Could this be why the bankers done what they did to Cyprus ????

World’s First Bitcoin ATM Is Announced – First Location: Cyprus

By Jeff Berwick
The Dollar Vigilante
March 25, 2013
While European politicos negotiate in Brussels, deciding the fate of other people’s money in Cyprus, the free market has already moved in to help Cypriots get access to their money via other means…
Banks have been closed for the last week in Cyprus and if they do re-open on Tuesday, it has now been announced that daily withdrawal limits at ATMs will be 100 euros per day.  
As the Cypriot Drama unfolds before our very eyes, I began pondering what tangible solutions there are to bank holidays and bank runs. What could I do to help in Cyprus and all other countries (like Spain, Greece and Italy) for which, as we have predicted at TDV, bank closures are coming?  The answer wasn’t hard to come up with. If these people had simply bought bitcoins with their savings, not only would they currently have 100% access to their funds, but also they would have enjoyed a parabolic move to the upside over past months.
ENTER THE WORLD’S FIRST OPERATIONAL BITCOIN ATM
Upon examination of the marketplace and many discussions with Justin O’Connell (TDV Newsletter & Gold Silver Bitcoin), as well as another key strategic partner of ours, I have decided to move forward with that I believe could be the next multi-billion dollar business venture: Bitcoin ATM.
But that isn’t all. It is wholly our intention at Bitcoin ATM to put the company in the right position to open its very first ATM in Cyprus. If we did this now, and we are moving quickly to make this so, we would be the only functioning ATM on the island.
How do I know this is such a good idea? Just look at what Bloomberg recently wrote about Bitcoin as currency:
One place where it’s not safe is in Bitcoin. Bitcoin is generally referred to as a “digital currency” or “virtual currency,” a form of cash that doesn’t need government backing. Unfortunately  it’s missing the most essential aspect of money: it’s not useful for buying anything. Bitcoin’s rise as a tool for financial speculation underlines the failure of the virtual currency idea.
As Dollar Vigilante readers will know, I take issue with a number of assumptions in this paragraph. For instance, no economic law exists (in the real world) which stipulates that cash needs government backing. Also, I have found that Bitcoin is useful for many things, not the least of which are the many things we accept Bitcoin for here at TDV Media, such as TDV Offshore, TDV Passports, TDV Newsletter, TDV Homegrown, and Get Your Gold Out Of Dodge.
I am not the first person to note Bitcoin’s Aristotelian attributes as money.
Durability: Bitcoin exists on the networks of users everywhere. Just like the internet, there is no singular switch to turn Bitcoin off. Bitcoin has already seen tremendous volatility, and the userbase has remained.
Portability: What’s more portable than a flash drive? Or, how about a private key memorized in your brain. There is nothing more portable than a thought, and that’s what Bitcoin can be if you memorize your private key and keep the coins on a cold storage medium (also another technology the Bitcoin ATM team has planned).
Fungibility: Bitcoin is divisible up to 8 decimal places.  That means that at its current growth (inflation) rate of 3,600 bitcoin-a-day, the ultimate total amount of 21,000,000 bitcoin ever to be on the market can be divided among billions of people on the planet.
Intrinsic Value: A bet for Bitcoin is a bet for the Internet. We all have first hand experience with the intrinsic value of the Internet. What’s more, Bitcoin values the notion of privacy in a world where privacy has become scarcer than silver.
In Europe, institutions like the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank & the German Federal Government have forced individuals to suffer through the confiscation and devaluation of their savings through techniques like taxes, levies and inflation.
The European Central Bank published a report in October, which stated that increased demand for Bitcoin “could have a negative impact on the reputation of central banks,” particularly if the public perceives Bitcoin’s value is due to “a central bank not doing its job properly.” Yet another reason why I know this idea is a good one.
These reasons and others are why I feel that Bitcoin ATM’s time is now. We picked our slogan, “Your Future Now,” to demonstrate the immediacy with which we feel we must roll out this technology.
I’ve founded many successful internet companies, and rarely have I been as excited about an idea as Bitcoin ATM. I’ve got a great, knowledgeable team who has already contacted important people within and without the ATM and bitcoin communities to make this feasible. You’ll be intrigued by the unexpected relationships we’re forging to bring Bitcoin to more people across the globe. In gauging shop owners in the digital currency unfriendly state of California last week, the Bitcoin ATM team discovered great interest from not only those who knew Bitcoin, but also from those who did not. Stateless currencies will be a way of the future, and that’s why Bitcoin ATM, and why now.
BITCOIN ATM FUNCTIONALITY
At this moment in time, you can deposit fiat currency into Bitcoin ATM and receive bitcoins to your account. You can also send bitcoins and receive fiat currencies (although there are some difficulties in the latter due to network-specific requirements).  
OWN YOUR OWN BITCOIN ATM’S – POSSIBLE BUSINESS VENTURE OF THE DECADE
Ever wish you had gotten involved in the early stages of the internet in 1994?  Or bought gold in 2000?  Or invested in Microsoft in the 80s?  I see bitcoin and things like Bitcoin ATM as being the next big thing.  And, this is not the first time I’ve recognized a massive paradigm shift as I did starting Canada’s largest financial website in 1994… and became a gold advocate early in the last decade and starting up The Dollar Vigilante in 2009 with a focus on protecting from The End Of The Monetary System As We Know It (TEOTMSAWKI)… something that is in full flight as people in Cyprus can attest.
As stated, we want to roll out these ATMs as quickly as possible.  Very obvious first locations would be in nations which are currently undergoing capital controls such as Argentina and Iran.  But, even more than that, there are communities of freedom minded individuals sprouting up all over the world.  A few bitcoin ATMs in the free state, New Hampshire, where thousands of freedom loving agorists have already moved is a no brainer.  Other areas that make complete sense include places like Chile where many are now gravitating as well as Cafayate in Argentina where Doug Casey has already formed his freedom loving expat community.
I am convinced bitcoin will be the currency of the future… and all the attacks on it by governments and central banks shows they know it.  
If you are interested in getting more info on becoming a franchisee in a particular area and installing a Bitcoin ATM in that region, please contact us at bitcoinatm@bitcoinatm.com.  As well, as things grow – and I expect it to be rapid – we may accept investors who are interested.  You can contact us about that at the same email bitcoinatm@bitcoinatm.com.
About  the Author and Founder:
Anarcho-Capitalist.  Libertarian.  Freedom fighter against mankind’s two biggest enemies, the State and the Central Banks.  Jeff Berwick is the founder of The Dollar Vigilante, CEO of TDV Media & Services and host of the popular video podcast, Anarchast.  Jeff is a prominent speaker at many of the world’s freedom, investment and gold conferences as well as regularly in the media.
http://intellihub.com/2013/03/25/worlds-first-bitcoin-atm-is-announced-first-location-cyprus/

Kratom: The Miracle Healing Leaf

By Dustin P.
Waking Times
March 24, 2013
Kratom, derived from a Thai word for a species of tree known as Mitragyna speciosa, is a large tree in the Rubiaceae family that grows native in Southeast Asia. In the wild, the trees can grow higher than 60 feet and wider than 15 feet. The leaves can have either light or dark red veins, and the leaves can be either a light green or a dark green in color.
The leaves are elongated and oval, with a straight vein from bottom to tip and symmetrical veins shooting off from the main vein. The tree has a very topical appearance, and grows in wet or marshy areas in Southeast Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and New Guinea. The Kratom tree produces round yellowish flower pods which contain around 50 seeds.
One of the earliest mentions of Kratom was by Pieter Korthals in the early 19th century, a Dutch Botanist who described its flowers as reminding him somewhat of a Bishop’s mitre. Thus, he named this tree Mitragyna. In the time of Korthals, Kratom was a historically used remedy in Thailand.
It was used as a cure-all for various physical and mental ailments. The ancient history of Kratom is unknown, and sources describing its use prior to European Colonization are scarce. Regardless, there is little doubt that this tree had been used by the indigenous populations of Southeast Asia for millennia. Typically, Kratom is used by laborers or farmers who would use the leaves on the tree for energy while working, as coffee drinkers use coffee in the morning or as a ‘pick me up’.
In 1943, the Thai government passed the “Kratom Act 2486″ essentially banning the Kratom tree. However, being as the trees as indigenous to Thailand, banning them would be comparable to banning Pine trees or Oak trees in the United States. The ban was totally unsuccessful, and use continued since.
Although the effects of Kratom ingestion are comparable to that of Coffee in mildness, Kratom is classified in the same category as Cocaine and Heroin in some countries including Thailand. Possessing even an ounce of the leaf from this tree could be punished by death in Thailand. Although death sentences are rare, individuals who sell Kratom usually face up to several years in prison. Today, Kratom is grown in several countries in Southeast Asia as well as other tropical countries by individu-als hoping to propagate this great tree.
Today, most people can openly grow and possess Kratom without fear of punishment. However, as countries prohibit or outlaw Kratom, the qualities and the quality control are severely damaged. Right now, it is easy to buy powdered Kratom leaf for medicinal purposes without fear of it being tainted with other substances.
However, if Kratom were to be outlawed in more countries then the black-market would put this to an end. As is always the case with black-market goods, individuals purchasing kratom could be in fear of buying something that is not Kratom at all and perhaps even something that is poisonous or deadly. Regulation is necessary, but prohibiting Kratom usage could do nothing but harm innocent users around the world.
The Kratom leaf is usually traditionally chewed, dried and powdered and then mixed with foods, or boiled into a tea. The leaf itself is what has the medicinal properties on the Kratom tree. The Kratom leaf contains numerous active alkaloids. One of the main alkaloids is known as Mitragynine, which comes from the name of the tree. Mitragynine is a mu-opioid receptor agonist. This means that it produces a physiological response when binding to the mu-opioid receptor. Another major alkaloid in the Kratom leaf is 7-Hydroxymitragynine, which is also a mu-opioid agonist. (Vicknasingam B, 2010) (Takayama H, 2002)
Kratom is used around the world today and it is usually sold in herbal shops, alternative medicine stores and also on the internet. Kratom users around the world live in constant fear of their medicine being outlawed by politicians seeking to demonize another herbal medicine. Politicians do this because it makes them appear to be doing their job, protecting the people from another “dangerous plant”. In reality, Kratom is totally safe when used in moderation and politicians rely on propaganda and false information to get their laws passed. One major problem associated with Kratom is that there are countless people out there who seek to do nothing more than earn a quick buck with this tree, and mix it with dangerous substances and then sell it as a “legal high”. This is the most damaging thing that can happen to any herbal medicine, and Kratom is no exception. Kratom users around the world keep an eye out for greedy people who seek to claim Kratom is some “legal high”. In reality, you don’t get “high” from kratom anymore than you get high from Coffee. If anyone claims that Kratom makes you “high” then they must also claim that Coffee makes you “high” by the same logic.
Kratom is compared to coffee in many ways. Kratom comes from the coffee family; however instead of the beans being powdered and used the leaf is powdered with Kratom. Kratom is also similar to coffee in the mildness of its effects. Kratom produces calming effects, but also stimulating effects at the same time. The strength of these effects is exactly the same as Coffee is and at exactly the same amount. Though, one could argue that Coffee is much stronger since coffee must be diluted and mixed with water before used.
Is Kratom addictive? Well, people who claim that Kratom is addictive have never used it and know no one who has ever used it. Kratom is as addictive as coffee is. Now, having used Kratom for years and having used coffee for years, many can testify to this fact. Also, having spoken to countless Kratom users who are also coffee drinkers, this is always the situation. If anyone who has drank coffee for years and then tries to quit, it would be essentially the same for someone who has used Kratom for years and tries to quit. So, if you ever hear someone claim that “Kratom is addictive” then just say “Yeah, about as addictive as coffee!”
Is Kratom unhealthy? No. Not at all. While it is true that many people may have side effects from using Kratom, this is usually because they mixed it with other things or ate too much of it. Eating too much Kratom can produce nausea at mild levels. There have not been many valid long-term studies which have been studying the long-term effects of Kratom, but personal experience with people who have used for several years suggests that there are no long-term side effects. Kratom should not be consumed by people under the age of 18, on the same grounds that coffee should not be consumed by chil-dren. Consuming large amounts of Kratom can be dangerous, as can large amounts of coffee. Mixing Kratom with other substances is also not advised due to adverse effects.
(Nelsen JL, 2010)
Kratom is NOT comparable to alcohol. Kratom users can attest that driving while using Kratom is nev-er a problem. Someone who has eaten some Kratom and then drives, Kratom will have about as much as an effect on driving as 1 cup of coffee might have. Perhaps if a huge amount of Kratom is used be-fore driving, this might have a negative effect but this would also be true of Coffee as well. Kratom is CERTAINLY NOT comparable to any illegal drugs. Kratom, being compared to Coffee in terms of strength, would never compare to any hard illegal drugs.
Why do people use Kratom? People use Kratom for many reasons ranging from treating depression, anxiety, fatigue, chronic pain, migraines, etc. Kratom has many uses for many different ailments. Many people who use Kratom used to use more severe pharmaceutical drugs to treat their ill-nesses, but having experienced far too many side effects now use Kratom. I personally have used every anti-depressant under the sun and none worked and the side effects were all too severe for me to deal with. Kratom, however, essentially cures my depression when used on a regular basis in small amounts. Kratom has also been used by many people as a cure for addiction to various drugs, even including hardcore illegal drugs. The benefits of kratom are vast indeed!
(Boyer EW, 2008)
Who uses Kratom? What types of people use Kratom? The answer to this question is simple: All types of people use Kratom. Kratom is used by both upper and lower class, educated and uneducated, conservatives and liberals, all races and ethnicities and all ages. Kratom is not some teen-craze but is most commonly used by adults, a lot like Coffee. The same types of people who drink coffee also eat Kratom. For the same exact reasons. I’ve witnessed many many testimonies from individuals who use Kratom for many purposes and I would like to share some of them here in this article. Please read through these carefully and put yourself in the shoes of these individuals who are resorting to this natural plant to treat and/or cure many of their ailments.
(Takayama H, 2002)
Testimonies
There is a testimony from a woman who had been addicted to opiates because she was pre-scribed them for pain by a doctor. She was given dangerous pharmaceuticals to treat this addiction, which she also became addicted to and she stated that the withdrawal was worse for this pharmaceutical than it was for Morphine which she was previously addicted to.
She wasn’t able to work or pay her bills and accidentally stumbled upon this leaf from a tree called “Kratom”. She was curious and, des-perate to try anything, and after using it for only a few weeks was totally cured of her addiction to pharmaceutical drugs. After a few weeks she went back to work, spent time with her children, and live her life.
She trusted her doctor, but that trust was misplaced as he simply gave her a drug even more addicting than what she was already addicted to. She suffered in silence for years until finally discovering the benefits of Kratom. She is currently 100% drug free. She only uses Kratom a few times a month as a natural remedy to treat her PTSD. Now her daughters have a mother, and now this woman has her life back!
I’ve heard a testimony from a man who suffered from chronic pain due to an injury and, as a natural medicine supporter, this man sought a herbal remedy to his chronic pain. He stumbled upon Kratom which has essentially turned his life around. Instead of suffering from pain all day long, this man uses Kratom (In addition to other natural supplements as well as Ibuprofen and a good physical recovery workout routine) and he no longer has pain. It has vanished. This man could be currently addicted to dangerous pharmaceutical drugs, but he choose to use a natural alternative which is no more addictive than coffee.
I’ve heard another story from a man who became addicted to vicodin due to chronic pain at the age of 18. This person suffered severely from their addiction and eventually lost everything because of it. The dangerous narcotics were killing this man and after getting a health checkup he realized that he had to stop or he was going to die.
Now how is he life after discovering Kratom? Great! He is married and now has children and lives a happy and healthy life. Kratom cured this man of his addiction to Vicodin and now he uses it to improve his own health. This life-saving tree has saved yet another person’s life.
One of the most inspiring testimonies that I have heard is from a woman who served in the military, and I quote her story here:
”After serving in multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, I found myself suffering from not only physi-cal pain from multiple head injuries, as well as back and knee injuries. I left the Army and was given Oxycodone by the VA to help manage the pain. Despite trying to be careful about the use of this drug, I found myself craving it more and more. I also found that I would have severe mood swings while on it, not to mention the withdrawals if I decided not to take it for a day or ran out. When the Oycodone wore off the pain returned ten-fold, prompting me to take more. After years of using it, the effects lasted less than an hour. I was constantly tired and found it difficult to perform daily tasks. Without the drug, how-ever, I was often in too much pain to go about daily business. The Oxy also did nothing for the mi-graines caused by the brain injury nor did it help for the neuropathy. Life was pain-filled misery. A couple of years ago, I discovered Kratom and began substituting it for the Oxycodone. I found that, unlike the Oxy, I could take Kratom for a week or two straight without tolerance issues and then stop taking it without withdrawals. The more I substituted Kratom for Oxy while I was in pain, the less depression and mood swings I experienced. There was no nausea, tiredness, or rebound pain. I didn’t crave Kratom or have to take it out of fear of withdrawal symptoms. I can take it on a day when the pain is bad and not take it the next few days or weeks without being sick and agitated like with the pre-scription drugs given to me by the VA. It demolishes the migraines and relieves pain from the nerve damage even. With no mental cloudiness or tiredness from Kratom, I can go about my life with relative ease and a semblance of normalcy. I have not renewed my Oxycodone prescription since May or June and had stopped taking them long before that. Kratom gave me my life back. I would really appreciate it if the government wouldn’t take that away from me again…”
If this is not an inspiring testimony which attests to the pure benefits of Kratom, then I don’t know what is. This story offers us a distinct look into what kind of people Kratom helps.
There is also a testimony from a law enforcement officer who uses Kratom to help with chronic pain. This officer, who serves his community diligently, is not allowed to take pain-killers on a regular basis and so must rely on natural alternatives like Kratom. Now Kratom is under threat of being banned in his state because of disinformation and ignorance.
What will this man now do? That is the question we must all ask ourselves when we turn away from dangerous pharmaceuticals in exchange for safe natural remedies. It is only a matter of time until special interests outlaw them.

Conclusions

Today the future of this wonderful tree looks bleak indeed. Looking at the history of other herbal substances that have been outlawed for no valid reason at all, Kratom is just next inline to be victim to propaganda, ignorance and false information. What can be done about this? Keep an eye on Kraton in the news. Go to Google News and type in “Kratom” and keep an eye on the news revolving around Kratom. Any time you see false information in the news then simply E-mail those responsible for the incorrect articles and tell them the facts.
Don’t let this wonderful medicinal leaf be outlawed because of propaganda, demonetization and false information! Stand up for your right to use medicines that are alternatives to dangerous pharmaceuticals! If you don’t stand up now, in the future when you get sick you will be forced to use dangerous drugs with countless side effects sold by corrupt pharmaceutical companies! Either that or you’ll be forced to suffer without any medicine.
Works Cited:
- Boyer EW, B. K. (2008). Self-treatment of opioid withdrawal using kratom (Mitragynia speciosa korth). Addiction, 1048-50.
– Nelsen JL, L. J. (2010). Seizure and coma following Kratom (Mitragynina speciosa Korth) exposure. J Med Toxicol, 424-6.
– Takayama H, I. H. (2002). Studies on the synthesis and opioid agonistic activities of mitragynine-related indole alkaloids: discovery of opioid agonists structurally different from other opioid ligands. J Med Chem, 1949-56.
– Vicknasingam B, N. S. (2010). The informal use of ketum (Mitragyna speciosa) for opioid withdrawal in the northern states of peninsular Malaysia and implications for drug substitution therapy. Int J Drug Policy, 283-8
http://intellihub.com/2013/03/24/kratom-the-miracle-healing-leaf/

Future Flu Shots Made From Dog and Insect Cells?

March 24, 2013

By Anne Gordon
Waking Times
March 25, 2013
We are in desperate times and many people are completely oblivious to the fact.  Rats that eat GMO food have been shown to grow deadly tumors. Our water is often tainted with plastic leaching BPA, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and other toxins – not to mention the intentional injection of mind-numbing fluoride into our drinking water ‘for our teeth.’ 
Barium salts, and aluminum have been documented as aerosols sprayed into the atmosphere for mysterious reasons which range from communication enhancements, to weather control, and, what is often termed “conspiracies.’
Our air, food, and water appear to be tainted with poisons putting public health at risk. But, this is getting creepier every minute. Today with the accelerating exponential growth in technology, so called experts, are experimenting with Frankenstein-like potions to be sold to an uninformed public. New vaccines combining technology with genetic engineering are being designed and  approved today, for quicker-greater yield. Such is the case with the soon to be flu shots, for example.
Influenza is nasty, there is no question. However, it changes yearly, so it is difficult to predict the exact antigens needed for the vaccine to be effective. This year was no exception as stated by experts. They have said that the vaccine did not work very effectively for seniors over 65 this year, although appeared to provide some protection among the young.
According to Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, “when it came to seniors, the group that needs the most protection, it worked quite inadequately, frankly.”  The suggestion is that next year, a double dose might be better while new vaccines stronger, and more ‘universal’ are being developed. And yet, the Cochrane Database Review of flu vaccines in the elderly, and even those taken by healthcare who work with the elderly, has consistently found flu vaccines do not work.
Producing the traditional influenza vaccine is time consuming, and with future projections of more flu, the ‘old’ fashioned 60-year old method of producing flu vaccine is obsolete.  It has typically taken millions of egg cultures and six months of time to grow and harvest enough flu antigen.
According to Reuters, the FDA has approved its first GMO flu vaccine with genetically modified proteins from insect cells and dog kidney cells.  In November of 2012, the FDA approved a new flu vaccine grown in dog kidney cells rather than chicken eggs. Early trials may have already begun.
In Europe the Swine Flu vaccine was linked to about 800 cases of narcolepsy as reported by Reuters. The blame has been an adjuvant (booster) designed to increase the ‘potency’ of the vaccine, which is another way of saying its immunotoxicity, i.e. like kicking a beehive to drive antibody titers higher. Flu officials suggest that the key to better controlling the spread of flu is by producing an entirely new generation of vaccines.
Many people are content to consume and/or immerse themselves with new technologies, playing bigger better games, and being in constant entertainment and distraction [See: Do You Have Facebook Affective Disorder?].  The price that is paid is becoming a victim of the socialized trance with impaired critical thinking. Today is the time to study, to learn outside the box of chattering controlled media to see what is going on. Flu shots are often controversial, yet the media is suggesting different. As new ones get developed, where are the long term studies, unless 6 weeks is the new normal for ‘long term’?
With more than 5 babies being born every second, the health of our species is at risk. Think about this: should everything be engineered? At what point in the near future will your children, pets, and you, be prevented from being, ‘in the wild’? Are we not moving towards a certain transhumanism with the new vaccine agenda?
http://intellihub.com/2013/03/24/future-flu-shots-made-from-dog-and-insect-cells/

Senate Explores Private and Law Enforcement Use of Drones in U.S.

By Noel Brinkerhoff
All Gov
March 24, 2013
It may not be long before drones become a common sight over the skies of the United States, which from a legal and privacy standpoint is far from ready, a congressional panel was told this week.
Experts appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to offer their perspectives on what it will mean for Americans once drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) become the norm domestically.
Unlike the large, missile-laden drones used by the military, UAVs of much smaller size are already available to almost anyone—from law enforcement to criminals to the media.
A major concern raised during the hearing was the use of drones to spy on individuals, who may have little recourse to stop or punish those behind unwanted snooping unless new laws are adopted.
The Fourth Amendment does protect against unauthorized surveillance or searches, and there are laws on the books that address spying by companies, for instance. But these legal protections were crafted long before drones came into existence, which could mean lots of gray area in the law.
“There’s very little in American privacy law that would limit the use of drones for surveillance,” Ryan Calo, an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Law, told the committee. “Drones drive down the cost of surveillance considerably. We worry that the incidence of surveillance will go up.”
Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said, “Just because the government may comply with the Constitution does not mean they should be able to constantly surveil, like Big Brother.”
http://intellihub.com/2013/03/24/senate-explores-private-and-law-enforcement-use-of-drones-in-u-s/

Bloomberg vs. the NRA

Bloomberg vs. the NRA

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Jean

I publish this only as a measure of the increasing sickness we are seeing. How much worse can it get? I remember Drunvalo saying that it will look like there is no way forward, and then magically the way will open. Are we there yet? I think we are very, very close. ~J

By Dylan Stableford, Yahoo! News | The Lookout – 9 hrs ago 

LaPierre, Bloomberg (Getty Images)
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and National Rifle Association chief Wayne LaPierre squared off on Sunday’s “Meet The Press” over the assault weapons ban being debated in Congress.
“I don’t think there’s ever been an issue where the public has spoken so clearly, where Congress hasn’t eventually understood and done the right thing,” Bloomberg, who has become one of the most vocal gun control advocates in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school shootings, said in a taped interview with NBC’s David Gregory.
“We are going to have a vote for sure on assault weapons and we’re going to have a vote on background checks,” Bloomberg continued. “And if we were to get background checks only, it wouldn’t be as good as if we got both, but we demanded a plan and then we demanded a vote. We’ve got the plan, we’re going to get the vote. And now it’s incumbent on us to make our voices heard.”
To do so, the billionaire mayor said he’s spending $12 million on an advertising campaign—set to launch in 10 states on Monday—that touts tighter gun laws.
“I think I have a responsibility, and I think you and all of your viewers have responsibilities, to try to make this country safer for our families and for each other,” he said. “And if I can do that by spending some money and taking the NRA from being the only voice to being one of the voices, so the public can really understand the issues, then I think my money would be well spent, and I think I have an obligation to do that.”
LaPierre says Bloomberg would be better off spending his money elsewhere.
“He’s going to find out this is a country of the people, by the people and for the people,” LaPierre told Gregory. “And he can’t spend enough of his $27 billion to try to impose his will on the American public. They don’t want him in their restaurants, they don’t want him in their homes. They don’t want him telling them what food to eat; they sure don’t want him telling them what self-defense firearms to own. And he can’t buy America.”

[Related: NRA's LaPierre slams critics of school gun plan]

The NRA chief criticized the gun control legislation currently on Capitol Hill, calling the proposed universal background checks a “speed bump” for law-abiding gun owners.
“The whole thing, universal checks, is a dishonest premise. There’s not a bill on the Hill that provides a universal check. Criminals aren’t going to be checked,” LaPierre said. “The mental health records are not in the system, and they don’t prosecute any of the criminals that they catch. … It slows down the law abiding and does nothing to anybody else.”

LaPierre then reiterated the NRA’s post-Newtown plea for armed security officers in every American public school. “Not a mom or dad wants to drop their kid off at school and leave their kids unprotected.”

https://jhaines6.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/bloomberg-vs-the-nra/

RT: US Sec. of State tells Iraq to close airspace for Iranian planes ‘with Assad aid’

RT: US Sec. of State tells Iraq to close airspace for Iranian planes ‘with Assad aid’

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Jean

Published time: March 24, 2013 19:31

Iraq shouldn’t allow Iran to use its airspace to provide aid to the Syrian government, US Secretary of State, John Kerry, warned during his unannounced visit to Baghdad.
“I made it very clear that for those of us, who are engaged in an effort to see President Assad step down… anything that supports President Assad is problematic,” Kerry said after holding private talks with Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki.
The Secretary of State added that the silent approval of the Iranian overflights by the Iraqi authorities has left the American people “wondering how it is a partner”.
Washington believes that, despite claims that it’s only humanitarian aid, Iran is sending arms and fighters to help Assad in his war against the US-backed National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.
AP is citing an unnamed US official, who said that such flights occur “close to daily”, undermining American efforts to support the rebels.
The flights have long been an issue in the relationship between Washington and Baghdad. In 2012, previous Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, received a promise from Iraq to check the Iranian flights last year, but since then only two aircraft have been inspected.
Kerry’s comments came after a group of senators sent a letter to President Barack Obama last week, urging him to step up US military efforts in Syria, including destroying Assad’s aircraft using precision airstrikes.
Editor of Politics First magazine, Marcus Papadopolous, told RT that it’s “very difficult to tell” whether Iran is providing military support to Assad or not.
But he finds Kerry’s criticism of Iraq’s negligence towards overflights “hypocritical” as there are some other US partners, who made a lot greater contribution to fueling the Syrian conflict.

“It’s ironic given that Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who are America’s strategic allies, have been the ones responsible for the bloodshed in Syria through their support for Syrian militants in the form of weapons, cash and Islamist fighters.. And they are the ones, who have blood on their hands and they should be in the International Criminal Court,” Papadopolous stressed.
The civil war has been raging in Syria for over two years, with 70,000 already killed according to UN figures, as Assad and the opposition refuse to sit together at the negotiation table.
http://jhaines6.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/rt-us-sec-of-state-tells-iraq-to-close-airspace-for-iranian-planes-with-assad-aid/

RT: End of Israel’s ‘Great Communicator’? Netanyahu forced into unlikely coalition

RT: End of Israel’s ‘Great Communicator’? Netanyahu forced into unlikely coalition

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Jean

Published on Mar 24, 2013

After weeks of bargaining, Israel has formed a ruling coalition including two powerful newcomers and, in a surprise move, excluding ultra-Orthodox parties. Benjamin Netanyahu might have performed role of Israel’s ‘Great Communicator’, but as he enters his third term of office, like his audience, his powers of persuasion are shrinking. RT’s Paula Slier explains.

http://jhaines6.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/rt-end-of-israels-great-communicator-netanyahu-forced-into-unlikely-coalition/

RT: Not even close: Pentagon requests $49 million to build new Gitmo prison

RT: Not even close: Pentagon requests $49 million to build new Gitmo prison

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Jean

US military guards move a detainee inside Camp VI at Guantanamo Bay.(AFP Photo / Paul J. Richards)

The US Southern Command (Southcom) has requested $49 million to build a new prison building at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba “for special detainees” as well as carry out other “necessary” renovations, US media reveal.
The proposed facility is an apparent replacement for Camp 7, which was constructed to hold 14 “high-value” detainees – including the self-described 9/11 attack architect Khalid Shaikh Mohammed – who had been in CIA custody, but were handed over to the military in 2006.

Follow RT’s in-depth day-by-day timeline on Gitmo hunger strike.

The proposed prison comes on top of funds previously requested to upgrade the camp’s facilities, including a new dining hall, barracks for prison guards, a hospital, a “legal meeting complex” and a “communications network facility”to store data,  the New York Times reports.
Many of the facilities were in a state of disrepair as they were never intended to be used on a permanent basis, a Southcom spokesman told the Huffington Post.
“Most of the buildings and infrastructure were built for a short-term mission,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ron Flanders. “We got down there in 2002, but never in a million years would we still have this in 2013 with no end in sight.”
The additional request will balloon the overall cost to $195.7 million, significantly higher than the estimated $150-170 million that Southcom commander General John Kelly gave while providing congressional testimony on Wednesday, NYT reports.
The special detention facility was also not included among the list of proposed constructions released by Southcom on Wednesday.
All of the projects have already been approved by Kelly, though they are pending approval by the Pentagon, which is headed the new Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.
With an operational budget of $177 million for 2013, Guantanamo is the United States most expensive prison, with US taxpayers already paying more than $1 million dollars for each of the camp’s 166 detainees per annum.

General view shows Camp X-Ray at Guant·namo Bay, Cuba. (AFP Photo / Adalberto Roque)

The proposed upgrades come in the midst of a hunger strike among Guantanamo detainees which has now entered its 45th day.
On Wednesday, Kelly told a congressional committee that two dozen Guantanamo prisoners were on
“hunger strike light” following allegations the Koran had been mishandled, claims which the general dismissed as
“nonsense.” “They had great optimism that Guantanamo would be closed. They were devastated apparently … when the president backed off, at least [that's] their perception, of closing the facility,” John Kelly told the House Armed Services Committee in Washington.
The officially-acknowledged number of Gitmo detainees on hunger strike reached 26 people on Friday, with eight receiving enteral feeds, Guantanamo Bay spokesman Capt. Robert Durand told RT.
Former Guantanamo prison official Ret. Col. Morris Davis told RT that many of the hunger strikers had become disillusioned with Obama’s promise of hope and change.
“But here you have a majority of the men at Guantanamo — 86 of the 106 who have been cleared for transfer — who have been in confinement now for more than a decade in some cases. So to them, with the hunger strike, they’re kind of out of sight out of mind and the only way to potentially call attention to it is to do something drastic like a hunger strike. So the numbers – DoD has said the numbers have gone from seven to 14 to 21, to I believe 25 is the last official number. But if you talk to some of the attorneys that have been down there, they say that’s a low-ball figure, that it’s probably three or four times that.” President Barack Obama’s first act as president was to sign an executive order to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

“I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that,” Obama told CBS’ Steve Kroft in November 2008.

http://jhaines6.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/rt-not-even-close-pentagon-requests-49-million-to-build-new-gitmo-prison/

Big Flak For Big Sis and Homeland Security

Big Flak For Big Sis and Homeland Security

Posted By: Jordon [Send E-Mail]
Date: Sunday, 24-Mar-2013 13:05:31

. Yep, finally there’s “incoming” over at Homeland Security, the New American Gestapo. And it’s long overdue. These folks have been out of control spying on and harassing law abiding Americans ever since the NeoCons created this “New American Gestapo”. And DHS is one of the most grotesque USG agencies ever conceived, certainly a “house of horrors”. Their illegitimate step child the TSA has been sexually molesting and harassing air travelers and needlessly destroying the domestic and international travel business. And as if this wasn’t enough, it has been reported that serious sexual harassment has also occurred deep in the inner bowels of DHS. According to the claims of recent major lawsuit (1) top DHS Management has sexually harassed male staff and temporarily moved their offices into the men’s lavatory. Where did Homeland Security originate and how come it has been “anointed” with so much unchecked police state power, freely barring honest law abiding systems from using the airlines with their much feared “no-fly list” and operating unConstitutional and massive, warrant-less spying with no probable cause from their secret Fusion centers spread out all over America? What entity behind DHS is so powerful that it has been able to abuse and coerce law abiding Americans and rob their basic liberties and Freedom guaranteed by the US Constitution and Bill of Rights? AND DHS HAS NOW BEEN GETTING MAJOR FLAK FOR ORDERING 2 BILLION ROUNDS OF AMMO , 2700 ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERES, 7,000 FULLY AUTOMATIC ASSAULT RIFLES, AND 2 MILLION USD WORTH OF “NO MORE HESITATION” TARGETS FROM A SUPPLIER IN MINNESOTA Not only has DHS been seriously criticised for non-enforcement of the borders while setting up useless roadblock about 100 miles inland as part of a new “No Constitution Zone” designed to harass law abiding American road travelers, they have been busy buying incredible amounts of military arms and equipment, billions of rounds of ammo, much of it non-military “dum-dum” ammo, and is apparently gearing up for a ten year war against American citizens (aka “we the people”). And now the folks at DHS who run it have gone “over the top” and apparently lost all reason. They have just ordered 2 millions USD of “No More Hesitation” targets. These disgusting ”No more Hesitation” feature photos of pregnant mothers, children and old people as suitable targets for spontaneous kill shots, something seasoned, experienced police officers have stated is unthinkable and disgusting. However, this appears to be just another perverse act from DHS play-list of domestic terror, tyranny and perversion. Read more: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/03/24/big-flak-for-big-sis-and-homeland-security/

NAZI GERMANY & NAZI US GOVERNMENT

NAZI GERMANY & NAZI US GOVERNMENT 

The German people didn't stand up to Hitler because their media betrayed them just as the U.S. media is betraying the American people today

America, UK and Israel now is Germany then: Analogies

The German people of the late 1930s imagined themselves to be brave. They saw themselves as the heroic Germans depicted by the Wagnerian Operas, the descendants of the fierce Germanic warriors who had hunted wild boar with nothing but spears and who had defeated three of Rome's mightiest legions in the Tuetenberg Forest.

But, in truth, by the 1930s, the German people had become civilized and tamed, culturally obsessed with fine details in both science and society. Their self-image of bravery was both salve and slavery. Germans were required to behave as if they were brave, even when they were not.

It's easy to look back and realize what happened. But at the time the Hitler administration, with the help of the media, looked pretty good to the German people. Hitler was TIME Magazine's Man Of The Year in 1938.  The German people assumed they were safe from a tyrant. They lived in a Republic, after all, with strict laws regarding what the government could and more importantly could not do. Their leader was a devoutly religious man, and had even sung with the boy's choir of a monastery in his youth.

The reality was that the German people, as individuals, had lost their courage. The German government preferred it that way as a fearful people are easier to rule than a courageous one. But the German people didn't wish to lose their self-image of courage. So, when confronted with a situation demanding individual courage in the form of a government gone wrong, the German people simply pretended that the situation did not exist and, in that simple self-deception, lay the ruin of an entire nation and the coming of the second World War.

When the Reichstag burned down, most Germans simply refused to believe suggestions that the fire had been staged by the Hitler administration itself. They were afraid to. But so trapped were the Germans by their belief in their own bravery, that they willed themselves to be blind to the evidence before their eyes, so that they could nod in agreement with Der Fuhrer while still imagining themselves to have courage, even as they avoided the one situation which most required real courage: to stand up to governmental lies and deceptions.

When the Hitler administration requested temporary extraordinary powers,  powers specifically banned under German law, but powers the government claimed they needed to have to deal with the "terrorists".  The German people, having already sold their souls to their self-delusions, agreed. The temporary powers were conferred and, once conferred, lasted until Germany itself was destroyed.

When the Hitler administration staged a phony invasion by Poland, the vast majority of the German people, their own self-image dependent on continuing blindness to their government's deceptions, did not question why Poland would have done something so stupid as to attack Germany, and as a result Germans found themselves in a war.

But the German government knew they ruled a nation of cowards, and knew they had to spend the money to make the new war something cowards could fight and win. They decorated their troops with regalia to make them proud of themselves, further trapping them in their self-image. The Hitler administration copied the parade regalia of ancient Rome to remind the Germans of the defeat of the legions at the Tuetenberg Forest. Talismans were added from orthodox religions and the occult to fill the soldiers with delusions of mystical strengths and an afterlife if they fell in battle.

Knowing that it takes courage to kill the enemy face to face, the Hitler administration spent vast sums of money on wonder weapons, airplanes, submarines, ultra-long range artillery, the world's first cruise missile and the world's first guided missile, weapons that could be used to kill at a distance, so that those doing the killing need not have to face the reality of what they were doing.

The German people were lured into WW2 not because they were brave, but because they were cowards who wanted to be seen as brave, and found that shooting long range weapons at people they could not see took less courage than standing up to the government's lies and deceptions. Sent into battle by that false image of courage, the Germans were dependent on their wonder-weapons. When the wonder-weapons stopped working, the delusion of grandeur faded, the illusion ended, the Germans lost the war.

The American people imagine themselves to be brave. They see themselves as the heroic Americans depicted by Western Movies, the descendants of the fierce patriot warriors who had tamed the frontier and defeated the might of the British Empire.

But, in truth, by the dawn of the third millennium, the American people have become civilized and tamed, culturally obsessed with fine details in both science and society. Their self-image of bravery is both salve and slavery. Americans are required to behave as if they are brave, even when they are not.

The American people assume they are safe. They live in a Republic, after all, with strict laws regarding what the government can and more importantly cannot do. Their 'leader', Obama, is a devoutly religious man and with the help of the media looks petty good: TIME Magazine's Man Of The Year 2000 and 2004.

The reality is that the American people, as individuals, have lost their courage. The government prefers it that way as a fearful people are easier to rule than a courageous one. But Americans don't wish to lose their self-image of courage. So, when confronted with a situation demanding courage in the form of a government gone wrong, the American people simply pretend that the situation does not exist.

When the World Trade Towers collapsed, most Americans simply refused to believe suggestions that the attacks had been staged by parties working for the US government itself. Americans were afraid to, even as news reports surfaced proving that the US government had announced plans for the invasion of Afghanistan early in the year, plans into which the attacks on the World Trade Towers which, angered the American people into support of the already-planned war, fit entirely too conveniently.

Now the US government has requested temporary extraordinary powers, powers specifically banned under Constitutional law, but powers the government is claiming they need to have to deal with the "terrorists". The American people, having already sold their souls to their self-delusions, are agreeing. The temporary powers recently conferred will be no more temporary in America than they were in Germany.

The vast majority of the American people, their own self-image dependant on continuing blindness to the government's deceptions, never question why Afghanistan would have done something so stupid as to attack the United States and, as a result, Americans find themselves in a war.

The US government knows they rule a nation of cowards. The government has had to spend the money to make the new war something cowards can fight. The government has decorated the troops with regalia to make them proud of themselves, further trapping them in their self-image. Talismans are added from orthodox religions and the occult to fill the soldiers with delusions of mystical strengths and an afterlife if they fall in battle.

Knowing that it takes courage to kill the enemy face to face, the United States government has spent vast sums of money on wonder weapons, airplanes, submarines, ultra-long range artillery, cruise missiles, and guided missiles, weapons that kill at a distance, so that those doing the killing need not have to face the reality of what they are doing.

But so trapped are Americans by their belief in their own bravery that they will themselves to be blind to the evidence before their eyes, so that they can nod in agreement with the government while still imagining themselves to have courage, even as they avoid the one situation which most requires real courage - to stand up to the government's lies and deceptions. When the wonder-weapons stop working, the delusion of grandeur fades, the illusion ends, the Americans will have lost ..... themselves.

The lesson from these facts is that it isn't easy to spot a genocidal tyrant when you live with one, especially one whom the press supports and promotes. Tyrants become obvious only when looking back, after what they have done becomes known. The German people did not stand up to the Hitler administration because their media betrayed them, just as the American media is betraying the American people by willingly, voluntarily, even proudly, abandoning its traditional role as watchdog against government abuse.

It is naive, not to mention racist, to assume that tyrants appear only in other nations and that somehow America is immune simply because "we're Americans."

America has escaped the clutches of a dictatorship thus far only through the efforts of those citizens who, unlike the Germans of the 1930s, have the moral courage to stand up and point out where the government is lying to the people. And unless more Americans are willing to have that kind of individual courage, then future generations may well look back on the American people with the same harshness of judgement with which we look back on the 1930s Germans.

History is a great teacher.

Poofness - 3-24-13 SLIGHT DELAY AT THE FINISH

From: 2goforth@Safe-mail.net [mailto:2goforth@Safe-mail.net]
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2013 1:35 PM
To: 2goforth@Safe-mail.net
Subject: Slight delay of the finish.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcge3FoRM4Y

This is a Led Zeppelin song but, I chose this version because of it's word clarity.

"The Battle Of Evermore"

Queen of Light took her bow, And then she turned to go,
The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom, And walked the night alone.

Oh, dance in the dark of night, Sing to the morning light.
The dark Lord rides in force tonight, And time will tell us all.

Oh, throw down your plow and hoe, Rest not to lock your homes.

Side by side we wait the might of the darkest of them all.

I hear the horses' thunder down in the valley below,
I'm waiting for the angels of Avalon, waiting for the eastern glow.

The apples of the valley hold, The seeds of happiness,
The ground is rich from tender care, Repay, do not forget, no, no.
Dance in the dark of night, sing to the morning light.

The apples turn to brown and black, The tyrant's face is red.

Oh war is the common cry, Pick up your swords and fly.
The sky is filled with good and bad that mortals never know.

Oh, well, the night is long the beads of time pass slow,
Tired eyes on the sunrise, waiting for the eastern glow.

The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall, the ring wraiths ride in black, Ride on.

Sing as you raise your bow, shoot straighter than before.
No comfort has the fire at night that lights the face so cold.

Oh dance in the dark of night, Sing to the morning light.
The magic runes are writ in gold to bring the balance back. Bring it back.

At last the sun is shining, The clouds of blue roll by,
With flames from the dragon of darkness, the sunlight blinds his eyes.

Greetings and Salutations;

 Most of what I have to say, is in the song. It really is the end and activity has already begun. Some must have lost their minds to defy the treasury sec, as if they had a choice. The trick is the only choice they had was a new cell to sit in, when they were caught with their pants down around their ankles. The old grey mare ain't what she used to be, fellas. That greed will get you every time. It's a vice that will no longer be permitted. There are a bunch of folks sitting at home with ankle bracelets as the finality arrives. The rest will be hustled off to undisclosed locations at the final moment. Don't be shocked when the announcements begin, truth can be a real humdinger, and some won't even believe the evidence when it's put at the end of their noses. This will be the real 'shock and awe'. The ripping down of the 'Lie' curtain is happening folks, for the whole world. Not a hole left to hide in. The C is in the atmosphere now and that's why all this insanity is happening. The pope got it and signed off straight away.

Love and Kisses,

'Poofness'