Senin, 24 Oktober 2011

Libya's new government first decree - Lifts Ban on Polygamy -

Libya's new government first decree - Lifts Ban on Polygamy - 




Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the chairman of the National Transitional Council and de fact president, had already declared that Libyan laws in future would have Sharia, the Islamic code, as its "basic source".
But that formulation can be interpreted in many ways - it was also the basis of Egypt's largely secular constitution under President Hosni Mubarak, and remains so after his fall.
Mr Abdul-Jalil went further, specifically lifting immediately, by decree, one law from Col. Gaddafi's era that he said was in conflict with Sharia - that banning polygamy.
In a blow to those who hoped to see Libya's economy integrate further into the western world, he announced that in future bank regulations would ban the charging of interest, in line with Sharia. "Interest creates disease and hatred among people," he said.
Gulf states like the United Arab Emirates, and other Muslim countries, have pioneered the development of Sharia-compliant banks which charge fees rather than interest for loans but they normally run alongside western-style banks.
Read more -

Sabtu, 22 Oktober 2011

Did You Know Feds Will Temporarily Cut Off All TV and Radio Broadcasts on Nov. 9? -

Did You Know Feds Will Temporarily Cut Off All TV and Radio Broadcasts on Nov. 9? -



If you have ever wondered about the government’s ability to control the civilian airwaves, you will have your answer on November 9th.


On that day, federal authorities are going to shut off all television and radio communications simultaneously at 2:00PM EST to complete the first ever test of the national Emergency Alert System (EAS).


This isn’t a wild conspiracy theory. The upcoming test is posted on the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau website.


Read more -
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/did-you-know-feds-will-temporarily-cut-off-all-tv-and-radio-broadcasts-on-nov-9/
Only the President has the authority to activate EAS at the national level, and he has delegated that authority to the Director of FEMA. The test will be conducted jointly by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS).


In essence, the authority to seize control of all television and civilian communication has been asserted by the executive branch and handed to a government agency.


The EAS has been around since 1994. Its precursor, the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), started back in 1963. Television and radio broadcasters, satellite radio and satellite television providers, cable television and wireline video providers are all involved in the system.


So this begs the question: is the first ever national EAS test really a big deal?


Read more -
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/did-you-know-feds-will-temporarily-cut-off-all-tv-and-radio-broadcasts-on-nov-9/

Jumat, 21 Oktober 2011

Department of Energy has been caught removing references to “SunPower” From Old Press Releases -

Department of Energy has been caught removing references to “SunPower” From Old Press Releases - 


Thanks to CNBC, the Department of Energy has been caught removing references to “SunPower,” a solar energy company that was given $1.2 billion in loan guarantees, from old press releases (H/T Hotair).
“The changes occurred in two press releases from the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program — the same program that has been the center of controversy surrounding the failed solar company Solyndra,” reports Eamon Javers of CNBC.
“Both were changed to remove the name of a company that has received negative press attention in recent days, SunPower, and replace it with the name of another company, NRG Energy,” he added.

Read more -

New Tattooed Barbie Causing Uproar - with pink hair, sky-high stilettos and a cactus-covered pet named “Bastardino.” -

New Tattooed Barbie Causing Uproar - with pink hair, sky-high stilettos and a cactus-covered pet named “Bastardino.” - 
Tokidoki Barbie

The newest Barbie doll to hit store shelves is sparking controversy.


The doll sports several tattoos, and some parents say it’s sending the wrong message to their kids, reports CBS 2’s Kathryn Brown.


Meet “Tokidoki Barbie,” the newest addition to the iconic doll collection.


She’s edgy — with pink hair, sky-high stilettos and a cactus-covered pet named “Bastardino.”


But it’s her body art that has some parents on edge.


“I don’t think it’s appropriate for little girls to be having Barbies with tattoos all over,” parent Reye Griffith said Thursday.


Tokidoki’s upper body is covered with exotic-looking tattoos, including a large flower covering her chest and a tiger curls up her neck.


“I think it sends all the wrong signals for young girls,” said Mitti Hansen, mother to a 4-year-old girl.


Tokidoki is not the first Barbie to sport tattoos. In 2009, Mattel unveiled “Totally Stylin’ Barbie,” but her tattoos were stick-on and removable.




Tokidoki’s are inked on.


“Maybe if a little girl sees that she also wants a tattoo and I think it’s not good,” parent Latifa Zyne said.


Read more - 
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/20/new-york-city-parents-find-nothing-stylish-about-new-tattooed-barbie-doll/

Kamis, 20 Oktober 2011

CDC: Antidepressant use skyrocketed among Americans of all ages by nearly 400 percent in past 20 years -

CDC: Antidepressant use skyrocketed among Americans of all ages by nearly 400 percent in past 20 years - 


The rate of antidepressant use among Americans of all ages increased nearly 400 percent over the last two decades, and 11 percent of Americans aged 12 and older now take antidepressant drugs, according to a federal government report released Wednesday.
The analysis of 2005-2008 data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys also showed that antidepressants are the third most common prescription drug taken by Americans of all ages and the most frequently used by those aged 18 to 44.
Of people with severe depression, about one-third takes antidepressant medication. More than 60 percent of Americans taking an antidepressant drug have taken it for two years or longer and nearly 14 percent have taken the medication for 10 years or more, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers.
The investigators also found that less than one-third of people taking one antidepressant and less than half of those taking multiple antidepressants had seen a mental health professional in the past year.


Read more - 
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011-10-19/CDC-Antidepressant-use-skyrocketed-in-past-20-years/50826442/1?loc=interstitialskip

10 Mind Blowing Facts Which Show Members Of Congress And Federal Employees Are Living The High Life At Our Expense -

10 Mind Blowing Facts Which Show Members Of Congress And Federal Employees Are Living The High Life At Our Expense - 


If you were asked to guess, what area of the United States would you say has the highest average income?  New York City?  Los Angeles?  Silicon Valley?  Well, would you believe that it is actually the Washington D.C. area?  Median household income in the region is $84,523, which is the highest in the nation.  One of the biggest reasons for this are the huge salaries being pulled down by federal employees in the Washington D.C. area.  According to the latest numbers, the average federal employee in the D.C. area brings in total compensation worth more than $126,000 a year.  Of course members of Congress are even doing far better than that.  Most of the members of Congress are millionaires, and somehow the vast majority of our politicians leave Washington D.C. far wealthier than when they arrived.  So if you want to live the high life, you might want to move to the Washington D.C. area.  Our “representatives” in Congress and the bureaucrats that work for the federal government are swimming in cash, and it is all at our expense.
Before you read the following facts, keep in mind that median household income in the United States has declined for three years in a row.  While the bureaucrats in D.C. are living the high life, most of the rest of us are going through some really hard times.
Today, median household income in the United States is about $50,000 a year, and in most families both parents have to work or the bills will not get paid.
So it just does not seem right that the “average” federal worker in the Washington D.C. area is hauling down more than $126,000 a year in total compensation.
After all, are they not supposed to be “public servants”?
Instead, it feels like we are serving them.  They get to drive around in their shiny new cars and they get to enjoy their shiny new McMansions in the D.C. suburbs while the rest of us pay for it.
Trust me, I have seen the beautiful suburbs in Maryland and in northern Virginia that seem to go on forever, and it is the U.S. taxpayers that are footing the bill.  Spending by the federal government accounts for approximately one third of the GDP of the entire region.
According to the Washington Post, the Washington D.C. area has become a great place for those that enjoy “living the dream”….
Washingtonians now enjoy the highest median household income of any metropolitan area in the country, and five of the top 10 jurisdictions in America — Loudoun, Howard and Fairfax counties, and Falls Church and Fairfax City — are here, census data shows.
The signs of that wealth are on display all over, from the string of luxury boutiques such as Gucci and Tory Burch opening at Tysons Galleria to the $15 cocktails served over artisanal ice at the W Hotel in the District to the ever-larger houses rising off River Road in Potomac.
All of this wealth did not get created because the D.C. area is a great center for industry or finance.
Rather, all of these people are becoming very wealthy because of our big, fat bloated federal government.
The following are 10 mind blowing facts which show how members of Congress and federal employees are living the high life at our expense….
#1 When you total up all compensation (including health care and benefits), the average income for a federal worker in the Washington D.C. area last year was$126,369.
#2 In 2005, 7420 federal workers were making $150,000 or more per year.  In 2010, a whopping 82,034 federal workers were making $150,000 or more per year.  That is more than a tenfold increase in just five years.
#3 In 2005, the U.S. Department of Defense had just nine civilians earning $170,000 or more.  When Barack Obama took office, the U.S. Department of Defense had 214 civilians earning $170,000 or more.  In June 2010, the U.S. Department of Defense had 994 civiliansearning $170,000 or more.
#4 Last year, federal employees “earned” approximately 447 billion dollars in total compensation.
#5 According to a study by the Heritage Foundation, federal workers earn 30 to 40 percentmore money on average than their counterparts in the private sector.
#6 Today, one out of every 12 people living in Washington D.C. is a lawyer.  In New York City, only one out of every 123 residents is a lawyer.
#7 More than 50 percent of the members of the U.S. Congress are millionaires.
#8 The median wealth of a U.S. Senator in 2009 was 2.38 million dollars.
#9 Insider trading is perfectly legal for members of the U.S. Congress – and they refuse to pass a law that would change that.
#10 The percentage of millionaires in Congress is more than 50 times higherthan the percentage of millionaires in the general population.
Meanwhile, most of the rest of America has been going through economic hell….
-The standard of living in the United States has fallen farther over the past three yearsthan at any other time that has ever been recorded in U.S. history.
-According to the Federal Reserve, the combined net worth of American families has fallen by $5.5 trillion since 2007.
-Half of all American workers now earn $505 or less per week.
-According to Paul Osterman, a professor of economics at MIT, approximately 20 percent of all employed Americans are making $10.65 an hour or less.
While the average American family is deeply struggling to pay the mortgage and put food on the table, the bureaucrats in Washington D.C. are busy shopping for the latest cell phones and trying to figure out what brand of new car to buy next year.
Over the past couple of decades, the federal government has absolutely exploded in size, but this has not helped the poor.  We now have more poor people in this country than ever before and over 2 million additional Americans slipped into poverty last year.
No, the reality is that the people that have reaped the rewards of a much larger federal government are the lawyers, the lobbyists and the bureaucrats.
This is the kind of thing that the American people should be protesting.  Almost everybody in Congress is rich.  Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are living the high life.  The lawyers, the lobbyists and the bureaucrats are having a field day.
Meanwhile, most of the rest of the country is deeply suffering.
It just doesn’t seem right, does it?


Read more - 
http://www.blacklistednews.com/10_Mind_Blowing_Facts_Which_Show_How_Members_Of_Congress_And_Federal_Employees_Are_Living_The_High_Life_At_Our_Expense_/16203/0/0/0/Y/M.html

Rabu, 19 Oktober 2011

Wall Street banks gave Romney $813,300 during the first 9 months of this year and gave $105,719 to the rest combined -

Wall Street banks gave Romney $813,300 during the first 9 months of this year and gave $105,719 to the rest combined - 

We are never going to restore legitimacy to our political system until we get the money out of politics.  Typically, in federal elections the candidate that raises the most money wins about 90 percent of the time.  In 2008, Barack Obama raised almost twice as much money as John McCain did.  3 of the top 7 donors to Obama’s campaign were big Wall Street banks (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup).  Now Wall Street is doing it again.  The big Wall Street banks are already trying to buy the 2012 election.  So who do they want to win in 2012?  Based on contribution patterns so far, the overwhelming favorite of the Wall Street banks to win in 2012 is Mitt Romney.  The big Wall Street banks have given to Romney as pile of money that is more than 4 times larger than they have given to anyone else.  Even though most Republicans really don’t want him, if history is any indication this means that Mitt Romney is going to be the Republican nominee for president in 2012.

Posted below are numbers from a recent analysis done by the Center for Responsive Politics.  These numbers reflect monetary donations to presidential candidates by employees of these big Wall Street banks (and their wives) between January and September 2011.
As you can see, somehow Mitt Romney is at the top of each list by a wide margin.  Clearly there is a “consensus” (some would call it a conspiracy) among the Wall Street elite that Romney is the man for the job.
When you want to find out what is really going on in American politics, just follow the money.  If Mitt Romney does not win the Republican nomination, it is going to be a massive upset.  History tells us that it is incredibly difficult to overcome the kind of monetary advantage that Romney is piling up.
Once again, the following numbers were put together by the Center for Responsive Politics.  As you can see, Wall Street is once again trying to buy an election, and they very clearly want Mitt Romney to win the Republican nomination….
Goldman Sachs
Mitt Romney: $352,200
Barack Obama: $49,124
Tim Pawlenty: $25,000
Jon Huntsman: $6,750
Rick Perry: $5,500
Ron Paul: $2,500
Morgan Stanley
Mitt Romney: $184,800
Tim Pawlenty: $41,715
Barack Obama: $28,225
Rick Perry: $20,750
Jon Huntsman: $9,750
Newt Gingrich: $1,000
Ron Paul: $1,000
Herman Cain: $500
Bank of America
Mitt Romney: $112,500
Barack Obama: $46,699
Tim Pawlenty: $12,750
Jon Huntsman: $4,250
Ron Paul: $3,451
Rick Perry: $2,600
Thad McCotter: $2,000
Herman Cain: $750
Michele Bachmann: $500
Newt Gingrich: $250
JPMorgan Chase
Mitt Romney: $107,250
Barack Obama: $38,039
Rick Perry: $27,050
Tim Pawlenty: $16,750
Jon Huntsman: $7,500
Ron Paul: $5,451
Citigroup
Mitt Romney: $56,550
Barack Obama: $36,887
Tim Pawlenty: $5,300
Rick Perry: $3,000
Herman Cain: $1,465
Michele Bachmann: $1,000
Ron Paul: $702
As you can see, no other Republican candidate even comes close to Romney at any of these big Wall Street banks.



In fact, of the candidates that are left in the Republican race, Mitt Romney has raised 13 times as much Wall Street money as anyone else has.
The following are the overall donation numbers from employees of the big Wall Street banks and their wives….
Mitt Romney: $813,300
Barack Obama: $198,874
Tim Pawlenty: $101,515
Rick Perry: $58,900
Jon Huntsman: $28,250
Ron Paul: $13,104
Herman Cain: $2,715
Michelle Bachmann: $1,500
Newt Gingrich: $1,250
These numbers paint a very disturbing picture.  Even though Romney’s poll numbers are in the mid to low 20s most of the time, employees of the big Wall Street banks gave him $813,300 during the first 9 months of this year and they only gave $105,719 to the rest of the Republican candidates combined.
Hopefully the American people will wake up and will think for themselves.
But we have seen this story play out time after time after time before.
The candidate with the most money almost always wins.  The establishment is almost always able to pick the candidates that they want, and the rest of us are often left with trying to choose between “the lesser of two evils”.
A while back, Dylan Ratigan absolutely lost in on air during a panel discussion on MSNBC.  This epic rant about money in politics is not something that you will often see in the mainstream media, and it contains a lot of truth….

Read more -