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United $tates of EURO-pe

GREEK REFERENDUM: REVEALED -- HOW PAPANDREOU PLANNED IT WELL IN ADVANCE | The Slog

the Referendum Law being invoked by George Papandreou is a mere 29 days old. There is evidence that the Greek leader purposefully promoted the man behind it, and that thus his use of it was premeditated. But his exact motive remains unclear.
The newly-passed Referendum Law allows for various forms of referendum. However, right at the end of the law is this proviso:
'As concerns referendums on issues of national importance, the quorum will be decided by the competent parliamentary committee.'
Papandreou has made it clear that he is calling a 'national importance' referendum. Imagine that.

Tough Measures Could Bring On A Referendum - www.capital.gr

According to Kastanidis, the basic dilemma of the referendum shall be such that its outcome would determine whether there would be a proper resort to polls or opposition would be forced to consent.
The referendum would directly concern the measures to be taken and implemented in order to avoid a Greek default.
The question would focus on the core of dispute, he revealed, explaining that all parameters would be set, and Greek people would decided on implementing the vastly tough measures.
Greece produces only ’ЗЁ54 billion annually. Greek people should decided if they want to wean from international lenders and adjust on lower living standards or bear the burden of measures in an effort to keep borrowing.
In case of Greeks vote for the first option, then the Prime Minister would have only to resign. Otherwise, opposition would have to consent to the national effort.

GREEK CRISIS: PAPANDREOU TO RESIGN 'BY 1 pm' | The Slog

Overnight, Greek PM George Papandreou seems to have lost the confidence of his Cabinet. Sources in Athens are- asserting with confidence that Evangelo Veozelos's opposition to the referendum has been decisive.
There are also strong indications that the planned referendum will be withdrawn.

China warns it cannot 'cure' eurozone's debt crisis - Telegraph

China has stressed it will not be a "saviour" to Europe as President Hu Jintao embarks on an official visit to the continent that will take in this Thursday's crucial G20 summit in Cannes.

George Soros attacks Brussels rescue deal - Telegraph

Veteran investor George Soros has attacked the lack of leadership at the top of the eurozone and said that the new Brussels "deal" to solve the debt crisis will only last between "one day and three months".

Vaccine$

Obama Orders FDA To Cut Drug Shortages; Could Not Wait For Congress

Obama said the administration had decided it could not wait for Congress to act.
On Friday, Obama directed government agencies to shorten the time it takes for federal research to turn into commercial products in the marketplace.
In September, the FDA awarded a $35 million grant to The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology and Education (NIPTE), a Chicago-based organization, that will distribute the funding to 11 universities to develop solutions to deter shortages of life-saving drugs by simplifying manufacturing and having fewer quality problems.
"Congress has been trying since February to do something about this. It has not yet been able to get it done. It is the belief of this administration that ... we can't wait," he said. "I still urge Congress to move forward and build on this executive order."
The president also put his muscle behind House and Senate legislation that would require drug makers to notify the FDA six months ahead of a potential shortage. The FDA reported 178 drug shortages in 2010, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Jay Cuetara | LinkedIn
Executive Order -- Reducing Prescription Drug Shortages | The White House

For example, over approximately the last 5 years, data indicates that the use of sterile injectable cancer treatments has increased by about 20 percent, without a corresponding increase in production capacity. While manufacturers are currently in the process of expanding capacity, it may be several years before production capacity has been significantly increased. Interruptions in the supplies of these drugs endanger patient safety and burden doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, and patients. They also increase health care costs, particularly because some participants in the market may use shortages as opportunities to hoard scarce drugs or charge exorbitant prices.

Fact Sheet: Obama Administration Takes Action to Reduce Prescription Drug Shortages in the U.S. | The White House

Today, President Obama will issue an Executive Order directing the FDA and Department of Justice to take action to help further reduce and prevent drug shortages, protect consumers, and prevent price gouging. These additional steps for early notification will help achieve some of the goals of bipartisan legislation in Congress, which the President supports, that will strengthen the FDA's ability to prevent prescription drug shortages in the future.
Sec. 3. Expedited Regulatory Review. To the extent practicable, and consistent with its statutory responsibility to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the drug supply, the FDA shall take steps to expand its current efforts to expedite its regulatory reviews, including reviews of new drug suppliers, manufacturing sites, and manufacturing changes, whenever it determines that expedited review would help to avoid or mitigate existing or potential drug shortages. In prioritizing and allocating its limited resources, the FDA should consider both the severity of the shortage and the importance of the affected drug to public health.

Pharmaceutical Exec Blames FDA Inspections for Drug Shortages

During the FDA's public workshop this week on ways to tackle critical drug shortages, Bisaro told the Financial Times that the FDA's increased inspections of pharma manufacturing facilities are contributing to the drug shortages. The American Society of Health System Pharmacists says more than 200 drugs are currently in short supply.
Bisaro said FDA's increased inspections cut into generic manufacturers' profits, thereby leading some to close plants or stop production of less profitable drugs. "Government has to be sensible," FT quoted him as saying. "We have drug shortages caused by inspection issues. Where it is going to impose restrictions, it needs to be thought through."
The comments seem kind of bizarre-o since public health groups and members of Congress have loudly called for the increased inspections after several deaths from heparin dramatically highlighted the FDA's inability to inspect even a fraction of the manufacturers contributing the drugs in circulation. After the heparin and other scares, Congress boosted the FDA's budget for inspection staff. The FDA continues to seek the regulatory authority needed to actually enforce laws passed by Congress. Senators have sponsored legislation that would establish an "early warning" system that would require manufacturers to give the FDA a heads up if they anticipate production delays.

Economic Analysis of the Causes of Drug Shortages: ASPE Issue Brief

Policymakers must balance the short-run benefits of tailoring regulatory responses to specific situations against the risk of strategic behavior and consequent reductions in competition in the long run.

FDA Suddenly Bans Drugs That Have Been On The Market For Decades | Techdirt

More recently, the FDA banned 500 prescription drugs that had been on the market and working for years. To be fair, it was really 50-100 drugs (pdf), made by different companies, but that just highlights how there was actual competition in the marketplace for these drugs, which has now been removed. For all of the drugs, there is either a high-priced prescription version, or all the small manufacturers have been removed, leaving a virtual monopoly for one or more larger companies. This process began in 2006 when the FDA decided to remove marketed unapproved drugs (pdf).

Drug Shortages > Frequently Asked Questions About Drug Shortages

A: FDA is aware that there are drugs being marketed that have not received FDA approval but are medically necessary and have been marketed for many years. When shortages occur for these drugs, FDA addresses these shortages through our normal processes and works with the companies to ensure patient needs are being met while also ensuring there is not any significant risk associated with the drug due to quality, safety, or efficacy that could result in harm to patients. FDA encourages the companies making these drugs to notify us of any changes in supply and also encourages the firms to seek FDA approval to help ensure ongoing quality and safety of these drugs for US patients.

Injectables: Top-Quality Pfizer Products -- Home PfizerInjectables.com

9/19/2011
Introducing Vecuronium Bromide for Injection, USP
Click here to view
9/6/2011
Introducing Flumazenil Injection, USP
Click here to view
8/15/2011
Press Release: PFIZER INJECTABLES ANNOUNCES INTRODUCTION OF FDA-APPROVED HEPARIN SODIUM INJECTION, USP

Pfizer Gears for Competition as Lipitor Patent Expires (Video) - Bloomberg

Pfizer Inc. (PFE), the world's largest drugmaker, is focused on bringing new drugs to market and preparing for generic competition to Lipitor, the world's best-selling drug with $10.7 billion in annual sales. Lipitor loses patent protection this month. Shannon Pettypiece reports on Bloomberg Television's "InsideTrack." (Source: Bloomberg)

Survey: 99.5% of Hospitals Report Drug Shortages - Health Blog - WSJ

The ASHP, AHA and other groups recommend that an early warning system be established that might give signs of a looming shortage, that obstacles be removed so that the FDA can streamline approval of drugs in short supply and that incentives be explored that might encourage drug makers to produce the drugs that are most needed.

The drug shortage scam

Prof Mola also claimed that the kickbacks went to people in the department's medical supplies branch who organised the emergency in the first place and the emergency procurement in conjuction with the outside suppliers. Health Secretary Dr Clement Malau could not be reached for comment yesterday, but Prof Mola said in that report that the Health Department under Dr Malau was working to end the corruption with the help of donors.
He said there had been at least one death threat against an official trying to shutdown the illegal drug distribution.
"I'm confident that things are getting better," Prof Mola said. "This is all in process, what I'm telling you about now is all in process and those whose income is about to be jeopardised or cut short I'm sure are going to fight tooth and nail to maintain some way of still getting kickbacks."

US Medication Shortage Accidental Or Scam? | Addicting Info

The safest drug to treat Gastroparesis is called Domperidone. This medication does not cross the blood brain barrier, so this drug successfully treats gastroparesis with little to no side effects around the world. Plus it's been around for decades. So what's the problem? This medication is not allowed into the USA. Apparently the FDA and pharmaceutical companies have decided that Domperidone is not profitable enough. This medication is extremely inexpensive compared to the unsafe alternatives.
So what is the truth concerning the medication shortages in the USA? Until the truth is uncovered, it's important to remember that the world is an open door of health care choices. If the United States does not have what you need, consider looking elsewhere. Maybe then the decision makers will finally start working for the people, rather than only considering profit.

What's Behind Prescription Drug Shortages? | On Point with Tom Ashbrook

Listen to this story
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 10:00 AM EDT

E-mail

What's Behind Prescription Drug Shortages?
The explosion of prescription drug shortages is plaguing hospitals and patients. What the heck is going on?
At hospitals across the country, "scoring drugs" has taken on a new meaning. Hundreds admit buying medicines at exorbitant prices from "gray market" dealers taking advantage of, and possibly exacerbating, a record shortage of life-saving prescription medicines. (AP)
At hospitals across the country, "scoring drugs" has taken on a new meaning. Hundreds admit buying medicines at exorbitant prices from "gray market" dealers taking advantage of, and possibly exacerbating, a record shortage of life-saving prescription medicines. (AP)
American health care may be ruinously expensive and leave millions out, but at least it's the best in the world when you can get it, we're told. But that now depends if you can get the drugs the doctor ordered.
The U.S. health care system is suffering a plague of shortages of prescription drugs. Cancer drugs, antibiotics, nutritional treatments. Not exotic drugs, but drugs you might need. That people need right now. Drugs that aren't so profitable anymore, so somehow just don't get made. Now people are desperate. We've got drug theft. A gray market.
This hour On Point: why the drug shortages?
-Tom Ashbrook
Guests
Jennifer Corbett-Dooren, Food and Drug Administration reporter for the Wall Street Journal.
Michael Link, President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Michael O'Neal, Pharmacist and Head of drug procurement at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Wells Wilkinson, staff Attorney with Community Catalyst, a national consumer advocacy organization advocating for a greater consumer voice in health.
Highlights
There are currently 213 drugs in short supply nationwide, according to government statistics. It's the result of a complicated series of factors that have kept some of the most-needed drugs from the patients who most need them.
"These are very common drugs, chemotherapy drugs, anesthesia drugs, drugs used in critical care units," said Wall Street Journal reporter Jennifer Corbett-Dooren. "These are typically not the drugs that would be in short supply at the pharmacy counter."
Many of the drugs that are in short supply are generic drugs that have been on the market for decades, she said.
What is means for doctors is a reduced ability to treat the seriously ill. "These are drugs that have been the mainstays of curative cancer treatment," said Michael Link, President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. "We can now cure almost 80 percent of children with cancer. But without these drugs, our hands are tied."
"This is really a crisis for us," Link said.
Michael O'Neal, pharmacist and Head of drug procurement at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, agreed sand added that the shortage has been a long-term problem. "This is something that we've been dealing with for more than two years," he said. "It has hit every corner of the hospital and it's really created a lot of operational issues and safety concerns."
Since many of the drug shortages stem from problems in factories overseas, some critics have called for greater government oversight. "We need to improve the FDA's [Food and Drug Administration] overseas presence," said Wells Wilkinson, staff Attorney with Community Catalyst, a national consumer advocacy organization advocating for a greater consumer voice in health. "40 percent of finished drug products come from overseas."

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Women with HPV have two times the risk of heart attack and stroke - Healthzone.ca

Women with human papillomavirus, more commonly known as HPV, may be two times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, according to a new study published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology.
But what's not known is why, said its senior author Dr. Kenichi Fujise, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. So Fujise advises women with HPV shouldn't panic just yet.
This is a preliminary study, he said in an interview with the Star. And it's not known if there is a direct link or an association between human papillomavirus and heart attack and stroke, said Fujise, the director of the division of cardiology at UTMB.
HPV causes cancer of the cervix, vulva, penis, anus and throat. But so far Fujise can't say equivocally that it also causes heart disease and stroke.

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Group calls for HIV screening of teens who have sex | Reuters

All sexually active adolescents should be screened for HIV, the American Academy of Pediatrics said Monday in a new policy statement that broadens earlier recommendations.

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Concerns Raised about Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes - NYTimes.com

Researchers on Sunday reported initial signs of success from the first release into the environment of mosquitoes engineered to pass a lethal gene to their offspring, killing them before they reach adulthood.

Gitmo Nation

Olympic HQ built in secret for SAS | The Sun |News

A TOP secret new SAS base is under construction -- at the Olympics.
It means the elite troops can combat any terrorists at next year's London Games in an instant, The Sun can reveal.
A source said last night: "It reflects the gravity of the threat."
Chinook helicopters have been in action over the capital for months ferrying special gear to the new East London HQ.
Underground bunkers will house even more crack troops.

Met police using surveillance system to monitor mobile phones | UK news | The Guardian

Britain's largest police force is operating covert surveillance technology that can masquerade as a mobile phone network, transmitting a signal that allows authorities to shut off phones remotely, intercept communications and gather data about thousands of users in a targeted area.
The surveillance system has been procured by the Metropolitan police from Leeds-based company Datong plc, which counts the US Secret Service, the Ministry of Defence and regimes in the Middle East among its customers. Strictly classified under government protocol as "Listed X", it can emit a signal over an area of up to an estimated 10 sq km, forcing hundreds of mobile phones per minute to release their unique IMSI and IMEI identity codes, which can be used to track a person's movements in real time.

Retired Military Officers Oppose Obama's Police-State Measures -- Puppet Masters -- Sott.net

Section 1031 of the act permits indefinite military detention of American citizens, without charge or trial, if those citizens are accused of supporting or being members of or supporting an affiliate of al-Qaeda."

Obama Pushes For New 'Police State' Laws Over Argentina Fears

The fears of a wider crackdown on dissent by the Obama regime outlined by Minister Gatilov were further echoed by the American Human Rights First organization this week after they reported that over 20 retired US Generals and Admirals had written to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and to the chairman and ranking Senator of the Armed Services Committee, to demand the removal of police-state "anti-terrorism" measures from the 2012 Defense Authorization Act.

Douane scant vliegtuigen Schiphol van buiten - AMSTERDAM - PAROOL

De douane op Schiphol heeft maandag een nieuw scanapparaat in gebruik genomen. Hiermee kunnen vliegtuigen nu ook van buitenaf worden gecontroleerd op bijvoorbeeld drugs. Dat maakte het ministerie van Financi€ґn maandag bekend.

DoD Instruction On New Counterintelligence Units

An Oct. 5, 2011 Defense Department Instruction authorizing the creation of Military Department Counterintelligence Organizations, issued by Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers.

EU considers smart biometric borders | | Planet Biometrics.com

As to the choice of biometric identifier, in line with the identifier used for EURODAC, the VIS, the SIS II, passports and residence permits, the most commonly used and reliable identifiers are fingerprints and (also in case a fingerprint is not available) a digital image of the face. This choice would also mean that full use could be made of already installed equipment, bringing about significant cost savings.

Ministry of Truth

What We Have to Say About Legalizing Marijuana | Petition Tool Service Integration

Like many, we are interested in the potential marijuana may have in providing relief to individuals diagnosed with certain serious illnesses. That is why we ardently support ongoing research into determining what components of the marijuana plant can be used as medicine. To date, however, neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective medicine for any condition.

Soldiers "End Of The World" Email Sends US Into Panic

An interesting Federal Security Services (FSB) report circulating in the Kremlin today states that the United States was thrown into a "panic" last week after one of its soldiers emailed his mother warning her to "prepare for the end of the world."
According to this report, American Army Specialist William Millay [photo 2nd left], a 22-year-old military policeman from Owensboro, Kentucky, stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska had "growing concerns" over the massive military buildup by the US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) of troops and equipment being secreted through his base from Afghanistan, Japan and South Korea headed towards "staging areas" throughout America.
The US Northern Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States military. Created on 1 October 2002 in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks whose mission is to protect the United States homeland and support local, state, and federal authorities. The support that NORTHCOM provides to civil authorities is limited by the Posse Comitatus Act which limits the role of the US Military in civil law enforcement.
However, in the case of national emergencies, natural or man-made, the US Air Forces Northern National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate (AFNORTH) would take charge of the situation or event.
US military, intelligence and political "flash traffic" intercepted by the FSB relating to this event show, according to this report, that Specialist Millay believed that the redeployment of these tens of thousands of US troops to the American Homeland was "somehow" related to the 9 November nationwide testing of the United States Emergency Alert System (EAS) that is occurring "coincidentally" with a vast number of disaster drills and exercises being planned for the same time period.
In a series of emails and phone calls to his mother, and other family members living in Kentucky, this report continues, Specialist Millay relayed his concerns and when asked by them of what preparations they should make he replied, "Prepare for the end of the world."

Psychologist admits faking data in dozens of studies - science-in-society - 02 November 2011 - New Scientist

Diederik Stapel, who was suspended from his post at Tilburg University in the Netherlands in September, was exceptionally productive. He was responsible for a succession of eye-catching studies on topics including stereotyping and discrimination, the effectiveness of advertising, and the circumstances in which people may perversely prefer negative feedback to praise.

Obama: Miraculously 'scandal-free'? - The Week

A mountain of polls suggest that President Obama faces a tough re-election fight. But if he loses, says Jonathan Alter at Bloomberg, it will be due to the weak economy, not scandal. Indeed, Alter says, one of the most remarkable but overlooked assets Obama brought to the White House is his honesty. Is Obama the most "scandal-free" president the country has had in decades?

U.S. Government Glossed Over Cancer Concerns As It Rolled Out Airport X-Ray Scanners - ProPublica

Look for a PBS NewsHour story on X-ray body scanners, reported in conjunction with ProPublica, to air later this month.
On Sept. 23, 1998, a panel of radiation safety experts gathered at a Hilton hotel in Maryland to evaluate a new device that could detect hidden weapons and contraband. The machine, known as the Secure 1000, beamed X-rays at people to see underneath their clothing.

President's physician says Obama 'tobacco free' - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room

President Obama is in good health and is tobacco free, according to a medical report released by the White House.
Obama's examination was done by Navy captain and Physician to the President Dr. Jeff Kuhlman. Kuhlman's report was released on Monday.
Kuhlman reported that Obama eats healthy, has a healthy weight, is tobacco free, and is physically active. Kuhlman also reported that Obama "On occasion drinks alcohol in moderation."

Home For The Holidays

U.S. Plans Post-Iraq Troop Increase in Persian Gulf - NYTimes.com

The Obama administration plans to bolster the American military presence in the Persian Gulf after it withdraws the remaining troops from Iraq this year, according to officials and diplomats. That repositioning could include new combat forces in Kuwait able to respond to a collapse of security in Iraq or a military confrontation with Iran.

Trains Good, Planes Bad (Whoo Hoo!)

Phenobarbital - PubMed Health

Phenobarbital is used to control seizures. Phenobarbital is also used to relieve anxiety. It is also used to prevent withdrawal symptoms in people who are dependent ('addicted'; feel a need to continue taking the medication) on another barbiturate medication and are going to stop taking the medication. Phenobarbital is in a class of medications called barbiturates. It works by slowing activity in the brain.

First Army Train in 25 Years Coming to Fort Lee

The first components of a passenger train that will transport sustainment warriors to Fort A.P. Hill arrived here Oct. 26.
Four 138-passenger-capacity railcars are part of a passenger train system that will carry mostly advanced individual training Soldiers and cadre to the north-central Virginia post for mandatory field training. Six additional cars and three locomotives are scheduled for delivery early next month.
The train will be Army's first since the Berlin train was deactivated 25 years ago.

BBC News - Mobile footage of Qantas A380 plane landing at Singapore

Mobile footage taken by a passenger captured the moment the flight landed back at Singapore, where it was met by fire crews.

Breaking: California High-Speed Rail Boondoggle Now Officially Texas-Sized - Hit & Run : Reason Magazine

Via Salon's AP feed comes the latest cost projections for the utter waste of money on high-speed rail that California taxpayers approved via ballot initiative in 2008. Guess what? The project, which envisions using centuries-old technology to shlep humanoids in style from Anaheim to the Bay Area by 2033, is gonna cost a lot more than originally billed.

Executive Order -- Emergency Board to Investigate Disputes Between Certain Railroads | The White House

Section 1. Establishment of Emergency Board (Board). There is established, effective 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on October 7, 2011, a Board composed of a chair and four other members, all five of whom shall be appointed by the President to investigate and report on these disputes. No member shall be pecuniarily or otherwise interested in any organization of railroad employees or any carrier. The Board shall perform its functions subject to the availability of funds.

Techno Experts

DHS to set up policies for monitoring Twitter, Facebook - Computerworld

What's more surprising than government security agencies monitoring Facebook and Twitter is that they might just be starting to figure it out, Olds added.
"We'd like to hope that government security agencies are ahead of the game when it comes to things like ferreting out useful intelligence from social networking; then we learn that they're probably even with, or maybe a bit behind, businesses on this score," he said. "Corporations, particularly those with consumer products, have been trying to use social networking to understand consumer views and purchasing behavior for quite a while now. While this is still in its infancy, it looks like businesses are a bit ahead of the security agencies on this score."

Faceook-logo: Two Ball Cane symbol - Google Search
What is the meaning of two ball cane

The two-ball cane is a tie ornament worn by many Freemasons, showing insignia of two balls and a cane. Many versions of it look like the Facebook logo: for example, see http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m38.l1313&_nkw=two+ball+cane&_sacat=See-All-Categories . I assume that this is absolutely nothing at all but mere coincidence.

Pre-Crime

Future gang members 'can be spotted at age three' - Telegraph

A new Home Office report said the beginnings of teenage violence lie in the "very earliest childhood experience".
It found warning signs are "already clear" by the time a child enters primary school, including neglect, aggression, absence from class and slow development.
Children identified as "at risk" by the age of three are more than twice as likely to have criminal convictions by the age of 21, the report said.
"Early intervention is absolutely key," Mrs May said. "That may need to come at a very early age indeed, with toddlers, ensuring they just don't go down that road."

Drone Nation

DHS Doesn't Want Its New Spy Drones | Danger Room | Wired.com

The DHS might not be happy, but the drone endowment will no doubt have some parties squealing with delight: The appropriation was the result of ongoing lobbying from the so-called "Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Caucus," a group of several dozen congressmen, many of whom hail from Southern California -- a hot-bed of drone development and home to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the company that makes the Predator drone in question.
Already, General Atomics has scored $240 million from DHS' Customs and Border Protection since 2005 for the manufacture of the unmanned aerial vehicles -- and generously enough, they've handed $1.6 million of it over to the campaign funds of several Congressional members on the drone caucus.
"This is a symptom of how surveillance technology is spreading around the U.S.," Jay Stanley, a senior privacy and technology analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union, said. "A lot of times it is not being pulled by people on the ground. It is being pushed from above by people who want to sell it."

Libya

Land Destroyer: New Libyan "PM" is Big-Oil Goon

Associated Press recently reported that Libya's rebel militants have named a new "prime minister" this week. AP depicts the latest unelected Western proxy, Abdurrahim el-Keib, as a progressive academic who has spent decades in the United States teaching at Alabama University and leading the local Muslim community. Mentioned briefly as a "former employer," however, is the Petroleum Institute, based in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and sponsored by British Petroleum (BP), Shell, France's Total, the Japan Oil Development Company, and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. El-Keib is listed as a "Professor and Chairman" in his Petroleum Institute profile which also describes extensive research conducted by him sponsored by various US government agencies and departments over the years.

Libya names interim prime minister | World | RIA Novosti

Libya's National Transitional Council has elected Abdel Rahim al-Kib to be prime minister, according to news agency reports.
Al-Kib, a businessman, was selected from among four other candidates. He received 26 of 51 votes cast.
He is expected to form a cabinet in the next few days. The interim government will rule until elections are held sometime in the next eight months, the reports said.
The chairman of the NTC executive committee, Mahmoud Jibril, had been the de facto prime minister. Over sixty countries, including Russia, have recognized the NTC as the legitimate authority in Libya.

Abdurrahim El-Keib - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dr. Abdel Rahim al-Kib joined The University of Alabama as an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering in 1985 and became Professor in 1996. He has taught at The University of Tripoli, North Carolina State University, The University of Alabama, the American University of Sharjah, and recently at The Petroleum Institute in UAE. He supervised many MSc Theses and PhD Dissertations and is recipient of several teaching and research awards.
Dr. al-Kib's research in the area of Electrical Power Engineering and is an author of numerous research papers. His research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the US Department of Energy (US DoE), Southern Company Services (SC), and Alabama Power Company (APCO). He has published numerous papers and research reports and a book chapter. His work on Emissions Constrained Dispatch and VoltlVar compensation on primary distribution feeders has been implemented by several companies in the US. He also served as a consultant to several industries including Alabama Power Company and Southern Company Services.

Hillary's war: How conviction replaced skepticism in Libya intervention - The Washington Post

Libya: revolutionaries turn on each other as fears grow for law and order - Telegraph

Two people died from bullet wounds and at least seven fighters were injured during a battle that started when militia from the town of Zintan were stopped by guards from the Tripoli Brigade from entering the city's Central Hospital to kill a patient.

Syria

Arab League hands Syria plan to end unrest

Biodiversitйe

Governments must plan for migration in response to climate change, researchers say

If global temperatures increase by only a few of degrees by 2100, as predicted by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, people around the world will be forced to migrate. But transplanting populations from one location to another is a complicated proposition that has left millions of people impoverished in recent years. The researchers say that a word of caution is in order and that governments should take care to understand the ramifications of forced migration.
A consortium of 12 scientists from around the world, including two UF researchers, gathered last year at the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center to review 50 years of research related to population resettlement following natural disasters or the installation of infrastructure development projects such as dams and pipelines. The group determined that resettlement efforts in the past have left communities in ruin, and that policy makers need to use lessons from the past to protect people who are forced to relocate because of climate change.
"The effects of climate change are likely to be experienced by as many people as disasters," UF anthropologist Anthony Oliver-Smith said. "More people than ever may be moving in response to intense storms, increased flooding and drought that makes living untenable in their current location."

Elite$

UK considering time zone change - Story - World - 3 News

British Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking during a visit to Australia, said he continued to be interested in the idea of changing the country's time zone - but stressed that semiautonomous authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would need to agree.
"Discussions are under way across Whitehall and with the devolved authorities but that's the key, you can only do this if there is real national consensus and pressure between all the nations of our United Kingdom," Cameron said.
Clocks in Britain go forward by one hour in the spring when daylight savings time takes effect and are turned back in the fall, a regime adopted in 1916 and known as British summer time.
During World War II, summer time was set two hours ahead, and the country has previously experimented with year-round summer time from Feb. 18, 1968, to Oct. 31, 1971, drawing protests in Scotland.

Daylight Savings Time 2011: Do White Light Emitting Diodes (LED) Disrupt Biological Clocks? | abcnews.go.com | Readability

What you may not know is that the most common form of white LEDs -- which emit a spectrum of colors, including blue light -- is inadvertently effective at sending signals to our brain's biological clock, which regulates daily activities such as sleep.

The very angry first lady Michelle Obama | m.washingtontimes.com | Readability

Michelle's back, and she's madder than ever. She was already pretty angry, seemingly unhappy with just about everything. As her husband wrapped up the Democratic nomination in 2008, she let fly her real feelings: "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country." A few months into her job as first lady, her French counterpart asked how she liked the gig: "Don't ask!" she reportedly spat. "It's hell. I can't stand it!"

Steve Jobs' Sister Reveals His Last Words | Radar Online

"Steve's final words were: 'OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW'."

The Ulsterman Report -- Newt Gingrich's Surprising Political Comeback - The Ulsterman Report

While Gingrich's prospects remain highly speculative, and while he also remains firmly situated in GOP underdog status, his campaign has once again taken on an air of seriousness that some within the GOP establishment are complaining has been sorely lacking among too many of the Republican candidates.

Jill Abrams

horrorspondents
Puppie Diaries
Unrecognized under cover reporter. RIGHT! (hummer)
Almost crashed the website. Really?
Howell Raines controbersey
Jill Abramson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abramson was the Times' Washington Bureau chief during the turbulent period of Spring 2003 during the run-up to the war in Iraq and the Jayson Blair scandal, which led to the resignation of Executive Editor Howell Raines and Managing Editor Gerald Boyd. Abramson was named to the news Managing Editor position (with co-Managing Editor John M.Geddes) by Raines' successor Bill Keller.[4]

nytimes broke the spitzer story
Times reviews her own book
'The Puppy Diaries,' by Jill Abramson - Review - NYTimes.com

When the dog owner turned I immediately recognized him as Leon Panetta, the former chief of staff to President Clinton and soon-to-be-named director of the C.I.A. and, later, secretary of defense. Here was one of the world's most powerful men, and yet in the battle between man and canine, well, let's just say he could have used reinforcements.

Judy Miller wmd
Judith Miller (journalist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
redfords op-ed, did the times produce it?

Bank$ters

Second clean energy loan company files for bankruptcy -- The 1600 Report - CNN.com Blogs

A second clean energy company that received a loan guarantee from the Department of Energy has filed for bankruptcy. According to their website, Beacon Power received $43 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy. The company was working on a new technology that would allow the nation's electricity grid to store energy by constructing what, on the company's website, they call "a state of the art energy storage facility in Stephentown, New York".

Another Solyndra? Electric car battery maker facing financial hardship - CBS News Investigates - CBS News

A company whose subsidiary received $118 million in stimulus grant money from the U.S. Department of Energy to build new electric car batteries has now been removed from trading on NASDAQ.
EnerDel got an Energy Department grant in early 2010 for battery manufacturing in Indiana but the stock of EnerDel's parent company, Ener1, fell from $4.04 in 2010 to just 9 cents on Thursday. By Friday NASDAQ had pulled the company from its listing leaving the stock at $0.00.

MF Global Files for Bankruptcy Protection - Bloomberg

MF Global Holdings Ltd., the holding company for the broker-dealer run by former New Jersey governor and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. co-chairman Jon Corzine, filed for bankruptcy after making bets on European sovereign debt.

PRESENTING: The Complete List Of MF Global Creditors-CNBC at Number 7!

PedoBear

Silvio Berlusconi named on US government report on people trafficking - Telegraph

Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, has been named in a US government report on people trafficking as a result of his alleged relationship with 'Ruby the Heart Stealer'.

Gitmo Nation Long Neck

OPSTAND EN CHAOS IN BANGKOK - Klokkenluideronline

The Bangkok Post schrijdt over burgers die schieten op reddingswerkers, over aparte bewakings-eenheden die moeten worden ingezet op de reddingswerkers te beschermen, over burgers die dijken en dammen 'neerhalen' uit woede dat hun have en goed wordt 'geofferd' om de rijken te redden en zelfs over opstanden waarin burgers eisen dat bepaalde sluizen die de regering gesloten houdt worden geopend. Intussen komt er ook steeds meer aandacht voor de humanitaire ramp [CNN] met ziektes en uitdroging wegens tekorten aan drinkwater.

Egypt

Rumors about Hosni Mubarak's death continue to emerge - English pravda.ru

Al Ahram website said on Monday that Mubarak's heart stopped beating. Later during the day, though, the publication reported with reference to medical sources that the rumor was not true to fact.
Previously, the website said that the former Egyptian president had had a cardiac arrest. The message actually meant that Mubarak was dead. The news about the cardiac arrested appeared on Sunday, but was subsequently rebutted.

Mubarak trial put on hold in Egypt - CNN.com

They face charges over the killing of protesters in the demonstrations that led Mubarak to resign in February, and over corruption while in office.
Lawyers representing the families of the dead protesters petitioned a higher court demanding a new panel of judges because of "unfair treatment of lawyers representing civilians."

Monsatoooo

Concerns Raised about Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes - NYTimes.com

Researchers on Sunday reported initial signs of success from the first release into the environment of mosquitoes engineered to pass a lethal gene to their offspring, killing them before they reach adulthood.

Zombie Nation

NPR.org >> Invasion Of The Mind-Controlling Zombie Parasites | m.npr.org | Readability

"We were getting literally hundreds of reports of these crazy dead flies everywhere -- on vegetation, on sign posts," says Mike Raupp, an entomologist at the University of Maryland.
He says the flies were attacked by a mind-controlling fungus.
"It basically zombie-izes them. In other words, it manipulates their behavior," Raupp says. "[The fly] moves to a high point, let's say the tip of a blade of grass."

Ohio Mock Zombie Outbreak Inspired By CDC Message | NBC 4i

The exercise and dozens more outreach efforts across the country were inspired by an online post from the CDC. It attempted to spice up the usual emergency preparedness advice - have a plan, make an emergency kit with water and food, and so on - by tapping into the cultural popularity of the zombie theme. The May blog posting got 30,000 hits in one day, and it continues to draw thousands of visitors daily, said Maggie Smith of the CDC's public health preparedness office.

BBC Nature - Fossil feast for 'zombie worms'

Traces of bone-eating "zombie worms" have been found in a three-million-year-old fossil from Italy, say researchers.
Osedax worms feed on whale skeletons on the seabed using root-like tissues to bore into and dissolve the bones.

VIDEO

[VIDEO] Pilot error to blame for ice hockey plane crash | euronews, world news

"The co-pilot had been suffering from delayed feet reflexes since 2000 and since 2005 his arm reflexes were not as good. Medics discovered traces of phenobarbital in the co-pilot's body, its a substance which is banned during flying," explained

[VIDEO] - What if Greece rejects the eurozone bailout in a referendum?

If the Greeks were to turn down the eurozone bailout deal in a referendum, and default on their debts, the shockwaves would be felt throughout the world economy.
The BBC's business editor, Robert Peston offers his analysis on what could happen.

[VIDEO] Bill Clinton: No Country On Earth Believes Government Is The Problem | RealClearPolitics

"I have a pretty good idea how the 21st century works and (pause) there's not a single successful country on the planet that operates on the theory that the government is the problem (pause) not one. Every successful country has both a strong private economy and a smart, strong government that work together to provide economic opportunity, educational opportunity, provide decent health care and get into the future."

[VIDEO] Drones Now Being Used To Sell Pricey Southern California Real Estate - CBS Los Angeles

In the tough world of real estate these days, some might call it war, those drones are now being used to sell pricey homes in Southern California.
The drones can sweep in, circle a home, take a 360 degree view and give the potential buyer the kinds of details you'd be hard pressed to find in a MLS.

[VIDEO} Buzek holds talks with Libyan PM Jibril | euronews, world news

The head of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek held talks on Saturday with Libya's interim government on forging closer ties with the EU.
Buzek, whose post is largely ceremonial, met with Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril in Tripoli.
He also voiced MEPs concerns for a post-Gaddafi era with the National Transitional Council's justice minister.