Evidence of Cover-up… literally

By: James Burge
July 19th, 2010

Problem solved, well almost… now look away!!

By: James Burge
July 19th, 2010

I just came across a video, and it’s not the only one, showing that although the oil leak has been capped, and slightly abated, they have only succeeded in moving the leak from the ocean floor, to a location that would lay hundreds, maybe even thousands of feet below the ground. What has happened is that by capping the oil leak, they have increased the pressure in the well, such that it now has a greater pressure with which to flow from cracks deep down the well so it is now seeping from fissures in the bottom of the ocean floor.  Probably the strangest part of this story is that this is what should be expected to happen given that the line is thought to be damaged due to the explosion that started this whole mess. This is why most experts were saying that capping the well wouldn’t help and it could make it worse, forcing oil through cracks, deep in the earth, making them bigger, thereby allowing more oil to seep into the gulf, which could never be stopped using methods BP is currently employing. Which raises the question, if they know that this method won’t work, why are they trying it? Or is it just that only experts not affiliated with BP think this isn’t going to work, and BP has gotten bad advice. All we know at this point is that the idea that they couldn’t have known this would be the possible result of a cap is ludicrous possibly criminal. Pollute away BP…

The upside, flow has been reduced from a maximum some experts are estimating at around 100,000 bbl/day. The problem is that even if BP are reporting a small flow currently, an accurate estimate of the flow may never be truly determined as I don’t think the flow through the seabed can be accurately determined. For now, a video, showing the slow seepage of oil through the ocean floor. 

Heartbreaking…

By: James Burge
July 14th, 2010

Wow, no child that young should have to worry about the kinds of things these kids see daily…

Aspartame…

By: James Burge
July 11th, 2010

What we may have lost…

By: James Burge
July 11th, 2010

No more Oysters, at least not for now…

By: James Burge
July 9th, 2010

New Gaga…

By: James Burge
June 28th, 2010

Old Spill, finaly some truth…

By: James Burge
June 25th, 2010

A Few Quick items…

By: James Burge
June 14th, 2010

Just came across a few news articles I wanted to share.

First, it seems someone was asleep at the wheel in Salt Lake City over the weekend. According to reports ”officials estimate up to 500 barrels of oil have already been released.” More here.

Secondly, came across this interesting article, talking about what we knew would follow the oil spill, Obama is looking to ram his cap and trade climate change bill through congress. This is the same technique used by the Bush administration after 9/11 to pass legislation like the patriot act.

Anyone who still believes that CO2 causes global warming should watch this.

Follow the money…

By: James Burge
June 11th, 2010

 

So new facts have come to light that both BP CEO and Goldma Sachs dumped BP stock in the days leading up to the ‘disaster.’ If that isn’t enough, the Cairman of Goldman Sachs was, until recently, also chairman of BP. 

According to his September 2009 bio: 

Peter Sutherland is chairman of BP plc (1997 – current). He is also chairman of Goldman Sachs International (1995 – current). He was appointed chairman of the London School of Economics in 2008…. Before these appointments, he was the founding director-general of the World Trade Organisation. He had previously served as director general of GATT since July 1993 [and was] chairman of the Board of Governors of the European Institute of Public Administration (Maastricht) 1991-1996. 

Sounds like quite the globalist. It now seems that BP let the people at GS know about the ‘disaster’ with enough time to sell almost half of their holdings. So either this event happened DAYs before it was reported in the media, which is possible, or the decision was made to blow up the rig. This is likely because the data supporting the man-made global warming hypothesis, which is being used to impose carbon taxes everywhere, something the elite bankers have their heart set on, looks to have been falsified so as to exaggerate the predicted effects. Another clue to premeditation is the length of time this has remained the big news item, mainstream media will always find sexy stories to distract from things that aren’t profitable to big business. They want the world to both know what is going on and to be enraged by it, so enraged they are willing to pay governments to protect our environment, which is what I thought they were supposed to be doing anyway. I mean how was big oil given permission to build a rig such as this with no contingency plan to stop a leak if one occurred? It’s because they had more than enough money to pay lobbyists and to contribute handsomely to politicians re-election funds, which is not considered a bribe in the US because if it was, no one would be making any extra cash in addition to the salary paid for by the American taxpayers. 

I have also come across an interesting article that does a good job of showing that its possible that CO2 levels have increased as a result of the warming, not the other way around. Looks to me like BP took one for the globalists, although in the end it will be you and me that truly pay for this disaster, some with our livelihoods, others through the soon to be created carbon tax.

Picture speaks for itself…

By: James Burge
June 11th, 2010

Halliburton in hot water yet again.. Bring on the hot Oil.

By: James Burge
May 28th, 2010

This seems pretty fishy (pun completely unintentional). So apparently, on Friday April 9th Halliburton announced that it will purchase emergency response oil control company Boots & Coots for around $232 million. According to Wiki “Boots & Coots/IWC is one of the world’s premier well control companies.” Meaning it is their job to clean up after a well rupture and were apparently involved with putting out the Kuwait oil rig fires. Then on April 20th, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill ‘occurred,’ looks like a good return on investment virtually overnight. Of course the interesting thing is that Halliburton was working on the Deepwater Horizon rig 20 hours BEFORE the explosion.

Approximately 20 hours prior to the catastrophic loss of well control, Halliburton had completed the cementing of the ninth and final production casing string in accordance with the well program.
- http://www.onenewspage.com/news/Politics/20100510/10873842/Halliburton-Deepwater-Horizon-Oil-Rig-Explosion-Testimony-At.htm

Considering all the dirty dealings we’ve seen from Halliburton, it would not surprise me if they planted an explosive, bought a company to clean up oil, and watched as the region is decimated by the seepage of heaving crude into the gulf of Mexico.

The question that remains is why? Was it for the money they could make cleaning up the spill? Was it a distraction? (I doubt it’s a distraction considering how little the mainstream media is discussing it) Could it be, that as the man-made global warming myth begins to unravel, they purposely blew up the rig so as to create a new Environmental disaster to further boost the pressure for a carbon tax, or some new tax that will be introduced to ‘pay for cleanup’.

Awesome Telephone Vid

By: James Burge
May 14th, 2010

Awesome vid… Amazing Violin.

What will future generations think?

By: James Burge
May 10th, 2010

After watching the short video below I am struck with a question. What will future generations think? About our lack of care for the environment, about our exploitation of developing nations, or about our apparent inaction when faced with evidence of Corporate Looting of both the Environment and the Economy. I have to say that ours is a generation that will be measured by our failure to properly place the environment and its effects on the livelihood of millions, ahead of the profits available to those corporations in the third world, where environmental regulations don’t exist. Why is it that American corporations working abroad aren’t subject to the same regulations as they are domestically? And Why haven’t they been taken to task regarding the blatant damage done? How can we expect our world to survive us when we continue to dump toxic chemicals into the water? How can we expect humans to survive in these toxic conditions? Have we already doomed humanity to extinction? Only time will tell.

Can there be good Government?

By: James Burge
May 6th, 2010

The following rant is in response to an article, entitled “Can there be good Government?” (I was gonna post it in the comments but decided it was a bit of an off topic rant better suited for my blog)

So can there be good Government?

I get the sense that local governments, on the order of state or even municipal governments can be good, as long as they stick to issues they have the ability to actually control and not try to throw their weight around.  It has only been in the last few decades that governments have tried to take on other issues that it need not be involved. If it doesn’t involve crossing the federal border (ie. Immigration, trade, etc.) it should be of little business to a federal government. Most issues that affect us, like healthcare, education, local infrastructure, etc, are in essence state/provincial, even municipal issues and should be regulated as such. Even the legal system itself is built around this idea, in that the federal government makes the laws, and local law enforcement chooses how best to enforce those laws, and in some cases, as we see with drug laws in some areas, choose not to enforce certain laws, usually due to the cost of enforcement. The idea that a federal government has a say in who you are allowed to marry, what medical procedures (ie. abortion) should be available to citizens, or how we choose to pay for medical care (ie Obamacare), is laughable and oppressive. They are forcing the entire country to follow laws and regulations that likely do nothing to protect the citizen/consumer, and do everything for the big businesses that can afford to lobby for/against these laws. And if there is one thing government regulatory bodies such as the CDC, FDA, WHO, WTO, and CPS to name a few, have done well is to destroy any confidence citizens may have in these bodies. I mean just because there isn’t an FDA recall on that meat you are eating does not mean that it is safe, just that it hasn’t been found to cause a problem yet, or that the manufacturer sees punitive damages from a lawsuit as cheaper than the cost of a recall, not the fact their product can harm the people who buy it. And then you have something like the WHO changing its definition of a pandemic, not based on any science, but seemingly for the sole purpose of causing panic, so governments buy millions of (virtually untested) vaccines that most of its citizens wont risk getting. And, how does it look when Child protective services gives it’s employees bonuses for children it forces out of their rightful home into that of a foster family. (On an aside the woman speaking in the afore-lined video, Senator Nancy Schaefer, was ‘suicided’, with her husband likely for bringing these issues to light). I have also always found it strange the level of federal government involvement in dictating school curriculum. It is always scary when you realize how much brainwashing and indoctrination occurs with most government controlled education. The idea that government bodies are in place to protect use is a view that we are given during public-education/indoctrination. The idea that our government is ‘for the people’ and that foreign governments are dangerous are unproven and likely untrue. It seems that most Americans are at greater risk of being tortured, imprisoned or murdered by their own government than the government of a foreign country. This is best outlined by the current tea-party movement, in a time when support for the tea-parties and the libertarian ideals the movement is based, are growing, a campaign to paint tea-partiers at best as racist, and at worst as terrorists (whatever that word even means anymore), is in full force in the mainstream media. Luckily, most people have given up listening to the drivel served up by these private companies each with their own agenda that is woven into every story they produce. Most people are aware that the US government, and more specifically it’s foreign policy, which allows for the killing and imprisonment of innocent civilians worldwide, are the real terrorists. But only time will tell how history treats this dark moment for the ‘land of the free,’ and weather or not societies continue to allow their ever growing governments to engage in behaviour befitting a fascist, tyrannical regime. It may already be too late.

Info the Airline industry doesn’t want you to see…

By: James Burge
April 29th, 2010

The following videos outline the failure of the Airline industry to act on evidence, including anecdotes from various flight crews, that the air we breathe during flight may be contaminated with Tricresyl Phosphate or TCP, an organophosphate found at a concentration of about 5% in engine oil used in the Airplane’s engines. TCP is also a Neurotoxin. The oil leaks on to hot, running engines during flight and is vaporized. It then enters the cabin through bleed air. Bleed air is unfiltered air that is compressed by turbine engines and is used to supply air to various parts of the Airplane.  Inhalation of TCP leads to an inability to properly conduct electrical signals in the nervous system that causes Parkinson’s like symptoms as well as (usually) temporary paralysis. These effects are commonly referred to as Aerotoxic Syndrome, which is not an officially recognized syndrome.

There are many issues raised by this, not least of which being that people are suffering brain damage from unknowingly inhaling TCP during flights.  And, surprise surprise, the Airline industry doesn’t want you to know about it.  Although various airlines have apparently issued statements to their employees stating that they are investigating these and other claims made regarding bleed air, none will speak publically on the issue claiming proper study of TCP concentrations in cabin air have not been completed, which is true. However, as you see in the video, TCP residue has been found in alarmingly high concentrations in various planes that the reporter tested. Considering it is not supposed to be in the cabin at all, any traces of TCP are an issue.

The second major issue raised here is that 100% of cockpit air is supplied by bleed air (only 40% of cabin air), so the flight crew is usually the first to be effected by these issues. When you hear of pilots and co-pilots saying that they only just managed to get their O2 supply on before experiencing 5-10 minutes of near total paralysis, you can’t help but be fearful that these near misses will result in a catastrophe sooner or later. I’m not sure how long an Airplane can stay in the air without a functioning flight crew, or if the paralysis of a fight crew caused by TCP could ever be proven after a crash, but if this deceit continues, we may just find out.

CO2 helps plants grow… interesting

By: James Burge
April 27th, 2010

This video is for anyone still worried about CO2 levels on plants and photosynthesis. Turns out, like most things in nature, natural buffers exist, that would increase the amount of CO2 plants can process given an increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration.

Looks like we should all feel guilty and allow governments the ability to further tax us in order to relieve our guilt, instead of trying to change our habits. Oh wait, strike that reverse it. Globalists everywhere are taking advantage of people’s good nature and attempting through various means, to implement carbon taxes on us all. So what does that mean exactly? Well no one is really sure, cuz most politicians keep info on carbon taxes fairly close, but it seems that whatever they could get away with is alright with them. It seems the framework for carbon taxes would be on a usage basis, punishing anyone who uses fossil fuels, like the majority of the North American Population, as opposed to rewards, or tax breaks for those who choose to participate in green activities. This is the simple difference between positive and negative reinforcement, a lesson governments seem unwilling to learn (see US greatest population incarcerated).  They don’t seem interested in the fact that water is the most abundant greenhouse gas, or that warming periods are not new to earth, just new to us. They also seem to forget that the developing world is much worse when it comes to emissions due to low technology coal plants and offers the greatest opportunity for CO2 level reduction by helping developed nations develop clean energy, there is no money in that. There is also the fact that carbon taxes on industry will only make produces such as gasoline more expensive as they trickle down to the consumer. The other thing they don’t tend to reveal, is what the money generated by carbon taxes would be used for. If governments are not forced to use this money on environmental issues then why pose it in such a matter as to punish those seen as gluttonous. Why not be honest, governments are broke (especially the US, wonder why?) and they need a new source of revenue. Canada just gave up 2% of its GST, how long do you think the government will go before finding newer more creative ways to punish, I mean tax the population. In a time when most people are trying their best to live within their means, globalists are trying to reduce those means as much as they can in any way they can and the carbon tax seems to fit the bill. So when does my bill come? Soon enough.

 The video below outlines something else they don’t really want you to know, but it’s got me thinking of how I could get away with doing this to my garden.

Exerpt from Timothy McVeigh’s letters to his sister..

By: James Burge
April 21st, 2010

Following are excerpts from a letter dated Oct. 20, 1993, and written by Timothy J. McVeigh to his sister Jennifer McVeigh. The idiosyncrasies in spelling and punctuation are Mr. McVeigh’s.

Grandpa McVeigh saw this. He never knew why, but one day, I showed up at his door, freezing outside, in only sweat pants and in total, complete breakdown. Gramps, I’m sure, never told anyone about that day, and I respect him greatly for that, as I spent about an hour upstairs ”losing it.” It was almost suicide at that point, but rage, but denial, but acceptance — all these feelings were battling for control. . . .

Now here’s what led to my current life: It all revolves around my arrival at Ft. Bragg for Special Forces. We all took intelligence, psychological, adeptness, and a whole battery of other tests. (Out of a group of 400). One day in formation, ten (10) Social Security numbers were called out (no names) and told to leave formation. Mine was one.

The 10 of us were told that out of the select group of 400, we had scored highest on certain tests. We had been selected because of our intelligence, physical make-up (165 lbs. 6 ft. being ”ultimate warrier” type — I was only slightly off — 160 lbs. 6’1 1/2”), and physical abilities. We were to feel special, part of a hand-picked group). . . .

We were all asked to ”volunteer” (talk about peer pressure!) to do some ”work for the government on the domestic, as well as international, front.” . . .

What I learned next, both from the briefings, and from the questions and private talks included:

1.) We would be helping the CIA fly drugs into the U.S. to fund many covert operations;

2.) Military ”consultants” were to work hand-in-hand w/civilian police agencies to ”quiet” anyone whom was deemed a ”security risk.” (We would be gov’t-paid assassins!)

3.)Many other details — to verify these last two, see the enclosed article, or watch, again the movie ”Lethal Weapon”. . . .

It also gives you new insight on things like WACO, etc. — they were murdered by hit-men.

Photo: An image taken from video shows Timothy J. McVeigh with his sister Jennifer, to whom he confided in letters.

More about false flags…

By: James Burge
April 21st, 2010

This video does a good job of outlining some of the problems with big government and why groups exist to couter it…

For more, or links to articles relating to some of the things mentioned in the above video chick here.

Deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole…

By: James Burge
April 21st, 2010

Since writing the last post on the OK City bombing, I have been perusing various articles on the internet and came across a few things I wanted to share. I encourage you to read the other post before continueing with this one.

In my last post I mentioned another individual, wanted for questioning that became referred to as John Doe No. 3, well it seems that although a multi million dollar investigation couldn’t find him but it seems the internets have. A really good article I came across, containing information on an Andreas Carl Strassmeir, who not only moved to Oklahoma from Germany in the years prior to the bombing he looks a hell of a lot like the composite sketch of John Doe No. 3. The article reveals that an ATF informant Carol Howe was infiltrating a white supremacist group ran by Tom Metzger called White Aryan Resistance. In a report she filed in 1994 she said that “she overheard Andreas Strassmeir and Dennis Mahon discussing a plan to blow up Federal buildings including the Tulsa IRS Office, the Tulsa Federal Building and the Oklahoma Federal Building.” It seems to me this provided the evidence needed by the FBI to ‘hijack’ the plot, further radicalize those involved, provide whatever material support needed, (training, explosives) so that they had a patsy all lined up. As for why he wasn’t pursued in the OK city bombing, it seems that Andy the German (as he was known by some) may have been a CIA asset. Apparently one evening, after some of the people Andreas had been associating with suspected something was up, and decided to follow him. They allegedly followed him to a Federal Building, entered the correct code for the locked door. Apparently, in addition to this an individual who worked at an impound lot, got a lot of pressure from lawyers and the state department to release Andreas’ car, and fast, because he had diplomatic immunity, which spells CIA asset to me. When he came to pick up his car, he was more worried about a briefcase which had been searched and was said to have remarked, “’Well, no one will be able to understand what these are anyway.” After leaving the country Strassmeir was said to have remarked:

“It’s obvious that it was a government ‘op’ that went wrong, isn’t it? The ATF had something going with McVeigh. They were watching him, of course they were. What they should have done is make an arrest while the bomb was still being made instead of waiting till the last moment for a publicity stunt. They had everything they needed to make the bust, and they screwed it up.”

For more on this click here.

One of the biggest things going for them is that the general public doesn’t even have a clue about explosions. A large, visibly impressive explosion is rarely that destructive. The pressure waves put of by high explosives don’t give the large cloud of fire and smoke that smaller explosions (usually used in Hollywood for obvious reasons). But it is this pressure wave that causes the damage. However, most explosives experts agree, “[..] [M]y belief is that 4800 lbs of ANFO wouldn’t have scuffed the paint on the building!”

Another thing I came across was a video, of a man, arrested on what he claims are false drug charges used to get him off the street. He was apparently involved in building a bomb that he says fits the devastation seen in the OK city. It also apparently explains the fact that evidence exists that two explosions, 5 seconds apart occurred on the morning of the OK city bombing. This 5 second gap between the first small explosion and the second is to allow a gaseous chemical explosive to fill the air surrounding the structure to be destroyed before that gas is then ignited causing the second explosion. He has no doubt that the OK city bomb was this barometric bomb. The other interesting thing he mentioned at the very end of the film is that the 1983 US Embassy bombing in Beirut, Lebanon (although he claims in the video it was an apartment complex) was the first time this type of bomb had been used.

Some other useful links:
http://www.constitution.org/ocbpt/ocbpt_01.htm
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/mcveigh2.htm

OK City, 1st False Flag on US soil??

By: James Burge
April 20th, 2010

Well, maybe not the first, but one of the most memorable ‘terrorist’ bombing on US soil murdering 168 people, including 19 children, all under 6. It was said to be carried out by a ‘home-grown terrorist” Timothy McVeigh, with help from Terry Nichols. It was more likely carried out by elements within the US Government in order to pass the Anti-Terrorist Act, which was later used to destroy a $100 Million medical plant in Sudan. This Legislation could not have passed if it were not for the 168 killed that day.

I remember coming across an article somewhere (which of course I can’t find) about Timothy McVeigh’s history and that there is a period of about a year that his whereabouts is unknown. Apparently, a video exists showing McVeigh on a US Military base during that time, apparently undergoing training in explosives.

It was said in the days following this bombing that a sophisticated group of individuals had to be behind it, but only McVeigh was prosecuted (and executed post haste). Apparently, but not surprisingly, security tapes exist showing the explosion and the events before and after the explosion but are apparently not important enough to be released (flash forward to the pentagon on 9/11). They apparently show another individual, who came to be known as John Doe No. 2, sitting in the front seat of the Rider van prior to its detonation. Why was this man never pursued by police? What happened to the other two bombs discovered that day? Why did they not provide a window into the perpetrators of this crime? Why did the government not take a stronger stance on this considering it has come to light that they knew about the bombing prior to the event? What was in that building that needed to be disposed of? Why are there pictures showing a Ryder truck in a clandestine base at Camp Gruber-Braggs? Why was McVeigh smart enough to create a bomb of this calibre but not remember to put a licence plate on his car? And speed? And how could a bomb in a truck parked out front of a building pulverize support columns in the center of the building?

Break a few windows, sure, but those support columns can withstand an upwards of 3,000 psi force, the 4,800 pound ammonium nitrate fertilizer, nitromethane, and diesel fuel mixture bomb, they say was similar to 5,000 lbs of TNT, likely only produced a force in the order of 50-100 psi max (although some things I’ve come across say more like 25 psi especially in the vicinity of the pulverized columns). Although the key here is not the size of the bomb, (especially since the Ryder Truck Bomb seems to be more of a distraction, so witnesses see a blast, the shape charges that blew out the columns aren’t nearly as impressive), it is the location of the charges. How many lbs of explosives do you think were used to bring down what was remaining of the Murrah Building? About 150 lbs according to one thing I read, but they would have been placed strategically around on the columns that remained of the structure. A great analysis of the blast by Benton K. Partin, Brigadier Gen. USAF (Ret.) can be found here.

Early news reports talk of bombs inside the building, including 2 bombs that were disarmed. Where were these bombs located? Early news reports said they were INSIDE the buildings. Witnesses even discussed seeing people, in the days leading to the bombing, examining blueprints in the parking garage located below the building.

There remain, to this day, many unanswered questions, most of which will likely go unanswered indefinitely. Below is a video outlining some of the problems with the ‘lone bomber’ theory pushed by the mainstream news and provides some evidence to support the idea that elements within the US government plotted to blow up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City or at least covered up evidence of others involved in the plot. It looks like OK city may have been a joint Mossad-German intelligence operation, although the reasoning behind it is still just speculation. The big question that remains is weather or not Timothy McVeigh knew of the FBI’s involvement. He likely knew nothing about the charges placed in the building in the days before the blast. It seems another case where the FBI likely encouraged Tim in his plans, providing material support along the way, and ultimately allowing 168 people including children to lose their lives, and for what??

They say, when looking for who was involved, follow the money, well one thing that did come out of this was a $98 Million investigation into the bombing, likely including the costs associated with destroying the evidence before thorough testing could be done which would have easily proven the theories above wrong.

“One day you will find out your government was behind this” – Tim McVeigh

Wow!!

By: James Burge
April 19th, 2010

Awesome video of Lady Gaga’s Telephone done acoustically by the Australian group Aston and it’s fucking awesome!!

Not a big surprise…

By: James Burge
April 9th, 2010

Just came across another video this time showing private mercinaries from Blackwater shooting unarmed civilians. Since they are not the military, it seems they don’t have to abide by the rules of war, not that the US military seem to be following those rules either. Not only are they required to identify themselves as soldiers (which I guess they aren’t, not technically) but they aren’t supposed to be killing anyone not identified as a soldier. So we have soldiers dressed as civilians killing Iraqi civilians… sick.

More Video of US soldiers shooting Civilians..

By: James Burge
April 8th, 2010

It says at the end of the tape that no UNARMED civilians were killed, which may or may not be true. However, the pleasure with which they fire, indiscriminately at what look to me to be civilians (can’t see any weapons, but it would be almost impossible to tell from the video), which according to the video, are armed insurgents. Not even sure what that means anymore, but the US would like us to think it means they don’t deserve to live, and are less than human. You be the judge…

The other thing to keep in mind is that these are the people who are coming back from war zones and getting jobs as cops. The difference now, is that in the times of WWII, soldiers spent weeks on ships heading home from battle giving them time to debrief. Now, they are home in days and expected to fit back into society, when all they have known for the last 3-6 months is what we see below. Forget all the bull shit you hear trying to convince you they disserved to die, they are firing on PEOPLE. It used to be when you were guilty of something you went to trial. Now, if you are a terrorist/insurgent/militant the army becomes judge jury and executioner, everyday.

Amazing Space Aurora

By: James Burge
April 7th, 2010

taken from the International Space station, this photo shows the Arora Borealis like few have seen it before.

Amazing…

Lawyered…

By: James Burge
April 7th, 2010

Yeah!!

By: James Burge
April 7th, 2010

Wow

By: James Burge
April 6th, 2010

 

I’m kind of at a loss for words regarding the video below. It is a video released by wikileaks which was apparently going to be released by the pentagon but they decided against it, and I can see why.  Apparently wikileaks broke the encryption on the video and has pissed off some people high up in the chain of command in the US military-industrial complex. 

The video was shot by a US helicopter in Iraq and shows a group of photographers and other civilians who look to be preparing to set up a camera for some reason. However, the US soldier on the gun mistakes their camera’s as AK-47′s, a mistake that isn’t all that surprising, considering that is what they are trained to see. It really goes to show you that since they are expecting to see people with weapons. 

It seems sick hearing the soldier seemingly challenging this injured civilian to pick up a weapon, especially considering they didn’t seem to have weapons. It really gives insight into the minds of these people when they are almost begging the order allowing them to shoot innocent civilians. 

Then, a black van drives up and appears to try and rescue one of the individuals hurt in this air-strike. It has been confirmed that there are two children in the black van but that doesn’t seem to stop this soldier. Isn’t it against the rules of war to kill people attempting to aid the injured??? It’s sick to hear the soldiers laughing as the tanks drive over bodies of civilians assumed dead.

Yet another example of fading Canadian Sovereignty

By: James Burge
March 5th, 2010

An article appeared in the Montreal gazette yesterday mentioning that starting December 2010, passengers on flights from Canada that fly over US airspace, never actually landing on US soil, will only be allowed to fly once US Homeland inSecurity says they aren’t a terrorist.

Canadian airlines already check their flight manifests against the U.S. no-fly list, which is compiled by the FBI and distributed to airlines around the world. It contains the names of about 16,000 people the U.S. government says are suspected of terrorism. The names and why they are on the list are not disclosed for reasons of “national security.”

The claim is made that:

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration says Secure Flight will reduce the number of false positives — people with the same name as someone on the no-fly list — who now are stopped at airports.

Unfortunately this is far from surprising and seems to be business as usual. It is interesting that when we speak of ‘co-operation’ between Canada and the US it seems to be more of the US telling Canada what is and isn’t OK, further destroying Canadian sovereignty and blurring the line between Canada and the US, likely in preparation for the proposed North American Union. It seems it is now unacceptable for Canadian authorities to just check against no-fly lists, likely because of the US obsession with tracking people. It seems they really want to know when and where Canadians are traveling abroad.
This is a great example of guilty until proven innocent, something that is happening with increasing regularity these days (like being asked to ID yourself when you’ve done nothing to require identification). Since there is little transparency in the case of no-fly lists, the US government can put you on a no-fly list claiming that you are a risk to the public for whatever reason it deems necessary without providing evidence and with little or no opportunity for the accused to appeal such decisions. I think this is the beginning of a push by the US to create an international body that could be used to screen passengers with the US deciding who can and cannot travel the globe. {Look for a false flag in the not to distant future where a foreign country is at fault for their screening of ‘terrorists’ starting the call for US Transportation Safety agents be used to oversee screening in other countries. This would sure make it easier not only for the US to punish anti-government dissent but also to make sure the Mossad agents make it through security all in one shot (which would be nice since they keep pissing other governments off by using their fake passports).}
Get used to this people, it is only the beginning. They are starting to talk about naked body scanners at bus stations and in the street. All of this under the guise of increased security at the cost of privacy and, as some people have pointed out, seems to be to further dehumanize populations making them more open to tyranny. I remember hearing a quote once that said something to the effect that Tyranny, when done correctly will be welcomed by the public who will be calling for increased security at all costs (I wish I could find the quote). This almost exactly describes what we are seeing the US as the government continues to scare the public into submission through false flag attacks which are blamed on anti-government groups in order to justify the use of force against dissent under the guise that such people are violent, even though most modern protests are non-violent by design (as they are usually anti-war).

Amazing Vid

By: James Burge
March 3rd, 2010

This is a really good video that talks to soldiers, returning from service and gets their opinion of what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, their answers might surprise you. This is not the story the US government wants you to hear, but it is these soldiers truth.

Warning: Subject matter is very graphic.

Afghan heroin

By: James Burge
February 16th, 2010

I was perusing the internet and came across some amazing pictures of what appear to be US troupes in fields of Poppies. I had heard it described that Heroin production only requires one to cut the poppy blub allowing a black tar to be expelled, this black tar is Heroin. The flowing picture seems to speak for itself; it shows an Afghan local, the poppies, the heroin, and the soldiers, there to secure it?

It is interesting because of the whole Iran-Contra issue, where cocaine usage soared especially in pour, predominately African-American ‘Ghetto’s.’  The idea being either people in these area’s begin drug use, or they are involved in the sale and the resulting violence surrounding the drug trade. Now we are seeing an increase in the prescription of Heroin derivatives such as OxyContin, prescribed for pain, usually due to elective surgeries.

In both 2001 and 2002, OxyContin’s sales exceeded $1 billion, and prescriptions were over 7 million. The drug became Purdue’s main product, accounting for 90 percent of the company’s total prescription sales by 2001.

-OxyContin Abuse and Deiversion and Efforts to Address the Problem  

 

The idea seems to be getting OxyContin in every household, so that someone gets addicted enough to turn to Heroin because it is significantly cheaper on the street than OxyContin. Why is it cheaper? Because the CIA (with help from the Military-Industrial complex) has been shipping it to the US from Afghanistan. The idea behind this is simple, to disenfranchise individuals either due to a drug conviction (hence the War on drugs, put them away for 25-life) or voter apathy due to chemical dependence.

Summary of US False Flag Attacks…

By: James Burge
February 8th, 2010

Gaza in Plain Language…

By: James Burge
February 8th, 2010

Lord Monckton on Climate Change

By: James Burge
February 5th, 2010

Very interesting…

The Creation of ‘Whiteness’

By: James Burge
February 3rd, 2010

Interesting vid, totally worth the watch…

Bad Romance…

By: James Burge
January 9th, 2010

Kewl new technology

By: James Burge
November 16th, 2009

The thrilling potential of SixthSense technology

3D Projection on Buildings

By: James Burge
September 28th, 2009

This video is awesome, can’t wait untill this becomes common.

Projection on Buildings from NuFormer Digital Media on Vimeo.

Crazy Vid

By: James Burge
September 20th, 2009

Paparazzi

By: James Burge
September 14th, 2009

Ok so maybe it goes a bit too far but it’s still more interesting than most of these types of perfomances. Gaga’s ahead of her time.

True Blood

By: James Burge
September 10th, 2009

New Alexisonfire!!!

By: James Burge
June 9th, 2009

OK so I’m diggin the new single ‘Young Cardinals’ but I have to say the song sounds kinda repetitive after hearing it a few times, this new song I came across ‘No Rest’ sounds awesome, can’t wait for the new CD…

No Rest

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• No Rest

(right click save-as)

No Doubt…

By: James Burge
March 13th, 2009

This movie looks awesome…

By: James Burge
March 8th, 2009

Some good news…

By: James Burge
February 25th, 2009

I was just emailed this article and thought it was worth the read, so I’m gonna post it.

Cute…

By: James Burge
February 17th, 2009

“Fidelity”: Don’t Divorce… from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

More Ron Paul

By: James Burge
February 11th, 2009

$550 Billion Run on the Bank

By: James Burge
February 11th, 2009

Ron Paul on Israel, Gaza, Obama, and the economy…

By: James Burge
January 19th, 2009

There is nothing quite like this guy. Dr. Ron Paul is a US congressman from Texas who ran an unsuccessful, yet noteworthy bid for the Republican Nomination for President. Known by some as Dr. No! Dr. Paul is known for his strict constitutional and limited interventionist stance leading him to vote against most of the recent expansionist policies of the Bush NeoCons. He made me realize, that my identification as a Canadian Liberal, wasn’t exactly true. Although my liberal leanings with regard to civil liberties is obvious, the idea that inflated government spending and policy are what is needed to save ourselves from our own economies just doesn’t seem to work for me, so I have come to consider myself more of a civil libertarian. Dr. Paul himself once ran for the US Presidency under the libertarian ticket, and his views on policy continue to remind me of the ideals that lead to US independence and the great nation once known as America. All that seems to be left is government sanctioned fear, taxes, and a slide into martial law, what is next for America is unknown, but my eyes will continue to be on Dr. Paul, because he seems to be the only one not asleep at the wheel.

A point in the 10th Dimention

By: James Burge
January 7th, 2009

So i just Stumbled upon this video I remember seeing a while back, it does a god job of explaining all the cocept of higher dimensions. It may seem a bit over one’s head the first time around, (especial if you need to brush up on your knowledge of quantum mechanics and string theory) but if you’ve ever wondered what people mean when they talked about the forth or even fifth dimention, this should help you at least get a grasp higher dimestional theory.

Israel’s War on Gaza continues…

By: James Burge
January 7th, 2009

In what can only be described as an onslaught, Israel continues to attack ‘militants’ in Gaza, one of the few remaining strongholds of Hamas the terrorist organization government elected by the Palestinians. Israel broke a ceasefire agreement that had lasted about 4 months, claiming their hand was forced by Hamas militants digging a tunnel out of Gaza to apparently attack Israeli soldiers (remember there is a big wall around these people and they were probably trying to get food and clean water, but I digress). Israel has continued a 12 day offensive defensive attack on the region with the supposed intent of ending numerous (mostly unsuccessful) rocket attacks from the region. However, in what is considered the most densely populated Palestinian land that remains, the attacks on ‘militants’ seem to have been abandoned in favor of killing women and children to either further radicalize the region, further justifying these attacks, or to try and turn the remaining Palestinian population against their resistance movement. (which do you see as more likely?) Israel has admitted to deliberately targeting a school, which they now claim was being used as a weapons dump, or had someone fire on them, even though the UN had assured them that no ‘militants’ were present in the school, only civilians attempting to flee the assault on their homes (remember the wall, they have no where to run). After killing over 600 Palestinians (about a quarter of which have been confirmed to be civilians, although I would tend to think this is likely higher than that) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert voiced his plans to travel to Egypt where another ceasefire will be discussed (and eventually broken).

Eight Israeli soldiers were lightly wounded during battles with Hamas militants Monday afternoon, IDF said. On Sunday, an Israeli soldier was killed, marking the first military death since the ground operation launched Saturday night.

Source: Israeli military surrounds Gaza City, officals say

The above article also mentions of another 4 Israelis being killed during the initial reaction from Hamas, which puts the Israeli casualties in the order of 30, seems a bit one sided (although I can’t seem to find an official Israeli death toll). But Israel’s justification for this precision bombing of Palestinian territory (including hospitals and schools) remains the hundreds of low tech rockets, most of which hit low populated regions of the desert between Gaza and Israel.

With another day of gory news reports inflaming the Arab world, Israel contended that the deaths at the school, at the Jabaliya refugee camp north of Gaza City, demonstrated Hamas’s callousness toward the lives of Palestinian civilians.

Source: Israeli Shells Kill 40 at Gaza U.N. School

I think the above quote says it all, “don’t blame us, all we are doing is bombing what little land you Palestinians have left, blame your elected government because they don’t support the ethnic cleansing of the land we took from you 50+ years ago because it is the rightful Jewish homeland cuz we lived there once too.. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the holocaust, yeah that too…”

Although I support Israel’s right to defend its land from rocket fire, there is little talk of the overt actions of the part of Israel to further radicalize those trapped in the world’s larges internment camp.

Look at this way, let’s say for a moment that the Native Americans and the Mexicans rounded up all North American Europeans, forcing them into ghettos, refugee camps and then put a nice big wall around the whole thing so no weapons, bombs, fuel, food or other supplies can enter. I mean those North Americans should be able to take care of them selves and feel content in their quality of life. Then, in the event that the North American Militants fired rockets into Native American and Mexican territory injuring someone, the Native American and Mexican Soldiers are completely justified in bombing schools and refuge camps and not guilty in any way of provoking such attacks.

Think about it!! Seriously…

Climate Change, Case Closed???

By: James Burge
January 5th, 2009

I just finished reading a blog article from the Huffington Post about Climate Change and the ‘global-warming-is-an-exact-science’ crowd, and have a few things to say.

I have to start out with the typical disclaimers that seem to be required for anyone debating the global warming myth. Firstly, I too see our climate changing and I too am concerned about the possible outcomes. Secondly, we do not require an excuse to be better to our environment or to question the workings of this complicated biosphere. Lastly, my genuine concern for our planet (and its future residences) exists regardless of the global warming science that is typically used to induce guilt.

That being said, there remain a few clarifications.

As pointed out in the article mentioned above, our climate is always changing.

There has been no stable period of climate during the Holocene, our own climatic era, which began with the end of the last ice age 12,000 years ago.

This last ice age, as some of you may be aware, saw the majority of what is now North America under glaciers. But of course, one could (wrongly) assume that after the ice age temperatures leveled out and have remained relatively constant ever since. Average temperatures have gone through warm periods, where civilizations thrived, and cold periods, which tended to coincide with plague, famine, and empire collapse. “History shows that periods of cold are far more stressful to humanity than periods of warm.”

Another thing that was brought up by the Huffinton Article is that the relationship between temperature and CO2 levels aren’t as cut and dry as some would like us to believe. Scientists have found that there is about an 800 year delay between the rise in global temperatures and the rise in CO2. This is to say that the CO2 levels could not have ‘caused’ the initial warming, but that it may contribute in some way to the continued warming cycle. So could this actually show that increase in global temperature has an effect on the levels of CO2 in our atmosphere?

When the ocean-atmosphere system warms, the oceans discharge vast quantities of carbon dioxide in a process known as de-gassing.

Doesn’t seem quite as cut and dry when you look at it that way.

Do you know what the most common greenhouse gas is?

Methane?

Carbon Dioxide?

Nitrous Oxide?

Water vapour…

I wonder how long until water vapour becomes a controlled substance and hanging clothes up to dry outside cited for the increase in global temperature? I guess it depends on how much money governments can make outlawing CO2 emissions. The amount of water vapour in the atmosphere is well above the levels of CO2, so why aren’t we hearing about it in all of the global-warming hoopla?

So since water vapour is a greenhouse gas, an increase in water vapour will increase global temperatures, right?

Wrong! Increased water vapour actually reflects more UV light thereby decreasing the amounts seen on the ground. Increase water vapour would also contribute to high levels of precipitation that also have a cooling effect. Also, due to the high heat capacity of water, a lack of water vapour in the air contributes to increased temperature fluctuation from day to night as seen in most arid climates.

The fact is our planet has seen global averages well above and well below levels we see today. The only certainty is that the climate will continue to change. The resulting questions are two fold, 1) how will humans adapt to climate change? And, 2) will guilt, through man-assisted-global-warming be used to justify these adaptations? or will the natural sense of pride in our Earth along with the acceptance of a dynamic/changing climate?

The article goes on to mention the fact that there is evidence that other planets in our solar system are warming and that cosmic rays from other galaxies could actually have an effect on cloud cover here on Earth.

As NASA has corroborated, the number of cosmic rays passing through our atmosphere is at the maximum level since measurements have been taken, and show no signs of diminishing. The result: the seeding of what some have taken to calling “Svensmark clouds,” low dense clouds, principally over the oceans, that reflect sunlight back to space before it can have its warming effect on whatever is below.

My point: ‘Proof’ exists on both sides of this issue, and although I agree that Climate change will likely be one of the major tests of humanity, in my opinion, the human influence on climate change is irrelevant and is only wasting time. Also, the claim that climate change is case closed is at best dubious (would they not welcome science showing that we aren’t doomed as some claim). There is no statute of limitations on truth, something seen as true in science today can (and will likely) be proven false at least in part, whether the science was in already or not (see Newtonian Physics vs. Quantum mechanics). The best evidence for ulterior motive is when ones mind seems to be made up and evidence is then cherry-picked for only those discoveries that prove that point.

In conclusion, should we recycle and use less energy and be more environmental? Of course!!! Should we sturdy the climate and begin preparing for monumental shifts in climate? Of Course!!! Should we each pay governments to save us from the boogie man climate change? HELL NO!!!

Government Confiscates food!?!

By: James Burge
December 19th, 2008

Anyone doubting that martial law is already in the works south of the border need only read this article.

It talks about John and Jacqueline Stowers who run an organic food cooperative, something that we should all be looking to set up in our neighborhoods. The Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Lorain County Health Department raided their home and confiscated the families food supply, cell phones and computers.

“The use of these police state tactics on a peaceful family is simply unacceptable,” Buckeye Institute President David Hansen said. “Officers rushed into the Stowers’ home with guns drawn and held the family – including ten young children – captive for six hours. This outrageous case of bureaucratic overreach must be addressed.”

Outrageous is right! They confiscated FOOD, can you believe that? The idea of cell phones and computers being confiscated is somewhat routine in cases of fraud or other overt criminal activity, but this family has, as far as anyone can tell, done absolutely nothing wrong. According to the video below they also confiscated about a years worth of their personal meat supply some of which was from animals they raised themselves.

They also confiscated the computer that the family uses to home school their children and that one daughter uses to communicate with her husband who is serving in Iraq. The family was traumatized by the police raid and the fact that they failed to identify themselves as law enforcement officials. What sort of resistance did they expect to receive from a woman and 10 kids.

Update: Just came across this very informative podcast from the Buckeye Institure.org

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A 2,000-year-old Greek computer comes back to life

By: James Burge
December 18th, 2008

The video below shows a recreation of a device that was recovered from a Greek shipwreck over a century ago. This device was ages ahead of it’s time and leaves the question of how such technology had been lost, and leaves one to wonder what other similar devices have been lost to history?

Laughably Useless

By: James Burge
December 18th, 2008

In a move similar to recent Melamine contamination news, the US FDA has decided that “mercury in fish,[…] no longer poses any health threat to children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and infants.” (as if toxins somehow degrade with time…as opposed to accumulate in the food chain)

Last week, the FDA declared trace levels of melamine to be safe in infant formula. A few weeks earlier, it said the plastics chemical Bisphenol-A was safe for infants to drink. Now it says children can eat mercury, too. Is there any toxic substance in the food that the FDA thinks might be dangerous? (Aspartame, MSG, sodium nitrite and now mercury…)

Source: FDA Stuns Scientists, Declares Mercury in Fish to be Safe for Infants, Children, Expectant Mothers!

In a move that can only be seen as highly political the USA FDA has caved in to pressure regarding Mercury in Dental Amalgam and Thimerosal in vaccines and flu shots and decided that all mercury is safe, even for pregnant women and infants. This is in direct opposition to YEARS of science that labels mercury as one of the most neurotoxic substances known to man.

A recent University of Calgary study found that mercury causes significant neurodegredation in snails. However, even Health Canada released a statement saying these findings don’t provide evidence of any risk. Most claim that mercury levels from dental amalgam aren’t significant enough, or as some claim, non-existent, so no health effects are expected.

It just seems to me that, as with most industry watch dogs, that unless a significant risk exists its business as usual. Which means that the claim mercury no longer poses ANY health effects is false it just isn’t significant enough for them to care. If you do by chance suffer from mercury poisoning (or acute mercury toxicity) you likely wont be able to trace it back to dental fillings, flu shots/vaccines, or fish consumption. Also, when you consider how many people have mercury in their mouth due to dental fillings, if it was deemed unsafe, where would the dental industry begin in attempting to rectify the situation?

When agencies such as Health Canada and the FDA play these sorts of games it does nothing more than reduce people’s trust thereby rendering these agencies useless. What good is a health agency that is more worried about multinational cooperation’s bottom line than the people they are supposed to be protecting? And at what levels can a known toxin be considered safe? Oh wait I forgot, Mercury isn’t toxic, not anymore, what a relief?

But if you don’t believe me, below is the video from the University of Calgary presenting the results of their study, decide for your self.

How Mercury Produces Brain Damage – Click here for funny video clips

Yet another political assassination???

By: James Burge
December 17th, 2008

I’m sure you are aware of the recent story involving Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich, and his alleged attempts to sell the senate seat left vacant by President-Elect Barack Obama.

Under Illinois law the governor of Obama’s home state can appoint the president-elect’s successor but he apparently left the aide in no doubt that his blessing would come at a price. A seat in the Senate, he explained, is “a fucking valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing”.

Source: Governor of Illinois faces ‘staggering’ charges of corruption

Let me start off by saying that this is not by any means the first time a politician has looked for outside compensation to grease the wheels of ‘democracy,’ and it wont be the last. Is this really such a shock, in a political environment that saw multi-billon dollar, no-bid contracts for work in Iraq go to Halliburton and KBR, companies which both Vice-President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld both had worked previously and some say still receive money or have financial interests. This is the way business has been done by the Elite in power for a long time, why now is it so ‘staggering’ when a democrat does it, oh wait, I may have just answered by own question…

It is also not surprising, in these days of warrant-less wire tapping, that the FBI happens to have these recorded phone conversations as part of ‘an investigation’ and that his arrest came, less than 24 hours after he ordered all Illinois state agencies to suspend doing any business with Bank of America who received $25 billion in taxpayer money as part of the financial bail-out.

This is exactly the kind of thing that isn’t right, when on the one hand powerful special interest groups get the help of taxpayer money[…], yet the purpose of that money was supposed to be to provide a line of credit to businesses [...] to keep workers working and people employed, yet the bank of America has yet to step up and say they are going to be helpful […] and keep these people working so unless and until they do that the State of Illinois will suspend doing any business with the Bank of America and we hope that this kind of leverage and pressure will encourage the Bank of America to do the right thing for this business take some of that federal tax money that they have received and invest it by providing the necessary credit to this company so these workers can keep their jobs.

Source: Interesting timing

This all seems very reminiscent of the recent political assassination of recent New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer when the FBI released information about another ‘investigation’ revealing his use of prostitutes (another thing that is surprisingly common in all aspects of politics, just look at the assassination suicide of Deborah Jeane Palfrey the D.C. Madam who apparently had information about Vice-President Dick Cheney’s use of prostitutes). I’m sure his recent statements blaming the Bush Administration directly for the Housing Bubble. In a recent Washington Post Editorial Spitzer stated:

Even though predatory lending was becoming a national problem, the Bush administration looked the other way and did nothing to protect American homeowners. In fact, the government chose instead to align itself with the banks that were victimizing consumers.

Source: Predatory Lenders’ Partner in Crime

And only a few weeks later, he was forced to resign and his resignation got more attention than his accusations a few weeks prior, again I’m not surprised.

Anyone who still thinks that the NSA warrant-less wiretapping is to combat terrorism, or that FBI investigations are not political, wake up.

Possible Link Between Morgellons Disease and Genetically Modified Food?!?

By: James Burge
December 16th, 2008

I’ve been following the stories of Morgellons disease closely because it was, until recently, considered by Western Medicine, to be part of a mass delusion. The idea that just the perception of suffering from an unknown disease could spread amongst a population of educated individuals intrigued me because something about it just didn’t fit.

Acording to an article I just came across:

Morgellons Disease was first described when a woman’s 3 year old son developed rashes and intensely itchy sores which produced weird multicolor fibers emerging from his skin. She put up a website about the condition in 2001 and named it “Morgellons Disease” after a 17th century report of a similar affliction.

Common symptoms include the sensation of crawling beneath the skin, the growth of multi colored fibers from leasons and scabs that have formed in the skin. Some have even reported inexplicable hair loss, loss of visual acuity, and loss of the sense of smell. In addition to these, lets call them physical symptoms, there are also many mental symptoms that are reported and are (for me) the most interesting. Things like short term memory loss, an inability to focus or concentrate, mood swings, confusion, depression, disorientation and other neurological problems such as clumsiness, stumbling while walking, and impeded speech. More symptoms can be found here.

As mentioned above, one of the most identifiable symptoms is the various colored fibers that appear to grow out of leasons in the skin. It was because of this that most western physicians concluded delusional parasitosis, when patients (or their parents in the cases of delusional parasitosis by proxy) would bring in to physicians fibers that they would claim were expelled from the skin.

Nearly any marking upon the skin, or small object or particle found on the person or their clothing, can be interpreted as evidence for the parasitic infestation, and sufferers commonly compulsively gather such “evidence” and then present it to medical professionals when seeking help.[1] This presenting of “evidence” is known as “the matchbox sign”.

Source: Delusional parasitosis

So until recently it was nearly impossible to be taken seriously by a physician who, rather than look at the many symptoms that do present themselves, would dismiss the individual as delusional. This has caused Morgellons sufferers to be ridiculed and marginalized and have received very little help for their suffering as a result.

Recently the US Center for Disease Control has in fact begun a study in California, of a small number of sufferers so they have at least for now come to the conclusion that more information about this condition is needed.

We do not know the cause of this condition or whether this condition is new. CDC has received an increased number of inquires from persons who report similar symptoms; therefore, we are conducting an investigation to learn more about this unexplained dermopathy.

Source: CDC Unexplained Dermopathy (aka “Morgellons”)

However, where the CDC was slow in their reaction to complaints from people, others have not been so slow to investigate the fibers that are produced. A recent article made the following claim.

A study of the fibers shows that they contain DNA from both a fungus and a bacterium which are used in the commercial preparation of genetically modified foods and non-food crops (such as cotton). The fibers themselves are primarily cellulose, which the human body cannot breakdown or manufacture.

It goes on to claim:

These fibers twist and twine, grow and divide. In short, living beneath the skin of people, they form parasitic lesions out of what should be non-living material but which, through the horror of genetic modification, has taken on the characteristics of a living thing.

According to the article, “some researchers say that every person they have tested has some level of Morgellon’s type pathology in their skin.”

An even more provocative finding is that biochemist Vitaly Citovsky discovered that the fibers contain a substance called “Agrobacterium,” which, according to New Scientist, is “used commercially to produce genetically-modified plants.” Could GM plants be “causing a new human disease?”

Source: Skin Disease Might be Linked to GM Food

Lastly, it is also worth mentioning that most Morgellons sufferers allegedly test positive for lime disease. It could be that lime disease affects our immune system in such a way as to make one more susceptible to whatever causes Morgellons. However, it seems strange to me that while physicians were completely discounting Morgellons as a mass delusion one could still find information about the apparent link with lime disease. It is possible that such a claim could be used to cover-up these apparent links with genetically modified food and create plausible deniability.

Operation Northwoods

By: James Burge
December 11th, 2008

Buy your 2008 Amero’s today while supplies last… WTF?

By: James Burge
December 10th, 2008

Ok before you look at me like I’m crazy, you can (while supplies last, or the year ends) purchase Amero’s online.

Canadian sovereignty is in danger! It is only a matter of time before the US begins to effect Canadian Politics in ways that we are unaware.  The current war in Afghanistan is a great example. Gone are the days when we can call ourselves peacekeepers as we have now begun fighting US wars, or at least attempting to pick up the peaces.

Canadians need to wake up and ask themselves if they want to be slaves to the government system as our brothers to the south are (look into the Federal reserve if you don’t believe me). Harper has already signed the Security and Prosperity Partnership(SPP)which is an economic/trade agreement that will be used to dissolve both the physical and political borders between our countries.  Although, Canadians and Americans have similar societies, it is our differences that we (the people) have always valued, and the Elite have contempt for.  The SPP is an attempt by the US to gain greater access to Canadian Natural Resources and Mexican Human Resources.

The only way that society will accept (or, as some have said beg for) a new North American currency is with the complete devaluation of the dollar, which is currently underway. By reducing the kinda of credit people can receive in dollars, it will create a void which will need to be filled. That, along with the type of hyperinflation which is inevitable given the US Federal Reserve has been printing money like crazy (and deserves to be audited even though not even the US Congress (the only body given the right to issue coin by the US Constitution) can do such a thing). 

Wake up people, our way of life, and reputation as Canadians is at risk.

Warning: Extreemely Violent Video

By: James Burge
December 10th, 2008

So I just finished watching this video, and I’m at a complete loss for words. In this video a man, who according to the individual who posted the video is a Muslim student in India, and he and another individual are viciously beaten repeatedly with sticks, bats and rocks by a crowd of Indian males, all while soldiers stand watch.

It amazes me for many reasons but I will take a moment to express some of them here.  Firstly, these men who are beaten had no involvement in the Mumbai attacks and are innocent of everything but being a Muslim (a charge that carries a very real social sentence). Given that India is still reeling from these attacks, I will for a moment accept that they cannot comprehend the extreme hypocrisy. By condemning these innocent men to this, they are no better than those individuals who orchestrated these attacks killing other innocent people. It must also be noted that as their actions were inspired by the crimes against their people, allegedly at the hands of Muslim Extremists, so to will these actions inspire further hatred of (or in my case utter disappointment in) the Indian people.

Secondly, since this attack seems to have all the hallmarks of a false flag operation (automatic weapons and grenades, evidence of warnings, concurrent highly organized attacks, involvement by an alleged CIA asset, etc), they are playing into the hands of these attackers by reacting violently and vindictively against Muslim’s in India, even though it was Muslim Extremists who were initially blamed by the western corporate media before all the evidence was in (As an aside, I don’t think that Mainstream Media is appropriate as most people now get their news online and I will no longer use MSM, only Corporate Media, but I digress).

Lastly, although this point goes along with my hypocrisy point somewhat, anyone who does what is seen on this tape, no matter their motivation/justification, is a sadistic criminal who should be removed from society. Although, by the looks on the soldiers faces they have a future in law enforcement/the military.

Again, WARNING: this video is extreme…

Department of [in]Justice…

By: James Burge
December 10th, 2008

OK so I came across this article and haven’t had the time yet to read it in it’s entirety but thought that something mentioned strikes me as extremely odd.

William J. Benson was charged with falsely telling the American people the 16th Amendment was not ratified and therefore the income tax is unconstitutional. The evidence of the truth of his statement was struck from the record as “irrelevant and immaterial.” The appeal before the 7th Circuit raises the question of whether American citizens will continue to be allowed to prove their innocence in the courts of this country.

What is really amazing here is not the claims that none of the states properly ratified the 16th Amendment allowing for the government to collect from forced slave labour citizens income. It’s the fact that this man is not being allowed to defend himself!!! It also makes one wonder what they had to hide that is had to be struck from the record, because if it was truly irrelevant and immaterial, why not leave it in so anyone reviewing the case could make similar decisions about the validity of his evidence. Is it because the department of justice is funded by revenue from taxes? Seems like a miscarriage of justice AND a conflict of interest all rolled into one.

Take a closer look at that one. Benson is charged with falsely claiming that the 16th Amendment was never ratified, then the court declares any and all proof that might vindicate him as “irrelevant and immaterial.”

This is, of course, the logical outcome of a court system which is itself funded by tax dollars. There is a clear conflict of interest which precludes justice being done in this case.

The government’s attitude towards the 16th is that it no longer matters if it was really ratified or not, the tax system depends on it, therefore by fiat it is legal. Judge James C. Fox, in Sullivan Versus United States, admits right in the court record that examination shows that the 16th Amendment was not actually ratified, then goes on to say that since the nation has acted as if it was ratified all this time, there is no reason to change things at this late date. This is akin to saying that if a man get away with a murder for, let us say, twenty years, there is no reason to go back and prosecute him even if the evidence proves his guilt. [emphasis added]

Source: www.whatreallyhappened.com

 

Harper want a Cracker…

By: James Burge
December 10th, 2008

Just came across this vid that compairs a speech given by the Australian Prime Minister and that of our own ‘conservitive’ Prime Minister, the honorable Stephen Harper given just days after.

The claim is that a former speech writer plagiarized the speech and he has taken full responsibility.  The fact that it was only two days after is slightly suspicious. The concern being that the US government, who at the time was trying everything to gain international support for action against Iran, could have provided the rhetoric used which was inadvertently followed a bit too closely by both leaders. This however is complete speculation especially in the face of a confession of guilt by the speach writer.

You can come to your own conclusions… although Harper sure ends up looking like a parrot and a loon.

Canada in Crisis

By: Alicia
December 5th, 2008

• Canada in Crisis Part 1

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• Canada in Crisis Part 2

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• Canada in Crisis Part 3

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• Canada in Crisis Part 4

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• Canada in Crisis Part 5

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• Canada in Crisis Part 6

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• Canada in Crisis Part 7

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Canada in Crisis Part 8

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Worth the Read… The FED

By: James Burge
December 3rd, 2008

I just came across an amazing post about the privately owned US Federal Reserve.

Part One

Part Two

Basically, Congress was given the power by the US Constitution to “To coin Money, regulate the value thereof,” but somehow has given that power to a private bank known as the Federal Reserve. They have never, in the history of the reserve, been audited mostly because no one, not Congress, not the IRS, have the power to do so. When congress spends money it doesn’t have (deficit spending) they issue a government bond that is then bought by the Federal Reserve, thereby providing the money needed. They get the money from the US Treasury which prints the money at a cost of about $0.03/$100. They then charge the American Government interest on moneys provided. The amounts to over $100 profit for every $100 government deficit spending. Any other privately owned company would have to pay taxes on their profit, but not the FED. They claim only $20 billion profit a year which is returned to the US Treasury. The rest is spent abroad, without oversight, in whatever way the owners of the FED desire.

The U.S. Government now owes the FED owners the interest on those bonds. Remember the FED owners do not earn the bonds, they simply arrange for printing the money to buy the bonds. In other words, they created money out of thin air, and exchange it for the interest bearing bonds.

When the OWNERS of the FED receive the interest on the BONDS they’re holding, they are receiving that money essentially for free and without the need to pay taxes on the profit.

Why don’t we learn about any of this in school???

Update: Came across another article today that quotes a Thomas Edison New York Times article from 1921.

Now, that is what Henry Ford wants to prevent. He thinks it is stupid, and so do I, that for the loan of $30,000,000 of their own money the people of the United States should be compelled to pay $66,000,000 — that is what it amounts to, with interest. People who will not turn a shovelful of dirt nor contribute a pound of material will collect more money from the United States than will the people who supply the material and do the work. That is the terrible thing about interest. In all our great bond issues the interest is always greater than the principal. All of the great public works cost more than twice the actual cost, on that account. Under the present system of doing business we simply add 120 to 150 per cent, to the stated cost.

Update 2.0: Came across another article, Bag the Fed! Looks like the recent economic ‘crisis’ is sure getting people talking about the Federal reserve.

The Fed always increases the money supply to increase the money owed to it. That money is also loaned out, as said earlier, at interest, creating more debt, which equals a kind of economic slavery because it’s impossible for the government to ever free itself from this self-generating debt-load.

Update 3.0: Come across this google video, haven’t had a chance to watch it yet… Linked from BrasscheckTV.

More Melamine Contamination News…

By: James Burge
December 1st, 2008

So I just came across an article that (finally) confirms the Melamine contamination I mentioned a few days before Halloween. 

 

The FDA’s test results, which the agency hid from the public and only released after the Associated Press filed a Freedom of Information Act request, showed that Nestle, Mead Johnson and Enfamil infant formula products were all contaminated with melamine.

 

The first thing that stands out above is that the FDA hid test results from the public, something that seems to deny common sense. If the levels are low and of no risk to the public, why hide the info.  Why not let people know so that they can try to limit their exposure and commit to reducing, or eliminating the chemical altogether. Instead, after testing baby formula that is being sold in the US, the FDA has decided to raise the limit that it claims is safe for infants from none, to 1ppm, which just happens to be slightly higher than products being sold in the US. They have made these claims without doing any research into the toxic effects.

 

Prior to these test results being made public, the FDA had published a document on its website that explained there was no safe level of melamine contamination in infant formula. Specifically, the FDA stated, “FDA is currently unable to establish any level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that does not raise public health concerns.”Once tests found melamine in U.S.-made formula products, however, the FDA changed its story. As of today, the FDA has now officially declared melamine to be safe in infant formula as long as the contamination level is less than one part per million (1 ppm).

Astonishingly: The FDA has no new science to justify its abrupt decision declaring melamine to be safe!

 

 

 

The standard is the same as the one public health officials have set in Canada and China, but is 20 times higher than the most stringent level in Taiwan.

Source: link

 

 

The second question that arises is how melamine got into the baby formula in the first place.  The official claim is that it is due to contamination from manufacturing equipment. 

 

And yet the AP is reporting that the expected level of melamine contamination from manufacturing equipment is only 15 ppb (parts per billion).

 

Yet the FDA’s own tests found levels 16x that expected due to contamination from manufacturing equipment. This of course leads to the question of how levels could get so high. One conclusion is that Melamine was actually added in order to artificially raise the protein content. Another is that Melamine in animal feed could account for high levels in milk products. The second possibility means that all of the milk produced in the US could be high in Melamine and therefore any milk products like yogurt, cheese, etc. are also at risk.

 

 

Is nothing safe?? BY LOCAL PRODUCE!!!

By: James Burge
October 31st, 2008

Ok, so I’ve made 2 posts already on the preceved threat of high levels of Melamine in various Chineese made candies and food products.  The problem is, Melamine is also added to animal feed, that means that now eggs have been contaminated with Melamine. The AP article goes on to say that very little research has been done because Melamine contamination due to leaching isn’t very common and wouldn’t be expected to create high enough levels for any adverse effects.  Were it not for Chinese maufacturers deliberately adding the toxic chemical there wouldn’t have been a risk to consumers.

But while scientists say it’s not dangerous to ingest small amounts, they cannot be definitive because there have been no tests on melamine’s effects in humans. Until the contaminated baby formula became public in September, there was never any reason to.

Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hud2xejzcnuymvyU35uIkpblGfSAD945LRC00

So I’ve found a list of products that have been tested and found to be safe, the only problem is, its for Malaysia. But hey its what I was looking for.

Food Product Analysed and Found in Compliance with Action Level For Melamine – Updated Till 31.10.2008

Food Product Analysed and FOUND NOT IN COMPLIANCE with Action Level for Melamine – Updated Till 23.10.2008

List of Products Not Affected By Melamine Contamination-Updated Till 28.10.2008

this information was found here: http://fsq.moh.gov.my/modules/news/

Hopefully this will be the last I have to post on this. (not likely…)

Tainted imports, what better reason to buy local

By: James Burge
October 30th, 2008

Update: More info here: http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/465.html

 

I wanted to take a moment to blog again about the story I posted yesterday about the allegedly tainted food products imported to North America from Chinese manufacturers. I admit it was slightly alarmist and I’m not sure that angle is very effective, so I will attempt, with a more level head, to address these concerns again.

 

Let’s start with what we know.

 

We know that in recent years many tainted food scandals have affected consumers in this country, the most notable being the Listeria outbreak that continues to get attention (and rightfully so). Other notable cases include the recent tomato and spinach salmonella outbreaks and the dog food recall back in March of this year which caused kidney and liver failure in pets. What didn’t really make headlines was the cause of the kidney and liver failure. Most articles attribute the recall to tainted wheat gluten. But what was the wheat gluten tainted with??? The answer is Melamine.

 

Melamine is a toxic chemical used in fertilizers and thermosetting plastics.

Ingestion of Melamine may lead to reproductive damage, or bladder or kidney stones, which can lead to bladder cancer.^{[15][20][21][22][23]}

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine#Chronic_toxicity

 

(the one that I find most interesting is the reproductive damage coupled with the high risk to infants, but that’s another story altogether)

 

We know about reported cases of Melamine-contaminated powdered infant formula from China.

 

Over 6240 cases of kidney stones in infants with three deaths have been reported from across China as of 17 September [2008]. Kidney stones in infants are very rare.

Source: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2008_09_19/en/index.html

 

One of China’s biggest dairy producers received consumer complaints about its baby milk formula as early as December 2007.

 

Earlier this month, government investigators said that Sanlu officials had delayed acting on consumer complaints and warnings in June, and that local government officials in Hebei knew of the problems in early August, just before the Olympic Games opened in Beijing.

Food safety experts say the delays may have allowed the tainted powdered milk supplies to spread more widely, making tens of thousands of children ill.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/world/asia/24milk.html

 

Lastly, we know that the instance of kidney stones in American children is on the rise. Once considered a middle age ailment, more and more young children are developing kidney stones. This rise is attributed to excess salt in ones diet along with the instance of obesity.

 

Now lets talk a bit about what we don’t know.

We don’t know the amount of contaminated products have been imported into North America, but since the Chinese government was trying to save face while the world was watching, products continued to be imported to North America and may still be on store shelves.

 

We don’t know, what the Canadian (or US for that matter) government is doing about concerns regarding food imports. Although the Canadian Government is trying to change laws that would require a clarification if products from other countries were used in manufacturing, it may be a case of to little to late.

 

[U]nder current Canadian law, if 51 per cent of the production costs were incurred in Canada and the last substantial transformation of the product occurred in Canada, it is legal to use those labels.

 

The made-in-Canada label will mean the product was manufactured or processed in Canada. While such a product can include non-Canadian contents, the label must make it clear by specifying it was made in Canada with imported ingredients.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/21/food-label.html

Update:  We now know what the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is doing about the Melamine contamination:

 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising all importers of food products from China containing milk or milk-derived ingredients that the Agency will require documentation demonstrating certain safety and compliance for these products. 

 Source: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/2008melinfoe.shtml

We also now know which products have tested positive for high levels of Melamine. A list can be found here. 

 

What we still don’t know is which products have been tested and found to be safe. I know that this may be asking a lot because there is no way to test everything that is currently on shelves in stores.  But countries like Korea have removed the following:

 

M&M milk chocolates, Snickers peanut fun size bars, Kit Kat bars from Nestle, and Ritz “sandwich cracker cheese and rice cookies”

Source: http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/463.html 

 

The above mentioned are North American Brand Name candy bars, and the Snickers specifically says the fun size bars, I am assuming this means the small bite size bars usually given out at Halloween. Since the milk power itself was imported to the US, there is a chance that even American brand name chocolate bars could be contaminated, and need to be tested (although it would be easier just to find out who imported milk powder from China (after Dec 2007) and which batches it was used it, this information is likely already known in the US, but has not been released)

 

We don’t know why the media hasn’t been mentioning the risks to candy, ESPECIALLY since (as I’m writing this), it is Halloween.  In 24h the damage will already have been done. 

 

 

We don’t know the scope of the contamination. Most of the stories have highlighted milk powder or whey, but includes products like chocolate, cookies, cakes, and even things like packaged macaroni and cheese. While some of the recalled candy doesn’t even contain milk powder as one of the ingredients. Egg powder is also being identified as a potential source of this contamination.

 

A recall was issued for foil-wrapped Pirate’s Gold chocolate coins because they contain melamine.

Source: http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/coins.asp

 

We don’t know how much, if any of the candy currently in stores for sale for Halloween has been tested, and therefore we don’t know what candy to avoid. This will put an unfortunate damper on Halloween this year.

 

So what can we do?

We can do our best to limit or eliminate any Chinese made products that may contain milk, milk powder, egg powder, whey. (although this is easier said than done)

 

We can pressure government officials to step-up testing of products which are imported to this country and could contain chemical additives (whether deliberate or accidental) deemed harmful.

 

We can educate everyone we know on the risks, and we can hope that we don’t see that kind of kidney damage in children before we act.

 

We can buy local food, and try, whenever possible, to stay away from pre-packaged manufactured food and candy. Only by refusing to buy potentially unsafe products will testing become standard in order to ease the public’s concerns.

 

For some more information, Brass Check TV has compiled some videos here: http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/462.htm

OMFG, you have to see this!! Tainted Halloween candy COVERUP!?!

By: James Burge
October 29th, 2008

Wholly shit! This isn’t the first I’ve heard about this but this video does a great job of putting it out there. Make sure everyone you know sees this.

Some of you may have heard about the scandal in China where tainted baby formula was blamed for the death of babies. If you haven’t heard about it, don’t worry, you weren’t supposed to. It was hushed up because it broke during the Chinese Olympic Games and the Chinese didn’t want this story breaking when the world’s journalists were in China. If you think that’s irresponsible the same thing is happening in the US.  The FDA has decided that because the US is so close to a Presidential election a scandal such as this would hamper the election. Over 200 million lbs of tainted Milk products have been imported into the US (and Canada) some of which happens to be in Halloween candy! We are talking about toxic chemicals that were added to milk powder so as to allow the manufacturer (China) to artificially increase the protein content.  This is the same chemical that contributed to the tainted pet food scandal a few months ago. They didn’t hesitate to pull products to save peoples pets, but in order to save face before the election the US FDA and the US government has decided that babies are expendable!

This makes checking the Halloween candy even harder this year. If your child comes home with candy manufactured in China with milk power mentioned as an ingredient THROW IT OUT. The Melamine will build up in their system and could cause any number of long term heath effects such as kidney and Liver damage. DON’T RISK IT, NO CHINESE CANDY!!! Be sure to inform everyone you can.

Update:

Melamine is used to make plastics and fertilizers. It is high in nitrogen and when added to food products can mask low nutrient levels in standard tests.

Consuming it can cause kidney stones and kidney failure. Infants are particularly vulnerable.

Source:http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/10/01/tainted-milk.html

Doctors are reporting a “steep rise” in the number of young children with kidney stones, according anecdotal data cited by The New York Times.

Experts say children are consuming too much salt and too little water. They also blame obesity for the increase in the number of pediatric kidney stone cases that doctors are seeing across the USA.

Source: http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/10/docs-report-inc.html

VIdeo: It says ‘Product of Canada’ on the package, but the food is really from China. Or New Zealand. Or…

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/10/24/product_of_canada_eh/

All I would like to know is what our government is doing about these allegations, are these types of products tested, or are we relying on the Chinese companies to warn us about what are obviously shady practices, or is Canadian Private Industry expected to do these tests ?

Canadian ‘War-on-Health’???

By: James Burge
October 23rd, 2008

So I came across an article today that made me think. It is on a topic that hasn’t been getting much attention, which is good, because if it was getting the attention it deserves most would be outraged and the public outcry would likely put a stop to such things, if only for a short time, because, as we have seen in the case of politics for years, something which isn’t popular now, can be made popular under the right circumstances.  (Its worth pointing out that much of what I’m about to talk about is nothing more than speculation)

 

So the article “FDA Running Extortion Racket: Natural Supplement Companies Threatened with Arrest if They Don’t Pay Up” by: Mike Adams talks about the ways in which the US Food and Drug Administration has been using extortion style techniques to strong arm small Natural Health businesses who can not afford a legal fight and will settle out of court to try and salvage their business. What the FDA is trying to do is to get Natural Health companies to stop linking to scientific articles which explain or backup the benefits of various natural supplements.

 

Cherry products, for example, cannot link to scientific articles explaining the simple biological fact that cherries ease inflammation in human beings. Such links are considered “drug claims” by the FDA.

 

Canadians following the development of Bill C-51 will likely notice the parallels between the US FDA’s tactics and some of the things proposed by this bill. I would be willing to bet that this whole Bill C-51 thing is to pave the way for similar tactics or provide a legal framework allowing Health Canada to continue this practice (assuming this has already happened, which I think is likely). The article says that the US FDA is also trying to make Natural Health Websites remove consumer testimonials and are threatening imprisonment if companies don’t comply.

 

Can you imagine, even saying something like “An Apple a day, keeps the DR away” or even a simple anecdote recommending the use of Garlic as an antibiotic could be considered a “drug claim” by the US FDA even though they make fraudulent “drug claims” constantly!!!

 

FDA analysts estimated that Vioxx caused between 88,000 and 139,000 heart attacks, 30 to 40 percent of which were probably fatal, in the five years the drug was on the market.

(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rofecoxib#Withdrawal)

 

So basically, (if my assumptions are correct, I haven’t read the bill, but I’m starting to think I should) it is attempting to criminalize not only the natural health products themselves, but the promotion of natural health supplements as beneficial, in favor of synthetic drugs most of which were deemed ‘safe’ under questionable circumstances, and Health Canada wants the same tools as the Americans in order to silence any source of opposition.

 

Already, it is against the law for any Natural Health supplement to make a claim on its packaging as to any health effects it has, something that usually has decades or more of real world anecdotal evidence. On the other hand, most prescription drug trials go as follows:

• Group A is given a new experimental drug, and group B is given sugar pills,
• Both groups are tested for any number of physical ailments/benefits like blood pressure, cognitive function, lung capacity, and whatever else they can think of, until it is found that Group A has a statistically significant deviation from group B.
• If, for example, Group A has significantly lower Cholesterol then Group B, regardless of any other outside factors for such a discrepancy, the drug is then marketed with the claim that it lowers Cholesterol which little to no mention of the fact that it could have any number of other effects that weren’t statistically significant (or beneficial) enough to mention.

So then the public goes to their DR with high blood pressure and are given a drug that could have any number of long term side effects, yet to recommend Coenzyme Q10, Garlic, Hawthorn (herb), Fish Oil, Folic acid, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and, of course, Exercise; all of which have been shown to reduce blood pressure, and have no known toxic effects (unlike newly synthesized chemicals), would be illegal.

 

Its amazing to think that this bill could be used to criminalize vitamins and minerals in the form of daily health supplements and to “penalizing parents who give herbs or supplements to their children.”  As well, if the government requires a prescription for a drug, any naturally occurring source would also require a prescription. What if they decided that potassium has health benefits that should be monitored by a physician and require a prescription to obtain potassium supplements, they would be criminalizing people from buying, owning, and eating Banana’s without a proper prescription. The only question left is if such prosecutions would be made under the controlled drugs and substances act. It really takes the ‘war-on-drugs’ to a whole new level.

Update: Only because I think this is an important issue, I thought I’d include a link on how to find your Member of Parliament here.

Update 2.0: Just came across this article about Vioxx, I havn’t finished reading it so take a look for yourself.

I refuse to be deceived!!!

By: James Burge
October 15th, 2008

I’m not sure whether to be shocked or to feel stupid for thinking things in Canada could be different.  In what can only be described as taking a page from the US playbook the RCMP have used taxpayers money to fund a study designed to undermine the work of Insite, BC’s safe injection site designed for harm reduction of a niche of society that has been effectively marginalized federally.  Insite, despite the a conservative witch hunt “has been subject to rigorous, independent third party research and evaluation by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, recognized as one of the world’s leading research organizations.” Taken from its own site, some of the results include:

 

• increased uptake into detoxification programs and addiction treatment. (New England Journal of Medicine)
• has not led to an increase in drug-related crime, rates of arrest for drug trafficking, assaults and robbery were similar after the facility’s opening, and rates of vehicle break-ins/theft declined significantly. (Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy)
• reduced the number of people injecting in public and the amount of injection-related litter in the downtown eastside. (Canadian Medical Association Journal)
• attracting the highest-risk users – those more likely to be vulnerable to HIV infection and overdose, and who were contributing to problems of public drug use and unsafe syringe disposal. (American Journal of Preventive Medicine)
• reduced overall rates of needle sharing in the community, and among those who used the supervised injection site for some, most or all of their injections, 70% were less likely to report syringe sharing. (The Lancet)
• Nearly one-third of Insite users received information relating to safer injecting practices. Those who received help injecting from fellow injection drug users on the streets were more than twice as likely to have received safer injecting education at Insite. (The International Journal of Drug Policy)
• Insite is not increasing rates of relapse among former drug users, nor is it a negative influence on those seeking to stop drug use. (British Medical Journal)
• Insite is preventing overdose deaths and reducing hospital visits (The International Journal of Drug Policy)

Source: http://www.vch.ca/sis/research.htm

 

The problem is that all the above mentioned benefits to society aren’t enough for the conservatives who are still trying to push an incarceration/punitive based approach to drug enforcement. It seems that the RCMP agree, so much so, after receiving reports from two separate studies which didn’t effectively demonize Insite, they went back for two more, one of which was headed “by the director of a national drug-prevention organization that opposes Insite.”

 

This type of cherry picking from only those studies that reinforce policy IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! This is the same type of shit that convinced the US that Saddam had Newkuler weapons!!!

 

Its amazing to me, that a Canadian politician can suggest adopting an almost 40 year old failed US policy and have ppl (‘conservitives?’) buy it as a ‘hard on crime’ policy, when it is really just a policy to incarcerate those who obviously need help. This wouldn’t be successful if addicts hadn’t already been marginalized, and organized crime linked so closely with the drug trade, a link which can be blamed solely on the type of prohibition a ‘war-on-drugs’ tends to propagate. (I thought we were smarter than that, but I’m not surprised to see Harper prove me wrong, again, and again and… well you get the picture)

 

When political policy begins to influence the same studies used to sell the policy to the public, its called DECEPTION!!! I refuse to be deceived!!!

Hiroshima Video

By: James Burge
October 14th, 2008

Hiroshima: Warning To The World – Japan

Years in the making, Martial Law on US doorsteps

By: James Burge
October 9th, 2008

Also see

• FEMA sources confirm coming martial law
• Thousands of Troops Are Deployed on U.S. Streets Ready to Carry Out “Crowd Control”
• Incredible Documentary Footage of Mass Arrest in St. Paul

How Far the Mighty have Fallen…

By: James Burge
October 9th, 2008

It amazes me in a country that was founded on protest against the government/establishment could slide so far into fascism.  The following is a short video of a group of people which includes families with children, collage students and cameramen who were congregating in a park across the river from a hip-hop concert which happened to be the opening day of the Republican National Convention.  Obviously there were protests and marches but the end result is a completely unjustified mass arrest of individuals which include both peaceful protestors and citizens who are caught in the middle. In my opinion, such arrests are a precursor to larger arrests of political dissenters and protestors; they just want to register the level of outrage/pleasure in watching innocent families and collage students being arrested in the name of national security.

(I included pleasure because I’m sure you can find some American licking their lips at seeing liberals being arrested, because to some, to be liberal is to be less that human, although I tend to think the opposite is true)
 
 

McSame, McShame…

By: James Burge
October 7th, 2008

Also check out Make-Believe Maverick

Selling out Canadian Sovereignty

By: James Burge
October 6th, 2008

I was less than surprised to read an article from the Prince George Citizen titled “Prime Minister Harper officially endorses North American Union!” I knew that Canadian Sovereignty was low on Harpers list of concerns, but to so blatantly call for the end of Canadian Sovereignty is actually kinda shocking and I think the tag line says it all.

YOU WANT HARPER IN A MAJORITY GOVERNMENT?? CANADA WILL BE LOST, PLEASE VOTE SMART.

The goal of the North American Union (NAU) (for those unaware, and there are lots of you because Media tends to gloss over the details) is an assimilation of Canada into a “New America” basically destroying any fair trade deals with Mexico and the US and allowing a Non-Canadian body to make decisions that will greatly effect all Canadian citizens without being accountable to those same citizens. You will see most news trying to diminish the roll of the US as directing Canadian policy, but  if this is not the end goal then why the push for the NAU.

Indeed, the Stephen Harper government has been reported to be in the process of getting various Canadian government departments and agencies to “harmonize”, with U.S. governmental agencies, to expedite the assimilation of Canada into the neo-conservative vision of a “Fortress North America”.

(I think what they meant to say was FACIST North America, but I digress…)

North American Union architects have used the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to legitimate the take over of Canada by U.S. interests as a “logical outcome” of the terms of NAFTA.

This gives you an idea of how these people think, as far as they are concerned we gave up our rights to set a fair price on Canadian exports once we signed NAFTA.  And for those who try to make the case that this is just an extention of NAFTA and has no berring on our soveriegnty, if the NAU is a logical extention of NAFTA what is a logical extention of the NAU, a Canadian State of America?? Just don’t be fooled that Candian Soverignety means anything to US lawmakers who seem to put little virtue in US soveriegnty.

In effect, the Government of Canada appears to be governed not from a sovereign Parliament in Ottawa, but run through a New York City-based political fraternity, which seeks to replace a democratic form of government, with the rule of society by a “Council of Wise Men” (the US Council on Foriegn Relations).

The US Council on Foreign Relations has been criticized for its pursuit of globalization and lack of concern with sovereignty and with great interest in breaking down any barriers for the exploitation of foreign markets, workforce and resources.

The architects of such a fascistic government look upon their vision of society, to be much more “efficient” in dealing with the need to vanquish enemies, i.e. “terrorists”. [...] A terrorist is broadly defined by the architects of the North American Union, as any individual or group which opposes the New World Order agenda.

John Manley, former Liberal Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, who is part of an apparent Liberal-Conservative-Bloc parliamentary alliance on the SPPNA, also endorses the replacement of the Canada-U.S. border, with a new international border around Canada, the U.S., and also Mexico.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20081002154355/myblog/myblog/prime-minister-harper-has-already-officially-endorsed-the-north-american-union.html

How can we expect American politicians to do whats best for Canadians when even our own politicians wont?

What really happened

By: James Burge
September 30th, 2008

Ok so I had to post this because it made a point very eloquantly..

(taken from www.whatreallyhappened.com)

Private Plunder

By: James Burge
September 30th, 2008

Looks like the Federal Reserve didn’t care to wait until the recently defeated $700 Billion bailout plan to pass before proceeding to lend billions to banks in a sort of under the table bailout, who needs congress anyway, when good ol’Gdub is the decider.  The Federal Reserve has been lending nearly $188 Billion a day nearly quadrupling the record of almost $50 Billion set last week (makes me wonder what the record was before that).

 “This looks like the balance sheet of a central bank that is keeping the financial system on life support,” said Michael Feroli, U.S. economist with JPMorgan in New York.

Borrowings by primary dealers via the Primary Dealer Credit Facility, and through another facility created on Sunday for Goldman Sachs (GS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Morgan Stanley (MS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Merrill Lynch (MER.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and their London-based subsidiaries, totaled $105.66 billion as of Wednesday, the Fed said.

 The term Federal Reserve is quite dubious and very deceiving, seeing as it is neither federal, nor is it responsible for any significant financial reserves.  It is a private financial institution that is printing money out of thin air, in order to save Wall Street from itself while sticking it to anyone with $US in the bank. This practice has lead other countries into times of hyperinflation due to the severe devaluing of the dollar, which seems to be paving the way for the Amero, a proposed common North American Currency, modeled after the Euro in order to farther blur the lines between Canada, the US and Mexico.  The point of this and the North American Union in general, is to exploit Canada’s Natural Resources (ie. Oil Sands) and Mexican Labour (already a large part of the US workforce, even though it is illegal) but I digress…

 

In what can only be described as a colossal conflict of interest, Vice President Dick Chaney’s investment profile seems to be betting on the devaluation of the dollar.

So, while working class Americans are loosing ground to inflation and rising energy costs, Darth Cheney will be enhancing his wealth in “Old Europe”. As Blackburn sagely notes, “Not all bad news’ is bad for everybody.”

This should put to rest once and for all the foolish notion that the “Bush Economic Plan” is anything more than a scam aimed at looting the public till. The whole deal is intended to shift the nation’s wealth from one class to another. It’s also clear that Bush-Cheney couldn’t have carried this off without the tacit approval of the thieves at the Federal Reserve who engineered the low-interest rate boondoggle to put the American people to sleep while they picked their pockets.

I’ve never been so glad not to be an American taxpayer because otherwise I would be mad, not just flabbergasted by the greed and ease at which these people operate.  This will likely turn out to be the greatest theft in the history of American Taxation. Not only are the taxpayers paying interest on loans that are valueless, and footing the bill for this rejected (but someone forgot to tell the fed) bailout plan (don’t forget the war on terror/Iraq/Afghanistan/Iran?), they are also paying the inflation tax as their dollar is farther devalued by the second.  And the only comfort they have is knowing that Dick Chaney’s portfolio will remain virtually unaffected.

Not much of a silver lining, eh…. (Hey, speaking of silver…)

 

Why, then, is the public not furious about this stealth bailout, now taking place at the blistering pace of nearly $1 trillion a week, and all to the taxpayer’s detriment? The obvious answer is that the media is not whipping the public into a frenzy about it, instead focusing its attention on a $700 billion program and allowing the public to feel like they scored a blow against Wall Street when the program gets rejected. If so, it’s time the public got wise to how the system is really being run by and for the benefit of private bankers and at the expense of the average taxpayer. Otherwise, the fleecing of the public will continue unabated even as the public thinks they’ve won the battle.

1.) the U.S. fiscal year ENDS on Sept. 30th and a NEW one starts on Oct. 1st. and
2.) The Basel-II deadline for U.S. banks to be “Basel-II compliant,” originally Sept. 1st, must surely come due on Oct. 1st, 2008.

Basel-II compliant banks in Europe and elsewhere will be forbidden to do business with non-compliant banks in the U.S., effectively bringing the non-compliant banks down.

Tina Fey IS Sarah Palin

By: James Burge
September 29th, 2008

So if you missied the first skit with Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton check it out.

But first, SNL spoof of the Couric interview (with Poehler as Couric).

Classic..

Credit Crisis Crooks

By: James Burge
September 24th, 2008

Well it’s looking fairly grim south of the border, here’s hoping Canada’s Politicians won’t get away with anything similar.

What is going on in the US right now, the so-called ‘Bailout’ is nothing more than Corporate America stealing from the taxpayers, aided and abetted by the Executive Branch, with little to no resistance in Congress. But who would blame them when more then 50 members of Congress would personally benefit from the bailout plan.

Pelosi, in her most recent financial disclosure form, reported that her husband owned between $250,000 and $500,000 of stock in AIG, which ceded majority control to the U.S. government this week in exchange for $85 billion of loans.

Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, disclosed that his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, had more than $2 million of AIG stock at the end of 2007, when shares were worth $58.30. AIG has fallen 85 percent this week to close yesterday at $2.69. The lawmakers’ aides didn’t respond to calls seeking comment.

Altogether, 56 senators and representatives had stakes in AIG, Lehman, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Bear Stearns Cos. or IndyMac Bancorp Inc. — some of the biggest casualties of the market bloodbath

Basically what you have here is a last ditch effort to once and for all destroy/bankrupt the middle class taxpayers in order to ‘save’ the rich elite from their own predatory lending practices, which were designed (by none other then GW himself) to loan money to people who couldn’t afford it, only to group these risky mortgages, give them flashy names, and sell them to people who didn’t know or care what they were really getting because (as with the savings and loan crisis, and the ‘tech bubble‘) they figured if it got bad enough the government would step in, and ‘save the day’ using the same taxpayers money that were given predatory loans they can’t afford and most have already lost houses. But I’m sure they can afford to pay so the banks and most publicly traded companies get the money. It’s a steal from the poor, give to the rich sorta thing.  And don’t forget that the companies that own the Media will benefit so expect them to parrot how great an idea….(a bit of a rant I know).

Another thing worth mentioning is the recent US Defense Authorization Act which seemed to nullify part of the Posse Comitatus Act (passed in 1878) which prohibits the federal government from using the Army against it’s own citizens.

The President may employ the armed forces to restore public order in any State of the United States the President determines hinders the execution of laws or deprives people of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law or opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.

Although these changes were repealed, Bush issued a signing statement basically saying he doesn’t have to listen if he doesn’t want to.

Basically, if enough people take to the streets to protest this greedy bailout plan, coupled with economic collapse, Bush has the power to declare Martial Law, and it seems to be happening already as mentioned here (Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1).

[The Army] may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack. [1]

Again, fear is used to confuse the issue, and the issue here is the President unilaterally using the Army against anyone who protests.  More and more often Agent Provacateurs have been used to incite violence at peaceful protests. The intent of this is two fold, firstly it is important to paint a picture where protestors are violent and completely unreasonable, making them out to be a menace. Secondly, so that a ‘show of force’ in the form of heavily armed guards (or soldiers) would be seen as welcome when their presence prior to a disaster is unlawful under Posse Comitatus. At the democratic national convention, police began arresting accredited journalists (injuring a few) for trying to do their job and cover the heavy handed tactics used by Police, ultimately providing them with all the proof they needed.

Another thing to keep in mind (this point was raised By Webster G. Tarpley), this could be the one thing to get McCain elected, all he has to do is vote against it.

In political terms, McCain is now running well to the left of Obama on this issue, with a much stronger populist profile. McCain has attacked the outrageous greed and corruption of Wall Street. Obama does not dare attack Wall Street, since these are his masters. Obama, sounding like Milton Friedman, only attacks Washington. Obama has said that he will support whatever Paulson demands. That is not a surprise, since Paulson represents Goldman Sachs, and Obama is a wholly owned property of Goldman Sachs, which is his single biggest source of campaign contributions. Obama is a creature of Brzezinski, Soros, and Rockefeller, and without them he has no existence; Obama is an abject Wall Street puppet, an agent of finance capital. This week, both senators will have to decide how they vote on the odious derivatives bailout. Obama will surely vote in favor of it, since this is what Wall Street demands. If McCain votes against it, he will most probably propel himself into the White House on the model of Give ‘Em Hell Harry in 1948. Filthy corrupt Democrats like Schumer are already attacking McCain as the new Huey Long. Huey Long, the Louisiana populist of the 1930s, had many positive features, and we could certainly use a good dose of Huey Long in this country to counteract the elitism, oligarchism, condescension, and arrogant snobbery of foundation operatives like Obama. The bailout is already very unpopular ­ 72% of all voters are opposed to it ­ and it will become more and more hated when it becomes clear that it is also a failure. McCain’s course is clear. Will he have the brains and guts to cross Obama’s T on this vital issue?

A good point raised at whatreallyhappened.com…

DO NOT FALL FOR THESE ONLINE PETITIONS AND VOTING SYSTEMS OR “SEND A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS” WEBSITES. Many of them are FAKES set up to head you off, and keep you from contacting Congress directly with your anger at the bailout. The idea is to trick you into thinking you have done all you need to do with a click on a pointless website whose results will never, EVER, see the top of a congresscritters’ desk.

Lastly, the article that made me start this post, “Now is the Time to Resist Wall Street’s Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein

Also see

• Ben Stein almost lets out the Big Secret

• I think I have figured out the WallSteet Scam

• “Lego Block” Prison Cells Readied in Utah

• Ron Paul and Why the Bailout Should Make You Afraid, Very Afraid
  

I write this as a warning to the world

By: James Burge
September 22nd, 2008

Just came across an article linked on whatreallyhappened.com regarding the Hiroshima attack which is really worth a read.

 

I especially like the part where one of the first reporters to arrive in Hiroshima, Wilfred Burchett, described the radiation poisoning.

 

 “In the immediate aftermath of the bomb, the allied occupation authorities banned all mention of radiation poisoning […] For telling [the] truth, his press accreditation was withdrawn; he was pilloried and smeared […]”

 

His article, aptly named “I write this as a warning to the world,” should serve as warning still; a warning that when it comes to truth, the government isn’t interested. There was/is an obvious disconnect between the will of the American people and the way in which their leaders inflict ‘foreign policy’ on the rest of the world.  While most citizens would see interventionist foreign policy such as sanctions and war acceptable only as a reaction to threat or violence the reality is, it seems, that the US has wanted nothing more then to bait countries into war, or diminish its own atrocities, (as in the case of Hiroshima) under the guise that a greater evil exists.  The truth, however, remains that no other country in recorded history has ever used atomic weapons on civilians other then the US (who also seem to be the ones who are quickest to remind the world they still have the bomb, kinda like a game of chicken).

Neo-laziness

By: James Burge
September 22nd, 2008

I never really understood the laziness when it comes to escalators, I get that people are lazy and don’t want to walk up stairs, but my bewilderment grows when it comes to down escalators.  The only reason I can see for not walking down an escalator would be if I was holding something or accompanying a child or someone with reduced mobility.  So it amazes me in the rush-rush world we live in that people will still stand (usually with a somewhat vacant stare) and wait for an escalator to deliver them to the floor below.

 

So the other day when I was coming back from grabbing lunch and I was in a bit of a hurry to get back (to be honest I always walk fairly fast paced), out of courtesy, I allowed a guy decked out in spandex, looking ready for a marathon to go in front of me.  To my amazement, he stopped and waited on the escalator (which was empty, except for the one person at the bottom about to step off). A guy who was obviously on his way for a walk/run at lunch couldn’t be bothered to walk the 8-12 steps it usually takes to traverse a typical escalator.

 

Are we so caught up in our daily lives that even walking from place to place becomes habitual (hence the vacant stare) or are we so used to the assistance we receive in the form  automation that we can’t be bothered to do things for ourselves???

 

Another great example is automatic doors. It never ceases to amaze me how long people will wait for an automatic door to open.  I’ve even seen situations where there is a bit of a lineup waiting for the automatic door.  This is most notable at C-train stations, when everyone gets to the doors at the end of the platform and stops, waiting for the one of five doors that opens by itself. You can usually find me pushing (somewhat unceremoniously) to the front to open a door for myself (and hold it for those behind who couldn’t be bothered).   

Technology, Entertainment, Design.

By: James Burge
September 21st, 2008

A site with a bunch of interesting vidz with experts discussing their leading edge field. Totally worth exploring, below are some of the recent additions.

“N.”

By: James Burge
September 21st, 2008

Liberal Solution: Tax it…

By: James Burge
September 18th, 2008

So after hearing that the Liberals are rolling out their “Liberal Green Shift” program as a response to voters climate change concerns I was a bit hesitant (to say the least) to embrace what is virtually the US carbon tax idea with a bit of a Canadian sugar coating.  Stephane Dion said that the average Canadian should expect to see a reduction in their taxes not an increase, I’m just not sure I get it.

 

First off I have to say that the carbon tax idea is, in my opinion, the exact opposite of an expectable approach to addressing the problems associated with climate change. It seems to try and profit of a genuine concern for our environment. What it does is tax us for energy that we already use today, mostly because of the available energy infrastructure, (most Canadians would happily choose green power, but would they pay twice as much for it??) while promising tax relief for everyone in order to cover their carbon costs.  This is by no means a hand out, nor will it offer the right type of incentive. 

 

Obviously the greatest carbon producer is the energy industry which we all rely on for most of the energy we use every day.  Anyone who thinks that industry will absorb the cost of the carbon tax is kidding themselves. Any increase in energy production costs to industry can be seen as a direct increase in cost to the consumer, and maybe not just once.  Keep in mind the high cost of oil has impacted the cost of food as well; another way I think the average family can expect to see their cost increase under this plan. 

 

So really what we are looking at is a tax break for everyone, coupled with increased ‘cost of doing business’ which will affect those that use the most energy (don’t worry Parents, because you have kids you are allowed (expected?) to use more energy and will therefore receive a “child tax credit worth $350 per year per child, on top of all other existing child benefits.” gotta keep those parents happy). The idea of a monetary penalty for polluting is nothing new; this is likely what has gotten us in this mess.  Industry shifts the regulatory cost of emissions on to the consumer, as any business model would in order to protect the bottom line. I just don’t see the incentive to change to green energy.

 

Let me take this moment to relay something that may shock you.

 

In my opinion, climate change has yet to be conclusively attributed to humans.

 

‘Proof’ exists on both sides of the argument, one example being the temperature increase of other planets in our solar system, suggesting the sun’s output plays a roll.  Also, evidence exists showing that this has occurred many times throughout Earth’s history and could very well be a part of a natural cycle. 

 

Whether you feel we are to blame or not, is irrelevant!

 

Regardless of where the blame lies, the fact that our climate is changing is not being disputed and therefore will require a shift in thinking.  We must first stop fighting over the cause and start trying to look to the future. Either we embrace the changes and be willing to accept that the climate we have come to enjoy may not last, or we begin to find new and innovative ways to adapt and/or effect the climate in order to combat climate change.

 

What innovation and voluntary adaptation of new technology needs is incentive, not burden through increased taxation (even the production of solar cells will produce carbon dioxide, should solar cell manufacturers be charged the same tax as oil companies, I don’t think so).  All this does is further inflate the cost of adapting green technology. What we need is an increase in tax incentives for both business and residential adaptation (or production) of ‘green’ technology.  Make environmentally friendly technologies more lucrative and more easily accessible by the greater public and you will see a change.  If nothing else, it allows a business to cover cost for homeowners to convert to green energy.

 

Green Tax Incentives are, in my opinion, the best way to ensure that you get peoples attention without adding more financial burden on energy. For those individuals that ‘going green’ is important, tax incentives and government (or private) subsidies bring currently available green technologies to the average Canadian today while still offering incentives for new technology. The only thing it will require is a comprehensive plan to audit these incentives to ensure that the right people are getting them (keep in mind that the Liberal plan is to give the tax break to everyone). The added benefit is that businesses that use green technology will hopefully be able to pass some of the cost savings on to the consumers making it possible to undercut less-green businesses farther fueling the incentive to ‘go green.’

Privacy vs. Secrecy

By: James Burge
September 18th, 2008

So I just read the story about how some hacker got into the US Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin’s personal email (although apparently used for government purposes as well, which seems kinda shady since I thought they are supposed to keep track of all communication regarding government issues).  I couldn’t help but see this as just desserts. The US government has recently decided that it is above the law and does not require probably cause (used to get a warrant) in order to snoop on its citizens (no, not China, not Russia, the USA). What has occurred to Sara Palin is what is continuously happening to countless Americans, the worst part is it’s happening without their knowledge and without reason; otherwise, the warrant should be easily obtained. If it is no big deal, as is the case the government has tried make regarding this unconstitutional domestic spying program, then why can’t we see their email? 

 

What makes government secrecy more important than personal privacy?

 

This program was introduced under the guise of National Security and the ‘War on Terror,’ playing off the fear created on September 11^th 2001 in order to introduce policy that would never have passed in the Pre-9/11 world (for more on this read The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein).  In a democracy, the government is said to work for ‘(we) the people,’ this in theory makes us their boss, which by the same logic should allow us to oversee all aspects of government, especially interventionist foreign policy.  However, the current state of affairs is much different, instead they have the ability to read our e-mails, listen in on our phone calls, and  obtain record on what websites we view, what books we check out of the library (seriously!!!) and of course financial records.

 

To me, the direction of information flow seems counter-intuitive, given the formal theory behind democracy. But nothing affects public opinion quite like fear. In this case, the fear that extremists are training here at home to hijack the American democracy because they hate freedom. Actually that is one of the few statement with which I agree, just not how you would think.  Most would assume that I am talking about Muslim extremists planning terrorist attacks, nothing could be farther from the truth. In my opinion, it is the politicians who are the extremists, and if allowed to continue their interventionist domestic policy, the America of the future will be unrecognizable to the America that was founded some 232 years ago (thanks wiki answers) in direct response to the oppression felt by the Founding Fathers from the ruling class in Britain, they’ve just traded one oppressor for another.

 

Now some would say, ‘if you aren’t doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.’ That is complete and utter bullshit, and an argument that is best summed up in ‘I’ve Got Nothing to Hide’ and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy by Daniel Solove. This basically says the argument is flawed because it treats privacy as the protection of something unlawful, which it is not.

 

 

Don’t act so surprised

By: James Burge
September 12th, 2008

I came across an article (linked on drudge) regarding a Chicago teacher that used the only Muslim student in the class as an example of a terrorist. While I absolutely abhor what this teacher has done, are we really so surprised? The chance of this being the only incident of it’s type is impossible, and given the current mood of fear that touches all of us in some way, does the fault lay with the teacher who merely voiced an opinion that is shared by a large number of United States Americans (I’ve decided to make the distinction because I feel less and less kinship with our North American brothers to the south, but let’s not get into a debate about semantics, anyone who doesn’t realize that Canadians are also Americans (as are Mexicans,Brazilians, Chileans…) needs to pull out a map with more then just the US on it). 

“She used the example of if Saleh were to go on to an airplane, put his backpack down and put two wires together and the plane were to blow up – and she didn’t make a point,” said Christina Abraham, Council on American-Islamic Relations.

 So this teacher is being singled out for indefensible behaviour rooted in a belief that all terrorists are Muslim, a modern concept lost on me (likely because  Canadian History includes the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) bombings which involved mostly white francophones not Middle Easterners, as one example). If all she was doing was illustrating a deplorable stereotype, shouldn’t some effort be made to try and address this as opposed to calling for the teacher to be fired (although I wouldn’t want her teaching any of my kids.. especially history).

In the past, North American Society has been fairly homogeneous, composed mostly of descendants of white western Europeans and the like, due mostly to the rate at which Europeans flocked to ‘the new world’ in search of a better life (and gold, and god knows what else…). Are we now to say that dream of a better life is for us alone and not to those who are still arriving (or in most cases, have been here for many generations).  America wasa deam, a dream of a place where all could be free from oppressive oligarchy and live united as ‘we the people.’ But at some point that dream turned to a nightmare that has left us (especially the US) worse off, especially in terms of government control. (Although it should be pointed out that Canada did not succeed in declaring independence from the British Monarch who remains a figurehead in our country, in the form of the Governor General, to this day and with little contention)

At what point is a society responsible for the degradation of racial identity? It has to be said that majorities are undeniably blind to the plight of minorities and seem eager to regain any advantage in this fight for (in)equality. Although the US has had many high profile racial clashes that seem to only exacerbate issues of racial inequality, we in Canada are not far enough removed from Japanese internment to wash our hands of the issue.  It is due to our conviction that we must voice our disgust with such behaviour, but to also begin the dialogue that could lead to helping people gain a new perspective. One that comes, not from fear mongering, but from acceptance of the individual as a member of collective society, not a member of a race. Although it seems that the US government seem to rely on this divisiveness, and subtly encourage fear, so that they can come along and offer the majority a solution (taxes to follow) that tends to have further reaching consequences than are justified by this form of inequality (racial profiling as policy is one example that comes to mind).

The ‘Politically Correct’ movement is, I believe, one of the biggest hurdles we must face in this fight.  We can not expect to make any progress when we are afraid to discuss the issues faced by minorities by being afraid to infuriate those same minorities.  It is the majority that is afraid to talk about it, and we hide behind PC terms like diversity and equality because we can’t face the guilt of privilege that we are all to quick to deny exists.  It is my opinion that racism is rooted in guilt, and that we are afraid to admit, as a majority, that we receive benefits just for the colour of our skin. Only by our admission can we begin to address the subjugation that minorities experience.

The Large Hadron Collider

By: James Burge
September 10th, 2008

Well, the The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) turned on today, and (as far as I can tell) we didn’t destroy the universe…. yet. The first beam of protons was sent arond the 27 km long collider.  Two of the experiments CMS and ATLAS captured images as the protons bounced of the collimators that are used to propel the protons to near the speed of light. For more check out New Scientist.

I thought I would post this vid for this occasion, gives a good idea of the point of the LHC.

How to steal an Election

By: James Burge
September 10th, 2008

If I hadn’t seen it I don’t know I would have believed it, but now we know why governments have been pushing Electronic voting machines.  Cuz they are only as secure as they need to be, and anyone with a bit of computer knowledge can hack these things and hijack an election or referendum/plebiscite. As the following videos show, all it takes is a Trojan on the cd key used and the machine will replace any votes in a particular race to the candidate of the hackers choice.  Only extreme vigilience when voting can hope to prevent this by checking the printed copy of the vote.  Although as the vid shows this can be hacked as well so that once you remove the voter id card and walk away the machine voids your vote and reprints it with the hacked vote. Only watching the machine untill the vote immedeately following has been properly cast can you be sure that your vote wasn’t changed by the machine.

Some states don’t even require a paper record, meaning there is absolutely no way to audit the system. It’s no wonder governments are rushing these things out, it is likely only a matter of time before people realize that democracy itself has been hacked, but if my job required me to win an election every 2-4 years I’d find a way to hack the system too…. or find a new line of work.

For more info on the hijacking of the US election check out http://www.blackboxvoting.org/ for some valuable tool kits to help you ask the right questions and put some much needed pressure on local officials to secure the voting process on all levels.

Sorry wrong addie…

By: James Burge
September 9th, 2008

Ok maybe its because gmail is becoming more used by the general public, coupled with my email addie being an initial with a (not so common) last name, but over the last few months I have been getting an increased number of miss-directed emails. (to be honest until last year I don’t think I’d ever had a miss-directed email)

Now, it would be easy to mistake a miss-directed email as spam, but one example was a Jan Burge who had signed up for a service (requiring activation of course) and sent me the activation email used to confirm the email addie. (nicely done, genius…)

Another example; the other day I learned about B-day plans for someone’s Father… apparently a Jon Burge.

The thing that I’m not really sure of; how one would go about reporting a wrong addie similar to a wrong number? This is even harder when, as in the case of the first example, a webmaster’s web-bot sent the email and any reply to that address wouldn’t likely be seen by a person (this is just the assumption I made, it may not be so…).  But it seems kinda rude to just send an email “HEY you got the wrong person!!” (I find it very hard to say it nicely, including ‘I’m sure it was an innocent mistake’, and other qualifiers). I think the problem has to do with the impersonal way we use email to communicate. When you know the person who emailed you, it is usually easy to grasp their tone and intent. however,with a stranger, it can be easy to missinterpret genuine concern as discomfort of rogue emails.

If you accidentally send an email to the wrong address and the person emails you back bringing your mistake to attention do you send an apology email or just leave the communication hanging as is??  [poll id="2"]

I think this is a great example of how we are constantly defining new norms and courtesy without any common direction.  I have to admit that they few times that I take the time to email someone back who wrongly emailed me (or in one case I forwarded it to the email address I thought they meant given their name) I kinda expected something simple like, “OMG sorry” nothing more, but just a reply to conclude the communication (done out of courtesy not necessity).

Luckily, wrong emails aren’t nearly as annoying as wrong numbers (especially given the time of evening the calls usually occur).

LOL, as I was writing this I got yet another wrong email address… but I finally got a polite reply

“My apologies, thank you”

see that’s all I was looking for.

Dark Matter

By: James Burge
September 5th, 2008

StumbledUpon this the other day, really interesting, talks about dark energy and dark matter, which make up about 96% of our universe. She also did a good job about explaining the concept of the expanding universe, the only question that remains (for me) is what is it expanding into…

Virtual Tour of the Great Pyramid

By: James Burge
September 5th, 2008

A very kewl look at what the Great Pyramid looks like from the inside (includes areas the public isn’t aloud to see)

Work in progress…

By: James Burge
August 28th, 2008

Well, things are progressing nicely if not a little slowly, but I’m trying to play around with settings to make things more useful, searchable, and of course to work out any bugs I come across.

If you come across any please let me know.

Hopefully soon I will actually have something to blog about as opposed to these useless updates that don’t really mean anything.

Back to reality…

By: James Burge
August 21st, 2008

I wish I could turn back time and do it all over again, because it went by WAY too fast. But another summer is coming to a close, and I will have to wait until next year to see Shuswap again, I hope I can wait that long.

 

Highlights, well, to be honest Asher (Tracy’s 3-year-old Nephew) provided most of the comic relief for the trip. I know it is wrong for a toddler to be swearing, but when it is done so eloquently, is it really so terrible, I mean where is the victim.

 

The day after we arrived, Asher gave us our first, and if memory serves, most violent (is violent the right word, no vicious or ferocious maybe) most intense laughing fit of the trip when he exclaimed, at the top of his lungs no less “Fucking Bullshit” at least 3 times that I could hear from the kitchen.  Now, laughing at such a remark is likely not the best way to dispel this behaviour so we decided, from now on (yeah right!!), not to laugh when he swears but to try to ignore it, and of course watch our own mouths, which is easier said then done.

 

So we are getting ready to head to Lake Country, to see Tracy and Tammy’s Grandmother and Asher has decided to come up to the car with me, in the mean time twirling around, picking flowers and acting rather silly, to which I say, “Don’t be silly…” and the reply??? “You’re fucking silly!!”  OK, so once I recover from laughing (so much for not reacting) I relayed this pearl of wisdom to his mother who had a good laugh as well.  I think Tracy said it best when she said “At least he’s using it properly.”  Although I’m not sure his daycare workers and future Teachers would be in agreement.

 

The last significant swearing incident was one of our last days at the cabin, and proved to be the most restraint we’ve shown these sorts of outbursts when he started repeating “what the fuck” at least half a dozen times.  For what felt like eternity Tammy and I held our laughter, and attempted to make jokes or find other things amusing so we could allow ourselves to expel the laughter we’d been holding back, it was torturous; anyone who’s ever tired to stifle a giggle knows what I mean.

 

For the most part, the rest of the trip was uneventful. 

 

Unless, you count local authorities searching the beach for the body of a young man that apparently drowned near Sicamous.  Evidently, the bag of ice he went in the water with (along with beer and wine apparently) ended up on our beach. Let me first say that although I know some people who have trouble swimming in open water due to certain irrational fears, I have absolutely no reservations/fears of swimming in that lake, but knowing that a dead body could be floating somewhere close just below the surface is a bit unnerving to say the least.  But if you think that stopped us from swimming you’d be gravely mistaken, because I think we actually swam more after we had found out, then before (due only to weather conditions and scheduled trips into town for supplies, not some morbid curriosity).

 

What else can I say about the trip?  We watched most of the first 3 seasons of ‘How I Met Your Mother” on DVD, which is an awesome show (drink).  I have never seen the show on TV (I don’t really watch that much regular television) but I will watch any episode I catch from now on.  We of course had to make up a drinking game (I will post the rules in the forum when I get a chance). Asher on the other hand watched ‘The little Mermaid’ about 40+ times along with other Disney favorites such as Aladdin (15+ times) Beauty and the Beast (20+ times) and (not Disney) All Dogs Go To Heaven (10+ times). Let’s suffice it to say such a regimen would drive anyone to drink, hence the HIMYM drinking game.

Vacation time…

By: James Burge
July 30th, 2008

Well, I’m off to Shuswap for 2 weeks and I can’t wait, if you’ve never been, go, you won’t regret it.

Moving forward

By: James Burge
July 25th, 2008

Ok, so things are progressing nicely, and the next step is to actually do some blog posts.  Since I am swamped at work, and am leaving for vacation in less then a week I doubt there will be much for content until September or so. In the mean time, for the few of you who are showing up and checking out the site, I am looking for people who would like to contribute and the best way is for you to Register with this site (can be found in the Meta section to the right).  The default at this point (for obvious reasons) is for all new members to be subscribers, once you have registered and let me know (through email, or a post on the forum) that you are interested in contributing I will change your status to Author and then you will be free to post content.  Once we have people contributing, I will also be looking for editors to take on a slightly more involved roll but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  For now lets just focus on getting the site up and running, and getting interested parties registered so I can communicate with all of the Authors.

James