Cyberdyne's Robot Suit HAL That Augments Human Capability & Strength

What in the name of John Connor is going on over in Japan? Robot suits? Made by a company called Cyberdyne. This is beyond creepy, yo!

Department of Agriculture Imposes Fifteen Cent Fee Per Christmas Tree on Producers and Importers (And Then Suspends It)

For all those who celebrate Christmas in the United States of America and buy Christmas trees, this entry in the Federal Registry entitled Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order (7 CFR Part 1214) just might interest you. There will be a fifteen cent (15¢) fee for each tree on all producers and importers. For the producers and importers who are likely working on a tight margin, they will pass this along to their respective customers!

This rule establishes an industry-funded promotion, research, and information program for fresh cut Christmas trees. The Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order (Order) is authorized under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act). The Order will establish a national Christmas Tree Promotion Board (Board) comprised of 11 producers and one importer. Under the Order, producers and importers of fresh cut Christmas trees will pay an initial assessment of fifteen cents per Christmas tree. Producers and importers that produce or import less than 500 Christmas trees annually will be exempt from the assessment. A referendum will be conducted, among producers and importers, three years after the collection of assessments begin to determine if Christmas tree producers and importers favor the continuation of this program.

Click here for the applicable Federal Register version for your needs (HTML, text, PDF).

This is just more government regulation for no real reason. Does the country really need to be putting tax dollars money to a Christmas Tree Promotion Board? If the industry wants to impose fees among its members, then do it, but do it privately and leave the government out of it.

But wait!!! News sources indicate that the Department of Agriculture is going to temporarily suspend this program. I guess the backlash from the public is not making it feasible at this time.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is going to delay implementation and revisit a proposed new 15 cent fee on fresh-cut Christmas trees, sources tell ABC News.

Genetically Modified Pigs Could Provide Human Organs by the Year 2013

File photo*

This story is some creepy 1950s science fiction comic book story come to life. Apparently, medical technology will soon be able to grow human organs from genetically modified pigs. There is no way to know what side effects, if any, this science will unleash. However, it may be beneficial to people who otherwise die or be very unhealthy while waiting for a human organ transplant. Only time will tell whether this becomes a viable medical technology.

A persistent shortage of human organs has led experts to investigate methods of using pigs created with human genes, so that body parts grown in them can be harvested for use in patients without their immune systems rejecting them.

The official medical journal is Clinical xenotransplantation: the next medical revolution? and the summary below.

The shortage of organs and cells from deceased individuals continues to restrict allotransplantation. Pigs could provide an alternative source of tissue and cells but the immunological challenges and other barriers associated with xenotransplantation need to be overcome.

Source: Telegraph; The Lancet

*Image Source: Male Gringo (per Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)

FLASHBACK: Riots Across United States of America During the Great Depression (Video)

I have never seen any of this above video footage of riots throughout the Midwest and Northeast States in United States of America during the 1930s. In fact, it looks similar to the some of the protests that are occurring in the Occupy Movement that has spread around the world in recent weeks. The protesters in the 1930s video appear to be protesting and destroying the means of production (manufacturing) whereas the Occupy movement appear to be protesting the means of financing (banking). The 1930s videos also appear to be more violent.

I highly recommend taking a few minutes and watching a bit of American history.

Source: YouTube

Cybercommand Chief Gen. Keith Alexander Opposes Giving U.N. Power to Regulate Internet

***PLEASE NOTE - The title of this blog article actually refers to the below quoted text from The Washington Times. The Times quotes the General Keith Alexander's statement after a cybersecurity conference that was likely the GEOINT 2011 Symposium sponsored by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation. I have linked the video of the General's keynote speech from the Symposium where he discusses the nation's need for enhanced cybersecurity (including the use of cloud computing).

The commander of the U.S. Cyber Command said Thursday that he does not favor giving the United Nations the power to regulate the Internet.

Source: Washington Times; GEOINTV

Tennessee Becomes First State with TSA Agent Checkpoints on Highways and at Bus Stations

When the TSA hits the airports, I distinctly remember Alex Jones saying that we would soon see the TSA at or around the sporting events, ports and highways. That was around 2008 or 2009. Well, it is now 2011 and yes, the TSA is setting up agents at checkpoints on Tennessee highways. And while my home State of Tennessee is the first State with TSA agents on its highway, it won't be the last.

Tuesday Tennessee was first to deploy VIPR simultaneously at five weigh stations and two bus stations across the state.

Checkpoints seem to attract violence. They cause traffic and bottlenecks. They also restrict and impede the flow of traffic. These checkpoints will be no different. I fully expect we will be reading about some violent act occurring at one of these checkpoints in the near future.

The reporter says it is a "army of agents on wheels." At 1:40, the reporter presents the story as if this operation finds some dangerous threat to national security. At a minimum to justify this type of operation, perhaps the guy is carrying illegal fuel. Nope, he just carrying some chemicals that "seem suspicious." And in the end, there is nothing wrong with this guy's cargo. Yet, I wonder how long he was detained while the TSA agents illegally searched his cargo without probable cause.

Airports are mainly federal jurisdiction, so I understand the TSA operating within those confines. I may not agree, but I understand. And under a similar rationale, the TSA will now be operating on the interstate highways with the consent of the State and local jurisdictions. No word on whether these agents will be permanent. However, I say that unless the TSA loses its operating budget, then these agents will not be leaving anytime soon.

As for what the Visible Intermodal Protection and Response team does, here is the information directly from the TSA.

Visible Intermodal Protection and Response (VIPR) teams consist of a combination of STSIs, Federal Air Marshals, explosive-detection canine teams, Aviation Security Inspectors, and Transportation Security Officers. The teams provide a random, announced, high-visibility surge into a transit agency, in addition to enhancing agency resources during special events. More than 50 mass transit deployments have occurred since the program was initiated in December 2005. Regional planning and execution is increasing the frequency of deployments and enhancing local expertise, thereby increasing the terrorism deterrent effect. Recent examples include VIPR deployments at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) system in Boston, at Amtrak facilities in Boston, upstate New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC, and at the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority and Amtrak facilities in Buffalo, New York.

Source: NewsChannel5.com (Nashville)

U.S. Army Awards $4.9M Contract to AeroVironment to Create "Kamikaze" Drones (a/k/a Switchblade Agile Munition Systems)

It seems like there are more unmanned drones being developed than manned aircraft these days. However, I should not be surprised, because one of this blog's most popular articles of all-time was United States Air Force Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan 2009-2047 (May 18, 2009) (Unclassified). That article defined the Air Force's plan for an unmanned aircraft fleet over the next forty (40) or so years. I would not be surprised if the other military branches did not have similar types of plans.

These drones produced by AeroVironment for the U.S. Army will have "kamikaze" capabilities - meaning that the unmanned drone itself will be the bomb. This reminds of me an episode of the Transformers cartoon from 1986 with the Lipoles. The Lipoles were basically bat-like drone Transformers that could transform into kamikaze bombs (click the picture to watch the episode where the Lipoles appear).

The tube-launched Switchblade drone, made by Monrovia, California-based Aerovironment Inc., was secretly sent to Afghanistan for the first time last year. “Under a dozen” were fired, said Army Deputy Product Director William Nichols.

Source: Bloomberg

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U.S. Army Awards AeroVironment $4.9 Million Contract for Switchblade Agile Munition Systems and Services

September 01 2011

MONROVIA, Calif., Sept. 1, 2011 -- AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) announced that it received a contract on June 29 from the U.S. Army Close Combat Weapons Systems (CCWS), Program Executive Office Missiles and Space (PEO MS). The $4,907,840 contract for the Switchblade agile munition includes engineering services and operational systems for deployment with the U.S. Army.

This award represents the culmination of years of development, testing, demonstrations and customer evaluations. The prototype Switchblade system previously received Safety Confirmation and underwent Military Utility Assessment with the U.S. Army in the fall of 2010. The award is for rapid fielding of this capability to deployed combat forces.

The Switchblade air vehicle launches from a small tube that can be carried in a backpack and transmits live color video wirelessly for display on AeroVironment’s standard small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) ground control unit. Upon confirming the target using the live video feed, the operator then sends a command to the air vehicle to arm it and lock its trajectory onto the target. Flying quietly at high speed the Switchblade delivers its onboard explosive payload with precision while minimizing collateral damage. With the ability to call off a strike even after the air vehicle is armed, Switchblade provides a level of control not available in other weapon systems.

“The unique capabilities provided by the Switchblade agile munition for standoff engagement, accuracy and controlled effects make it an ideal weapon for today’s fight and for U.S. military forces of the future,” said Bill Nichols, deputy product director at the Army’s Close Combat Weapons Systems project office.

Instead of requiring support from weapon systems controlled by other operating units, operators will be able to use the ground launched Switchblade variant to respond to enemy combatants with precision fire from a significant standoff distance, when and where required.

"Our dedicated team developed this breakthrough solution with a focus on satisfying important customer needs,” said Tom Herring, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. “Just as our small unmanned aircraft systems provide game-changing reconnaissance capabilities to ground forces, Switchblade provides a revolutionary rapid strike capability to protect our troops and give them a valuable new advantage on the battlefield.”

About AeroVironment’s Small UAS

Raven®, Wasp and Puma comprise AeroVironment’s Family of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Operating with a common ground control system (GCS), this Family of Systems provides increased capability to the warfighter that can give ground commanders the option of selecting the appropriate aircraft based on the type of mission to be performed. This increased capability has the potential to provide significant force protection and force multiplication benefits to small tactical units. AeroVironment’s UAS logistics operation supports systems deployed worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational readiness. AeroVironment has delivered thousands of new and replacement small unmanned air vehicles. International purchasers of AeroVironment’s small UAS include the armed forces of Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Norway, the Czech Republic, Thailand and Australia.

Japanese Scientist Creates Robot That Can Think Using Self-Organizing Incremental Neural Network (SOINN)

If these robots can think and (along with robots that can also eat), then I hesitate to think of the science fiction horrors that may be unleashed upon the world. I'm joking somewhat, but the technology is definitely there for a disaster in the making. The technology papers for this SOINN: Self-Organizing Incremental Neural Network are listed below.

In a world first, Osamu Hasegawa, associate professor at the Tokyo Insitute of Technology, has developed a system that allows robots to look around their environment and do research on the Internet, enabling them to "think" how best to solve a problem.

PhDThesis, Dr Shen Furao

View more presentations from Tokyo Institute of Technology

FBI Prepares to Launch Nationwide Facial Recognition & Biometric Identification Service

Image: Subject to License

The title of this article says that FBI's new program will be a "nationwide" facial recognition service, but in the text, it says that it will only be available initially in selected States. Therefore, I am confused. It is nationwide or only in selected States?

The FBI by mid-January [2012] will activate a nationwide facial recognition service in select states that will allow local police to identify unknown subjects in photos, bureau officials told Nextgov.

Perhaps, I should review the technical papers of this Lockheed Martin program.

The fingerprinting aspect of the project was first announced back in March, 2011.

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FBI Announces Initial Operating Capability for Next Generation Identification System

CLARKSBURG, W.Va., March 8th, 2011 -- New technology designed to revolutionize law enforcement’s ability to process fingerprints has reached its initial operating capability, the FBI announced today.

The Next Generation Identification System (NGI), built by Lockheed Martin, delivers an incremental replacement of the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). NGI provides automated fingerprint and latent search capabilities, electronic image storage, and electronic exchange of fingerprints to more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies and other authorized criminal justice partners 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Upon completion, NGI will have the ability to process fingerprint transactions more effectively and accurately.

“The implementation announced today represents a tremendous achievement in enhancing our identification services. Already, we’re seeing how the NGI system is revolutionizing fingerprint identification in support of the FBI’s mission,” said Louis E. Grever, executive assistant director, FBI Science and Technology Branch.

“Lockheed Martin was there supporting the FBI when IAFIS went live in 1999, and we’re thrilled to be here for NGI today,” added Linda Gooden, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Solutions. “Technology like this is a powerful tool when it comes to protecting America’s citizens, and we’re proud to serve as a partner in that mission.”

“While IAFIS has been effective, criminal and terrorist threats have evolved over the past decade. Today’s environment demands faster and more advanced identification capabilities,” said Daniel D. Roberts, assistant director, FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division. “NGI represents a quantum leap in fingerprint identification that will help us in solving investigations, preventing crime, and apprehending criminals and terrorists.”

In addition to the new fingerprint identification technology, the NGI program has also delivered Advanced Technology Workstations to the FBI’s fingerprint examiner staff. The workstations include significantly larger display screens with higher resolution and true color support, allowing staff to see more detailed attributes of biometric data for more efficient decision-making.

Lockheed Martin Media Contact: Kimberly Jaindl, 301-519-6400

FBI Media Contact: Criminal Justice Information Services Division, 304-625-5820, www.fbi.gov

Luke Rudkowski Confronts Van Jones Who Tucks Tail and Runs Away!

I must admit that I cannot stand this Van Jones a**hole. Therefore, this blog post will likely be very biased along those lines. You would think I would like and respect a fellow Tennessean, California attorney and black man who seems to have made some successes in his life. However, I hate shysters and Van Jones is the definition of a shyster. Van Jones will change his story whenever it is convenient for his selfish goals. While he was once a 9/11 truther, once Obama tapped him for a position in the administration and these positions were revealed, he ran from those positions like Usain Bolt.

I applaud Luke Rudkowski of We Are Change for confronting this clown and putting him on the spot. Van Jones is indeed a coward in my opinion! What real man threatens to call for security when being asked a question by a journalist? One of my friends jokingly tried to say to me recently that Van Jones and I were very alike. Even as a joke, that is completely wrong and I had to check my friend on it.

Van Jones wants a communist model and a transfer of wealth. Essentially, he wants a bigger government that only gives money and benefits to his green cronies. He's no different than a neo-con like Rumsfeld. The only difference is Van Jones wants his boys to receive the benefits as opposed to neo-con-friendly companies like Halliburton or Xe. I want the government out of peoples' lives and reduced significantly.

F*ck Van Jones! He and I are nothing alike and he is certainly not in any 99% demographic, no matter how one slices it.

Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu Explains "Fast and Furious" Federal Government Gunrunning Scandal

This is a good introductory video as explained by Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Arizona to the "Fast and Furious" scandal that currently threatens the White House. It has all the elements of one of the Fast and Furious movies except for the fast cars and hot chicks. Hmmm, on second thought, I guess it isn't much like those movies after all.

Why is Occupy Wall Street Affiliated with a Professional Revolutionary Organization like Otpor!?

The guy in the above video is Ivan Marovic. That name probably doesn't mean much to you, because I know it didn't mean much to me until I did some further digging. It turns out that Mr. Marovic is the co-founder of Otpor!. Otpor! was a key organization in the Serbian Wars in the 1990s and was also an influence in the Egypt uprisings. If you believe the below documentary (click the below picture to watch), then Otpor! is a group of professional revolutionaries.

I have been quite skeptical of the Occupy movement since it suddenly sprang up out of nowhere in the last couple of weeks. While I have been in full support of the "End the Fed" movement, I am suspicious of any "grassroots" movement that immediately gets corporate media support. I recall there being nationwide "End the Fed" rallies in 2009 that received little to no mainstream media coverage.

When I heard Van Jones along with various union bosses claim their support for the Occupy movement in recent weeks, it confirmed for me that this Occupy is essentially the Tea-Party version of the extreme progressive political agenda. Van Jones even recently discussed an "October Offensive" that would be used to counter the Tea Party.

However, the list of demands from Occupy Wall Street website sounds like a wet dream of someone with a very strong socialist and communist agenda. In fact, these demands read like a new-age version of some bootleg Karl Marx list.

I was willing to jump on board with this Occupy group until I read this list, but after reading this list, I see that it is just another group with an agenda and I have no desire whatsoever to be affiliated with an organization that is promoting that agenda. If this group truly wants to get me involved with them, then:

• Where is the demand for the repeal of the PATRIOT Act?
• What about ending the international wars of aggression?
• What about ending the opium trade in Afghanistan?
• What about ending the Presidential-ordered killings of US citizens without a court hearing and due process?
  
• What about actually demanding criminal accountability on Wall Street (as the name of the group might imply) and in other financial arenas?
• Where is the demand for the disposition of the bankers' stolen loot and gains over the years?
• What about the end of warrantless wiretapping and spying by the government and telecoms?
• What about an audit of the Federal Reserve?
• What about the nexus and conflict between former government regulators receiving lucrative private sector jobs from the very companies/industries they were regulating?
• What about the end of torture?

I came up with those demands without even picking up a book or doing a real thorough analysis that I would have done if I was organizing a movement. Please note that I didn't include any of the numerous conspiracy theories previously discussed on this blog. However, instead of any of the above, the Occupy movement focuses on things that will never happen or will lead to outright Civil War. Namely, it focuses on the same issues that I have seen in numerous progressive/union/left-leaning/communist literature. In fact, when I was way more naive back in 2006, I ran a political campaign with a platform that was somewhat similar in certain areas. Fortunately, my ideology has evolved.

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Here are the Occupy Wall Street demands (along with my annotations):

Demand one: Restoration of the living wage. This demand can only be met by ending "Freetrade" by re-imposing trade tariffs on all imported goods entering the American market to level the playing field for domestic family farming and domestic manufacturing as most nations that are dumping cheap products onto the American market have radical wage and environmental regulation advantages. Another policy that must be instituted is raise the minimum wage to twenty dollars an hr.

Why not tax the profits of American corporations who incorporate and operate in other nations simply for the avoidance and payment of taxes? The only problem is that most major corporations are multinational. If US imposes strict regulations or taxes, the corporations will simply remove all (or curtail a material portion) of its operations from the United States market to a more favorable market.

If the tariffs are too costly, then the corporations will pass those costs along to the American consumers who will no longer be able to afford the foreign goods. A void would potentially exist for American companies to produce these goods, but the current government regulations are barriers to entry for anyone aside from international investors. $20 an hour minimum wage would never work. It would kill more jobs than it would save. Many businesses do not make enough money to pay its employees $20/hour, so it would have to terminate staff. A rise in minimum wage for everyone would also cause inflation, because everyone would be making more money.

Demand two: Institute a universal single payer healthcare system. To do this all private insurers must be banned from the healthcare market as their only effect on the health of patients is to take money away from doctors, nurses and hospitals preventing them from doing their jobs and hand that money to wall st. investors.

I agree that the insurance industry is a huge issue, but allowing the federal government to run all of health care would be even worse. I wouldn't necessarily be against some type of federally subsidized program for basic health needs, but I am against any federal mandate that everyone has to buy insurance.

Demand three: Guaranteed living wage income regardless of employment.

That would never work. Why would someone ever work a difficult or dangerous job?

Demand four: Free college education.

I agree that education should be available to anyone who wants to pursue it, but how does one pay for free college education for everyone? Who will pay the teachers? Buy the library books? Build the dormitories? If every college will be 100% federal government-funded, then the federal government will controlling all of the colleges/universities in the country. I certainly would never agree to that scenario. If they want to help college students, remove the ridiculous profits in the private student loan industry.

Demand five: Begin a fast track process to bring the fossil fuel economy to an end while at the same bringing the alternative energy economy up to energy demand.

This is pie-in-the-sky stuff unless the government is willing to release all of its black-ops technology where it is alleged that free energy like Mr. Fusion does exist. Assuming that free energy does not exist yet, then there is no way to transition out of fossil fuels without decimating the economy. Further, the so-called "green energy" push by the government is a scam as evidenced by the recent political scandal in the solar energy industry. Our current state of technology is not a viable substitute for fossil fuel energy. It may make someone feel good to drive a Prius, but what happens when the world runs out of the rare earth metals needed to construct the battery technology?

Demand six: One trillion dollars in infrastructure (Water, Sewer, Rail, Roads and Bridges and Electrical Grid) spending now.

Where do we get $1,000,000,000,000 from when the country is broke? Should we just print it up on the Federal Reserve printers? Borrow it from China?

Demand seven: One trillion dollars in ecological restoration planting forests, reestablishing wetlands and the natural flow of river systems and decommissioning of all of America's nuclear power plants.

As in the previous Demand, where do we get $1,000,000,000,000? I agree on the decommissioning of the nuclear plants, because radiation is a curse on this planet. However, this Demand conflicts with Demand Five, because nuclear is considered alternative energy. Nuclear accounts for 20% of the power in the country. What will be the substitute for nuclear while these power plants are being decommissioned? Further, if you reestablish all wetlands, that means destroying all dams and canals. 6% of US power comes from hydroelectric, so that along with nuclear would wipe 26% of the US electrical power capacity. If you take this Demand into account with Demand Five, we would essentially have to live in the Dark Ages with no fossil fuels, nuclear power, hydroelectric or coal.

Demand eight: Racial and gender equal rights amendment.

More pie-in-the-sky stuff. There is already an Equal Protection Clause in the Constitution that supposedly grants equal protections in connection with government and State action, but it has been abused by Courts since the late 1800s. A proposed Equal Rights Amendment failed in the 1980s. Additional Amendments addressing these social issues would only cause more court cases and more confusing, judicial rulings that would still favor those people with the economic resources to game the legal system. The country simply needs to enforce the laws and regulations that are currently on the books.

Demand nine: Open borders migration. anyone can travel anywhere to work and live.

If you are pro-illegal immigration, then you will love this one. I am anti-illegal immigration and I believe in national sovereignty, so I do not agree with this Demand either. I do agree that people should be able to travel, work and live wherever they want, but it shouldn't be an unfettered right to do anything one wants to do. I can't move to another country and expect to do whatever I want to do.

Demand ten: Bring American elections up to international standards of a paper ballot precinct counted and recounted in front of an independent and party observers system.

I agree that our election system is corrupt, but international elections are no better and in many cases, worse. I do believe that there should be a paper receipt for all votes that can be manually reviewed in case of any issues.

Demand eleven: Immediate across the board debt forgiveness for all. Debt forgiveness of sovereign debt, commercial loans, home mortgages, home equity loans, credit card debt, student loans and personal loans now! All debt must be stricken from the "Books." World Bank Loans to all Nations, Bank to Bank Debt and all Bonds and Margin Call Debt in the stock market including all Derivatives or Credit Default Swaps, all 65 trillion dollars of them must also be stricken from the "Books." And I don't mean debt that is in default, I mean all debt on the entire planet period.

I would love for all my student loans to be wiped off of the books, but wiping this debt out would not solve the problem. Legit debts need to be paid. Otherwise, wiping these debts out would simply create hyperinflation. Food isn't going to magically appear on your table. Your kids' clothes aren't going to magically sprout from a cottonseed. Gas isn't going to magically appear in your tank. Your cell phone and Internet bills will not pay themselves. If the economy goes into hyperinflation, most of these things will either disappear or become in very short supply very quickly. However, I do AGREE that all fraudulent debts and instruments need to be canceled and the originators of these instruments need to be criminally and civilly tried in Court.

Demand twelve: Outlaw all credit reporting agencies.

I don't really use credit anymore, but I do understand that some people need it to build businesses. I wouldn't outlaw credit reporting agencies, but I would curtail some of these agencies' powers.

Demand thirteen: Allow all workers to sign a ballot at any time during a union organizing campaign or at any time that represents their yeah or nay to having a union represent them in collective bargaining or to form a union.

What does this have to do with 99%? I'm not in a union and have never really wanted to be in a union. I don't have a desire to pay someone money for the "right" to negotiate on my behalf. It sounds like the mob to me. Union membership may be important to some, but it is an irrelevant issue to me and when I hear people pushing it as a major issue, then I know it's really a political issue!

There are a couple of decent points in those demands, but a majority of them are as unrealistic as me swimming to the Moon.

I bet most of these folks protesting and occupying these locations are great people who have the best intentions. However, I am reminded of that old statement about the pavement on the road to Hell. Sometimes when I write these blog articles, I hope I am wrong about my statements and this is one of those times! But....

At the end of the day, it seems like the anger in the streets has been (or will be) co-opted by the professional revolutionaries and all of their affiliates of the extreme progressive agenda.

Pakistan Reportedly Orders Its Foreign Minister Home from United States as Military Tensions Escalate

File photo

Laser wars, nothing but laser wars! I've said that statement before and I will probably say it again in the future. I use it figuratively for all the wars we (the United States) are engaged in around the globe. It appears that Pakistan may soon be on this war list if the below report is to be believed.

Amid spiraling Pakistani-US tensions, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Sunday, Sept. 25, ordered Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar to return home from New York at once shortly after she warned the US against "hot pursuit" of terrorists on Pakistani soil. A sense of crisis pervaded Islamabad as Pakistan's army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani held a "special" meeting of his top commanders "to review the security situation."

In case you're interested in the above image, here is the description that was attached to it:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen reviews Pakistani troops during a ceremony honoring Mullen's arrival to Islamabad, Pakistan, Feb. 9, 2008. Mullen is visiting the country to discuss security issues with Pakistani military officials. DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy.

Source: DEBKRAFile

Penn State Scientists Discover AAV2 Virus That Kills Breast Cancer Cells in Laboratory

The discovery of a naturally occurring virus that can kill breast cancer cells is a promising and amazing development from the scientists at Penn State. It could potentially save thousands of lives. The results were lab-based, so hopefully, these results will translate as favorably to clinical trials and other studies using this advancement in the future.

A nondisease-causing virus kills human breast cancer cells in the laboratory, creating opportunities for potential new cancer therapies, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers who tested the virus on three different breast cancer types that represent the multiple stages of breast cancer development.

Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) is a virus that regularly infects humans but causes no disease...Researchers used an unaltered, naturally occurring version of AAV2 on human breast cancer cells...

...In tissue culture dishes in the laboratory, 100 percent of the cancer cells are destroyed by the virus within seven days, with the majority of the cell death proteins activated on the fifth day. In another study, a fourth breast cancer derived cell line, which is the most aggressive, required three weeks to undergo cell death.

Source: Penn State University

Image Source: barcoder96 (licensed per Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)

Flu Vaccine Ingredients & Package Inserts for FDA-Approved Vaccines in USA (2011-2012)

Image: David Dees

**UPDATE (September 23, 2012)** - For a list of the ingredients in the approved 2012-2013 flu vaccines, please see my blog post entitled REMIXX WORLD!: Flu Vaccine Ingredients & Package Inserts for FDA-Approved Vaccines in the United States of America (2012-2013)

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I recently posted a photo in another blog post and briefly discussed the 2011 flu vaccine. Suddenly, I was getting Google hits, so I guess people are still interested in the flu vaccine ingredients. I thought I beat that horse to death back in 2009-10, but I guess not. Therefore, below are five (5) flu vaccines approved for use in the United States of America.

Please note that this 2011 flu vaccine will contain a vaccine for the H1N1 "swine flu" as well. You can read my 2009 and 2010 analysis on the H1N1 vaccine by clicking here.

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1. FLUZONE® by Sanofi Pasteur (FDA link)

Here is the package insert information from one such 2011 flu vaccine called Fluzone® by Sanofi Pasteur.

Depending on the specific vaccine that you may get, Fluzone can potentially include any of the following ingredients:

• Formaldehyde
• Gelatin
• Octylphenol Ethoxylate - an emulsifier
• Thimerosal (a mercury derivative) (in the 0.5 mL multi-dose)

For a table of the ingredients, click here and here.

2. FLUVIRIN® by Novartis (FDA link)

For the official package insert for this vaccine, here it is courtesy of Novartis. The ingredients are listed on in Section 11 on page 20, but I will quote it here for you. Please note that multidose of the vaccine may also contain betapropiolactone and according the CDC website, betapropiolactone is a potential carcinogen. The multidose also contains nonylphenol ethoxylate which is used in detergents.

FLUVIRIN® is a trivalent, sub-unit (purified surface antigen) influenza virus vaccine prepared from virus propagated in the allantoic cavity of embryonated hens’ eggs inoculated with a specific type of influenza virus suspension containing neomycin and polymyxin. Each of the influenza virus strains is harvested and clarified separately by centrifugation and filtration prior to inactivation with betapropiolactone. The inactivated virus is concentrated and purified by zonal centrifugation. The surface antigens, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, are obtained from the influenza virus particle by further centrifugation in the presence of nonylphenol ethoxylate, a process which removes most of the internal proteins. The nonylphenol ethoxylate is removed from the surface antigen preparation.FLUVIRIN® is a homogenized, sterile, slightly opalescent suspension in a phosphate buffered saline. FLUVIRIN® has been standardized according to USPHS requirements for the 2010-2011 influenza season and is formulated to contain 45 mcg hemagglutinin (HA) per 0.5-mL dose in the recommended ratio of 15 mcg HA of each of the following 3 viruses: A/California/7/2009, NYMC X-181 (H1N1); A/Victoria/210/2009, NYMC X-187 (H3N2) (an A/Perth/16/2009-like virus); and B/Brisbane/60/2008.The 0.5-mL prefilled syringe presentation is formulated without preservative. However, thimerosal, a mercury derivative used during manufacturing, is removed by subsequent purification steps to a trace amount (≤ 1 mcg mercury per 0.5-mL dose).The 5-mL multidose vial formulation contains thimerosal, a mercury derivative, added as a preservative. Each 0.5-mL dose from the multidose vial contains 25 mcg mercury.Each dose from the multidose vial or from the prefilled syringe may also contain residual amounts of egg proteins (≤ 1 mcg ovalbumin), polymyxin (≤ 3.75 mcg), neomycin (≤ 2.5 mcg), betapropiolactone (not more than 0.5 mcg) and nonylphenol ethoxylate (not more than 0.015% w/v).

The tip caps of the FLUVIRIN® prefilled syringes may contain natural rubber latex. The multidose vial stopper and the syringe stopper/plunger do not contain latex.

3. FluMist by MedImmune, LLC (FDA link)

As always with the intranasal vaccines, this one has live viruses, including H1N1 and H3N2! Please make note of that information if/when you select a particular vaccine (or not). You can find the specific ingredients on page 3 in section 11, but the ones to notes are MSG and porcine gelatin (processed pigskins).

Each pre-filled refrigerated FluMist sprayer contains a single 0.2 mL dose. Each 0.2 mL dose contains 106.5-7.5 FFU of live attenuated influenza virus reassortants of each of the three strains: A/California/7/2009 (H1N1), A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2), and B/Brisbane/60/2008. Each 0.2 mL dose also contains 0.188 mg/dose monosodium glutamate, 2.00 mg/dose hydrolyzed porcine gelatin, 2.42 mg/dose arginine, 13.68mg/dose sucrose, 2.26mg/dose dibasic potassiumphosphate, 0.96mg/dosemonobasic potassium phosphate, and 0.015 mcg/mL gentamicin sulfate. FluMist contains no preservatives.

4. FLULAVAL by GlaxoSmithKline (FDA link)

I've previously discussed FLULAVAL in the November 2009 blog posting FDA Approves GlaxoSmithKline's H1N1 "Swine Flu" FLULAVAL® Vaccine (Fifth Vaccine Maker in the USA). I don't know if it's the same ol' vaccine, different year, but let's find out. The ingredients are listed in Section 11, page 8. My major note is that this vaccine contains mercury!

FLULAVAL is a sterile, translucent to whitish opalescent suspension in a phosphate-buffered saline solution that may sediment slightly. The sediment resuspends upon shaking to form a homogeneous suspension. FLULAVAL has been standardized according to USPHS requirements for the 2011-2012 influenza season and is formulated to contain 45 mcg hemagglutinin (HA) per 0.5-mL dose in the recommended ratio of 15 mcg HA of each of the following 3 strains: A/California/7/2009 NYMC X-181 (H1N1), A/Victoria/210/2009 NYMC X-187 (H3N2) (an A/Perth/16/2009-like virus), and B/Brisbane/60/2008. Thimerosal, a mercury derivative, is added as a preservative. Each dose contains 25 mcg mercury. Each dose may also contain residual amounts of egg proteins (≤1 mcg ovalbumin), formaldehyde (≤25 mcg), and sodium deoxycholate (≤50 mcg). Antibiotics are not used in the manufacture of this vaccine.The vial stopper does not contain latex.

5. FLUARIX by GlaxoSmithKline (FDA link)

Interesting that this vaccine contains a few different ingredients than the other vaccines, particularly stuff like octoxynol-10 (an emulsifier) and polysorbate 80.

FLUARIX has been standardized according to USPHS requirements for the 2011-2012 influenza season and is formulated to contain 45 micrograms (mcg) hemagglutinin (HA) per 0.5-mL dose, in the recommended ratio of 15 mcg HA of each of the following 3 strains: A/California/7/2009 NYMC X-181 (H1N1), A/Victoria/210/2009 NYMC X-187 (H3N2) (an A/Perth/16/2009-like virus), and B/Brisbane/60/2008.FLUARIX is formulated without preservatives. FLUARIX does not contain thimerosal. Each 0.5-mL dose also contains octoxynol-10 (TRITON® X-100) ≤0.085 mg, α-tocopheryl hydrogen succinate ≤0.1 mg, and polysorbate 80 (Tween 80) ≤0.415 mg. Each dose may also contain residual amounts of hydrocortisone ≤0.0016 mcg, gentamicin sulfate ≤0.15 mcg, ovalbumin ≤0.05 mcg, formaldehyde ≤5 mcg, and sodium deoxycholate ≤50 mcg from the manufacturing process.

CVS Grim Reaper Promotes Flu Shot?

The picture might be funny if there weren't toxic ingredients like formaldehyde in these flu vaccines. I haven't checked out the 2011 package inserts, but I did an intensive analysis on this blog for various flu vaccines in 2009 and 2010.

Here is the package insert information from one such 2011 flu vaccine called Fluzone® by Sanofi Pasteur.

Fluzone (Influenza Virus Vaccine) for intramuscular injection, Fluzone High-Dose (Influenza Virus Vaccine) for intramuscular injection, and Fluzone Intradermal (Influenza Virus Vaccine) for intradermal injection are inactivated influenza virus vaccines, prepared from influenza viruses propagated in embryonated chicken eggs. The virus-containing allantoic fluid is harvested and inactivated with formaldehyde.

Weather Modification Confirmed in the State of Texas

Science boosts South & West Texas rains: kxan.com

Science boosts South & West Texas rains: kxan.com

This one is for any reader who doesn't believe in weather modification. It is now confirmed in the State of Texas. You can check out the above videos, the embedded quote from a local Austin, Texas news station (KXAN), an official Texas State web page and/or previous articles that Remixx World! has posted about the subject. I wonder if the cloud seeding a/k/a weather modification in one part of the State had any effect on the record droughts that were suffered in other parts of Texas this summer.

The meteorologist who leads the state’s cloud seeding program says the technique is increasing annual rainfall in parts of West and South Texas.

“South of San Antonio, we had aircraft flying on a dozen days in the month of July treating what we deemed to be seedable storms,” said George Bomar, the manager of the Weather Modification Program for Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Department.

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Weather Modification - Currently, cloud-seeding projects designed to increase rainfall from convective cloud towers are conducted in nearly 31 million acres of Texas (or almost one-fifth of the state’s land area). In administering the Texas Weather Modification Act (enacted by the Texas Legislature in 1967), TDLR’s weather modification program issues licenses and permits for these projects, many of which have been in existence since 2000. The projects use specialized aircraft and sophisticated weather radar systems, operated by skilled meteorologists, at sites near Amarillo, Plains, Pecos, San Angelo, and Pleasanton. In addition, TDLR issues licenses and permits to other organizations, as well as individuals, responsible for carrying out weather modification operations for both rainfall enhancement and hail suppression. The aim of the regulatory function is to ensure that various methods of modifying the weather do not dissipate clouds nor inhibit their ability to produce rainfall to the detriment of people or property in the affected areas.

The program also sponsors and provides administrative and technical oversight for ongoing weather modification research and development activities. This includes the use of federal grants for exploratory, and confirmatory, cloud seeding experiments. TDLR issues reports on the results of cloud seeding research work and shares information on technological advances with other State agencies, governmental organizations, and interested individuals.

The TDLR staff also works with political subdivisions, other organizations, and individuals in the design, or modification, of rain enhancement projects as well as the implementation of new seeding strategies for augmenting rainfall over targeted watersheds.

Quantum Physics 101 with Dr. Quantum's Double Slit Experiment (Animated Video)

I really should read up and educate myself more on quantum physics. My knowledge consists of the information discussed in the book Time Travel: A Guide for Beginners. However, this video piqued my interest, so I will be doing further research in the coming weeks and months. This video is a quick introduction to quantum physics and the double slit experiment. As one said about the behavior of electrons, before the electrons are observed, there are infinite possibilities, but when the electrons are observed, a possibility becomes reality.

Source: GodLikeProductions

FLASHBACK: Rick Perry Champions NAFTA Support During Speech at South Texas Farm & Ranch Show

I was doing some archival research on ol' Governor Rick Perry and I happened to come across this article from The Victoria Advocate (October 6, 1993) where the Governor and current GOP "frontrunner" praises NAFTA. I do not know where Perry stands on NAFTA, but I am quite sure that most Tea Party members oppose NAFTA and would support its immediate repeal.

And if the current-Governor Perry now believes that NAFTA is bad for the country, then this would be just another example of Perry flip-flopping and completely changing his position from one side to the other. While I don't doubt that people can change, do people usually change so drastically like Mr. Perry?

By increasing U.S, agricultural trade alone, the North American Free Trade Agreement would create 50,000 more jobs in the country, according to Texas Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry.

"NAFTA is the largest job stimulus packet to come along in this decade," Perry said during his keynote address at the South Texas Farm & Ranch Show in Victoria.

And if you really want to laugh, check out this 2009 clip from The Alex Jones Show where Jones imitates Perry when Perry was talking about how to cook a frog in a pot!

FLASHBACK: FMCSA Proposes to Revise Regulations for Hours of Service for Drivers of Property-Carrying Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs)

49 CFR Parts 385, 386, 390, et al. Hours of Service of Drivers; Proposed Rule

I happened to miss this proposed federal change late last year to the hours for truck drivers in this country.

To promote safety and to protect driver health, FMCSA proposes to revise the regulations for hours of service for drivers of property-carrying commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). To achieve these goals, the proposed rule would provide flexibility for drivers to take breaks when needed and would reduce safety and health risks associated with long hours. The proposed rule would make seven changes from current requirements.

First, the proposed rule would limit drivers to either 10 or 11 hours of driving time following a period of at least 10 consecutive hours off duty; on the basis of all relevant considerations, FMCSA currently favors a 10-hour limit, but its ultimate decision will include a careful consideration of comments and any additional data received.

Second, it would limit the standard ‘‘driving window’’ to 14 hours, while allowing that number to be extended to 16 hours twice a week.

Third, actual duty time within the driving window would be limited to 13 hours.

Fourth, drivers would be permitted to drive only if 7 hours or less have passed since their last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of at least 30 minutes.

Fifth, the 34-hour restart would be retained, subject to certain limits: The restart would have to include two periods between midnight and 6 a.m. and could be started no sooner than 168 hours (7 days) after the beginning of the previously designated restart.

Sixth, the definition of ‘‘on duty’’ would be revised to allow some time spent in or on the CMV to be logged as off duty.

Seventh, the oilfield operations exception would be revised to clarify the language on waiting time and to state that waiting time would not be included in the calculation of the driving window.

Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration