TBR News June 26, 2010

 

The Voice of the White House

             Washington, D.C., June 26, 2010: “I have said that the Beltway is a leaky garden hose and yesterday, a friend passed me a list of American, and Canadian, political figures that some evil person got from the Press and Information Office of the Israeli Embassy. According to the attached cover sheet, this list shows various people who have signed up as “dedicated supporters of the State of Israel” and who can be counted on for money and political support.

            I also got a long file on which individuals, and groups, have iron control over the American media but I think that will go up on the Slaughterhouse Informer instead of here. Too detailed and too sensitive. Where are the sedition laws now that we need them?

            The rabid Likudists, calling themselves NeoCons, who did their best to push the U.S. into a war against Israel’s enemy Iran, have quickly and quietly faded into silence now that the Bush machine is gone but there are indeed others to watch with care. See if you know anyone on this list.. I personally wouldn’t let any of them into my house because they might soil the furniture, attempt to impregnate the dog or steal ashtrays.”

Rep. Rush Holt  (R-NJ)

Lt. Gov. Ruth Ann Minner( D-DEVA)

Atty. General Mark Earley (R)-

State Sen. Susie Oppenheimer (D-NY)-

Mayor Timothy Kaine (R-Richmond, VA)-

Mayor Pete Clavelle (Progressive-Burlington, VT)-

IL State Sen. Lauren Beth Gash (D)-

DE State Treasurer Jack Markell (D)-

Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, (D-Virginia Beach, VA)-

Mary Lou Cooper, Program Manager, Council of State Governments. Western Regional  

                                                                                   Conference (CSG-West), Santa Fe NM-

ID State Sen. Bart M. Davis (R)-

AZ State Rep. Debora Norris (D)-

CA State Assemblyman Rod Pacheco (R)-

NY State Assemblyman Paul A. Tokasz (D)-

Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (D-MD)-

Lt. Gov.’s Chief of Staff Alan Fleischmann     

Lt. Gov.’s Special Assistant William Mann   

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor NYC, CEO Bloomberg L.P.-

Fmr Mayor Marc Morial (D) New Orleans LA-

Michelle Miller (Mrs. Morial), Anchor/Reporter WWL-TV-

Mayor Ralph Appezzato, (D) Alameda CA-

Mayor Bill Purcell, Nashville TN-

Mayor David Armstrong, Louisville KY-

Tim Culver, Director of Communications, Office of Mayor Armstrong-

Crystal Swann, Assistant Executive Director, US Conference of Mayors-

Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ)-

Rep. David Phelps (D-IL)-

Rep. Tim Johnson (R-IL)-

IL State Sen. Dave Syverson (R)-

IL State Rep. Elizabeth Coulson (R)-

Rep. Ernest Fletcher (R-KY)-

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA)-

Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY)-

Rep. Martin Frost (D-TX)-

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV)-

Rep. Brad Carson D-OK)-

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)-

Rep. Calvin Dooley D-CA)-

Cheryl Reagan            , Head, Grace News Network, Washington DC-

Sen. John Andrews (R), CO State Senate, Minority Leader-

Rep. William Crane (R), CO State Senate-

Rep. Michael Garcia (D), CO State Senate-

Sen. Kenneth Gordon (D), CO State Senate-

Sen. Deanna Hanna(D), CO State Senate-

Sen. Douglas Lamborn (R), CO State Senate-

Rep. Mark Paschall (R), CO State Senate-

Bruce Peterson, Chair of Arapahoe County (CO) Republicans-

Caryn Garber, Aide to Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL)-

Fmr Governor George Pataki R-NY)-

Jonathan Greenspun,NYC Commissioner, Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit

Ron Anderson, aide to Rep. James Walsh (R-NY)

Charles Dujon, Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-IL)

Kevin   Horan, aide to Rep. Peter King (R-NY)

Andrew Hunter, aide to Rep. Norman Dicks (D-WA)

Kenny Kraft, aide to Rep. David Hobson (R-OH)

Michael Liles, aide to Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT)

Matt Mandel, aide to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) Ein Kerem

Tina Mufford, aide to Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY)

Sean Mulvaney, aide to Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ)

Tom O’Donnell, aide to Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL)

Julie Philp, aide to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)

Gail Ravnitzky, aide to Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)

James Sharp            , aide to Rep. Michael Doyle (D-PA)

Jennifer Thompson, aide to Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC)

Polly Trottenberg, aide to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY)

Richard Urey, aide to Rep. Shelley Berkley (R-NV)

Andy Vanlandingham, aide to Sen. Max Cleland (D-GA)

John Weaver, aide to Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC)

Rep. Peter Deutsch (D-FL)-

Eric Lynn, aide

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY)-

David Lachman aide

Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-MO)-

Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL)-

Janet Waxman            , wife of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)-

Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA)-

Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX)-

Steve Elmendorf aide to Rep. Gephardt aide

Ted Van Der Mied, aide to former Speaker Dennis Hastert

Joan Mitchell, aide to Rep. LaHood

Brett O’Brien, aide to Rep. Gephardt

Dan Turton, aide to Rep. Gephardt

Major Guermantes Lailari, Assistant Air Attache, US Embassy

Dr. Nick Palarino, Senior Policy Analyst, House Committee on Government Reform- .

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State

Rep. Peter Deutsch (D-FL)-

Eric Lynn, aide

Rep Joseph Hoeffel D-PA)-

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA)-

Rep. David Price (D-NC)-

Wayne Owens, former Utah congressman; President, Center for Middle East Peace and

                                                                                                            Economic Development-

Henry H. “Hank” Perritt, Jr., (D),

Scott Waguespack, aide

Rev. Robert Tobi, Rector of Christ Church, Cambridge MA-

Deborah Bodlander, aide to Rep. Ben Gilman (R-NY)-

Lakshmi Anand, Morris Plains NJ

Dr. Raj Bothra, Detroit MI

Gope Gidwani, Boston MA

T. Kumar, Washington DC

Subash Razdan, Atlanta GA

Mohammad Shakir, Miami FL

Guy Billauer, Program Specialist, AJ Committee’s Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Center for 

American Pluralism, Acting Assistant Legislative  Director, American Jewish Committee’s Office of Government and International Affairs

Malcolm Hoenlein ,Executive Vice Chairman, Conference of Presidents of Major American 

                                                                                                              Jewish Organizations  

Gary Bauer-leader Republican Right-

David R. Kotok, President, Cumberland Advisors, Inc-

Sergeant Robert L. Allen, West Palm Beach, FL

Leslie T. Annexstein, Washington, DC

Timothy Bradford, Pittsburgh, PA

Mayor Peggy J. Dunn,  Leawood, Kansas

Scott M. Lambers, City Administrator of Leawood, Kansas

Gepsie M. Metellus, Miami, FL

Alderman Marvin Pratt, Milwaukee, WI

Emily Georges Gottfried, AJC Area Executive Director, Portland OR

Mr. Marvin Szneler, AJC Kansas City Area Director, Kansas City KS

Bill de Blasio, New York

Leroy Comrie-Majority Whip

James   Davis   

Simcha Felder  

James Frederick Gennaro           

Eric Neil Gioia  

Melinda Rachel Katz    

Gifford Miller, Speaker of the Council

Joel Rivera-Majority Leader

James   Sanders           

Jose Marco Serrano

David Wiprin    

Howard Pollack, NYC Council Senior Staff

Christopher Policano, NYC Council Senior Staff

Michael Miller, NY JCRC

David   Pollock, NY JCRC

Ronald Soloway  NY UJA-Federation

Sen. Maria Cantwell(D-WA)-

Rep. Chris Shays  (R-CT)-

Laurence J. Halloran, Aide to Rep. Shays, Staff director and Counsel, Subcommittee on

                                   HumanResources, Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA)-

Mike Smith, Deputy Fire Chief, Washington DC

William Thompson-Comptroller of the City of New York

Betsy Gotbaum-City Advocate of the City of New York

Jose Rivera-State Assembly member

Stephen Kaufman-State Assembly member

Adriano Espaillat-State Assembly member

Peter Rivera-State Assembly member

Hiram Monserrate-City Council member

Eddie Castel-Deputy to the Comptroller of the City of New York

Tom Suozzi Nassau County Executive

Adam Clayton Powell IV-State Assembly member

Michael Miller-JCRC

Ronald Soloway-UJA Federation

Devora Goldberg, Crisis Communicator, American Red Cross-

Fmr VT Gov.Howard Dean (D),

IL Comptroller Daniel Hynes            –

IL State Senator, Jeff Schoenberg            –

Hadassah Lieberman, wife of Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)-

Gregory Menken, aide to NY Gov. Pataki (R)-

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)-

Rep. Steve Chabot(R-OH)-

Rep. Mario Diaz -Balart (R-FL)-

Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA)-

Rep. William             Janklow (R-SD)-

Alan Makovsky, Senior Professional Staff Member (Dem.), House Committee on

                                                                                                    International Relations-

Matthew Zweig, Staff Associate, Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee, House

                                                                                  Committee on International Relations-

Ms. Yleem Poblete, Staff Director, Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee, House

Jeannette Bogart 

Ambassador John Wolf            –

Fmr House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)-

Rep Ander Crenshaw            (R-FL)-

Cory Alexander, aide to Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD)

Chuck Brimmer, aide to Rep. Robert Matsui (CA)

David Lafferty, aide to Rep. James Langevin (RI)

Brian Romick, aide to Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD)

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)-

Rep Gregory Meeks(D-NY)

Rep Anthony Weiner (D-NY)

Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY)

New York City Council member Robert Jackson (District 7)

New York City Council member Gale Brewer (District 6)

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL)-

Mike Brady, aide to Rep. Tom Reynolds (NY)

Brian Diffell, aide to Rep. Roy Blunt (MO)

Amy Steinmann, aide to aide to Rep. Roy Blunt (MO)

Shimmy Stein            , Rep. Eric Cantor (VA)

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor, City of New York-

Ed Koch, former Mayor of the City of New York-

Rabbi Haskell Lookstein, member, Mayor’s Human Rights Commission-

Simcha Felder,            NYC Council Member, (44th District)-

Jonathan D. Greenspun, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit-

Michael Miller, Head, NY JCRC-

MI Rep.Rick Johnson,(R)-Speaker of the House-

MI Rep.Marc Shulman,(R) Chair, House Appropriations Committee-

MI Rep.Chris Kol (D)-

MI Sen. Jason             Allen (R)-

MI Sen. Samuel (Buzz) Thomas- (D)

Fmr Secretary of the Treasury John Snow            –

Delegate Anthony Brown, (D) Member of the Maryland House of Delegates

Delegate Tawanna Gaines, (D) Member of the Maryland House of Delegates

Delegate Susan Lee, (D) Member of the Maryland House of Delegates

Delegate Doyle Niemann, (D) Member of the Maryland House of Delegates

Council member Jay Fisette, Member of Virginia County Board of Supervisors

MD Delegate Norman Conway, (D) Member of the House of Delegates

David Weaver, Director of Public Information, Montgomery County MD

MD Delegate Herman Taylor, Jr. (D) Member of the Maryland House of Delegates

Delegate Norman Conway, (D) Member of the House of Delegates

Sophie and Dr. Howard Hoffman, President, JCC of Greater Washington

Susan Weinberg, Vice President, Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington

Ronald Halber, Executive Director, Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington

Leah Weissman, Assistant Director, Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington

Manny Mandel, Jewish lay leader

Art Abramson-Executive Director of Baltimore. Jewish Council

Anthony Brandon-General Manager and co owner of WYPR (public radio station)

James DiPaula-“Chip”-State Secretary of Dept. of Budget and Management

Christopher Eddings -Publisher of the Balt. Daily Record newspaper

Alan Edelman-President of BJC

Michael Enright-Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff to Mayor Martin O’Malley

Deby Goldseker-Assistant Director of BJC

Betty Hines-wife of Ernest Hines

Ernest   Hines-President and CEO of American Skyline Insurance Co.

Timothy Kelly-Trustee of Weinberg Foundation

Vivian Kelly

Alana Kirk       

Kim Morton-Deputy Council to Governor Ehrlich

Beverly Penn            –

Sandy Rosenberg (D)

Marilyn Sabatini-wife of below

Nelson Sabatini-Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene for State of Maryland

Rikki Spector-City Council Woman

James T. Smith-Baltimore County Executive

Mark Wasserman-Senior VP for External Affairs at Univ. of MD Medical systems

Donn Weinberg-VP of Weinberg Foundation

Sharon Weinberg-wife of above

Adrienne Jones-State delegate for Baltimore County; Speaker Pro Tem for House of

                                                                                                            Delegates

Tom Wilcox-President of the Baltimore Community Foundation

MD Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.(R)

Art Abramson, Ph.d. – Director, Baltimore Jewish Council

William (Bill) Askinazi – Asst. Secretary, Md. Dept. of Business & Development

Barry    Bocage – Executive Director, Maryland – Israel Development Center

Dan Callihan – VP of Marketing, Northrup Grumman

Paul Clark– VP of Homeland Security, BAE Systems, North America

Jonathan Cohen – President and CEO, 20/20 Gene Systems

Edward (Lee) Cowen– President & Managing Partner, Chesapeake Government

                                                                                                Relations

Robert             Diamond – VP, Corporate Services Manugistics

James (Chip) DiPaula, Jr.– Secretary, Md. Dept. of Budget and Management

John Erikson – Chairman and CEO, Erikson Retirement Communities

Christopher Foster– State Technology Coordinator, Md. Dept. of Business and Economic

                                                                                                            Development

Norman Freidkin– Partner, Freidkin, Matrone & Horn, P.A.

Mark Gembicki– National Managing Director, Homeland Security

Steve Goldsmith– Sr. VP. Government & Strategic Development, ACS State and Local

                                                                                                                        Solutions

Wynee Elizabeth Hawk– VP, External Relations, Greater Baltimore Medical Center

Terry Irgens– President, Dynport Vaccines

Lynn KatzenM.S.W. –Director, Israel/Middle Eastern Affairs, Baltimore Jewish Council

Steven             Kreseski– Chief of Staff, Governor of Md.

Mark Lezell – Partner, Heideman, Lezell, Nudelman & Kalik, PC

Lawrence Macks– General Partner, Boulder Ventures

Greg Massoni– Press Secretary, Office of the Governor

Dennis Miller– Factory Sales Manager, M/A Com-Sigint Products

Edward Miller– Chief of Staff, Md. Dept. of Business and Economic Development

Martha Nathanson – Director, Govt. & Community Relations, LifeBridge Health System,

                                                                                                            Sinai Hospital

Morton Rapoport – Former President and CEO, University of Maryland Medical Systems

Nelson Sabatini– Secretary, Md. Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene

Hanan (Bean)             Sibel – Chairman, Maryland-Israel Development Center

Prof. Yonathan Zohar– Director, Center of Marine Biotechnology

Charlie Luken            , Mayor of Cincinnati, with Solidarity Mission –

GA Lt. Governor Mark Taylor, with the Atlanta General Assembly Mission –

Christopher Carpenter, Taylor Chief of Staff

GA State Senator David Adelman          

Sandra Pappas            – State Senator, Senate President Pro Tem

Phyllis Kahn– State Representative

Mary Jane Bridge 

Barbara Nordstom-Loeb– Co-chair, Minnesota Jews for a Just Peace

Margaret (Peg) Sweeney– Duluth County Commissioner

Ardis Becklin   

Karen Kirkwo  

Carolyn Engebretson – Becker County Commissioner

Cynthia McDonald        

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of NYC

Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY)

NY State Assemblyman Steve Kaufman

CO State Rep. Debbie Stafford, with Jewish Federation of Colorado –

CO State Rep.Lauri Clapp   

CO Cabinet Member Rick O’Donnell        

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) –

Caryll Kyl, wife of Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

Ben Chevat, COS, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D)

Dean D’Amore, COS, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R)

Wendy Darwell, COS, Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D)

Andrew Moskowitz, COS, Rep. Gary Ackerman (D)

Brenda Pillors            , COS, Rep. Edolphus Towns (D)

Amy Rutkin            , COS, Rep. Gerry Nadler (D)

Veronica Sullivan, COS, Rep. Tony Weiner (D)

David Torian, COS, Rep. Michael McNulty (D

Michael Miller, Executive Vice President, JCRC of New York

Harriet Mandel, JCRC of New York

Ronald Soloway, UJA-Federation

Dr. Homer Adams, AIPAC Member

Cathie Adams            , AIPAC Member

Jim Arnold, Lt. Governor’s Campaign Manager

Ellen Arnold, Partner of Jim Arnold and Associates

Paul Colbert, Former State Representative, U.S/ Texas Expert

Bonnie Dadidakis Republican Leader

Rep.Dianne Delisi, Texas House of Representatives, Defense Committee

Gary Polland, Mission Chair, Republican Chair Federation Board

Rep.Debbie Riddle, Texas House of Representative

Robert Silvers            , Houston businessman

Senator Todd Staples 

Rep. Larry Taylor, Texas House of Representatives

Senator John Whitmire          

Whitney Whitmire, Daughter

John Goott, CRC International Relations Task Force Chair

Lisa Yoram, CRC Director

Kathleen Hollingsworth, Office of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher-

Dr. Fadi Essmael, Office of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)

James Garner, Mayor of Hempstead NY, President, U.S. Conference of Mayors

Jane Campbell, Mayor of Cleveland OH

Christina Cruz-Madrid, Mayor of Azusa CA

Joseph Griffo, Executive, Oneida County NY

Rosemarie Ives, Mayor of Redmond WA

Charles Tooley, Mayor of Billings MT

David G. Wallace, Mayor of Sugar Land TX

Michael Wildes, Mayor of Englewood NJ

Sheila Young, Mayor of San Leandro CA

Barry Honig, National Leadership

Dr. Robert Ivker, National Leadership

Sandy             Treadwell, Chairman, New York Republican State Committee

Greg Menken,Director, New York Regional Office, Republican Jewish Coalition

Gov. Linda Lingle (R-HI)

Vivian Aiona, wife of Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr.

Stephanie Aveiro, Executive Director, Hawaii Housing Development Corporation

Gae Berquist Trommald– Commissioner, State Foundation on Culture and the Arts

Dr. Joyce Cassen – Member, Hawaii State Medical Advisory Board

Dr. Phillip Hellreich – President, Hawaii Medical Association; Member, Board of

                                                                                                            Election Judges

Miriam Hellreich– ranking member of the Republican Party

Lenny             Klompus-Senior Communications Advisor to the governor

Lillian   Koller– Director, Hawaii Department of Human Services

Sandra Kunimoto– Director, Marketing and Business Development, Hawaii Agricultural

                                                                                                            Advisory Council

Ronald Lagareta– Head, East-West Center

Kitty Lagareta– University Of Hawaii Board of Regents, Vice-Chair/Oahu

Major General Bob Lee– State Adjutant General

Img Lee–Civil Defense Coordinator, Honolulu Dept. of Public Works

Ted Liu– Director, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

Rep. Mark Moses (R) – Member Hawaii State Legislature

Alan Gifford Miller – Speaker

David Yassky– 33rd District – Brooklyn

Peter Vallone, Jr.– 22nd District – Queens

Christine Quinn– 3rd District – Manhattan

Larry Seabrook – 12th District – Bronx

Kendall Stewart – 45th District – Brooklyn

Helen   Sears – 25th District – Queens

Jo Ann Shapiro– Community Leader, Rockaway

Howard Pollack– Legislative Coordinator, Office of the Speaker

Gur Tsabar – Press Liaison, Office of the Speaker

Michael Miller – Executive Vice-President, NYJCRC

Phyllis Miller– Special Needs Advocate, NY Board of Jewish Education

Ronald Solloway– Managing Director for Government and External Relations, UJA-

                                                                                                            Federation of NY

David             Rosenthal– Director of City Policy, UJA-Federation of NY

Dennis R. Schrader, Director, Maryland Department of Homeland Security

Frederick E. Davis, Sheriff, Charles County, Maryland

Lt. Col. Stephen T. Moyer, Homeland Security and Intelligence Bureau, Maryland State

                                                                                                                        Police

James M. Pettit, Communications Director, Maryland Department of Homeland Security

James   Ports, Assistant Secretary, Maryland Department of Transportation

Stephen D. Sheehan, Deputy Executive Director Airport Operations, Maryland Aviation

                                                                                                            Administration

John H. Spearman, Vice President, Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Md.

                                                                                                            Medical Center

Dr. Melissa Brown  ,

Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA)

Senator Armstrong Gibson 

Senator Stewart Greenleaf         

Senator Robert Jubelirer, Senate President Pro Tempore

Senator Robert Mellow

Senator Raphael Musto 

Senator Michael Stack III          

Marx Leopold , Budget Chief for Senator Fumo

Anthony Lepore, Chief of Staff to Senator Jubelirer

David Atkinson, Executive Assistant to Senator Jubelirer

Barton Hertzbach, Philadelphia Federation CRC

Robin Schatz, Govt. Relations Director, Philadelphia Federation

Joel Weisberg, Executive Director Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition

Gordon Bergh, Assistant Director, Austin-Travis County EMS

Chris Callsen, Senior Division Commander, Austin-Travis County EMS

William Steven Collier, Emergency Management Officer, Office of Emergency

                                                                                                Management

Dr. Patrick James Crocker, Medical Director, Brackenridge Emergency Department

Harold Robert Evans,, Jr.. Battalion Chief, Austin Fire Department

David Stuart Gruell, Clinical Practical Manager, Austin-Travis County EMS

State Senator Sam Aanestad (R)

State Senator Jim Brulte (R)

State Assemblyman Rick Keene (R)

State Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa (R)

State Assemblyman Lloyd E. Levine (D) Majority Whip

State Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy (R) Minority Leader

State Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez (D)

FL State Rep. Anne Gannon (D)-

Mayor Robert Walkup (R), Tucson AZ

NY State Sen. Joseph Robach (R)-

Maggie Brooks (R), Monroe County NY Executive-

Alan G Hevesi (D), Comptroller, State of New York-

David   Loglisci, Deputy Comptroller, State of New York-

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV)-

Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Canadian Minister of State (Public Health)-

Dr. Sylvie Stachenko, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Canada-

Member of Canadian Parliament, Michael Savage

Member of Canadian Parliament, Anita Neville    

Michael Spowart, Chief of Staff, Canadian Minister of State (Public Health)-

Hillary Geller, Chief of Staff, Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency

                                                                                                            Preparedness-

Natalie Berg, President, JCRC of San Francisco

Miguel Bustos, Community Leader

Brian Cheu, Executive Director, Chinese for Affirmative Action

Supervisor Bevan Dufty, San Francisco Board of Supervisors-

Rabbi Douglas Kahn, Executive Director, JCRC of San Francisco-

Tom Kasten, vice-president JCRC

Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, San Francisco Board of Supervisors-

Abby Michaelson-Porth, Associate Director, San Francisco JCRC

David Serrano-Sewall, Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee, Deputy City

                                                                                                Attorney of San Francisco

Jesse Smith, Member, San Francisco JCRC, Chief Assistant City Attorney of San

                                                                                                Francisco-

Jeffrey Thomas, District Director, Office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee

 

Illegal Sarah Palin defense fund must give back donations 

June 25, 2010

Reuters

           ANCHORAGE A legal defense fund for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was illegal and must repay nearly $400,000 to donors, according to a settlement with a state-appointed lawyer announced on Thursday.

                But Palin, the feisty former Republican vice presidential candidate who has become a fixture of the conservative Tea Party movement, probably violated a state ethics act without knowing she was doing so, independent counsel Tim Petumenos said.

While governor, Palin faced some two dozen ethics complaints, which she said left her with a legal bill of more than $500,000. Her political action committee raised a fund to pay for her defense.

A preliminary ruling by another independent counsel last year said the fund was illegal because it used her official position as governor to raise money for her personal gain.

Petumenos confirmed the decision and said no such legal defense fund had ever been set up before for a state official in Alaska.

Palin violated the ethics rules because she was a beneficiary of the fund but probably relied on bad advice from out-of-state lawyers to conclude it was above board, Petumenos said at a news conference.

He added that Palin should have checked with the state attorney general before pursuing the fund.

“It is the responsibility of every public official to make sure they are personally compliant with the (Alaska Ethics) Act,” he said.

The deal requires Palin’s fund to give back to donors $386,856 collected while she was in office. A further $33,546 collected after she resigned will not be affected by the deal.

Palin, no longer a public official, has launched a new defense fund. She is now independently wealthy but her lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, told reporters he still believed she ran up the legal costs in her capacity as governor and so a new fund was justified.

(Reporting by Yereth Rosen in Anchorage; Editing by Peter Henderson and John O’Callaghan)

Comment: While it is evident that the Divine Sarah doesn’t have either intelligence or ethics, she does, however, have tits and with the trailer park and tea bagger crowd, they count for everything!

Wave of New Rules to Protect Consumers   

June 25, 2010

by Ron Lieber and Tara Siegel Bernard

New York Times

 

The financial overhaul bill that has taken final shape would give the government a larger role in guarding the wallets of consumers — many of whom, it became clear in the financial crisis, did not always understand what they were signing up for.

Until now, the power to watch over consumers’ interests has been scattered across an array of agencies, which is why a centerpiece of the bill is the creation of a central Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The bureau’s sole responsibility would be to look out for consumers.

The bureau was conceived and championed by Elizabeth Warren, the vocal consumer advocate and head of Congressional oversight for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. She said in a statement on Friday that the new bureau would represent a victory for consumers.

“They created a strong, independent consumer agency that will have the tools to rein in industry tricks and traps and to cut out the fine print,” Ms. Warren said. “For the first time, there will be a financial regulator in Washington watching out for families instead of banks.”

Time will tell how sharp the agency’s teeth will be. Meanwhile, investors and those who advocate on their behalf did not get everything they wanted in the bill. Auto dealers would not be subject to the new bureau’s oversight, for instance. And stockbrokers and annuity peddlers are still not required to act in their customers’ best interest, at least not initially. But mortgage shoppers stand to gain under the new rules, and millions of people will now have access to a free credit score.

Here is a roundup of some of the biggest consumer issues that members of Congress addressed and where they ended up:

 

CONSUMER BUREAU The bureau would be housed within the Federal Reserve, and headed by a director appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The new bureau would write and enforce rules for most banks, mortgage lenders, credit card and private student loan companies, and payday lenders. Smaller banks and credit unions, or those with less than $10 billion in assets, would have to obey the consumer bureau’s rules. But the smaller institutions’ enforcement and supervision would remain with their current regulators, said Travis Plunkett, legislative director for the Consumer Federation of America.

Auto dealers, while exempt from the bureau’s reach, would face stronger oversight from the Federal Trade Commission, said Ed Mierzwinski, consumer program director at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

The legislation includes a provision that consumer advocates had opposed — to require the new bureau to convene a panel of small-business representatives, chosen by the bureau, to make sure any new rule wouldn’t have unintended consequences, like tightening small businesses’ access to credit. Consumer groups said they worry that the bureau would be required to seek input from industries — like payday lending — that it’s supposed to oversee.

 

CREDIT SCORES Each year, you can get one free copy of your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com from each of the three big credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The credit report contains information that banks and others send in about how much you owe and whether you pay on time.

But consumers generally do not get free copies of their credit scores, which are numerical snapshots derived from your credit report.

Let’s say a mortgage lender, credit card issuer, insurance company or landlord quotes you a more expensive interest rate or premium price or refuses to rent you an apartment because of your credit score. If that happens, the bill requires the company or individual to provide you, free of charge, the score (probably a FICO score) that caused a snag.

Keep in mind that nothing is stopping you from asking for the score, even if you like the rate or result of your application.

 

MORTGAGES The bill offers a number of new protections, many of which are a bit like closing the barn door after all of the animals escaped. Lenders, for instance, will have to check borrowers’ income and assets. Most lenders have learned that lesson by now or have ceased to exist.

Other rules include a ban on prepayment penalties for people with adjustable-rate and other more complex types of mortgages. Mortgage brokers and bank employees will no longer be able to earn bonuses based on the type of loan they put you in. That will presumably eliminate any incentive to push high-interest loans on borrowers (who might otherwise qualify for a better deal) to inflate bank profits.

Julia R. Gordon, senior policy counsel for the Center for Responsible Lending, said there would now be a cap limiting mortgage origination fees to 3 percent of the loan. There are exceptions for required upfront mortgage insurance premiums, say for a Federal Housing Administration loan, and for points that borrowers elect to pay to lower the mortgage interest rate.

The bill would also provide bridge loans for unemployed homeowners to help them pay their mortgages, according to the National Consumer Law Center.

 

CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS Hate those merchants that won’t let you use your credit card unless you spend more than a certain amount? Well, now they have Congress’s blessing, as long as the minimum is not higher than $10. The Federal Reserve can increase the minimum if it chooses. As for maximums, only the federal government and colleges and universities can limit what people spend. So if you are paying tuition on a credit card and earning a couple of free plane tickets each year, that fun may soon end.

Merchants can also offer discounts to people who pay cash instead of using cards, or use debit instead of credit cards. They will not, however, be able to charge one price for people using American Express cards and a lower price for people using Visa and MasterCard credit cards.

Merchants would also not be allowed to give discounts based on which bank issued your debit or credit card.

 

FIDUCIARY DUTY The Securities and Exchange Commission, which is headed by Mary L. Schapiro, was given the authority to create a rule for brokers that would require them to put their clients’ interests first. But that won’t happen right away.

Consumer advocates wanted the so-called fiduciary standard in the new law, and it appeared in the House’s original proposal. But ultimately, negotiators compromised and agreed to have the commission first conduct a six-month study of the brokerage industry, looking at, among other things, whether there are any regulatory gaps or overlaps in regulation of brokers and investment advisers.

Advisers are already required to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own, while brokers must only recommend investments that are deemed “suitable,” based on factors like their clients’ financial goals and tolerance for risk. “It is now going to be incumbent on Chairman Shapiro to stay on top of this,” said Barbara Roper, director of investor protection at the Consumer Federation of America, “to ensure that this is an unbiased study and that any rules that are proposed are strong.”

But there are no guarantees.

 

EQUITY-INDEXED ANNUITIES These annuities are complex financial products that promise a minimum return on your investment. But they often require you to tie up your money for long periods and charge hefty surrender fees if you need to pull out money early. Some people selling these collect lucrative commissions and have used deceptive marketing techniques to sell these products to elderly individuals, which is why sales of these annuities have been the subject of many lawsuits.

But a provision in the legislation would prevent the S.E.C. from regulating them, a step backward, consumer advocates and the commission have argued, from what is now the case. The S.E.C. had adopted a rule to regulate these annuities as securities, but the rule had not yet been enacted. Now, the annuities would be treated as insurance products, which means they would be overseen by state insurance regulators.

“That means no securities antifraud authority, no rules against excessive compensation, and no securities regulators to help police the market for these abuses,” Ms. Roper said. “And there are no guarantees that the people who sell them know any more about the securities markets these products are based on than the people who buy them.”

Consumer advocates also said the amendment language is broadly written, which could allow products similar to equity-indexed annuities — or those that have characteristics of both investments and insurance — to skirt S.E.C. regulation as well.

Comment: No one is doing you a favor here  but they want you to think they are. Yes, the big credit companies have to give you one free report a year but you have to subscribe to a year’s credit information to get it! Don’t be fooled by ads for FREE CREDIT SCORES!!!!! This is just a snare and a delusion, like the rest of the “assistance” you are going to get…if you bend over first, that is.

US to Deploy Drones to Shore Up Border with Mexico
June 24, 2010

by Jordi Zamora

Agence France-Presse

             WASHINGTON — The United States plans to deploy two drone aircraft along the Texas-Mexico border as part of a new effort to stem organized crime and illegal immigration, Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano said Wednesday.

             Predator drones will be used to patrol the border and in nearby areas in the Gulf of Mexico, once Congress approves the 500 million dollars President Barack Obama has requested, Napolitano said in a Washington speech. (AP)The two Predator drones will be used to patrol the border and in nearby areas in the Gulf of Mexico, once Congress approves the 500 million dollars President Barack Obama has requested, Napolitano said in a Washington speech.

            “These types of flights aren’t necessary everywhere,” she said in comments to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “But this is the case in the Texas border.”

            The United States currently has four drones patrolling the border with Mexico in Arizona and one in the northern border with Canada in the state of North Dakota, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

             Napolitano said the new aircraft are part of a reinforcement of border patrol efforts including one thousand additional agents and 60 investigators.

            “Over the past 18 months, this administration has devoted more resources — including manpower, technology and infrastructure — to the Southwest border than at any point in America’s history,” she said.

            Texas Governor Rick Perry had requested delivery of the planes, which the US used extensively in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

            The Obama administration is seeking to step up security as it presses for a comprehensive immigration reform measure that likely would allow many of the millions of illegal migrants in the United States to legalize their status.

            Many Republican lawmakers say no immigration measure can be considered unless the federal government can ensure security along the southern US border to prevent a spillover of violence from Mexico.

             Napolitano also announced a number of new cooperation agreements with law enforcement in non-border states to send personnel to southwest border.

            DHS said it is working on a system that will fully link the information systems of all state, local and tribal law enforcement entities operating along the southwest border with those of the federal government.

            “Border security is primarily a responsibility of federal government,” she said. “We cannot have 50 different state legislations. It will not work.”

            The remark was aimed at a controversial Arizona law that allows police to question persons suspected of being illegal immigrants.

            The agency said it was developing “Project Roadrunner,” a license plate reader recognition system aimed at detecting drug trafficking and associated illegal activity along the border.

            In a related comment in Congress, Democratic Senator Robert Menendez said the security situation will influence the debate on immigration.

            “There are those in the Senate who believe we should basically militarize our borders and until we do, until we meet some standard of militarization, we cannot tackle the issue of comprehensive immigration reform,” he said.

 

Report: Toxins found in whales bode ill for humans

June 24, 2010

by Arthur Max  

Associated Press

AGADIR, Morocco (AP) — Sperm whales feeding even in the most remote reaches of Earth’s oceans have built up stunningly high levels of toxic and heavy metals, according to American scientists who say the findings spell danger not only for marine life but for the millions of humans who depend on seafood.

A report released Thursday noted high levels of cadmium, aluminum, chromium, lead, silver, mercury and titanium in tissue samples taken by dart gun from nearly 1,000 whales over five years. From polar areas to equatorial waters, the whales ingested pollutants that may have been produced by humans thousands of miles away, the researchers said.

These contaminants, I think, are threatening the human food supply. They certainly are threatening the whales and the other animals that live in the ocean,” said biologist Roger Payne, founder and president of Ocean Alliance, the research and conservation group that produced the report.

The researchers found mercury as high as 16 parts per million in the whales. Fish high in mercury such as shark and swordfish — the types health experts warn children and pregnant women to avoid — typically have levels of about 1 part per million.

The whales studied averaged 2.4 parts of mercury per million, but the report’s authors said their internal organs probably had much higher levels than the skin samples contained.

“The entire ocean life is just loaded with a series of contaminants, most of which have been released by human beings,” Payne said in an interview on the sidelines of the International Whaling Commission’s annual meeting.

Payne said sperm whales, which occupy the top of the food chain, absorb the contaminants and pass them on to the next generation when a female nurses her calf. “What she’s actually doing is dumping her lifetime accumulation of that fat-soluble stuff into her baby,” he said, and each generation passes on more to the next.

Ultimately, he said, the contaminants could jeopardize seafood, a primary source of animal protein for 1 billion people.

“You could make a fairly tight argument to say that it is the single greatest health threat that has ever faced the human species. I suspect this will shorten lives, if it turns out that this is what’s going on,” he said.

Payne called his group’s $5 million project the most comprehensive report ever done on ocean pollutants.

U.S. Whaling Commissioner Monica Medina informed the 88 member nations of the whaling commission of the report and urged the commission to conduct further research.

The report “is right on target” for raising issues critical to humans as well as whales, Medina told The Associated Press. “We need to know much more about these problems.”

Payne, 75, is best known for his 1968 discovery and recordings of songs by humpback whales, and for finding that some whale species can communicate with each other over thousands of miles.

The 93-foot Odyssey, a sail-and-motor ketch, set out in March 2000 from San Diego to document the oceans’ health, collecting pencil-eraser-sized samples using a dart gun that barely made the whales flinch.

After more than five years and 87,000 miles, samples had been taken from 955 whales. The samples were sent for analysis to marine toxicologist John Wise at the University of Southern Maine. DNA was compared to ensure the animals were not tested more than once.

Payne said the original objective of the voyage was to measure chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants, and the study of metals was an afterthought.

The researchers were stunned with the results. “That’s where the shocking, sort of jaw-dropping concentrations exist,” Payne said.

Though it was impossible to know where the whales had been, Payne said the contamination was embedded in the blubber of males formed in the frigid polar regions, indicating that the animals had ingested the metals far from where they were emitted.

“When you’re working with a synthetic chemical which never existed in nature before and you find it in a whale which came from the Arctic or Antarctic, it tells you that was made by people and it got into the whale,” he said.

How that happened is unclear, but the contaminants likely were carried by wind or ocean currents, or were eaten by the sperm whales’ prey.

Sperm whales are toothed whales that eat all kinds of fish, even sharks. Dozens have been taken by whaling ships in the past decade. Most of the whales hunted by the whaling countries of Japan, Norway and Iceland are minke whales, which are baleen whales that feed largely on tiny krill.

Chromium, an industrial pollutant that causes cancer in humans, was found in all but two of the 361 sperm whale samples that were tested for it. Those findings were published last year in the scientific journal Chemosphere.

“The biggest surprise was chromium,” Payne said. “That’s an absolute shocker. Nobody was even looking for it.”

The corrosion-resistant metal is used in stainless steel, paints, dyes and the tanning of leather. It can cause lung cancer in people who work in industries where it is commonly used, and was the focus of the California environmental lawsuit that gained fame in the movie “Erin Brockovich.”

It was impossible to say from the samples whether any of the whales suffered diseases, but Wise found that the concentration of chromium found in whales was several times higher than the level required to kill healthy cells in a Petri dish, Payne said.

He said another surprise was the high concentrations of aluminum, which is used in packaging, cooking pots and water treatment. Its effects are unknown.

The consequences of the metals could be horrific for both whale and man, he said.

“I don’t see any future for whale species except extinction,” Payne said. “This is not on anybody’s radar, no government’s radar anywhere, and I think it should be.”

 

Malthus on Population

Long before the word ‘green’ was used to hucksters and greedy academics, British writer wrote a brilliant study of population…and food production. It is very well worth reading because what Malthus said is very, very true today and, in point of fact, getting critical. Famine followed by violence and death are standing just outside your door, smiling nicely. Ed

 

Chapter 2

 

The different ratio in which population and food increase - The necessary effects of these different ratios of increase - Oscillation produced by them in the condition of the lower classes of society - Reasons why this oscillation has not been so much observed as might be expected –

 

Three propositions on which the general argument of the Essay depends - The different states in which mankind have been known to exist proposed to be examined with reference to these three propositions.

I SAID that population, when unchecked, increased in a geometrical ratio, and subsistence for man in an arithmetical ratio.

Let us examine whether this position be just. I think it will be allowed, that no state has hitherto existed (at least that we have any account of) where the manners were so pure and simple, and the means of subsistence so abundant, that no check whatever has existed to early marriages, among the lower classes, from a fear of not providing well for their families, or among the higher classes, from a fear of lowering their condition in life. Consequently in no state that we have yet known has the power of population been left to exert itself with perfect freedom.

    Whether the law of marriage be instituted or not, the dictate of nature and virtue seems to be an early attachment to one woman. Supposing a liberty of changing in the case of an unfortunate choice, this liberty would not affect population till it arose to a height greatly vicious; and we are now supposing the existence of a society where vice is scarcely known.

    In a state therefore of great equality and virtue, where pure and simple manners prevailed, and where the means of subsistence were so abundant that no part of the society could have any fears about providing amply for a family, the power of population being left to exert itself unchecked, the increase of the human species would evidently be much greater than any increase that has been hitherto known.

    In the United States of America, where the means of subsistence have been more ample, the manners of the people more pure, and consequently the checks to early marriages fewer, than in any of the modern states of Europe, the population has been found to double itself in twenty-five years.

    This ratio of increase, though short of the utmost power of population, yet as the result of actual experience, we will take as our rule, and say, that population, when unchecked, goes on doubling itself every twenty-five years or increases in a geometrical ratio.

    Let us now take any spot of earth, this Island for instance, and see in what ratio the subsistence it affords can be supposed to increase. We will begin with it under its present state of cultivation.

    If I allow that by the best possible policy, by breaking up more land and by great encouragements to agriculture, the produce of this Island may be doubled in the first twenty-five years, I think it will be allowing as much as any person can well demand.

    In the next twenty-five years, it is impossible to suppose that the produce could be quadrupled. It would be contrary to all our knowledge of the qualities of land. The very utmost that we can conceive, is, that the increase in the second twenty-five years might equal the present produce. Let us then take this for our rule, though certainly far beyond the truth, and allow that, by great exertion, the whole produce of the Island might be increased every twenty-five years, by a quantity of subsistence equal to what it at present produces. The most enthusiastic speculator cannot suppose a greater increase than this. In a few centuries it would make every acre of land in the Island like a garden.

    Yet this ratio of increase is evidently arithmetical.

    It may be fairly said, therefore, that the means of subsistence increase in an arithmetical ratio. Let us now bring the effects of these two ratios together.

    The population of the Island is computed to be about seven millions, and we will suppose the present produce equal to the support of such a number. In the first twenty-five years the population would be fourteen millions, and the food being also doubled, the means of subsistence would be equal to this increase. In the next twenty-five years the population would be twenty-eight millions, and the means of subsistence only equal to the support of twenty-one millions. In the next period, the population would be fifty-six millions, and the means of subsistence just sufficient for half that number. And at the conclusion of the first century the population would be one hundred and twelve millions and the means of subsistence only equal to the support of thirty-five millions, which would leave a population of seventy-seven millions totally unprovided for.

    A great emigration necessarily implies unhappiness of some kind or other in the country that is deserted. For few persons will leave their families, connections, friends, and native land, to seek a settlement in untried foreign climes, without some strong subsisting causes of uneasiness where they are, or the hope of some great advantages in the place to which they are going.

    But to make the argument more general and less interrupted by the partial views of emigration, let us take the whole earth, instead of one spot, and suppose that the restraints to population were universally removed. If the subsistence for man that the earth affords was to be increased every twenty-five years by a quantity equal to what the whole world at present produces, this would allow the power of production in the earth to be absolutely unlimited, and its ratio of increase much greater than we can conceive that any possible exertions of mankind could make it.

    Taking the population of the world at any number, a thousand millions, for instance, the human species would increase in the ratio of — 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, etc. and subsistence as — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. In two centuries and a quarter, the population would be to the means of subsistence as 512 to 10: in three centuries as 4096 to 13, and in two thousand years the difference would be almost incalculable, though the produce in that time would have increased to an immense extent.

    No limits whatever are placed to the productions of the earth; they may increase for ever and be greater than any assignable quantity. yet still the power of population being a power of a superior order, the increase of the human species can only be kept commensurate to the increase of the means of subsistence by the constant operation of the strong law of necessity acting as a check upon the greater power.

    The effects of this check remain now to be considered.

    Among plants and animals the view of the subject is simple. They are all impelled by a powerful instinct to the increase of their species, and this instinct is interrupted by no reasoning or doubts about providing for their offspring. Wherever therefore there is liberty, the power of increase is exerted, and the superabundant effects are repressed afterwards by want of room and nourishment, which is common to animals and plants, and among animals by becoming the prey of others.

    The effects of this check on man are more complicated. Impelled to the increase of his species by an equally powerful instinct, reason interrupts his career and asks him whether he may not bring beings into the world for whom he cannot provide the means of subsistence. In a state of equality, this would be the simple question. In the present state of society, other considerations occur. Will he not lower his rank in life? Will he not subject himself to greater difficulties than he at present feels? Will he not be obliged to labour harder? and if he has a large family, will his utmost exertions enable him to support them? May he not see his offspring in rags and misery, and clamouring for bread that he cannot give them? And may he not be reduced to the grating necessity of forfeiting his independence, and of being obliged to the sparing hand of charity for support?

    These considerations are calculated to prevent, and certainly do prevent, a very great number in all civilized nations from pursuing the dictate of nature in an early attachment to one woman. And this restraint almost necessarily, though not absolutely so, produces vice. Yet in all societies, even those that are most vicious, the tendency to a virtuous attachment is so strong that there is a constant effort towards an increase of population. This constant effort as constantly tends to subject the lower classes of the society to distress and to prevent any great permanent amelioration of their condition.

    The way in which these effects are produced seems to be this. We will suppose the means of subsistence in any country just equal to the easy support of its inhabitants. The constant effort towards population, which is found to act even in the most vicious societies, increases the number of people before the means of subsistence are increased. The food therefore which before supported seven millions must now be divided among seven millions and a half or eight millions.  The poor consequently must live much worse, and many of them be reduced to severe distress. The number of labourers also being above the proportion of the work in the market, the price of labour must tend toward a decrease, while the price of provisions would at the same time tend to rise. The labourer therefore must work harder to earn the same as he did before. During this season of distress, the discouragements to marriage, and the difficulty of rearing a family are so great that population is at a stand. In the mean time the cheapness of labour, the plenty of labourers, and the necessity of an increased industry amongst them, encourage cultivators to employ more labour upon their land, to turn up fresh soil, and to manure and improve more completely what is already in tillage, till ultimately the means of subsistence become in the same proportion to the population as at the period from which we set out. The situation of the labourer being then again tolerably comfortable, the restraints to population are in some degree loosened, and the same retrograde and progressive movements with respect to happiness are repeated.

    This sort of oscillation will not be remarked by superficial observers, and it may be difficult even for the most penetrating mind to calculate its periods. Yet that in all old states some such vibration does exist, though from various transverse causes, in a much less marked, and in a much more irregular manner than I have described it, no reflecting man who considers the subject deeply can well doubt.

    Many reasons occur why this oscillation has been less obvious, and less decidedly confirmed by experience, than might naturally be expected.

    One principal reason is that the histories of mankind that we possess are histories only of the higher classes. We have but few accounts that can be depended upon of the manners and customs of that part of mankind where these retrograde and progressive movements chiefly take place. A satisfactory history of this kind, on one people, and of one period, would require the constant and minute attention of an observing mind during a long life. Some of the objects of inquiry would be, in what proportion to the number of adults was the number of marriages, to what extent vicious customs prevailed in consequence of the restraints upon matrimony, what was the comparative mortality among the children of the most distressed part of the community and those who lived rather more at their ease, what were the variations in the real price of labour, and what were the observable differences in the state of the lower classes of society with respect to ease and happiness, at different times during a certain period.

    Such a history would tend greatly to elucidate the manner in which the constant check upon population acts and would probably prove the existence of the retrograde and progressive movements that have been mentioned, though the times of their vibrations must necessarily be rendered irregular from the operation of many interrupting causes, such as the introduction or failure of certain manufactures, a greater or less prevalent spirit of agricultural enterprise, years of plenty, or years of scarcity, wars and pestilence, poor laws, the invention of processes for shortening labour without the proportional extension of the market for the commodity, and, particularly, the difference between the nominal and real price of labour, a circumstance which has perhaps more than any other contributed to conceal this oscillation from common view.

    It very rarely happens that the nominal price of labour universally falls, but we well know that it frequently remains the same, while the nominal price of provisions has been gradually increasing. This is, in effect, a real fall in the price of labour, and during this period the condition of the lower orders of the community must gradually grow worse and worse. But the farmers and capitalists are growing rich from the real cheapness of labour. Their increased capitals enable them to employ a greater number of men. Work therefore may be plentiful, and the price of labour would consequently rise. But the want of freedom in the market of labour, which occurs more or less in all communities, either from parish laws, or the more general cause of the facility of combination among the rich, and its difficulty among the poor, operates to prevent the price of labour from rising at the natural period, and keeps it down some time longer; perhaps till a year of scarcity, when the clamour is too loud and the necessity too apparent to be resisted.

    The true cause of the advance in the price of labour is thus concealed, and the rich affect to grant it as an act of compassion and favour to the poor, in consideration of a year of scarcity, and, when plenty returns, indulge themselves in the most unreasonable of all complaints, that the price does not again fall, when a little rejection would shew them that it must have risen long before but from an unjust conspiracy of their own.

    But though the rich by unfair combinations contribute frequently to prolong a season of distress among the poor, yet no possible form of society could prevent the almost constant action of misery upon a great part of mankind, if in a state of inequality, and upon all, if all were equal.

    The theory on which the truth of this position depends appears to me so extremely clear that I feel at a loss to conjecture what part of it can be denied.

    That population cannot increase without the means of subsistence is a proposition so evident that it needs no illustration.

    That population does invariably increase where there are the means of subsistence, the history of every people that have ever existed will abundantly prove.

    And that the superior power of population cannot be checked without producing misery or vice, the ample portion of these too bitter ingredients in the cup of human life and the continuance of the physical causes that seem to have produced them bear too convincing a testimony.

    But, in order more fully to ascertain the validity of these three propositions, let us examine the different states in which mankind have been known to exist. Even a cursory review will, I think, be sufficient to convince us that these propositions are incontrovertible truths.

An Essay on the Principle of Population by Thomas Malthus. London ,1798

 

Central Banking in Crisis: Some Twenty Countries on the Verge of Insolvency
Market Volatility as the Debt Implosion Continues

June 23, 2010
by Bob Chapman
Global Research
 
            Cycles were created for the accumulation of wealth. A boom occurs and you get wealthy from investments on the way up and even wealthier on the way down, because the elitists are controlling the supply of money and credit and interest rates. That is the real underlying mission of the Fed, which is owned by banking and Wall Street. All the power to control markets and create inflation and deflation lies with the Federal Reserve. Politicians do not create monetary policy, the Fed does. The politicians do as they are told. They know from time to time there will be economic pain, but the payoffs are so good they learn to live with it.

            This time the damage is so bad that the Fed has been forced to monetize trillions of dollars of debt. The disease this time has spread to Europe with the ECB, using, quantitative easing by simply creating money out of thin air. That is something they said they would never do. 

            The only real liquidity in Europe is emanating from the ECB and the Fed. We believe that eventually countries will fail, as Iceland has. You know all the possible victims. There are presently 20 of them including the US and UK . Three-card Monte games do not last forever. If liquidity is that scarce then where is the money coming from? The only place it could be coming from is the Fed. Not only is a $2 trillion bailout in process, but also as banks and thrift institutions fail stress tests some will be bailed out by being absorbed by other supposedly solvent institutions. When that option is gone then governments must bail them out. When the monetization hits the entire system collapses. After 50 or more years in this business we believe the system is definitely going to fold.

            All the central banks involved are broke or virtually broke. If they are not broke why is their condition a big secret? The Bundesbank told Spain last week that we do not want stress test results made public. The reason obviously was because of the sad condition German banks are in and their penchant again to keep everything secret. These are the same people who want a one-world currency in the form of an SDR, which is worthless, because it has no backing. It is just another fiat currency. They all are in such bad shape they cannot even sterilize their interventions. The new trillions we see in the system in Europe and the US cannot be sterilized.

            In England we see the Bank of England financing and monetizing the UK budget deficit. The alternative is financial collapse. The UK is in such terrible shape that they refused to partake in the almost $1 trillion bailout of the euro zone PIIGS. Recently the Fed bought $1.25 trillion in toxic waste and $800 billion in Treasury paper for over $2 trillion dollars. Adding to the incompetence and desperation, the ECB is buying the toxic debt of euro zone that are on the verge of bankruptcy. All entities are extending their debt buying programs with money they do not have and for people that can never pay the debt back. The central banks do not care as they save the financial institutions. The citizens are an afterthought. Not one of them wants to give up their power base. They don’t want to declare insolvency – they want the public to pay their debts. Weimar wasn’t much different, except it wasn’t caused by German greed, but by the vengeance of its enemies to bring about a war worse than the war to end all wars. This time it is propelled by greed and a quest for world government.

            The result of all this is that some 20 major countries are on the edge of insolvency, not to mention scores of other countries. We see one funding crisis after another. Even major countries can’t sell their bonds even with higher than normal yields. Interest rates are close to zero. We suppose they could go into minus territory, where they would pay you to borrow money. Don’t laugh, it has happened more than once. It was also not uncommon to see negative lease rates, as countries engaged in the suppression of gold prices. Governments do anything they want. This same state of mind exists in increases in money and credit. Presently almost all governments are in trouble. If they haven’t made a dog’s breakfast out of their own economies they have bought bonds from those who have and stand to take stiff losses. Look at the euro zone’s almost $1 trillion bailout of the PIIGS. Do you really think those bonds will ever be paid off – we don’t. It is this concept of interconnectivity that as the players are finding out it is a disaster. How can solvent European countries even contemplate a $2 trillion bailout for nations that really do not care if the debt is ever paid off? That is how today’s world turns.

            We fall back on a very important underlying concept and that is if you do not understand what is really going on behind the scenes you can never get the right answers and conclusions. People talk about cycles and super cycles as if they occurred out of nowhere. They all happen by design. As an example, the economy has improved, but that is because of $800 billion in stimulus and Fed spending. The growth that evolved was tepid at best. Now that the economy is trailing off, the stimulus having expended itself, and the question is what comes next? The only way to stave off recession/depression is to have another stimulus plan. That, of course, doesn’t affect the root causes – it just gains time.

            In this debt parade we find it interesting that but for one source, we see no mention in the media of America ’s contribution, via the IMF, of some $60 billion. The frauds and criminality continue unabated. Nowhere do they tell you that among the biggest speculators were the banks that you are being forced to bailout.

            Over this past year we have seen a stampede into corporate and Treasury bonds, at miniscule yields, due to the perception that bonds are safer. These investors are in for a big surprise as banks and other professionals start to factor in the risks involved, which throw off such poor returns. As the world economy runs out of stimulus and liquidity that has been chocked off by central banks, the realization will be that the prospects of countries and corporations have been severely diminished. GDP is falling and could in many countries, led by the US , should be negative for the last two quarters of the year and beyond. There is no safety in bonds, particularly municipals. Bonds are in a bubble, as many will soon discover. If income falls the ability to service bonds gets more difficult, both by government and corporations. While these myriad problems exist our Congress grovels before the political masters of Wall Street, banking, insurance, big Parma and transnational conglomerates. Pricing of risk is now impossible, which means risk rises exponentially. Eventually this reality will make credit harder to access as we move into the future.

            What is important more than anything else are jobs and those who create them cannot easily borrow money. At the same time free trade, globalization, offshoring and outsourcing kill our jobs and fill the coffers of transnational conglomerates that keep their profits tax-free offshore. You cannot do that. While this transpires yourCongress stuffs their pockets with cash from elitists who own them.

            The troubles we see in Europe are but a reflection of what is going on worldwide. This leads us to the conclusion that Americans and others are being systematically betrayed by their legislators. – A problem that can be remedied in November by removing almost all of them.

            The European rescue attempt will not work nor will phony, temporary stimulus, or increased issuance of money and credit. Do not forget as well that a great deal of that European debt is being held by US institutions. Expending volatility is on the way, as the debt implosion continues. Is it any wonder, as we predicted, gold and the shares are hitting new highs.

            Stock and bond markets have no way to go but down. If you are not out of both, with the exception of gold and silver shares, you had better be. The big money, the professionals, are in a state of panic and that money has to go somewhere. Yes, you guessed it, and that is very bullish for gold and silver related assets. As an added incentive the dollar is in the process of completing a head and shoulders, which means the rally is over and the dollar is headed down. Even though the dollar decoupled from gold over a year ago, as we predicted, and probably only affects gold by some 20%, it is still gold bullish and not neutral or negative. Adding further fuel to the fire we predicted four years ago not only real estate would collapse and that foreclosures would wipe out trillions in real estate values, but that millions would walk away from their underwater homes. Homes where mortgages were greater than the home value. The first wave began two years ago, but we now see affected those with good to excellent credit who are defaulting because one or even two breadwinners have lost their jobs. Now we have those underwater that won’t sit with a wasting asset. Besides they realize this could now go on for years, perhaps two more years to the bottom of the market and many more before any semblance of normality is seen. They have now become about 13% of all defaults, up from 4% three years ago. Mortgage holders also see this as payback for the banks that caused the debacle and screwed the homeowner in the first place. Banks aided and abetted all kinds of fraud and no one has ever been charged, never mind sent to jail. The Fed and government also bailed out the banks and not the public and that has further incensed homeowners and others. It pays to be a crook. The banks are losing about $100 billion a year and that is funneled into the economy via other channels – another stimulus plan, that is because many no longer pay a mortgage or rent. In the next two years homes in negative equinity will

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=19867 

 

Russia plans second military base in Kyrgyzstan
Russia plans to build a second military base in Kyrgyzstan in a bold gambit likely to alarm Washington and other countries in the region.
June 25, 2010
Andrew Osborn in Moscow and Richard Orange in Almaty
The Telegraph/UK

            The Kremlin tried and failed to win approval for the base in the south of the country last year but saw its chances evaporate when the man it was close to making a deal with, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, was deposed in a coup earlier this year.

             However, as the interim government that succeeded him struggles to maintain order after an outbreak of ethnic violence in the south of the country that left more than 200 people dead, the Kremlin has quietly revived the controversial plan.

            Russia accused of ‘annexation’ of Georgia provincesThe base, to be located in either Osh or Jalalabad, would extend Russia’s geopolitical influence deep into Central Asia and bolster its position with both China and the United States.

            Coming less than a week after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he thought a US airbase in Kyrgyzstan that supplies fuel and troops for the war effort in Afghanistan should not become a permanent fixture, the move is likely to be seen as an aggressive counter thrust.

            “This is all about restoring the influence that Russia lost when the Soviet Union collapsed,” said one Russian analyst. Kyrgyzstan already has a Russian airbase and is the only country in the world to host both a Russian and an American base.

            Russia appears to be growing weary of sharing Kyrgyzstan’s geopolitical and strategic space with the United States and analysts say it is keen to use the recent violence as a pretext to expand its own footprint in the region.

             According to military sources quoted in authoritative Russian daily newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, President Medvedev has already ordered Anatoly Serdyukov, the Russian defence minister, to ensure that the new base, which it is estimated will cost Russia at least $250 million (£167 million) and house a minimum of one thousand troops, becomes a reality.

             Analysts say the recent ethnic bloodletting has convinced Russian military intelligence that Russian influence is under threat from an unnamed “third force.” It apparently fears that continuing instability could result in Kyrgyzstan splitting in two along north-south lines and that Russia would be the loser.

            The Kremlin is hoping it can resurrect talks on the new base as early as next week once a referendum meant to lend legitimacy to the new interim government is out of the way.

            Edil Baisilov, former chief of staff for the interim government and the current leader of the Aikol El Party, said that the Kyrgyz government would probably support the Russian plans. “Kyrgyzstan would welcome a large Russian presence, especially now, after the bloody conflict,” he said.

             Neighbouring Uzbekistan is likely to strongly oppose the move though. It said last year “there was no need” for such a base and fretted that it would stoke “all kinds of nationalistic confrontations.” Though engaged in a noisy push to improve its relations with Moscow, Washington would also be uneasy. It spoke of building its own anti-terror centre in southern Kyrgyzstan to deal with growing Islamic radicalism in the region as recently as March.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/kyrgyzstan/7852226/Russia-plans-second-military-base-in-Kyrgyzstan.html

The Fadley Follies

June 26, 2010

by Robert Fadley

 

The Wikileaks Dustup: The Good Humour Column

There has been a good deal of self-generated comment of late concerning one  Julian Assange and his website, Wikileaks. The basic thrust of this tempest in a teapot is that the daring and courageous Mr. Assanage, an Australian connected with the expatriate American Jimmy Wales and his Wikipedia, has published some fuzzy pictures purporting to show American military personnel gleefully shooting down unwanted journalists. For this, Mr. Assange has garnered a good deal of publicity, mostly from the sensationalist bloggers and their allies in the conspiracy world. There has been breathless talk about secret Swedish internet sites, Icelandic “free zones,” nameless but sinister persecutions of the heroic revealer of the terrible truth and, on a lesser scale, many requests for financial assistance. Now, apparently, this assistance has not been forthcoming so the public is urgently informed that Mr. Assange is a marked man.

 

             Unfortunately for this scenario, the U.S. Army conducted an investigation into the charge that Wikileaks posted secret documents

first

            The investigation file is named “ Wikileaks/Suspected Leakage of Classified Information” and was assigned case number 08FEB0824D400075EC and a study of the document, which is in the public  domain, indicates that that a member of the NETWARCOM Security informed NCIS that Wikileaks was hosting classified material. A report was taken by a Reporting Agent (RA) who then contacted a Special Agent involved with FCI (Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations.) The FCI agent informed him the US Army Criminal Investigation Division had been contacted and was conducting their own investigation into the matter.

 

             It was very quickly determined that “No Further Reporting [was] Anticipated.” The case was closed the same day with no additional investigations having been conducted by any Federal agency from that date.

 

            Why, one asks, would this be so quickly disposed of in light of the allegations of terrible revelations? Quite obviously because competent authority very quickly determined that Mr. Assange has not posted secret material. In point of fact, a close review of the previous web contents of the sporadic Wikileaks quickly discloses that the alleged “secret” material posted is either not secret or pure invention.

 

            Those interested in such matters will remember the rise and fall of Messers Tom Floccco, Wayne Madsen,“Sorcha Faal” and the redoubtable Christopher Bolleyn, who fled the country after assaulting a Chicago policeman when  Bolleyn claimed both the Mafia and the FBI were standing on ladders, peering into his kitchen window and driving up and down in front of his house in cars bristling with automatic weapons. 

 

            What is needed here is not action but Prozac and perhaps, if Australia gives the redoubtable and courageous Assange his passport back, he can join Bolleyn in Estonia where the latter is working on a chicken farm. God alone knows what stupendous revelations might emerge from such a monumental union but God has a peculiar sense of humor.

Wikileaks founder exposes ‘Super Injunction!”

June 26, 2010

WikiLeaks

Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange has revealed that the UK practices (sic) a new form of censorship, the superinjunction. An injunction is where a judge imposes a news blackout on certain information before the court. In a superinjunction the judge also bars the media from telling the public that a blackout is in effect. In other words, the media is required to censor itself and not allowed to say it is doing so.

            It is only one step from the superinjunction, which deals with specific evidence, to a general ban on telling the public that a trial is taking place at all. Thus the superinjunction represents an important step in the western world’s march towards complete Stalinism as represented by the secret trial.

            Canada has long been in the vanguard of new methods of censorship. The existence of superinjunctions in Canada would explain a lot. Is there a Canadian politician who would ask a question on this topic in Parliament?

 

The Conversations with the Crow

            When the CIA discovered that their former Deputy Director of Clandestine Affairs, Robert  T. Crowley, had been talking with author Gregory Douglas, they became fearful (because of what Crowley knew) and outraged (because they knew Douglas would publish eventually) and made many efforts to silence Crowley, mostly by having dozens of FBI agents call or visit him at his Washington home and try to convince him to stop talking to Douglas, whom they considered to be an evil, loose cannon.

             Crowley did not listen to them and Douglas made through shorthand notes of each and every of their many conversation. TBR News published most of these (some of the really vile ones were left out of the book but will be included on this site as a later addendum ) and the entire collection was later produced as an Ebook.

            Now, we reliably learn, various Washington alphabet agencies are trying to find a way to block the circulation of this highly negative, entertaining and dangerous work, so to show our solidarity with our beloved leaders and protectors, and our sincere appreciation for their corrupt and coercive actions, we are going to reprint the entire work, chapter by chapter. (The complete book can be obtained by going to: http://www.shop.conversationswiththecrow.com/Conversations-with-the-Crow-CWC-GD01.htm:

           Here is the sixth chapter:

 

Conversation No. 6

Date: Sunday, March 31, 1996

Commenced: 8:35 AM CST

Concluded: 8:47 AM CST

GD: Hello, Robert. Did you get in touch…or did Corson get ahold of you?

RTC: No, actually, Gregory, I was in touch with him. What do you tell Bill to get him so rattled?

GD: Nothing particularly.

RTC: Did you mention drugs by any chance?

GD: Actually, no but he did.

RTC: He initiated the conversation on that subject?
GD: Yes. About three days ago. He asked me what I knew about allegations, get that, allegations, that the CIA has some involvement with drugs.

RTC: Keep going.

GD: I detect some unhappiness.

RTC: You do but it’s not aimed at you. Let me get this clear here. Bill initiated a conversation with you about drugs? Am I correct there?
GD: Absolutely. He wasn’t very subtle about it, either.

RTC: Try to remember exactly what he said.

GD: He started out…he said that there were rumors being spread that the CIA was connected in some way with large scale drug smuggling. He wanted to know if I had been talking about it and if I had, where had I gotten the information. I asked him to be specific and he got coy with me. He did say, and I recall this very clearly because it was only a few days ago, he asked me if you and I had talked about it.

RTC: And…?

GD: What do you think? What we say goes no place, not even a hint. I told him that you and I had never discussed this….

RTC: Thank you…

GD: Yes, and then I asked him if I should bring this up to you. I said I would tell you Bill was asking about this. He got very agitated then and told me not to say a word to you because he didn’t want to upset you.

RTC: (Laughter) Oh, well, you did a good job. But was he explicit in his comments about drugs? I mean the who-what-why and when?
GD: No, he actually told me nothing but he wanted to know what I personally knew and if I knew anything, where did I get it?

RTC: That figures.

GD: And I mentioned the KMT General and his flight to Switzerland. He jumped on that and asked me if I got that from you. I told him Kimmel told me.

RTC: (Laughter) Sweet Jesus. That’s putting the cat in the hen house. What did he say to that?
GD: He sounded like he was having an asthma attack.

RTC: I’ll bet he was. You turned it back on him, didn’t you?
GD: I think so. I wonder why he thinks I’m stupid?
RTC: People underestimate you.

GD: Yes, and at the same time they are overestimating themselves. What’s this all about, if I dare ask?

RTC: Drugs are a very sensitive issue with certain departments of the CIA. Very sensitive. It’s well known you and I talk and they are frantic to find out what we’re talking about. Of course if they tapped our phones, they might find out but by Bill asking you that, it’s obvious they have not tapped our phones. If I caught them playing their stupid games with either of us, they would be better off to move to Iceland and fish for flounder or whatever. No, that was a fishing expedition. That I know certain things is bad enough but that I talk to you, the author of the evil Mueller books, is something else. No, they wouldn’t dare tap my phone. If they did, as I said, there would be blood running all over certain office floors when the hit men left. No, they’re guessing and the Kimmel business was a shrewd hit. I think he’s into this. He views you as an interesting but unstable person to whom one ought not to be at home when you call.

GD: I have always been civilized with Kimmel and, I think, very helpful in giving his family any papers that  might help them about the Admiral.

RTC: Never expect gratitude from such as them, Gregory, and never turn your back on them either. Drugs? Fine. Tell me something, Gregory, where does heroin come from?

GD: The Salvation Army kitchens?
RTC: Be serious.

GD: Heroin comes from opium just as cocaine comes from coca plants.

RTC: Wonderful. And where do we find opium;, or rather where does it come from?
GD: The sap of opium poppies. Found in Turkey in places but now getting under control there and mostly in Afghanistan.

RTC: You get a big ‘A’ on your card. Yes, Gregory, opium comes from Afghanistan. And who is very powerful in that country?
GD: The CIA?

RTC: Funny. Who?

GD: The Taliban.

RTC: Yes and do you know who founded that organization of cut throats and killers? We did so they could make trouble for the Soviets. And we trained them and armed them, Gregory which was a terrible mistake.

GD: You should read history, Robert. A poor, tribal area with savage guerrilla people who will fight any occupying power and when they kill them off, they will fight each other.

RTC: That was a first class mess there. Yes, they went after Ivan and then took our weapons and training methodology and took over the country. A nest of vipers.

GD: And all yours.

RTC: Don’t rub it in. There will be serious trouble there, mark my words.

GD: My bet is that they’ll go after Pakistan and when they take over that country…by the way, doesn’t Pakistan have nuclear weapons?
RTC: Oh God, I am so happy I’m retired. Ah, but the drugs. Yes, to be clear on it, I ask you another question. Where do all the drugs in the States come from?

GD: China white heroin comes to this country from, obviously, China. The Chinks smuggle it into Canada using cargo containers that dock on Vancouver Island. That’s one source I know about personally. The bulk of the rest comes up from Mexico.

RTC: Yes, but it isn’t processed there.

GD: No, in Columbia. And smuggled into Mexico via Chaipas and up to our border and the veins of the needy.

RTC: How do you know these things?

GD: Never mind.

RTC: And is there a question here, Gregory?
GD: Of course, Robert. We know about opium, or yen shee as the Chinks call it, being grown in Afghanistan and we know it’s processed into heroin in Columbia. The obvious question is how the stuff gets from a land-locked country to Columbia?  The answer is that someone, or some group, transports it there. By boat? By aircraft?
RTC: Both. Boat from Pakistan and plane from Afghanistan itself.

GD: Yes. And who does this? The Afghanistan navy?

RTC: No there is a special branch of the Company involved in this and has been for decades. A large part of our secret budget comes from this. Of course, we do not sell it but we do supply those who both refine it and eventually sell it.

GD: Where and when do you get your cut?
RTC: After it’s refined in Columbia. You see, we also own the refining facilities which we lease out.

GD: And cocaine?
RTC: Well, if we do one, we can always do the other.

GD: Jesus wept. And why would Bill get his withered balls into such an uproar?

RTC: They don’t want you to get your hands on this. It’s bad enough for you to talk about prominent Nazis working for us let alone this drug business. Be very careful where you put your feet, Gregory. You are dealing with a minefield and I will have to ring off now because I have to talk with Bill. No offense but he has to be told to go and lie down in the corner or I’ll lock him in his cage.

GD: Why I thought he was your friend.

RTC: Bill is useful but Bill has an exalted opinion of himself and it’s time I let the air out of his balloon. So I do appreciate this talk and even more your handling of the subject. We don’t need to discuss this and if Tom the Arrow shirt boy gets onto this with you, keep your mouth shut and change the subject. Oh and do tell me if he does.

GD: Absolutely. I hope I gave Bill the right answers.

RTC: In this business, Gregory, there are no right answers.

GD: Yes. We have only the quick and the dead.

(Concluded at 8:47 AM CST)

Dramatis personae:

            James Jesus Angleton: Once head of the CIA’s Counterintelligence division, later fired because of his obsessive and illegal behavior, tapping the phones of many important government officials in search of elusive Soviet spies. A good friend of Robert Crowley and a co-conspirator with him in the assassination of President Kennedy

            James P. Atwood: (April 16, 1930-April 20, 1997) A CIA employee, located in Berlin, Atwood had a most interesting career. He worked for any other intelligence agency, domestic or foreign, that would pay him, was involved in selling surplus Russian atomic artillery shells to the Pakistan government and was also most successful in the manufacturing of counterfeit German dress daggers. Too talkative, Atwood eventually had a sudden “seizure” while lunching with CIA associates.

             William Corson: A Marine Corps Colonel and President Carter’s representative to the CIA. A friend of Crowley and Kimmel, Corson was an intelligent man whose main failing was a frantic desire to be seen as an important person. This led to his making fictional or highly exaggerated claims.

            John Costello: A British historian who was popular with revisionist circles. Died of AIDS on a trans-Atlantic flight

            James Critchfield: Former U.S. Army Colonel who worked for the CIA and organized the Cehlen Org. at Pullach, Germany. This organization was filled to the Plimsoll line with former Gestapo and SD personnel, many of whom were wanted for various purported crimes. He hired Heinrich Müller in 1948 and went on to represent the CIA in the Persian Gulf.

            Robert T. Crowley: Once the deputy director of Clandestine Operations and head of the group that interacted with corporate America. A former West Point football player who was one of the founders of the original CIA. Crowley was involved at a very high level with many of the machinations of the CIA.

             Gregory Douglas: A retired newspaperman, onetime friend of Heinrich Müller and latterly, of Robert Crowley. Inherited stacks of files from the former (along with many interesting works of art acquired during the war and even more papers from Robert Crowley. Lives comfortably in a nice, and very expensive, house overlooking the Mediterranean.

             Reinhard Gehlen: A retired German general who had once been in charge of the intelligence for the German high command on Russian military activities. Fired by Hitler for incompetence, he was therefore naturally hired by first the U.S. Army and then, as his level of incompetence rose, with the CIA. His Nazi-stuffed organizaion eventually became the current German Bundes Nachrichten Dienst.

             Thomas K. Kimmel, Jr: A grandson of Admiral Husband Kimmel, Naval commander at Pearl Harbor who was scapegoated after the Japanese attack. Kimmel was a senior FBI official who knew both Gregory Douglas and Robert Crowley and made a number of attempts to discourage Crowley from talking with Douglas. He was singularly unsuccessful. Kimmel subsequently retired and lives in retirement in Florida

            Willi Krichbaum: A Senior Colonel (SS-Oberführer) in the SS, head of the wartime Secret Field Police of the German Army and Heinrich Müller’s standing deputy in the Gestapo. After the war, Krichbaum went to work for the Critchfield organization and was their chief recruiter and hired many of his former SS friends. Krichbaum put Critchfield in touch with Müller in 1948.

             Heinrich Müller: A former military pilot in the Bavarian Army in WWI, Müller  became a political police officer in Munich and was later made the head of the Secret State Police or Gestapo. After the war, Müller escaped to Switzerland where he worked for Swiss intelligence as a specialist on Communist espionage and was hired by James Critchfield, head of the Gehlen Organization, in 1948. Müller subsequently was moved to Washington where he worked for the CIA until he retired.

            Joseph Trento: A writer on intelligence subjects, Trento and his wife “assisted” both Crowley and Corson in writing a book on the Russian KGB. Trento believed that he would inherit all of Crowley’s extensive files but after Crowley’s death, he discovered that the files had been gutted and the most important, and sensitive, ones given to Gregory Douglas. Trento was not happy about this.

 

            Frank Wisner: A Founding Father of the CIA who promised much to the Hungarian and then failed them. First a raging lunatic who was removed from Langley, screaming, in a strait jacket and later, blowing off the top of his head with a shotgun.

            Robert Wolfe: A retired librarian from the National Archives who worked closely with the CIA on covering up embarrassing historical material in the files of the Arcnives. A strong supporter of holocaust writers.