War On You: Breaking Alternative News

Blackwater Mercs Likely to Stay in Iraq, Despite Gov’t Ban

Iraq’s government says it won’t give Blackwater a license to operate in the country. So does that mean the firm’s cadre of tattooed gunslingers will be gone from Iraq, forever? Not exactly. Sure, Blackwater as a corporate entity probably won’t be roaming the streets of Baghdad or Mosul for much longer. But the individual mercenaries [...]

The World is Facing the First Truly Global Economic Crisis

by Vladimir Putin Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s speech at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum Davos, Switzerland January 28, 2009 Good afternoon, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the forum’s organisers for this opportunity to share my thoughts on global economic developments and to share our plans and proposals. The [...]

The Quality and Cost of Medical Care in America

Lack of Data of Medical Outcomes: Threat to Public Health Information about the quality and cost of medical care “is preeminently unavailable” not only to patients but even to doctors, specialists and insurers, so that all concerned parties literally are “flying blind,” a noted legal authority warns. “Doctors, clinics, hospitals, etc. are not required to [...]

Why is Marijuana Illegal?

A brief history of the criminalization of cannabis 7000-8000 B.C. First woven fabric believed to be from hemp. 1619 Jamestown Colony, Virginia passes law requiring farmers to grow hemp. 1700s Hemp was the primary crop grown by George Washington at Mount Vernon, and a secondary crop grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. 1884 Maine is [...]

Official: Blackwater Contract for Iraq Not Renewed

A senior U.S. official says the State Department will not renew Blackwater Worldwide’s contract to protect American diplomats in Iraq when it expires in May.The official tells The Associated Press that the contract will expire because of the Iraqi government’s decision to deny Blackwater a license to operate. The Iraqis informed the State Department last [...]

New Attorney General faces UFO diplomacy dilemma

Eric Holder is very likely to be confirmed on Monday as Attorney General by the full U.S. Senate after yesterday gaining approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 17-2 vote. He will be the first African American to head the Department of Justice in U.S. history. Holder will be the top legal official responsible [...]

New Jungles Prompt a Debate on Rain Forests

The land where Marta Ortega de Wing raised hundreds of pigs until 10 years ago is being overtaken by galloping jungle — palms, lizards and ants. Skip to next paragraph The New York Times Jungle is developing again on old holdings around Chilibre. Readers’ Comments Share your thoughts. Post a Comment » Read All Comments [...]

Military to Pledge Oath To Obama, Not Constitution

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is extremely frustrated with orders that the White House is contemplating. According to sources at the Pentagon, including all branches of the armed forces, the Obama Administration may break with a centuries-old tradition. A spokesman for General James Cartwright, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, states that [...]

Tennessee Officer Suspended after Wal-Mart Assault

A Chattanooga detective accused of assaulting an elderly Wal-Mart greeter who asked to see his sales receipt has been suspended from duty. Police Chief Freeman Cooper told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that following a disciplinary hearing officer Kenneth Freeman was suspended 28 days without pay for conduct unbecoming an officer, improper procedure and excessive [...]

Homeland secretary wants criminal aliens out of US

Supreme Court Extends Absolute Prosecutoral Immunity

The Supreme Court has unanimously overruled the Ninth Circuit in the case of Van de Kamp v. Goldstein, and broadened absolute prosecutorial immunity to include district attorneys whose poor supervision of subordinates may result in wrongful convictions. I wrote about the case last April: Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case [...]

Officials: Army suicides at 3-decade high

Suicides among U.S. soldiers rose last year to the highest level in decades, the Army announced Thursday. At least 128 soldiers killed themselves in 2008. But the final count is likely to be considerably higher because 15 more suspicious deaths are still being investigated and could also turn out to be self-inflicted, the Army said. [...]

Fourteen-Year-Old Boy Tricks Police Into Giving Him a Squad Car and Assignment for Five Hours

The Chicago Police Department is struggling to explain this morning how a 14-year-old boy walked into Grand Crossing District station impersonating a police officer and was given an assignment in a squad car for five hours before anyone realized that he was too young to drive, let one patrol the streets of the city. It [...]

DARPA Wants To RFID Tag US Troops

Tracking Soldiers, Mapping Relief DARPA wants to electronically RFID tag US combat soldiers so they can then be swiftly found and rescued if they get into trouble. The “Individual Force Protection System“, is being pursued by contractor Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).

8 pesticides banned after worldwide beehive collapse

First UK supermarket chain – and Britain’s biggest farmer – to prohibit chemicals implicated in the death of over one-third of British bees A bee collects nectar from a flower in a garden in Pontevedra. Photograph: Miguel Vidal/Reuters The Co-op today became the first UK supermarket to ban the use of a group of pesticides [...]