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About Kohler Company
Kohler Co. is well known as a worldwide leader in plumbing products. But, the Kohler family of businesses extends far beyond the kitchen and bath.
Unparalleled product design and innovation have led the way to a diverse portfolio of respected brand names with operations on six continents. Today, the Kohler family of businesses creates products that set the standard in kitchen and bath, engines and generators, furniture and accessories, tile, as well as resort, recreation and real estate.
Throughout our nearly 138-year history Kohler Co. has remained true to our founding vision of defining the frontiers of ideas, craftsmanship and technology. Throughout the years we've led the way in product design with a commitment to quality over a broad range of price points.
Establishing new levels of excellence within each industry and market is an ongoing process. Everyday we strive to fulfill our mission of improving the level of gracious living for each person who is touched by our products and services. Driving this pursuit is a skilled group of more than 28,000 associates worldwide. Much of Kohler Co.'s success is attributable to each and every one of these individuals thinking about how we can continue to thrive as well as lead our industries into the future.


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Boycott Bud, Support Pine RidgeTuesday, January 22nd, 2013
Anheuser-Busch ("Budweiser") sells 78% of the beer at four liquor stores in Whiteclay. Join the student-led movement to end the injustice. Demand that Anheuser-Busch: (1) end alcohol sales in Whiteclay; and (2) fund expanded alcohol rehab on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Sign the petition at whiteclayboycott.blogspot.com. Boycott Bud, Support Pine Ridge.
DVD "The Battle for Whiteclay" available from Nebraskans for Peace. Download the STUDY GUIDE.

subset: commoncrawl


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Confronting America's Weaponization of Information
by William Skink
There was an interesting hearing last month in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Ed Royce (R-Calif.) who had this to say about Putin in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed:
"Vladimir Putin has a secret army. It's an army of thousands of 'trolls,' TV anchors and others who work day and night spreading anti-American propaganda on the Internet, airwaves and newspapers throughout Russia and the world. Mr. Putin uses these misinformation warriors to destabilize his neighbors and control parts of Ukraine. This force may be more dangerous than any military, because no artillery can stop their lies from spreading and undermining U.S. security interests in Europe."
The hearing was titled "Confronting Russia's Weaponization of Information" which I interpret to imply …because our weaponized information isn't working in Syria, Ukraine, Yemen, etc.. Perhaps the ease in which Americans are fed bullshit and believe it to be an accurate representation of what constitutes "news" has made the professional bullshitters a bit lazy in the products they create for public consumption. But never mind us because THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING!!!!
The Committee heard from three witnesses: Elizabeth Wahl, former anchor for the news agency Russia Today (RT) who gained her moment of fame by resigning on camera in March 2014; Peter Pomerantsev, Senior Fellow at the Legatum Institute (a right-wing UK think-tank); and Helle C. Dale, Senior Fellow for Public Diplomacy at The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing U.S. think-tank. [4] The Foreign Affairs Committee website contains video clips of the first two witnesses – well worth watching if you enjoy Orwellian rhetoric passionately delivered.
In her formal (printed) submission, Ms. Wahl referred to the Internet's "population of paranoid skeptics" and wrote: "The paranoia extends to believing that Western media is not only complicit, but instrumental in ensuring Western dominance."
Helle C. Dale warned of "a new kind of propaganda, aimed at sowing doubt about anything having to do with the U.S. and the West, and in a number of countries, unsophisticated audiences are eating it up."
Peter Pomerantsev claimed that Russia's goal is "to trash the information space with so much disinformation so that a conversation based on actual facts would become impossible." He added, "Throughout Europe conspiracy theories are on the rise and in the US trust in the media has declined. The Kremlin may not always have initiated these phenomena, but it is fanning them…Democracies are singularly ill equipped to deal with this type of warfare. For all of its military might, NATO cannot fight an information war. The openness of democracies, the very quality that is meant to make them more competitive than authoritarian models, becomes a vulnerability."
Is Western media instrumental in ensuring Western dominance? As a paranoid skeptic how can I say this delicately? Fuck yeah Western media has been instrumental in ensuring Western dominance. But after the invasion and occupation of Iraq based on lies peddled by the NYT and other publications, it might be slightly more accurate to say Western media has ensured Western dominance won't be able to stop the new, multi-polar world from emerging.
Unless we go full berserker Dr. Strangelove, which is entirely possible.
The historical context of Saigon falling on April 30th, 1975 adds another layer to the present insanity unfolding. It's been forty years since the senseless mayhem in Vietnam ended. Thinking back on that time period can be painful for lots of people. Ray McGovern revisits those tumultuous times with considerable pain because he was in the unique position of potentially leaking information that would have shown, early on, the resistance US troops were up against numbered twice as much as what the Army was saying.
Here is a lengthly excerpt detailing McGovern's interaction with a fellow CIA analyst:
Many of my Junior Officer Trainee Program colleagues at CIA came to Washington in the early Sixties inspired by President John Kennedy's Inaugural speech in which he asked us to ask ourselves what we might do for our country. (Sounds corny nowadays, I suppose; I guess I'll just have to ask you to take it on faith. It may not have been Camelot exactly, but the spirit and ambience were fresh — and good.)
Among those who found Kennedy's summons compelling was Sam Adams, a young former naval officer out of Harvard College. After the Navy, Sam tried Harvard Law School, but found it boring. Instead, he decided to go to Washington, join the CIA as an officer trainee, and do something more adventurous. He got more than his share of adventure.
Sam was one of the brightest and most dedicated among us. Quite early in his career, he acquired a very lively and important account — that of assessing Vietnamese Communist strength early in the war. He took to the task with uncommon resourcefulness and quickly proved himself the consummate analyst.
Relying largely on captured documents, buttressed by reporting from all manner of other sources, Adams concluded in 1967 that there were twice as many Communists (about 600,000) under arms in South Vietnam as the U.S. military there would admit.
Dissembling in Saigon
Visiting Saigon during 1967, Adams learned from Army analysts that their commanding general, William Westmoreland, had placed an artificial cap on the official Army count rather than risk questions regarding "progress" in the war (sound familiar?).
It was a clash of cultures; with Army intelligence analysts saluting generals following politically dictated orders, and Sam Adams aghast at the dishonesty — consequential dishonesty. From time to time I would have lunch with Sam and learn of the formidable opposition he encountered in trying to get out the truth.
Commiserating with Sam over lunch one day in late August 1967, I asked what could possibly be Gen. Westmoreland's incentive to make the enemy strength appear to be half what it actually was. Sam gave me the answer he had from the horse's mouth in Saigon.
Adams told me that in a cable dated Aug. 20, 1967, Westmoreland's deputy, Gen. Creighton Abrams, set forth the rationale for the deception. Abrams wrote that the new, higher numbers (reflecting Sam's count, which was supported by all intelligence agencies except Army intelligence, which reflected the "command position") "were in sharp contrast to the current overall strength figure of about 299,000 given to the press."
Abrams emphasized, "We have been projecting an image of success over recent months" and cautioned that if the higher figures became public, "all available caveats and explanations will not prevent the press from drawing an erroneous and gloomy conclusion."
No further proof was needed that the most senior U.S. Army commanders were lying, so that they could continue to feign "progress" in the war. Equally unfortunate, the crassness and callousness of Abrams's cable notwithstanding, it had become increasingly clear that rather than stand up for Sam, his superiors would probably acquiesce in the Army's bogus figures. Sadly, that's what they did.
When the media finally started reporting—and showing Americans images on their televisions—of what was really happening in Vietnam, it got more difficult to send off young Americans to kill and die. The response? Blame the media for losing the war in Vietnam.
Now, 40 years later, the only lesson learned appears to be better control of the message. Yet once again it's getting more difficult to sell Americans more wars. Even with a more articulate Democrat as President, and the repackaging of wars as "humanitarian interventions", it's just not going to fly with a populace that has the lived experiences of definitely NOT recovering from the Wall Street Casino blowing up 7 years ago.
Also, this pie chart:
Over half the pie for the military is insane. And what has it gotten us? New havens in Iraq, Syria and Libya for jihadists, radicalized survivors of drone strikes in places like Pakistan and Yemen, and an integration of Russia and China that will shape the 21st century.
Good job, America.
Empire is hiding in plain sight. Those who serve the system have many more problems to work out than just bad eyesight.
"The almost constant discourse in US politics around individuals, personalities and leaders is nauseating. Unfortunately, many liberals are looking for the next JFK or FDR. Indeed, the mythologies surrounding liberal leaders are akin to the mythologies surrounding conservative heroes such as Ronald Reagan or Barry Goldwater. Regardless of their official political orientations, and minor policy differences, these political leaders agreed on one very basic maxim: the US Empire will not be challenged. Hence, Global Capitalism will remain unchallenged in any serious manner.
Today, same is true, whether we're talking about Bernie Sanders or Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush, any serious discussion of the US Empire is still off the table, and will remain so as long as the US doesn't have an antiwar movement capable of articulating, and organizing around, these basic truths." – Vincent Emanuele http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article41750.htm
Let's look at the big picture, shall we?
Simple as this, collectivists. Money in, Money out.
Actually I'm surprised at your restraint, you pie graph should have been titled non-domestic discretionary spending.
Some random thoughts: We Americans, especially if we're white, have lived more or less comfortably under the protection of our empire for some time now. We're empire's beneficiaries, even if it's only in a trickle-down way.
As 60s radicals used to say, we live in the belly of the beast.
As we complain about our empire, maybe we should think about how much we're willing to give up not to have it. Are we willing to pay three or four times as much for clothes and other products not produced by child labor in some third world country we control? And what happens to the millions of Americans currently employed in the military-industrial-security complex? What kind of useful work can those trained in war, exploitation, and deceit (including propaganda) be taught to do?
Per capita consumption is hardly a measure of living a life with meaning — i.e. one worth living. The psychology of American consumption is something to behold. Why can't we trade in our nukes, F-35s and chemical weapons for organic food, or modest, affordable housing for our citizens, for example? Or universal health care? The opportunity cost of maintaining a $600 billion war budget is high, very high. Guns or butter.
@ Liz.
This Adm says they want a stronger middle class. They lie. Middle classes don't always vote their way they tend to be more self sufficient.
Reservation living is what they desire, total dependency. They want companies to leave and take jobs with them.
They prevent XL, railroads, off shore drilling, attic drilling, public lands drilling. They shut down coal fired plants, stall natural gas shipping.
They're in the process of gutting the military of experienced officers.
The non-enforcement of the border has let in millions of under table laborers replacing once well paid jobs in the construction industries.
None of these above items benefit capitalism as a whole so the CC's are hoping to be the last one effected.
Classic Cloward Piven, divide and conquer.
Here's your Free Market Capitalism Mark.
South Korea free, North Korea not free. No exploitation there.
Other contributing factors perhaps?
"We went over there and fought the war and eventually burned down every town in North Korea anyway, someway or another, and some in South Korea too.… Over a period of three years or so, we killed off — what — twenty percent of the population of Korea as direct casualties of war, or from starvation and exposure?" – Gen. Curtis LeMay, Strategic Air Warfare: An Interview with Generals (1988)


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"A sample-autocorrelation-based approach for monitoring power-system damping from ambient synchrophasor data." 2017 North American Power Symposium (NAPS). Morgantown, WV: IEEE, 2017..
"Improving Reliability Through Better Models: Using Synchrophasor Data to Validate Power Plant Models." IEEE Power and Energy Magazine 2014: 44 - 51..


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MMA in Arlington Heights
We feel that we have built one of the top mma gyms in Arlington Heights. Over time, we've developed an experience for our students that includes a curriculum built around RESULTS first, inspiring instructors, and a safe, clean, and fun class environment in all of the mma classes we teach.
Our students have the flexibility of being able to pick from a wide variety of class times and courses. Every MMA, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, Kids Martial Arts and Self-Defense Class is unique, keeping each lesson new and exciting!
Our Goal is to Help You Reach Yours!
We make sure every class that we teach leaves our mma training students, both adults and children, feeling motivated, energized and inspired, so that every student is growing both in skill set and within their personal life. This isn't accomplished by accident either because we've designed the curriculum specifically to allow all of our students to have the ability to achieve success quickly.
So What Are You Waiting For?
Why Choose Us for MMA Lessons in Arlington Heights?
Curriculum Developed Over Time to Get Fast Results for Our Students.
Consistent Teaching That Leads to Real Results.
Curriculum is Regularly Updated to Include the Latest Training Methods.
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We ALWAYS Put Safety First!
Orderly and Clean Facilities with Clean Mats, Restrooms and Polished Equipment.
Classes Will Always Inspire, Motivate, Be Fun and Will Get You The Results You Want.
Train People of All Ages and Provide Co-Ed, Men's & Women's Training Classes.
We Are Performance-Based and Do Not Require Advanced, Long-Term Commitments.
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Our Arlington Heights MMA Training Gyms Provide a Positive Environment for Everyone!
Our downtown Arlington Heights mma location has walls that are filled with inspirational quotes, we have instructor "mat chats" and we choose a Student of the Month to put on our Facebook Fan Page to keep our students motivated! You will see the adults or kids mma classes are NOT intimidating at all. In fact, our students say how welcomed and helped they felt during their first mma class.
We understand that everyone will have different reason to start martial arts training but just about everyone feels uncomfortable the first time they enter a place like a gym. That's why we make the process effortless & exciting. Try our 14-Day Free Trial and experience it for yourself!
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What we learned is that our students come to expect a certain level of service. For this reason, we have built our schools and systems around these promises.
Instead of asking our students for long term memberships, we found that when we deliver on these following promises our students get the RESULTS they started for, they can't wait to attend each class and simply DO NOT QUIT training (many of our students train and earn their black belt which can take 5-8 years) and they love talking about our schools to everyone they know.
Now that you know the history please read on and enjoy the our 5 Promises to YOU.
- We promise to always provide a school with a clean, safe, and uplifting environment that will inspire and motivate you.
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Join Us for Effective & Results-Based MMA Classes in Arlington Heights!
If you are looking to learn mma, then we invite you to talk with one of our program directors and take advantage of our 14-Day, Risk Free MMA Lessons for Beginners Trial for any of the courses we offer at all of our Arlington Heights MMA Gyms!


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Legal Education Digest (v.16 #2 pp. 46-49), published a condensed version of the following article by Daniel Bradlow and Jay Finkelstein: "Training Law Students to be International Transactional Lawyers – Using an Extended Simulation to Educate Law Students About Business Transactions." This article describes an international business transactions course jointly taught by Amercian University Washington Colleg eof Law and Dundee University's Centre for Energy, Mineral, and Petroleum Law and Policy. One class represents the buyer, a U.S. drug company and the other class represents the seller, a state-owned agricultural cooperative in an African country.
Full text available via SSRN: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1084071
Article Abstact:
The article describes an innovative approach to educating law students about the legal issues and the role of lawyers in negotiating international business transactions. It is based on our experiences in developing and teaching a course that is built around a semester-long simulation exercise and taught in counterpart classes at two law schools. The students in these classes represent the opposing parties and negotiate a cross-border business transaction involving a joint venture agreement, a licensing agreement and a long-term supply contract. The students, who attend either the American University Washington College of Law or the Centre for Energy Mineral and Petroleum Law and Policy at the Dundee University in Scotland, utilize written communications, video-conferencing and teleconferencing in their negotiations. In the paper we discuss the value the course adds to the education of our students, the challenges and pleasures of teaching the course, the response of students to the innovative approach to teaching, and ways in which the course could be adapted and enriched.


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There's a new angel in Drew Barrymore's life.
The actress and husband Will Kopelman welcomed a baby girl, Olive Barrymore Kopelman, last Wednesday. The couple released a statement saying their firstborn is "healthy, happy and welcomed by the whole family."
What an awesome gift for the newlyweds, don't you think?
U.S. & World
Drew thought of naming her daughter Ruby Daffodil back in the day...
Barrymore and Kopelman tied the knot June 2 at her Montecito, Calif., home and honeymooned in Big Sur.
Just a few weeks ago, Barrymore, 37, was practicing yoga and bumpin' around town in anticipation of her Olive's arrival.
The "Charlie's Angels" star said on the "Tonight Show" earlier this year--before the world knew she was pregnant--that she definitely wanted to start a family with Kopelman.
"We'll start with one," she said. "See how it goes and if we could be so blessed...that would be wonderful."
So far, so good!


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94% Soccer Sport camera picture answers
8 July,2016 In 94 Percent | No Comments
94% Soccer Sport camera picture answers level 244 for the most famous game created by scimob. This solutions useful for android and iOS version but each device has different level so you must find the 94% answers by it's question not the level. I know many gamer still play this challenging game but now this game developer launch another great game named math academy. Did you know you can support this game developer by completing a question survey and your result will be added into 94 percent game question in next update, this feature only available at the iPhone version 94%.
94% Soccer Sport camera picture : Camera, Sport, Stadium, Game, Record


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Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle is Britain's second largest inhabited castle; home to the Duke of Northumberland's family for over 700 years.
Combining magnificent medieval architecture with sumptuous Italianate interiors, Alnwick Castle starred as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films and more recently featured in ITV's Downton Abbey. The lavish State Rooms boast one of the country's finest private art and furniture collections, including works by Canaletto, Titian, and Van Dyck.
Budding knights and princesses can dress up and get hands-on with history, or even take part in broomstick training with Alnwick's wizard professors!
Venue Type:
Castle or defences, Heritage site, Historic house or home
Open daily 27 March - 28 October 2015
10.00am to 5.30pm, last admission 4.15pm
State Rooms open 11.00am - 5.00pm (Chapel closes at 3.00pm), last admission 4.30pm
Admission Prices (tickets can be validated for unlimited free visits for 12 months at no extra cost):
Adult - £14.50
Concession (e.g. student, pensioner) - £12.00
Child (aged 6 - 15) - £7.50
Child under 5 years - free
For group and school rates, please telephone 01665 511 184.
- English Heritage
Collection details
Architecture, Film and Media, Fine Art, Weapons and War
Key artists and exhibits
- Canaletto
- Van Dyck
- Titian
- Harry Potter
Castles and Homes
Pupils will look at different people's lives and lifestyles and will explore Alnwick Castle as a home in the past. They will gain information and inspiration from a range of sources including first-hand observation of the Castle site, discussion and the expert guidance of Alnwick Castle staff. The pupils' personal guide will take them around the site pointing out features of interest and giving insight into home life in the Castle.
How to obtain
For more information and to make a booking, call 01665 510777 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Knights School - Life in a Medieval Castle
Primary school groups will especially enjoy and benefit from a session spent in Knights School. Here children can experience life in the Castle during the Middle Ages. Our experienced staff will lead the children in role-play, games and arts and crafts activities all designed to meet key stages of the 4 - 11 curriculum.
How to obtain
For more information and to make a booking, call 01665 510777 or email email@example.com
Stormin' the Barbican
Discover why and how Castles were built and designed to keep people out!
This activity uses a combination of discussion and role-play for historical enquiry. Pupils will begin their journey at the Barbican, Alnwick's most distinctive military feature. They will be encouraged to use their imaginations to consider how life was in the past while carrying out this fun and interactive activity. With its characteristic medieval features, Alnwick is a wonderful setting for this adventure.
How to obtain
For more information and to make a booking, call 01665 510777 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Alnwick Castle
- About
- | Collections
- | Resources
- | Map


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My Challenge to the Presidential Candidates
by Michael Moore
The Huffington Post
Posted July 25, 2007 | 12:01 PM (EST)
The American government isn't afraid to hand out free health care. Senior citizens get it. Veterans get it. As SiCKO shows you, even the detainees at Guantanamo Bay get it.
So, too, do our federal elected officials. It doesn't matter if they are Republicans or Democrats, young or old, healthy or sick — they are entitled to free, government-provided health insurance. They don't have to worry about being able to pay for medical help — even if many of their constituents do.
When Senator Sherrod Brown was running for a seat in the House of Representatives over 10 years ago, he saw something wrong with this. He pledged not to accept his free government health care until everyone in the United States had the same luxury. (He's still waiting.)
Brown reasoned that politicians should have the same privileges as those they represent. I know a lot of the Democrats running for President understand this principle. Monday night during their YouTube debate, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson all pledged to work for the minimum wage should they be elected president — to show that they're in touch with the plight of everyday Americans, and to make sure they are personally invested in making sure the minimum wage in this country is a livable one. Good for them.
Now, candidates, how about giving up your health care too? If elected president, you and your family will be entitled to free government health care, courtesy of the fine doctors at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. But nearly 50 million of your constituents will go without any medical care at all — and 18,000 of them will die during your first year in office simply because they lack health insurance. As the head of the government, how can you take advantage of its health care services, but deny it to so many citizens?
I am calling on each presidential candidate to pledge to refuse their free government health care until every person in this country also has it. I want every candidate who said they'd work for the minimum wage as president to work uninsured, too, until health care is universal. And I want the other candidates to join them. (Yes, I'm looking at you, too, Republicans. I know you can afford to do it.)
During Monday night's interactive debate, I submitted this exact challenge on YouTube, just like everyone else. CNN didn't choose it — maybe Dr. Gupta was making the selections? Anyway, I am issuing it here. All candidates should pledge to take whatever health care is available to the least fortunate American. Right now, that's nothing. Hopefully as president, they'll have to make it something.
'SiCKO' Star Julie Pierce Continues the Fight


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Adana Kebab
(Adana Kebap)
500 gr lean ground mutton
100 gr fat from lamb tail, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped (use mixer) or 1 tbsp-full red pepper paste
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Mix all the ingredients together with your hands. Make a fist-sized ball and skewer it. Squeeze it on the skewer so that it thins and lengthens to acquire the shape shown in the picture. Cook on a grill. You can also barbecue tomatoes and green peppers on the side.
Serve with pita bread. Adana Kebab will taste better if you prepare the meat in advance and keep it refrigerated overnight.


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Save with printable coupons and botticelli olive oil. Transform your grocery shopping days from a stressful and expensive outing into an exciting and budget friendly experience with the help of money saving coupons. These days, one of the best and smartest ways to cut up on expenses is to utilize printable grocery coupons that you can collect for free on Coupon Pro.
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Abounding Abundance
What a surprise and joy to see permaculturist Erik Ohlsen's smiling face grace the cover of the June 30 issue ("Thought Processes"). I met Erik and Penny Livingstone-Stark seven years ago after my husband and I bought an incredible seven-acre property on a ridge in western Sonoma County with redwoods and a panoramic view of vineyards and mountains. Originally an old apple orchard, the trees had been cut down 20 years ago and there had been no attempt to control erosion. With most of the top soil washed away, it was a degraded ecosystem badly in need of healing.
As former biology professors, my husband and I knew we needed to restore the ecosystem to its former glory but didn't have the practical know-how to do it. That's when Erik and Penny stepped in to introduce us to permaculture and regenerative design. Together we transformed our property into Sunrise Ridge Gardens, a food forest now five years old. Erik implemented the design that transformed our land and, in turn, the land transformed us. We are now part of this thriving, cutting-edge community and even offer courses and retreats to those wanting to reconnect with the natural world. It is a gem!
Thank you for the informative article and putting a spotlight on one of our local heroes.
Brenda Sanders
Sonoma County
Fungal Transit
I was delighted to read of your recognition of the Australian winter truffles ("Black Diamonds," June 23). I am the Australian chef who actually introduced the truffles to such chefs as Jesse at Madrona, Cyrus and others as well at the French Laundry, Mina, Post Ranch Inn and ChezTJ. This year, our harvest is even better. What we have found extremely valuable is the short transit time to get the truffles here so they can be served at their peak. They fly straight out of the ground (pretty much) to LAX, are cleared and repacked there and shipped straight to the restaurant without ever being touched since their initial packaging in Australia. I would be happy to take any enquiries from chefs or retailers interested in purchasing truffles and lead them to the source.
Sally James
Language Schmanguage
Regarding Suzanne Daly's "Bread of Brittany" (June 9): A great article! I hope I can get up there someday soon to partake.
The only minor error, and perhaps you've already heard from a horde of Celtophiles: "bilig" is perhaps Breton? It certainly is a Celtic language, but no modern people actually speak a language called "Celtic," though they most assuredly speak a "Celtic" language: Breton, Gaelige, Gaidhal, etc.
Great article!
John Heiden
An Old Friend!
After a couple of years out of the area, I recently moved back, and it was good to pick up an issue of the North Bay Bohemian again. It was like finding an old friend. I enjoyed David Templeton's "Reel Deal" (June 23). Is Brett Ascarelli still with you? I always enjoyed her writing, and her photography always had a profound quality to it.
Keep up the good work.
Tim Kolly
San Rafael
Shucks, Tim, do we love you. The beautiful and lovely, talented and brilliant Brett Ascarelli left us some three years ago to move to Sweden, where she is currently awaiting the award of her MFA in experience design (we don't know what that is, either). She's just landed a job at Radio Sweden and lives in Stockholm where, she recently reported, a bottle of V. Sattui sits on her kitchen table.


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Liquidcaine during procedure anesthetic 60ml.43.00€
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Availability: 2-3 DaysLiquidcaine is a single "caine" 4% lidocaine solution.It is used to produce numbing within 90 seconds of application.It can be applied during all tattooing, piercing and permanent makeup, procedures involving, broken skin, as well as for electrolysis and laser treatment, and even to relieve the pain of sunburn.Liquidcaine should..
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text:
Hi there,
My name is Mohan, from Singapore. I like to know if you can help me with
the following problem. I am prepared to pay for this.
A description of the requirements are given in detail as follows :-
I need a JSP page to call a C compiled DLL from server. We like you to help
us with the development of this program.
Basically, what we want is this :-
Develop a rough and ready JSP page which has 2 text boxes, TA (input) and
TB (output). TA is an input textbox wherein the user enters a value, say
"Hello World". A command button must be provided which upon pressing will
call a DLL (developed and compiled thru a C language compiler eg, Visual
C++). NOTE : The invokation of the DLL must be done using Javascript or pure
The DLL residing in the server must be developed in C language. No other
language will do other than Microsoft C or Visual C++.
The function of the DLL could simply be to change the order of words in the
string. Once this function has performed the task, it outputs the result
into TB which then gets displayed to the user. In the case of the example
it will be "World Hello".
We need to find out from your example a couple of things :-
a) How the Java code in JSP page will call the C DLL file and pass the string
as the argument into the DLL.
b) How the DLL can be compiled in C language using Visual C++ 6.0.
c) How the output will be passed back to the JSP page.
Let me know if you can help me out on this task and what is the charge. I
like to know the charge before you start this assignment.
Note : I don't want a program that works under MS-DOS running in console.
This is useless to me. I specifically want a
JSP page calling a C language DLL.


text:
Vinyl siding is a plastic exterior cladding used for weatherproofing and decorating buildings and according to the U.S. census bureau, 33% of homeowner's used Vinyl siding for their homes in 2013. That's a good percentage to have over other siding options.
It's a popular alternative to aluminum, fiber cement or the more traditional wood siding as well as other competitors such as brick, stucco and concrete. It is made up of about 80% polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin and the rest of the ingredients make it strong, flexible and resistant to tough impacts.
Here's a list of reason why you should love vinyl siding.
- Energy Efficient-money saver
- Durable
- Low Maintenance – soap and water
- Go Green!
- Fade resistant – today's new and improved vinyl siding doesn't fade against the heat of the sun's rays.
- Many Faces – can mimick the look of wood and other textures
Not watertight. Yes, Vinyl siding is water resistant, but it's unfortunately not waterproof. Water sometimes seeps in between the surface of the home and siding.
Let's talk more on efficiency
During the cold winter months, the extra insulation vinyl siding provides can decrease your heating cost. It enhances the look of your home, which in turn enhances your homes value. That with its longevity and low maintenance, this siding can pay you back the money you spent on this excellent investment. Insulated siding improves energy efficiency by reducing thermal bridging it uses continuous insulation over the studs, which helps homes stay cool in summer and warm in winter. The cost of vinyl siding will depend on a few things. First being, the type of vinyl you choose will impact the costs. Second, how thick the vinyl is, will also increase the price. Third, the styles you choose from – cedar shakes, or traditional clapboard have huge differences in costs.
Oh you want more reasons to love vinyl, oh okay.
- Weather the effects of sunshine, rain and heavy winds of 110 miles per hour, and most achieve a wind rating higher than that.
- Architectural styles using vinyl and other polymeric siding.
- Varying textures, from smooth to deep wood grain
For everything that vinyl siding provides, what homeowners often value most is its low total installed cost, which, is much lower than all other exterior cladding with a lifetime warranty. It's also inexpensive to maintain because it never needs painting, caulking, periodic cleaning requires nothing more than a soapy sponge and water.
Siding used to have a bad reputation, but now that it's new and improved, weather proof, insect proof, fade proof, the PROOF is vinyl siding is virtually indestructible, of course under "normal" circumstances. Let's not get carried away to test that theory out with a sledgehammer — otherwise, you might end up reading flex seal reviews to stop any leaks : ).
Happy siding.


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Guests: Ed Rendell, Eugene Robinson, Richard Wolffe, Sue Herera,, Jeanne Cummings, Susan Molinari, Sen. Jim Webb, Gov. Pat Quinn
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Starving the Democrats.
Let's play HARDBALL.
Good evening. I'm Chris Matthews in Washington. Leading off tonight:
One-two punch. First Republicans on the Supreme Court opened the flood gates for corporate money into political campaigns. The big winners, the Republican candidates the corporations are backing. Now comes the second punch, kill the major source of Democratic money, the labor unions. Most union members are now public employees. Killing the public employee unions is a brilliant way to kill the Democrats' number one backer of money and shoe leather.
So let's get clear on what's happening in Wisconsin. It's the second salvo of a one-two punch against the Democratic Party. The push against unions strips them of dues and memberships and robs Democrats of the foot soldiers and the money they need to get and stay elected.
Plus, President Obama's looking, to Republicans at least, like a winner next year. Only five flawed or poorly known candidates look ready to take the plunge. To quote Peggy Lee, is that all there is?
Also, who blinked on the government shutdown? Democrats agree to cuts, but they were cuts President Obama had already called for. The real story here may be that once again, neither side is ready to actually cut those big ones, Social Security and Medicare. You get hurt doing that stuff.
And did you catch this from the weekend? Defense Secretary Robert Gates told West Point cadets that any defense chief like him who advises the president to send another large land army into Asia, the Middle East or Africa should, quote, "have his head examined." Did Gates, the guy W. named secretary of defense, just say that the Iraq war was a mistake, finally?
And finally for us, "Let Me Finish" tonight with a great man who made what may be his last appearance at the Oscars last night, someone who truly deserves our praise.
We begin with what the Republicans are up to as they take on the unions. Pat Quinn is governor of Illinois. Ed Rendell was the governor of Pennsylvania for two terms, now is an NBC News political analyst.
Governor Quinn, thank you for joining us. For the first time in history now, Governor, more union members work for the government rather than the private sector. In the public sector, 7.6 million are union members. In the private sector, just 7.1 million, a big turn of events there. Governor, is this push by the Republican governor of Wisconsin a war on the Democratic Party's main financial and worker base?
GOV. PAT QUINN (D), ILLINOIS: Well, it's a war on workers. You know, the people who teach our kids, who plow the snow off our interstates, those are working men and women, and they deserve a decent pay and decent retirement. They've already given up concessions in that area. The right to have a union and collectively bargain and work about your conditions, working conditions, that's a fundamental American right. So what Governor Scott Walker's doing in Wisconsin is just plain wrong. And I think he's going to realize that the people of America are not on his side.
MATTHEWS: Well, what would happen if he wins? If he were to win and crush this union's right to collective bargaining on issues like pensions and medical benefits and perhaps even the ability to get a raise above the COLA, what happens then? If he wins this fight, what happens to workers, what happens to the party that they generally support, the Democratic Party?
QUINN: Well, I think we've seen that people all over Wisconsin, and my cousins, included, as well as people in Illinois and many other Midwestern states have come to Wisconsin. We're banding together to protect the right to collectively bargain, to have a union. We're going to be aggressive and progressive on that fundamental American right. And I just think Governor Walker is just plain wrong. He didn't show up at our governors conference here in Washington. I think that he know—even Republican governors, many of them, know that he's on the wrong track and he's not going to help working people and middle class people...
QUINN: ... retain a good job in America.
MATTHEWS: Well, here's a voice on the political right, "The Weekly Standard," on the political stakes of this union fight out in Wisconsin. Quote, "Reducing the money flowing from public employees to the Democratic Party means jack-hammering one of the foundations of contemporary liberalism." So—and Rick Hertzberg of "The New Yorker" raised this this week, a liberal. On both sides, it seems like the stakes are bigger than just the union. It's if you kill the public employee unions, you take away the Democrats' base politically in terms of workers and money. Governor Rendell.
ED RENDELL (D), FMR. PA GOV, NBC POLITICAL ANALYST: I think there's no question that's correct, Chris. In the long term, it's devastating to the Democrats. Look, unions last year gave about $87 million to Democratic causes in the 2010 election. Wipe that out almost entirely because without the dues, they're not going to be in a position to do that.
But most importantly, are the foot soldiers, the foot soldiers who canvassed for weeks before, who manned the phone banks and who go out on election day. That's a huge loss that's irreplaceable.
In the short run, though, I think it's catching a tiger by the tail. I think union members will be so angry, so angry if this occurs, that I think they'll be out there in 2012 and out there in force. But in the long run, it's devastating.
MATTHEWS: Let me talk to Governor Quinn about this. My experience in politics tells me that public employees are very good in campaign season, teachers especially, but not just them. They're very good at ringing doorbells, very good at talking on the telephone. They're very articulate, to use a word that's overused, perhaps. They know how to work politically. Has that been your experience, that they're good party workers?
QUINN: Well, absolutely. They're the middle class of our state of Illinois and of Wisconsin and everywhere else. You know, we need teachers in America. They sacrifice some of their present to help their kids' future. And they're special people. They believe in public affairs and getting involved. Same way with—you know, Illinois about four weeks ago had the worst blizzard we had in recent memory. We had workers out 12 hours in a shift in whiteout conditions, plowing 16,800 miles of highway in Illinois, and they did it with great distinction.
Those are our best of the best. They're public servants. They deserve a decent pay. They deserve to have a union. I don't agree with everything the unions say. I negotiate with them. But that's what America is all about. It's talking with each other, not just trying to kick the other guy in the shin and exterminate him.
MATTHEWS: Well, you know, in the old days up in Boston, Tip O'Neill told me they used to give snow buttons to the party workers. If you had a snow button, you got to plow snow at Christmastime. You made some extra money. So don't tell me there's not a connection between helping the party and getting a good job.
Let's talk about the Democrats. You're a lawyer. Look at the issue, Governor Rendell. The Supreme Court says it's OK for corporations to give all the money they want to give. We know which party they're going to give it to, Citizens United decision, right?
RENDELL: No question.
MATTHEWS: So the first punch is to give all the corporate money you want to the Republicans, and then you say, Let's squeeze closed that faucet from the Democrats' side. They're pretty smart, the Republicans these days, aren't they.
RENDELL: Well, it's a devastating imbalance, although I don't think you're going to see what's going on in Wisconsin—I assume eventually the senators come back and the bill passes. I don't think you're going to see that in other states, Chris. And let me tell you why, because in Wisconsin, it was a sneak attack. It happened too fast and no one had a chance to mobilize.
The majority of Wisconsin voters don't like it because Republicans didn't campaign saying they're going to get rid of collective bargaining. I think you won't see an effort—or you'll see an effort in Ohio and Pennsylvania and places like that, but I think the effort will fail because the unions will have time to rally public support against it.
MATTHEWS: Yes. Let me ask you, Governor, you watch the—you had your own race and you won successfully. And congratulations on getting elected this time. But it seems to me that Wisconsin Democrats got blown away. Russ Feingold knocked out by double digits. The legislature came in like bandits, the Republican side. The governor comes in. Did labor—did the Democratic Party in Wisconsin know the stakes when they got blown away, that this was coming?
QUINN: Well, those legislators, those senators from Wisconsin, are right now in Illinois, and we welcome them. We welcome legislators from Indiana. They can stay as long as they want.
I really think this is a national struggle. It's all about jobs, middle class jobs, hard-working people who really do a good job. And we're not going to give in and roll over here. The governor of Wisconsin is just plain wrong. And I noticed today, or this past couple days, many other Republican governors are not buying into this trying to bash unions and bust unions and hurt working people. That's not what America is all about. We believe in hard work and rewarding that with decent pay and a decent retirement.
MATTHEWS: What kind of living conditions do those Democratic legislators have in Chicago? Are you feeding them? Are you keeping them entertained at night? What are you doing for these guys and women?
QUINN: Well, you've been there, Chris. I had dinner with you one time in Chicago. There's a lot of good restaurants...
MATTHEWS: I know, at a great Mexican restaurant with Richie Daley and Maggie (ph).
QUINN: Yes. So we have a lot of good restaurants, a lot of things to do, a lot of museums. But I think the bottom line is the senators know that to empower that governor right now in Wisconsin is to permanently hurt working people, people who live from paycheck to paycheck, the heart and soul of Illinois, the heart and soul of Wisconsin, heart and soul of our country.
MATTHEWS: It seems to me, Governor Rendell, that this is about a very amazing Republican onslaught. They thought going into this last November election they were going to blow Obama away. This was the first step. And then they got this big ambition they're going to blow away the unions, the public employee unions, now the mayor union in the country, the public employees. These people are on the attack. But I've noticed, in World war I, the side that's on the attack tends to lose. And I just wonder whether they're going too far with this thing.
RENDELL: Yes, I think so. I think you see in the public opinion polls that they're overreaching, number one. And number two, they may dismantle the unions for a period of time. But there's going to be a hornets nest out there next year, I guarantee you. Even if there are no dues, the union workers will be out there with a vengeance.
MATTHEWS: Well, what do these guys in Pennsylvania—I know they've backed you for years, Leo Gerard (ph) and those guys—difficult, some of the public employee unions, because you've had to deal with them as mayor. But are they all—are they starting to get animated now, some of these guys, and realizing that their lives depend on winning now? There's no more losing anymore.
RENDELL: Sure. I think Governor Walker had the benefit of that sneak attack, but in states all throughout the country, the unions are gearing up and they're gearing up to make their case to the public. Look, I saw a poll in Wisconsin, over 60 percent don't believe...
MATTHEWS: I know.
RENDELL: ... they should do away with collective bargaining.
MATTHEWS: Well, here's the president finally jumping in. I think he's been a little hesitant on this. Maybe he doesn't want to look like he's big-footing Wisconsin and making himself the bad buy (ph). Here he is, Governors. Both of you, Governor Quinn and Governor Rendell, here's the president today talking on public employees. Let's listen.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think it does anybody any good when public employees are denigrated or vilified or their rights are infringed upon. We're not going to attract the best teachers for our kids, for example, if they only make a fraction of what other professionals make. We're not going to convince the bravest Americans to put their lives on the line as police officers or firefighters if we don't properly reward that bravery.
MATTHEWS: He's finally making a strong statement, Governor Quinn.
QUINN: I was there. I was proud of Barack Obama, our president. He really stood up for our firefighters, our policemen, our teachers. You know, a lot of these men and women also volunteer for the military, as National Guard members or reservists. So they're on the front line for democracy in our country, in our world, and they should be entitled to democracy in the workplace and having a voice at the table. That's what collective bargaining and unions are all about. And for those who don't believe in that, they ought to go back and soak their heads.
MATTHEWS: OK. That's interesting! Anyway, thank you. Go back and soak your heads. Thank you, Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois, and thank you, Governor Ed Rendell, for joining us.
Coming up: Just four months ago, Republicans were calling President Obama a one-term president. Now they seem afraid to one against him. Where are these guys? Pretty paltry crowd that's talking about running against him, a motley one, too. Let's take a look at the five guys who are willing to show their hands and run against the president. Four years ago, they had 10 candidates out at the Reagan library. Not much of a show this time, and it's a pretty weak showing, the ones that are running.
You're watching HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
MATTHEWS: Guess what? Sarah Palin isn't exactly lighting up the Republican faithful like she used to do. A new "Des Moines Register" poll of Iowa Republicans found that 18 percent of likely Republicans hold a very favorable opinion of Palin. That's 18 percent. That's down 9 points from last year. Still, a plurality of Republican voters, 47 percent, said they have a mostly favorable opinion of her. But the number of Republican voters who view her as very unfavorable has doubled over the last year. It's up to 10 percent. She's creeping downward in Iowa, which was her strong place to start.
We'll be right back.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE ®, NEW JERSEY: Well, we don't have a field yet, first of all. No one's declared. And what I've said is, let's judge the complete field once they all get in.
GOV. MITCH DANIELS ®, INDIANA: Others keep suggesting there are these deadlines, and then they keep passing. I think it's one of the great breaks we've had in voters that this thing didn't start.
GOV. HALEY BARBOUR ®, MISSISSIPPI: Whether or not anybody else runs is irrelevant to my decision. I'm going to make a decision based on things that I think, and I don't want to take everybody else's time going through all the things that I would have to think that I'm thinking about.
MATTHEWS: Wow. Welcome back to HARDBALL. That's a bunch of Republican governors talking about running for the 2012 presidential nomination. Today's "Politico" newspaper says that after last November's big win, quote, "a more sober GOP is wincing in the light of day as they consider just how difficult unseating an incumbent president with a massive war chest is going to be, even with a still dismal economy." That's a hell of a sentence.
The first Republican debate is set for just two months from now out at the Reagan library, but where are the candidates? We're joined now by MSNBC political analyst Richard Wolffe and Eugene Robinson, who's also a columnist for "The Washington Post," and a great one.
You know, I just think it's odd. You know, I was thinking, four years ago, we had about 10 candidates at that Reagan library debate. I moderated it. And that was a big house with all these guys all running, lots of crazy people on that list, you know, cats and dogs. Now look at the list of them there, guys! That isn't happening this time around. I don't know if they're even going to make the gate by May.
And here's the question. You've got the—we've got five people we think are showing real signs of running, Romney, Pawlenty, Gingrich, Santorum and Haley, who hasn't quite said he's running, but it looks like he's moving toward it.
Your view. Is that the five we should be looking at—basically Mitt, Newt, Rick and Tim?
EUGENE ROBINSON, "WASHINGTON POST," MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, look at them. Look at Ron Paul, who I assume is going to run.
MATTHEWS: Oh, you're going to add to this list.
ROBINSON: Well, I'm going to add to the list, yes, but...
MATTHEWS: ... talk serious. You think they're really going to run, or you just want to play with this with some crazy people?
ROBINSON: Well, I...
MATTHEWS: You just want to bring some crazy people!
ROBINSON: Number one...
MATTHEWS: Ron Paul can't run! He has to give up his House seat.
ROBINSON: Number one, it's getting really crowded up on that fence.
You know, they're all on the fence and deciding...
ROBINSON: I don't know why. I don't know why. I think some definitely—actually think that Barack Obama is going to be more difficult to beat, and so they're thinking whether they want to...
MATTHEWS: Let's go over the list. Let's take a look, just to get this set up again, everybody absorbing these exciting names here. There they are—Romney, Mitt, Pawlenty, Tim, Gingrich, Newt, Rick Santorum and Haley Barbour, Haley Barbour being the closest to not running, but he looks like he's running.
That's not a colorful field of people, Richard Wolffe. There's nobody in there with any panache, excitement, pizzazz, charisma, anything like charisma, anything like it! I mean, Haley Barbour is a good ol' boy with all the negatives and positives, which you've noted in your column. Fair enough. And he's going to carry them around like—you know, like—who was—who was Ebenezer Scrooge's partner, Jacob Marley, carrying those chains around. But the fact is—and there's nobody in that room that's going to knock the socks off...
RICHARD WOLFFE, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: The good thing about a campaign is that it gives them a chance to proves themselves. So Romney...
MATTHEWS: What, Romney's going to get exiting? When he's getting his racing stripes?
WOLFFE: Maybe it's going to be Haley. Haley can come up with...
WOLFFE: This is a man who says that lobbying is actually what presidents have to do, so it's OK to be a lobbyist.
MATTHEWS: You're playing with me, Richard!
ROBINSON: No, but with your field, look, Romney can raise money. Romney has great hair. He looks presidential. So he—you know, he's a credible candidate. I don't think he would beat Obama, but he's a credible candidate.
MATTHEWS: Just to have fun with you—Mitt Romney, you've described the box he came in. What about the content?
ROBINSON: Well, the content is changeable. The content is what you wish.
ROBINSON: That is the brilliance of Mitt Romney. He will be what you want him to be.
MATTHEWS: OK, let's take a look—here's President Obama today and Mitt—Mike Huckabee, who is a smart guy. I don't agree with him on some things. But here's Mike on Sunday. Let's listen to them both.
OBAMA: I know that many of you have asked for flexibility for your states under this law. In fact, I agree with Mitt Romney, who recently said he's proud of what he accomplished in health care in Massachusetts, supports giving states the power to determine their own health care solutions.
MIKE HUCKABEE (R-AR), FMR GOV., HOST, "HUCKABEE": "The Wall Street Journal's" analysis of the Massachusetts health care bill showed that it was exactly almost a carbon copy at the state level of what "Obama care" was at the national level. I don't think it disqualifies him. It's not a good plan, but he attempted something that he wanted to see would it work. I don't have a problem with a governor in any state taking risk, trying something bold. But if it doesn't work, for heaven's sakes, let's not put it in all 50 states.
MATTHEWS: OK. They're now going to call—you first, Gene.
ROBINSON: Well...
MATTHEWS: You're laughing your butt off here because it's Obama/Romney or Romney/Obama.
ROBINSON: It's going to be Romneycare.
MATTHEWS: It's become the same bill.
ROBINSON: It's Romneycare now.
And—and they're all going to say, well, I don't have a problem with him trying the same mandate that Barack Obama tried.
MATTHEWS: The individual mandate.
ROBINSON: I mean, they're going to mention it and say they don't have a problem...
MATTHEWS: How does he get off the horns of that dilemma, having pushed and succeeded in passing the exact thing that all the Republican candidates are attacking, the requirement you have health care?
ROBINSON: Well, I think he doesn't. I think his problem is getting nominated. I think he's actually a credible candidate in the general election. But I think he has real problems getting nominated.
MATTHEWS: Well, that's a year-and-a-half from now.
ROBINSON: Yes.
MATTHEWS: Richard Wolffe, you're being...
MATTHEWS: You're like—you're the Cheshire cat here. You've been really cool here.
MATTHEWS: What's going on with this field of five?
rMD+IT_rMD-IT_WOLFFE: No, I think—I think social issues are—
Romney cannot—cannot run away from his own position again. He will get the whole authenticity problem all over again.
Huckabee, he's a Romney-seeking missile. He's out to take that man out of the game. I don't know that he has...
MATTHEWS: See, that's what I love, personal.
Why does he want to destroy—why is he staying in this race, according to I think your thinking, just long enough to destroy Mitt Romney?
WOLFFE: They obviously did not get on last time around. I think there is a class discussion debate going on there.
MATTHEWS: He resents the...
MATTHEWS: ... background of this guy.
WOLFFE: It's Main Street and Wall Street.
MATTHEWS: Elite.
WOLFFE: It is.
MATTHEWS: OK. Well, let's take a look at Bill Kristol, a conservative, a neoconservative, if we will. He took umbrage with some potential Republican contenders who say they won't run.
He wants them out there. Here's what he said today on Laura Ingraham's radio show—quote—"It's a crucial election, a crucial election for the future of the country, the future of the size of government, the future of our foreign policy, the future of the Supreme Court. And people are sitting around wringing their hands and saying they won't run. For me, honestly, I think—I like John Thune. I have dealt with him. But when I see a quote like that, I don't ever want to support that guy again."
Now, what he's talking about, guys, he's talking about John Thune of South Dakota saying, you can't beat this guy, so why should I run against him?
ROBINSON: Well, especially if there's another election in four years, when there won't be an incumbent president.
And, look, you know, people may calculate...
MATTHEWS: Have you ever heard of a candidate saying I really would like to run, but I can't beat the bum?
ROBINSON: No, you don't say that.
MATTHEWS: But he did.
ROBINSON: You think that, but you don't say it.
WOLFFE: By the way, people are saying the other side has got all the money. They don't. The White House is fretting enormously about raising $1 billion here.
So, the other side, they're all trying to lock down those donors. It's a mountain to climb. Think of the hours they're going to have to spend...
WOLFFE: ... for that kind of money.
MATTHEWS: You get federal money. But it's federal money.
WOLFFE: No, they have got to raise that money privately.
WOLFFE: The Obama campaign..
MATTHEWS: That's what I mean. No, you're missing my point. It's federal money. It's election money. You have to get $2,300 a shot each time.
WOLFFE: Oh, yes, right, right, right, right, right.
MATTHEWS: That's the term we use.
WOLFFE: But they're going to bust those limits, so they have got to raise an enormous—how are you going to do that and...
MATTHEWS: OK. Let me ask you a question. This will sound anti-Obama. Believe me, it's not. It's just sheer analysis. If we're in an economic reset situation, which we all talk about—and we all fear it for our children, for our own lives as we go on. If the economy is going down and 9 percent or 8 percent becomes the new normal, and young people coming out of college don't have the chance that the kids 10, 20 years ago are having, and that looks real and permanent, and this president's not changing that, how can he get reelected, objectively?
ROBINSON: Well...
MATTHEWS: If he looks like...
ROBINSON: ... it depends on who's running against him.
MATTHEWS: Really?
ROBINSON: It does.
MATTHEWS: How can you blow it if you're facing an incumbent who's admitting he can't do anything about a downturn?
ROBINSON: He's a good, talented politician who's able to inspire hope and change and all that hopey, changey stuff.
ROBINSON: He's good at it. And you have to have somebody who's good up against him.
MATTHEWS: Yes, I know. I still think the question looms.
WOLFFE: I think the conventional wisdom has swung way too far saying this guy is a shoo-in.
MATTHEWS: Right.
WOLFFE: Unemployment is the key. But as long as Republicans want to talk about the size of government, like Bill Kristol is, they're missing the point. It's about jobs. It is about economic security.
MATTHEWS: It's about hope.
WOLFFE: And winning the future, it may sound great, as the president keeps saying it. But how about winning the present?
MATTHEWS: Are they saying—are they smart in saying it's the deficit's fault, the reason the economy's not growing, in other words, that's the problem?
WOLFFE: Yes, that's a roundabout way of saying it's about jobs. But that's like saying health care is about jobs, too.
WOLFFE: They're talking about their own subjects, when people want to know about jobs.
MATTHEWS: OK. OK. I want you to give me the morning line right now, Gene.
MATTHEWS: Do you really think it's anything better than a 50/50 for this president to get reelected? Karl Rove says a slight favorite.
MATTHEWS: Do you think he's a slight favorite?
ROBINSON: No, I think it's better than 50/50. It may not be better than 55/45.
MATTHEWS: How about you, Richard?
WOLFFE: Incumbents always do better than 50/50, but, honestly, we're going to have three or four cycles of failure and success before we...
MATTHEWS: I look at the electoral map, and I see a very difficult time for him to get 53 percent, like he got last time. And I look at the industrial states, Indiana, tough, Ohio, Wisconsin, tough.
And I see a problem even in Pennsylvania. He will probably take Pennsylvania, but these others are tougher.
Anyway, Gene Robinson, I—I'm looking at this practically. If I were a Republican politician, I would run against the guy. It's the year. It's your chance. Eugene Robinson, thank you—Richard Wolffe.
Up next: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas may not be saying anything from the bench, but he has sure got a lot to say about his liberal critics, like Common Cause. Stick around for that in the "Sideshow."
You're watching HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
MATTHEWS: Back to HARDBALL. Now to the "Sideshow."
First up: Clarence Thomas answers his critics—sort of. Common Cause is out there pushing for the Supreme Court justice to recuse himself on the big case involving the constitutionality of Obama's health care because Thomas' wife lobbies on behalf of Tea Partiers.
Well, in a Saturday speech to law students, Justice Thomas shot back.
CLARENCE THOMAS, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: One of the things I want to do is, I want to go to my grave knowing that I gave everything I have trying to get it right.
I have watched my bride, who is doing the same thing, when she started her organization. She was able to give them 24/7 every day in defense of liberty. We love being with each other because we love the same things. We believe in the same things.
So, with my wife and with the people around me, what I see, I'm reinforced that we are focused on defending liberty.
MATTHEWS: On that point, we are still waiting here at HARDBALL to hear from the Federalist Society that paid that justice and his wife for a four-day trip to Palm Springs two years ago. Did they or did they not host a meeting in Palm Springs in January of 2008? If not, why did they pay for that four-day trip? We want to know and we're going to keep asking.
Next up: Where are the candidates? We just told you that Republicans are skittish about the lack of 2012 announcements. When should we expect the calls? Well, NBC's political unit just came out with its look at what the possible candidates might be up to.
Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty look to be first out of the gate with decisions within the next couple weeks. Mitt Romney will likely decide some time this spring. But let's face it, he's been running since Election Day 2008. Governor Haley Barbour won't decide until the Mississippi legislature ends in April, its session in April. And Jon Huntsman, still on the White House team as ambassador to China, could announce after his ambassadorship ends in April, in fact, April 30th.
Governor Mitch Daniels, like Barbour, will make the call by early May, when his legislature ends its session. Rick Santorum, who doesn't have a job, also says he will announce by May. Mind you, he's already been in Iowa 10 times.
Mike Huckabee says he will decide by this summer. Donald Trump says he will decide in June, just after he finishes his work on "The Apprentice." We will see about all that.
Now to tonight's Big Number. A new Gallup survey asked residents of each state to identify their political views. Which states had the highest percentage of conservatives? Fascinating.
Working our way upward, at number five, we have got Utah. Also out West, we have got Wyoming at number four. At number three, we move all the way south to Alabama, runner-up, Idaho. And what's the most conservative state of all? You got it, Mississippi. More than half in the state, 51 percent, call themselves conservative. Mississippi, number-one conservative state in the union—tonight's "Big Number."
Up next: Senate Democrats and House Republicans may have headed off a government shutdown for now, for the next couple weeks. They're heading closer to a deal to keep the government running for two weeks. Which side blinked and who has got the better hand politically right now? You're going to see.
Come back and watch HARDBALL in just one minute.
SUE HERERA, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: I'm Sue Herera with your CNBC "Market Wrap."
Stocks closing out the month on a high note, the Dow Jones industrials climbing nearly 96 points, the S&P 500 adding seven, and the Nasdaq tacking on about a point.
A little stumble last week not enough to keep the markets from racking up their third consecutive month of gains. And today, we had the Commerce Department reporting the biggest jump in incomes in nearly two years. But consumers are using it to rebuild their savings, keeping spending at modest levels.
In stocks, some of the big names enjoyed some healthy gains, as portfolio managers spruced up their end-of-the-month holdings with some strong performers. Berkshire Hathaway gained after Warren Buffett told shareholders his trigger finger is itchy for major acquisitions. Humana jumped after winning back a multibillion-dollar contract with the Defense Department that had been going to UnitedHealth.
But Amazon slumped on concerns that plans to add streaming video might force it to jack up costs.
And that's it from CNBC. We're first in business worldwide—and now back to HARDBALL and Chris.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: To not address entitlement programs, as in the case with the budget the president has put forward, would be an economic and moral failure.
MATTHEWS: Wow. An economic and moral failure not to go after Social Security and Medicare? Wait until we see what happens when they do go after it.
Welcome back to HARDBALL.
While it appears there may be a deal coming to keep the United States government funded for another two weeks and open for business, avoiding a shutdown, the question remains whether Congress or the president will do something to curb the big, growing cost of programs like Social Security and Medicare. Or is it all talk and no action, for the obvious reason?
Susan Molinari is a former New York congresswoman. And Jeanne Cummings is assistant manager editor at Politico.
Jeanne, just in strict analytical terms, watching these folks, I wonder if anybody who wants to get elected again in Congress is willing to put their hand up and say: "I want to cut the benefits going to people on Social Security. I want to cut the health benefits. You're not going to get dialysis for more than three months, X-many months. You're not going to get the artificial limb reworked after seven years. You're not going to get the following"?
When it comes to the realities of cutting these programs, will any politician actually do it?
JEANNE CUMMINGS, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR, POLITICO.COM: I don't think we're going to see that any time soon, and without a great deal of change here in Washington, Chris, for the reasons that you make clear.
It's politically very, very difficult. You have down in Florida Representative Adam (sic) West, who has actually talked—he's a Republican, a freshman—and he's talked more than many of them about some of the changes that would have to come to those programs.
And the Democrats are immediately targeting him. And that—those are the very issues they're using against him.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
CUMMINGS: So, it's going to take a sea change.
MATTHEWS: All you have to do—Paula Hawkins, remember—I'm sorry.
But, remember, Paula Hawkins was a senator from down there, never did anything wrong, except she did what they told her to do. She voted to—she came out in public support of cutting for the COLAs for Social Security. Got blown away. Jeremiah Denton.
I think it's the only issue, Susan—you were in the House—that you can be beaten for, just one vote. Vote to cut Social Security, vote to cut Medicare benefits to people, what happens to you?
SUSAN MOLINARI ®, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN: Well, except nobody's talking about cutting benefits of the recipients right now. What they're talking about is changing programs in the future. And I think...
MATTHEWS: But, in the end, doesn't that do the same thing?
MOLINARI: I think the Republicans are going to take that chance.
Look, John Boehner has just said it. The speaker went out there and said it. Eric Cantor has said it. Paul Ryan has said, when he unveils his budget in a few weeks, there's going to be entitlement change. Governor Christie has stood up and has staked his claim. Mitch Daniels has.
I mean, you're starting to see—and, look, it's a different...
MATTHEWS: It's easy for Christie. He's not doing this. He's telling them to do it.
MOLINARI: It's a different world now, though.
MOLINARI: This is a different world.
MATTHEWS: OK, Susan Molinari, I respect your judgment. Here's the latest "USA Today" poll, Gallup poll -- 61 percent of Americans oppose cutting Medicare spends -- 64 percent oppose cutting Social Security spending. These are two-thirds votes.
MOLINARI: I think the American people told the Republicans when they elected in the majority that they wanted this deficit to come under control and that they wanted a little sanity and some validity.
MATTHEWS: I agree with all that.
MOLINARI: We're starting to see this with the C.R. We're starting to see this with what the new Republican budget is going to do. I think you're going to be surprised by the leadership that the Republican Party is going to show.
And I think the American people are going to present them with reelection at the polls for showing that kind of leadership. I think what the last election about—was leadership.
MATTHEWS: Every time, Susan—or, Jeanne, every time we poll people
and I did this back in, I think, 1971, working for a senator from Utah.
You poll people and you ask them what they would like to see government cut, they say foreign aid and general government expenses. They want to see more money on education. They don't want any cuts in Social Security or anything like it.
If you ask them, do they want to see government waste cut, they don't want real cuts. For example, I was just out doing something for Alzheimer's this past week out in Las Vegas, trying to raise awareness for the big group out there that is working on research. Imagine telling people who have an Alzheimer's victim in their house and they're a caregiver—oh by the way, we're cutting spending on research that you're going to face another 20 or 30 years of Alzheimer's hell in this country because we can't solve the problem. Do people really want those kinds of cuts?
CUMMINGS: Well, I think in addition to those challenges that you've just outlined, there is an additional one for this Congress and the White House if they really want to do anything. And that is that there is a sizable majority in the 60 percents in a recent poll by Kaiser who thinks you can fix Medicare and Social Security by just cutting the other parts of the budget. So, the public, while they may be coming around, they aren't ready for this debate yet. There's a lot of education that would have to take place before Washington could move in a serious and fundamental way.
What struck me with the deficit commission in December was they made recommendations that would change Social Security, for instance.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
CUMMINGS: These—the effect of—the effect of those changes wouldn't take place, wouldn't affect anybody until 2050, OK? That's a long time from now.
MATTHEWS: I know.
CUMMINGS: And, yet, they were criticized roundly on both sides of the aisle. And nobody's been willing to touch that one. So, until they deal, they bring the public with them, I think this will remain, they've got to educate the public. But until they do that, I think it's going to be a very tough issue.
MATTHEWS: So, you're 26 years old and this will affect you. I'm going the math. It's 39 years from now.
MOLINARI: Twenty-six-year-olds, 52-year-olds don't rely on Social Security for our benefits. I mean, we've all grown up with the reality we don't think it's going to be there for them. That is why I think—you know, look, the line is being drawn. The abdication of leadership by President Obama in following in anything that his deficit commission—
MATTHEWS: Who on the other side is doing it?
MOLINARI: Three week, Paul Ryan, and you just heard John Boehner say they're going to make some changes in terms of entitlement reforms. When they come forth with their budget when they're done cleaning—
MATTHEWS: Do you think that's a smart move on their part?
MOLINARI: I think it is a smart move for this country. And I think the voters understand it now. I think it is a different time than when Paula Hawkins and others—
MATTHEWS: Jeanne, do you think the Republicans are going to be the first ones to move on this? Not the Democrats?
CUMMINGS: I will be—I think they are going to do something.
They are promised to do it and there will be something in their budget. Whether that is a serious proposal or not, I'm skeptical of. Only because we've been in this town for a long time and there are a lot of proposals that are supposedly serious proposals but they really aren't.
So, we'll see if they will be first out and it will be a serious proposal.
MATTHEWS: I will be very impressed—negatively or positively, I'll be impressed if your party, the Republican Party, actually says, raise the retirement age, reduce the benefit levels, something that a person can see when they watch a program like this and read the paper, they can get it. They are cutting the benefits.
MOLINARI: This is the party that's at least proposed the spending cuts for C.R. that the Democrat Party was suppose to pass last year and moving toward September. So, let's give them credit for what they've done so far.
MATTHEWS: You've just done that. That's sufficient.
Anyway, thank you, Susan Molinari. It's great to have you on because you are a good partisan. But I'm waiting for the Republicans or anybody—because I watched this under Reagan. And he was as popular as you could get in this country, and he got burnt on this thing.
Up next: Defense Secretary Robert Gates says something I never thought a defense chief would say. He said it was wrong to go to war—it's wrong to go to war in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. He says any defense secretary that recommends such action, quote, "should have his or her head examined." Wow.
Is Gates saying the war in Afghanistan was not winnable? That we went into it wrongly? Is he saying the same about Iraq?
This is HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
MATTHEWS: The last surviving American veteran of World War I has died. West Virginia native Frank Buckles died yesterday at the age of 110. Buckles enlisted as a 16-year-old back in 1917 after telling a recruiter he was older than he was. He served two years as an ambulance driver in England and France, rising to the rank of corporal. Later in World War II, Buckles was a prisoner of war in the Philippines and was held for more than three years. What a life for his country.
As President Obama put it today, Frank Buckles lived the American century and he fought for us.
We'll be right back.
MATTHEWS: We're back.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a sober warning against waging another major ground invasion like Afghanistan or Iraq, when he spoke to West Point cadets this Friday.
Here's what he said.
ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: But in my opinion, any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should have his head examined.
MATTHEWS: Wow.
Senator Jim Webb is a Democrat from Virginia. He sits on the Armed Services Committee, was secretary of the Navy under President Reagan.
Senator, sometimes somebody says something in Washington. It's not just words. I was stunned by that.
What was your reaction?
SEN. JIM WEBB (D), VIRGINIA: Well, first of all, I think he's the right person to be saying this because he has long experience in national security policy. He was secretary of defense under President Bush and he's continued under President Obama. And we're hearing, you know, a lot of wisdom and good advice.
I know—when 9/11 happened, I wrote a piece a day after it, talking about my views on how you should fight international terrorism. And I had one paragraph in there that said, do not occupy territory, because in a situation such as international terrorism, you lose your maneuverability and you create situations where you have to go on defense to defend the territories that you occupied.
So, I would think looking forward what Secretary Gates is saying has a lot of wisdom to it.
MATTHEWS: What does it say about the current war in Afghanistan?
WEBB: Well, there's a concept in negligence law called assumption of duty. And what that means is once we have assumed a duty in a certain way, we're obligated to carry it out and I have been supportive of the strategy as they put it together.
But there comes a time, too, when you have to recognize that we're in a little bit of mission creep, I think, in Afghanistan. There's only so much we will be able to do until we leave. And the best way to address international terrorism is through mobility and through maneuverability.
And the other question that I've had and I've stated this on many occasions is that the enormous amount of attention and national resources that have gone into Iraq and Afghanistan have drawn us away from our true strategic first priority, and that's in Northeast and Southeast Asia. We have kind of lost the bubble over there.
I spent a lot of time in that part of the world in my life. I just got back from a trip to Japan. And, you know, we really need to focus again on our economic, security and cultural relations in Asia.
MATTHEWS: Could we have achieved the political ambitions of the previous administration after 9/11 without going to a war in Afghanistan? Could we have gone after effectively al Qaeda internationally without going into Afghanistan, for example?
WEBB: First of all, I'm one of those who strongly believes that the invasion of Iraq was a strategic blunder and it took our eye off of the way that we could have been dealing with situations in a number of other places.
I was in Afghanistan as a journalist in '04. I spent most of my time with a Marine Corps unit over there. And the way they were handling the situation, I think, was the way we should be doing it. They were a maneuver force. They were out taking on the elements of the extremist Taliban and al Qaeda.
But the question becomes these larger scale occupations, and the political objectives that they have. And I think Secretary Gates is correct in saying that in the future, there are probably better ways to do that.
MATTHEWS: Do you think the message—I mean, I remember Doug MacArthur saying never go into a land war in Asia after World War II and after Korea. And then we went ahead and did it in Vietnam. I mean, do we ever listen to these advisories from the experts?
WEBB: There are different moments in history where you put your military into places with different adversaries, and in different schemes of operation. I happen to believe that our involvement in Vietnam was appropriate.
I think if you listen to people like Lee Kuan Yew, the minister mentor of Singapore, he's one of the brightest minds Asia has ever produced, you know, he was saying that what we did in Vietnam stabilize the region around Vietnam and allowed these incipient governmental systems coming out of colonialism to stabilize and allowed their economies to grow.
But what we have now really is a war against international terrorism that requires an enormous amount of maneuverability. And then at the same time, we have the strategic objectives of the country, which are best served by strong Navy, technology, anti-penetration through cyber warfare, these sorts of things. And we need to have a valid ground element—
WEBB: -- but not necessarily what we're doing here.
MATTHEWS: In real time, we've got none of this information from Gates. We got none of this information from Rumsfeld. Now, Gates tells us it was a mistake to go into Afghanistan and Iraq after we've already gotten in there, telling us now. We've got Rumsfeld telling us now there were no nuclear weapons in Iraq, no attempt to build them, no attempt to buy them. No, nada nuclear weapons.
These guys tell us after the fact the facts. What do you make of it?
WEBB: Well in all fairness to Secretary Gates, I don't think that's what I thought he was saying.
MATTHEWS: OK. So, let's focus on Rummy then. How about Rumsfeld?
WEBB: I think there were a lot of people in that administration who got blinded by bad information and who really wanted a war in Iraq for a lot of other reasons. But Secretary Gates took the hand off and I think he's been enormously responsible as a secretary of defense.
MATTHEWS: Why are you leaving the Senate?
WEBB: Well, I think six years is a good period of time to be in the Senate and I remain—I intend to be fully involved in issues, even though I'm leaving in two years.
MATTHEWS: Yes. Thank you. I want to ask you more about that later. I want to know what's wrong with the Senate, I'm curious.
Anyway, you seem like a good guy. Anyway, thank you, Senator Jim Webb.
WEBB: Thank you.
MATTHEWS: When we return, "Let Me Finish" with the man on the stage last night in the Oscars, during the Oscars, there he is right now, and how I'm going to remember that guy. He's the guy that broke the blacklist, Kirk Douglas.
You're watching HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
MATTHEWS: "Let Me Finish" tonight with an important figure at last night's Academy Awards. Kirk Douglas gave the award last night for supporting actress at the age of 94. It was unusual for a fellow of his age to be out there on stage in what is always a youth-dominated Oscar night, especially this year when ABC made such an obvious effort with Anne Hathaway and James Franco to get the targeted demographic to watch.
Well, so, let me tell you about this fellow, Kirk Douglas. First of all, he's always been a politically active middle-of-the-road Democrat. I remember him up there with Lyndon Johnson and Danny Thomas at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City.
Douglas, let's face it, is the American story. He grew up poor, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants in the early part of the last century. He had nothing and made himself an American actor and American movie cowboy star in his day in movies like "Gun Fight at the O.K. Corral."
Of course, as a kid, I always think of Kirk Douglas in "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Douglas played the whaler who saved the Nautilus from the giant squid—one of the great scary action scenes. I love that movie.
Later, Douglas made his classics, the anti-war "Paths of Glory," and "Spartacus," the story of the slave revolt against the Roman Empire. That was the movie where Douglas personally decided to break the Hollywood blacklist. He hired a blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo to pen the screenplay and put his name, Dalton Trumbo, right up there in the credits, no hiding him behind a front.
Dalton Trumbo wrote "Roman Holiday," "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," "Exodus," and a lot of other great movies, winning Academy Awards under different names.
Well, "The heads of the studios were hypocrites," Kirk Douglas declared. "My company produced 'Spartacus,' written by Dalton Trumbo, a blacklisted writer under the name Sam Jackson. Too many people were using false back then. I was embarrassed. I was young enough to be impulsive, so, even though I was warned against it, I used his real name on the screen."
Kirk Douglas refused to let the system punished people for their political views. He believed Americans are smart enough to know what they're watching and can see the message as easily as someone can send it. They don't need to be protected from people, from writers like Dalton Trumbo.
Well, last night was about youth, I wanted to say something important tonight about an older guy who deserves it.
That's HARDBALL for now. Thanks for being with us.
More politics ahead with Cenk Uygur.
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text:
Firebrand radio host plans to attend protest, but will UK government let him in?
Paul Joseph Watson
May 6, 2013
Alex Jones is calling on the global press to break the information blockade surrounding the Bilderberg group and cover the annual meeting of the real shadow government which is set to take place in Watford, UK from June 6-9.
Jones will personally fly in from Austin, Texas to cover the protest which will take place outside the Grove luxury resort hotel at which Bilderberg members will plot and scheme with complete disregard for the democratic process. Jones will also be covering the event and obtaining leaks from the Bilderberg confab in his capacity as an internationally recognized broadcaster and journalist.
One of the big questions surrounding Jones' confrontation of Bilderberg is whether the United Kingdom will attempt to bar him from entering the country, just as they did with fellow talk show host Michael Savage back in 2009 after Savage was accused of making statements deemed "a threat to national security."
The ban on Savage was initially ordered by the left-wing Labour government but later re-affirmed by the Conservatives. Savage was placed on a list of 16 people barred from the country because of their political views. Others on the list included Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Stephen Donald Black and neo-Nazi Erich Gliebe. That list has now grown to over 100 people.
Jones previously ran into problems when attempting to cover Bilderberg back in 2006 when Canadian authorities detained him and his crew for over 15 hours on the orders of the Bilderberg group, subjecting them to an intense barrage of interrogation.
Aware of the fact that UK authorities could be considering attempting to bar Jones from entering the country, Infowars will have a list of influential political leaders, including members of the British Parliament and the EU Parliament, as well as media personalities on standby to cause a public relations flap if any problems are encountered and expose how the free press is being censored.
Jones wants to remind UK authorities that his intentions are completely peaceful and that he is entering the country as a journalist to cover an important gathering of global power brokers. Last year, the London Guardian documented how Jones was a prominent critic of the Bilderberg group who was responsible for many of the other protesters attending in 2012.
If UK authorities try to deport Jones, it will only lead to a PR embarrassment and further unwanted attention heaped on the Bilderberg group. Jones will be there to represent the United States and the American people to make a stand against political insiders who – in complete violation of the Logan Act – are carving up U.S. sovereignty and deciding international policy in secret.
Since the British press are amongst the best when it comes to covering Bilderberg – most notably Charlie Skelton who writes for the Guardian – we expect UK authorities to respect media freedom and confound claims that the UK is an authoritarian state, which would be confirmed if Jones is barred from entering the country.
Jones genuinely wants to visit the United Kingdom for all the right reasons but if he is prevented from doing so by authorities repeating the mistakes made in Canada, it will only backfire on both the UK government and the Bilderberg group, prompting even more intense press coverage.
Jones will be joined by hundreds of other alternative media personalities and activists who will travel from all over the world to attend the event at great expense in an effort to fill the void left by the mainstream media, which routinely underreports the conference and downplays its significance, despite the fact that it is attended by over one hundred of the world's most influential movers and shakers from the spheres of politics, business, academia, technology and banking.
The attitude of the elitists who gather for the annual confab can best be summed up by a recently revealed Henry Kissinger quote. Kissinger, a regular attendee, once stated, "The illegal we do immediately; the unconstitutional takes a little longer."
Far from being a mere "talking shop," as it is often derided by a compliant and castrated corporate media, there are numerous examples of major policy decisions being decided behind closed doors at Bilderberg.
In 2010, former NATO Secretary-General and Bilderberg member Willy Claes admitted that Bilderberg attendees are mandated to implement decisions that are formulated during the annual conference of power brokers.
In 2009, Bilderberg chairman Étienne Davignon even bragged about how the Euro single currency was a brainchild of the Bilderberg Group.
Back in February, Italian lawyer Alfonso Luigi Marra requested that the Public Prosecutor of Rome investigate Bilderberg for criminal activity, questioning whether the elitist organization's 2011 meeting in Switzerland led to the selection of Mario Monti as Prime Minister of Italy.
Labeling the group a "unique, illegal brotherhood" of elitists who consider themselves to be "above the law," Marra pointed the finger at Bilderberg for engineering wars, economic collapses, and arming dictators, activities which, "constitute an obvious, blatant violation, to say the least, of the articles of the Criminal Code."
Last month, Honorary President of the Supreme Court of Italy and former Senior Investigative Judge Ferdinando Imposimato accused the Bilderberg Group of being behind terrorist attacks in Europe.
Despite once meriting just a handful of press reports, coverage of the Bilderberg confab by both mainstream and alternative media has rapidly expanded in recent years, leading Bilderberg luminaries to express their anger over the "constant exposure" fueled by an increasing number of protesters who descend on the conference venue.
Alex Jones is calling on all concerned activists to join forces and make Bilderberg 2013 go down in history as the year that the clandestine group loses its veil of secrecy and is finally exposed as a malevolent force that has no place in an open and democratic society.
Press coverage from Alex Jones' attendance at the 2006 Bilderberg protest in Canada can be viewed below.
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a host for Infowars Nightly News.
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