Law Professors Cast Doubt on ACTA's Constitutionality - State Department Confirms No ACTA Pre-Review

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Gwen Hinze
EFF

Fifty leading U.S. legal scholars cast fresh doubt on the constitutionality of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement in an open letter to the Senate Finance Committee today. (Press Release). At issue is whether the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) had authority to enter into the controversial IP enforcement agreement on behalf of the United States when the Deputy U.S. Trade Ambassador signed ACTA in October 2011.

The law professors say no, and call on the Senators to “exercise your constitutional responsibility to ensure that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is submitted to the Senate for approval as an Article II treaty, or to the Congress as an ex-post Congressional-Executive Agreement.”

We, too, have wondered about the USTR’s authority to enter into this agreement. That’s why we made a request under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act to the State Department in February for key documents that set out the State Department’s analysis of the constitutional basis for ACTA – the “Circular 175” memorandum, and the accompanying Memorandum of Law.

Is Greece the First Domino Toward Widespread Banking Panic and Currency Controls?

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Michael Snyder, Contributor
Activist Post

Money is being pulled out of Greek banks at an alarming rate, and if something dramatic is not done quickly Greek banks are going to start dropping like flies. As I detailed yesterday, people do not want to be stuck with euros in Greek banks when Greece leaves the euro and converts back to the drachma. 

The fear is that all existing euros in Greek banks would be converted over to drachmas which would then rapidly lose value after the transition. So right now euros are being pulled out of Greek banks at a staggering pace. According to MSNBC, Greeks withdrew $894 million from Greek banks on Monday alone and a similar amount was withdrawn on Tuesday. But this is just an acceleration of a trend that has been going on for a couple of years. It has been reported that approximately a third of all Greek bank deposits were withdrawn between January 2010 and March 2012.

So where has all of the cash for these withdrawals been coming from? Well, the European Central Bank has been providing liquidity for Greek banks, but on Tuesday it was reported that the ECB is going to stop providing liquidity to some Greek banks. It was not announced which Greek banks are being cut off. For now, the Greek Central Bank will continue to provide euros to those banks, but the Greek Central Bank will not be able to funnel euros into insolvent banks indefinitely. This is a major move by the European Central Bank, and it is going to shake confidence in the Greek banking system even more.

How The U.S. Dollar Will Be Replaced

Brandon Smith, Contributor
Activist Post

After being immersed in the world of alternative economic analysis for several years, it sometimes becomes easy to forget that most people do not track forex markets, or debt to GDP ratio, or true unemployment, or hunch over IMF white-papers highlighting subsections which expose the trappings of the globalist ideology. Sometimes, you just assume the average person knows what the heck you are talking about. This is, of course, a mistake. However, it is a mistake that is borne from the inadequacy of our age and our culture, and is not necessarily a product of weak character, either of the analyst, or the casual reader.

The great frustration of being actively involved in the Liberty Movement is the fact that many people are rarely on the same page (or even the same book) during political and economic discussion. Where we see the nature of the false left/right paradigm, they see “free democracy”. Where we see a tidal wave of destructive debt, they see a “responsible government” printing and spending in order to protect our “best interests”. Where we see totalitarianism, they see “safety”. Where we see dollar devaluation, they see dollar strength and longevity. Ultimately, because the average unaware citizen is stricken by the disease of normalcy bias and living within the doldrums of a statistical fantasy world, they simply have no point of reference by which to grasp the truth when exposed to it. It’s like trying to explain the concept of ‘color’ to a man who has been blind since birth.

What is the Average American Diet? – Infographic

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Mike Barrett
Activist Post

Unfortunately, Americans have some of the worst diets in the world, and everyone else knows it.

With the average American consuming 24 lbs of artificial sweeteners, 29 lbs of french fries, and over 600 lbs of dairy per year, the average American is in a state of crisis. The average American diet is heavily responsible for the escalating obesity rates and is ultimately contributing to the development of illness and diseases.

According to the below infographic, the average American consumes about 1 gallon of soda per week, which equates to more than 18 fluid ounces, or 1.5 sodas per day. These sodas are loaded with sugar, with a 12oz can containing 35-45 grams – an amount that exceeds the recommended daily intake of 15 grams. What’s more, these sugars are typically in the form of high-fructose corn syrup; one of the cheapest, and most health-hazardous forms of sugar that can be used.

Another concerning number in the average American diet is the amount of artificial sweeteners consumed.

JPMorgan Shareholders File Suit Against Dimon in NY Federal Court

Susanne Posel, Contributor
Activist Post

Jamie Dimon has come out publicly to downplay the severity of his bank’s recent $2 billion loss.

The Central Investment Unit (CIU) utilized a different value risk calculation (VaR), which gave them greater leniency in the assessment of their trades. The purpose of the CIU was to covertly set up risky positions within the firm.

This CIU reported to Dimon directly and were given special privilege and separate risk management during their trades. The inception of this distinctive CIU goes back to 2005.

Because of the pressure and publicity of this incident, as well as the flippant demeanor of Dimon, the shareholders of JPMorgan Chase & co. have filed suit against Dimon in a New York Federal Court. They cite the $2 billion loss as the purpose of their legal action.

19 Things That All High School Students Should Be Told Before They Go To College

Michael Snyder, Contributor
Activist Post

Don't you wish that someone had told you the truth before you went to college? Don't you wish that someone had told you that college has become a giant money-making scam that is designed to drain as much money out of students and parents as possible?

Yes, college can be a profitable endeavor if you pick your field of study wisely, if you can get someone else to pay for at least some of it, and if you can actually get a good job in that field when you graduate. But most high school students are never told to weigh the pros and the cons before they run off to college. The typical high school student is simply told to get into the "best school" that he or she can and to take out whatever loans are "necessary" to pay for that education. Our high school students are assured that those student loans will be paid back easily once they get "good jobs" following graduation.

But the truth is that there are some other things that high school students should be told before they go off to college as well. They should be told that student loan debt can cripple them financially for decades. They should be told that the quality of education at most U.S. colleges and universities is a total joke. They should be told that most college graduates do not get a "good job" once they graduate these days. They should be told that after they receive their diplomas they are likely to end up flat broke, waiting tables and living with their parents.

If we would just be honest with our high school students ahead of time, it would save many of them a whole lot of pain later.

Leading Antibiotic Linked to Sudden Death

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

Following the news that drugs like Tylenol can actually lead to death when taken correctly in low dose form, new information has found that one of the most widely used antibiotics also has a very concerning death link. The pharmaceutical, known as azithromycin, has been linked to an increased likelihood of sudden death in adults — especially those with heart disease or a high risk for the condition.

Of course heart disease is rampant among the population, meaning that a large percentage of individuals therefore have an increased risk of sudden death when taking this popular drug to treat infection. While the odds of sudden death affecting the patient are not very high, the findings led researchers to urge doctors to reconsider prescribing the drug.

Pathway to Complete Cannabis Legalizaion

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Occupy Bilderberg 2012

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Welcome to Life After The Singularity ... Ruined by Legislation (Satire)

Activist Post

What will "life" be like after The Singularity is reached and the human mind can be uploaded to the Internet within a framework dominated by new copyright laws and cybersecurity measures? This video presents a humorous look at the consequences. Although, as we face legislation like CISPA, which effectively will merge all of the draconian elements of the War on Piracy seen in SOPA and PIPA with the power of the Pentagon and NSA to conduct surveillance and wage the War on Terror over the Internet, any laughter is likely to take on a nervous tone.



H/T - Singularity Hub

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Not in My Backyard: Neocons Worried About Drones?

Nicholas West
Activist Post

After Congress decided to formerly welcome drones to America, the FAA has announced that it will begin to integrate drones into American skies. Corporate media is finally beginning to address the unprecedented dangers of bringing drone tech into America.

In the first video, arch Neocon Charles Krauthammer espouses decidedly Libertarian concerns.  He even invokes the Founding Fathers' warning about having standing armies on American soil. Compare his comments with those of a constitutionalist like Judge Andrew Napolitano in the second video. The two make a point of agreeing that the first American who shoots a drone out of the sky will become a hero. We know that DHS has turned its focus from Al Qaeda to homegrown extremists, and would probably relish such an act of "domestic terror." Is this a clever way for Neocons to incite a situation where the wider use of drones would become acceptable under an Executive Order issued during a "time of rebellion" as Napolitano alludes to?  Or is this genuine concern that their militarism is spiraling out of control?  Or something else entirely? Please leave your comments below.

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US Officially Arming Extremists in Syria

Denied no longer, US officials admit US-Saudi cash & logistical support arming terrorists in Syria.

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Tony Cartalucci, Contributor
Activist Post

Recently reported in "Brookings Announces Next Move in Syria: War," it was stated that "by the US policy think-tank Brookings Institution's own admission, the Kofi Annan six-point peace plan in Syria was merely a ploy to buy time to reorganize NATO's ineffective terrorist proxies and provide them the pretext necessary for establishing NATO protected safe havens from which to carry out their terrorism from." It was also examined in detail, how in 2007, US, Saudi, and Israeli officials admitted they were creating a militant front of extremists for the sole purpose of causing the destabilization of Syria we see today, and ultimately overthrowing the Syrian government.

It was noted how these extremist militants had direct ties to Al Qaeda.

Now it is fully admitted that weapons, cash, and logistical support is indeed being provided to terrorist forces in Syria by the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other Gulf States. This, despite a current UN ceasefire the West has continuously berated the Syrian government for violating, indicates that indeed reorganizing, rearming, and redeploying NATO's terrorist proxies is complete, and another round of destructive violence has begun.

Former President Bush and Administration Guilty of War Crimes

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Susanne Posel, Contributor
Activist Post

Last week, in a trial held in Kuala Lumpur, former US President George W. Bush and several of his key administration members were convicted of war crimes.

The tribunal was led by retired Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. After the guilty verdict reached by five senior judges was delivered, Mahathir Mohamad said: “Powerful countries are getting away with murder.”

After a week filled with testimony, personal statements and deliberations, the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission, a five-person panel announced their guilty verdict. This verdict will be filed with the Commission’s Register of War Criminals to be made public record.

Among George W. Bush were named:

• Dick Cheney, former Vice President
• Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense
• Legal advisors: Alberto Gonzales, David Addington, William Haynes, Jay Bybee and John Yoo

World's Prison Capital is Also #1 in For-Profit Prisons

Joe Wright
Activist Post

The world's prison capital is not the United States, per capita, although it leads the world for its overall prison population. One state far outdoes America itself and incarcerates nearly double the national average.

First among Americans means first in the world. Louisiana's incarceration rate is nearly triple Iran's, seven times China's and 10 times Germany's. (Source)

The U.S. prison business has become the essence of predatory corporatism: it privatizes profits and socializes losses. This combination has led to a situation where correctional facilities have very little incentive to correct the behavior of those who reside within their walls, but every incentive to ensure that new bodies arrive as fast as possible, and keep them in a state of indentured servitude.

Naturally, this is exactly what is happening in Louisiana, as the vast majority of inmates are not housed in state-run prisons, but in those owned by private corporations. The social fallout has been profound.

Money Center Banks and Stricter Financial Oversight

James Hall, Contributor
Activist Post

Once again, the practices of the "Too Big to Fail" banksters bring the financial money machine to the brink. The J.P. Morgan derivative losses and trading gambles by their "London Whale" demonstrates business as usual in the murky world of risk distortion. Even the vexing progressive Robert Reich makes an accurate assessment for breaking up the big banks and the resurrecting of Glass-Steagall.

Word on the Street is that J.P. Morgan’s exposure is so large that it can’t dump these bad bets without affecting the market and losing even more money. And given its mammoth size and interlinked connections with every other financial institution, anything that shakes J.P. Morgan is likely to rock the rest of the Street. 

Since then, J.P. Morgan’s lobbyists and lawyers have done everything in their power to eviscerate the Volcker rule — creating exceptions, exemptions, and loopholes that effectively allow any big bank to go on doing most of the derivative trading it was doing before the near-meltdown.

Dispatches From a Dissident -- Articles From the Infowar

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Activist Post writer, Brandon Turbeville, has just released his fourth book: Dispatches From a Dissident: Articles From the Infowar, Vol. 1.

Brandon is known for his detailed research in the area of Codex Alimentarius, which was the subject of his first book. His second book, 7 Real Conspiracies presented the documented facts about the overall global agenda of control. In Five Sense Solutions he outlined practical, real-world strategies for maintaining personal freedom and for restoring the Republic.

Now Brandon has issued a collection of more than 50 articles spanning from 2002 to mid-2011, which offers a key insight into the evolution of both a writer and an activist.

The collection begins with Turbeville's very first published article speaking out against the USA PATRIOT Act, and continues to his more recent work published with alternative media outlets such Infowars and Activist Post.

This collection contains a wide range of concepts dealing with the financial collapse, healthcare, war, natural health, world government, civil liberties, and many other topics. Turbeville's work is supported by his trademark heavy research and citation while always keeping the big picture in clear view.

It has been said before that the majority of modern warfare is fought with information. This new book is a collection of dispatches from that war. Articles From the Infowar contains 395 pages of concise documentation and analysis, which makes it the perfect tool to help wake-up friends and family, as well as your local leaders and politicians.  It also serves as a reminder to those who are "awake" of how fast the full-spectrum control grid has advanced, and how important it is that we work even harder to oppose all that it represents.

It has never been truer that all it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing. We are convinced that those with good intentions will be moved to action by Dispatches From a Dissident.

BUY Dispatches From a Dissident HERE ($19.95)

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DNA Goes Digital with New Biometric Tracking App

image credit: Digital DNA from Applied DNA Sciences

Brandon Turbeville
Activist Post

If you needed one more example of how DNA will soon cease to exist as a private piece of information, you need look no further than the latest product launch by Applied DNA Sciences.

On May 10, the company announced that it is releasing a new QR (Quick Read) Code secured by nothing other than DNA. Without a doubt, this new product launch is yet another step toward the ultimate collection, databasing, and use of DNA by governments and corporations on a universal basis.

One quick note for those who are unaware of what a QR code is. QR codes are inked, coded diagrams that are recognizable by electronic scanners, often serving the same purpose as a barcode. These codes can be found on a wide variety of product packaging including the shipping labels used by companies like UPS. In addition, QR Codes are sometimes used as a part of smartphone apps which require the user to scan a barcode.

If Applied DNA Sciences has anything to say about it, however, QR Codes will become much more than mere ink blots on paper. Indeed, instead of containing basic inventory or app-related information as they have in the past, QR Codes will also contain strands of botanical DNA, a possible precursor to a more invasive and “secure” method of identification, tracking, and tracing in the not so distant future.

Update on Negotiations With Israel Over Palestinian Prisoner Hunger Strike

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Stephen Lendman, Contributor
Activist Post

As they say, it's not over 'till it's over. Palestinian prisoners have been mass hunger striking since April 17. Others began earlier. Some haven't eaten for two months or longer.

On May 14, a deal was announced. Egypt negotiated one with the Israel Prison Service (IPS) and striker representatives. Palestine Prisoners Society head Qadura Fares confirmed it. So did Israeli authorities.

Independent verification didn't follow. Nor did full clarification of terms. Israel's adept at creating considerable opt-out wiggle room. Deals aren't always as they seem. Broken ones reveal charades.

Israel offered concessions. Prisoners agreed to terms. Some remain vague. The devil's in the details. What's ahead remains uncertain. Israel's history reflects promises made and broken. Palestinians know well.

For decades, peace process hypocrisy betrayed them. Oslo was a Palestinian Versailles. Subsequent deals were one-way. Israel alone benefitted. Expecting hunger strikers to fare better is problematic.

New report: San Onofre nuclear plant failures could have been prevented, larger disasters could still occur

Madison Ruppert, Contributor
Activist Post

A new report from Fairewinds Associates, commissioned by the Friends of the Earth (FOE) and written by Arnie Gundersen, MSNE, reveals that the problems at the San Onofre nuclear power plant – the same facility which had an Augmented Inspection Team assigned to it by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after failing a test – could have been prevented and the current “solutions” are, in fact, non-solutions.

According to the report, Southern California Edison made an end-run around federal regulatory guidelines when they replaced the defective steam generators at the San Onofre nuclear power plant.

This move is referred to as a “costly mistake that can’t be fixed by plugging the tubes that carry radioactive steam or by operating the plant at reduced power.”

Unfortunately, that’s exactly the solution that they think will work, as Southern California Edison is expected to propose the non-solution of running the reactors at 50% and 80% power.

The Bank Runs In Greece Will Soon Be Followed By Bank Runs In Other European Nations

Michael Snyder, Contributor
Activist Post

The bank runs that we are watching right now in Greece are shocking, but they are only just the beginning. Since May 6th, nearly one billion dollars has been withdrawn from Greek banks. For a small nation like Greece, that is an absolutely catastrophic number. At this point, the entire Greek banking system is in danger of collapsing.

If you had money in a Greek bank, why wouldn't you pull it out? If Greece leaves the euro, all euros in Greek banks will likely be converted to drachmas, and the value of those drachmas will almost certainly decline dramatically. In fact, it has been estimated that Greek citizens could see the value of their bank accounts decline by up to 50 percent if Greece leaves the euro. So if you had money in a Greek bank, it would only make sense to withdraw it and move it to another country as quickly as possible. And as the eurozone begins to unravel, this is a scenario that we are going to see play out in country after country. 

As member nations leave the eurozone, you would be a fool to have your euros in Italian banks or Spanish banks when you could have them in German banks instead. So the bank runs that are happening in Greece right now are only a preview of things to come. Before this crisis is over we are going to see bank runs happening all over Europe.

This Week in Internet Censorship: India, Iran, Brazil, Russia, and More

Eva Galperin
EFF

Iran Continues March Towards “Halal Internet”

This past weekend, Iran’s minister of telecommunications announced that domestic institutions including banks, telecom companies, insurance firms, and universities are now prohibited from dealing with emails that do not come from an “.ir” domain name.

This means that customers who use foreign email clients such as Gmail, Yahoo!, and Hotmail will have to switch to domestic Iranian accounts, which are subject to Iranian legal jurisdiction.

While the announcement suggests that the use of foreign email clients leaves Iranian data vulnerable security breaches, the forced move to domestic email services makes it easier for the government to monitor its own citizens. The Telecommunications Ministry that “that the crackdown is an attempt to ensure confidential information is safe” from foreign email providers who allegedly collect user data, making them insecure for Iranian institutional use.

The foreign email ban is the latest development in what is widely thought to be a transition towards a “Halal” Iranian Internet. The Iranian Telecommunications Ministry has denied “shutting off the Internet” for its residents, but what differentiates this email limitation from previous ones such as the restriction on secure (HTTPS) traffic is its overt nature.

The Elite Believe That You Are Ruining Their Planet And They Want You To Stop Reproducing

Michael Snyder, Contributor
Activist Post

Today, there are more than 7 billion people living on earth. For the global elite, that is problem number one. The vast majority of us don't spend much time thinking about global population issues, but for many among the elite it is an absolute obsession. Many of them truly believe that you are ruining their planet and they desperately want you to stop reproducing so much.

Among the elite, the belief that the world is grossly overpopulated and that this is causing most of our major global problems crosses all political, cultural and social boundaries. This philosophy is taught as gospel at the vast majority of all colleges and universities on the planet, and it is being relentlessly pushed by the United Nations, the WHO, the World Bank and national governments all over the globe.

When most people think of "overpopulation", they think of places such as India, but the truth is that those of us living in America are considered to be the worst offenders because our lifestyles are "polluting" the planet so rapidly. In fact, one scientist recently estimated that a child born in the United States has a "carbon legacy" 55 times greater than a child born in India. The elite are convinced that if they can reduce the global population far enough and get the remaining people living on earth to switch over to "sustainable lifestyles" that they will be able to save "their" planet. But the draconian measures that would be necessary to achieve this dystopian dream would not be very palatable to the vast majority of us. In fact, if the most radical population control advocates get their way, we will experience global tyranny on a scale never seen before.

Guatemala - An American Genocide

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Living in a Banksters’ Paradise – Part 2 of 2

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Paul Adams, J.D.
Activist Post

In part one of this research, we documented that fact that banksters have conquered the world by obtaining a monopoly on creating money from nothing and loaning it at interest.

The IRS and Federal Reserve

Like the Federal Reserve, the IRS was created in 1913. The purpose of the IRS is to enslave citizens by stealing the value of their labor through collecting income taxes.

Tax Freedom Day 2012 arrives on April 17 this year, four days later than last year due to higher federal income and corporate tax collections. That means Americans will work 107 days into the year, from January 1 to April 17, to earn enough money to pay this year’s combined 29.2% federal, state, and local tax bill.  (Source)

That shows, on average, that the IRS and other tax collectors steal 3.5 months of each Americans’ labor time each year, or one-third of earned income. Of course, many Americans pay much higher tax rates, with a top individual Federal tax bracket of 35%.

The private Federal Reserve is one of largest holders of U.S. government debt, owning approximately $1.65 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities. Much of the collected federal income taxes go towards paying interest on the national debt to the Fed for money that it created out of nothing and loaned to the government at interest. This unfortunate reality has been verified by G. Edward Griffin, Joe Plummer, IRS whistleblower, Joe Banister, and many others.

Beware of Global Strategies of Tension

Balancing power with an informed, active, pragmatic citizenry is key to thwarting neo-imperialism in all its forms. 

Tony Cartalucci, Contributor
Activist Post

As the financial oligarchs of the West push forward in their year-long global geopolitical reordering of North Africa, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia, the globe is being divided into two primary camps. Those behind the West, or the "Washington-London consensus," and those behind what might be described as a combination of the BRICS nations and the Shanghai Cooperative Organisation (SCO). Ideally, what the countervailing forces against the West claim to represent is a multipolar world order built upon mutual benefit and solidarity, preserving the traditional concept of the nation-state rather than one of neo-imperial domination and supranational-consolidation under a one-world financier oligarchy.

However, the people of the world in general must recognize corruption, monopolies, and imperialism in all of its forms, regardless of what flag is being flown and be ever vigilant against these dangers. While geopolitical analysts today may consider BRICS and the SCO as essential for maintaining a multipolar balance of power against the West, the risk of a strategy of tension creating increasingly centralized supranational blocs "facing off against each other" may leave whomever prevails with the capacity to carry out global despotism on an even grander scale.

Image: A Russian nuclear missile. It was mutually assured destruction - the ultimate balance of power - that prevented catastrophic war from breaking out between East and West. Balancing power, offering deterrence against aggression and exploitation has been the study of tacticians for thousands of years and is a subject the global elite are well versed in. The masses must also familiarize themselves with such concepts and formulate their own means of balancing power locally and nationally to keep in check powers both foreign and domestic that seek domination through exploiting economic, social, and tactical disparity. (source: Wikipedia)