Opponents of a U.S. law they claim may subject them to indefinite military detention for activities including news reporting and political activism persuaded a federal judge to temporarily block the measure.

U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan yesterday ruled in favor of a group of writers and activists who sued President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the Defense Department, claiming a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law Dec. 31, puts them in fear that they could be arrested and held by U.S. armed forces.

The complaint was filed Jan. 13 by a group including former New York Times reporter Christopher Hedges. The plaintiffs contend a section of the law allows for detention of citizens and permanent residents taken into custody in the U.S. on “suspicion of providing substantial support” to people engaged in hostilities against the U.S., such as al-Qaeda.

“The statute at issue places the public at undue risk of having their speech chilled for the purported protection from al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and ‘associated forces’ – i.e., ‘foreign terrorist organizations,’” Forrest said in an opinion yesterday. “The vagueness of Section 1021 does not allow the average citizen, or even the government itself, to understand with the type of definiteness to which our citizens are entitled, or what conduct comes within its scope.”

Enforcement Blocked

Forrest’s order prevents enforcement of the provision of the statute pending further order of the court or an amendment to the statute by Congress.

Source and read more: bloomberg

Kudos to Judge Forrest, it is clear that the way this bill is written, it leaves a lot open to the end result being imprisonment for US citizens, without a lawyer, without any proof of guilt, regardless of a President saying he would not use it.  Little trust can be had in someone who signs off on such a poorly written law.

Researchers reviewed findings from 27 trials involving 175,000 people, some of whom were at low risk of heart problems.

They found that the positives greatly exceeded any side-effects from taking the drugs, such as muscle weakness, diabetes and depression.

More than eight million adults are already taking statins, with some experts predicting that one in four will soon be taking the drugs for life.

Borislava Mihaylova, of the University of Oxford, lead author of the study, said: ‘In the UK, current practice is generally to give people a statin only if they have had or are considered to be at “high risk” of having a heart attack or a stroke.

This study shows that the benefits of statins extend to a much lower-risk group of people than previously thought.’

The research, co-ordinated by Oxford and the University of Sydney in Australia, looked at more than two dozen studies using statins to cut levels of low-density lipoprotein or ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood. The drugs cut the risk of heart attacks, strokes and operations to unblock arteries by one third or more.

The benefits were gained no matter what level of cholesterol patients started out with. Healthier people who were given statins also had lower overall death rates than those who were given a placebo.

The study, published online by the Lancet, was funded by the British and Australian medical research councils and the British Heart Foundation.

Its authors say the imminent revision of NHS guidelines on the use of statins should be used to widen those eligibile for routine therapy. At present, statins are restricted to those with at least a 20 per cent risk of having a heart attack or stroke over the next ten years.

However, a commentary in the Lancet says most over-50s are likely to be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, and so it would be ‘pragmatic’ to use age to prescribe statins instead of costly medical tests.

Professor Colin Baigent, from the Medical Research Council, said: ‘It is not just about treating raised cholesterol after middle-age.

The benefits of statins in people who are currently healthy, but are for some reason at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke, are substantial, and much greater than any of the known risks.

Source and read more: UK Daily Mail

LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) – Gold rose more than 1 percent on Thursday, bouncing off a 4-1/2 month low, as weaker prices attracted new physical buyers, but gains were likely to be limited as the euro was undermined by fears of a deepening debt crisis in Greece.

Spot gold rose 1 percent to $1,553.80 an ounce by 1307 GMT, from $1,538.30 late in New York on Wednesday, when it plunged to $1,527 – its weakest since Dec. 29.

The precious metal rose to a high of $1,557.56 earlier, helped by the approaching expiry of gold options in the COMEX futures market.

U.S. gold futures hit a high of $1,557.90 an ounce and were at $1,554.30, up 1.1 percent. The contract had plunged to a multi-month low of $1,526.70 on Wednesday.

Gold, traditionally a safe-haven asset, has been moving in tandem with riskier assets such as equities, industrial metals and oil this year, as investors turned to the safety of the dollar.

However, this may soon change, according to some.

“Since yesterday we have seen more interest come through from physical buyers…because prices have come down substantially,” said Afshin Nabavi, head of trading at MKS Finance.

“But there is more upside than downside risk for gold at the moment as the political situation is very jittery with tension in Iran and economic problems especially in the euro zone. People will want to buy physical gold again. Those who went out since December are now waiting for prices to stabilize before getting in again.”

Since last year, many investors have unwound their bullish bets in gold, cashing in the metal to cover for losses in other markets, after the turmoil in Europe raised the prospect of a recession that threatens to hurt the global economy.

But in China, gold demand hit a record high in the first quarter due to investor worries over inflation and property market curbs, the World Gold Council said on Thursday, bucking a lower trend in global consumption driven by higher gold prices.

Source and read more: Reuters.com

Many questions might arise when considering investing in gold and silver especially when gold and silver prices are still hovering around all time highs.

For the best resource on investing in gold and silver and other “out side the box” financial strategies, check out the elevation group.

The Elevation Group- Mike Dillard has put together an all-star cast, or what we like to call, a Napolean Hill type Mastermind Group.

This group is for those looking to protect and grow wealth, taught via the very best in wealth creation practice and knowledge.

Click here to find out more and check out a free online webinar full of great tips and information.

At a news conference this morning, Sens. Schumer and Bob Casey, D-Pa., will unveil the “Ex-PATRIOT” – “Expatriation Prevention by Abolishing Tax-Related Incentives for Offshore Tenancy” – Act to respond directly to Saverin’s move, which they dub a “scheme” that would “help him duck up to $67 million in taxes.”

The senators will call Saverin’s move an “outrage” and will outline their plan to re-impose taxes on expatriates like Saverin even after they flee the United States and take up residence in a foreign country. Their proposal would also impose a mandatory 30 percent tax on the capital gains of anybody who renounces their U.S. citizenship.

The plan would bar individuals like Saverin from ever reentering the United States again.

“Eduardo recently found it more practical to become a resident of Singapore since he plans to live there for an indefinite period of time,” Tom Goodman, Saverin’s spokesman, told Bloomberg News in an email.

Last year 1,700 people renounced their U.S. citizenship.

Source: ABC

I believe many will agree that the threat of not being able to return to the USA is not that big of a deal.  If the USA keeps down the path that it is going, taking citizens rights and hard earned dollars and allowing the government to get bigger, while wasting money and sending it to industrial complex cronies, many will say good riddance.

For others where family is here, that might be a different story, although there are very creative ways to incorporate in other lands, claim citizenship abroad, while still being an ‘under the radar’ citizen of the USA.

According to a new AP-CNBC poll, 57 percent of Facebook users say they never click ads or other sponsored content when they use the site, with another 26 percent saying they hardly ever engage in such activity. Only 4 percent of users say they often click on ads – results that are only slightly better than the 2-3 percent clickthrough rate some experts consider the benchmark for effective banner ads.

While the company makes money, in part, simply by displaying sponsored content, user clicks are a critical part of an advertiser’s calculus when gauging how effective those ads are and how much they’re willing to pay for them. In the first quarter, Facebook generated 82 percent of its $1.06 billion in revenue from advertising sales.  In the company’s online IPO pitch to retail investors, CFO David Ebersman says the company is working to make ads “more relevant, more social, and more engaging” as it looks to grow.

And while Facebook has been able to decrease its reliance on sponsored content (down from 98 percent of sales in 2009), the hopes of expanding the company’s e-commerce footprint also faces public resistance, the poll shows. A majority of participants (54 percent) said they wouldn’t feel safe using the platform for financial transactions like purchasing goods or services. Only 8 percent said they would feel extremely or very safe in doing so.

CNBC.com: Americans unsure of Zuckerberg post-IPO

While Facebook currently has a limited market for real goods and services (most financial transactions are done for virtual goods and games), analysts cite e-commerce as an extremely lucrative, and untapped, market for the platform — and one that could be vital for the company’s future growth.

The public also remains wary of Facebook’s valuation, widely bandied about as $100 billion, with just 3 percent of respondents saying they thought the company would be undervalued at such a number — half said they thought it would be overvalued (that view rises to 62 percent among active investors). Views are also split on whether or not shares of Facebook stock would make a good investment — with progressively less positive opinions for older age groups.

CNBC.com: Facebook IPO? Active stock jocks say no  

The youngest respondents (age 35 and under) were most likely to say Facebook would be a good investment (59 percent said yes), followed by baby-boomers and Generation X-ers (55 percent and roughly 50 percent respectively), followed by seniors (only 39 percent).

As for Mark Zuckerberg : the wunderkind CEO who turned 28 on Monday inspires somewhat tepid confidence as a leader, with only 18 percent of respondents saying they were extremely or very confident in his ability to run a large publically traded company like Facebook. Yet, pinning down a specific reason was difficult for respondents who neither cited his age, temperament, nor reputation as significantly affecting those abilities.

CNBC.com quiz: What’s your Facebook IQ?       

Facebook users have consistently cast a wary and suspicious eye on the platform: 59 percent of respondents said that they had little to no trust in Facebook to keep their information private. Yet despite those ongoing concerns, the number of users (and their engagement) continues to increase. Facebook has grown to 901 million monthly active users worldwide, with personal computer users spending 6-7 hours per month on the site (compared to just 3 minutes for Google+ users), according to recent data from ComScore.

For its part, the company has taken steps to combat certain user concerns – particularly on the issue of privacy. Last week, the site disclosed additional information about how it captures and utilizes data from users.

But charting a future course may prove more difficult than meets the eye for the company, according to the poll. And navigating that landscape under the daily pressures of a public company could prove even more difficult.

Source and read more: NBC

Yes, it is planet facebook, and what they have going for them is that they are the 800 pound gorilla.  Facebook has changed the face of social networking, and has shown resilience of not becoming the next friendster or myspace. But, with so many hits coming against their main way of making income- advertising…can facebook realistically see a long term success without changing their advertising platform.

A recent press release put out by Amerlux announces the company’s partnership with Illuminating Concepts to further advance the rollout of ‘Intellistreets’. The announcement confirms that the street lights will have a number of “homeland security features” including a loudspeaker system that will be used to “engage captive audiences”.

“The built-in speaker can broadcast emergency information,” states the press release, adding, “SmartSite luminaires can be equipped with a variety of cameras and sensors to ensure real-time 24/7-security coverage. The sensors detect a variety of threats that enable rapid response from emergency personnel or help prevent crime and gain control of the streets.”

The press release adds that the SmartSite system developed to operate the ‘Intellistreets’ surveillance hubs is intended not only for street lighting but also for “retail malls, sports venues, on college campuses, and in new construction,” and “might well become commonplace” in the near future.

Not only can the street lights, now being rolled out in Detroit, Chicago and Pittsburgh with Department of Energy backing, act as surveillance cameras, Minority Report-style advertising hubs, and Homeland Security alert systems, they are “also capable of recording conversations,” according to a report by ABC 7.

The ABC video clip, featured at the end of this article, includes creepy footage of the street lights being used to transmit Orwellian security alerts, including “pay attention please….please stand by for a public safety announcement,” and “this is a security alert”.

Illuminating Concepts responded to the controversy over ‘Intellistreets’ last year by ludicrously claiming the system did not represent a “big brother” intrusion, as if talking surveillance cameras that also record private conversations are a perfectly normal concept.

The company also denied that it had received funding from the Department of Homeland Security yet subsequent reports confirmed that owner Ron Harwood is now “working with Homeland Security” to implement the high tech network, which is connected via a ubiquitous wi-fi system.

In reality, the system represents Big Brother on steroids – George Orwell’s worst nightmare come to life with interconnected wireless ‘telescreens’ blanketing America, all in the name of safety and security.

Source and Read more: Pakalertpress

Intellistreats seems to be a bully of the cross  walks, kind of makes me want to litter, jay walk and flip the cameras the bird- just saying.

This latest executive order will allow the soviet socialists in our local communities through their committees to adopt and enact United Nations regulations designed to establish absolute United Nations’ control over our every resource. The laws of the United States, individual states, counties, cities, and local municipalities, under our Constitution must be legislated. These executive ordersbypass the legislative process and essentially nullify our representative form of government under the guise of allowing us to voice our opinion in reference to new regulation rather than enforce our will through elected representation. If one examines these three executive orders closely, Obama’s agenda becomes clear. The international socialists, known as the United Nations, are worming their way into our political system at every level. Through the local socialist committees that will be assembled, local commissars will be elected.

These commissars, working in coalition with state and local agencies and sovereign nations/Indian Tribes, will attempt to initiate UN dictatorship over our lands, both private and public. And through regulation of the land, they will attempt to establish dictatorial control over the actions of we the people.

This is a sneak attack and it will not be publicized in the mainstream media. You will know these words are true when you see the soviet socialists in your area seizing control over your public and private lands using regulatory powers derived directly from the United Nations Agenda 21.

Resource and More on this topic: pakalertpress

Folks, our rights and freedoms are being stolen from us, and by the voting records of the average american citizen, they are welcoming it to happen.  We do see the vale rising, although at times to slowly, with the liberty erosion exceed the waking up of our society?

General Motors (GM), for one, appears to no longer believe in the power of Facebook — the automaker plans to stop advertising on the site because it said its paid ads had “little impact on consumers’ car purchases,” according to The Wall Street Journal. GM, the country’s third-largest advertiser, had been spending about $10 million on Facebook ads, according to the Journal. The company will continue to reach out to customers through its Facebook pages, however.

A spokesperson for GM said, “We look at this with all media outlets. We look at the effectiveness.” The representative added that the auto maker moves “money around to various outlets.”

GM’s ad spending is only a drop in the bucket compared with Facebook’s $3.7 billion in revenue, but it comes at a bad time in advance of Friday’s planned IPO and would be a big blow if it influences other large advertisers to do the same. In addition, other negative news about Facebook’s business has come out recently. According to an AP-CNBC poll this week, 57 percent of Facebook users never click ads or other paid content. Facebook makes its money mostly from display advertising, and clicks are how advertisers decide whether the ad space is worth the money they pay.

More worrisome for investors, perhaps, is the trust issue. In a poll, 59 percent of respondents said that they had little to no trust in Facebook to keep their information private. That could become a problem as pressure builds on the company to wring more revenue from its hundreds of millions of users.

Source: YahooNews

It’s fare to say that Facebook will not go the way of friendster or myspace, unless some new networking comes to detract, although facebook has hit that critical mass where so many people are involved, who wants to be troubled with going somewhere else- fb is the 800 pound gorilla.  Although, in regards to investing, they will have to find other streams of income and opportunity, will their current business model keep growing at the pace which it has, probably not.

This story might provide some answers.

It turns out the man known as the elephant whisperer has died.  Over the years he has saved countless wild elephants from extinction, and some how, on some level, they became aware of his death and gathered at his home…out of respect and thanks?

For 12 hours, two herds of wild South African elephants slowly made their way through the Zululand bush until they reached the house of late author Lawrence Anthony, the conservationist who saved their lives.

The formerly violent, rogue elephants, destined to be shot a few years ago as pests, were rescued and rehabilitated by Anthony, who had grown up in the bush and was known as the “Elephant Whisperer.”

For two days the herds loitered at Anthony’s rural compound on the vast Thula Thula game reserve in the South African KwaZulu – to say good-bye to the man they loved. But how did they know he had died March 7?

Known for his unique ability to calm traumatized elephants, Anthony had become a legend. He is the author of three books, Baghdad Ark, detailing his efforts to rescue the animals at Baghdad Zoo during the Iraqi war, the forthcoming The Last Rhinos, and his bestselling The Elephant Whisperer.

There are two elephant herds at Thula Thula. According to his son Dylan, both arrived at the Anthony family compound shortly after Anthony’s death.

“They had not visited the house for a year and a half and it must have taken them about 12 hours to make the journey,” Dylan is quoted in various local news accounts. “The first herd arrived on Sunday and the second herd, a day later. They all hung around for about two days before making their way back into the bush.”

Elephants have long been known to mourn their dead. In India, baby elephants often are raised with a boy who will be their lifelong “mahout.” The pair develop legendary bonds – and it is not uncommon for one to waste away without a will to live after the death of the other.

Source: zenhaven

]]> http://www.awareandprepare.com/wild-elephants-gather-to-mourne-the-death-of-the-elephant-whisperer/feed/ 0 http://www.awareandprepare.com/ron-paul-texas-straigt-talk-about-the-fed-mend-it-or-end-it/ http://www.awareandprepare.com/ron-paul-texas-straigt-talk-about-the-fed-mend-it-or-end-it/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 14:04:10 +0000 admin http://www.awareandprepare.com/?p=11212

]]> http://www.awareandprepare.com/ron-paul-texas-straigt-talk-about-the-fed-mend-it-or-end-it/feed/ 0