster.htm
NAFTA Super-Disasta
American Free Press | December 4, 2006
Mark Anderson
American Free Press has learned that a group of foreign companies, which
currently lease a toll road in Indiana and are looking at buying up other
highways across the country, has its eyes on the Trans-Texas Corridor, or
TTC. The TTC is a planned toll road system through the Lone Star State that
will largely be used for trucking foreign merchandise into the United States
on the wings of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
It will be a major leg of the so-called "NAFTA Superhighway," and, according
to watchdog groups, it will lead to more cheap goods flooding the country
and will be devastating to the U.S.-based trucking industry.
In the April 17, 2006 edition, AFP reported that ITR Concessions LLC, a
partnership of Cintra of Spain and the McQuarie Bank of Australia, spent
$3.85 billion to lease the Indiana Toll Road from the state for 75 years.
Now that same coalition is branching out into Texas. On Nov. 21, the
Internet version of The Lone Star Iconoclast, a Crawford, Tex.-based
publication, reported that Todd Spencer, the executive vice president of the
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, or OOIDA, "is asking
truckers to bypass the Indiana Toll Road that has been leased to the Spanish
consortium, Cintra, the same outfit that Gov. [Rick] Perry and TXDOT (The
Texas Department of Transportation) contracted with to operate the hated
Trans Texas Corridor."
According to Spencer, McQuarie will also be involved in the TTC. Steve
Bonney, a Lafayette, Ind., farmer who helped fight this arrangement in
Indiana courts, revealed then that some of that money would be used to
extend Interstate 69 from Indianapolis to the Kentucky border. From there
I-69 would proceed into south Texas by the Mexican border, eventually
becoming yet another conduit in the vast network of "NAFTA tollways" being
envisioned. Interstate 69 ends to the north in Port Huron, Mich., at the
Canadian border.
An Oct. 26 OOIDA pre-election news bulletin noted, "Texas lawmakers made a
very big mistake when they overwhelmingly voted in 2003 to move forward with
Gov. Rick Perry's plan for the Trans-Texas Corridor-they did it despite
overwhelming public sentiment against the effort. The corridor
is an intermodal route that would cut across Texas from the Mexican border
to Oklahoma and include toll lanes."
Cintra is teaming up with Zachry, a San Antonio firm, for the project's
planning phase.
"The Associated Press released an analysis of a campaign ad . . .
erroneously stating that Spain-based Cintra holds a 65% equity position in
Cintra Zachry LP. That's wrong. The correct equity position is 85% with
Zachry Construction holding the small 15% equity balance, noted a report on
Corridorwatch.org, a web site that is monitoring the growth of the NAFTA
Superhighway.
Corridorwatch.org features a map on its web site that reveals various TTC
segments that crisscross Texas.
Activist Sal Costello of People for Efficient Transportation, based in
Austin, Tex., told AFP that while much of the Texas public is perhaps dimly
aware of the TTC, the concept behind the TTC is becoming better known and
opposition to it is increasing, especially since the Nov. 7 gubernatorial
race.
In the lead-up to the election, three of the four candidates, particularly
Independent Carol Strayhorn, opposed the TTC and made it one of their top
campaign issues. Not surprisingly, incumbent Perry, who was reelected, did
not mention the TTC. Despite this, the mainstream media throughout Texas
largely ignored the issue.
Costello told AFP that officials would like Americans to believe that work
has not commenced on the TTC. However, he said ground has actually been
broken on the TTC. He pointed out that highway 130, a north-south segment
that will stretch 49 miles when completed sometime in 2007, is already
partially finished.
Costello also said that while some TTC sections represent new tollway
construction, existing freeways already paid for with tax dollars are being
converted into tollways. "It's a combination of a land grab, which is the
TTC, and a road grab, which is the conversion of our freeways," he said.
Traditionally, motorists use tollways as an alternative to other
taxpayer-financed interstates. However, if these Texas developments
continue, Costello said, most drivers there will be forced to use tollways.
Furthermore, voter-approved bond dollars for more traditional Texas
transportation needs are being diverted into toll road plans.
The TTC is one of many planned routes for which land will have to be gobbled
up to lay pavement, to run utility lines and to construct new railroad
routes on the way to Kansas City, Mo., a major hub for these free trade
conduits.
Even though Kansas City is some 1,000 miles away from the Southern border,
it will function as a U.S. Customs inspection point. Activists believe it is
likely that eminent domain land grabs will soar in the coming years as the
project steams on. Texas was not among the states with eminent domain
restrictions on the ballot Nov. 7.
Spencer noted the TTC will largely be used by truckers from Mexico, who will
be transporting goods from Mexico, China and other nations where people work
for slave wages.
"The Bush Administration is bending over backwards to accommodate Mexican
trucks coming into the United States," said Spencer. "Worldwide, trucks are
the weapons of choice of terrorists. Nobody is going to check [what is
really in that truck]. We evidently have a lot of people in the U.S. who
have lost their minds."
Spencer said Mexican truckers will be able to go anywhere once they cross
the border. Since Mexico does not have stringent safety regulations, there
is no way to verify the safety of Mexican trucks or drivers. He doubts that
anyone will do background checks on drivers before they can enter the United
States.
Spencer said the TTC will be devastating to domestic truckers and freight
companies.
TXDOT wants to charge truckers 40 cents a mile to travel the TTC. "This is
the equivalent of about $2.40 (per gallon) in just new fuel taxes," said
Spencer. "If gas were $2.60 a gallon, that would be equivalent to gas at $5
a gallon."
Furthermore, an anti-competition clause in the Cintra contract reportedly
prohibits Texas from making improvements to parallel routes. Therefore,
highway users "will be forced to use the TTC toll roads even if Texas has to
close down lanes on existing highways," said Spencer.
Some whopper TTC routes may be one-quarter-mile wide, with up to six lanes,
in each direction and room for utility lines and rail lines.
Spencer told AFP that international investors are drooling at the prospects
of acquiring U.S. toll roads in 35 states, including in Pennsylvania where
State Rep. Rick Geist of the House Transportation Committee plans early in
2007 to introduce House Bill 1 to sell or lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to
the highest bidder. Spencer said the terms "sell" and "lease" are synonymous
when it comes to toll road deals, since many agreements last for 75 years or
longer.
"This is the latest Wall Street craze," Spencer said. In Illinois, elected
officials have been resisting a proposed toll bridge, largely funded by
foreign investors, over the Mississippi River from Illinois to St. Louis,
Mo. Spencer thinks Illinois officials will be lobbied hard to change their
minds.
"Goldman Sachs made more than $20 million on the Indiana Toll Road deal,"
Spencer told AFP. "This is U.S. transportation policy coming right from the
White House-sell our roads."
Monday, December 04, 2006
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Gorilla Radio for Monday, December 4th, 2006
PEJ News - C. L. Cook - This week on GR; Bill Jeffery of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest and Parliament's failure to deliver safe food policy for Canadians. Activist and citizen journalist, Aaron Sussman and when outrage is not enough. And; Janine Bandcroft bringing us up to speed with some of the good things to get up to in and around Victoria in the coming week.  Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca He also serves as a contributing editor at the progressive web news site: http://www.pej.org. You can check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com Gorilla Radio for Monday, December 4th, 2006 And; the ancient Chinese curse is a wish one's enemies live in "interesting times." I don't remember getting on the wrong side of the ancient Chinese, but I'm not alone in that: Today we all live in the most interesting times ever seen. Wars and rumours of war, pestilence, famine, and death stalk the planet, unchallenged by any adequate power of good; but, it is also a time of unprecedented access to myriad new mediums of communication, where the outrages perpetrated against men, women, and children, some seemingly for no better reason than terrorizing the people, are answered with moral outrage expressed across those emerging mediums. And; Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with all that's good to do in and around Victoria this week. But first, Bill Jeffery, exploring what's on the Canadian plate.
Some past guests include: M. Junaid Alam, M. Shahid Alam, Joel Bakan, Maude Barlow, David Barsamian, Rhoda Berenson, William Blum, Luciana Bohne, William Bowles, Vincent Bugliosi, Helen Caldicott, Noam Chomsky, Michel Chossudovsky, Diane Christian, Juan Cole, David Cromwell, Murray Dobbin, Jon Elmer, Reese Erlich, Anthony Fenton, Jim Fetzer, Laura Flanders, Chris Floyd, Connie Fogal, Susan George, Stan Goff, Amy Goodman, Robert Greenwald, Denis Halliday, Chris Hedges, Sander Hicks, Julia Butterfly Hill, Robert Jensen, Dahr Jamail, Diana Johnstone, Kathy Kelly, Naomi Klein, Anthony Lappe, Frances Moore Lappe, Jason Leopold, Jeff Leys, Dave Lindorff, Jim Lobe, Jennifer Loewenstein, Wayne Madsen, Stephen Marshall, Linda McQuaig, George Monbiot, Loretta Napoleoni, John Nichols, Kurt Nimmo, David Orchard, Greg Palast, Mike Palecek, Michael Parenti, Robert Parry, Kevin Pina, William Rivers Pitt, Justin Podur, Jack Random, Sheldon Rampton, Paul Craig Roberts, Paul de Rooij, John Ross, Danny Schechter, Vandana Shiva, Norman Solomon, Starhawk, Grant Wakefield, Paul Watson, Bernard Weiner, Mickey Z., Dave Zirin, and many others. Stay informed. Subscribe and get the best of PEJ News by email. Free. |
10 Reasons to Support Tom Wappel’s Bill C-283
Centre for Science in the Public Interest’s
10 Reasons to Support Tom Wappel’s Bill C-283 on September 18, 2006
Summary of Bill C-283, An Act to Amend the Food and Drugs Act (food labelling):
• Restaurant menus: Requires large chain-restaurants to post the number of calories in standard menu items beside the corresponding price on fast food restaurant menu boards and, at table service restaurants (where more spacious menus are used), also the amount of sodium, and the sum of saturated plus trans fat per serving. Single restaurants, small chains and non-standard menu items are exempt.
• Fresh meat labels: Requires that all labels of fresh meat, poultry and seafood (i.e., not just processed meats) sold in large retail stores disclose nutrition facts required for most other foods by regulations promulgated in December 2002.
• Ingredient labelling on packages of manufactured foods: Requires that pre-packaged, multi-ingredient foods show the percentage-by-weight of key ingredients (especially ones relevant to health, e.g., added sugars, fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains).
1. It ensures practical health information is available to consumers. Bill C-283 will ensure that life-saving information is on food labels and menus where Canadians can effectively use it to choose more healthful foods.
2. These label/menu reforms have impressive support from civil society and experts. The measures advocated in Bill C-283 are supported by more than two dozen health and citizens groups collectively representing more than 2 million Canadians.1
One or more of the three measures proposed in Bill C-283 is echoed in seven Canadian and US expert reports.2
3. Restaurants, meat packers and food processors have ignored or resisted calls for objective
health information on labels and menus.
● The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association’s voluntary nutrition information program does not encourage chains to furnish nutrition information on menus (where it can be effectively used by consumers) but, instead, comparatively useless “fine-print” disclosures on web-sites, brochures and the bottoms of tray liners (e.g., at McDonalds) where it is barely visible to consumers, especially prior to purchase; only Extreme Pita, Subway and White Spot chains voluntarily provide some nutrition facts on menus.
● Meat packers won an exemption from the December 2002 nutrition labelling regulations by pleading inability to develop accurate nutrition information for various cuts and species of meat until 2005; Bill C-283 would provide them until 2009 to complete their calculations. Yet, e.g., the Beef Information Centre website, now updated to 2004, indicates that trimmed lean T-bone has four times as much saturated fat as eye of round3 -- a fact not evident from visual inspection of meat.
● Some manufacturers refuse to provide quantitative ingredient information they obviously possess, even at the request of consumers.
4. Consumers grossly underestimate fat, salt and caloric content of restaurant foods and over-estimate the calorie-burning potential of exercise. A study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Public Health found that saturated fat and calorie content of typical restaurant foods are actually double, and sodium is quadruple what consumers estimate, and providing accurate information significantly influenced consumers’ food choices.4 Also, e.g., an adult would have to run for two hours to burn the calories in a Quarter Pounder with cheese Extra Value Meal (i.e., with medium fries and a Coke).5
5. Canadian law is inadequate to prevent consumer deception, even about the amounts of ingredients with important health implications. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: “In principle, any emphasis regarding the presence of an ingredient…should be accompanied by a statement regarding the amount of that ingredient…present in the food.” A major World Health Organization expert report concluded that fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes; fruits and vegetables also help reduce the risk hypertension and of certain forms of cancer.6 But, without rules like those proposed in Bill C-283, the food industry markets products like strawberry-kiwi juice made mostly from apple and grape juices (Dole), whole grain crackers made with mostly refined flour (Christie), and vegetable soup whose first ingredient is beef broth (Campbell). And, unbeknownst to many Canadians, e.g., fruit jam with pectin can have as little as 27% fruit7, there is no minimum vegetable content for vegetarian lasagne or tomato sauce, and “fruit drinks/punch” may contain virtually no real juice.8
6. Providing Bill C-283 information will involve trivial costs. Manufacturers obviously know the percentage-by-weight of ingredients used to make their processed foods. Nearly all large chain restaurants already have (or can readily calculate) nutrition information for their standardized menu items; most provide it on demand or on web-sites anyway. And nutritional profiles of meat, poultry and seafood are already provided on some meat industry web-sites. Menus and labels of affected products can be modified during the next three years while replenishing label stocks or updating menus. According to our estimates, analytical costs, where necessary, would be less than 1/10th of 1% of unit retail costs, even in the worst case scenario.
7. Providing nutrition information is not expensive, withholding it is. Every year, diet-related cases of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer cost the Canadian economy $6.6 billion9 and lead to tens of thousands of premature deaths. Four diet-related risk factors (blood pressure, cholesterol, overweight, and low fruit/vegetable intake) cause a reduction of healthy life expectancy by nearly five years.10 “Nutrition Facts” now required on most prepackaged foods (even without fresh, un-ground meat) are predicted to prompt dietary changes yielding $5 billion in cumulative economic benefits (i.e., reduced health care costs and
increased productivity) during the next two decades – recouping approx. 5% of the costs of diet-related disease and 20 times the costs of changing labels. Bill C-283 measures can amplify those benefits with even cheaper implementation costs.
8. There is space on labels and menus to provide vital health information. Persistent suggestions by food industry associations that there is insufficient space to furnish important health information on labels and menus is false, on its face.
9. Quantitative ingredient information is not protected by food companies’ intellectual property rights. Food companies have never demonstrated any legal basis (credible or otherwise) for their claim to a right to conceal information about the amounts of ingredients they use in foods intended for human consumption. In fact, some form of quantitative ingredient declaration is already required by law on food labels throughout the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Thailand.
10. Consumers are entitled to know what is in our food and our children are entitled to a healthcare system not overburdened by preventable illness. Canadians are entitled to know what’s in our food especially when it affects our health. As baby boomers age, healthcare demands will become increasingly difficult for their working children and grandchildren to sustain. Boomers should support Bill C-283 to ensure they can make informed decisions about their own health.
NOTES
1 These groups include: National Federation for Seniors and Pensioners, Community Nutritionists Council of British Columbia, L'Association des Diététistes au Québec,
Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health, Canadian Women's Health Network, Canada's Association for the Fifty-Plus, Canadian Society for Exercise
Physiology, Association of Ontario Health Centres, Canadian Paraplegic Association, Canadian Assn. for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity,
Centre for Health Promotion Studies (University of Alberta), Sport PEI, Eastern Health and Community Services Board (Clarenville, Newfoundland), DAWN Canada:
DisAbled Women’s Network Canada, DAWN Ontario: DisAbled Women's Network of Ontario, Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, Multicultural Health Brokers Coop,
Union des consommateurs, Toronto Food Policy Council, HEAL Network of Northern British Columbia, National Eating Disorder Information Centre, National Retired
Workers Advisory Council, Nutrition Services (Whitehorse Regional Hospital), Edmonton School Lunch Program, Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation, Palliser
Health Region (Alberta), Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, Canadian Teachers' Federation, and Centre for Science in the Public Interest.
2 Raine, K, Overweight and Obesity in Canada: A Population Health Perspective, (Ottawa: Canadian Population Health Initiative of the Canadian Institute for Health
Information, 2004) which states, at 60: “Policy Option No. 9: Based upon extensive evidence generated from knowledge and experience with other health issues in Canada
(such as tobacco) and from other countries, apply promising practices for population-based policy change to promote healthy weights. Policies that could be considered
include:
• Expand food and nutrition labelling to food-service operations, including fast food.”
National Academies Institute of Medicine, Industry Can Play a Role in Preventing Child Obesity: Fact Sheet (Washington: IOM, 2004) which recommends in part: “ Fast
food and full service restaurants should expand healthier meal, food, and beverage options (including children's meals) and provide calorie content and general nutrition
information at the point of purchase.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Chief Medical Officer Of Health, 2004 Report Of The CMOH: Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives, (Toronto: CMOH, 2004) at 50 and 53 which
recommends, in part: “To create a national environment that promotes healthy weights, Health Canada should:…broaden mandatory nutrition labelling to: • cover fresh meat,
poultry and seafood (i.e., foods that were exempted from mandatory nutrition labelling rules finalized in January 2003)
• require large chain restaurants to disclose basic nutrition facts (e.g., calories) about the foods they serve... To help create an environment that promotes healthy weights, the food industry should:…Increase user-friendly food labelling on large chain restaurant menus and take-out/deli foods.”
Press release: “Report Card on Health - Heart and Stroke Foundation Warns Fat Is the New Tobacco” issued by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada setting out the
Foundation’s “Call to Action” which recommends, in part: “Improve nutritional labeling and information in quick serve restaurants. Statistics show that on any given day,
30% of kids living in North America visit a fast food restaurant. Their parents should have access to nutrition information on the overhead and table menus to help make
informed choices at the point of purchase.”
Irene Strychar, E.D., R.D., “Fighting Obesity: A Call to Arms” (2004) 95 Canadian Journal of Public Health 12-14 which recommended that: “Restaurants should provide
caloric and fat content of menu items.”
BC Healthy Living Alliance, “Regulatory and Economic Interventions” which recommends: “Advocate for the federal implementation of a standardized system of nutrition
information for products that includes all foods (not just packaged), including at point-of-purchase.”
H. Krueger and Assoc., Risk Factor Interventions: An Overview of Their Effectiveness, (Vancouver: CCS & BC Cancer Agency, February 2005) which concluded at 183:
“The most promising interventions to pursue in an initial obesity control campaign include: Increased attention to the environmental signals concerning diet and activity,
from the nutrition labelling of products and menu items to…”
3 See: http://www.beefinfo.org/nutrient_cuts.cfm#q1
4 Scot Burton, et al., “Attacking the Obesity Epidemic: The Potential Health Benefits of Providing Nutrition Information in Restaurants,” American Journal of Public Health
2006;96(9): 1669-75.
5 Running and other heavy activities burn 450-720 calories per hour. See: Snyder CH, The Extraordinary Chemistry of Ordinary Things, 3d Ed. (Toronto: John Wiley, 1998)
at 398. The total calorie count for a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Extra Value Meal is: 1,090.
6 WHO, Report of the Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation on Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases, (Tech. Rpt. 916), (Geneva: WHO, 2003).
7 Food and Drug Regulations, C.R.C., c. 870, section B.11.202.
8 Food and Drug Regulations, C.R.C., c. 870, section B.11.150.
9 In 2000, the Federal Government estimated that the economic burden of diet related disease was $5.3 billion due to heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. See:
Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and Health Canada, Costs and Benefits of Nutrition Information (Ottawa: AAFC, May 2000) at 4. More recently, Health Canada
estimated that the total economic burden of diet-related disease was $6.6 billion. See: Diane Gorman, Assistant Deputy Minister of Health, “Speech at the Stakeholder
Meeting on the Review of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating,” (Ottawa: Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, January 20, 2004) at 3. Available on the
Internet at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/food-guide-aliment/pres_speech_adm-pres_contexte_sma_e.pdf and see Health Canada (2003)
Economic Research Analysis Section, Policy Research Division, Strategic Policy Directorate, Population and Public Health Branch. Custom tabulations.
10 See: World Health Organization, The World Health Report 2002, (Geneva: WHO, 2002). Esp. see Table 4 in the annex which shows that loss of healthy life expectancy
due to all risk factors is 9.4 disability-adjusted-life-years averaged for Canadian men and women at http://www.who.int/whr/2002/en/whr2002_annex4.pdf and Table 10
which shows that, in developed countries, 50% of all-risk-attributable Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) were lost due to blood pressure, cholesterol, overweight, low
fruit and vegetable intake, and certain rare types of childhood and maternal undernutrition at http://www.who.int/whr/2002/en/whr2002_annex9_10.pdf). 50% of 9.4 years is
4.7 years.
For more information contact:
Bill Jeffery, L.LB., National Coordinator, Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Suite 4550, CTTC Bldg., 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5R1 Tel.: 613-244-7337 Fax: 613-244-1559
http://www.cspinet.org/canada/
CSPI is a non-profit health advocacy organization specializing in nutrition and food safety issues with offices in Ottawa and Washington, D.C.
CSPI's Ottawa health advocacy is funded primarily by 100,000 subscribers to the Canadian edition of Nutrition Action Healthletter.
CSPI does not accept funding from industry or government.
10 Reasons to Support Tom Wappel’s Bill C-283 on September 18, 2006
Summary of Bill C-283, An Act to Amend the Food and Drugs Act (food labelling):
• Restaurant menus: Requires large chain-restaurants to post the number of calories in standard menu items beside the corresponding price on fast food restaurant menu boards and, at table service restaurants (where more spacious menus are used), also the amount of sodium, and the sum of saturated plus trans fat per serving. Single restaurants, small chains and non-standard menu items are exempt.
• Fresh meat labels: Requires that all labels of fresh meat, poultry and seafood (i.e., not just processed meats) sold in large retail stores disclose nutrition facts required for most other foods by regulations promulgated in December 2002.
• Ingredient labelling on packages of manufactured foods: Requires that pre-packaged, multi-ingredient foods show the percentage-by-weight of key ingredients (especially ones relevant to health, e.g., added sugars, fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains).
1. It ensures practical health information is available to consumers. Bill C-283 will ensure that life-saving information is on food labels and menus where Canadians can effectively use it to choose more healthful foods.
2. These label/menu reforms have impressive support from civil society and experts. The measures advocated in Bill C-283 are supported by more than two dozen health and citizens groups collectively representing more than 2 million Canadians.1
One or more of the three measures proposed in Bill C-283 is echoed in seven Canadian and US expert reports.2
3. Restaurants, meat packers and food processors have ignored or resisted calls for objective
health information on labels and menus.
● The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association’s voluntary nutrition information program does not encourage chains to furnish nutrition information on menus (where it can be effectively used by consumers) but, instead, comparatively useless “fine-print” disclosures on web-sites, brochures and the bottoms of tray liners (e.g., at McDonalds) where it is barely visible to consumers, especially prior to purchase; only Extreme Pita, Subway and White Spot chains voluntarily provide some nutrition facts on menus.
● Meat packers won an exemption from the December 2002 nutrition labelling regulations by pleading inability to develop accurate nutrition information for various cuts and species of meat until 2005; Bill C-283 would provide them until 2009 to complete their calculations. Yet, e.g., the Beef Information Centre website, now updated to 2004, indicates that trimmed lean T-bone has four times as much saturated fat as eye of round3 -- a fact not evident from visual inspection of meat.
● Some manufacturers refuse to provide quantitative ingredient information they obviously possess, even at the request of consumers.
4. Consumers grossly underestimate fat, salt and caloric content of restaurant foods and over-estimate the calorie-burning potential of exercise. A study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Public Health found that saturated fat and calorie content of typical restaurant foods are actually double, and sodium is quadruple what consumers estimate, and providing accurate information significantly influenced consumers’ food choices.4 Also, e.g., an adult would have to run for two hours to burn the calories in a Quarter Pounder with cheese Extra Value Meal (i.e., with medium fries and a Coke).5
5. Canadian law is inadequate to prevent consumer deception, even about the amounts of ingredients with important health implications. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: “In principle, any emphasis regarding the presence of an ingredient…should be accompanied by a statement regarding the amount of that ingredient…present in the food.” A major World Health Organization expert report concluded that fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes; fruits and vegetables also help reduce the risk hypertension and of certain forms of cancer.6 But, without rules like those proposed in Bill C-283, the food industry markets products like strawberry-kiwi juice made mostly from apple and grape juices (Dole), whole grain crackers made with mostly refined flour (Christie), and vegetable soup whose first ingredient is beef broth (Campbell). And, unbeknownst to many Canadians, e.g., fruit jam with pectin can have as little as 27% fruit7, there is no minimum vegetable content for vegetarian lasagne or tomato sauce, and “fruit drinks/punch” may contain virtually no real juice.8
6. Providing Bill C-283 information will involve trivial costs. Manufacturers obviously know the percentage-by-weight of ingredients used to make their processed foods. Nearly all large chain restaurants already have (or can readily calculate) nutrition information for their standardized menu items; most provide it on demand or on web-sites anyway. And nutritional profiles of meat, poultry and seafood are already provided on some meat industry web-sites. Menus and labels of affected products can be modified during the next three years while replenishing label stocks or updating menus. According to our estimates, analytical costs, where necessary, would be less than 1/10th of 1% of unit retail costs, even in the worst case scenario.
7. Providing nutrition information is not expensive, withholding it is. Every year, diet-related cases of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer cost the Canadian economy $6.6 billion9 and lead to tens of thousands of premature deaths. Four diet-related risk factors (blood pressure, cholesterol, overweight, and low fruit/vegetable intake) cause a reduction of healthy life expectancy by nearly five years.10 “Nutrition Facts” now required on most prepackaged foods (even without fresh, un-ground meat) are predicted to prompt dietary changes yielding $5 billion in cumulative economic benefits (i.e., reduced health care costs and
increased productivity) during the next two decades – recouping approx. 5% of the costs of diet-related disease and 20 times the costs of changing labels. Bill C-283 measures can amplify those benefits with even cheaper implementation costs.
8. There is space on labels and menus to provide vital health information. Persistent suggestions by food industry associations that there is insufficient space to furnish important health information on labels and menus is false, on its face.
9. Quantitative ingredient information is not protected by food companies’ intellectual property rights. Food companies have never demonstrated any legal basis (credible or otherwise) for their claim to a right to conceal information about the amounts of ingredients they use in foods intended for human consumption. In fact, some form of quantitative ingredient declaration is already required by law on food labels throughout the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Thailand.
10. Consumers are entitled to know what is in our food and our children are entitled to a healthcare system not overburdened by preventable illness. Canadians are entitled to know what’s in our food especially when it affects our health. As baby boomers age, healthcare demands will become increasingly difficult for their working children and grandchildren to sustain. Boomers should support Bill C-283 to ensure they can make informed decisions about their own health.
NOTES
1 These groups include: National Federation for Seniors and Pensioners, Community Nutritionists Council of British Columbia, L'Association des Diététistes au Québec,
Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health, Canadian Women's Health Network, Canada's Association for the Fifty-Plus, Canadian Society for Exercise
Physiology, Association of Ontario Health Centres, Canadian Paraplegic Association, Canadian Assn. for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity,
Centre for Health Promotion Studies (University of Alberta), Sport PEI, Eastern Health and Community Services Board (Clarenville, Newfoundland), DAWN Canada:
DisAbled Women’s Network Canada, DAWN Ontario: DisAbled Women's Network of Ontario, Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, Multicultural Health Brokers Coop,
Union des consommateurs, Toronto Food Policy Council, HEAL Network of Northern British Columbia, National Eating Disorder Information Centre, National Retired
Workers Advisory Council, Nutrition Services (Whitehorse Regional Hospital), Edmonton School Lunch Program, Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation, Palliser
Health Region (Alberta), Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, Canadian Teachers' Federation, and Centre for Science in the Public Interest.
2 Raine, K, Overweight and Obesity in Canada: A Population Health Perspective, (Ottawa: Canadian Population Health Initiative of the Canadian Institute for Health
Information, 2004) which states, at 60: “Policy Option No. 9: Based upon extensive evidence generated from knowledge and experience with other health issues in Canada
(such as tobacco) and from other countries, apply promising practices for population-based policy change to promote healthy weights. Policies that could be considered
include:
• Expand food and nutrition labelling to food-service operations, including fast food.”
National Academies Institute of Medicine, Industry Can Play a Role in Preventing Child Obesity: Fact Sheet (Washington: IOM, 2004) which recommends in part: “ Fast
food and full service restaurants should expand healthier meal, food, and beverage options (including children's meals) and provide calorie content and general nutrition
information at the point of purchase.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Chief Medical Officer Of Health, 2004 Report Of The CMOH: Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives, (Toronto: CMOH, 2004) at 50 and 53 which
recommends, in part: “To create a national environment that promotes healthy weights, Health Canada should:…broaden mandatory nutrition labelling to: • cover fresh meat,
poultry and seafood (i.e., foods that were exempted from mandatory nutrition labelling rules finalized in January 2003)
• require large chain restaurants to disclose basic nutrition facts (e.g., calories) about the foods they serve... To help create an environment that promotes healthy weights, the food industry should:…Increase user-friendly food labelling on large chain restaurant menus and take-out/deli foods.”
Press release: “Report Card on Health - Heart and Stroke Foundation Warns Fat Is the New Tobacco” issued by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada setting out the
Foundation’s “Call to Action” which recommends, in part: “Improve nutritional labeling and information in quick serve restaurants. Statistics show that on any given day,
30% of kids living in North America visit a fast food restaurant. Their parents should have access to nutrition information on the overhead and table menus to help make
informed choices at the point of purchase.”
Irene Strychar, E.D., R.D., “Fighting Obesity: A Call to Arms” (2004) 95 Canadian Journal of Public Health 12-14 which recommended that: “Restaurants should provide
caloric and fat content of menu items.”
BC Healthy Living Alliance, “Regulatory and Economic Interventions” which recommends: “Advocate for the federal implementation of a standardized system of nutrition
information for products that includes all foods (not just packaged), including at point-of-purchase.”
H. Krueger and Assoc., Risk Factor Interventions: An Overview of Their Effectiveness, (Vancouver: CCS & BC Cancer Agency, February 2005) which concluded at 183:
“The most promising interventions to pursue in an initial obesity control campaign include: Increased attention to the environmental signals concerning diet and activity,
from the nutrition labelling of products and menu items to…”
3 See: http://www.beefinfo.org/nutrient_cuts.cfm#q1
4 Scot Burton, et al., “Attacking the Obesity Epidemic: The Potential Health Benefits of Providing Nutrition Information in Restaurants,” American Journal of Public Health
2006;96(9): 1669-75.
5 Running and other heavy activities burn 450-720 calories per hour. See: Snyder CH, The Extraordinary Chemistry of Ordinary Things, 3d Ed. (Toronto: John Wiley, 1998)
at 398. The total calorie count for a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Extra Value Meal is: 1,090.
6 WHO, Report of the Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation on Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases, (Tech. Rpt. 916), (Geneva: WHO, 2003).
7 Food and Drug Regulations, C.R.C., c. 870, section B.11.202.
8 Food and Drug Regulations, C.R.C., c. 870, section B.11.150.
9 In 2000, the Federal Government estimated that the economic burden of diet related disease was $5.3 billion due to heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. See:
Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and Health Canada, Costs and Benefits of Nutrition Information (Ottawa: AAFC, May 2000) at 4. More recently, Health Canada
estimated that the total economic burden of diet-related disease was $6.6 billion. See: Diane Gorman, Assistant Deputy Minister of Health, “Speech at the Stakeholder
Meeting on the Review of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating,” (Ottawa: Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, January 20, 2004) at 3. Available on the
Internet at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/food-guide-aliment/pres_speech_adm-pres_contexte_sma_e.pdf and see Health Canada (2003)
Economic Research Analysis Section, Policy Research Division, Strategic Policy Directorate, Population and Public Health Branch. Custom tabulations.
10 See: World Health Organization, The World Health Report 2002, (Geneva: WHO, 2002). Esp. see Table 4 in the annex which shows that loss of healthy life expectancy
due to all risk factors is 9.4 disability-adjusted-life-years averaged for Canadian men and women at http://www.who.int/whr/2002/en/whr2002_annex4.pdf and Table 10
which shows that, in developed countries, 50% of all-risk-attributable Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) were lost due to blood pressure, cholesterol, overweight, low
fruit and vegetable intake, and certain rare types of childhood and maternal undernutrition at http://www.who.int/whr/2002/en/whr2002_annex9_10.pdf). 50% of 9.4 years is
4.7 years.
For more information contact:
Bill Jeffery, L.LB., National Coordinator, Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Suite 4550, CTTC Bldg., 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5R1 Tel.: 613-244-7337 Fax: 613-244-1559
http://www.cspinet.org/canada/
CSPI is a non-profit health advocacy organization specializing in nutrition and food safety issues with offices in Ottawa and Washington, D.C.
CSPI's Ottawa health advocacy is funded primarily by 100,000 subscribers to the Canadian edition of Nutrition Action Healthletter.
CSPI does not accept funding from industry or government.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Gorilla Radio for Monday November 27, 2006
PEJ News - C. L. Cook - This week on GR, What on earth are you eating? National Coordinator for the Canadian office of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, Bill Jeffery on food labelling legislation. And; Canadian Action Party leader Connie Fogal and the impending death of Canada. And; Janine Bandcroft bringing us up to speed on some of the good things to get up to in and around Victoria this week.
Gorilla Radio for Monday November 27, 2006
C. L. Cook
PEJ News
November 27, 2006
If we are what we eat, then most Canadians have no idea of just what consistutes their...constitutions. Canada is experiencing a health crisis. Diabetes rates are skyrocketting for both types I and II; heart disease, and the myriad health complications associated with obesity are making ill and killing thousands of citizens every year, and yet the country is getting fatter by the day. And the forecast for future generations doesn't look good if current trends continue.
But how to address the issue?
Bill Jeffery is the National Coordinator for the Canadian office of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit health advocacy organization specializing in nutrition and food safety issues in Canada and the United States. The centre is a supporter of MP Tom Wappel's proposed Bill C-283, an act to amend food labelling laws in this country.
Bill Jeffery in the first half.
And; as 2006 winds down, it could come to be known as the last Canadian year. The 21st was touted by some, not so long ago, as Canada's century, but secret plans to subvert the nation and merge Canada, the U.S., and Mexico into a so-called North American Union may prove now to be the end of the line for this nation.
Connie Fogal is the leader of the Canadian Action Party, and constitutional law lawyer, who says “under agreements entered under the Liberal regime post 9/11 including the Smart Border Plan and the Security and Prosperity Partnership Agreement, Canada is now but a step away from surrendering national sovereignty and being subsumed into a so-called North American Union.Connie Fogal and the death of a nation in the second half.
And Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with all that's good to do in and around Victoria this week. But first, Bill Jeffery and getting the goods on the food we eat.
G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media.
Some past guests include: M. Junaid Alam, M. Shahid Alam, Joel Bakan, Maude Barlow, David Barsamian, Rhoda Berenson, William Blum, Luciana Bohne, William Bowles, Vincent Bugliosi, Helen Caldicott, Noam Chomsky, Michel Chossudovsky, Diane Christian, Juan Cole, David Cromwell, Murray Dobbin, Jon Elmer, Reese Erlich, Anthony Fenton, Jim Fetzer, Laura Flanders, Chris Floyd, Connie Fogal, Susan George, Stan Goff, Amy Goodman, Robert Greenwald, Denis Halliday, Chris Hedges, Sander Hicks, Julia Butterfly Hill, Robert Jensen, Dahr Jamail, Diana Johnstone, Kathy Kelly, Naomi Klein, Anthony Lappe, Frances Moore Lappe, Jason Leopold, Jeff Leys, Dave Lindorff, Jim Lobe, Jennifer Loewenstein, Wayne Madsen, Stephen Marshall, Linda McQuaig, George Monbiot, Loretta Napoleoni, John Nichols, Kurt Nimmo, David Orchard, Greg Palast, Mike Palecek, Michael Parenti, Robert Parry, Kevin Pina, William Rivers Pitt, Justin Podur, Jack Random, Sheldon Rampton, Paul Craig Roberts, Paul de Rooij, John Ross, Danny Schechter, Vandana Shiva, Norman Solomon, Starhawk, Grant Wakefield, Paul Watson, Bernard Weiner, Mickey Z., Dave Zirin, and many others.
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Toronto's Dead Multitudes
PEJ News - C. L. Cook - A couple of weeks past, a small group of Toronto's citizens observed a grim milestone in Canada's richest city; the marking of memorial for the 500th Canadian to die homeless on To.'s cold streets.
www.PEJ.org
Toronto's Dead Multitudes
C. L. Cook
PEJ News
November 27, 2006
C. L. Cook
PEJ News
November 27, 2006
Out the windows of my cosy apartment, the first snows of winter fall on famously tepid Victoria. Early in the year to be sure, for a city these last years that rarely sees snow at all. It reminds; we are Canadians afterall, living in a cold country whose climate is not always friendly to human survival. It's a fact easy to forget living here on the mild Pacific coast, and living easy, with a job and the bills paid.
But my happy situation is one not shared by all living here. Unemployment, under employment, and low pay is common here, as everywhere in Canada today; common here as elsewhere too is high rent, and a lack of affordable rental housing. Combined with the abrogation of their duty to the welfare of the people by all levels of government, the current economic environment is the "perfect storm" for the poor.
Years ago, during the "good times" in the Eighties, I lived in Toronto, where winter is winter, and the working ethos is roughly summed up as: Sink or Swim! Living downtown, the homeless were a common sight; I would see them, bundles of rags, curled up fetal-like over the ventilation grates of the highrise office towers. The tower's, deserted and ablaze with light, heaters mind the comfort of the machines inside, while its excess warmth helps keep some anonymous indigent alive another night.
But not everyone has a grate. The last year I lived in Toronto, 1991, the economy was taking a decided turn south. A joker named George Bush was in the White House, monkey-wrenching Ronald Reagan's "good time" economy, and the effects were being felt, even in the 'Big Smoke.' More people were landing on the streets hard, and dying there too. The press didn't write much about it then, but someone in the city decided the growing number of fatal exposure victims should not remain unknown. Throughout the downtown area, little black crosses started appearing. There were no names attached, simply paper and paint crosses, marking the places where another homeless Canadian had died for lack of shelter.
And, it seems not so much has changed since my days there. Writing in the Toronto Star newspaper, November 14th of this year, Colin Johnson and John Brewin beg we Canadians imagine:
"Imagine an entire busload of people dying in a horrible crash, because of faulty brakes. Cries of outrage, coupled with demands for improved safety inspections, would immediately dominate our newscasts, newspapers, government legislatures and water-cooler conversations. Now try to imagine, if you can, 12 busloads of people perishing. Imagine the uproar that would provoke, especially if the victims were innocent schoolchildren. We would all be appalled at such a terrible loss of human life. We all hold up the value of every human life and deplore needless deaths ... or do we?"
Of course, they're not talking about cuddly middle-class kids perishing in school bus crashes, but the dirty and low thought of poor; inner city ghosts and bogeymen, whose lives we don't want to hear about, and whose fate is too terrible for us to contemplate. These are the "un-people," destined to be forgotten in life, as they will be too forgotten once their misery here is done.
But, there is a place where these fallen are remembered, as Johnson and Brewin record:
"Nestled behind the Eaton Centre, in front of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, is a stark, shocking memorial. It lists the names of those who have perished on the streets of Toronto for lack of housing. Many are only known as "Jane Doe" or "John Doe." Each month, new names are added to this list at a simple ceremony of remembrance. The 500th name will be added to this death toll today."
Looking out the window at the snow, I can't say how many have died for lack of shelter on Victoria's streets, but I wonder if it's not past time we venture into the streets to demand better for our society; better that we go into the halls of power in this country with petitions and placards, before going out into the elements with black paint and paper crosses. Or, do we need to see 500 more corpses, needlessly killed by inaction?
The Star's, Colin Johnson and John Brewin sum up the political situation in this country, and it is an outrage:
"Witness, as recently reported, our provincial government putting $392 million for badly needed affordable housing projects into a contingency fund, instead of into new housing construction, because of a funding dispute with the federal government.
Witness the federal government refusing to renew an excellent program which funds housing programs in Toronto and across Canada called the Supporting Community Partnerships Initiative, even as it struggles with how to dispose of billions of dollars of surplus revenues.
Witness the thousands of people in our city and region who endure terribly degrading conditions, again because of a lack of funding to repair their rundown apartments."
Looking at the snow fall from the warm side of a window is pleasant, but we can't afford to forget what living in a cold country means to those without the warmth of a home and hearth.
Chris Cook is a contributing editor to PEJ News and the Atlantic Free Press. He also hosts Gorilla Radio, a weekly public affairs program, broad/webcast from the University of Victoria, Canada. You can check out the GR Blog here.
Toronto marks 500th homeless death
Grim milestone for homeless
Toronto Star
Tuesday November 14, 2006
COLIN JOHNSON AND JOHN BREWIN
Toronto Star
Tuesday November 14, 2006
COLIN JOHNSON AND JOHN BREWIN
Imagine an entire busload of people dying in a horrible crash, because of faulty brakes. Cries of outrage, coupled with demands for improved safety inspections, would immediately dominate our newscasts, newspapers, government legislatures and water-cooler conversations.
Now try to imagine, if you can, 12 busloads of people perishing. Imagine the uproar that would provoke, especially if the victims were innocent schoolchildren.
We would all be appalled at such a terrible loss of human life. We all hold up the value of every human life and deplore needless deaths ... or do we?
It's not clear that we do. Nestled behind the Eaton Centre, in front of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, is a stark, shocking memorial.
It lists the names of those who have perished on the streets of Toronto for lack of housing. Many are only known as "Jane Doe" or "John Doe."
Each month, new names are added to this list at a simple ceremony of remembrance. The 500th name will be added to this death toll today.
Five hundred lives - each as precious as yours or mine - snuffed out because of the lack of something as basic and simple as providing a roof over one's head.
As our wealthy society tolerates the growing death toll of homeless people, it's hard not to believe that some of us are deemed more valuable than others.
Political developments, and non-developments, bear sad testimony to this.
Witness, as recently reported, our provincial government putting $392 million for badly needed affordable housing projects into a contingency fund, instead of into new housing construction, because of a funding dispute with the federal government.
Witness the federal government refusing to renew an excellent program which funds housing programs in Toronto and across Canada called the Supporting Community Partnerships Initiative, even as it struggles with how to dispose of billions of dollars of surplus revenues.
Witness the thousands of people in our city and region who endure terribly degrading conditions, again because of a lack of funding to repair their rundown apartments.
The Anglican Church in the Diocese of Toronto, like other advocates for affordable housing, wants the provincial government to release the unspent funds it has for housing and to devote significant resources to housing in its next budget. If more faith communities and community partners take up this call as well, it can create powerful support leading to the policy changes so badly needed.
Yet by no means do we believe that this is only an issue for government to address. All of us need to be part of the solution.
What is God inviting us to do to meet the needs of those who spend half or more of their income on rent? About seniors inadequately housed? For parents forced to make the terrible choice between paying the rent or feeding their kids?
One of the biggest roadblocks to more affordable housing is the "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY) attitude of hostility by local residents toward new housing developments for low-income people.
While our society recoils from blatant discrimination against people of colour, Jews, Muslims and others who have suffered from prejudice, it apparently is still acceptable to discriminate against poor people. We are actively urging Anglicans to resist this mindset. We urge you to do the same.
We also are involved in providing both permanent housing and emergency shelter for thousands of people through non-profit housing providers like LOFT Community Services and Ecuhome, and through our shelters and Out of the Cold programs. And we know our church needs to do more.
Meanwhile, the next time you're at the Eaton Centre, walk through the west exit and pause a moment outside Holy Trinity's simple homeless memorial. Pause, and think. What does it mean to you?
The Toenail Puller - Sasha Litvinenko RIP
[source: The Copydude blog- http://www.thecopydude.com/?p=168 ]
Tributes to Sasha Litvinenko, the sob story spy, are on all the tear stained pages of the UK tabloids today.
Probably the Daily Mail drivels it best. ‘He was honest, courageous, loving husband . . . etc.’
Blimey. You would never know he was a devious little toe-nail puller from the KGB. Or that his patron, Boris Berezovsky - not mentioned by the Daily Mail - is a gangland legend, veteran of countless contract hits. Or that his closest associate is an even scarier Chechen terrorist, Ahmed Zakayev.
Probably the nicest thing you can say about Alexander Litvinenko is that he was a raving loony, as his (hitherto unread) ravings in the Chechen press testify.
As Justin Raimondo writes, ‘the propaganda spewed out in the last couple of days is pure bunk and quite bizarre’. It’s what Justin describes as a ‘public relations tsunami, in which Litvinenko’s absurd conspiracy theory is being touted as unimpeachable fact.’ Putin did it, no doubt about that.
Berezovsky’s UK PR agency, of course, knows full well that it doesn’t take much to get xenophobic British tabloids going. You can’t pick up a Sun these days without a chiller diller scare about Romanian rippers, or Polish pimps, or Eastern European gypsies flooding in from everywhere. So the unscrupulous Pottinger fed them a large dose of Russophobia and they swallowed it whole.
Who would benefit from such a hate campaign at this time? Hmmm. It might just be the sleazy band of mobsters currently sheltering in London from corruption and murder charges in Russia. You see, on Nov 16, Russia and the UK signed a new memorandum on extradition. And Russian prosecutors interpret that as facilitating their ability to extradite Russia’s most-wanted: Berezovsky and Zakayev.
Why would the UK sign something like that? Take a tip from Yuri Mamchur. Access to Russia’s energy resources, either for foreign consumption or investment, comes at a price. He observes:
It is ironic that the oligarchs who used to buy influence abroad with oil money are now having their freedom sold for the same coin. An Old Russian proverb says, ‘The one who pays orders the music’. These days the Kremlin has enough money to make even top U.S. allies Britain and Israel “offers they can’t refuse” and can order up any music it likes.
But, if the timely murder of Litvinenko now makes Britain think twice about extraditing Berezovsky and Zakayev, Saint Sasha will have died for a good cause. Won’t he?
Tributes to Sasha Litvinenko, the sob story spy, are on all the tear stained pages of the UK tabloids today.
Probably the Daily Mail drivels it best. ‘He was honest, courageous, loving husband . . . etc.’
Blimey. You would never know he was a devious little toe-nail puller from the KGB. Or that his patron, Boris Berezovsky - not mentioned by the Daily Mail - is a gangland legend, veteran of countless contract hits. Or that his closest associate is an even scarier Chechen terrorist, Ahmed Zakayev.
Probably the nicest thing you can say about Alexander Litvinenko is that he was a raving loony, as his (hitherto unread) ravings in the Chechen press testify.
As Justin Raimondo writes, ‘the propaganda spewed out in the last couple of days is pure bunk and quite bizarre’. It’s what Justin describes as a ‘public relations tsunami, in which Litvinenko’s absurd conspiracy theory is being touted as unimpeachable fact.’ Putin did it, no doubt about that.
Berezovsky’s UK PR agency, of course, knows full well that it doesn’t take much to get xenophobic British tabloids going. You can’t pick up a Sun these days without a chiller diller scare about Romanian rippers, or Polish pimps, or Eastern European gypsies flooding in from everywhere. So the unscrupulous Pottinger fed them a large dose of Russophobia and they swallowed it whole.
Who would benefit from such a hate campaign at this time? Hmmm. It might just be the sleazy band of mobsters currently sheltering in London from corruption and murder charges in Russia. You see, on Nov 16, Russia and the UK signed a new memorandum on extradition. And Russian prosecutors interpret that as facilitating their ability to extradite Russia’s most-wanted: Berezovsky and Zakayev.
Why would the UK sign something like that? Take a tip from Yuri Mamchur. Access to Russia’s energy resources, either for foreign consumption or investment, comes at a price. He observes:
It is ironic that the oligarchs who used to buy influence abroad with oil money are now having their freedom sold for the same coin. An Old Russian proverb says, ‘The one who pays orders the music’. These days the Kremlin has enough money to make even top U.S. allies Britain and Israel “offers they can’t refuse” and can order up any music it likes.
But, if the timely murder of Litvinenko now makes Britain think twice about extraditing Berezovsky and Zakayev, Saint Sasha will have died for a good cause. Won’t he?
Friday, November 24, 2006
Barking for War in Canada
PEJ News - C. L. Cook - They came to this country a few years ago, representatives of a foreign philosophy, proponents of race hatred, and ethnic cleansing, and genocide. Their warped religion is not new, it is the surviving spawn of the seed thought destroyed, the kernel believed buried in the ashes of the Third Reich, but its heart is beating still, alive right here in our Canada.
www.PEJ.org
www.PEJ.org
Barking for War in Canada
C . L. Cook
PEJ News
November 24, 2006
Though true, what we've witnessed these last years, these decades of pain and horror since the fall of the Reich, with as many and more being killed by Hitler's successors in the jungles of Vietnam, and the killing fields of Cambodia, Indonesia, South America, the Middle-East, and Africa as ever were by the Nazis, was no recess from the project, the recent ascendance of the neo-cons, the new tellers of the old lie, is different; different because we have changed.
Hiding behind the suffering, the monumental and hideous destruction of European Jewry in the "Good War," today's sophists of the holocaust, buoyed by the same monied interests that lit the fire beneath that awful conflagration, have rallied to accelerate the task of mega-murder. They are organized, respectable, and their message, as odious and terrible as it is, has so far failed to illicit revulsion from the general public.
This past Spring, while Israel, its [sic] citizens safely removed from their outposts in Gaza, began a massive blitzkrieg against Palestinian civilians, barely a mutter of protest was heard in either the halls of power in Ottawa, au contrare, or over the public airwaves. Not surprising perhaps, considering the concentrated nature of Canadian media and constricted nature of Stephen Harper's ruling party, but what is shocking is the mum reaction Israel's ongoing atrocity in Palestine has evoked from the Canadian public.
Similarly, there is no great expession of public outrage here at the governing Conservatives' support of sanctions against the victims of Israel's massive military aggression, a largely defenseless people, committing the country to starving the survivors of food, and medicines, and aid monies. Nothing much either when, over the Summer, this same Israel destroyed Lebanon, killing at least a thousand people, Canadian citizens among them.
As though a great numbing of consciousness has afflicted the nation, Canada today seems unable to formulate an ethical baseline. As our neighbours normalize wars of aggression, and codify torture, we wave off our [sic] troops with red and white flags to enjoin the fray "over there," that we may not have to face the Taliban in Gander, or Victoria, or Moose Jaw.
Lost at sea...
Into that moral morass slithered a snake. With practiced speech, this nether child whispers words we wish to hear: The serpent reminds of a greatness never ours, but to be reclaimed, if only we follow a few necessary deviations of conscience.
This week past saw another death in a far-away place, another calculated destruction of life for political purposes. As his fellow countryman was more than a year ago, Lebanese politician Pierre Gemayel was murdered in his car as he drove through the streets he knew well.
As with his assassinated compatriot, Rafik Hariri, Gemayel was attempting to rebuild Lebanon following its destruction at the hands of the Israelis. As with Rafik, Pierre's murder would be hijacked for political purposes by all sides. And likewise, the culprits in both men's deaths will never be proven to the satisfaction of both sides.
It is a volatile moment in a country pushed near the brink of revisiting a civil war that reduced Lebanon, and its shining capital Beirut, the "Paris of the Middle East" to rubble barely a generation ago. While all responsible parties are calling for calm, there are those outside Lebanon doing the opposite.
In the guise of championing democracy, good governance, and the furtherance of peace and a better life for all the peoples of the world, the so-called Canadian Coalition for Democracies demands the Canadian government leap into the breach, as Mr. Harper did in the aftermath of the Hamas elections, and attack not the perpetrators of so much vile and despicable violence in Lebanon and Palestine this year past, but instead again assail the victim. Before any evidence as to the identity, or motives of Gemayel's assassins has come to light, the CCD, those that profess; "If we want peace, we must support beleaguered allies who share our Canadian values." would pour gasoline on Lebanon's embers, commanding;
"Today, we are calling on the Prime Minister to take strong action against Hezbollah and Palestinian terrorists within Lebanon as well as their sponsors in Syria and Iran. We must defeat those who use violence and murder, especially against the Christian minority, with the goal of making Lebanon yet another stage for global Islamist terror that threatens all nations including Canada."
Speaking for Canada, Foreign minister, Peter MacKay didn't go so far as naming names, but matched the CCD's hysteria, saying;
"The perpetrators of this cowardly act must be brought to justice;" adding "Canada condemns in the strongest terms this attack on Lebanon’s independence, stability and democracy. I urge the people of Lebanon to stand united against those who seek to destabilize their country."
These last years have witnessed the "reflowering" of unabashed fascism in Italy, Britain, America, Australia, and now Canada. This has largely come about due to the pernicious influence of "think tanks" , democracy pimps like the National Endowment for Democracy in the U.S., and their complicit friends in the corporate media. Now, thanks to propagandists like the self-anointed Canadian Coalition for Democracies, and their fellow-travellers in Canada, Canadians too are being made ready, as were their southern cousins before them, to accept the foreign influenza and "support our troops," even as they defy the nation's traditions, and soil the flag.
Chris Cook is a contributing editor to PEJ News and the Atlantic Free Press. He also hosts Gorilla Radio, a weekly public affairs program, broad/webcast from the University of Victoria, Canada. You can check out the GR Blog here.
Further resources on the murder of Pierre Gemayel
Syria Is A Convenient Fallguy For Gemayel's Death
By Jonathan Cook in Nazareth, 24 Nov. 2006
http://www.countercurrents.org/leb-cook241106.htm
Gemayel's Mourners Know That In Lebanon Nothing Is What It Seems
By Robert Fisk, 23 Nov.2006,The Independent
http://www.countercurrents.org/leb-fisk231106.htm
US Could Bomb Iran Nuclear Sites in 2007: Analysts
by the Agence France Presse, Wed., Nov.22, 2006
http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?
file=/headlines06/1122-07.htm
U.S. Retreat from Iraq? The Secret Story
Published on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006 by the Huffington Post
by Tom Hayden
http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?
file=/views06/1122-20.htm
Stay informed. Subscribe and get the best of PEJ News by email. Free.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Gorilla Radio for Monday, November 20, 2006
PEJ News - C. L. Cook - This week on GR, environmental activist, green energy entrepeneur and author, Randyn Seibold and British Columbia's alternative power potential and author, journalist, activist and educator, George Monbiot on ‘Captive State: the Corporate Takeover of Britain.’ And Janine Bandcroft bringing us up to speed with some of the good things to do in and around Victoria in the coming week.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca He also serves as a contributing editor at the progressive web news site: http://www.pej.org. You can check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca He also serves as a contributing editor at the progressive web news site: http://www.pej.org. You can check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com
Gorilla Radio for Monday,
November 20, 2006
C . L. Cook
PEJ News
Novermber 20, 2006
What does the future hold for us?
Despite the climate change deniers currently ruling legislatures and parliaments around this country and the greater world, we as a species are fast approaching an unprecedented energy crisis.
The early warning signs are all around us; resource wars abroad; desperate domestic energy development; and of course, increasingly volatile climate events across the planet serve as bellwethers to our uncertain tomorrow. But, where there is catastrophe opportunity too exists for those prepared to embrace a new paradigm.
Randyn Seibold is a Vancouver Island-based environmentalist and founder of Turbine Marketing, specializing in green energy alternatives. He's also the author of Green Knight, Black Knight, an examination of British Columbia's energy sector. Randyn Seibold in the first half.
And; In the second half, author, journalist, activist, and educator, George Monbiot will be here to discuss his new book, ‘Captive State: the Corporate Takeover of Britain.’
George Monbiot is the recipient of the United Nation Global 500 Award for outstanding environmental achievement, the Lloyds National Screenwriting Prize, the Sony Award for radio production, and the OneWorld National Press Award. George Monbiot in the second half on life in a ‘Captive State.’
And, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with all that’s good to do in and around Victoria this week.
But first, Randyn Seibold and British Columbia's jousting energy knights.
G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media.
Some past guests include: M. Junaid Alam, M. Shahid Alam, Joel Bakan, Maude Barlow, David Barsamian, Rhoda Berenson, William Blum, Luciana Bohne, William Bowles, Vincent Bugliosi, Helen Caldicott, Noam Chomsky, Michel Chossudovsky, Diane Christian, Juan Cole, David Cromwell, Murray Dobbin, Jon Elmer, Reese Erlich, Anthony Fenton, Jim Fetzer, Laura Flanders, Chris Floyd, Connie Fogal, Susan George, Stan Goff, Amy Goodman, Robert Greenwald, Denis Halliday, Chris Hedges, Sander Hicks, Julia Butterfly Hill, Robert Jensen, Dahr Jamail, Diana Johnstone, Kathy Kelly, Naomi Klein, Anthony Lappe, Frances Moore Lappe, Jason Leopold, Jeff Leys, Dave Lindorff, Jim Lobe, Jennifer Loewenstein, Wayne Madsen, Stephen Marshall, Linda McQuaig, George Monbiot, Loretta Napoleoni, John Nichols, Kurt Nimmo, David Orchard, Greg Palast, Mike Palecek, Michael Parenti, Robert Parry, Kevin Pina, William Rivers Pitt, Justin Podur, Jack Random, Sheldon Rampton, Paul Craig Roberts, Paul de Rooij, John Ross, Danny Schechter, Vandana Shiva, Norman Solomon, Starhawk, Grant Wakefield, Paul Watson, Bernard Weiner, Mickey Z., Dave Zirin, and many others.
Stay informed. Subscribe and get the best of PEJ News by email. Free
Arbour Under Attack Following Israel Condemnation
PEJ News - C. L. Cook - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, former Canadian Supreme Court Justice, Louise Arbour received a barrage of criticism in Israel a day after her comments regarding Israel's continuing atrocities commited against the civilian population of Palestine.
www.PEJ.org
Arbour Under Attack Following Israel Condemnation
C. L. Cook
PEJ News
November 21, 2006
Yesterday, Louise Arbour toured the battered town of Beit Hanoun. Residents took the U.N. High Commissioner through houses destroyed by Israeli artillary fire; fire that has claimed the lives of at least 19, wounding more than fifty others. It was for Arbour the beginning of a five day visit to the area, planned to culminate in an audience with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Omert.
After hearing survivor's stories, and walking through the rubble of destroyed houses, Arbour decried the attacks, saying; "The call for protection [of civilians] has to be answered. We cannot to see civilians, who are not the authors of their own misfortune, suffer to the extent of what I see here."
Just what extent of suffering would be acceptable to Arbour is not mentioned, but clearly her mild rebuke of Israel's military solution to the Palestinian problem went too far for some Israeli's in the border town of Sderot, the next stop on her tour, where her car was stoned, and at one point the motorcade mobbed, and Arbour's car rocked.
As if to underscore repeated complaints of Palestinian Kassam rocket attacks agianst border towns like Sderot, a rocket landed within a few hundred metres of Arbour's entourage while she toured a local factory, killing a worker. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) claim more than a thousand Kassams have landed in and near Sderot this year, killing at least one previoius to today's fatality, though the IDF numbers are in dispute.
While Arbour toured Sderot, the IDF launched another "incursion" into Gaza at Zeitun and Beit Lahiya. Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency says a column of thirty tanks and armoured cars entered Zeitun, while an unspecified number of soldiers moved into Beit Lahiya on "point liquidation," or assassination missions against those the Israeli military believe are involved in firing rockets into Israeli [sic] territory.
Though Arbour denounced those firing rockets into Israel, the press there has been highly critical of the ommissioner and the United Nations of being biased against Israel. The families of three Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Palestinians added their objections to Arbour for her refusal to meet with them. The three soldiers were, according to the IDF, the reason for numerous invasion campaigns since launched into Gaza and the occupied territories last Spring, and the Summer's invasion of Lebanon.
Stay informed. Subscribe and get the best of PEJ News by email. Free
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Election Could Have Been Thrown, Says Fraud Expert
http://www.propagandamatrix.com/articles/november2006/091106electionthrown.htm
Election Could Have Been Thrown, Says Fraud Expert
Harris considers token victory for Democrats fixed to quell dissent on mass
voting fraud, liberal bloggers begin to attack anyone who doesn't jump on
the Pelosi bandwagon
Paul Joseph Watson
Propaganda Matrix
Thursday, November 9, 2006
Voting rights activist Bev Harris fears the mid-term elections may have been
thrown in order to quell suspicions about vote fraud in anticipation of a
major 2008 coup. Liberal blog sites are already naively telling
whistleblowers and "conspiracy theorists" to keep quiet now that the left
arm of the establishment, the Democrats, have re-emerged.
"I think it's gonna be interesting to see which election reform groups
decide that it's not such a bad problem after all now that they have
Democrats in there because I think that some of them are actually closet
partisans," Harris told the Alex Jones Show.
"The issue here is not change in the last 24 hours - voting machines can't
be authenticated, they're not necessarily accurate, they're tamper
friendly - nothing has changed about that in 24 hours."
"We shouldn't really try to say well some Democrats are in there so now it's
OK - it's not."
However, that's exactly what a lot of left-leaning establishment types are
parroting, claiming a Democrat victory proves "American democracy still
works," and that questions about electronic voting machines should be tossed
aside.
Glenn Greenwald, an attorney and highly regarded liberal blogger, today went
on the attack against those who many in the establishment left had
previously allied with in order to take on the Neo-Cons.
"Chronic defeatists and conspiracy theorists - well-intentioned though they
may be - need to re-evaluate their defeatism and conspiracy theories in
light of this rather compelling evidence which undermines them," states
Greenwald, "Republicans don't possess the power to dictate the outcome of
elections with secret Diebold software. They can't magically produce Osama
bin Laden the day before the election."
Greenwald's naivety is rivaled only by his arrogance and we are already
beginning to have flashbacks to the Bill Clinton era, when liberals
associated their authority with the Democrats and defended their every
action without recourse.
Greenwald seems to have had a memory bypass that prevents him recalling
anything from over two years ago. The fact is that the Republicans did
produce Osama bin Laden before the 2004 election and Republicans have been
caught engaging on vote fraud across the board, including via Diebold
systems. Diebold's own Chief Executive, Walden O'Dell, committed himself to
"helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president," before the 2004
election.
Ludicrously, Greenwald claims that six years of repeated Bush administration
assaults on the Constitution, imperial jaunts that have killed and maimed
hundreds of thousands of innocents, the degradation of how America is viewed
abroad, and the very integrity of the country, has all been reversed by the
empowerment of a party rhetorically led by Nancy Pelosi, a pro-torture,
pro-war, mobbed-up establishment sycophant who has already agreed to protect
Bush and his cronies from criminal investigations.
"All of the hurdles and problems that are unquestionably present and
serious - a dysfunctional and corrupt national media, apathy on the part of
Americans, the potent use of propaganda by the Bush administration, voter
suppression and election fraud tactics, gerrymandering and fundraising
games - can all be overcome. They just were," smarts Greenwald.
Harris encouraged people to take a look at which Democrats got voted in and
what their stance was on the issues that were supposedly the root of voter
discontent in the first place.
"I keep seeing reports on how these are the people who everyone can get
along with, so what does that mean?"
Harris is absolutely right in identifying the fact that yesterday's charade
was nothing more than re-arranging deck chairs, and this is proven again by
the fact that likely speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has already vowed to
protect Bush from criminal impeachment and the two have agreed to work
together on advancing common cause agendas, such as the mass amnesty of
illegal aliens that Bush couldn't get through under a Republican controlled
House, an issue even Rush Limbaugh is now screaming bloody murder about.
Harris called for the temporary bias of favoritism for either the
Republicans or the Democrats to be set aside in favor of the pursuit of
trustworthy voting systems and the integrity of the electoral process in the
long-term. Indicating that she had received more substantive complaints
about vote fraud than in any other election, Harris said the possibility
remained strong that this election had been thrown in order to re-invest
artificial trust in electronic voting machines and stop the momentum of
voting rights activists.
"Supposing I was really wanting to make sure that I could control elections
through voting machines," said Harris, "I would probably throw a fight now
and then because right now we have so much momentum going to get real change
and then if you make it look like 'well there's nothing to look at here,
move along,' then we won't get it fixed by 2008."
Will liberals continue to frolic around totally oblivious to the fact that
the battle has just begun, or will they finally wake up and realize that it
takes more than the re-election of Team B to stop the juggernaut of tyranny
driven by both parties that has steamrollered America since the
assassination of JFK in November 1963?
Election Could Have Been Thrown, Says Fraud Expert
Harris considers token victory for Democrats fixed to quell dissent on mass
voting fraud, liberal bloggers begin to attack anyone who doesn't jump on
the Pelosi bandwagon
Paul Joseph Watson
Propaganda Matrix
Thursday, November 9, 2006
Voting rights activist Bev Harris fears the mid-term elections may have been
thrown in order to quell suspicions about vote fraud in anticipation of a
major 2008 coup. Liberal blog sites are already naively telling
whistleblowers and "conspiracy theorists" to keep quiet now that the left
arm of the establishment, the Democrats, have re-emerged.
"I think it's gonna be interesting to see which election reform groups
decide that it's not such a bad problem after all now that they have
Democrats in there because I think that some of them are actually closet
partisans," Harris told the Alex Jones Show.
"The issue here is not change in the last 24 hours - voting machines can't
be authenticated, they're not necessarily accurate, they're tamper
friendly - nothing has changed about that in 24 hours."
"We shouldn't really try to say well some Democrats are in there so now it's
OK - it's not."
However, that's exactly what a lot of left-leaning establishment types are
parroting, claiming a Democrat victory proves "American democracy still
works," and that questions about electronic voting machines should be tossed
aside.
Glenn Greenwald, an attorney and highly regarded liberal blogger, today went
on the attack against those who many in the establishment left had
previously allied with in order to take on the Neo-Cons.
"Chronic defeatists and conspiracy theorists - well-intentioned though they
may be - need to re-evaluate their defeatism and conspiracy theories in
light of this rather compelling evidence which undermines them," states
Greenwald, "Republicans don't possess the power to dictate the outcome of
elections with secret Diebold software. They can't magically produce Osama
bin Laden the day before the election."
Greenwald's naivety is rivaled only by his arrogance and we are already
beginning to have flashbacks to the Bill Clinton era, when liberals
associated their authority with the Democrats and defended their every
action without recourse.
Greenwald seems to have had a memory bypass that prevents him recalling
anything from over two years ago. The fact is that the Republicans did
produce Osama bin Laden before the 2004 election and Republicans have been
caught engaging on vote fraud across the board, including via Diebold
systems. Diebold's own Chief Executive, Walden O'Dell, committed himself to
"helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president," before the 2004
election.
Ludicrously, Greenwald claims that six years of repeated Bush administration
assaults on the Constitution, imperial jaunts that have killed and maimed
hundreds of thousands of innocents, the degradation of how America is viewed
abroad, and the very integrity of the country, has all been reversed by the
empowerment of a party rhetorically led by Nancy Pelosi, a pro-torture,
pro-war, mobbed-up establishment sycophant who has already agreed to protect
Bush and his cronies from criminal investigations.
"All of the hurdles and problems that are unquestionably present and
serious - a dysfunctional and corrupt national media, apathy on the part of
Americans, the potent use of propaganda by the Bush administration, voter
suppression and election fraud tactics, gerrymandering and fundraising
games - can all be overcome. They just were," smarts Greenwald.
Harris encouraged people to take a look at which Democrats got voted in and
what their stance was on the issues that were supposedly the root of voter
discontent in the first place.
"I keep seeing reports on how these are the people who everyone can get
along with, so what does that mean?"
Harris is absolutely right in identifying the fact that yesterday's charade
was nothing more than re-arranging deck chairs, and this is proven again by
the fact that likely speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has already vowed to
protect Bush from criminal impeachment and the two have agreed to work
together on advancing common cause agendas, such as the mass amnesty of
illegal aliens that Bush couldn't get through under a Republican controlled
House, an issue even Rush Limbaugh is now screaming bloody murder about.
Harris called for the temporary bias of favoritism for either the
Republicans or the Democrats to be set aside in favor of the pursuit of
trustworthy voting systems and the integrity of the electoral process in the
long-term. Indicating that she had received more substantive complaints
about vote fraud than in any other election, Harris said the possibility
remained strong that this election had been thrown in order to re-invest
artificial trust in electronic voting machines and stop the momentum of
voting rights activists.
"Supposing I was really wanting to make sure that I could control elections
through voting machines," said Harris, "I would probably throw a fight now
and then because right now we have so much momentum going to get real change
and then if you make it look like 'well there's nothing to look at here,
move along,' then we won't get it fixed by 2008."
Will liberals continue to frolic around totally oblivious to the fact that
the battle has just begun, or will they finally wake up and realize that it
takes more than the re-election of Team B to stop the juggernaut of tyranny
driven by both parties that has steamrollered America since the
assassination of JFK in November 1963?
Gorilla Radio for Monday, November 13, 2006
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca He also serves as a contributing editor at the progressive web news site: http://www.pej.org. You can check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com
In his article, 'A Letter from Canada: The New Religious Right,' award-winning American journalist Chris Hedges exposes what few of his Canadian colleagues will, the profound changes current prime minister, Stephen Harper is importing from south of the border, and their effective undermining of Canadian society. Quoting Hedges, he says: "Stephen Harper, inspired by the neocons to the south, appears determined to visit the worst excesses of George Bush's presidency on his own country." Chris Hedges and Harper's fundamental reordering of Canada in the first half.
And; Even as America's military ideology sinks into the fetid mire of moral disgust, its outrages recently and finally recognized by that country's electorate, the Canadian establishment remains firm on the need for Canada to "stay the course," refusing to "cut and run" in Afghanistan. So enamoured with the American way is Mr. Harper, he would have Canada enjoin with it permanently, putting an end to the nation much as he killed the country's founding political party.
Connie Fogal is the leader of the Canadian Action Party, and constitutional law lawyer, who says “under agreements entered under the Liberal regime post 9/11 including the Smart Border Plan and the Security and Prosperity Partnership Agreement, Canada is now but a step away from surrendering national sovereignty and being subsumed into a so-called North American Union. Connie Fogal and the end of the entity now known as Canada in the first half.
And Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with all that's good to do in and around Victoria this week. But first, Chris Hedges and Stephen Harper's pal God, ascending in Ottawa.
In his article, 'A Letter from Canada: The New Religious Right,' award-winning American journalist Chris Hedges exposes what few of his Canadian colleagues will, the profound changes current prime minister, Stephen Harper is importing from south of the border, and their effective undermining of Canadian society. Quoting Hedges, he says: "Stephen Harper, inspired by the neocons to the south, appears determined to visit the worst excesses of George Bush's presidency on his own country." Chris Hedges and Harper's fundamental reordering of Canada in the first half.
And; Even as America's military ideology sinks into the fetid mire of moral disgust, its outrages recently and finally recognized by that country's electorate, the Canadian establishment remains firm on the need for Canada to "stay the course," refusing to "cut and run" in Afghanistan. So enamoured with the American way is Mr. Harper, he would have Canada enjoin with it permanently, putting an end to the nation much as he killed the country's founding political party.
Connie Fogal is the leader of the Canadian Action Party, and constitutional law lawyer, who says “under agreements entered under the Liberal regime post 9/11 including the Smart Border Plan and the Security and Prosperity Partnership Agreement, Canada is now but a step away from surrendering national sovereignty and being subsumed into a so-called North American Union. Connie Fogal and the end of the entity now known as Canada in the first half.
And Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with all that's good to do in and around Victoria this week. But first, Chris Hedges and Stephen Harper's pal God, ascending in Ottawa.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
US: Immigrants May Be Held Indefinitely
US: Immigrants May Be Held Indefinitely
Nov 13, 9:53 PM (ET)
By MATT APUZZO
WASHINGTON (AP) -
Immigrants arrested in the United States may be heldindefinitely on suspicion of terrorism and may not challenge theirimprisonment in civilian courts, the Bush administration said Monday,opening a new legal front in the fight over the rights of detainees.In court documents filed with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals inRichmond, Va., the Justice Department said a new anti-terrorism law beingused to hold detainees in Guantanamo Bay also applies to foreigners capturedand held in the United States.
Ali Saleh Kahlah Al-Marri, a citizen of Qatar, was arrested in 2001 whilestudying in the United States. He has been labeled an "enemy combatant," adesignation that, under a law signed last month, strips foreigners of theright to challenge their detention in federal courts.
That law is being used to argue the Guantanamo Bay cases, but Al-Marrirepresents the first detainee inside the United States to come under the newlaw. Aliens normally have the right to contest their imprisonment, such aswhen they are arrested on immigration violations or for other crimes.
"It's pretty stunning that any alien living in the United States can bedenied this right," said Jonathan Hafetz, an attorney for Al-Marri.
"It means any non-citizen, and there are millions of them, can be whisked off atnight and be put in detention."
The new law says that enemy combatants will be tried before militarycommissions, not a civilian judge or jury, and establishes different rulesof evidence in the cases. It also prohibits detainees from challenging theirdetention in civilian court.In a separate court filing in Washington on Monday, the Justice Departmentdefended that law as constitutional and necessary.
Government attorneys said foreign fighters arrested as part of an overseasmilitary action have no constitutional rights and are being afforded morelegal rights than ever.
In its short filing in the Al-Marri case, however, the Justice Departmentdoesn't mention that Al-Marri is being held at a military prison in SouthCarolina - a fact that his attorneys say affords him the same rights asanyone else being held in the United States.
The Justice Department noted only that the new law applies to all enemycombatants "regardless of the location of the detention."The Bush administration maintains that al-Marri is an al-Qaida sleeperagent. The Defense Department ordered a review of Al-Marri's status as anenemy combatant be conducted if, as requested, the case is thrown out ofcourt.
Nov 13, 9:53 PM (ET)
By MATT APUZZO
WASHINGTON (AP) -
Immigrants arrested in the United States may be heldindefinitely on suspicion of terrorism and may not challenge theirimprisonment in civilian courts, the Bush administration said Monday,opening a new legal front in the fight over the rights of detainees.In court documents filed with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals inRichmond, Va., the Justice Department said a new anti-terrorism law beingused to hold detainees in Guantanamo Bay also applies to foreigners capturedand held in the United States.
Ali Saleh Kahlah Al-Marri, a citizen of Qatar, was arrested in 2001 whilestudying in the United States. He has been labeled an "enemy combatant," adesignation that, under a law signed last month, strips foreigners of theright to challenge their detention in federal courts.
That law is being used to argue the Guantanamo Bay cases, but Al-Marrirepresents the first detainee inside the United States to come under the newlaw. Aliens normally have the right to contest their imprisonment, such aswhen they are arrested on immigration violations or for other crimes.
"It's pretty stunning that any alien living in the United States can bedenied this right," said Jonathan Hafetz, an attorney for Al-Marri.
"It means any non-citizen, and there are millions of them, can be whisked off atnight and be put in detention."
The new law says that enemy combatants will be tried before militarycommissions, not a civilian judge or jury, and establishes different rulesof evidence in the cases. It also prohibits detainees from challenging theirdetention in civilian court.In a separate court filing in Washington on Monday, the Justice Departmentdefended that law as constitutional and necessary.
Government attorneys said foreign fighters arrested as part of an overseasmilitary action have no constitutional rights and are being afforded morelegal rights than ever.
In its short filing in the Al-Marri case, however, the Justice Departmentdoesn't mention that Al-Marri is being held at a military prison in SouthCarolina - a fact that his attorneys say affords him the same rights asanyone else being held in the United States.
The Justice Department noted only that the new law applies to all enemycombatants "regardless of the location of the detention."The Bush administration maintains that al-Marri is an al-Qaida sleeperagent. The Defense Department ordered a review of Al-Marri's status as anenemy combatant be conducted if, as requested, the case is thrown out ofcourt.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Gorilla Radio for Monday, November 6th, 2006
PEJ News - C. L. Cook - This week on GR political activist David Swanson watching America's mid-term polls; Anthony Fenton and Canada's Afghanistan Adventure; and, Janine Bandcroft, brings us up to speed on all the good things to get up to in and around Victoria in the coming week.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca He also serves as a contributing editor at the progressive web news site: http://www.pej.org. You can check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com
Gorilla Radio for Monday, November 6th, 2006C. L. CookPEJ News
November 5,2006
Tomorrow is the big day south of the 49th - election day for America. It matters little that the 2000 election that brought George W. Bush to the world was rigged, or that the 2004 election that kept George W. Bush in power was fixed, tomorrow will be different; tomorrow is the day the Republicans will lose their majority control of both the house of representatives and the senate. It will be the day American democracy will be reinstated, the disastrous reign of Bush and his war party will be relinquished, and finally articles of impeachment can be entertained. Or will it? David Swanson is the Washington director of Democrats.com and ImpeachPAC.org. He is co-founder of the group, After Downing street.org and creator of Meet with Cindy.org. David Swanson and watching the polls in the first half.
And; like America, Canada too is embroiled in an illegal, immoral, sensless war that can only lead to miserable failure. Five years from its beginnings, Canadian soldiers still occupy Afghanistan. But today "The Mission" has taken on a different, and uglier direction. Since its change of character, more than thirty Canadian soldiers, and an unknown number of Aghanis have been killed. Anthony Fenton is a Vancouver-based freelance journalist and co-author of the book 'Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority. His newest title, The Afghanistan Adventure: Canada's foreign policy for the 21st century is due for release in the new year. Anthony Fenton in the second half.
And; Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with all that's good to do in and around Victoria this week. But first, David Swanson and the beginning of the end for George W. Bush?
G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media. Some past guests include: M. Junaid Alam, M. Shahid Alam, Joel Bakan, Maude Barlow, David Barsamian, William Blum, Luciana Bohne, William Bowles, Vincent Bugliosi, Helen Caldicott, Noam Chomsky, Michel Chossudovsky, Diane Christian, Juan Cole, David Cromwell, Murray Dobbin, Jon Elmer, Reese Erlich, Anthony Fenton, Jim Fetzer, Laura Flanders, Chris Floyd, Connie Fogal, Susan George, Stan Goff, Amy Goodman, Robert Greenwald, Denis Halliday, Chris Hedges, Sander Hicks, Julia Butterfly Hill, Robert Jensen, Dahr Jamail, Diana Johnstone, Kathy Kelly, Naomi Klein, Anthony Lappe, Frances Moore Lappe, Jason Leopold, Jeff Leys, Dave Lindorff, Jim Lobe, Jennifer Loewenstein, Wayne Madsen, Stephen Marshall, Linda McQuaig, George Monbiot, Loretta Napoleoni, John Nichols, Kurt Nimmo, David Orchard, Greg Palast, Mike Palecek, Michael Parenti, Robert Parry, Kevin Pina, William Rivers Pitt, Justin Podur, Jack Random, Sheldon Rampton, Paul Craig Roberts, Paul de Rooij, John Ross, Danny Schechter, Vandana Shiva, Norman Solomon, Starhawk, Grant Wakefield, Paul Watson, Bernard Weiner, Mickey Z., Dave Zirin, and many others. Stay informed. Subscribe and get the best of PEJ News by email. Free.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca He also serves as a contributing editor at the progressive web news site: http://www.pej.org. You can check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com
Gorilla Radio for Monday, November 6th, 2006C. L. CookPEJ News
November 5,2006
Tomorrow is the big day south of the 49th - election day for America. It matters little that the 2000 election that brought George W. Bush to the world was rigged, or that the 2004 election that kept George W. Bush in power was fixed, tomorrow will be different; tomorrow is the day the Republicans will lose their majority control of both the house of representatives and the senate. It will be the day American democracy will be reinstated, the disastrous reign of Bush and his war party will be relinquished, and finally articles of impeachment can be entertained. Or will it? David Swanson is the Washington director of Democrats.com and ImpeachPAC.org. He is co-founder of the group, After Downing street.org and creator of Meet with Cindy.org. David Swanson and watching the polls in the first half.
And; like America, Canada too is embroiled in an illegal, immoral, sensless war that can only lead to miserable failure. Five years from its beginnings, Canadian soldiers still occupy Afghanistan. But today "The Mission" has taken on a different, and uglier direction. Since its change of character, more than thirty Canadian soldiers, and an unknown number of Aghanis have been killed. Anthony Fenton is a Vancouver-based freelance journalist and co-author of the book 'Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority. His newest title, The Afghanistan Adventure: Canada's foreign policy for the 21st century is due for release in the new year. Anthony Fenton in the second half.
And; Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with all that's good to do in and around Victoria this week. But first, David Swanson and the beginning of the end for George W. Bush?
G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media. Some past guests include: M. Junaid Alam, M. Shahid Alam, Joel Bakan, Maude Barlow, David Barsamian, William Blum, Luciana Bohne, William Bowles, Vincent Bugliosi, Helen Caldicott, Noam Chomsky, Michel Chossudovsky, Diane Christian, Juan Cole, David Cromwell, Murray Dobbin, Jon Elmer, Reese Erlich, Anthony Fenton, Jim Fetzer, Laura Flanders, Chris Floyd, Connie Fogal, Susan George, Stan Goff, Amy Goodman, Robert Greenwald, Denis Halliday, Chris Hedges, Sander Hicks, Julia Butterfly Hill, Robert Jensen, Dahr Jamail, Diana Johnstone, Kathy Kelly, Naomi Klein, Anthony Lappe, Frances Moore Lappe, Jason Leopold, Jeff Leys, Dave Lindorff, Jim Lobe, Jennifer Loewenstein, Wayne Madsen, Stephen Marshall, Linda McQuaig, George Monbiot, Loretta Napoleoni, John Nichols, Kurt Nimmo, David Orchard, Greg Palast, Mike Palecek, Michael Parenti, Robert Parry, Kevin Pina, William Rivers Pitt, Justin Podur, Jack Random, Sheldon Rampton, Paul Craig Roberts, Paul de Rooij, John Ross, Danny Schechter, Vandana Shiva, Norman Solomon, Starhawk, Grant Wakefield, Paul Watson, Bernard Weiner, Mickey Z., Dave Zirin, and many others. Stay informed. Subscribe and get the best of PEJ News by email. Free.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Gorilla Radio for Monday, October 30, 2006
PEJ News - C. L. Cook - This week on GR: Victorians take to the streets to call an end to this country's military involvement in Afghanistan. Indepedent media superstar Amy Goodman on media substance over Static, and Janine Bandcroft bringing us up to speed on local goings on in and around Victoria in the coming week.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca He also serves as a contributing editor at the progressive web news site: http://www.pej.org. You can check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com
Gorilla Radio for Monday, October 30, 2006
C. L. Cook
PEJ News
October 22, 2006
It’s been a big weekend for little Victoria just passed: Wrapping up today, the inaugural Victoria International Arts Symposium that played host to artists and activists from around the city and around the world. The theme this first year is “Artists of Conscience,” and with war and injustices of all description reigning freely these last half-dozen years, the time could not be riper for the culture-makers to focus their talents on those that would destroy all of humanity to serve their own base needs.
While Victorians were treated indoors to visions of the better world possible, on the streets more than a thousand Victorians marched to mark the fifth anniversary of the Canadian military’s collusion in the rape and occupation of Afghanistan. I went down to the demonstration with a tape recorder to get the views of some of the participants at the march. Marching streeters in the first segment.
And; yesterday more than seven hundred Victorians came out to hear Amy Goodman, host and executive producer of the wildly popular Democracy Now! news broadcast – heard daily at noon here on CFUV deliver a keynote speech titled, ‘Documenting Dissent.’ Goodman is at the end of an eighty city tour promoting here latest book, ‘Static: Government Liars, Media Cheerleaders, and the People Who Fight Back.’ I had the chance to interview Amy Goodman as she sped from one event to another Saturday. Amy Goodman fighting back in the second half.
And; Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of the good things to do in and around Victoria in the coming week.
G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media.
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Brad Will: The Death of a Revolutionary
NYC Indy Media - David Rovics - brad will was a dear friend, and a true revolutionary. he died the way countless and uncounted numbers of beautiful people have died in recent centuries -- he was shot in the chest by rightwing paramilitaries. he was filming the scene around one of thousands of barricades that have shut down oaxaca city since last june, when the rightwing governor there tried to ban public expressions of dissent, thus throwing one more historical spark into one more historical powder keg.
www.davidrovics.com
brad will was a dear friend, and a true revolutionary
By david rovics
NYC Indy
October 29, 2006
brad embodied the spirit of indymedia. he was not just covering stories that the "mainstream" press ignores, such as the exciting, violent revolutionary moment which has gripped oaxaca for several months now. brad was not risking his life to get a good shot of a confrontation at a barricade because he might get a photo on the cover of a newspaper, get some (perhaps well-deserved) fame and money -- he was posting his communiques on indymedia, for free. sure, brad was filming in order to cover history. but he was there also to make history. brad knew that a camera is a weapon, or hopefully a shield of some sort, and sometimes can serve to de-escalate a situation, to protect people from being violated, beaten, killed. and brad knew that if the independent media didn't document history, nobody else would.
brad deeply appreciated the power of music and culture. if he didn't have a camera in his hands, he often had a guitar. during some of his many travels around latin america he wrote emails to me about the musicians he met, with whom he shared my songs and recordings. he particularly liked my song "saint patrick battalion," and reportedly shared his rendition of it with lots of people. he would not live to know just how much his life and death would resemble the san patricios, who died fighting for mexico during the first u.s. invasion of that country in the 1840's.
through all brad did and saw on large swaths of three different continents, he somehow continually brought with him a boundless enthusiasm and obvious love of life, love, a good party, or a good riot. he was my favorite kind of person, my favorite kind of revolutionary -- the sort who is just as comfortable talking about revolutionary theory, current events, music, relationships or smoking a bowl on a manhattan rooftop at sunset. the kind of person who is alive, in mind, body and spirit, in equal proportions.
brad became a radical long before it was briefly fashionable (with the wto protests in seattle), and long since it became unfashionable (september 11th, 2001). the kinds of tactics and politics that the global justice movement became briefly known for were pioneered by people like brad in the squatters' movement in new york city and the radical environmental movement on the west coast in the 1990's. brad was in both places and many more. brad was somewhere near the ground floor of many other more recent anarchist institutions -- food not bombs, critical mass, reclaim the streets, guerrilla gardening, indymedia. he saw the connections, deeply understood the concept of "the commons," and went for it, as an activist, a videojournalist, a musician and a cheerleader.
i never knew brad's last name until he was murdered. for me he was just brad. in my cell phone he was "brad nyc" (to distinguish him from another good friend named brad, who lives in baltimore). i don't remember talking with him much about his past, where he grew up, how he became a revolutionary, though we may have talked about that sort of thing. but generally i saw him in the course of events, whether it was a film showing/concert on a brooklyn rooftop, a land occupation in the bronx, or, more often, a large demonstration against an evil financial institution somewhere in the world.
i've sung at many such events, and brad has been at most of them -- and he's been present at many which i didn't make it to. they're all such a blur, i don't remember which ones anymore. but the many encounters always start out with a warm smile and a hug, and usually involve some kind of chaos going on, with brad comfortably in the middle of it. sometimes -- all too rarely, i suddenly realize -- the encounters would continue after the chaos subsided, and we could be in a quiet place with a small group of people, smoking a bowl and talking about life, my favorite bits.
there have been many debates about whether it is more useful to organize large events or to focus on community organizing locally. whether to focus on recording history or making it. whether to educate or to act. whether to have a party or have a meeting. brad clearly decided that the correct answer is "all of the above." the reality of this is easy to demonstrate -- talk to anybody in new york city involved with just about any aspect of the progressive movement. it's a city of 8 million people, but if they are serious participants in the movement, they know brad. though, like me, they probably don't know his last name. he's just brad, the tall, thin guy with long hair who is often flashing a warm, gentle smile with a compassionate, intelligent glint in his eye. he's often described with a connector like "brad from indymedia" or "brad from more gardens" or "brad the musician."
brad had his critics. i recently heard one young person in the anarchist scene in new york say something like "brad is all about brad." it's the sort of thing that people say about each other. sometimes it's true -- there are lots of self-interested assholes on the planet, that's for sure, and the u.s. seems to have more than it's fair share of them. but to me it always seemed evident that this kind of accusation of a guy like brad was born out of jealousy. and that's ok, brad had a lot to make fellow activists jealous. he'd been around the block a few times and was known by many. he was charismatic, competent, opinionated -- this sort of thing can make some people uncomfortable. i'm sure they would all have gotten over it eventually. and now, suddenly faced with life and death, with what it really means to be committed to the people of this earth, i'd be willing to guess that nobody feels that way anymore.
i haven't seen him in a while. several months at least. but suddenly i miss him so much. i miss hanging out with him in the lower east side, chilling at his place there, swapping stories. i miss the rejuvinating warmth of his presence. i miss the unspoken, mutual admiration. i miss the feeling that i was in the presence of someone who so deeply felt his connection to the world. the feeling that here was someone who would die for me, and me for him, no questions asked. and now, like so many others before him, he's done just that.
like all of the rest of us, over the generations his memory will fade and eventually disappear. but for those of us alive today who had the honor of being one of brad's large circle of friends, his memory will be with us painfully, deeply, lovingly, until we all join him beneath the ground -- hopefully only after each of us has managed to have the kind of impact on each other, on the movement, and the world that brad surely had in his short 36 years.
[feel free to post and distribute. for more information on the death of brad will and the circumstances surrounding it, check out www.indymedia.org and www.narconews.com.]
Friday, October 27, 2006
Who Gets Last Laugh In Wanta Story
Trillions Waiting For American People As Idiots In American Press Show True Colors.
23 Jul 2006
"Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. That awful power, the public opinion of a nation, is created in
By Greg Szymanski
A person might as well spit on the sidewalk, write the story with left over saliva and then go have a stiff drink because no one in the land of the spineless writers and the home of the gutless news broadcasters is ever going to alert the America people about the importance of the Leo Wanta story before it is too late.
Twain had it right when he called the American press ignorant and self-complacent. He had it right when he wrote an article entitled Advice to Youth, saying: “The history of our race, and each individual's experience, are sown thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.”
Wanta told the truth to the American people for the better part of 30 years, but the American press is poised and ready to kill it once and for all. In an effort to head them off, listen to this:
Wanta’s truth telling over the years resulted on June 12 with an agreement to repatriate 4.5 trillion to the American economy. The money now sits in a Bank of America account in
But in the absence of Twain’s insights, let’s set the record straight so everyone can understand the truth about the origins of the Wanta money before the barrage of lies permeates the landscape, taking over as truth.
The story begins with Wanta, a trusted servant of Ronald Reagan who amassed large amounts of cash at the end of the Cold War, trying to put more than 27.5 trillion back into the U.S. Treasury more than 14 years ago. However, he was back stabbed by Bush Sr. and Clinton, who wanted the booty for themselves and their rich friends.
Records, in fact, link Daddy Bush to taking at least 1 billion illegally, making him liable for criminal charges for depositing the money for his own private use in a Panama bank.
Further, banking records complied by investigators in Europe, with account names and numbers, show almost 750 billion pilfered for the Bush and Clinton’s crime family’s own use, including records showing Vince Foster, special White House counsel, was given 250 million two weeks prior to his untimely murder in a Washington D.C. park, the money never being accounted for or even mentioned.
The killings and the rip-offs didn’t stop with Foster, mounting like dead flies over the years and over the trillions of dollars made by Wanta and his group of financiers, including Wanta’s Chinese business partner killed 10 days after the pair met with Bush Sr. in a
Simply put, the whole sad story revolves around a good man like Wanta wanting to return the money to the American people and the Bush and Clinton gang wanting the trillions to remain offshore for their own personal use.
And for Wanta’s service to the people in this supposed God-faring country, the spineless idiots in the press ignored his story, allowing the gutless idiots in the government, like Bush and Clinton, to humiliate and jail him for the better part of the last 10 years, including a wretched stay in a Swiss dungeon for 133 days.
Further, he was nearly killed in jail several times by CIA operatives, trying to get him to cut a deal so crime bosses, Bush and Clinton, could get their dirty hands on even more of the money, money put into accounts by Wanta in order to return it to he people not the neo cons.
Wanta then got out of jail about a year and a half ago and since has been trying to recover what has been estimated to be more than 70 trillion dollars. He recently entered into a 4.5 trillion settlement being illegally stalled by the Fed, the details of which can be found in the Arctic Beacon archives.
He also said he is giving the Fed a July 31 deadline or he plans to go after the entire booty, a move the powers that be will never let happen since they have either stolen it or plan to continue using it illegally.
One thing for sure, though, the Wanta story neatly pins the tail on the real ‘donkey-criminals’ in this country. It also clearly reveals how the American people still remain a financial super power, the only problem being the people let a select few donkeys steal their money.
Further, the Wanta story reveals how the jackasses in the American press remain jackasses.
It also reveals how Wanta himself had to accept a smaller deal, fearing he’d get a bullet in his head if he didn’t.
But most importantly the whole story is about to reveal how Americans just don’t care anymore. It’s about to reveal how the Bush and Clinton gang can be caught red-handed stealing trillions from the American people and still live another day to rape, pillage and kill even more.
And finally it’s about to reveal how the human race has really one effective weapon and that weapon is laughter. And it will be interesting, as the Wanta story unfolds, to see who gets the last laugh this time.
Greg Szymanski
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