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[Anger as US prosecutors scrap probe of Goldman]

Anger as US prosecutors scrap probe of Goldman   

August 11, 2012       
by legitgov  ShareThis

Anger as US prosecutors scrap probe of Goldman 11 Aug 2012 Goldman Sachs was let off the hook yesterday as the US Department of Justice dropped plans to bring criminal charges over claims the bank was betting against the same toxic subprime mortgage securities it sold to clients. In April last year, Senator Carl Levin demanded a criminal investigation after his sub-committee spent more than a year looking into Goldman. Chief executive Lloyd Blankfein faced a embarrassing grilling for hours from Mr Levin over whether it was morally correct for the firm to sell its clients products described internally as "crap".

['Ancient' Olympics revival shuns commerce]

August 10, 2012 2:04 pm

'Ancient' Olympics revival shuns commerce 
By Kerin Hope in Athens

   In the cool of a 37m-long tunnel, its stone blocks decorated with homoerotic graffiti from the 4th century BC, athletes await the command to enter the stadium.

Preparing to run like the ancients, they curl their naked toes around two parallel grooves in the long, stone starting block and lean forward with both arms extended. At the shout of "Apite!" (Go!), they lunge forward and sprint feverishly across a surface of baked mud.

Professional athletes, branded sports gear, mobile phones and advertising logos are banned from this pine-clad sanctuary in the northern Peloponnese, the site of a 2,300-year-old athletics stadium which every four years hosts an authentic ancient games. The "athletes" – anyone aged over eight can compete – run a single event, a truncated version of the most important race at any ancient games: the "stade" of just under 200m. In ancient Greece its winner would acquire lasting fame by giving his name to the entire games of that year.

They run in groups of 12, grouped by age and gender. Winners are crowned at the end of the day with a pungent garland of wild celery.

Once sacred, like ancient Olympia, to the god Zeus, Nemea was on a circuit of four sanctuaries known in antiquity for holding prestigious games. The modern village in the next valley is better known for its vineyards that produce high-quality red wine for export.

Critics call the Nemean games kitschy, decrying the runners' baggy white "chitons" – a nod to official Greek prudishness that rules out the athletic nudity preferred by the ancients – and the modern ritual of lighting a flame in a concave mirror to burn in the stadium during the games.
But for Stephen Miller, a retired classics professor from California, the event held in the stadium he excavated in the 1970s aims to be everything a modern Olympics is not.

"We try to keep it as authentic as we can, within reason," Prof Miller says.

"These games are about celebrating participation, and barefoot running is one sport that almost everyone can tackle. We get a fair number of contestants in their 80s and 90s. And there is no timekeeping."

Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of today's Olympic Games, would surely applaud Nemea's back-to-basics approach – apart perhaps from one decision. The Olympic motto "faster, higher, stronger" was rejected out of hand when Prof Miller and a group of village residents chose in 1996 to make the revived games as inclusive as possible.

Nemea's organisers have relied on a lean website and 300 local volunteers to spread the word. About 30 Greek and foreign sponsors contributed to this year's €40,000 budget for the games in June, along with a small grant from an EU regional programme. This year saw 1,020 participants from 106 countries.

"We had about one-third more runners than four years ago, in spite of – or maybe because of – the economic crisis," says George Kostouros, a local author and historian who has worked with Prof Miller to revive the Nemea games.

Says Evangelos Andrianakos, Nemea's mayor: "If this year was anything to go by, the sixth Nemead in 2016 could be a much bigger scale event."

His ambition is to get enough EU funding to build a hotel close to the sanctuary so that visitors can stay the night.

"It would be the first proper accommodation here since the hostels that were built for the ancient athletes."

[Butter Popcorn Chemical Linked To Alzheimer's]

Butter Popcorn Chemical Linked To Alzheimer's August 10, 2012 11:00 AM
NEW YORK (CBS NEWS) - An ingredient used in artificial butter flavoring for popcorn may worsen the effects of an abnormal brain protein that's been linked to Alzheimer's disease.
A new study in Chemical Research in Toxicology examined diacetyl (DA), an ingredient used to produce the buttery flavor and smell in microwave popcorn, margarine, candy, baked goods and even pet food. It is also created naturally in fermented drinks like beer, and gives some chardonnay wines its buttery taste, according to the study.  Scientists at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis conducted an analysis of DA, a chemical which previously has been linked to respiratory problems in employees at microwave popcorn and food-flavoring factories. They found that DA has a structure that's similar to a substance that makes beta-amyloid proteins. Too much amyloid that clumps together to form plaques are a tell-tale marker of Alzheimer's disease in the brain. The researchers wanted to see whether DA would clump those proteins in a similar fashion to form plaques.
They found DA did lead to an increase in levels of beta-amyloid clumping, leading to toxic effects on nerve cells the scientists grew in a laboratory.

[Median Wages Have PLUMMETED Since 1969]

Median Wages Have PLUMMETED Since 1969

  Submitted by George Washington on  08/08/2012 13:44 -0400

   
• Unemployment

Wages need to rise to keep up with inflation, especially since the value of the dollar has been trashed:

But Michael Greenstone and Adam Looney of the Hamilton Project  document (hat tip Ezra Klein) that real median earnings for men declined between 1969 and 2009:

And wages have only kept dropping since 2009.
In addition – when those who have only part-time work are taken into account – we have depression-level unemployment.
As Klein notes:

    When you take all men, not just those working fulltime, into account, the slight decline in the above graph becomes a

plummet of 28 percent in median real wages from 1969 to 2009.
   
The bottom line is that – due to idiotic government policy – most of the jobs being created are part-time and low wage jobs.

[US Army Tactical Manuals Describe How to Control Domestic Insurrection]

US Army Tactical Manuals Describe How to Control Domestic Insurrection

August 11, 2012  Print Version

  Source: Susanne Posel, BLN Contributing Writer
       In 2010, the US Army's Operating Concept 2016-2028was published and explains how armed forces in the US and overseas will behave in the future. Specific tactical operations, special "theater", and organized forces are outlined along with the capabilities and priorities of the US armed divisions.
In simple terms: a full spectrum operations manual that details stratagems both domestic and foreign.
Presidential administrative National Security Strategy documents explain how to defend the Republic within domestic borders with suggested scenarios where a group of political reactionaries commandeer a prominent area of a town or city which requires that the US Army support local law enforcement in conjunction with state officials – including local government representatives.
In times of domestic insurrection, the Executive Branch can enforce armed support to state governments and local police departments with or without their approval because the continuity of government is the endgame and must be preserved. In this event, domestic intelligence gathering become paramount to maintain a clear chain of military command to be able to stop the home-grown insurgency. This would empower the Department of Homeland Security with the approval of the President, to enact the Insurrection Act and deploy armed troops with in the US to stop rebellion, insurrection, and lawlessness. While the initial powers are reserved for the state and local governments, and Posse Comitatus (PCA) restricts and delays the Executive Branch in enforcement, the current presidential administration with the aid of the Pentagon is seeking to rescind the PCA in order to facilitate control over domestic terrorism.
The Federal Protective Service (FPS) has been given the responsibility to protecting federally owned property while preparing for civilian led riots expected in the near future. And part of the preparatory measures was an order of 150 sets of riot gear that was requested to be filled exponentially.
The FPS is anticipating that police or military wearing the gear would encounter "blunt force trauma" to the upper torso, as well as potential beatings with "blunt objects".
In June of this year, the US Army requested bids for riot gear that was answered by A2Z Supply Corp, in which specified equipment was to be delivered to West Point Academy in New York.
The purpose of these patrol units was to aid "with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack" and provide "coordinate defense support of civil authorities" under NORTHCOM and other commands including federal homeland defense efforts.
As outlined in the Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) processes are defined by operational environments in regard to battle space, effects, evaluation of threats and adversaries while determining the course of action. In regard to civil situations, and to maintain intelligence and operational purposes, preparations with regard to terrain are inconsequential.
Enabled by an executive order from 1982, which states that intelligence gathering abroad could be used domestically and on American citizens, permanent resident aliens which are categorized as American persons.
According to the RAND Corporation document , Street Smart: Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield for Urban Operations, the use of IPB in urban areas will alleviate some of the anticipated "analytic difficulties posed by urbanized areas."
By training in American cities, the armed forces can realize maneuvers and special considerations that are needed to control urban infrastructure in the case of civil disturbance and insurrection. Having foreknowledge of the people living in the specified cities that are marked for control assist in the "critical operational success" of not only "knowing the enemy" but also the ability to retain a level of concealment and surprise.
When the US Army is "called upon to operate in villages, towns, and cities their directive will be to "neutralize American citizen's technological capabilities" using "sophisticated intelligence equipment" and advanced tactical training.
The Marine Corp has created a law-enforcement battalion (ELB) consisting of specialized military police officers (SMP) will take the role of current street cops while still remaining part of the Marine Corp.
SMPs would be deployed to assist in any event of civil disturbance, handling of detainees, use biometrics to identify suspects and conduct forensic work. Their assistance is not limited to conducting DUIs and writing speeding tickets in an effort to re-brand the Marine Corps as being more involved with average work now allocated to local law enforcement.
The Marine Corp Intelligence Requirements Handbooks presents new methodology to combat civilian rebellions and is meant to inspire intelligence professionals working on computer-based intelligence efforts.
The tactical operations, combined with the current training exercises being observed across our nation were laid out in documents like this. And the evidence that this is real and is being planned for are coming in eye witness reports at a staggering rate.
National Guard has been witnessed in Virginia conducting "wellness checks" and patrolling residential neighborhoods as well as downtown city areas.
One of the numerous reports of preparations for martial law that are happening across the nation is taking place now until August 17th in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin where a training exercise with M1117 armored security military vehicles that were used in Afghanistan to hunt for insurgents.
The US Army Reserve "wanted to alert the public to the training dates so residents are not alarmed when a pack of heavily armored military vehicles is driving around the county."
Captain William Gedddes commented that the drills were conducted to make sure the officers remain alert and do not become "rusty" in their training with the M1117s.
While the Sheboygan County police department had no foreknowledge of the drill, Geddes commented that locals should not "create safety hazards" on the roads be drawing attention to the vehicles.
The US Army, wanting to control the public perception of their drills, claimed that they were training on civilian roadways and wanted to make this known to the public so as to not insight speculation as to their presence.

170th Military Police Armored Security Vehicle Fielding

The Pentagon, decrying the false flag assertion of increased use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the US, is asking Congress to lay aside Posse Comitatus (PCA) in an effort to increase their use of military on the streets of America.
According to Section 1385 of the Posse Comitatus Act: "Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
While specialized military police are currently working with local law enforcement, the Pentagon is attempting to alleviate "legal restrictions on the activities of US armed forces" by convincing Congress that the PCA is unnecessary.
Law-enforcement battalions , consisting of specialized military police officers (SMP), are being set up to work with local police while remaining part of the Marine Corp.
SMPs would be deployed to assist in any event of civil disturbance, handling of detainees, use biometrics to identify suspects and conduct forensic work. Their assistance is not limited to conducting DUIs and writing speeding tickets in an effort to re-brand the Marine Corps as being more involved with average work now allocated to local law enforcement.
Citing James Holmes' apartment and use of home-made bombs, Army Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero told Congress that the threat "from both homegrown terrorists and global threat networks is real and presents a significant security challenge for the United States and our international partners."
Furthermore, USNORTHCOM and Leon Panetta, US Secretary of Defense, has readily admitted that US armed forces will collaborate with local law enforcement "if called upon".
The US Army has put out a solicitation for riot gear in preparation for civilian unrest in the US. On their official government website, the call for non-lethal equipment coincides with requests from DHS for allocation of riot shields, face masks, polycarbonate batons and body armor.
In collaboration with an executive order signed in 2001 by former President George W. Bush, DHS will "coordinate the executive branch's efforts to detect, prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks within the United States."
Contained within the US Army Military Police training manual for Civil Disturbance Operations are outlines describing how the US military will use the arsenal at their disposal to quell domestic riots, confiscate firearms and kill Americans during times of mass civil unrest.
The explicit use of "deadly force" when confronting "dissidents" is clearly stated with the refusal of a "warning shot" and the directives toward weapons that rioters or demonstrators will experience in the name of continuity of government.
Many citizens are witnessing movement of military equipment from the East and the West coasts of America. In plain sight, a train carrying tanks was seen come through Burbank, California.
The globalist Fascists who are turning our free nation in to a Dictatorship view this probable fact as a threat and are preparing to quash it right now. Because of this infiltrated takeover of our country, we are all in grave danger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkYfSXy7XGo