WeAreChange Brisbane

"The Americans understand the new world order" - Alan Kohler, Inside Business [ABC]

2011-11-18T10:24:00.002+10:00

Talking point: Euro crisis
http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/content/2011/s3363565.htm
ALAN KOHLER, PRESENTER: The reason there is such a mess in Europe is that they haven't worked out that bankers and speculators are in charge now - well, China and banks, actually but they are still operating under the delusion that politicians run the world.

The Americans understand the new world order, largely because investment bankers are running Washington. When the crisis struck in 2008, the US Treasury Secretary was a former CEO of Goldman Sachs - Hank Paulson - and the administration was, and is, full of his mates.

A lot of people think that's bad, that it means undue power in the hands of Wall Street resulting in them lining pockets and in people camping in Zuccotti Park in protest.

Well, yes, that's true. But it also meant that someone in Washington understood what was happening and responded accordingly - that is, by throwing huge amounts of cash at the masters of the universe - the banks - money that was both borrowed and printed.

In Brussels and Berlin they haven't quite figured out that their sovereignty has been ceded to banks.

It happened way back when they created the euro and then allowed Italy, Greece, and Portugal to borrow from said banks in flagrant breach of the Maastricht rules.

The banks showed their power with Greece but Germany didn't care enough about Greece. Now they're turning the screws on Italy, and that is very serious indeed because seven times the money is involved.

The Germans don't want to face up to the fact that bankers control the world now because their country is fine.

But that's not the point. The euro was their idea and they're stuck with it - along with the reality of the new world order.

We are now accepting Bitcoins!

2011-08-03T23:49:00.000+10:00

WeAreChange Brisbane is now accepting the decentralised, peer-to-peer digital currency as a donation medium.

Please donate to our address: 1Fzb4bp48oMr7CFzT3SbkTzKpMSvWW1X1t

What is Bitcoin?

10% of Australia's proposed Carbon Tax given to the United Nations

2011-03-04T13:42:00.003+10:00

Thanks to wakeup2thelies for this upload

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv3OLKsQ83k

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/latest/8916664/carbon-tax-billions-to-he...

'Prime Minister Julia Gillard's new tax will be used to allow Australia to meet its share of a $100 billion-a-year United Nations fund to transfer wealth from rich countries to help undeveloped nations adapt to global warming.

The Gillard Government is party to a UN agreement which Climate Change Minister Greg Combet entered into in December at a meeting in Cancun, Mexico, under which about 10 per cent of carbon taxes in developed nations will go into a Green Climate Fund.'

====================================

Julia Gillard lies about brining in a carbon tax then lies about where the money goes, Deputy Leader of the Opposition exposes at least 10% goes to United Nations World Government;

10% GST - to Australian Government
10% of Carbon Tax to a World Government
full details of 1/March/2011 question time can be found here:

http://www.aph.gov.au/house/house_news/Index.asp

[Documentary] 2Plus2Makes4 by Ryan J.W. Smith

2011-02-26T01:36:00.004+10:00

http://2plus2makes4.com/

Comment on this post on our Facebook page

This first promo features three extracts from extensive interviews with dozens of high profile people that will be used for Ryan J-W Smith's forthcoming feature documentary '2plus2makes4'. Interviewees include:

Gore Vidal, Ed Asner, Annie Machon, Tony Benn, Mike Gravel, Ray McGovern, Coleen Rowley, Cynthia McKinney, David Ray Griffin, Peter Dale Scott, Niels Harritt, Kevin Ryan, David Chandler, Daniel Sunjata, Richard Gage, Jane Burgermeister, Ian Henshall, Mike Prysner and many others.

Police empowered to raid net for crime

2011-02-18T18:24:00.004+10:00

The Australian

comment on this article on our facebook page

THE Gillard government plans to give police new powers to order the collection of real-time network traffic data and to rapidly secure evidence held on computer systems in order to join the global crime-fighting treaty.

But the government stops short of agreeing to allow real-time interception on behalf of foreign powers.

Instead, it will amend the Telecommunications Interception and Access Act to permit the collection of "prospective data" for foreign law enforcement purposes where the nation has made a mutual assistance request and the request has been approved by the attorney-general.

Details of the proposal are fleshed out in a discussion paper on Australia's proposed accession to the Council of Europe's Convention on Cybercrime released by Attorney-General Robert McClelland today.

The move was foreshadowed by the government after Mr McClelland met with US and British attorney-generals in Washington last year.

The treaty, which provides a standard framework for investigating crimes such as computer hacking, fraud, child pornography and copyright infringement across national borders, has been adopted by more than 45 countries including the US, Canada and Japan since it began in 2004.

"While Australian law substantially complies with the (necessary) obligations, there is more we can do to ensure we're in the best position to address the cyber threats confronting us, both at home and internationally," Mr McClelland said.

Key parts of the data retention and communications intercept regime are included in the draft Extradition and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Amendment Bill released earlier this month.

This legislation will make it easier for foreign agencies to request and obtain data collected by domestic enforcement agencies through phone intercepts, network surveillance and covert access to emails and other data stored on computers.

Full article here

WeAreChange confronts Dick Cheney Stand Down 9/11

2011-02-16T16:23:00.003+10:00

WeAreChange

Comment on this video on our Facebook page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctr9rA4d88c

Luke Rudkowski and James Lane of We Are Change confront Dick Cheney in Washington D.C. at CPAC 2/10/2011.

Please help support Luke Rudkowski by donating to WeAreChange.org in order to fund future journalistic actions.

James Lane is from http://wearechangeoklahoma.org

Check out his angle of the confrontation here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06kzGXgW3LA

In China, Tentative Steps Toward Global Currency

2011-02-11T16:00:00.002+10:00

NY Times

By DAVID BARBOZA
Published: February 10, 2011

SHANGHAI — Now that it has passed Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy after the United States, China is considering the next step as a world power: making its money a global currency.

Comment on this story via Facebook

No one expects that to happen immediately. And even the Chinese government is wary of making some of the free-market moves that would enable the renminbi to take its place alongside the dollar, euro and Japanese yen as a fully convertible reserve currency.

Still, over the last year Beijing has begun to gradually loosen its tight currency controls. For the first time, for example, American companies like McDonald’s and Caterpillar have been allowed to finance their China projects by selling renminbi-denominated bonds in Hong Kong.

Richard Lavin, a group president at Caterpillar, said his company’s $150 million Hong Kong offering last November was less expensive than taking out a loan in China or raising the money in dollars and then converting those dollars into renminbi. The bonds were issued to help finance Caterpillar’s equipment leasing business in China.

“This was a successful issue,” Mr. Lavin said. “Before, we were funding our operations by bringing in dollars and changing them to RMB.”

Meanwhile, in Russia, Vietnam and Thailand, some cross-border trades with China can now be settled in renminbi, so that trading partners do not have to convert in and out of dollars. One pilot program lets Russian companies like Sportmaster, a retail chain based in Moscow, buy or sell goods using Chinese currency.

And in New York, the Chinese government has permitted an overseas branch of Bank of China to accept deposits in renminbi. That enables depositors outside China to bet on a currency that is widely expected to appreciate against the dollar over the next few years.

“This is all encouraging the internationalization of the renminbi,” Kelvin Lau, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank who is based in Hong Kong, said of Beijing’s recent moves. “They want to make the Chinese currency a popular currency.”

At Thursday’s exchange rates, renminbi were trading just below 6.59 to the United States dollar — a level that many experts say values the Chinese currency artificially low, as a result of Beijing’s intervention efforts. Five years ago, the renminbi was trading at slightly more than 8 to the dollar.

Beyond mere bragging rights, China has economic motives for trying to go global with the renminbi. Analysts say the moves, if successful, could strengthen China’s influence in overseas financial markets and begin to erode the dollar’s dominance. Beijing could also eventually reap the rewards, like cheaper debt financing, that come with being recognized as a world reserve currency.

Global investors eager to bet on China’s growth story, meanwhile, could find that looser controls on the renminbi make it easier to invest directly in bonds and other assets denominated in renminbi.

And importers and exporters could reduce their currency-fluctuation risks by settling China-related trade deals in renminbi rather than dollars or euros.

Robert A. Mundell, a Nobel laureate economist whose research is credited with helping develop the euro, says the renminbi’s rise is all but inevitable.

“The RMB is likely to become a reserve currency in the future, even if the government of China does nothing about it,” Professor Mundell said in an e-mail response to questions. He noted that the renminbi was already a regional currency in Southeast Asia, where China had become the dominant trading partner of many countries.

If China does eventually open its capital market by eliminating currency exchange controls, he said, “the progress of the RMB as an international currency will be assured.”

But analysts caution that right now the renminbi is far from ready to mount a serious challenge to the United States dollar as the world’s leading reserve currency. For one thing, China needs to assure investors that its political system is stable and that its economy still has plenty of growth ahead. For all its rapid growth over the last 30 years, China remains relatively poor compared with the United States, the Europe Union or Japan.

As an influence on global financial markets, the renminbi is “still a distant, distant, distant fourth,” said Albert Keidel, a China specialist at the Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University in Washington. “People are going to start holding more renminbi, but it will be at least a decade or two for it to become a leading world reserve currency.”

China is the world’s largest exporter and one of the biggest destinations for foreign direct investment, but the Chinese government still maintains strict control over its currency and banking system and the flow of money in and out of the country.

Full article here

SILO by Warrick Fraser

2011-02-08T22:20:00.001+10:00

Warrick Fraser | WeAreChange Brisbane

Winner Best War Movie - American Independent Film Festival (Jan 2011)
Big Thanks to We Are Change Brisbane & Truth News Australia!

STORY

Desperate and torn by mixed loyalties, a lone soldier is trapped by his own doing at the heart of a missile silo in disrepair. Amidst the internal and external crisis, he encompasses his will for one final righteous act.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lz6REYsCVQ

CAST

OFFICER Rob Griffiths
OFFICER (Voice) Mungo Mckay
MILITARY VOICES Warrick Fraser

WRITTEN & DIRECTED by Warrick Fraser

CAMERA, LIGHTING, SOUND, EDITING & POST,
PROPS, SET DESIGN, GRAPHICS by Warrick Fraser

COSTUME by The Actor's Workshop & Warrick Fraser

MUSIC "Bridge To Infinity" Score Sample by Warrick Fraser

Shot on location at the Queensland Maritime Museum
Sunday, 19th December 2010

Thankyou to Kelly for her support, Rob, Mungo, Emma, Lyn Kidd & The Actor's Workshop, Colin & Anna Whale & Alan Bibby at the Queensland Maritime Museum, We Are Change Brisbane & Truth News Australia.

SILO on IMDb (480p) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1813608/

SILO on Vimeo (720p) http://vimeo.com/18899715

www.warrickfraser.com

"SILO" Short Film by Warrick Fraser
© 2010. All Rights Reserved

Preacher Arrested at the Gold Coast

2011-02-07T15:16:00.001+10:00

Operation 513

Joshua Corneloup was preaching the gospel on Cavill Ave on 4 Feb 2011, when the local council asked for his ID. He said he didn't have any. So they decided to call the police, and this is where the footage starts.

WeAreChange Chicago - Getting to the Bottom of Anthropogenic Global Warming

2011-02-04T14:15:00.002+10:00

WeAreChange Chicago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsKaa-9fqVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMkC5pTgmkg

The FBI “Kamikaze Pilots” Case

2011-02-03T10:20:00.002+10:00

February 2, 2011

Author: Sibel Edmonds

Source: Boiling Frogs

In a public statement issued on Monday, January 31, members of the 9/11 Family Steering Committee demanded a prompt response from the former Chairman and the Executive Director of the 9/11 Commission regarding Former FBI Language Specialist Behrooz Sarshar’s censored testimony to the Commission. The former commissioners failed to respond to this request.

In February 2004 Behrooz Sarshar provided the 9/11 Commission’s investigators with specific documents and names of the related witnesses, including the full name and contact information of the key “FBI Asset/Informant” in an FBI case titled ‘Kamikaze Pilots.’ However, the commission chose not to contact or interview any of these witnesses, including FBI Director Robert Mueller. The Commission’s final report did not mention a single word of this documented testimony, and their recently released memorandum omitted the entire interview with no explanation provided.

The following information was provided by Mr. Sarshar to several Congressional offices and investigators, including staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Committee’s leading Democrat at the time, Senator Patrick Leahy, and the Justice Department’s Inspector General Office. I was present during at least four meetings where the briefings were recorded and documented. While working at the Bureau I was briefed on this case by not only Mr. Sarshar but another firsthand witness, and I saw the actual 302 forms filed with the unit’s squad supervisor (FBI language specialists get to keep a copy of their reports/forms). Further, I personally briefed the 9/11 commission investigators on the details of this particular case, which is confirmed by the commission’s memorandum.

I have only deleted sensitive personal information related to the FBI informant-Asset, and as you’ll see every single deleted item (by me-indicated as S.E.) has been indicated in bold-italics. Other than that, the information below is exactly what was recounted by Mr. Sarshar on four occasions:

FBI File Name: “Kamikaze Pilots”

In the early 90s the Bureau hired an Iranian man as an informant, placed him on its payroll at approximately fifteen hundred dollars per month, and used him and his information in several criminal, counterintelligence and counterterrorism operations and investigations. Over time this informant, a man in his (Informant’s Age Information Deleted by S.E.), proved to be extremely reliable, and his information was found to be trustworthy.

This man had been the head of SAVAK, Iran’s main Intelligence agency, counterintelligence unit during the Shah’s regime. His area of operations involved the East and Southeastern region of Iran, and the countries under him were Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. He also managed the unit’s intelligence gathering operations in Sistan and Baluchistan, two semi-independent regions on the border with Afghanistan. Unlike U.S. agencies, the intelligence agency in Iran conducted most, if not all, of its surveillance and information gathering operations via human intelligence and sources. The man, the informant, was very good at what he did; he had established a large number of sources and informants scattered in the strategically most important areas within these countries.

Immediately after the Islamic Revolution, he planned his escape out of the country. All former SAVAK and military intelligence had been placed on the black list of the new regime, and death warrants had been issued for them. He successfully escaped Iran, and then spent several years in (Names of the informant’s previous residences/countries deleted by S.E.) where he tried to obtain a U.S. visa and come to the states, where many of his relatives and friends had already settled. In the late (date of Informant’s US entry deleted by S.E.) he succeeded and moved to the United States.

His reputation and his fame of having a wealth of resources for information all over the world had somehow reached the FBI by the early 1990s – around 1991-1992. Via a middleman, the Bureau was able to contact the man and persuade him to become an informant. He was placed on the payroll and began providing the Bureau with extremely useful and reliable information. The Bureau was so pleased with his performance that it began using him both as an informant and as an asset. On a regular basis, almost monthly, agents from the FBI HQ and WFO would meet with him at … and …and … (Meeting locations Deleted by S.E.) to obtain information and intelligence on various on-going operations and investigations.

Since the informant didn’t speak English very well, was by no means considered fluent, often if not always, the agents took an interpreter, a translator, with them to these regular monthly meetings. This is where Amin and I came into the picture. For these sessions the agents would have either Amin or me accompany them. By sheer coincidence, I happened to recognize the man during the first meeting from a gathering I frequented. I knew where he lived, and I had his phone number.

Around the end of April, 2001, I was asked to accompany two special agents from the FBI-WFO, Tony and John, to a meeting arranged with this informant; we hooked up with him somewhere near the (Meeting Location Deleted by S.E.). The agents and I were working on a particular criminal investigation that was going to court in (Possible sensitive date deleted by S.E.), and the informant’s information played an extremely important role in building the case.

We met the informant in this park-like area and spent nearly an hour discussing the case, asking detailed questions, and of course, with me translating the communication which went back and forth. Once we were finished with the session and ready to head back to the WFO, the informant urged us to stay for a few minutes and listen to something very important and alarming he had recently received from his sources. We looked at one another and sat down on the bench; we were all ears.

The informant said:

‘Listen, I was recently contacted by two extremely reliable and long-term sources-neither one Iranian; one in Afghanistan; the other in Pakistan’s border region with Afghanistan. In the past, these guys had provided me with inside information and intelligence that was extremely hard to come by, considering the tightly-based networks and groups they were able to enter and penetrate. They notified me that an active mujahideen group led by Bin Laden had issued an order to attack certain targets in the United States, and were planning the attack as we spoke.’

Now the informant had our full attention; the agents seemed very alarmed, since their main unit of operation was under the WFO Counterterrorism division. They asked the guy to stop, asked him to repeat that again, and ordered me to take verbatim notes as I translated. They too took notes.

The informant continued:

‘According to my guys, Bin Laden’s group is planning a massive terrorist attack in the United States. The order has been issued. They are targeting major cities, big metropolitan cities; they think four or five cities; New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, and San Francisco; possibly Los Angeles or Las Vegas. They will use airplanes to carry out the attacks. They said that some of the individuals involved in carrying this out are already in the United States. They are here in the U.S.; living among us, and I believe some in US government already know about all of this (I assumed he meant the CIA or the White House).’

Tony, one of the agents asked ‘did they say when? Did they give any specific dates? Did they say how they were going to use airplanes; bombs or high jacking?’

The informant paused for a second:

‘No specific dates; not any that they were aware of. However, they said the general timeframe was characterized as ‘very soon.’ They think within the next two or three months.’ He then added: ‘As far as how they are going to use the planes to attack; your guess is as good as mine. My bet, it will be bombs; planting bombs inside these planes, maybe the cargo, then have them blown up over the populated cities.’

The agents nodded and took extensive notes. I took my notes in Farsi; I usually did that, and later after returning to the office, sat down and translated them verbatim. We stood up and were ready to leave, when the informant urged us to report this immediately and act on it:

‘If I were you guys, I’d take this extremely seriously. If I had the same position I had in SAVAK, I’d put all my men on this around the clock. I can vouch for my sources; their reliability. Make sure you put this in the hands of the top guys in Counterterrorism.’

The agents nodded and thanked him for the information. We drove back in silence. After we parked the car, while walking to the elevators, the agents were discussing the best person, the top person; they should submit this warning to. They decided on Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Thomas Frields, who was in charge of the WFO Counterterrorism division and who used to lead the division that dealt with Iran’s Hostage Crisis in 1980s. I reminded them that although the informant was Iranian, his sources were not; and that they were in Pakistan and Afghanistan; not in Iran; Bin Laden was not Iranian but a Saudi. They acknowledged that, but made the point that Frields was in charge of the Counterterrorism unit in the WFO.

Once we got to the office, I went straight to my cubicle and began translating the entire conversation verbatim and typing it into a formal report. The agents went to their section and filled out the necessary 302 forms. These forms, the 302s, are forms used by agents to report information gathered from the Bureau’s assets and or informants. The agents, Tony and John, filled out two sets of 302 forms; one for the ongoing criminal case and the informants’ information related to that; the other, on the warning, with the initial code name ‘Kamikaze Pilots,’ as information related to Counterterrorism operations.

The agents called me up on my extension and asked me to escort them inside the language unit. I walked them over to my desk, where we sat, compared notes, and finalized and coordinated our report. They had me make several copies of the translation report for them to be submitted with their report. I took it upon myself to make a set of copies of their 302 forms for my own file; my own record. At the end of the day, around five o’clock, they submitted the 302 forms and my translation report. They submitted the warning report to SAC Frields; with a note, a yellow stick-up, on the top saying ‘VERY URGENT: Kamikaze Pilots’

Neither of us heard back from Frields or the Counterterrorism division. No one asked for any follow-ups or additional information. Two months went by. Around the end of June 2001, I accompanied the two agents to another meeting with the Iranian Informant. This time we met in (Location Details Deleted by S.E.).

After going over the target criminal investigation; now only …(Specific Date Deleted by S.E.), as we were ready to turn around and leave, he stopped us:

‘What did you do with the information I gave you two months ago? Did you report it to your bosses?’

The agents nodded. One of them said: ‘Yes; we sent it up. We submitted it to the top guy.’

The informant was animated now,

‘Well; are they going to do something about it? Because, three days ago I heard back from one of those two sources; in Pakistan. He swore the attack was on its way; any time now; a month or two max.’

Tony said: ‘I know; I hear what you are saying, man; but doing something about this won’t be up to us. Plus, we don’t have enough information to take any action here. We don’t know when, how, or exactly where. The only thing we have is: Mujahideen, Kamikaze Pilots, Bin Laden, five cities, and airplanes. That ain’t enough.’

The informant reasoned:

‘I’ve been thinking about this; trying to make more sense out of it myself. The source mumbled something about tall buildings. Maybe they will blow up the plane over some tall buildings; I don’t know. Maybe the FBI can get more specifics from the Pakistanis; ISI. Have they tried? After all they are your guys, and they already know all about this.’

The agents were getting exasperated and impatient, ‘We’ve got to go; we have a lot of work back there. We have done all we could. We reported it to the guy in charge; now, it is up to them.’

As we turned around and walked away, the informant yelled in Farsi:

‘Why don’t you discuss it with the CIA? They know. Tell the White House. Don’t let ‘them’ sit on this until it is too late…’

I asked Tony, ‘Maybe sharing this with other agencies is not a bad idea. What do you think?’

He rolled his eyes ‘not up to us Behrooz. As far as the White House goes, the HQ guys will include it in their briefings; I’m sure they’ve already done so. Frields is obligated to submit what he got, everything he gets under Counterterrorism, to the HQ guys in charge of Whitehouse National Security Briefings. He always does. So, the White House and other agencies have already heard about this. Let’s drop this man; will ya?’

That was the last time we ever discussed this case before the 9/11 attacks took place. The only other person I told this to and showed the 302 forms and the translation report, before September 11, was Amin here. Then, on that Tuesday morning on September 11 everything came back to me and hit me on the head like several tons of bricks.

That morning, we heard the news, and all of us ran out to the next unit to watch the CNN footage on the TV screens installed out there. As soon as I saw the planes hitting those buildings I said to myself: ‘Oh my God, oh dear God; we were warned about this; we were told about this; very specifically’ I almost fainted; I kept hearing the informant’s words; I kept hearing his last warnings begging us to do something fast. And we had done NOTHING. Now it was already way too late. I felt nauseous; I felt sick.

A few minutes later I saw one of the two agents; I started making my way into the crowd gathered in front of the TV screens, hundreds of people, and walked toward the agent. He spotted me before I got to him; we locked eyes; knowing eyes. He felt what I was feeling; he knew what I knew; he thought what I was thinking; we were responsible for this. Someone in the FBI would be hung for this.

When I got close to him I asked ‘what are we going to do? What should we do next?’ He shook his head and whispered: ‘I don’t know. I cannot even think straight right now. I don’t know Behrooz. We fucked this up; the Bureau fucked our country. Why?! Oh God; we let this happen.’ With that said he ran out of the room. I went back to check my drawer and make sure that I still had everything: the 302 forms, from both meetings, my translation reports; both of them. They were all there.

A few days later, when I got together with both agents and Amin to go over an assignment, I brought up the topic. They avoided eye contact with me. I asked the agents what they were going to do; if they’d already done something. At first they were evasive. Then, after I insisted, one of them, Tony, said: ‘Listen; Frields called us into his office and gave us an order; an absolute order.’ I asked them what the order was. He said ‘we never got any warnings. Those conversations never existed; it never happened; period. He said this is very sensitive…and that no one should ever mention a word about this case; period.’

Mark Ruffalo: There are more questions than answers about 9/11 | WeAreChange NY

2011-01-24T16:02:00.000+10:00

WeAreChange NYC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUwAnDj9fIo

Assisting Brisbane's flood relief

2011-01-12T16:36:00.003+10:00

We've been advised that the relief require qualified volunteers (sandbag depots are constantly full) register your interest here - http://www.emergencyvolunteering.com.au/

(If you cannot make it please take time to donate - http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html)

Do consult multiple sources for your travel;
http://translink.com.au/
http://www.facebook.com/QueenslandPolice
http://api.twitter.com/brisbanecityqld
http://www.131940.qld.gov.au/
ABC Radio 612

Help the State of Queensland, contribute to the flood relief appeal

2011-01-11T20:02:00.002+10:00

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

The Queensland Government has launched an appeal to help fellow Queenslanders affected by the recent floods. Many communities have been devastated. Some families have lost everything. You can help make a difference by donating to the Premier's Flood Relief Appeal.

At this time, the Queensland Government is inviting financial donations only. Unfortunately this appeal cannot accept donations of goods or services.

Donate online

Make a donation to the Premier’s Disaster relief appeal using a secure payment form.

Donate by internet banking

The account details for donations are:

Account Name: Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
BSB: 064 013
Account number: 1000 6800

SWIFT code for international donations: CTBAAU2S

Once your transaction is complete, you should record the receipt number for your transaction. If you do not receive a receipt number, contact your financial institution.

If you would like a receipt for tax purposes, please forward a request, with proof of donation to:

Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
C/O Department of the Premier and Cabinet
PO Box 15185
City East QLD 4002

Donate by mail

You can post a cheque donation – please do not send cash.

Cheques should be made payable to:

The Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
ABN: 69 689 161 916

Cheques should be posted to:

Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
C/O Department of the Premier and Cabinet
PO Box 15185
City East QLD 4002

Donate in person

Donations can be made at:

Commonwealth Bank
NAB
Westpac
ANZ
BOQ
Suncorp
St.George Bank
Bank SA (Bank of South Australia)
Australian Central Credit Union
Savings & Loans Credit Union
Bank West
Australian Central Credit Union
Savings & Loans Credit Union
Coles supermarkets.

Last updated 7 January 2011

Mocked Meteorologist Gets Last Laugh

2011-01-05T20:30:00.000+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwyjsJJrr2I

Treasury boss to stand down, "climate change" Dept. Secretary to replace him

2010-12-22T13:57:00.003+10:00

ABC News

The Federal Government has confirmed Treasury secretary Ken Henry is retiring from his role.

He will finish up early in the new year and will be replaced by Climate Change Department secretary Martin Parkinson.

Confirming Dr Henry's decision this morning, Prime Minister Julia Gillard called him "one of the greatest of all Treasury secretaries".

"Dr Henry has made a major contribution to the wellbeing of Australians and the prosperity of the nation during his more than 25 years at Treasury, during 10 of which he has been secretary," she said in a statement.

Dr Henry had a distinguished career in the Treasury and related areas dating back to 1984.

He was first appointed secretary to the Treasury in 2001 and was reappointed for a further five years from 2006.

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has heaped praise on Dr Henry, saying his performance during the global financial crisis shows he is arguably the finest Australian public servant since HC 'Nugget' Coombs.

Opposition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull also paid tribute to Dr Henry, telling ABC News24 that Australia was grateful for his service.

"Ken Henry was a distinguished public servant and very capable Treasury secretary. We all thank him for his public service," he said.

But he also said that Dr Henry, who has been accused by the Opposition of presiding over a politicised Treasury department, had been an "enthusiastic supporter" of the Government.

Full article here

Armed 11 year old Girl Defends Home from 3 Burglars

2010-12-19T16:27:00.000+10:00

KRQE 13 News

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0o3x2r1rYU

Illegal bailouts and treaty change lead to referendums - Nigel Farage

2010-12-17T20:57:00.000+10:00

Europarl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcDOslLJwp8

Greece in revolt

2010-12-16T18:47:00.002+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk7RowFg8vg

Jody McIntyre - UK anti-tuition fees protest | BBC

2010-12-15T21:34:00.001+10:00

BBC interview wheelchair user and cerebral palsy sufferer Jody McIntryre after he was dragged from his wheelchair by police on two separate occasions at the anti-tuition fees protest on the 9th December 2010 in London. The presenter is Ben Brown. I apologise for some glitches in the video, this is because of a bad signal and dodgy aerial cable.

BBC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXNJ3MZ-AUo

An evaluation of airport x-ray backscatter units based on image characteristics

2010-12-14T15:15:00.001+10:00

Leon Kaufman & Joseph W. Carlson

Received: 27 October 2010 / Accepted: 9 November 2010

# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010

Abstract:

Little information exists on the performance of x-ray backscatter machines now being deployed through UK, US and other airports. We implement a Monte Carlo simulation using as input what is known about the x-ray spectra used for imaging, device specifications and available images to estimate penetration and exposure to the body from the x-ray beam, and sensitivity to contraband materials. We show that the body is exposed throughout to the incident x-rays, and that although images can be made at the exposure levels claimed (under 100 nanoGrey per view), detection of contraband can be foiled in these systems.

Because front and back views are obtained, low Z materials can only be reliable detected if they are packed outside the sides of the body or with hard edges, while high Z materials are well seen when placed in front or back of the body, but not to the sides.

Even if exposure were to be increased significantly, normal anatomy would make a dangerous amount of plastic explosive with tapered edges difficult if not impossible to detect.

http://springerlink.com/content/g6620thk08679160/fulltext.pdf

DNA Database Dangers, COP16 Climate Fund, Paul Over Fed - Corbett Report

2010-12-13T20:15:00.000+10:00

Corbett Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ks8NNahAU

Police break up Visy workers' strike

2010-12-13T20:11:00.000+10:00

Herald Sun

POLICE have been accused of using heavy-handed tactics to arrest 29 protesting workers outside packaging giant Visy's Melbourne plant.

But police say no one was injured and they had no choice but to forcibly remove demonstrators after they refused to leave the entrance of the Dandenong plant.

Almost 400 workers at Visy sites in Victoria and NSW began striking 10 days ago.

They are angry about the company wanting to freeze the hourly pay rates of casual staff for the duration of a new enterprise bargaining agreement.

"We're not criminals, we're human beings," one protestor shouted, as police dragged the workers into divisional vans on Monday.

"Shame Visy, shame," some 90 workers chanted, as they sat locked arm-in-arm outside the Dandenong plant's Greens Road entrance.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union national secretary Dave Oliver said it was inappropriate for police to become involved in a "peaceful" industrial dispute.

Full article here

Sydney shocked as Blackhawk helicopters storm a building in Rosebery

2010-12-05T13:23:00.002+10:00

Free News

Written by Daniel Shaw
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 02:53

VIEW GALLERY & VIDEO

The Australian Defence Force ran a series of operations overnight, the first at Rothschild Ave in Rosebery. At around 9.00pm, two Blackhawks swooped into position above a disused commercial building once used by the RTA.

Ground crews moved into position, seizing control of three entry points. The front door was cut in half by a chainsaw, the side entry was sledge hammered in, and finally in spectacular style, the first floor balcony window was blown in by explosives.

The shockwave from the blast could be felt from the filming position, causing the camera to vibrate.

A forth entry point was made into the building by utilising one of the helicopters. Commandos abseiled down a black rope and forced entry into the upper levels.

For the next 25 minutes the specialists worked their way from room to room. Clearing their way with flash-bang grenades.

At one point, the downdraft from the Helicopter rotors was so strong, it ripped off a “For Lease” sign and flung it into the air and into the building.

The operation concluded at 10.30pm with nearby residents left in shock.

NSW Police attended the scene and shut down nearby roads to ensure the public remained safe during the military exercise.

The second operation took place at around 1:00am near Waverton, where a ship was boarded and brought under control.

Many residents in both suburbs had no idea such an operation was taking place. The exercises are an ongoing training programme undertaken by ADF.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQedh28FJiA

Police photographs 'a breach of liberties'

2010-12-01T15:18:00.000+10:00

Steve Gray

December 1, 2010 - 2:24PM
AAP

The Queensland government has admitted police are photographing participants engaged in peaceful protests against companies searching for gas deposits.

Last week, protesters outside the Brisbane offices of QGC (Queensland Gas Company) confronted a man taking photographs who then identified himself as a police officer.

Protest organiser Drew Hutton accused the police of a return to the days of the Joh Bjelke-Petersen government, when civil liberties were seriously curtailed, demonstrators intimidated, and police regularly photographed protesters.

Civil libertarians agree, and will refer the police action to Queensland's Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC).

Police Minister Neil Roberts said the government was not involved in the incident.

"This is an operational matter for police with no involvement whatsoever from the government," Mr Roberts told AAP.

He said the Queensland Police Service told him that police do not routinely photograph people who were involved in peaceful protests.

Full article here

Cancun climate change summit: scientists call for rationing in developed world

2010-11-30T22:58:00.002+10:00

Telegraph

November 29, 2010
Louise Gray

Global warming is now such a serious threat to mankind that climate change experts are calling for Second World War-style rationing in rich countries to bring down carbon emissions.

In a series of papers published by the Royal Society, physicists and chemists from some of world’s most respected scientific institutions, including Oxford University and the Met Office, agreed that current plans to tackle global warming are not enough.

Unless emissions are reduced dramatically in the next ten years the world is set to see temperatures rise by more than 4C (7.2F) by as early as the 2060s, causing floods, droughts and mass migration.

As the world meets in Cancun, Mexico for the latest round of United Nations talks on climate change, the influential academics called for much tougher measures to cut carbon emissions.

In one paper Professor Kevin Anderson, Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, said the only way to reduce global emissions enough, while allowing the poor nations to continue to grow, is to halt economic growth in the rich world over the next twenty years.

This would mean a drastic change in lifestyles for many people in countries like Britain as everyone will have to buy less ‘carbon intensive’ goods and services such as long haul flights and fuel hungry cars.

Prof Anderson admitted it “would not be easy” to persuade people to reduce their consumption of good.

Full article here

Don't Touch My Junk Bro! - Interview With John Tyner

2010-11-22T20:28:00.001+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYykxMupiT0

Farmers to trial carbon credit scheme

2010-11-22T20:00:00.002+10:00

ABC News

Farmers will be rewarded for carbon credits they create through various methods such as reforestation and reducing their fertiliser use, under proposals released by the Federal Government today.

The move by the Government enables farmers to make money by creating carbon credits which they can sell to those wanting to offset their emissions.

Under the Carbon Farming Initiative, farmers will be able to gain credits for reducing pollution through measures such as reforestation, cutting livestock emissions, reducing fertiliser use, burning crop residue and reducing emissions from landfill waste.

The release of the guidelines comes amid an increased campaign by the Government to gain support to introduce a carbon price.

Full article

Climategate is Still the Issue | Corbett Report

2010-11-20T00:26:00.001+10:00

Corbett Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-uzNBtdYOo

TRANSCRIPT: This week marks the one year anniversary of the release of emails and documents from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia that we now know as Climategate.

Sitting here now, one year later, it's becoming difficult to remember the importance of that release of information, or even what information was actually released. Many were only introduced to the scandal through commentary in the blogosphere and many more came to know about it only weeks later, after the establishment media had a chance to assess the damage and fine tune the spin that would help allay their audience's concern that something important had just happened. Very few have actually bothered to read the emails and documents for themselves.

Few have browsed the "Harry Read Me" file, the electronic notes of a harried programmer trying to make sense of the CRU's databases. They have never read for themselves how temperatures in the database were "artificially adjusted to look closer to the real temperatures" or the "hundreds if not thousands of dummy stations" which somehow ended up in the database, or how the exasperated programmer resorts to expletives before admitting he made up key data on weather stations because it was impossible to tell what data was coming from what sources.

Full article here

Police gain new anti-terror search powers

2010-11-16T10:12:00.001+10:00

November 15, 2010 - 10:34PM

AAP

Police have been given new powers to enter a home without a warrant under new anti-terror laws.

Labor and the coalition voted together in the Senate on Monday to pass the legislation, and defeat a series of Green amendments.

Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the legislation would give the Australian Federal Police and security agencies the tools they needed to fight terrorism, with appropriate safeguards.

"Our national security and counter-terrorism laws will be exercised in a just and accountable way," he said in a statement.

Police have gained new powers to enter premises without a search warrant in emergency terror situations where there is material that may pose a risk to the health or safety of the public.

The time available for police to re-enter a premise under a search warrant has been extended from one hour to 12 in emergencies.

The legislation also disregards a seven-day detention limit for someone arrested on suspicion of terrorism.

There is also a presumption against bail, and an expansion of the "urging violence" offence so that it applies to individuals and groups who incite violence on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, nationality or political opinion.

The National Security Information (Criminal and Civil Proceedings) Act 2004 has been amended to speed up national security and counter-terrorism court proceedings.

The legislation also establishes a joint parliamentary committee on law enforcement to monitor the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Crime Commission.

Speaking in support of the bill, opposition legal affairs spokesman George Brandis said terrorist activities needed to be defeated at their source.

"One of the most insidious ways in which terrorism may be promoted and almost glorified is for the conduct of terrorists to be characterised as martyrdom or some other glamorous form," he said.

"Terrorism is nothing but murder."

Australian Greens legal affairs spokesman Scott Ludlam later moved a series of amendments but was shot down by both the major parties.

He unsuccessfully sought to remove the word "indirectly" from terrorist acts.

Senator Ludlam also objected to the clause about material assistance, arguing peace activists blocking a naval ship heading to war could be charged.

But the government argued legitimate protests would not be criminalised.

PTech 9/11, Global Warming Meltdown, Crashing Morgan - Sunday Update

2010-11-15T22:43:00.001+10:00

Corbett Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bQA0SKwa7Q

Geraldo Rivera Does 9/11 Segment About Building 7

2010-11-15T20:49:00.007+10:00

Fox News

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP0Hs-v-uJ0

LoneLantern - Reality Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u57UNqJc5-s

Port of Brisbane sold for $2.1bn

2010-11-10T22:40:00.002+10:00

Financial Times

By Peter Smith in Sydney
Published: November 10 2010 11:03 | Last updated: November 10 2010 11:03

Australia’s Queensland state government has sold the Port of Brisbane for A$2.1bn ($2.1bn) to a four-member team that includes New York-based Global Infrastructure Partners and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

The consortium known as Q Port Holdings, which also includes Australian fund managers QIC and Industry Funds Management, won the auction against a competing team that included Morgan Stanley, the investment bank, and Unisuper, an Australian pension fund.

The sale, announced on Wednesday, comes as the Queensland government is selling a range of state assets, led by the proposed initial public offering of QR National, one of Australia’s biggest rail freight operators which hopes to raise as much as A$5bn later this month.

Other regional governments in Australia are also privatising businesses, particularly New South Wales which is selling electricity and power generation assets.

The Port of Brisbane had been expected to fetch as much as A$2.5bn. The new owners have also agreed to fund nearby roadworks at a cost of A$200m.

Full article here

Carbon trading project a world first

2010-10-29T19:56:00.000+10:00

Sunshine Coast Daily

A WORLD-FIRST trial of a personal carbon trading scheme that will also target obesity, is to be conducted by Southern Cross University on Norfolk Island.

The three-year project will involve giving everyone on the island a card loaded with carbon units, according to the man leading it, Garry Egger.

“Then every time they go and pay for their petrol or their power – and from the second year their food – it will not only be paid for in money but it will also come off the carbon units they are given for free at the start of the program,” Professor Egger said.

If people are thrifty and don’t buy a lot of petrol or power or fatty foods, they will have units to spare, which they can cash in at a bank.

“If they aren’t frugal and produce a lot of carbon and consume unhealthy foods, then every year they will have to buy extra units,” he said.

Professor Egger said the main goals were to test the effectiveness of a personal carbon trading scheme, cut per capita carbon emissions and reduce obesity and obesity-linked behaviours.

Full article here

Visibility 9-11 Welcomes Australian Union President, Kevin Bracken – A True Working Class Hero!

2010-10-25T12:50:00.006+10:00

Editor's note:

Jon Faine interviewing Kevin Bracken:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao0qNVgEwxc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LlBj-ftRno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ50U3ws0iM

__________________

Interview by John Bursill.

Visibility911 Welcomes Australian Union President, Kevin Bracken - A True Working Class Hero!: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

To many the name Kevin Bracken is a new one in regards 9/11 Truth. The reality is that Kevin has been a champion of the 9/11 Truth cause since 2006 by disseminating information throughout the Victorian Union Movement and the Maritime Workers Union of Australia. He has distributed DVD’s, shown films and shared information regularly with his associates and the people of Melbourne and he achieved motions calling for a new investigation from both the Victorian Trades Hall Council where he is the President and the Victorian branch of the Maritime Union of Australia of which he heads as Secretary. Kevin has also attended numerous conferences on 9/11 and has been the facilitator of such in Melbourne, Australia. Over the years Kevin and I have developed a close working relationship, both striving for the truth 9/11 to come out to bring end to the wars and to get our rights back that have been eroded since 9/11!

This is the motion passed on the 28th of March of 2008 at the VTHC;

“That this meeting of VTHC Executive Council calls for a thorough, independent enquiry into the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11.

The events of that day have been used to start pre-emptive wars “that will not end in our lifetime”. They have been used to attack civil liberties and legal principles that have been the cornerstone of civilized communities.

There is an urgent need to reassess the way we view the world after September 11 and we call for proper investigation into the events around that day."

On the 20th of October 2010 Kevin was asked to ring into ABC 774 Mornings with John Faine although Faine disputes this. This was following an email that was sent to Faine by Kevin questioning 9/11 in the context of Australia’s ongoing support of the Afghanistan occupation. After the recent Australian Election it was demanded by the Australian Greens in a “balance of power” deal that the Australian involvement in the Afghan War be debated in parliament in it’s first sitting. This debate had been going on this week and it was the first time any such debate had happened since 9/11, which is simply outrageous.

This interview by Faine was possibly the most biased ever heard in Australia on radio broadcast by the tax payer funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation. This attack by Faine of Bracken’s questioning the 9/11 events included a torrent of ad hominem slurs and an absolute refusal to discuss any evidence that the events were anything but what we have been told by our governments. A reasonable explanation of what happened and also with attached audio can be found here. This story titled “Trades Hall president Kevin Bracken Stands by his 9/11 Conspiracy” has been reported all around the world and included a poll which started off running at around 50/50 asking if Kevin’s questions about 9/11 were “reasonable” but has continued to move in his favour ending up at the time of writing these notes at 75% in favour of Bracken.

Kevin has received literally thousands of thank you’s from around the world for his brave stance for 9/11 Truth! Standing his ground even after being directly verbally bashed by the Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard saying he was “stupid and wrong” and having his own leadership comrades buckle at the knees if the face of unfounded ridicule. Rather than running for cover Kevin with his chin in the air has reiterated his position defying any to debate him on the issue! As usual all media presstitutes have refused, as there is obviously “no debate to have”. It seems that the vast majority of the public disagree and would like to see such a debate but none of the so called “journalists” dare to tread such a path.

Interesting to note that Jon Faine is now complaining that the ABC has been swamped by 9/11 activists and it may take the ABC many weeks to deal with the massive amount of complaints and comments they have received. Many of these I know to be formal as I have received many courtesy copies of the complaints to the ABC accusing them of breeching their charter and broadcast policy.

The battle for 9/11 Truth is far from over and as long as the fools in power maintain their policy of occupation of Afghanistan they will remain exposed and at risk of criminal prosecution due to the lies of 9/11. Lets hope it comes soon or they realize and stop the bloodshed.

Union leader Kevin Bracken says September 11 attacks were a conspiracy; Part I, II & III

2010-10-21T16:25:00.006+10:00

The Australian

A SENIOR union leader has publicly stated he believes the September 11 terrorist attacks were a conspiracy and the Twin Towers were imploded.

Kevin Bracken, Victorian branch secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia and president of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, is calling for a "proper investigation into the events of September 11''.

"I believe the official story is a conspiracy theory that doesn't stand up to scientific scrutiny,'' he told ABC radio host Jon Faine this morning.

``There are so many unanswered questions and the official story doesn't stand up to scientific scrutiny, that there were four planes hijacked for over an hour and 20 minutes yet no US planes were scrambled which is directly against standard US air force operating procedures"

Mr Bracken also said aviation fuel did not get hot enough to melt steel and "no high-rise steel-framed building, before or after September 11, has ever collapsed due to fire''.

Full article here

UPDATE:

For the record on the 28th of March 2008 the Victorian Trades Hall Council passed this motion after lengthy debate supporting a thorough and independent inquiry of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. From the minutes of the meeting on ...the 28th of March 2008;

“That this meeting of VTHC Executive Council calls for a thorough, independent enquiry into the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11.

The events of that day have been used to start pre-emptive wars “that will not end in our lifetime”. They have been used to attack civil liberties and legal principles that have been the cornerstone of civilised communities.

There is an urgent need to reassess the way we view the world after September 11 and we call for proper investigation into the events around that day.”

While I agree that they have not officially supported any theory around the events of 9/11 they do agree a new investigation is warranted!

It might be prudent to remind the VTHC and the media of this fact!

Victorian Trades Hall Council

Telephone: +61 (03) 9659 3511
Fax: (03) 9663 2127
Email: hatkinson@vthc.org.au

Kind regards John Bursill - Sydney 9/11 Truth Movement

Plan outlines vision for small cities; pay per-KM

2010-10-20T10:30:00.000+10:00

In the report's vision, car registratrion would be replaced by a motorist toll, while a congestion charge and a smog tax on city drivers would be introduced. Picture: Erica Harrison Source: Supplied

Report recommends new regional cities
Calls for congestion charge, smog tax
"Supertrain" would link cities on east coast

THE unchecked growth of mega-cities will be replaced by new regional towns of 300,000 people, public transport will be free and motorists will be billed on how much pollution they create under a plan being considered by the Federal Government.

Urbanisation is occurring at the greatest rate in human history, with Sydney and Melbourne forecast to double to eight million people each by 2050, a report released today by Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese will say.

Among a raft of recommendations to be considered by the Government to combat over-populated, congested cities and their environmental impact, is a plan to create new regional cities, take traffic off the roads and encourage people to walk.

In the Australian Davos Connection's Cities Report vision, car registration would be replaced by a toll that charges motorists per kilometre, while a congestion charge and a smog tax on city drivers would be introduced.

Full article here

Australia's role in Afghanistan will last another decade at least: PM

2010-10-19T21:11:00.000+10:00

The Australian

AUSTRALIA will remain in Afghanistan after its troops complete their training mission in 2014 and be engaged there "through this decade at least", Julia Gillard said today.

The Prime Minister, in a speech to launch federal parliament's debate on the deployment of troops to Afghanistan, also warned Australians to brace for more casualties and “hard days ahead”.

Ms Gillard said there would still be a need for Australia to play a supporting role after it finishes training the 4th Brigade of the Afghan National Army in Oruzgan province - a task expected to be completed in 2014.

“The international community will remain engaged in Afghanistan beyond 2014 and Australia will remain engaged,” she said.

“There will still be a need for Australians in a supporting role. There will still be a role for training and other defence co-operation.”

Ms Gillard said civilian-led aid and development would continue, which would see Australia likely to continue playing a role in the war-torn country.

She warned that the task of “entrenching a functioning democratic Afghan state could be the work of a generation of Afghan people”.

Ms Gillard said she now believed the revised strategy announced by US President Barack Obama and the surge of 30,000 US troops would enable a transition to prepare the Afghan government to take responsibility for its own security.

But she warned that the transition would “take some years”.

“We will be engaged through this decade at least.”

Full article here

Barry Soetoro aka Barack Obama Relentlessly Heckled in Boston by WeAreChange and Others

2010-10-18T16:46:00.000+10:00

WeAreChange Boston

Food police target organic foods in California!

2010-10-14T17:43:00.001+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifvp3Fxi7Uo

9/11 Explosions, Human Experimentation, Bankers Break In - Sunday Update

2010-10-11T15:10:00.000+10:00

Corbett Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A7jY0Db5mI

US physics professor: 'Global warming is the greatest and most successful pseudoscientific fraud I have seen in my long life'

2010-10-11T14:49:00.000+10:00

Telegraph

James Delingpole

Harold Lewis is Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Here is his letter of resignation to Curtis G. Callan Jr, Princeton University, President of the American Physical Society.

Anthony Watts describes it thus:

This is an important moment in science history. I would describe it as a letter on the scale of Martin Luther, nailing his 95 theses to the Wittenburg church door. It is worthy of repeating this letter in entirety on every blog that discusses science.

It’s so utterly damning that I’m going to run it in full without further comment. (H/T GWPF, Richard Brearley).

Dear Curt:

When I first joined the American Physical Society sixty-seven years ago it was much smaller, much gentler, and as yet uncorrupted by the money flood (a threat against which Dwight Eisenhower warned a half-century ago). Indeed, the choice of physics as a profession was then a guarantor of a life of poverty and abstinence—it was World War II that changed all that. The prospect of worldly gain drove few physicists. As recently as thirty-five years ago, when I chaired the first APS study of a contentious social/scientific issue, The Reactor Safety Study, though there were zealots aplenty on the outside there was no hint of inordinate pressure on us as physicists. We were therefore able to produce what I believe was and is an honest appraisal of the situation at that time. We were further enabled by the presence of an oversight committee consisting of Pief Panofsky, Vicki Weisskopf, and Hans Bethe, all towering physicists beyond reproach. I was proud of what we did in a charged atmosphere. In the end the oversight committee, in its report to the APS President, noted the complete independence in which we did the job, and predicted that the report would be attacked from both sides. What greater tribute could there be?

How different it is now. The giants no longer walk the earth, and the money flood has become the raison d’être of much physics research, the vital sustenance of much more, and it provides the support for untold numbers of professional jobs. For reasons that will soon become clear my former pride at being an APS Fellow all these years has been turned into shame, and I am forced, with no pleasure at all, to offer you my resignation from the Society.

It is of course, the global warming scam, with the (literally) trillions of dollars driving it, that has corrupted so many scientists, and has carried APS before it like a rogue wave. It is the greatest and most successful pseudoscientific fraud I have seen in my long life as a physicist. Anyone who has the faintest doubt that this is so should force himself to read the ClimateGate documents, which lay it bare. (Montford’s book organizes the facts very well.) I don’t believe that any real physicist, nay scientist, can read that stuff without revulsion. I would almost make that revulsion a definition of the word scientist.

So what has the APS, as an organization, done in the face of this challenge? It has accepted the corruption as the norm, and gone along with it. For example:

1. About a year ago a few of us sent an e-mail on the subject to a fraction of the membership. APS ignored the issues, but the then President immediately launched a hostile investigation of where we got the e-mail addresses. In its better days, APS used to encourage discussion of important issues, and indeed the Constitution cites that as its principal purpose. No more. Everything that has been done in the last year has been designed to silence debate

2. The appallingly tendentious APS statement on Climate Change was apparently written in a hurry by a few people over lunch, and is certainly not representative of the talents of APS members as I have long known them. So a few of us petitioned the Council to reconsider it. One of the outstanding marks of (in)distinction in the Statement was the poison word incontrovertible, which describes few items in physics, certainly not this one. In response APS appointed a secret committee that never met, never troubled to speak to any skeptics, yet endorsed the Statement in its entirety. (They did admit that the tone was a bit strong, but amazingly kept the poison word incontrovertible to describe the evidence, a position supported by no one.) In the end, the Council kept the original statement, word for word, but approved a far longer “explanatory” screed, admitting that there were uncertainties, but brushing them aside to give blanket approval to the original. The original Statement, which still stands as the APS position, also contains what I consider pompous and asinine advice to all world governments, as if the APS were master of the universe. It is not, and I am embarrassed that our leaders seem to think it is. This is not fun and games, these are serious matters involving vast fractions of our national substance, and the reputation of the Society as a scientific society is at stake.

3. In the interim the ClimateGate scandal broke into the news, and the machinations of the principal alarmists were revealed to the world. It was a fraud on a scale I have never seen, and I lack the words to describe its enormity. Effect on the APS position: none. None at all. This is not science; other forces are at work.

4. So a few of us tried to bring science into the act (that is, after all, the alleged and historic purpose of APS), and collected the necessary 200+ signatures to bring to the Council a proposal for a Topical Group on Climate Science, thinking that open discussion of the scientific issues, in the best tradition of physics, would be beneficial to all, and also a contribution to the nation. I might note that it was not easy to collect the signatures, since you denied us the use of the APS membership list. We conformed in every way with the requirements of the APS Constitution, and described in great detail what we had in mind—simply to bring the subject into the open.<

5. To our amazement, Constitution be damned, you declined to accept our petition, but instead used your own control of the mailing list to run a poll on the members’ interest in a TG on Climate and the Environment. You did ask the members if they would sign a petition to form a TG on your yet-to-be-defined subject, but provided no petition, and got lots of affirmative responses. (If you had asked about sex you would have gotten more expressions of interest.) There was of course no such petition or proposal, and you have now dropped the Environment part, so the whole matter is moot. (Any lawyer will tell you that you cannot collect signatures on a vague petition, and then fill in whatever you like.) The entire purpose of this exercise was to avoid your constitutional responsibility to take our petition to the Council.

6. As of now you have formed still another secret and stacked committee to organize your own TG, simply ignoring our lawful petition.

APS management has gamed the problem from the beginning, to suppress serious conversation about the merits of the climate change claims. Do you wonder that I have lost confidence in the organization?

I do feel the need to add one note, and this is conjecture, since it is always risky to discuss other people’s motives. This scheming at APS HQ is so bizarre that there cannot be a simple explanation for it. Some have held that the physicists of today are not as smart as they used to be, but I don’t think that is an issue. I think it is the money, exactly what Eisenhower warned about a half-century ago. There are indeed trillions of dollars involved, to say nothing of the fame and glory (and frequent trips to exotic islands) that go with being a member of the club. Your own Physics Department (of which you are chairman) would lose millions a year if the global warming bubble burst. When Penn State absolved Mike Mann of wrongdoing, and the University of East Anglia did the same for Phil Jones, they cannot have been unaware of the financial penalty for doing otherwise. As the old saying goes, you don’t have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing. Since I am no philosopher, I’m not going to explore at just which point enlightened self-interest crosses the line into corruption, but a careful reading of the ClimateGate releases makes it clear that this is not an academic question.

I want no part of it, so please accept my resignation. APS no longer represents me, but I hope we are still friends.
Hal

Taser death in custody; Perth

2010-10-05T19:58:00.009+10:00

AN unarmed mentally disturbed man who was Tasered by WA police 13 times in several minutes was shot with the device a second time by prison guards a week later.

The first incident in the East Perth lock-up was caught on closed-circuit footage and revealed in a report released yesterday by the state's Corruption and Crime Commission.

The WA Department of Corrective Services last night confirmed to The Australian that the man was Tasered again a week later when officers were moving him from his cell.

In June last year, Queenslander Antonio Galeano, 39, died after he was Tasered by police 28 times, while last year Ronald Mitchell, an Aboriginal petrol sniffer from the outback West Australian town of Warburton, burst into flames after being shot with the device when he threatened to throw petrol at police.

No pressure! - The 10/10 project

2010-10-03T11:11:00.006+10:00

Editor's note:

Too far or not far enough?

What is 10:10?

10:10 is about one simple idea: we all commit to reduce our carbon emissions by 10% a year, starting in 2010, then work together to make it happen.

"Killing For Sport" U.S. Troops Charged With Murder For Killing Of Afghans

2010-09-28T15:35:00.001+10:00

MOXNEWSd0tCOM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3NrrXzfz98

Douglas Carswell's UK banking reform bill

2010-09-17T13:12:00.000+10:00

CobdenCentre

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGr-OuXihg

BHP boss Marius Kloppers: It's time for carbon tax

2010-09-16T10:25:00.002+10:00

Jennifer Hewett, National affairs correspondent
The Australian

September 16, 2010 12:00AM

THE world's biggest mining company, BHP Billiton, is urging the Gillard government to impose a tax on carbon before any international agreement.

This is in order to protect Australia's long-term economic interests.

BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers has also warned the government not to try to change the terms of the pre-election mining tax deal negotiated with the big three miners.

In a major address yesterday, Mr Kloppers made it clear the mining industry did not intend to be passive in the face of the political uncertainty created by minority government.

His very public intervention pressures the government on two fronts: not to cede ground to the Greens and independents who wish to revisit the fundamentals of the mining tax; and to take more decisive action on climate change in the wake of Labor dropping its emissions trading scheme and the fiasco of the proposed citizens' assembly.

Mr Kloppers's call for a carbon tax undermines the passionate objections of Tony Abbott to setting a price on carbon before there is a global consensus.

"We do believe that such a global initiative will eventually come and, when it does, Australia will need to have acted ahead of it to maintain its competitiveness," Mr Kloppers told a packed Australian British Chamber of Commerce lunch in Sydney.

"Carbon emissions need to have a cost impact in order to cause the consumer and companies to change behaviour and favour low-carbon alternatives.

"We all recognise this is a politically charged subject. No government relishes telling people that things need to cost more."

Full article here

Was a 'covert operative' planted in alleged Holsworthy Army terror cell

2010-09-15T18:36:00.006+10:00

Matt from WeAreChange Brisbane -

It is becoming increasing apparent that a possible 'covert operative / federal agent or agent provocateur' (see definition) may have infiltrated the alleged terror cell that conspired to plan to attack the Holsworthy Army Base, the base houses commandos trained in counter-terrorism, a Black Hawk helicopter squadron and thousands of regular troops.

All 19 houses raided found no weapons.

The questions that need to be asked if a covert operative / undercover police officer was used is this:

What were the objective(s)?
What level of assistance was given?;
(ii) Was any assistance rendered or offered in acquiring weapons?
(iii) Was geographical information of the army base provided?

This is the what little of the mainstream has reported on this "infiltrator":

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/national/police-quizzed-if-agent-spied-on-terror-suspects-20090825-ey4v.html

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/terror-gang-suspected-infiltration-20100914-15axk.html

China blacks out towns to meet energy goal

2010-09-15T13:48:00.002+10:00

By JOE McDONALD (AP) – 6 days ago

BEIJING — Chinese steel mills and mobile phone factories are being idled and thousands of homes in one area are doing without electricity as local governments order power cuts to meet energy-saving targets set by Beijing.

Rolling blackouts and enforced power cuts are affecting key industrial areas. The prosperous eastern city of Taizhou turned off street lights and ordered hotels and shopping malls to cut power use. In Anping County southwest of Beijing, an area known as China's wire-manufacturing capital, thousands of factories and homes have endured daylong blackouts over the past two weeks.

"We can't meet deadlines for some orders and will have to pay penalties," said Han Hongmai, general manager of Anping's Jintai Metal Wire Co. "At home we can't use the toilet" on blackout days due to lack of power for water pumps, he said.

While the U.S. and Europe struggle with flagging economies, the power outages are symptomatic of China's torrid growth and officials' capricious use of their powers to meet the authoritarian government's goals.

Full article here

The world on 9/11

2010-09-15T13:33:00.001+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-ZX_jC93Pg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH_JZ3fp1lM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KecNt0ULl5o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Oz-07YejFI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjG1OnkxH-4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOo1bnKj-b8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG1o6bsvsq0

WeAreChange Sydney, 911oz statement | 11 September 2010

2010-09-13T12:07:00.001+10:00

911oz

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

http://www.911oz.com & http://www.wearechange.org.au -- On 11 September 11, 2010 WeAreChange Sydney gathered outside the ANZAC War Memorial in Sydney's Hyde Park.

A statement was read by David Andresen, BSc(ENG) civil
Civil Engineering UNSW Australia
Sydney, NSW -- Australia
signatory, http://www.ae911truth.org petition

For more information please visit www.911oz.com.

September 11, 2001 - Building what??

2010-09-10T23:21:00.002+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHIj9wzbYGQ

Please remember & honour the fallen by doing your own research!

911blogger.com

9/11: Press for truth

9/11 Research

Complete 9/11 Timeline

WTC 7

Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth

Patriots question 9/11

9/11 Truth.org

9/11 Truth News

Truth Action

We Are Change

Truth Move

Nigel Farage shows Barroso 'True state of the European Union'

2010-09-10T00:16:00.002+10:00

europarl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HB_L1cnCqs

Australian Federal Police pressuring govt on data retention

2010-09-07T12:33:00.001+10:00

By Darren Pauli,
ZDNet.com.au on September 7th, 2010

The Australian Federal Police has backed a proposal for a controversial data retention scheme, saying captured web records would assist in prosecuting cybercriminals.

(CCTV camera image by Mike Fleming, CC2.0)

The Attorney-General's Department has investigated implementing a similar scheme to the European directive on data retention, which requires telecommunications providers to collect information on phone calls and emails, such as from whom they were sent or to whom as well as the time and date of the communication. Sources have said that the Australian version could involve keeping a record of websites visited.

The Attorney-General's Department has played-down the proposal, and refused to discuss the regime in detail.

AFP assistant commissioner and national manager of high tech crime operations, Neil Gaughan, said that the police is pushing for data retention through the Attorney-General's office and Commonwealth Government agencies.

"It is important that we have the ability to retain the data," Gaughan told reporters in Sydney today. "We can obtain intercepts ... on pretty much everything. We don't want to see what people are watching on TV, we want to see what people are looking at on the internet."

He said this includes web searches and histories.

"From an evidentiary perspective, it adds weight to our investigation process if we have evidence we are able to obtain; it is work in progress," Gaughan said, noting that police already have sufficient data to address police requirements.

"Internationally, it would be nice if we had some overarching legislation to address this regime, but we are a long way off getting there. The legislation in cyber crime does need some work."

Gaughan said that Google already supplies web search histories to police. "We have a good working relationship with industry."

He said that the government will ultimately determine the balance between privacy and needs of law enforcement.

"It is a balancing act between what the private sector would like based on cost, and what we would like to do based on history and law enforcement capabilities."

Network soft target for cyber crooks

2010-09-06T11:12:00.002+10:00

The AFP describes the internet as "a veil for a diverse array of criminality", including identity theft, fraud, cyber-stalking and child pornography.

Natasha Bita, Consumer editor
September 6, 2010

The Australian

CYBER criminals will target Australia's high-speed broadband network, police have warned.

The high-technology crime operations division of the Australian Federal Police has told a parliamentary inquiry it is working with other government agencies to "minimise the criminal exploitation" of the national broadband network.

"The inherent risk of the NBN is that it could facilitate the continual growth and sophistication of online criminal syndicates' ability to commit cyber offences against online systems due to the attractiveness of the increased speed," it says in a submission to the cyber safety inquiry.

"Increased bandwidth available via the NBN may result in increased bandwidth available for committing or facilitating computer offences." The AFP reveals that Australian government agencies are liaising with the NBN company to ensure small internet service providers are roped into the same licensing arrangements as bigger companies.

"The NBN will likely create an environment in which relatively small retail service providers operate offering a range of services including voice, data and media, internet TV, social networking, music, video messaging, games, text, email and internet browsing," the AFP says.

Full article here

Thirsty foreigners soak up scarce water rights

2010-09-04T10:43:00.004+10:00

Deborah Snow and Debra Jopson
September 4, 2010

Brisbane Times

INTERNATIONAL investors are circling Australia's water market, looking to snap up hundreds of millions of dollars worth of our most precious national resource, with almost no government limit on how much they can buy.

Foreign investors have already bought millions of litres of water rights in our most strategic food-producing areas and are poised to buy more after the massive shake-out tipped to occur when the long-awaited Murray-Darling Basin plan is released.

The head of an Australian fund designed to cash in on future water scarcity leaves tomorrow on a trip through Asia, North America and Europe aimed at raising $100 million from investors to buy water in the Murray Darling Basin.

''There is a chronic supply/demand imbalance for Australian water which will result in higher water prices,'' says the website of the Causeway Water Fund, whose managing director Richard Lourey will scour the world for investors.

Water has become a hot-button topic for the federal rural independents locked in talks over who will form government.

Overseas stakes in our $30 billion market already include:

$20 million worth of entitlements bought by the US-owned Summit Global Management through an Australian subsidiary;

An estimated $130 million worth of water bought by Olam International of Singapore in a deal involving the purchase of almond groves in northern Victoria;

More than $30 million worth of rights in western NSW held by Tandou which has substantial overseas ownership.

Meanwhile, the chief executive of the NSW Irrigators Council, Andrew Gregson, has revealed that merchant banks have approached the organisation for advice on how European investors can pour hundreds of millions of dollars more into Australian water.

In some financial circles water is dubbed ''blue gold''. The online investment journal Investment U recently had the headline, ''The oil of the 21st century … how 'blue gold' can make you rich''.

Australia has spawned the most advanced water market in the world, with more than $3 billion worth of rights changing hands last year.

More than $2 billion of that trade took place in NSW, making this state's water market equal to the entire value of the country's wool exports.

The federal Labor government helped inflate the price by buying more than $1 billion worth of water as drought bit last year, accelerating its $3.1 billion buyback of water in the Murray-Darling Basin.

After good rains and a change to the government's tender system, prices have dropped by as much as 40 per cent this year, hurting irrigators who need to sell their water rights, but making buying into the market more attractive to investors.

''We know that water is a scarce resource in a resource-starved world,'' said Guy Kingwill, the chief executive of the agricultural company Tandou, which has substantial US and British investors.

''We are long-term investors in secure water entitlements and Australia is one of the few countries in the world where you can own those,'' he said.

Yet there is virtually no oversight from the Foreign Investment Review Board.

Full article here

Manifesto of Discovery Channel Gunman: Environmentalist/Eugenicist Who Demanded Halt to Birth Of “Parasitic Human Infants”

2010-09-02T13:01:00.002+10:00

Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars
Wednesday, September 1, 2010

UPDATE: Police Say All Hostages Are Safe, Gunman James Lee Shot Dead

A crazed gunman who entered a Discovery Channel building in Silver Spring, Maryland today with explosives posted an online manifesto revealing his views on how “parasitic human infants” should be eliminated and humans sterilized, providing a shocking insight into the dark side of the environmentalist cult that seeks to enact draconian eugenicist policies in the name of saving the planet.

The gunman, named in reports as James J. Lee, ran a website called Save The Planet Protest. The site organized protests centered around the very building that Lee stormed today. It also included a screed detailing how Lee saw the birth of newborn babies as a plague upon the planet in a chilling echo of how many top environmentalists are now demonizing humanity itself in their bid to enact dictatorial control measures in the name of halting climate change.

According to reports, Lee underwent his environmentalist “‘awakening” when he watched former Vice President Al Gore’s global warming documentary ‘‘An Inconvenient Truth.”

In his online rant (archived here), Lee outlines the need to “disassemble civilization,” while putting into place Malthusian programs of population reduction and sterilization in order to combat global warming by stopping people from breeding and ending completely the use of crude oil.

“Talk about Malthus and Darwin until it sinks into the stupid people’s brains until they get it!!” Lee rants, adding, “Saving the Planet means saving what’s left of the non-human Wildlife by decreasing the Human population. That means stopping the human race from breeding any more disgusting human babies!” which he also labels “parasitic human infants”.

“Humans are the most destructive, filthy, pollutive creatures around and are wrecking what’s left of the planet with their false morals and breeding culture,” he adds.

Lee’s entire manifesto reads like a clone of the more sophisticated but no less shocking rhetoric we’ve been hearing from top environmentalists for years.

Exclusive: Ex-FBI Agent Don Adams Reveals Evidence of Multiple Shooters in JFK Assassination

2010-09-02T12:46:00.002+10:00

Alex Jones Channel

Alex welcomes to the show Don Adams, the former FBI agent who has presented compelling evidence that Lee Harvey Oswald did not assassinate president John F. Kennedy.

Almost 50 years have gone by since President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1963. Yet, we are no closer to solving this murder today than we were back then.

Gates Foundation Invests In Monsanto

2010-08-28T00:45:00.002+10:00

Seattle Global Justice

Contact:
Travis English, AGRA Watch
+1 (206) 335-4405
Brenda Biddle, The Evergreen State College & AGRA Watch
+1 (360) 878-7833

Seattle, WA – Farmers and civil society organizations around the world are outraged by the recent discovery of further connections between the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and agribusiness titan Monsanto. Last week, a financial website published the Gates Foundation’s investment portfolio, including 500,000 shares of Monsanto stock with an estimated worth of $23.1 million purchased in the second quarter of 2010 (see the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission). This marks a substantial increase from its previous holdings, valued at just over $360,000 (see the Foundation’s 2008 990 Form).

“The Foundation’s direct investment in Monsanto is problematic on two primary levels,” said Dr. Phil Bereano, University of Washington Professor Emeritus and recognized expert on genetic engineering. “First, Monsanto has a history of blatant disregard for the interests and well-being of small farmers around the world, as well as an appalling environmental track record. The strong connections to Monsanto cast serious doubt on the Foundation’s heavy funding of agricultural development in Africa and purported goal of alleviating poverty and hunger among small-scale farmers. Second, this investment represents an enormous conflict of interests.”

Monsanto has already negatively impacted agriculture in African countries. For example, in South Africa in 2009, Monsanto’s genetically modified maize failed to produce kernels and hundreds of farmers were devastated. According to Mariam Mayet, environmental attorney and director of the Africa Centre for Biosafety in Johannesburg, some farmers suffered up to an 80% crop failure. While Monsanto compensated the large-scale farmers to whom it directly sold the faulty product, it gave nothing to the small-scale farmers to whom it had handed out free sachets of seeds. “When the economic power of Gates is coupled with the irresponsibility of Monsanto, the outlook for African smallholders is not very promising,” said Mayet. Monsanto’s aggressive patenting practices have also monopolized control over seed in ways that deny farmers control over their own harvest, going so far as to sue—and bankrupt—farmers for “patent infringement.”

Full article here

Students told to plan terror attack

2010-08-25T14:51:00.001+10:00

WA Today

Katherine Fenech
August 25, 2010 - 10:56AM

Students at a West Australian high school have been told to plan a terrorist attack that would kill as many innocent people as possible as part of an assignment.

A society and environment teacher at the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School asked Year 10 students to pretend they were a terrorist planning a chemical or biological attack on ''an unsuspecting Australian community''.

''Your goal is to kill the MOST innocent civilians in order to get your message across,'' the assignment said.

The students had to explain their choice of victims and decide the best time and place for their attack.

WA Council of State Schools president Robert Fry said he was stunned when he heard about the assignment and that there was "something amiss" in the teacher's training.

"I couldn't believe that a teacher could ask a class to do that," Mr Fry said.

"Maybe this (teacher) needs to go back to university to learn a bit more. There's obviously something missed out in the training."

"There's an expectation of standards and we would expect that (the assignment) would not have made it to students."

He congratulated Year 10 student Sarah Gilbert, who brought the matter to the deputy principal's attention.

Sarah said she was horrified with the assignment and asked the teacher for an alternative assessment but was told she had to complete it.

"She is a good teacher, she's one of the best that we have and it just really shocked me that she'd ask us to do this," the student told Radio 6PR.

Sarah's mother, Tania Gilbert, said she was "quite shocked" by the assignment and said after it was brought to the deputy principal's attention it was still not withdrawn.

"Sarah said she didn't want to do the assignment and I told her that that was fine by me," Ms Gilbert said.

"The deputy told the class that they didn't have to do the assignment and it wouldn't affect their grades, but the assignment wasn't changed."

The school's principal, Terry Martino, agreed the assignment was inappropriate, and said he had the task withdrawn as soon as he was aware of its content.

But Sarah said that wasn't the case and some students had handed it in despite being "appalled" by the concept.

"I know people who have handed it in... I had a friend who had the same opinion as me but she did it because she needed the extra marks," she said.

Sarah's mother was quoted as saying the assignment was doubly offensive because a member of her extended family had been killed in the 2002 Bali bombings.

Mr Martino said students were reminded that the teacher was not promoting terrorism and that if they chose not to complete the assignment they wouldn't be disadvantaged.

''The teacher, who is relatively inexperienced, made a well-intentioned but misguided attempt to engage the students in an assignment on contemporary conflict and how beliefs and values influence the behaviours and motives of individuals,'' Mr Martino said.

"I have spoken to the teacher and she is very remorseful and understands that the topic was inappropriate and potentially disturbing and upsetting to students and their families."

He said the incident should be viewed as one mistake by a hard working, keen young teacher "who is highly regarded by both staff, students and the community."

- with AAP

Trust the Billionaires, Chemical Attack - Sunday Update

2010-08-17T19:42:00.001+10:00

Corbett Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP1va-wUgfg

Links & sources available in the drop-down box of the youtube video.

Iran Attack This Week?

2010-08-17T00:01:00.001+10:00

Kurt Nimmo
Infowars.com
August 16, 2010

Former interim U.N. ambassador and leading neocon John Bolton went on Fox News on Friday and sounded the alarm bells over Russia’s pending delivery of nuclear fuel to Iran’s Bushehr reactor. If Israel plans to attack Bushehr, Bolton said, it must act now because allowing the Russians to load nuclear fuel rods at the site will make Iran “essentially immune from attack by Israel. Because once the rods are in the reactor an attack on the reactor risks spreading radiation in the air, and perhaps into the water of the Persian Gulf.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzyXmDp-2_k

“The fuel will be loaded on Aug 21. This is the start of the physical launch” of the reactor, said Sergei Novikov, a spokesman for Rosatom, the Russian Energy State Nuclear Corp. “From that moment the Bushehr plant will be officially considered a nuclear-energy installation.” Russia is currently operating under a $1 billion contract with Iran and has worked for over a decade on the reactor.

As a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran has the right to build nuclear reactors for its civil energy needs. Iran has long claimed that its nuclear program is for peaceful power-generation purposes and would help free up oil and gas resources for export, thus generating additional hard-currency revenues.

Bolton and the neocons refuse to accept that the facility will produce nuclear energy and insist it will be used to create nuclear weapons. According to Bolton, once the reactor is operational, it is only a matter of time before it begins producing plutonium that could be used in a nuclear weapon. “And in the normal operation of this reactor, in just a fairly short period of time, you could get substantial amounts of plutonium to use as nuclear weapons,” Bolton told Fox.

As usual, Bolton and the neocons — with the helping hand of Fox News — are only telling part of the story. As Russia notes, the project is under close supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Moreover, Iran has signed a pledge to ship all the spent uranium fuel from Bushehr back to Russia for reprocessing, thus ruling out the possibility that the uranium could used to manufacture nuclear weapons. Bolton did not mention this during his Fox News interview.

Fox News, which claims to be “fair and balanced,” made it sound like Iran will control the spent uranium from the plant, not Russia, thus providing yet another bogus argument that allows the neocons to push for an attack.

It should be noted that John Bolton does not believe Israel or the Obama administration will move to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities before the Russians begin to load fuel into the reactor on July 21.

Naked Truth, Fluoride Poison, 9/11 Responders Strike Back

2010-08-13T21:24:00.000+10:00

Corbett Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8WeSx6OoNw

Victorians facing soaring bills could have power rationed

2010-08-10T16:32:00.001+10:00

Herald Sun

VICTORIANS hit with soaring electricity bills could have their power rationed under a smart meter plan.

Some companies want to "choke" or restrict amounts delivered to homes to help families cope with costs.

Victorians' electricity bills have surged in the past two years, racing ahead of inflation.

New meters that are being rolled out to every household and small business can ration power to control debt for individual customers.

An Essential Services Commission review reveals retailers are expected to push for contracts that can cap consumption as a "credit management tool" once all the meters are in place.

Consumer Action Law Centre energy spokeswoman Janine Rayner said the development was "dangerous territory with all sorts of social, health and safety implications" that should be outlawed. "The electricity market is complex, and consumers don't understand how much power they are using and the different energy loads for different appliances," she said.

Full article here

UN role confirmed for Rudd

2010-08-10T16:15:00.002+10:00

Brisbane Times

TONY MOORE
August 10, 2010 - 1:09PM

Kevin Rudd and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at a meeting in New York in September last year.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has been appointed to an unpaid part-time position on a "high-level" United Nations panel tackling global sustainability issues.

Mr Rudd last month confirmed he had been approached by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to become involved with the United Nations project.

The appointment would require Mr Rudd to attend three meetings over the next 18 months.

Mr Ban said the 21-member High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability would be co-chaired by Finland’s President Tarja Halonen and South African President Jacob Zuma.

It comprises current and former world leaders, top diplomats and national ministers.

Mr Ban said the panel would look at ways to combat global poverty through economic growth without contributing to global warming and harming the environment.

Full article here

Filter will be “exorcised” if it returns, says Turnbull

2010-08-09T13:03:00.001+10:00

Delimiter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i7fY2AfFYM

Liberal MPs Malcolm Turnbull and Paul Fletcher flayed Labor’s mandatory internet filter project at an anti-filter forum held by the former Opposition Leader on Saturday in Sydney, where not a single voice was raised in praise of the controversial policy and Turnbull claimed the idea was now in the past.

“It’s dead, buried and cremated, and if it shows any signs of revival it will then be exorcised,” a jovial Turnbull told the crowd.

The news comes as last week Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey revealed the Coalition would vote against the filter legislation if it was introduced into parliament and would not introduce a mandatory ISP filter if elected. The move is likely to torpedo the filter project, as long as the Greens hold the balance of power in the Senate after the election, as they are expected to.

Turnbull said the idea “should have been put down long ago” and was a bad idea as a matter of principle in terms of civil liberties, as well as from a technological point of view. “It was simply not workable,” he said. “It was a really bad idea that could only have come up from people that didn’t actually understand the internet.”

The MP pointed out that when the Parliament’s own Cyber-Safety Committee — on which Fletcher sits — reached out to the community, including parents, to investigate whether they wanted a filter, the community said no, leading to the question of where the demand for the filter project could be coming from.

“You wonder whether the concern is coming from people that don’t use the internet at all, but in fact are a little bit concerned about it as a phenomenon — uncomfortable with it as a phenomenon,” he said.

Fletcher said he suspected that industry skepticism about the filter had been fuelled by the “deeply simplistic way” in which Communications Minister Stephen Conroy had promoted the filter. “Let me remind you of his famous statement in late 2007,” said Fletcher, noting that at that point Conroy was presumably feeling “slightly intoxicated by the joy of having just got into government”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MyhkGTaOxA

“He said if people equate freedom of speech with watching child pornography, then the Rudd Labor Government is going to disagree,” said Fletcher. “It is hard to think of a more fatuous statement of public policy in the past 3 years.”

Other speakers at the event – former BigPond chief Justin Milne and Simon Sheikh, national director of political advocacy group GetUp! – also slammed the filter, and the idea was widely pilloried by members of the audience as well – consisting of numbers of about 100 people.

Milne initially described the filter project in philosophical terms, arguing that every time censorship had entered human history, it had led to dark periods of violence due to a lack of information, and that sharing information itself was actually a key to humanity’s dominance as a species. The former BigPond chief also argued against the filter on technical grounds — describing it as “a fence with holes”.

Sheikh took a more international view — discussing filtering and censorship with relation to oppressive regimes in Iran, for example.

Fluoride in Australia

2010-08-07T00:55:00.001+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZBRBPgTOt0&

We Are Change San Francisco confronts David de Rothschild on Climategate, sustainability agenda

2010-08-03T23:55:00.001+10:00

WeAreChange San Francisco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlPZZGZCt6s

Classification And Internet Censorship As An Election Issue

2010-08-03T12:31:00.002+10:00

Gizmodo
By Fiona Patten on August 2, 2010 at 9:30 AM

When was the last time someone went to jail in Australia for a censorship crime? 1870? 1926? 1947?

Try… May 2010.

That’s right. In May of this year, the NSW Labor government sent a 40-year-old gay adult-shop owner to jail for selling non-violent, erotic X-rated films. He has just been released and from all reports is a broken man.

Make no mistake about what really happened here. This man went to jail for selling films that had been classified by a federal Labor government as legal to sell, legal to purchase and legal to possess at a Commonwealth level. They were legal to bring into the country through Customs in Sydney and they were legal tender in western democracies around the world. But in the moral backwater that Australia has become since the mid 1980s, politicians are in our bedrooms like never before. The religious right have quietly transformed this once free nation into a country of censors and moral puritans.

Last week a 40-year-old Sydney woman who ran an adult shop in Sydney’s southern suburbs was hauled before a magistrate and fined $5000 for selling adult films that were legal at a federal level and was told by the magistrate that if she was convicted again she would immediately go to jail. This happened in a state where the Police Commissioner is a regular Hillsong Church worshipper and who recently ordered bibles to be printed with NSW Police monograms on them. Whatever happened to the notion of separation of church and state in Australia?

Last month, Australia’s largest producer of non violent erotica, a Gen Y Melbourne website operator called abbywinters.com, was convicted and fined for making X rated films by a state Labor government. He used Gen Y models who often filmed themselves in their own homes and many of these 18 -25 year old men and women received visits from the police in trying to convict the website operator. Rather than wait around for a jail sentence on a second offence and for proceeds of ‘crime’ legislation to bankrupt him, he packed up his entire business and staff and migrated to the Netherlands where his business is perfectly legal.

A couple of months ago the federal Labor government changed the Customs regulations to force people to declare whether they had any ‘pornography’ when returning to Australia. It didn’t matter if the material was legal. If you had anything that could possibly fit the definition of ‘pornography’ such as a Playboy magazine, a lesbian journal, a photo of your partner naked or, worse still, an image of the two of you making love on a mobile or a laptop, you had to declare it or risk prosecution. Customs officers now have the right to search your browsing history and iPhoto for the catch-all reason of investigating ‘pornography’.

Suddenly the tide has turned. Morals groups and religious bigots have infiltrated both the Labor and Liberal parties to such a degree that they are now jailing people for censorship crimes and forcing companies to leave the country. Even the Greens have chosen not to make an issue of this increasingly alarming situation.

It is against this backdrop of the most sinister censorship regime in years, that the federal Labor government has launched its new internet filtering regime and now an equally sinister online data retention proposal. Although the Coalition have hedged their bets on these proposals they unequivocally back the moral agenda behind them even more than Labor. The Greens, through Scott Ludlam, have strenuously and publicly opposed these on line proposals but have done nothing to address the creeping censorship that underpins these crazy schemes. The fact that they preselected Clive Hamilton, the architect of the government’s online filtering proposals, to contest the by election for the seat that Peter Costello vacated in December last year, meant that they were, at best, confused about their approaches to censorship in general.

Full article here

Fiona Patten has over 20 years experience in the adult goods and services industry as a lobbyist and advocate. She has been the CEO of Australia’s national adult retail and entertainment industry association – the Eros Association – since 1992. In 2008 she launched the Australian Sex Party in an attempt to win Senate and state Upper House seats and to challenge the balance of power positions that Steve Fielding’s Family First and the Rev Fred Nile’s Christian Democrats, currently hold.

She started her career as an AIDS educator with ACT sex workers through the local advocacy group, WISE. Since then she has held positions on the Board of the AIDS Action Council, AFAO, ACT Attorney General’s Sex Industry Consultative Group and the National Sex Worker organisation the Scarlet Alliance.

In 2007 she was a consultant to Foxtel’s Showtime, advising on the making of the brothel industry program, Satisfaction. In 2002 she was a regular sexual health commentator on Channel 10’s Beauty and the Beast.

Her work frequently sees her meeting with state and federal Ministers over a range of adult industry issues from immigration to censorship.

Police defend access to Go Card data

2010-07-29T21:14:00.002+10:00

Brisbane Times

COURTNEY TRENWITH
July 29, 2010 - 1:58PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqRNbQlO6Z4

Police have defended having access to commuters' movements through Go Card data, despite admitting information gathered so far had not solved a single investigation.

Police Chief Superintendent Mike Condon said the technology was necessary to make the community safe and critics were being "alarmist".

Queensland Police has been forced to defend its use of Go Card technology after brisbanetimes.com.au exclusively revealed this morning that police were using commuter records to not only pinpoint the movements of criminal suspects but also potential witnesses.

One woman has told brisbanetimes.com.au she was contacted last month as part of a murder probe after police tracked her down via her Go Card, which is registered with her details by TransLink.

"There seems to be some suggestion that it's quite sinister, when we have been quite open about it," Superintendent Condon said.

"The community should support the fact that these technologies are helping to make the community a safer place."

Two-thirds of the more than 1200 readers who had responded to a brisbanetimes.com.au poll by 1.30pm today said they were concerned about the privacy of Go Card users.

At least three people have contacted TransLink today specifically to inquire about access to their Go Card records, a TransLink spokesman said.

He was not aware of any commuters deregistering their Go Card, which would cut off police access to their public transport movements without possession of their card.

Police have made 46 applications to TransLink in the past 12 months for commuters' private movements on Brisbane's public transport system, including buses, trains and ferries.

Superintendent Condon said he understood all applications had been granted.

The information was used in a variety of investigations, including missing persons searches and crimes such as murder.

However, none had been solved.

"Those operations or investigations are ongoing," Superintendent Condon said.

Police can make a written application for the Go Card information under an exemption to the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Chapter 29).

Mr Condon "absolutely" guaranteed the private information would be safeguarded and said commuters had "nothing to fear".

However, he confirmed the Go Card details could become publicly available during related court proceedings.

Although suspected witnesses tracked down using the Go Card technology were not compelled to give a statement, they could be subpoenaed to attend court and their public transport movements could be disclosed.

"Depending on the type of investigation, eventually the defence would be made aware of the information we've seized if it's relevant to the trial and then you've got the open court and the public process ... so eventually it may fall into the realm where the community would become aware," Superintendent Condon said.

He said police access to Go Card records was not widespread and officers must follow a "strict process" that included satisfying a threshold to receive the information.

"I think it needs to be put into perspective here," Superintendent Condon said.

"The facts are that the community expects the police to carry out the functions of their duties. Part of those functions are to investigate serious crime and to use whatever lawful methodologies are available to us to bring those responsible for those crimes to justice, and that's what we do, and I'm quite sure that the community would support that."

The Go Card tracking device is among a string of new technologies being used in police investigations.

"We are using any technology that we can access lawfully," Superintendent Condon said.

"We live in a world of developing technology and as we progress through that process we have found as investigators, as I no doubt law enforcement agencies across the world have, that the advent in the advancements in technology have greatly assisted agencies globally in carrying out their responsibilities."

90% of web snoop document censored to stop 'premature unnecessary debate'

2010-07-28T01:01:00.001+10:00

Sydney Morning Herald

BEN GRUBB
July 23, 2010

Government censors docs for web plan

From black list to blacked out. Documents on plans to store web surfing data are heavily censored due to the possibility of 'premature and unnecessary debate'.

The federal government has censored approximately 90 per cent of a secret document outlining its controversial plans to snoop on Australians' web surfing, obtained under freedom of information (FoI) laws, out of fear the document could cause "premature unnecessary debate".

The government has been consulting with the internet industry over the proposal, which would require ISPs to store certain internet activities of all Australians - regardless of whether they have been suspected of wrongdoing - for law-enforcement agencies to access.

All parties to the consultations have been sworn to secrecy.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland and part of the censored document.

Industry sources have claimed that the controversial regime could go as far as collecting the individual web browsing history of every Australian internet user, a claim denied by the spokesman for Attorney-General Robert McClelland.

The exact details of the web browsing data the government wants ISPs to collect are contained in the document released to this website under FoI.

The document was handed out to the industry during a secret briefing it held with ISPs in March.

But from the censored document released, it is impossible to know how far the government is planning to take the policy.

The government is hiding the plans from the public and it appears to want to move quickly on industry consultation, asking for participants to respond within only one month after it had held the briefings.

------------------------------------------
See the highly-censored document (PDF, 3.60MB)
See government reasons for censoring it (PDF, 3.23MB)
------------------------------------------

The Attorney-General's Department legal officer, FoI and Privacy Section, Claudia Hernandez, wrote in her decision in releasing the highly-censored document that the release of some sections of it "may lead to premature unnecessary debate and could potentially prejudice and impede government decision making".

Hernandez said that the material in question related to information the department was "currently weighing up and evaluating in relation to competing considerations that may have a bearing on a particular course of action or decision".

"More specifically, it is information concerning the development of government policy which has not been finalised, and there is a strong possibility that the policy will be amended prior to public consultation," she wrote.

Further, she said that although she had acknowledged the public's right to "participate in and influence the processes of government decision making and policy formulation ... the premature release of the proposal could, more than likely, create a confusing and misleading impression".

"In addition, as the matters are not settled and proposed recommendations may not necessarily be adopted, release of such documents would not make a valuable contribution to public debate."

Hernandez went further to say that she considered disclosure of the document uncensored "could be misleading to the public and cause confusion and premature and unnecessary debate".

"In my opinion, the public interest factors in favour of release are outweighed by those against," Hernandez said.

The "data retention regime" the government is proposing to implement is similar to that adopted by the European Union after terrorist attacks several years ago.

Greens Communications spokesman Scott Ludlam said the excuse not to release the proposal in full was "extraordinary". Since finding out about the scheme, he has launched a Senate inquiry into it and other issues.

"The idea that its release could cause 'premature' or 'unnecessary' debate is not going to go down well with the thousands of people who have been alarmed by the direction that government is taking," he said in a telephone interview.

"I would really like to know what the government is hiding in this proposal," he said, adding that he hoped that the Attorney-General's Department would be "more forthcoming" about the proposal in the senate inquiry into privacy he pushed for in June.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, George Brandis, said the government’s decision to censor the documents showed ‘‘how truly Orwellian this government has become".

"To refuse disclosure of material that had already been circulated among stakeholders, on an issue of intense current political debate on the ground that it might provide unnecessary discussion, shows that the Gillard government has become beyond satire," Brandis said.

Online users' lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia spokesman Colin Jacobs said what was released was "a joke".

"We have to assume the worst," he said. "And that is that the government has been badgering the telcos with very aggressive demands that should worry everybody."

Jacobs said that the onus was now on government to "explain what data they need, what problem it solves and, just as importantly, why it can't be done in an open process".

"The more sensitive the process and the data they want, the more transparent the government needs to be about why it wants that data," he said. "Nobody could argue that public consultation ... would somehow help criminals," he added.

"We have to turn the age-old question back on the government: if you don’t have anything to hide, then you shouldn't be worried about people having insight into the consultation.

"This is a very sensitive and important issue. It raises huge questions about privacy, data security and the burden of increased costs to smaller internet service providers. What really needs to be debated is what particular information they want, because that's where the privacy issue rears its ugly head," he said.

According to one internet industry source, the release of the highly censored document was "illustrative of government's approach to things where they don't want people to know what they're thinking in advance of them getting it ready to package for public consumption".

"And that’s worrying."

The Attorney-General's spokesman declined to comment, referring comment to the department. The department said it had "nothing to add" to the FOI letter it provided.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Bids to Takeover Toll Roads in Australia

2010-07-19T13:22:00.004+10:00

Damon Kitney and Rebecca Urban
From: The Australian
July 16, 2010

CANADA'S second-biggest pension manager has made a takeover offer for an Australian toll road operator.

Its $3.5 billion bid for Intoll Group is its second multi-billion-dollar offer in less than a year for an Australian toll road operator.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) yesterday revealed a non-binding cash offer of $1.535 per stapled security for Intoll, which manages interests in the Westlink M7 motorway in Sydney and the 407 ETR in Toronto and is one of the spin-off groups of the former Macquarie Infrastructure Group.

The deal takes to more than $8bn the value of foreign takeover offers for Australian companies so far this month and continues the recent rush of mergers and acquisitions involving local firms.

Intoll chairman Paul McClintock recommended that shareholders take no action and said CPPIB had been given three weeks to conduct non-exclusive due diligence.

But Intoll's shareholders are expected to be receptive to the bid because it is pitched at a 38 per cent premium to Intoll's $1.115 closing price on Wednesday.

While Intoll securities closed 30 per cent higher yesterday at $1.45, analysts said the fact they remained below the bid price indicated investors did not expect a counter-offer.

CPPIB also said the offer price implied an enterprise value for Intoll of $5.1bn, representing a multiple of 29.2 times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation. The 407 ETR in Toronto makes up about 90 per cent of Intoll's asset value.

"We are a purchaser that wants to do this on a friendly basis," CPPIB's senior vice-president, private investments, Andre Bourbonnais, told The Australian.

"We are a very disciplined buyer and this is, in our view, a price that fully values the asset and is a fair price."

Full article here

Taxes squandered on nagging people out of driving cars

2010-07-19T13:15:00.003+10:00

By Dean Herbert
Express

MILLIONS of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been spent on sending council snoopers into people’s homes to hector motorists into giving up their cars.

Under the Scottish Government’s latest initiative to drive cars off the road, tens of thousands have been lectured on their own doorsteps about public transport and climate change.

Four local authorities, Dundee, Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, and Falkirk, have lavished £10million on a string of “insulting” green projects, which included sending officials on door-to-door visits.

In Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, more than £300,000 went on six “personal travel advisers” visiting 5,000 homes advising residents on how to become greener.

Full article here

Did Julia Gillard make a deal with Kevin Rudd?

2010-07-16T13:05:00.001+10:00

Laurie Oakes confronts Julia Gillard over knifing of Kevin Rudd

Journalist Laurie Oakes:

“Is it true that Mr Rudd told you that night that he was working towards an October election because he knew issues like climate change needed to be sorted out?

Is it true that Mr Rudd indicated to you that if closer to the election polling showed he was an impediment to the re-election of the government, and if leading Labor figures such as John Faulkner agreed he was an impediment, that he would then voluntarily stand aside and hand over the leadership to you before the election.

Is it also true that you agreed this offer was sensible and responsible.

(Is it true) when the meeting resumed, you said you’d changed your mind, you’d been informed that he didn’t have the numbers in caucus and you were going to challenge anyway?”

"I have made it very, very clear that I will never be speaking publicly about my discussions with Kevin Rudd on that night," Ms Gillard said.

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

A message to Premier Bligh: The State of Queensland isn't for sale

2010-07-15T14:38:00.003+10:00

Richard Woolcott pushing Kevin Rudd plan

2010-07-15T13:55:00.002+10:00

The Australian

Brad Norington, Washington correspondent
July 15, 2010

THE man Kevin Rudd appointed to lobby for a new Asia-Pacific community is still promoting the project in Washington.

Veteran diplomat Richard Woolcott, appointed by Mr Rudd as his envoy two years ago, said yesterday the former prime minister's idea for a new regional group led by Australia was "still in play, and so it should be".

Mr Woolcott said he hoped the government in power after the election would continue with the plan to establish a forum for 18 leaders in the Asia-Pacific to tackle economic, political and security challenges.

Despite Julia Gillard declaring she did not intend big changes in foreign policy, the new Prime Minister flagged one significant shift by casting doubt on Mr Rudd's push for a new Australia-led regional community including the US, China, Japan and possibly Russia.

"I don't get any indication, from things that have been said, there is going to be that degree of movement in the region," Ms Gillard was quoted as saying.

The APC plan, launched by Mr Rudd in June 2008, could be an enduring legacy of his prime ministership if it succeeded. His idea was for the new body to be running by 2020, potentially superseding the role of APEC, which was championed by another former Labor prime minister, Bob Hawke.

Full article here

Climate Change Used as Excuse For Population Control

2010-07-14T23:28:00.002+10:00

Canadian Free Press

Dr. Tim Ball
July 12, 2010

The major target for the Club of Rome was a population that was improving quality of life, health and the pursuit of happiness. It argued this was achieved by unsustainable exploitation of resources and destruction of nature.

As they explain; “If the present growth trends in world population, industrialization, pollution, food production, and resource depletion continue unchanged, the limit to growth on this planet will be reached sometime within the next one hundred years.”

It’s 40 years on and the predicted end is nowhere in sight despite efforts to amplify, distort and falsify evidence. It is wrong like all other predictions made by members of the Club, especially the population predictions of Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren. In 1971, Ehrlich recommended reducing the US population from its then 205 million because it was unsustainable. Despite this, pursuit of Club goals is more active as members control national and international finances and economies, hold political offices, or work through many private agencies under the guise of saving the planet. It is not a conspiracy, but pursuit of a political philosophy that has failed everywhere and anywhere it was tried.

Gradually They Undermine Economies and Society

The doomsday philosophy believes everything is spiraling out of control and on such a scale that only government can deal with the problems. Obama’s administration, especially those who were members of the Club of Rome clearly pursue this belief. John Holdren, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology was an active member publishing with Ehrlich the frightening 1977 work “Ecoscience: Population, Resources, Environment”. The book proposed total government control. “Perhaps those agencies, combined with UNEP and the United Nations population agencies, might eventually be developed into a Planetary Regime—sort of an international superagency for population, resources, and environment.” “The Planetary Regime might be given responsibility for determining the optimum population for the world and for each region and for arbitrating various countries’ shares within their regional limits. Control of population size might remain the responsibility of each government, but the Regime would have some power to enforce the agreed limits.” (Link)

Full article here

Fractious ISPs may fumble their chance on internet filter

2010-07-14T00:26:00.000+10:00

The Australian

AUSTRALIAN ISPs have an opportunity to see off Labor's mandatory internet censorship laws, but their disunity could let it slip.

For three years, the internet lobby has been fighting a losing battle to stop the laws, which would require them to put filters in place that would, in theory, block illegal internet content. Last week, the federal government delayed the legislation and gave ISPs an opportunity to work within a voluntary filtering scheme adopted by Optus, Telstra and Primus.

However, the voluntary filter scheme rather has fractured the industry than united it, with two major ISPs, Internode and TPG, refusing to co-operate.

Internet Industry Association chief executive Peter Coroneos conceded it had become too difficult to resist pressure for an internet filter scheme and said that ISPs should seize the opportunity to show they could work without legislation.

Full article here

Everything is OK on the Toronto Subway

2010-07-12T11:42:00.001+10:00

CVeitch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBSKmUv6Gfg

Amazongate: At last we reach the source

2010-07-12T00:20:00.003+10:00

Amazongate proven: IPCC based their claim of rainforest sensitivity on a “probably” sentence in a now defunct activist website [Writes Anthony Watts]

There’s been lots of whooping and celebrating by the warmist crowd lately over the retraction by the Sunday Times Jonathan Leake story about Amazongate.

The claim was that the sensitivity to rainfall reduction was based on peer reviewed literature. I’m here to tell you that claim is totally unsupportable, I’ll even go so far as to call the claim “bogus”, it is that bad.

Full article here

[...]

The IPCC's attempts to hide the truth about its exaggerated claims on the deforestation of the Amazon have ended in defeat, says Christopher Booker.

Last week, after six months of evasions, obfuscation, denials and retractions, a story which has preoccupied this column on and off since January came to a startling conclusion. It turns out that one of the most widely publicised statements in the 2007 report of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – a claim on which tens of billions of dollars could hang – was not based on peer-reviewed science, as repeatedly claimed, but originated solely from anonymous propaganda published on the website of a small Brazilian environmental advocacy group.

The ramifications of this discovery stretch in many directions. First, it seems to show that the IPCC – whose reports governments rely on to justify presenting mankind with the largest bill in history – has been in serious breach of its own rules.

Full Article here

PM Gillard's Green Police: mandatory appliance efficiency standards & home audits

2010-07-12T00:03:00.002+10:00

Steve Lewis and Simon Benson
July 09, 2010

Daily Telegraph

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard will nail down the final plank of her election platform by taking a new climate change policy to Cabinet within days. But the policy could be bad news for the family hip pockets, with tighter restrictions expected on energy-sapping appliances like clothes dryers.

As Ms Gillard tries to restore Labor's "green" credentials, families and business owners would be offered energy-saving appliances and incentives to cut power usage. Corporations are also likely to receive financial support to "retro-fit" old buildings with state-of-the-art technology.

With the election likely to be called within just weeks, Ms Gillard is preparing a major policy announcement on climate change by early next week - addressing the third of three key policy problems for the Government after asylum seekers and the mining tax.

It is believed it will include tighter restrictions on energy-sapping household appliances such as clothes dryers, with some even being phased out, as part of a new policy to make Australia a world leader in energy efficiency. Having pushed back an emissions trading scheme to at least 2012, Ms Gillard knows she has to restore the Government's environmental standing with voters.

She is preparing to outline major new initiatives on energy efficiency and to boost renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and tidal in what will be her final pre-election policy statement.

Key measures are being finalised, including plans for a national "energy savings initiative". The mandatory scheme will replace a patchwork of existing State-based schemes by about 2012.

Power companies will go to the homes of customers to give energy efficiency advice, with Ms Gillard pledging to reduce "our carbon footprint as a country" by starting with co-operation between households and energy companies.

But while households will be big winners from the "green" push, well-placed Government sources claim Ms Gillard will also focus on the energy savings to be made across business and in the public sector.

Power companies will be required to meet tough new efficiency standards by conducting audits of their customers and installing improved technology where appropriate.

The plan is designed to provide a so-called "step-change" in national energy usage as a key aspect of the Government's international commitment to greenhouse gas reductions, which was signed at Copenhagen.

Ms Gillard is also expected to announce a rise in energy standards for homes, office buildings and motor vehicles.

The tougher emissions code will also apply to consumer appliances including refrigerators, air-conditioners and clothes dryers. Australia allows a number of appliances that are banned from the more greenhouse-conscious countries such as Europe and Japan.

Charlie Veitch on G20 Arrests

2010-07-10T20:40:00.000+10:00

Corbett Report

Senator Conroy backs down on net filters

2010-07-09T14:48:00.002+10:00

Asher Moses
Sydney Morning Herald
July 9, 2010

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has capitulated to widespread concerns over his internet censorship policy and delayed any mandatory filters until at least next year.

Academics, ISP experts, political opponents, the US government and a broad cross-section of community groups have long argued that the plan to block a secret blacklist of "refused classification" web pages for all Australians was fraught with issues, for example, that blocked RC content could include innocuous material.

Having consistently ignored these concerns, Senator Conroy today announced that implementation of his policy would be delayed until a review of RC classification guidelines could be conducted by state and territory censorship ministers.

This is not expected to begin until at least the middle of next year.

"Some sections of the community have expressed concern about whether the range of material included in the RC category ... correctly reflects current community standards," Senator Conroy said.

"As the government's mandatory ISP filtering policy is underpinned by the strength of our classification system, the legal obligation to commence mandatory ISP filtering will not be imposed until the review is completed."

In the meantime, major ISPs - including Optus, Telstra and iPrimus - have pledged to block child-abuse websites voluntarily. This narrower, voluntary approach has long been advocated by internet experts and brings Australia into line with other countries such as Britain.

"It will be just child porn, and that will be consistent with best practice in Scandinavia and Europe," Peter Coroneos, chief executive of the Internet Industry Association, said.

But the government does not seem to be backing out of the deeply unpopular mandatory filtering policy altogether, as it has today announced a suite of transparency and accountability measures to address concerns about the scheme.

These include:

an annual review of content on the blacklist by an "independent expert".
clear avenues of appeal for people whose sites are blocked.
content will be added to the blacklist by the Classification Board, instead of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
affected parties will have the ability to have decisions reviewed by the Classification Review Board.
people will know when they surf to a blocked page as a notification will appear.

"The public needs to have confidence that the URLs on the list, and the process by which they get there, is independent, rigorous, free from interference or influence and enables content and site owners access to appropriate review mechanisms," Senator Conroy said.

One of Senator Conroy's strongest political critics, Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam, took the move by the government as a sign the critics were winning their battle to have the policy modified.

"A review of the RC is helping; that's a good idea. I think the fact that ISPs are putting their own initiatives forward voluntarily is also helpful," Senator Ludlam said.

"[But] if we're still pursuing mandatory ISP-level filtering then obviously we're not there yet. All we've got today is a useful acknowledgment of some of the flaws in the system and I'm hoping that they take this period to reflect on the overall objectives of the scheme."

Full article here

Tomato price spike fears after sabotage

2010-07-08T19:36:00.000+10:00

The Age

July 8, 2010

TOMATO prices could double or triple in coming months after millions of seedlings were poisoned in an act of mass sabotage in north Queensland.

About 7 million plants, including about 4 million tomato seedlings, have been lost after they were poisoned at a Bowen nursery last month. Other affected crops include capsicum, melons and eggplant.

Bowen Growers Association spokeswoman Denise Kreymborg said the Bowen region was the largest producer of winter vegetables and the poisoning would affect about 30 to 40 growers in the area.

Full article here

Protest grows over Australian web filter plans

2010-07-08T19:35:00.000+10:00

AlJazeeraEnglish

PM Gillard @ Lowy Institute (Australia's Council on Foreign Relations)

2010-07-06T23:12:00.001+10:00

Moving Australia forward

Lowy Institute

At the Lowy Institute today, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Julia Gillard, gave her first major policy speech as prime minister.

Her presentation can be heard here:
Moving Australia forward - MP3 (13MB)

Her speech is also available for download.

Download item (35KB)

War with Iran? - Dr. Paul Craig Roberts on the Corbett Report

2010-07-03T23:20:00.001+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8GzaAyEmSw

Emissions scheme could cost NZ up to $5b

2010-06-30T15:18:00.001+10:00

By John Armstrong

NZ Herald

New Zealand's failure to cut greenhouse gas emissions has left taxpayers staring down the barrel of a Kyoto Protocol liability of at least $1 billion and possibly more than $5 billion, according to a book analysing National's emissions trading system.

The authors of The Carbon Challenge - Victoria University researcher and economist Geoff Bertram and climate-change analyst and researcher Simon Terry - also describe the Government's current ETS as "technically obsolete" and "beyond rescue" as a sustainable framework for tackling climate change.

They say the scheme will not make any inroads into cutting New Zealand's gross emissions levels.

On top of that, the ETS was so unfair in the way it distributed benefits to high emitters with political influence, while placing a regressive quasi-tax burden on households, that there was a risk it could undermine the public's willingness to support a stronger regime in the future.

Full article here

G20 Videos

2010-06-27T22:24:00.005+10:00

Anti-Internet Filter petition read out in Australian Parliament

2010-06-26T19:53:00.006+10:00

Stop the Filter

Internet Filtering

House of Reps; 21st June, 2010: Hansard

To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives:

We, the undersigned citizens draws to the attention of the House the forthcoming legislation to “implement compulsory filtering of the internet by ISP’s” in Australia and we hereby express our condemnation of this forthcoming legislation.

We believe:

• That having all internet users subjected to a secret and unaccountable blacklist is a completely unacceptable act and an infringement on our “Human Rights”

• that Australia already has laws in place preventing the possession of and viewing of child pornography and other criminal material.

• that the filter will not prevent those wishing to obtain such material and furthermore we believe that the millions of dollars that will be spent under this forthcoming legislation would be better spent in funding “The Australian Federal Police’s” efforts to investigate child pornography
rings and therefore prevent crimes against children from happening in the first place.

• That having an opt out blacklist rather than an opt in blacklist will impact many innocent websites and will cause a loss of profit for many businesses. In addition we condemn all efforts by government, corporations and the media that attempt to implement any restrictions on our inalienable human right to the free exchange of speech.

Your petitioners respectfully ask the house to repeal all legislative action concerning implementation of compulsory content filtering of the internet in Australia and strongly uphold
our fundamental human right to the free expression of ideas and opinions.

Presented by official Mrs Irwin MP on behalf of the principal petitioner Melissa Short (from 2,166 citizens)

John Bursill talks 9/11 Truth nationwide on 2DAY FM

2010-06-25T14:46:00.003+10:00

911oz.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILyQiXK7jPY

Media Release - Professor Niels Harritt to Present Evidence that Explosives were Used to Bring Down the WTC Towers on 9/11

2010-06-24T16:53:00.001+10:00

911oz.com
9/11 Truth Sydney
WeAreChange Sydney

Download/print (PDF)

Sydney, Australia, Wednesday 23rd June – 9/11 Truth Australia will host a public lecture by Danish Professor Niels Harrit from the University of Copenhagen, titled “Did Explosives Bring Down the Towers on 9/11?”

Professor Harrit is the lead author of an expert international team that produced a peer reviewed scientific paper published early last year, titled “Active Thermitic Material Discovered in Dust from the 9/11 World Trade Center Catastrophe”. This paper, which has not been reported in this country to date, has remained unchallenged within the scientific literature and can be found online at the Open Chemical Physics Journal, Bentham Open (www.bentham.org).

The evening lecture will be given in two parts, the first being about the little known 47 story WTC building 7, titled “The Seventh Tower: A Mysterious Building Collapse”. The second part, concentrating on the discovery of nano-thermite, is titled “Scientists Discover Explosive Incendiary Nano-thermite in Dust from Ground Zero”. Harrit will be supported by a expert panel during his presentations, including Australians Dr. David Leifer, a senior Architecture lecturer at Sydney University and Dr Frank Legge, a chemist and 9/11 science expert who is co-editor at “the Journal of 9/11 Studies” and was also an author of the “Thermitic Materials” Paper.

Note: A Press Conference will be held at the venue starting at 6:30pm

Date:
7:00pm, Saturday, 17th July 2010.

Venue:
Mitchell Theatre,
Sydney Mechanics School of Arts
280 Pitt Street, Sydney

Full Lecture Details

Website: www.911oz.com
Email: johnbursill@gmail.com
Ph: 1300 153 372 (Free Call)

9/11 Truth Australia are part of the world wide 9/11 Truth Movement who are fighting for justice for the victims and their families of the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001, including ten Australians. We continue to demand a new, independent criminal investigation of these events, as the evidence available clearly demonstrates we have not been told the truth about what happened on that dreadful day. We have no political affiliation and are not financed by any organisation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_tf25lx_3o

The Meaning of "Austerity"

2010-06-22T23:19:00.002+10:00

Corbett Report

http://www.corbettreport.com/

No anti-virus software? No internet connection

2010-06-22T13:12:00.002+10:00

News.com.au

By Andrew Ramadge, Technology Reporter

Radical ideas to fight cyber criminals
'Make anti-virus software mandatory'
More: Technology news and reviews

AUSTRALIANS would be forced to install anti-virus and firewall software on their computers before being allowed to connect to the internet under a new plan to fight cyber crime.

And if their computer did get infected, internet service providers like Telstra and Optus could cut off their connection until the problem was resolved.

Those are two of the recommendations to come from a year-long inquiry into cyber crime by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications.

Results of the inquiry, titled Hackers, Fraudsters and Botnets: Tackling the Problem of Cyber Crime, were released last night in a 260-page report.

In her foreword, committee chair Belinda Neal said cyber crime had turned into a "sophisticated underground economy".

"In the past decade, cyber crime has grown from the nuisance of the cyber smart hacker into an organised transnational crime committed for vast profit and often with devastating consequences for its victims," Ms Neal said.

During its inquiry the committee heard a growing number of Australians were being targeted by cyber criminals and that increasing internet speeds were likely to make the situation worse.

It also heard the problem was costing Australian businesses as much as $649 million a year.

The committee looked at several different examples of cyber crime, including hacking, phishing, malware and botnets.

Among its final 34 recommendations were:

— The creation of an around-the-clock cyber crime helpline.

— Changes to the law to make unauthorised installation of software illegal.

— Companies who release IT products with security vulnerabilities should be open to claims for compensation by consumers.

Full article here

Charlie Veitch on The Corbett Report

2010-06-20T11:17:00.003+10:00

Corbett Report

Charlie Veitch of The Love Police joins The Corbett Report to discuss truth, activism and how to lower fear and raise love at the G20. For more information about Charlie Veitch, please visit his home page:

http://www.cveitch.org/

Australian Government MP criticises Israel, disavowed by fellow MP

2010-06-19T15:55:00.002+10:00

http://mycatbirdseat.com/2010/06/australian-parliament-julia-irwin-mp%E2%80%99s-adjournment-debate-speech-and-minister-craig-emerson%E2%80%99s-reply-16june10/

Editors Note (MyCatbirdseat): Mrs Julia Irwin’s MP adjournment debate speech on 16th June, 2010 in the Australian Parliament and the Government minister Dr Craig Emerson’s shameful disassociation on behalf of the government at the conclusion of the adjournment debate.

If Craig Emerson’s comment reflects the Labor Party’s policy on this matter as Israel and its merciless treatment of the whole nation of Palestine is clearly reprehensible, then sadly the compromised parliamentarians both in Australia and in the US Congress is an indication that Israel has captured and is dictating the foreign policies of both countries and whereas one could once have expected an independent stance on matters of importance from Australia, such as the Middle East, this appears not to be the case.

Julia Irwin says a couple of very cogent and important things;

“But while nations’ leaders fail to act, responsible citizens throughout the world are beginning to take action.”

and

“When governments refuse to act in the name of civilised society to prevent gross abuses of human rights, we as individuals have a duty to act.”

If you wish to send her an email, Julia.Irwin.MP@aph.gov.au

WeAreChangeLA Organizer Faces Terrorist Charge

2010-06-18T00:11:00.001+10:00

http://www.wearechange.org/?p=2150
Your support is needed at wacla.org

WeAreChangeLA’s lead organizer Bruno Bruhwiler is being targeted as
aterrorist threat. It all began when Bruno was sitting in the audience at
a civil hearing for another WACLA member. The Judge literally did not like
Bruno’s involuntary facial expressions, and ordered him out of the
courtroom.

He was detained in the hall after asking to see the officers’ ID cards
before he left the building. They are required according to their own
manual to provide ID upon request, but apparently don’t like to be asked
for it. When the supervising officer ordered Bruno to turn around and put
his hands behind his back, Bruno instantly turned around and put his hands
behind his back with absolutely no resistance.

At first he was supposedly being detained for trespassing (which is a
misdemeanor) but of course, you can’t trespass on public property so then
they dropped trespassing and told him he was being detained for a public
disturbance. About an hour later, when the supervisor actually placed
Bruno under arrest, the original charge was changed to misdemeanor
contempt of court. None of the witnesses present heard the judge mention
anything about contempt when asking him to leave.

Two felony resisting arrest charges were then tacked on, which means Bruno
is charged with physically resisting the officers – twice? – though
witnesses observed that Bruno did not ever resist the officers. The
arresting supervising officer claimed that Bruno threatened to assassinate
him, then the same officer ordered an underling to back up his claim as a
false witness and charged Bruno with making a “terrorist” threat. After
911, legislation was passed making it very easy to charge ordinary
citizens as “terrorists” for almost any reason.

They are calling him a potential cop killer. We are talking about Bruno, a
man who raises money for 9/11 First Responders and the Fealgood
Foundation. He’s also a member of So Cal Oath Keepers and the initiator of
“Talk to a cop Wednesdays,” an outreach effort to befriend and educate law
enforcement throughout Los Angeles. We are talking about a man committed
to non-violent change, peace and social justice. Yes THAT Bruno.

While in custody, at another location for incarceration, Bruno was asked
by an officer if he was the lead organizer of WeAreChangeLA, and the
officer asked with a snide tone if Bruno had a website, with other
officers looking on. Either they did some quick research on him or they
recognized Bruno from some other way, but they knew he was the lead
organizer of WeAreChangeLA. The mention of WeAreChangeLA made it
abundantly clear that Bruno is being targeted for who he is.

This is about all of us. This is about freedom. The struggle for Bruno’s
freedom is a microcosm of what is happening all across the United States.
We cannot allow WeAreChange leaders to be labeled and targeted as
terrorists. It can easily be ascertained that Bruno is being railroaded
through procedures.

Friends of Bruno and the WeAreChange family are literally spending their
life savings fighting in Bruno’s defense. We know this is a total
inconvenience for all of us, but Bruno and WeAreChangeLA are out there in
the streets in a big way every chance they can to help make people aware
of all the lies and injustices that are being used to steal our rights,
our freedoms, and our future, including the biggest lie of them all, the
official story of 9-11. We don’t intend to ever stop reaching out, so
please help us defend liberty and freedom by donating ANY amount you can
spare. It’s easy, just go to wacla.org and click “CHIP-IN” at the top of
the page. Our site has also recently been hacked multiple times but the
“CHIP-IN” is still functional. Luckily we have devoted 9-11 Truth web
experts working diligently to keep the website clean and up and running.
Please step up. This is a very serious, and we need your help! We have
strength in numbers. Let’s make our presence known. Thank you so much and
love to you all.

-Dan-
We Are CHANGE

Battle Rages Over Australia's Internet Filter

2010-06-16T22:57:00.001+10:00

Time

By Marina Kamenev / Sydney Wednesday, Jun. 16, 2010

The concept of government-backed web censorship is usually associated with nations where human rights and freedom of speech are routinely curtailed. But if Canberra's plans for a mandatory Internet filter go ahead, Australia may soon become the first Western democracy to join the ranks of Iran, China and a handful of other nations where access to the Internet is restricted by the state.

Plans for a mandatory Internet filter have been a long-term subject of controversy since they were first announced by Stephen Conroy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, in May 2008 as part of an $106 million "cybersafety plan." The plan's stated purpose is to protect children when they go online by preventing them from stumbling on illegal material like child pornography. To do this, Conroy's Ministry has recommended blacking out about 10,000 websites deemed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to be so offensive that they are categorized as 'RC,' or Refused Classification. (See pictures of Chinese mourning the loss of Google.)

The government won't reveal an official list of the URLs on the current blacklist, but Conroy's office says it includes sites containing child sexual abuse imagery, bestiality, sexual violence, detailed instruction in crime, violence or drug use and/or material that advocates the doing of a terrorist act. "Under Australia's existing [laws] this material is not available in news agencies, it is not on library shelves, you cannot watch it on a DVD or at the cinema and it is not shown on television," Conroy's office e-mailed in a statement. But in March 2009, when a 2,395-site blacklist was leaked to Wikileaks, an online clearinghouse for anonymous submissions, it seemed confusingly broad, containing, among others, the websites of a dentist from Queensland, a pet-care facility in Queensland, and a site belonging to a school cafeteria consultant.

At the time, Conroy told the Sydney Morning Herald that any Australians involved in the leak could face criminal charges. "No one interested in cyber safety would condone the leaking of this list," he said.

The IPCC consensus on climate change was phoney, says IPCC insider

2010-06-16T22:55:00.001+10:00

Lawrence Solomon June 13, 2010 – 8:50 am

Full Comment

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change misled the press and public into believing that thousands of scientists backed its claims on manmade global warming, according to Mike Hulme, a prominent climate scientist and IPCC insider. The actual number of scientists who backed that claim was “only a few dozen experts,” he states in a paper for Progress in Physical Geography, co-authored with student Martin Mahony.

“Claims such as ‘2,500 of the world’s leading scientists have reached a consensus that human activities are having a significant influence on the climate’ are disingenuous,” the paper states unambiguously, adding that they rendered “the IPCC vulnerable to outside criticism.”

Hulme, Professor of Climate Change in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia – the university of Climategate fame — is the founding Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and one of the UK’s most prominent climate scientists. Among his many roles in the climate change establishment, Hulme was the IPCC’s co-ordinating Lead Author for its chapter on ‘Climate scenario development’ for its Third Assessment Report and a contributing author of several other chapters.

Hulme’s depiction of IPCC’s exaggeration of the number of scientists who backed its claim about man-made climate change can be found on pages 10 and 11 of his paper, found here.

Financial Post
LawrenceSolomon@nextcity.com
Lawrence Solomon is executive director of Energy Probe and the author of The Deniers

Queensland police win new powers to fine for public nuisance offences

2010-06-16T13:04:00.002+10:00

News.com.au

New powers for police to fine swearers
Fines could prove major money spinner
Public nuisance prosecutions to soar

THOUSANDS of people could be slapped with fines for offences that would never have attracted police attention in the past under sweeping reforms to police powers.

Experts fear swearing in public, with a fine of $100, will be a major money spinner and could become the weapon of choice for frustrated officers on the beat.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced the new powers for the state's police to issue on-the-spot notices for public nuisance offences.

Ms Bligh said the move would increase efficiency, save time and fast-track more important matters in the courts by stopping minor public nuisance offenders from clogging the justice system.

She said the measures, targeting offences such as public urination, disorderly conduct and abusive language, would save the Government between $18 million and $30 million.

The power to issue on-the-spot fines of between $100 and $300 could result in public nuisance prosecutions soaring 20 per cent, based on figures from a 12-month trial in South Brisbane and Townsville.

Full article here

WeAreChange Brisbane

"The Americans understand the new world order" - Alan Kohler, Inside Business [ABC]

We are now accepting Bitcoins!

10% of Australia's proposed Carbon Tax given to the United Nations

[Documentary] 2Plus2Makes4 by Ryan J.W. Smith

Police empowered to raid net for crime

WeAreChange confronts Dick Cheney Stand Down 9/11

In China, Tentative Steps Toward Global Currency

SILO by Warrick Fraser

Preacher Arrested at the Gold Coast

WeAreChange Chicago - Getting to the Bottom of Anthropogenic Global Warming

The FBI “Kamikaze Pilots” Case

Mark Ruffalo: There are more questions than answers about 9/11 | WeAreChange NY

Assisting Brisbane's flood relief

We've been advised that the relief require qualified volunteers (sandbag depots are constantly full) register your interest here - http://www.emergencyvolunteering.com.au/

Help the State of Queensland, contribute to the flood relief appeal

Donate online

Donate by internet banking

Donate by mail

Donate in person

Mocked Meteorologist Gets Last Laugh

Treasury boss to stand down, "climate change" Dept. Secretary to replace him

Armed 11 year old Girl Defends Home from 3 Burglars

Illegal bailouts and treaty change lead to referendums - Nigel Farage

Greece in revolt

Jody McIntyre - UK anti-tuition fees protest | BBC

An evaluation of airport x-ray backscatter units based on image characteristics

DNA Database Dangers, COP16 Climate Fund, Paul Over Fed - Corbett Report

Police break up Visy workers' strike

Sydney shocked as Blackhawk helicopters storm a building in Rosebery

Police photographs 'a breach of liberties'

Cancun climate change summit: scientists call for rationing in developed world

Don't Touch My Junk Bro! - Interview With John Tyner

Farmers to trial carbon credit scheme

Climategate is Still the Issue | Corbett Report

Police gain new anti-terror search powers

PTech 9/11, Global Warming Meltdown, Crashing Morgan - Sunday Update

Geraldo Rivera Does 9/11 Segment About Building 7

Port of Brisbane sold for $2.1bn

Carbon trading project a world first

Visibility 9-11 Welcomes Australian Union President, Kevin Bracken – A True Working Class Hero!

Union leader Kevin Bracken says September 11 attacks were a conspiracy; Part I, II & III

Plan outlines vision for small cities; pay per-KM

Australia's role in Afghanistan will last another decade at least: PM

Barry Soetoro aka Barack Obama Relentlessly Heckled in Boston by WeAreChange and Others

Food police target organic foods in California!

9/11 Explosions, Human Experimentation, Bankers Break In - Sunday Update

US physics professor: 'Global warming is the greatest and most successful pseudoscientific fraud I have seen in my long life'

Taser death in custody; Perth

No pressure! - The 10/10 project

What is 10:10?

"Killing For Sport" U.S. Troops Charged With Murder For Killing Of Afghans

Douglas Carswell's UK banking reform bill

BHP boss Marius Kloppers: It's time for carbon tax

Was a 'covert operative' planted in alleged Holsworthy Army terror cell

China blacks out towns to meet energy goal

The world on 9/11

WeAreChange Sydney, 911oz statement | 11 September 2010

September 11, 2001 - Building what??

Nigel Farage shows Barroso 'True state of the European Union'

Australian Federal Police pressuring govt on data retention

Network soft target for cyber crooks

Thirsty foreigners soak up scarce water rights

Manifesto of Discovery Channel Gunman: Environmentalist/Eugenicist Who Demanded Halt to Birth Of “Parasitic Human Infants”

Exclusive: Ex-FBI Agent Don Adams Reveals Evidence of Multiple Shooters in JFK Assassination

Gates Foundation Invests In Monsanto

Students told to plan terror attack

Trust the Billionaires, Chemical Attack - Sunday Update

Iran Attack This Week?

Naked Truth, Fluoride Poison, 9/11 Responders Strike Back

Victorians facing soaring bills could have power rationed

UN role confirmed for Rudd

Filter will be “exorcised” if it returns, says Turnbull

Fluoride in Australia

We Are Change San Francisco confronts David de Rothschild on Climategate, sustainability agenda

Classification And Internet Censorship As An Election Issue

Police defend access to Go Card data

90% of web snoop document censored to stop 'premature unnecessary debate'

Sydney Morning HeraldBEN GRUBBJuly 23, 2010

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Bids to Takeover Toll Roads in Australia

Sydney Morning Herald

BEN GRUBB
July 23, 2010

By Dean Herbert
Express