May the Good Lord be with you down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you’re far from home
And may you grow to be proud, dignified, and true
And do unto others as you’d have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you’ll always stay
Forever young (forever young)
Forever young (forever young)
May good fortune be with you, may your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to heaven with a Prince or a vagabond
And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young (forever young)
Forever young (forever young)
Forever young
Forever young
And when you finally fly away, I’ll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime, no one can ever tell
But whatever road you choose
I’m right behind you, win or lose
Forever young (forever young)
Forever young (forever young)
Forever young
Forever young
Forever young
Forever young
Broken heart again
Another lesson learned
Better know your friends
Or else you will get burned
Gotta count on me
Cause I can guarantee
That I’ll be fine
No more pain (no more pain)
No more pain (no more pain)
No drama (no more drama in my life)
No one’s gonna make me hurt again
Why’d I play the fool?
Go through ups and downs
Knowing all the time
You wouldn’t be around
Or maybe I liked the stress
Cause I was young and restless
But that was long ago
I don’t wanna cry no more
No more pain (no more pain, no more pain)
No more game (no more game, messin’ with my mind)
No drama (no more drama in my life)
I don’t ever want to hurt again
Wanna speak my mind, wanna speak my mind
Ooo, it feels so good
When you let go
Of all the drama in your life
Now you’re free from all the pain
Free from all the games
Free from all the stress
To find your happiness
I don’t know
Only God knows where the story ends for me
But I know where the story begins
It’s up to us to choose
Whether we win or lose
And I choose to win
No more pain (no more pain, no more pain…tired of hurtin’)
No more game (tired of you playing games with my mind)
No drama (no more drama in my life)
No more tears (no more tears, no more crying every night)
No more fears (no more waking me up in the morning, with your disturbing phone calls)
Leave me alone, go ahead (no more in my life)
Hey, no more
NO MORE DRAMA (I’m tired of all this drama)
NO MORE DRAMA (go ahead, go ahead)
NO MORE DRAMA (you demons get up out my face, go get out my life)
NO MORE DRAMA (I’m about to lose my mind, Lord help me, help me say)
NO MORE DRAMA (no more drama)
NO MORE DRAMA (Lord help me, peace of mind…)
NO MORE DRAMA (peace of mind, peace of mind)
NO MORE DRAMA
Oh no, oh no
No more, no more, no more drama
No more drama
In my, in my life
I’m so tired (I’m so tired)
So tired, tired of all this drama
Source: Countdown with Keith Olbermann [Commentary by Tim Barello]
Journalist Richard Wolffe, a noted MSNBC political analyst, made an exceptionally underpublicized revelation on 5th January 2010. While discussing the failed plot to down Flight 253 with Olbermann, he says [beginning at 4:12 in the proceeding YouTube clip; bold emphasis added where appropriate]:
I was speaking to White House folks earlier today, and it’s clear the President is still deeply concerned and troubled – even angry – at the intelligence lapses, but they see this more as an intelligence lapse, more than [sic] a situation of airport security faults. So, the question here is, ‘Why didn’t the centralized system of intelligence – that was set up after 9/11 – why didn’t it work?’ Is this conspiracy or cock-up? Is it a case of the agencies having so much rivalry between them that they were more determined to stymie each other or the centralized system, rather than dealing with the terrorist threat, or was it just there was so many dots no one could connect them because it was just all too random to figure out? It seems the President is leaning very much towards thinking that this was a systemic failure by individuals who maybe had an alternative agenda.
What might that ‘alternative agenda’ be, Mr. President, and how does that ‘alternative agenda’ tie-in to previous terror attacks like 9/11? These painful questions must be answered very soon, and [contrary to the flawed intellect of some] the United States government will not be able to solely dictate how this critical dialogue shall commence heretoforth. One suggestion for any affected parties ‘that matter’: TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD!
Veteran Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd said on Wednesday he will not seek re-election in November in recognition that he faced an uphill battle and underscoring upheaval facing President Barack Obama’s Democrats. Dodd, 65, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and leader of a financial regulations overhaul in the Senate, has been dogged by questions over his financial industry connections and was trailing badly in polls in his home state of Connecticut.
[Barello's Take: 'Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye!' But, don't wander off into that good night just yet, big guy; you still have plenty of questions to answer vis-a-vis AIG, Goldman Sachs, et al. How are those investigations treating you, anyway, Christopher? Not so well, I would imagine...]
Morgan Stanley has been sued by a Virgin Islands pension fund that accused the Wall Street bank of defrauding investors by marketing $1.2 billion of risky mortgage-related notes that it expected to fail. The lawsuit filed December 24 in Manhattan federal court said Morgan Stanley collaborated with credit rating agencies Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s to obtain “triple-A” ratings for notes marketed in 2007 as part of a collateralized debt obligation (CDO) known as Libertas.
The complaint alleged Morgan Stanley knew the CDO’s assets were far riskier than the ratings suggested, but was “highly motivated to defraud investors” with pristine ratings because it was simultaneously “shorting” almost all the assets. This was a bet that their value would fall, which they did in 2008.
For more than 60 years, TV stations have broadcast news, sports and entertainment for free and made their money by showing commercials. That might not work much longer. The business model is unraveling at ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox and the local stations that carry the networks’ programming. Cable TV and the Web have fractured the audience for free TV and siphoned its ad dollars. The recession has squeezed advertising further, forcing broadcasters to accelerate their push for new revenue to pay for programming.
In late October 2007, as the financial markets were starting to come unglued, a Goldman Sachs trader, Jonathan M. Egol, received very good news. At 37, he was named a managing director at the firm. Mr. Egol, a Princeton graduate, had risen to prominence inside the bank by creating mortgage-related securities, named Abacus, that were at first intended to protect Goldman from investment losses if the housing market collapsed. As the market soured, Goldman created even more of these securities, enabling it to pocket huge profits. Goldman’s own clients who bought them, however, were less fortunate. Pension funds and insurance companies lost billions of dollars on securities that they believed were solid investments, according to former Goldman employees with direct knowledge of the deals who asked not to be identified because they have confidentiality agreements with the firm.
Copyright (c) 1971 EMI/Parlophone/Apple Records. All rights reserved. [NOTE: Lyrics are reproduced in accordance with Title 17, Section 107 of the US Code - 'for non-profit educational purposes'. This blog is strictly non-commercial and does not receive or collect any revenue.]
So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young
A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas [WAR IS OVER]
For weak and for strong [IF YOU WANT IT]
For rich and the poor ones [WAR IS OVER]
The road is so long [NOW]
And so Happy Christmas [WAR IS OVER]
For black and for white [IF YOU WANT IT]
For yellow and red ones [WAR IS OVER]
Let’s stop all the fight! [NOW]
A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas [WAR IS OVER]
And what have we done? [IF YOU WANT IT]
Another year over [WAR IS OVER]
And a new one just begun [NOW]
And so Happy Christmas [WAR IS OVER]
We hope you have fun [IF YOU WANT IT]
The near and the dear ones [WAR IS OVER]
The old and the young [NOW]
A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
WAR IS OVER
IF YOU WANT IT
WAR IS OVER
NOW
Paul Volcker, the chairman of President Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, stunned a business conference in Sussex yesterday, saying there is “little evidence innovation in financial markets has had a visible effect on the productivities of the economy”. The former US Federal Reserve chairman told an audience that included some of the world’s most senior financiers that their industry’s “single most important” contribution in the last 25 years has been automatic telling machines, which he said had at least proved “useful”.
A mysterious light display appearing over Norway last night has left thousands of residents in the north of the country baffled. Witnesses from Trøndelag to Finnmark compared the amazing sight to anything from a Russian rocket to a meteor or a shock wave – although no one appears to have mentioned UFOs yet. The phenomenon began when what appeared to be a blue light seemed to soar up from behind a mountain. It stopped mid-air, then began to circulate.
The banks are preparing to do with carbon what they’ve done before: design and market derivatives contracts that will help client companies hedge their price risk over the long term. They’re also ready to sell carbon-related financial products to outside investors. [Blythe] Masters [of JP Morgan Chase] says banks must be allowed to lead the way if a mandatory carbon-trading system is going to help save the planet at the lowest possible cost. And derivatives related to carbon must be part of the mix, she says. Derivatives are securities whose value is derived from the value of an underlying commodity — in this case, CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
[Barello's Take: Something tells me this whole scam is about to go down the toilet...hopefully in tandem with a few Wall Street firms.]
Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters nationwide say they’re at least somewhat angry about the current policies of the federal government. That figure includes 46% who are Very Angry. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 27% are not angry about the government’s policies, including 10% who are Not at All Angry.
Copyright (c) 1968 Apple Records/EMI. All rights reserved. [NOTE: Lyrics are reproduced in accordance with Title 17, Section 107 of the US Code - 'for non-profit educational purposes'. This blog is strictly non-commercial and does not receive or collect any revenue.]
You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it’s evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don’t you know that you can count me out
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right?
All right! All right!
You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We’d all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We’re all doing what we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right?
All right!
All right!
You say you’ll change the Constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it’s the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right?
All right!
All right!
Three major banks were sued today by a California public electric utility, the Sacramento Mununcipal Utility District (SMUD), which alleged that the banks coordinated pricing and accepted kickbacks in a scheme to pre-determine the winners of “municipal derivative” auctions.
[Barello's Take: "It's called karma, baby, and it goes around." By the way, you ain't seen nothing yet. "For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap." - Galatians 6:8.]
“Did you know that on Google when your name is searched it says: ‘Results 1 – 10 of about 144,000 for tim barello.’ I read your articles. I get the drift.”
Copyright (c) 2009 Roc Nation/Atlantic. All rights reserved.
In New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York
Italians reacted with outrage on Tuesday after a European court ruled that displaying crucifixes in the country’s schools violated the principle of secular education. Italy’s education minister condemned the judgment by the European Court of Human Rights, saying that the Christian cross was a symbol of the country’s Roman Catholic religion and cultural identity. Mariastella Gelmini, a member of the conservative government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, argued that “no one, and certainly not an ideological European court, will succeed in erasing our identity,” he said. Other ministers said they were appalled by the ruling, calling it “absurd,” “shameful” and “offensive.”
[Barello's Take: Your damn right the Italians are outraged, and that means Roman Catholics around the world are as well. As the model for European Integration shows its true face - i.e. a cynical, pathetic attempt to erase the native cultures of millions, particularly Christians - more people are beginning to realize what this game is all about, and unlike the American society, which is paralyzed by special interest groups and other malicious forces, the Italians will not 'take this'. How dare a foreign, undemocratically anointed court try to dictate what the sovereign nation of Italy may allow within its borders; don't forget, this is all based on the lawsuit of a foreigner who immigrated to Italy and then decided that she had the right to tell the Italians how to live. In other words: Vaffanculo, puttana!]
It is widely believed that voters will re-elect Michael Bloomberg for a third term as mayor of New York City on November 3. Some may find it hard to believe that Bloomberg maintains widespread support among Republicans; as a supporter of same-sex marriage, many would assume the GOP automatically opposes him – and anyone that does is entirely mistaken. With that in mind, I recently caught up with Gregory T. Angelo, Chairman of the Log Cabin Republicans of New York State, which is part of a national organization of Republicans that support fairness, freedom and equality for gay and lesbian Americans.
“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink. In our age there is no such thing as ‘keeping out of politics.’ All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred, and schizophrenia. When the general atmosphere is bad, language must suffer.” – George Orwell, Politics and the English Language, 1946
[Barello's Take: Those exposed as putrid liars and deceivers shall remain as such; therefore, there is no need to engage with anyone that continuously spews out wretched balderdash. For their day will ultimately come, and they will be held to account for all they have done.]
10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with heavenly glory.
11 A faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall live also with him.
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us.
13 If we believe not, he continueth faithful, he can not deny himself.
14 Of these things put them in mind, charging them before the Lord. Contend not in words, for it is to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they grow much towards ungodliness.
17 And their speech spreadeth like a canker: of whom are Hymeneus and Philetus:
18 Who have erred from the truth, saying, that the resurrection is past already, and have subverted the faith of some.
19 But the sure foundation of God standeth firm, having this seal: the Lord knoweth who are his; and let every one depart from iniquity who nameth the name of the Lord.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and earth: and some indeed unto honour, but some unto dishonour.
21 If any man therefore shall cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and profitable to the Lord, prepared unto every good work.
22 But flee thou youthful desires, and pursue justice, faith, charity, and peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 And avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they beget strifes.
24 But the servant of the Lord must not wrangle: but be mild towards all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 With modesty admonishing them that resist the truth: if peradventure God may give them repentance to know the truth,
26 And they may recover themselves from the snares of the devil, by whom they are held captive at his will.
In an effort to make me look stupid, which has failed miserably, the operators of WhatDoesItMean.com have updated their nonsense Sorcha Faal report to include the real owner of Newsday, which is Cablevision. The nonexistent Sorcha Faal originally reported that The Times Mirror Company owned Newsday.
Canadian-born Benjamin Fulford, formerly of Forbes, lives in Japan and has developed quite a presence on the Internet over the past few years; in 2007, he surprised many when he secured an exclusive interview with David Rockefeller, which can be viewed in four parts on YouTube. Over the past few hours and days, Fulford has willfully propagated a hodgepodge of truly viscous lies about Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in addition to other members of the British Royal Family.
For nearly five years, a foolhardy website, WhatDoesItMean.com, has been publishing absurdly outlandish news reports under the authorship of Sorcha Faal, an equally peculiar pen name that is used by one (or more) malevolent writer(s). Yesterday, in the most recent act of perpetuating doom-and-gloom disinformation, the writer(s) behind Sorcha Faal imprudently posted an article on net neutrality that is – as is typical – preposterously misleading, and filled with flat-out lies.
The following 155 current members of Congress can be thanked directly for their support of FSMA; indeed, each of them voted in favor of this act ten years ago. When compared to the amount of de facto kickbacks they have received through 2008 – from the financial industry – we can draw the conclusion that, from the big banks’ point of view, this was money well spent. Readers are urged to contact every Congressperson and Senator listed here (as many times as you feel is necessary) to demand the repeal of FSMA. Kindly remind them that this will influence the outcome of all upcoming elections, particularly in 2010. You should also demand an immediate Congressional inquiry into the reports of Mr. Christopher Story FRSA.
10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
13I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
14That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
17Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
18That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
20O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
21Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
Source: Damien McElroy and Ahmad Vahdat, The Telegraph (UK)
A photograph of the Iranian president holding up his identity card during elections in March 2008 clearly shows his family has Jewish roots. A close-up of the document reveals he was previously known as Sabourjian – a Jewish name meaning cloth weaver.
Alex Jones, the controversial talk radio host and operator of conspiracy websites like Infowars.com and Prisonplanet.com, sparked outrage today by publishing an entirely fabricated Q&A interview between President Barack Obama and Two and a Half Men actor Charlie Sheen. For his part, Sheen appears to be a willing participant in this ploy.
The CIA used credentialed journalists to engage in counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism operations from 2003 to 2005. WMR has learned that two individuals working as subcontractors to the CIA had significant links to Blackwater’s CIA-approved and sanctioned operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran. Both traveled with credentials issued by United Press International (UPI), the wire service owned by News World Communications, owned by South Korean cult leader Reverend Sun Myung Moon.
[Barello's Take: This fantastic piece sheds light on overseas CIA activities; concurrently, the American public needs to learn more about covert, domestic CIA media operations, i.e. those taking place with the assistance of American producers, editors, journalists and writers that are employed by mainstream, alternative, and Internet-based media outlets. Such undertakings are often performed to influence public opinions on a variety of topics; from my vantage, these actions are categorically unethical and immoral, as most consumers of said propaganda do not even realize they are being willfully manipulated. Case in point: financial crisis, anyone?]
In a radical report, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has said the system of currencies and capital rules which binds the world economy is not working properly, and was largely responsible for the financial and economic crises. It added that the present system, under which the dollar acts as the world’s reserve currency, should be subject to a wholesale reconsideration. Although a number of countries, includingChina and Russia, have suggested replacing the dollar as the world’s reserve currency, the UNCTAD reportis the first time a major multinational institution has posited such a suggestion.
[Barello's Take: As of this posting, not even ONE mainstream, corporate US media outlet has dared to touch this story. What's the matter, guys? Does reality not fit into your heavily sanitized version of the day's events? So what will you do: push more utterly useless and contempt celebrity and pseudo-celebrity gossip for the uninformed masses to gobble up? Perhaps this scenario epitomizes exactly why our newspaper industry is decimated beyond repair? Either way, this brilliant expose from the UK, where true reporting still takes place, is a must read for any and all serious observers of the worldwide financial crisis.]
After the mortgage business imploded last year, Wall Street investment banks began searching for another big idea to make money. They think they may have found one. The bankers plan to buy “life settlements,” life insurance policies that ill and elderly people sell for cash — $400,000 for a $1 million policy, say, depending on the life expectancy of the insured person. Then they plan to “securitize” these policies, in Wall Street jargon, by packaging hundreds or thousands together into bonds. They will then resell those bonds to investors, like big pension funds, who will receive the payouts when people with the insurance die.
[Barello's Take: In case you needed further assurance of the types of people we are dealing with, here it is. How do you think the mortgage market ended up where it is today? History is about to repeat itself, however, in this scenario, the fraudulently securitized 'assets' will be derived from life insurance policies. Does the US have any integrity left whatsoever? Sure, many of her citizens are kind, good-hearted, generous, and loving people; unfortunately, our wholly corrupt leadership is destroying the very society that it is alleged to represent. Those who profit from death, whether they park their behinds on Wall Street, Madison Avenue, or in D.C., represent the lowest, darkest, and least enlightened individuals that this earth will ever see.]
I don’t do those one night stands
Shit like that is foul and bland
“Get mad drunk, play with my junk…”
You’re like a skunk, you stupid punk
What’s the deal with sex and lust?
“Dude, this chick has a Double D bust…”
And when it ends, it’s her that’s crying
“Call you soon…” Hell yeah, he’s lying!
I’m not into sex and games
I’m not into naming names
All of that is dark and played
Producing hearts which feel dismayed
Okay, this picture isn’t full
And maybe it’s a little dull
But soon enough, I’ll find my love
To make me feel heaven above
When this journey finally started, three long years ago
My heart was filled with pressure, and my life was just sorrow
Had everything the world could gift to such a smart young man
But underneath all circumstance, emerged a brand new plan
Here am I, today and now; more focused, more determined
Powerful in mind because the Spirit brings resurgence
Deep within my heart I know that nothing else can stop me
Blessings come from all around, when we live life properly
To hearts out there, so lost and down, this goes out to you
For love, success and happiness can easily come through
Understand that it’s your life; you control your destiny
No one else can hold you back, failure is an effigy
Concluding now, but really not, these words will never cease
They’re drawn from inspiration, like Rembrandt’s masterpiece
So dare to fly, across the sky, you’ll soar just as a Boeing
Remember though, it’s what you know, that gets you where you’re going
Ladies and gentlemen, Quentin Tarantino is officially back! The multi-talented director’s latest flick, Inglorious Basterds – starring Brad Pitt – opens in theatres nationwide this Friday. The film is opening to many good reviews, and is expected to fare quite well during its opening weekend at the box office (notwithstanding the obvious appeal of Brad Pitt, of course.)
The American government — which we once called our government — has been taken over by Wall Street, the mega-corporations and the super-rich. They are the ones who decide our fate. It is this group of powerful elites, the people President Franklin D. Roosevelt called “economic royalists,” who choose our elected officials — indeed, our very form of government. Both Democrats and Republicans dance to the tune of their corporate masters. In America, corporations do not control the government. In America, corporations are the government.
[Barello's Take: This is a very well written piece by Larry Flynt. I'm shocked to see such work published over at The Huffington Post.]
HARRY Markopolos — the whistleblower on Bernie Madoff who proved to be much smarter than the SEC — says there are evildoers out there who will make the Ponzi scum “look like small-time.” Markopolos gave a speech to 400 of the faithful at the Greek Orthodox Church in Southampton and predicted major scandals will soon be revealed about the unregulated, $600 trillion, credit-default swap market. “To put it in simple terms, it is like buying fire insurance policies from five different insurance companies on your neighbor’s house and then burning down the house,” he said.
[Barello's Take: Many qualified observers - some labelled conspiracy theorists by the mainstream, others not at all - have been SCREAMING that the entire derivatives market, including credit default swaps, are based purely on fraud and greed. Note, there is a slight factual error in the NY Post article; per the Bank for International Settlements, the $600 trillion figure represents ALL derivatives, not just credit default swaps, which are subsequently 'notionally valued' in the hundreds of trillions as well. Wait until the American public learns all about the process of 'securitization' and how it, quite literally, operates very much like a ponzi-scheme, whereby investors are duped, while the underwriters get rich! If you think the health care debate has been full of fireworks, baby, you ain't seen NOTHING yet.]
After federal border agents detained several Mexican immigrants in western New York in June, an article about the incident in a local newspaper drew an onslaught of vitriolic postings on its Web site. Some were racist. Others attacked farmers in the region, an apple-growing area east of Rochester, accusing them of harboring illegal workers. Still others made personal attacks about the reporter who wrote the article.
Four major banks have repurchased warrants from the Treasury Department since a congressional watchdog reported that the backroom deals where the prices were negotiated were ripping off the taxpayer. In three of the subsequent four transactions, the deals have only gotten worse.
The Congressional Oversight Panel report was based on 11 transactions with small banks and concluded that taxpayers walked away with about 66 percent of what they could have gotten. At a hearing on the warrant repurchase program in the House on Wednesday, Herbert Allison Jr., a senior Treasury official, insisted that the sweet deals the banks got were needed to aid the liquidity of the smaller institutions. The four transactions since then have all been with major institutions. Three of them returned between 54 and 65 percent of what the taxpayer could have gotten on the open market.
[Barello's Take: Keep it up guys, in fact, I implore you to. Your continued actions will spark one of two revolutions: an intellectual one, which would be preferred, or an armed one, which I explicitly say is not in our best interests. Either way, the game is going to end, sooner or later. People are not going to continue sitting idle as their jobs, homes, and futures are destroyed while you mother fuckers laugh it all the way to the bank, quite literally. Never forget: karma is a bitch, and even though you shit heads believe you are the 'Masters of the Universe', you do not even hold one cell of power compared to the ulimate Master of the Universe, who I can assure you is watching, always, and will hand you what you have sewed upon yourselves.]
Pharmaceutical chemicals aren’t on list of substances in water that require public notice
Annual water quality reports mailed to Chicagoans this month didn’t say a word about sex hormones, painkillers or anti-cholesterol drugs, even though city officials found traces of pharmaceuticals and other unregulated substances in treated Lake Michigan water during the past year.
[Barello's Take: As Lou Dobbs would say, "your government at work."]
To view Sean’s original report dated 15 May 2009, follow the above link and scroll down to “Beyond Belief”, where you will find a subsection entitled ‘The Illuminati’. You will be directed to the first video clip, courtesy of FOX News. A follow-up report aired on 2 July 2009, however, that clip is not yet available online.
Barello’s Take: ‘Illuminati’ is an umbrella categorization, used to collectively identify and reference various secret societies; some have existed for many centuries, others have been formed more recently. (NOTE: Illuminati groups may be identified collectively, or individually.) People that are associated with The Illuminati, through fact or fiction, are always portrayed as Master of the Universe types, i.e. powerful leaders of Church, Industry and State; typically global in nature, Illuminati objectives almost always involve international affairs, although they may involve those of an intranational nature, if and when such events are relevant.
Some believe The Vatican is explicitly involved with such organizations – or, more appropriately, ‘orders’ – while others do not; The Knights Templar is one alleged example of purported Illuminati activities. Depending on which version of reality you subscribe to, the Illuminati may encompass the most evil – or the most benevolent – groups of humans this planet has ever known; therefore, The Illuminati exist amidst a never-ending hodgepodge of actual facts, speculation, deliberate disinformation, and of course, tin foil hat conspiracy theories.
Why is this report from Hannity noteworthy then? In the mainstream media, there are certain topics, which, by and large, are simply NOT covered, because they tend to generate major controversies. The movement for a new investigation of the events that occurred on September 11, 2001 is another example, for instance.
For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post is offering lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to “those powerful few” Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and the paper’s own reporters and editors.
The astonishing offer is detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he feels it’s a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its health care reporting and editorial staff.”
Nobel-Prize winning economist Paul Krugman said the nation is on course for a “prolonged jobless” economic recovery unless the Obama administration steps in with a second round of government stimulus money.
“The fact of the matter is that the unemployment rate is much worse than the administration contemplated or that most people expected,” Krugman told ABC News. “So the economy is much weaker than we thought it’d be, meaning, in fact, it could use more stimulus.”
The year is 2020 and the gasoline tax is history. In its place you get a monthly tax bill based on each mile you drove tracked by a Global Positioning System device in your car and uploaded to a billing center.
What once was science fiction is being field-tested by the University of Iowa to iron out the wrinkles should a by-the-mile road tax ever be enacted.
Al Sharpton busted some serious moves at the Apollo Tuesday night during a memorial for Michael Jackson. In addition to dancing with director Spike Lee, Sharpton grinded up on a fan. [TMB - I think I just puked up my breakfast looking at this.]
In my last column, I joked that with public spending out of control and the piling on of the international bailout bill, economic collapse seems to be the goal of Congress. It is getting harder to joke about such a thing however, as the non-partisan General Accounting Office (GAO) has estimated that the administration’s health care plan would actually cost over a trillion dollars. This reality check may have given us a temporary reprieve on this particular disastrous policy, however an equally disastrous energy policy reared its ugly head on Capitol Hill last week.
Bernie Madoff has been sentenced to 150 years in prison, the maximum penalty for his unprecedented investment frauds. The decision was handed down today in New York by US District Judge Denny Chin. Prosecutors had asked for this maximum sentence to be imposed, while his defense requested 12 years. Chin is reported to have said that Madoff’s fraud is “staggering” and spanned over two decades.
In early 2007, I opened up to Martha Irvine, a talented reporter at the Associated Press, for an article that she was writing about materialism and today’s youth; little did I know, her report ended up being syndicated in thousands of mainstream and alternative media outlets around the world, and has since caused much controversy, particularly on the Internet. Today, I’d like to respond to the naysayers out there, and explain my side of the story.
First things first, I am absolutely disgusted to know that a few psychopathic “Christians” have called me everything from a devil worshipper to the anti-Christ himself (seriously). While these statements are beyond ridiculous, they no doubt reflect the enduring ignorance, hypocrisy, and judgmental nature of people that hide behind the Bible.
Here is my response: FUCK YOU (that’s how we talk in New York, bitches)…you people do not know me, nor do you know anything about God, who represents compassion, love, and acceptance for ALL people, regardless of their so-called shortcomings. Instead of throwing stones at everyone else, why don’t you look into the windows of your own glass houses, and take notice of the reflections that you have otherwise failed to perceive thus far?
The bottom line is that I did not agree to share my story for personal, vain reasons; in fact, the only reason I did so was to counteract a predominant notion in my generation, which is that money matters more than anything else. Why do you think the story ended with the following quote? (which, by the way, I gave): “There is so much more to life,” he says, “than materialistic possessions.”
Obviously, I put my head on a chopping block to be brutally honest about my own situation, but I didn’t care at the time (nor do I now), because I knew my story could offer guidance to the millions of young men and women out there that need to realize, perhaps now more than ever, that life isn’t about money and objects, it’s about reaching for the stars, following your dreams, being unique, and most importantly, surrounding yourself with good people that offer true friendship, love, and acceptance.
I am not perfect, and I openly acknowledge that fact every single day; my life has been filled with much turmoil, and my method of coping with that was always to hide behind money and materialism. While I am trying to be a less superficial person, underneath my bullshit, there is an immense amount of love and understanding for all of humanity, and just because I am not entirely ready to showcase that to the entire world, it does not mitigate any such existence whatsoever.
“Give us all the money in the world, and for that, expect nothing in return,” said the bankers to the paupers, whose fate had just been churned. Mothers and fathers tried to warn their children, “be careful whom you trust: wolfs, they dress like shephards, and they’ll lead you to the dust.”
Hold onto your hats, folks, there’s a bumpy ride ahead. The lucky, they’re forgotten, the rest will end up dead. Use your intiutions, it’s all that you’ll have left. God gave them for a reason, survivors must be deft.
It’s about to get ugly…que sera, sera…Heaven help us!
My mind is clear again; some may call this a ‘breakdown’, yet it’s anything but. Take my advice, I know exactly what I’m doing. Do you really think a private corner office with windows overlooking 57th and 3rd was going to make me happy? How about landing clients in the New York Times or Wall Street Journal? Please, that was never me! So I climbed a ladder very quickly and enjoyed all the excess of my greed. “Wow…ain’t he special? Apartment on 34th Street with a balcony over the East River!” What a bunch of bullshit. The only thing that kept me alive over the past year was following my passions, ones that I always shunned for fear of judgment. What a fucking asshole I was, but you live, you learn, and you know what? The knowledge that I possess inside will usher in a new day.
I’ve decided to write a book; one that will reveal the truth about who I am. A broken home, alcohol, drugs, hatred, money, sex, success…and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Give me some time and patience as this project comes to fruition. I won’t let you down. Will I make #1 on the New York Times best seller list? Only time will tell.
To those that manipulate this tragedy and its victims for political and/or personal gains: your day will come, you soul-less pieces of shit…you can lie to your brothers, but you cannot lie to your Lord.
Feel so alive…what can I say…a new day has come! Sometimes our enlightenment comes in the strangest forms imaginable, but hey, such is life. It isn’t always about the means; sometimes its more important to focus on the ends, albeit only if they are positive in nature and beneficial in some way. It really is possible to have a personal revolution each and every day. We can learn such amazing things when we open our eyes to reality. But what is reality? Is it what you see when you turn on TV? Certainly not. “All the world is a stage…” Truth may bring some disillusion, but hope energizes and reiterates our understanding of what life is all about. Does your job make you happy? Do your possessions really matter at the end of the day? Not exactly, huh? But the ones you love and need do in many ways, don’t they? Love comes in many, many forms…animals are gifts from God that many find unparelleled joy in, and for others it is children. Regardless, we are all individuals and need to embrace this fact! The “mass society” that our civilization has been based on for far too long is slowly evolving into one where people understand differences, promote diversity and accept others for who they are. We face many challenges ahead, but as a leader of the Millenials, I accept them and all the difficulties they carry. I am not afraid to stand up for what’s right in the world. That’s right the WORLD. We all need to understand that world events are important…the notion that if something isn’t happening to, or in front of you, it doesn’t matter, is plain out bullshit. Think about it. On a human level, you cannot exist knowing others are suffering without feeling some sort of regret. It’s what you do with that regret to instill change, for the better, that matters at the end of the day. Spiritual enlightenment will facilitate “survival of the fittest” in the years ahead. We face many unprecedented conditions, some that are based on years and centuries of beliefs, however, they are certainly materializing today in ways like never before. War can be stopped…the light always defeats the dark…but the lessons learned cannot be forgotten. Mankind is inherently imperfect; it’s a pre-condition for our existance. Our flesh is meant to be a hindrance. We are incapable of succombing to temptations at times, but this is a necessary burden we are all faced with. Rather than avoiding this fact, I suggest you learn to embrace it, because then you can truly understand why you are here on Earth and gain insight on your role. Each of us has an underlying purpose and role, however big or small it may be, the fact of the matter is it is still important. Find out who you are and go with it! Not the selfish you…the good you, the one that is selfless and truly giving to others. The one that would give every dollar away to make another person happy. When you find that person, you not only find yourself, you find heaven and all the rewards that are inherent therein.
CONGRATULATIONS to all those who graduate this year! You have made an unbelievable commitment to your future and the future of our world. As you make your way, do not be overwhelmed by the inherent difficulties of life; instead, live up to the challenges that lie ahead, as you have in the past, and ensure a brighter tomorrow…one that begins today.
To all my friends who enter the “real world” as of today…I LOVE YOU ALL…and am so very proud of each and every one of you. I look forward to seeing all the greatness that lies ahead.
(AP) Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich filed articles of impeachment Tuesday against Vice President Dick Cheney, saying his action is driven by a desire to defend Americans’ right “to have a government that is honest and peaceful.”
The Ohio congressman said Cheney manipulated and fabricated intelligence on weapons of mass destruction to justify the Iraq war.
Kucinich earlier had called off his planned filing because Cheney was taken to a doctor for tests on a blood clot in his leg. He went ahead after Cheney criticized Democrats for pushing ahead with anti-war legislation in Congress.
Kucinich said it was important to introduce the legislation, “because the threat of war against Iran is very real.”
“This vice president cannot be permitted to continue to violate both the U.S. Constitution and the U.N. Charter,” he said.
House speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi has said impeachment is off the table.
Just in case you forgot why our generation is being put on the line for a “War Without End”…
Enjoy it now you sons of bitches. Just because we can’t do anything, doesn’t mean God can’t. You’re just as accountable for your actions as we are. Remember that!
Exxon Mobil 1Q profit rises
By JOHN PORRETTO, AP Business Writer
Oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp. kicked off 2007 with a 10 percent rise in profits, its best-ever first quarter, as higher margins on refining and chemical operations offset lower prices for crude oil and natural gas.
Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, said Thursday it earned $9.3 billion in the January-March period, beating Wall Street expectations, even as revenue slipped and fell well short of analysts’ forecasts.
The Irving, Texas-based company was the third major oil company to report earnings in as many days. BP PLC, Europe’s second-largest oil company, on Tuesday reported a 17 percent drop in first-quarter earnings on lower oil prices and declining production. On Wednesday, ConocoPhillips said its first-quarter profit rose 7.7 percent as a result of asset sales that offset lower year-over-year commodity prices.
Enough is enough…someone deal with our corrupt ass government…NOW! Even if this is twisted, we are losing the “PR war” with flying colors! Look at the messages being dissemenated to the rest of the world…we are no longer the good guys, and haven’t been for quite some time now.
The Citizens of America…who you fucking politicians represent…do not support torturing individuals for information…why is this happening? You are making the rest of the world hate us, which in turn makes us more vulnerable to terrorism.
Looks like the “War on Terror” needs to start at home!
Iran TV shows images of diplomat By NASSER KARIMI, Associated Press Writer
Iranian state television showed hospital images Wednesday of the Iranian diplomat who has accused the CIA of torturing him during his detention in Iraq. State TV also reported that the Iraqi ambassador to Iran and an official from the International Committee of the Red Cross visited Jalal Sharafi in the hospital Wednesday. Sharafi was shown in a hospital bed with injuries to his right foot, while Iraqi ambassador Majid Sheikh and Peter G. Stocker from the ICRC examined him.
During the examination, the voice of a doctor could be heard describing how Sharafi had been beaten by a cable during his detention. Claims of torture have not been independently verified. Following his visit, Stocker confirmed to The Associated Press that he saw wounds on Sharafi’s body that “were several weeks old,” but said he did not know how the injuries occurred.
“I cannot say who did it and where it happened,” he said. “I can only say that it happened during his detention.”
Earlier in the week, Sharafi’s doctors reported that holes had been drilled into his foot, but the TV images were not clear enough to indicate whether the small, red marks on his foot were indeed holes. Doctors also reported earlier that he had suffered a broken nose, serious injuries to his back, bleeding in his digestive system, and damage to his ears. None of these injuries has been independently verified, nor were they discernible from the TV footage.
A spokeswoman for the ICRC in Tehran, Katayoun Hosseinnejad, confirmed the visit took place and said it was initiated by the Iranians. Stocker was not immediately available for comment, and Hosseinnejad said she could not comment on whether Sharafi’s injuries indicated torture. Sharafi was released from Iraq last week and later reported that the CIA had questioned him about Iran’s relations with Iraq and assistance to various Iraqi groups during his detention. U.S. officials allege that Iran provides money and weapons to Iraqi Shiite militias; Iran denies the charges.
At the time of his disappearance, Iran alleged Sharafi had been abducted by an Iraqi military unit commanded by American forces — a charge repeated by several Iraqi Shiite lawmakers. U.S. authorities have denied any role in his disappearance.
