http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/ Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:53:30 +0000 MyBB http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8638 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:45:57 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8638

Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai.

Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. “When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently,” she says, “common themes surfaced again and again.” Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2...-the-dying]]>

Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai.

Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. “When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently,” she says, “common themes surfaced again and again.” Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2...-the-dying]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8637 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:35:45 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8637
The statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency was issued shortly after an Iranian general warned of a pre-emptive strike against any nation that threatens Iran.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb...ilure-iaea

Khamenei: No obstacles can stop Iran's nuclear work
By REUTERS02/22/2012 12:21After UN nuclear watchdog declares collapse in talks with Tehran, Ayatollah says "pressures, sanctions and assassinations will bear no fruit...Iran's nuclear course should continue firmly and

http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/...?id=258883


Tic Tic Tic , lest talk about a real time war economy.]]>
The statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency was issued shortly after an Iranian general warned of a pre-emptive strike against any nation that threatens Iran.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb...ilure-iaea

Khamenei: No obstacles can stop Iran's nuclear work
By REUTERS02/22/2012 12:21After UN nuclear watchdog declares collapse in talks with Tehran, Ayatollah says "pressures, sanctions and assassinations will bear no fruit...Iran's nuclear course should continue firmly and

http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/...?id=258883


Tic Tic Tic , lest talk about a real time war economy.]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8636 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:27:48 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8636 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8635 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:06:40 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8635

]]>

]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8634 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:10:51 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8634



Next question?]]>



Next question?]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8633 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:26:11 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8633 Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes

This year’s Index of Dependence on Government presented startling findings about the sharp increase of Americans who rely on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance. (See last week’s chart.)

Another eye-popping number was the percentage of Americans who don’t pay income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, most of that population receives generous federal benefits.

“One of the most worrying trends in the Index is the coinciding growth in the non-taxpaying public,” wrote Heritage authors Bill Beach and Patrick Tyrrell. “The percentage of people who do not pay federal income taxes, and who are not claimed as dependents by someone who does pay them, jumped from 14.8 percent in 1984 to 49.5 percent in 2009.”

That means 151.7 million Americans paid nothing in 2009. By comparison, 34.8 million tax filers paid no taxes in 1984.

The rapid growth of Americans who don’t pay income taxes is particularly alarming for the fate of the American form of government, Beach and Tyrrell warned. Coupled with higher spending on government programs, it is already proving to be a major fiscal challenge.

“This trend should concern everyone who supports America’s republican form of government,” Beach and Tyrrell wrote. “If the citizens’ representatives are elected by an increasing percentage of voters who pay no income tax, how long will it be before these representatives respond more to demands for yet more entitlements and subsidies from non-payers than to the pleas of taxpayers to exercise greater spending prudence?”


http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/19/char...ome-taxes/

If you don't pay taxes, you shouldn't get to vote.]]> Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes

This year’s Index of Dependence on Government presented startling findings about the sharp increase of Americans who rely on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance. (See last week’s chart.)

Another eye-popping number was the percentage of Americans who don’t pay income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, most of that population receives generous federal benefits.

“One of the most worrying trends in the Index is the coinciding growth in the non-taxpaying public,” wrote Heritage authors Bill Beach and Patrick Tyrrell. “The percentage of people who do not pay federal income taxes, and who are not claimed as dependents by someone who does pay them, jumped from 14.8 percent in 1984 to 49.5 percent in 2009.”

That means 151.7 million Americans paid nothing in 2009. By comparison, 34.8 million tax filers paid no taxes in 1984.

The rapid growth of Americans who don’t pay income taxes is particularly alarming for the fate of the American form of government, Beach and Tyrrell warned. Coupled with higher spending on government programs, it is already proving to be a major fiscal challenge.

“This trend should concern everyone who supports America’s republican form of government,” Beach and Tyrrell wrote. “If the citizens’ representatives are elected by an increasing percentage of voters who pay no income tax, how long will it be before these representatives respond more to demands for yet more entitlements and subsidies from non-payers than to the pleas of taxpayers to exercise greater spending prudence?”


http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/19/char...ome-taxes/

If you don't pay taxes, you shouldn't get to vote.]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8632 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:07:01 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8632


Order Your Copy of The Fox Effect Today.



Two years ago, Media Matters recognized Fox News had become something entirely new. The network never lived up to its “fair and balanced” mantra, and bias was no longer its primary defect. Instead, without much notice, it had become something entirely new -- a news organization acting as a proxy for a political party.

We set out not only to document this trend, but expose it. In the course of our research, Media Matters uncovered internal network memos, unheard speeches by a “news” executive, and even previously unpublished letters from the head of Fox News, Roger Ailes.

The result of our efforts is a new book called The Fox Effect – and I’m proud to say it’s in stores today.

Buy The Fox Effect at your local bookseller or by visiting http://amzn.to/FoxEffect

I’m often asked, “Why does Fox News matter? The only people who pay attention to them are militant conservatives.”

However, the network’s impact is far broader. The Fox Effect ushered in the current era of post-truth politics. The facts no longer matter; only what is politically expedient, sensationalistic, and designed to confirm the pre-existing opinions of a large audience matters to Fox.

Media Matters Vice President Ari Rabin-Havt, myself, and the entire team at Media Matters spent the past two years working on The Fox Effect because we felt telling this story and exposing Fox for what it is -- a megaphone for a political party -- is crucial if we want to correct the current dysfunction in our political system.

Today, the product of our efforts is on sale.

Buy The Fox Effect at your local bookseller or by visiting:

• Amazon: http://amzn.to/FoxEffect
• Barnes and Noble: http://mm4a.org/BarnesAndNoble_FoxEffect
• Indie Bound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780307279583

I guarantee even an avid follower of MediaMatters.org will be shocked by some of the revelations in this book.

Thank you,

David Brock]]>


Order Your Copy of The Fox Effect Today.



Two years ago, Media Matters recognized Fox News had become something entirely new. The network never lived up to its “fair and balanced” mantra, and bias was no longer its primary defect. Instead, without much notice, it had become something entirely new -- a news organization acting as a proxy for a political party.

We set out not only to document this trend, but expose it. In the course of our research, Media Matters uncovered internal network memos, unheard speeches by a “news” executive, and even previously unpublished letters from the head of Fox News, Roger Ailes.

The result of our efforts is a new book called The Fox Effect – and I’m proud to say it’s in stores today.

Buy The Fox Effect at your local bookseller or by visiting http://amzn.to/FoxEffect

I’m often asked, “Why does Fox News matter? The only people who pay attention to them are militant conservatives.”

However, the network’s impact is far broader. The Fox Effect ushered in the current era of post-truth politics. The facts no longer matter; only what is politically expedient, sensationalistic, and designed to confirm the pre-existing opinions of a large audience matters to Fox.

Media Matters Vice President Ari Rabin-Havt, myself, and the entire team at Media Matters spent the past two years working on The Fox Effect because we felt telling this story and exposing Fox for what it is -- a megaphone for a political party -- is crucial if we want to correct the current dysfunction in our political system.

Today, the product of our efforts is on sale.

Buy The Fox Effect at your local bookseller or by visiting:

• Amazon: http://amzn.to/FoxEffect
• Barnes and Noble: http://mm4a.org/BarnesAndNoble_FoxEffect
• Indie Bound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780307279583

I guarantee even an avid follower of MediaMatters.org will be shocked by some of the revelations in this book.

Thank you,

David Brock]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8631 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:07:09 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8631 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17124604


German law sets out stringent conditions for carrying out surgical castration

Excerpt: "Europe's top human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe, has urged Germany to end the practice of surgically castrating sex offenders.

The council's anti-torture committee said such voluntary treatment, albeit rare in Germany, was "degrading".

In Germany no more than five sex offenders a year have been opting for castration, hoping it will lower their sex drives and reduce their jail term.

The committee's recommendations are not binding but have great influence.

The committee's official title is the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).

"Surgical castration is a mutilating, irreversible intervention and cannot be considered as a medical necessity in the context of the treatment of sexual offenders", the CPT report said. It was based on an investigation in Germany carried out in November-December 2010.

The BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin says the German authorities argue that castration is not a punishment but a treatment which enables, as a government statement put it, "suffering tied to an abnormal sex drive… to be cured, or at least alleviated".

Research for the report revealed that of the 104 people operated on between 1970 and 1980, only 3% reoffended, compared with nearly half of those who refused castration or were denied it by the authorities.

But the CPT objected to the practice, saying:

* The physical effects are irreversible and may have serious physical and mental consequences;
* Surgical castration does not conform to recognised international standards and is not mentioned in guidelines drawn up by the International Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders (IATSO)
* There is no guarantee of a lasting reduction in the sex offender's testosterone level
* It is "questionable" whether consent to surgical castration "will always be truly free and informed".

In February 2009 the Council of Europe made a similar complaint about the use of surgical castration in the Czech Republic.

Despite the criticism, the Czech Republic still offers prisoners the option of surgical castration.

The CPT says very few European countries still offer the procedure to sex offenders."]]> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17124604


German law sets out stringent conditions for carrying out surgical castration

Excerpt: "Europe's top human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe, has urged Germany to end the practice of surgically castrating sex offenders.

The council's anti-torture committee said such voluntary treatment, albeit rare in Germany, was "degrading".

In Germany no more than five sex offenders a year have been opting for castration, hoping it will lower their sex drives and reduce their jail term.

The committee's recommendations are not binding but have great influence.

The committee's official title is the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).

"Surgical castration is a mutilating, irreversible intervention and cannot be considered as a medical necessity in the context of the treatment of sexual offenders", the CPT report said. It was based on an investigation in Germany carried out in November-December 2010.

The BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin says the German authorities argue that castration is not a punishment but a treatment which enables, as a government statement put it, "suffering tied to an abnormal sex drive… to be cured, or at least alleviated".

Research for the report revealed that of the 104 people operated on between 1970 and 1980, only 3% reoffended, compared with nearly half of those who refused castration or were denied it by the authorities.

But the CPT objected to the practice, saying:

* The physical effects are irreversible and may have serious physical and mental consequences;
* Surgical castration does not conform to recognised international standards and is not mentioned in guidelines drawn up by the International Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders (IATSO)
* There is no guarantee of a lasting reduction in the sex offender's testosterone level
* It is "questionable" whether consent to surgical castration "will always be truly free and informed".

In February 2009 the Council of Europe made a similar complaint about the use of surgical castration in the Czech Republic.

Despite the criticism, the Czech Republic still offers prisoners the option of surgical castration.

The CPT says very few European countries still offer the procedure to sex offenders."]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8630 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:28:30 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8630 http://news.yahoo.com/europe-spending-cu...04359.html

(Just for a little background here, when financial hard times started coming, the U.S. was one of the first to pump more money into the system, while Europe took a more conservative route towards fiscal austerity)

Excerpt: "Europe has endured the pain of layoffs, wage cuts and tax increases designed to bring government debt under control.

So where's the gain?

Far from falling, debt burdens are rising fastest in European countries that have enacted the most draconian austerity programs, according to The Associated Press' Global Economy Tracker, which monitors the performance of 30 major economies.

The numbers back up what many analysts say: Austerity isn't just painful. It can be counterproductive and even make a country's debt load grow.

Many fear the cutbacks will cause Europe to sink into a self-defeating spiral: Higher debt leads to harsher austerity, growing social instability and deeper economic problems. Governments could find it even harder to pay their bills.

The pain is already intense. Portugal's unemployment rate hit a record 14 percent at the end of last year. Ireland's economy contracted a worse-than-expected 1.9 percent in the July-September quarter of 2011. And Greece reported that its already basket-case economy shrank 7 percent in the October-December quarter of last year.

"This isn't a healthy situation," says Peter Morici, an economist at the University of Maryland.

Under a deal approved Tuesday by the 17 countries that use the euro and the International Monetary Fund, Greece will get a $172 billion bailout in exchange for accepting another dose of austerity that includes laying off 15,000 civil servants and slashing the minimum wage by 22 percent.

Progress has been made in the bond market, where interest rates on government bonds have declined. That's made it cheaper for some indebted countries to borrow.

But the drop in rates might not last. And the lower rates probably have less to do with budget cutting than with what the countries' central banks are doing: They're buying bonds, which pushes down rates, and providing low-cost loans for banks to do the same.

Borrowing costs haven't eased for every country: The yield on Portugal's 2-year government note is near a painful 13 percent, up from under 5 percent a year ago.

The best way to compare debt burdens among countries is to look at the debt as a percentage of gross domestic product. When it exceeds 90 percent, it's considered bad for an economy's health. GDP is the broadest gauge of economic output.

The AP's Global Economy Tracker illustrates how countries that have imposed austerity measures to slash costs have actually ended up with bigger debt problems:

— Portugal cut pensions, reduced public servants' wages and raised taxes starting in 2010. Yet in the third quarter of 2011, government debt equaled 110 percent of GDP. That was up from 91 percent a year earlier.

— In Ireland, middle-class wages have been reduced 15 percent and the sales tax boosted to 23 percent (the highest in the European Union). But its debt amounted to 105 percent of economic output in the third quarter of last year; a year earlier, it was 88 percent.

— In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron staked his political future on his austerity plan. Government debt ratios, though, reached 80 percent in third-quarter 2011, up from 74 percent a year earlier. And Moody's this month cut its outlook on Britain's prized AAA credit rating from "stable" to "negative."

— In Greece, two years of austerity programs have devastated the economy and triggered riots. Still, the government's debt equaled an alarming 159 percent of the country's GDP in the July-September quarter of 2011. That was up from 139 percent a year earlier.

— Norway, by contrast, has a strong economy and has avoided painful austerity measures. And its debts dropped to 39 percent of GDP in the third quarter, from 43.5 percent in the same quarter of 2010.

Economic conditions deteriorated at the end of last year, suggesting that Europe's government debt likely grew even heavier. Many economists question whether the latest rescue plan can succeed over the long run.

"The Greek debt deal puts off the day of reckoning," says Eswar Prasad, senior professor of trade policy at Cornell University. "We can breathe a sigh of relief for the next few weeks. But a lot of trouble is still coming."

Simple math explains why austerity can worsen government debt: If spending cuts and tax increases tilt a country into recession, GDP shrinks. So debt doesn't even have to grow to become a bigger burden on a contracting economy.

"You can't fix the debt-to-GDP problem if GDP is falling," says David Kelly, chief market strategist for JP Morgan Funds.

Recession also adds strains to the budget. Tax revenue dries up. Spending on unemployment benefits and other social services rises.

Bond investors tend to favor austerity programs, and here's why: The narrower the gap between what a government spends and what it collects in taxes, the likelier it will repay its debts. Countries that strive to balance their budgets are rewarded with lower interest rates on their debt.

That's one reason the yield on Britain's 2-year notes has dropped from 1.5 percent to 0.4 percent over the past year. Likewise, yields on Italian government bonds fell after the country's new technocratic prime minister, Mario Monti, unveiled plans to get the country's finances in order.

But the Bank of England and the European Central Bank can also claim much of the credit for the lower rates. The Bank of England has pushed yields down by actively buying bonds, a policy known as "quantitative easing."

The ECB in December provided hundreds of commercial banks with nearly $640 billion in low-interest three-year loans. The banks used some of this money to buy Spanish and Italian government bonds, pushing yields lower. The central bank intends to make more bank loans later this month.

But the bond-market exuberance may not last.

Olivier Blanchard, chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, has said even bond investors can rebel against austerity, once they realize that government cutbacks can squeeze growth and cause debt burdens to rise.

"There's no doubt that the strategies pursued in Greece, Portugal and Ireland have contributed to a dramatic increase in those countries' overall debt burdens," says Simon Tilford, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform in London.

"Strengthening public finances is a marathon, not a sprint, and it can only take place across a backdrop of reasonably healthy economic activity."

The United States is taking the marathon approach, putting off serious budget cuts until the economy is stronger.

What Europe needs, says Paul Christopher, chief international investment strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors, "is not austerity but economic reforms."

Across Europe, economic growth is constrained by inefficiencies, such as rules that protect favored businesses from competition and generous retirement plans that cost too much and pull productive workers out of the labor force.

But reform takes time that Europe can't spare.

Analysis by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy in Germany suggests the outlook is hopeless for Greece. Researchers at the think-tank estimate that Greece would have to turn its annual budget deficit — now about 5 percent of GDP before debt payments — into a daunting surplus of around 30 percent of GDP to return to financial health.

"Greece will most likely not be able to get grip on its debt," write the institute's analysts David Bencek and Henning Klodt. Portugal, too, faces long odds, they found.

The only way out, the University of Maryland's Morici says, is a breakup of the eurozone. Weak countries like Greece and Portugal must abandon the euro and reintroduce their old, less valuable currencies. The return of the weak Greek drachma and Portuguese escudo would make Greek and Portuguese products less expensive in foreign markets and allow them to get a rejuvenating economic boost from growing exports.

The alternative, he says, is deepening pain and social instability.

"The stakes are enormous," Morici says. "Unemployment could easily rocket above 30 percent in Greece for years. With the government having no real means to ease the pain, revolutionary conditions will prevail. Even now Greece is little more than a barn full of straw in the middle of a summer drought."]]> http://news.yahoo.com/europe-spending-cu...04359.html

(Just for a little background here, when financial hard times started coming, the U.S. was one of the first to pump more money into the system, while Europe took a more conservative route towards fiscal austerity)

Excerpt: "Europe has endured the pain of layoffs, wage cuts and tax increases designed to bring government debt under control.

So where's the gain?

Far from falling, debt burdens are rising fastest in European countries that have enacted the most draconian austerity programs, according to The Associated Press' Global Economy Tracker, which monitors the performance of 30 major economies.

The numbers back up what many analysts say: Austerity isn't just painful. It can be counterproductive and even make a country's debt load grow.

Many fear the cutbacks will cause Europe to sink into a self-defeating spiral: Higher debt leads to harsher austerity, growing social instability and deeper economic problems. Governments could find it even harder to pay their bills.

The pain is already intense. Portugal's unemployment rate hit a record 14 percent at the end of last year. Ireland's economy contracted a worse-than-expected 1.9 percent in the July-September quarter of 2011. And Greece reported that its already basket-case economy shrank 7 percent in the October-December quarter of last year.

"This isn't a healthy situation," says Peter Morici, an economist at the University of Maryland.

Under a deal approved Tuesday by the 17 countries that use the euro and the International Monetary Fund, Greece will get a $172 billion bailout in exchange for accepting another dose of austerity that includes laying off 15,000 civil servants and slashing the minimum wage by 22 percent.

Progress has been made in the bond market, where interest rates on government bonds have declined. That's made it cheaper for some indebted countries to borrow.

But the drop in rates might not last. And the lower rates probably have less to do with budget cutting than with what the countries' central banks are doing: They're buying bonds, which pushes down rates, and providing low-cost loans for banks to do the same.

Borrowing costs haven't eased for every country: The yield on Portugal's 2-year government note is near a painful 13 percent, up from under 5 percent a year ago.

The best way to compare debt burdens among countries is to look at the debt as a percentage of gross domestic product. When it exceeds 90 percent, it's considered bad for an economy's health. GDP is the broadest gauge of economic output.

The AP's Global Economy Tracker illustrates how countries that have imposed austerity measures to slash costs have actually ended up with bigger debt problems:

— Portugal cut pensions, reduced public servants' wages and raised taxes starting in 2010. Yet in the third quarter of 2011, government debt equaled 110 percent of GDP. That was up from 91 percent a year earlier.

— In Ireland, middle-class wages have been reduced 15 percent and the sales tax boosted to 23 percent (the highest in the European Union). But its debt amounted to 105 percent of economic output in the third quarter of last year; a year earlier, it was 88 percent.

— In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron staked his political future on his austerity plan. Government debt ratios, though, reached 80 percent in third-quarter 2011, up from 74 percent a year earlier. And Moody's this month cut its outlook on Britain's prized AAA credit rating from "stable" to "negative."

— In Greece, two years of austerity programs have devastated the economy and triggered riots. Still, the government's debt equaled an alarming 159 percent of the country's GDP in the July-September quarter of 2011. That was up from 139 percent a year earlier.

— Norway, by contrast, has a strong economy and has avoided painful austerity measures. And its debts dropped to 39 percent of GDP in the third quarter, from 43.5 percent in the same quarter of 2010.

Economic conditions deteriorated at the end of last year, suggesting that Europe's government debt likely grew even heavier. Many economists question whether the latest rescue plan can succeed over the long run.

"The Greek debt deal puts off the day of reckoning," says Eswar Prasad, senior professor of trade policy at Cornell University. "We can breathe a sigh of relief for the next few weeks. But a lot of trouble is still coming."

Simple math explains why austerity can worsen government debt: If spending cuts and tax increases tilt a country into recession, GDP shrinks. So debt doesn't even have to grow to become a bigger burden on a contracting economy.

"You can't fix the debt-to-GDP problem if GDP is falling," says David Kelly, chief market strategist for JP Morgan Funds.

Recession also adds strains to the budget. Tax revenue dries up. Spending on unemployment benefits and other social services rises.

Bond investors tend to favor austerity programs, and here's why: The narrower the gap between what a government spends and what it collects in taxes, the likelier it will repay its debts. Countries that strive to balance their budgets are rewarded with lower interest rates on their debt.

That's one reason the yield on Britain's 2-year notes has dropped from 1.5 percent to 0.4 percent over the past year. Likewise, yields on Italian government bonds fell after the country's new technocratic prime minister, Mario Monti, unveiled plans to get the country's finances in order.

But the Bank of England and the European Central Bank can also claim much of the credit for the lower rates. The Bank of England has pushed yields down by actively buying bonds, a policy known as "quantitative easing."

The ECB in December provided hundreds of commercial banks with nearly $640 billion in low-interest three-year loans. The banks used some of this money to buy Spanish and Italian government bonds, pushing yields lower. The central bank intends to make more bank loans later this month.

But the bond-market exuberance may not last.

Olivier Blanchard, chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, has said even bond investors can rebel against austerity, once they realize that government cutbacks can squeeze growth and cause debt burdens to rise.

"There's no doubt that the strategies pursued in Greece, Portugal and Ireland have contributed to a dramatic increase in those countries' overall debt burdens," says Simon Tilford, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform in London.

"Strengthening public finances is a marathon, not a sprint, and it can only take place across a backdrop of reasonably healthy economic activity."

The United States is taking the marathon approach, putting off serious budget cuts until the economy is stronger.

What Europe needs, says Paul Christopher, chief international investment strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors, "is not austerity but economic reforms."

Across Europe, economic growth is constrained by inefficiencies, such as rules that protect favored businesses from competition and generous retirement plans that cost too much and pull productive workers out of the labor force.

But reform takes time that Europe can't spare.

Analysis by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy in Germany suggests the outlook is hopeless for Greece. Researchers at the think-tank estimate that Greece would have to turn its annual budget deficit — now about 5 percent of GDP before debt payments — into a daunting surplus of around 30 percent of GDP to return to financial health.

"Greece will most likely not be able to get grip on its debt," write the institute's analysts David Bencek and Henning Klodt. Portugal, too, faces long odds, they found.

The only way out, the University of Maryland's Morici says, is a breakup of the eurozone. Weak countries like Greece and Portugal must abandon the euro and reintroduce their old, less valuable currencies. The return of the weak Greek drachma and Portuguese escudo would make Greek and Portuguese products less expensive in foreign markets and allow them to get a rejuvenating economic boost from growing exports.

The alternative, he says, is deepening pain and social instability.

"The stakes are enormous," Morici says. "Unemployment could easily rocket above 30 percent in Greece for years. With the government having no real means to ease the pain, revolutionary conditions will prevail. Even now Greece is little more than a barn full of straw in the middle of a summer drought."]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8629 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:58:08 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8629
Being unemployed for too long reportedly is driving people mad and costing taxpayers billions of dollars in mental illness and other disability claims. 
The New York Post reported Sunday that as unemployment checks run out, many jobless are trying to gain government benefits by declaring themselves unhealthy. 
More than 10.5 million people -- about 5.3 percent of the population aged 25 and 64 -- received disability checks in January from the federal government, the Post wrote, a 18 percent jump from before the recession.
Among those claiming disability, 43 percent are asking for benefits because of mental illness, the Post wrote. A growing number of those people are older, former white-collar workers. 
Disability claims come from the Social Security Trust FuOnd, which is set to go broke in 2018. Congress last week agreed to dip into the revenue stream to give a 2-percentage point tax break to working Americans.
The Post noted that the more people file for disability claims, the better for the unemployment picture since those people are removed from the jobless rolls.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/...z1n7gOGNw6]]>
Being unemployed for too long reportedly is driving people mad and costing taxpayers billions of dollars in mental illness and other disability claims. 
The New York Post reported Sunday that as unemployment checks run out, many jobless are trying to gain government benefits by declaring themselves unhealthy. 
More than 10.5 million people -- about 5.3 percent of the population aged 25 and 64 -- received disability checks in January from the federal government, the Post wrote, a 18 percent jump from before the recession.
Among those claiming disability, 43 percent are asking for benefits because of mental illness, the Post wrote. A growing number of those people are older, former white-collar workers. 
Disability claims come from the Social Security Trust FuOnd, which is set to go broke in 2018. Congress last week agreed to dip into the revenue stream to give a 2-percentage point tax break to working Americans.
The Post noted that the more people file for disability claims, the better for the unemployment picture since those people are removed from the jobless rolls.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/...z1n7gOGNw6]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8628 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:49:28 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8628 http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-woman-mus...07280.html

Excerpt: "Sophisticated encryption software has become so readily available and so effective, it's surpassed the federal government's ability to seize computers and gather evidence in criminal cases.

That development has raised questions in a mortgage and real estate fraud criminal case in U.S. District Court in Denver about whether turning over a computer password amounts to a violation of the Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday refused to get involved in the case involving Ramona Fricosu of Colorado Springs, who has until Monday to comply with a judge's order and turn over an unencrypted version of the hard drive of a laptop. Fricosu's criminal case must first be resolved in the lower court before her attorney can appeal the order, the appellate court ruled.

But there's a twist.

"It is possible that Ms. Fricosu has no ability to decrypt the computer, because she probably did not set up the encryption on that computer and may not know or remember the password or passphrase," her attorney, Phillip Dubois, said in a statement.

Federal prosecutors argue not allowing the government access to encrypted computers would make it impossible to prosecute crimes such as terrorism, child exploitation and drug trafficking.

A judge last month sidestepped the issue of ordering Fricosu to turn over her password, and instead ordered her to turn over an unencrypted version of the hard drive. Prosecutors had argued the password was like gaining a key to a lock box and other instances where a defendant signs documents to allow investigators to access overseas accounts.

But DuBois said that the order establishes "a very dangerous precedent that a person may be forced to assist in her prosecution in a way the law has not seen ever before."

In a procedure agreed upon by DuBois and federal prosecutors, federal agents would meet Fricosu at a designated place with the laptop, which was seized during a search warrant. Then, the government will either look away or go to another room while Fricosu enters a password on her laptop and hands it back to agents so the hard drive can be copied.

U.S. District Judge Robert E. Blackburn noted that the contents of one's mind is off limits, but ordered Fricosu to turn over an unencrypted version of her computer's hard drive, citing a Vermont case that stemmed from a 2006 border crossing search in which a man was later ordered to do the same.

The courts in that case noted that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent had found child pornography on the computer, but couldn't access it later because of encryption, and turning over the unencrypted hard drive added nothing to the evidence the government already had.

Blackburn also noted there were only a few cases on which to base his ruling.

In Fricosu's case, "the government has no idea what's on that computer," DuBois said. That element makes it different from other cases, he said

Fricosu and her husband, Scott Whatcott, are accused of targeting distressed homeowners in the Colorado Springs area. Prosecutors allege the two promised to pay off homeowners' mortgages, but then filed fraudulent documents in court to obtain title and sell the homes without paying the outstanding mortgage.

DuBois described Fricosu as an immigrant from Romania who has two sons, no technical expertise in computers and whose computer was encrypted with what he believed was software available on the Internet or at stores.

Encrypted computers are no longer for the technological savvy. With a few clicks of the mouse, 256-bit and 512-bit readily available encryption software makes computer hard drives almost impossible to break into, even for hackers.

"Conceptually, it is possible to break encryption," but it could take years, said Jay Bavisi of the Albuquerque-based EC-Council, a so-called "white hat" and ethical hacker group that tests network and computer security. "It can be a time consuming and resource draining exercise in an already stressed environment."

In one of the few examples of a similar case, a sheriff's detective under suspicion for improper use of a law enforcement database told investigators in King County, Wash., in 2004 that he simply forgot the password to the encrypted portion of his computer hard drive. The detective retired and the computer's hard drive was placed into storage.

"We apparently did not ever crack the code to get in," sheriff's spokeswoman Cindi West said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment on Tuesday's appeals court decision.

The San Francisco-based Electronic Freedom Foundation has opposed the government's actions in the case because it believes easy-to-use encryption software should be used by everybody to prevent computer crimes and fraud, said Hanni Meena Fakhoury, an attorney for the foundation. The case could render those privacy protections useless, he said.

"The government is flipping that on its head and saying encryption is only good for criminals to hide what they're doing," Fakhoury said. "It's very decoder 'ringish.' But this is not some sleuth criminal tool."]]> http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-woman-mus...07280.html

Excerpt: "Sophisticated encryption software has become so readily available and so effective, it's surpassed the federal government's ability to seize computers and gather evidence in criminal cases.

That development has raised questions in a mortgage and real estate fraud criminal case in U.S. District Court in Denver about whether turning over a computer password amounts to a violation of the Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday refused to get involved in the case involving Ramona Fricosu of Colorado Springs, who has until Monday to comply with a judge's order and turn over an unencrypted version of the hard drive of a laptop. Fricosu's criminal case must first be resolved in the lower court before her attorney can appeal the order, the appellate court ruled.

But there's a twist.

"It is possible that Ms. Fricosu has no ability to decrypt the computer, because she probably did not set up the encryption on that computer and may not know or remember the password or passphrase," her attorney, Phillip Dubois, said in a statement.

Federal prosecutors argue not allowing the government access to encrypted computers would make it impossible to prosecute crimes such as terrorism, child exploitation and drug trafficking.

A judge last month sidestepped the issue of ordering Fricosu to turn over her password, and instead ordered her to turn over an unencrypted version of the hard drive. Prosecutors had argued the password was like gaining a key to a lock box and other instances where a defendant signs documents to allow investigators to access overseas accounts.

But DuBois said that the order establishes "a very dangerous precedent that a person may be forced to assist in her prosecution in a way the law has not seen ever before."

In a procedure agreed upon by DuBois and federal prosecutors, federal agents would meet Fricosu at a designated place with the laptop, which was seized during a search warrant. Then, the government will either look away or go to another room while Fricosu enters a password on her laptop and hands it back to agents so the hard drive can be copied.

U.S. District Judge Robert E. Blackburn noted that the contents of one's mind is off limits, but ordered Fricosu to turn over an unencrypted version of her computer's hard drive, citing a Vermont case that stemmed from a 2006 border crossing search in which a man was later ordered to do the same.

The courts in that case noted that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent had found child pornography on the computer, but couldn't access it later because of encryption, and turning over the unencrypted hard drive added nothing to the evidence the government already had.

Blackburn also noted there were only a few cases on which to base his ruling.

In Fricosu's case, "the government has no idea what's on that computer," DuBois said. That element makes it different from other cases, he said

Fricosu and her husband, Scott Whatcott, are accused of targeting distressed homeowners in the Colorado Springs area. Prosecutors allege the two promised to pay off homeowners' mortgages, but then filed fraudulent documents in court to obtain title and sell the homes without paying the outstanding mortgage.

DuBois described Fricosu as an immigrant from Romania who has two sons, no technical expertise in computers and whose computer was encrypted with what he believed was software available on the Internet or at stores.

Encrypted computers are no longer for the technological savvy. With a few clicks of the mouse, 256-bit and 512-bit readily available encryption software makes computer hard drives almost impossible to break into, even for hackers.

"Conceptually, it is possible to break encryption," but it could take years, said Jay Bavisi of the Albuquerque-based EC-Council, a so-called "white hat" and ethical hacker group that tests network and computer security. "It can be a time consuming and resource draining exercise in an already stressed environment."

In one of the few examples of a similar case, a sheriff's detective under suspicion for improper use of a law enforcement database told investigators in King County, Wash., in 2004 that he simply forgot the password to the encrypted portion of his computer hard drive. The detective retired and the computer's hard drive was placed into storage.

"We apparently did not ever crack the code to get in," sheriff's spokeswoman Cindi West said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment on Tuesday's appeals court decision.

The San Francisco-based Electronic Freedom Foundation has opposed the government's actions in the case because it believes easy-to-use encryption software should be used by everybody to prevent computer crimes and fraud, said Hanni Meena Fakhoury, an attorney for the foundation. The case could render those privacy protections useless, he said.

"The government is flipping that on its head and saying encryption is only good for criminals to hide what they're doing," Fakhoury said. "It's very decoder 'ringish.' But this is not some sleuth criminal tool."]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8627 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:39:47 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8627

1.   You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

2.   What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3.   The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4.   When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

5.   You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.]]>

1.   You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

2.   What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3.   The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4.   When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

5.   You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8626 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:25:52 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8626 Quote:Former CIA boss James Woolsey told WABC Radio in New York that Iran will retaliate against the United States by taking out the Statue of Liberty.

“We will have a very serious problem from terrorism if we insist on Iran shutting down its nuclear program, but we have to do that. And so we have to get ready to deal with assaults on government facilities, on famous symbols of the country like the Statue of Liberty, on Jewish synagogues, there are a number of things Hezbollah could go after… and they probably will,” Woolsey told Aaron Klein.

http://www.infowars.com/former-cia-boss-...f-liberty/]]> Quote:Former CIA boss James Woolsey told WABC Radio in New York that Iran will retaliate against the United States by taking out the Statue of Liberty.

“We will have a very serious problem from terrorism if we insist on Iran shutting down its nuclear program, but we have to do that. And so we have to get ready to deal with assaults on government facilities, on famous symbols of the country like the Statue of Liberty, on Jewish synagogues, there are a number of things Hezbollah could go after… and they probably will,” Woolsey told Aaron Klein.

http://www.infowars.com/former-cia-boss-...f-liberty/]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8625 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:22:17 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8625 Quote:Governments and corporations have more control over the Internet than ever. Now digital activists want to build an alternative network that can never be blocked, filtered or shut down http://www.scientificamerican.com/articl...shadow-web

About time.]]> Quote:Governments and corporations have more control over the Internet than ever. Now digital activists want to build an alternative network that can never be blocked, filtered or shut down http://www.scientificamerican.com/articl...shadow-web

About time.]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8624 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:40:51 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8624 Jacksonville Church Hires a Convicted Sex Offender, Then Bans Kids

Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida has hired Darrell
Gilyard, a pastor recently released from prison, where he was sentenced for sexually
abusing minors. Following a court ruling that denied his attorneys' attempts to let
him preach around kids, the church decided not to ditch Gilyard, but to temporarily
kick out the church's children.

Clutch Magazine reports:

In 2009 Gilyard plead guilty to lewd conduct and lewd molestation of two underage
girls. While he was the pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church Gilyard molested a 15-year-
old girl and sent a lewd text message to another. Under the conditions of his plea
agreement, Gilyard cannot have “unsupervised contact with children under 18 years
old,”

Gilyward walked out of jail on December 28, and by as early as late January, he
was preaching at Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.

The weirdest part? According to Clutch Magazine:

Gilyard's arrival at the church has caused a spike in attendance. Before Gilyard
joined the church about 10 members came to service. Now the numbers are
between 150 and 200.

http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/02/w...le-pastor/


Okay, if anyone has an explanation for this, I'd sure like to hear it.]]> Jacksonville Church Hires a Convicted Sex Offender, Then Bans Kids

Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida has hired Darrell
Gilyard, a pastor recently released from prison, where he was sentenced for sexually
abusing minors. Following a court ruling that denied his attorneys' attempts to let
him preach around kids, the church decided not to ditch Gilyard, but to temporarily
kick out the church's children.

Clutch Magazine reports:

In 2009 Gilyard plead guilty to lewd conduct and lewd molestation of two underage
girls. While he was the pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church Gilyard molested a 15-year-
old girl and sent a lewd text message to another. Under the conditions of his plea
agreement, Gilyard cannot have “unsupervised contact with children under 18 years
old,”

Gilyward walked out of jail on December 28, and by as early as late January, he
was preaching at Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.

The weirdest part? According to Clutch Magazine:

Gilyard's arrival at the church has caused a spike in attendance. Before Gilyard
joined the church about 10 members came to service. Now the numbers are
between 150 and 200.

http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/02/w...le-pastor/


Okay, if anyone has an explanation for this, I'd sure like to hear it.]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8623 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:38:17 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8623 ]]> ]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8622 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:36:25 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8622 http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/final...l-15755390

Exerpt: "She has been dubbed the "trailer park Mata Hari," an attractive ex-stripper recruited by the feds to befriend identical twin brothers accused of a white-supremacist bombing and to get them to admit to the crime.

She moved into the same Oklahoma campground, dressed provocatively, used racial slurs and talked like a separatist.

And she won the brothers' confidence over a five-year period in part by sending them racy photos of herself, including a shot from behind of her in a Confederate-flag bikini bottom.

As the trial of the 61-year-old brothers winds down in federal court, defense attorneys are arguing that the government's conduct was outrageous and that the informant's actions amounted to sexual entrapment.

During closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutor Michael Morrissey told the jury that the hiring of the informant, identified in court records as Rebecca "Becca" Williams, was "entirely permissible and necessary" to the investigation of Dennis and Daniel Mahon.

"There was no use of sex to obtain evidence," he said.

The jury began deliberating whether to convict the brothers, who have pleaded not guilty, after closing statements ended late Tuesday. A verdict is expected by the end of next week.

The brothers are accused of sending a package bomb in 2004 that maimed Don Logan, a black man who was the diversity director for the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale at the time. Logan, 54, was hospitalized for three days after the bombing and needed four operations on his hand and arm. The bombing also wounded a secretary.

Morrissey said the Mahons were believers in "racial terrorism and violence as a way to accomplish their goals."

The trial, which began Jan. 10, has been filled with drama as Williams took the stand for several days, and Logan himself described the bombing in detail for the jury.

Williams, who is 20 years younger than the Mahons, said agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recruited her after they worked with her brother, himself an informant, to infiltrate the Hells Angels motorcycle gang.

At the time, Williams testified, she was about to be evicted from her trailer and needed the money. She received a total of $45,000, including expenses, and said she was promised $100,000 upon the Mahons' conviction.

Investigators had her pose as a separatist who was fleeing an arrest warrant and was interested in learning about Aryan resistance and how to make a bomb so she could use one on a child molester she knew.

The story was a fabrication designed to get the brothers to open up about the Scottsdale bombing.

Williams also gave the Mahons at least two racy photos — one that showed her in a black leather vest, fishnet stockings, chaps and a Confederate flag bikini bottom, along with a note that read, "Thought you'd love the butt shot." Another photo showed her in a white bikini top, a grenade hanging between her breasts, as she posed in front of a pickup truck and a swastika.

Prosecutors said the brothers belonged to the White Aryan Resistance, an organization that encourages members to act as "lone wolves" and commit violence against non-whites and the government. They played for jurors hundreds of hours of video and audio surveillance of the brothers and Williams.

Williams testified last month, wearing a gray pantsuit with a dress shirt buttoned up to her neck and black high heels, her long, dark hair pinned up.

During closing arguments, defense attorney Deborah Williams accused the government of acting like a "pimp" to get the Mahons talking.

"What you have in Dennis Mahon is a loud-mouth — sometimes drunk ... and looking for the attentions of a younger woman who throws herself at him, and she works him like she once worked a pole," Deborah Williams said. "And of course he fell for it."

The defense attorney also referred to footage of the informant covering up a video camera with a towel after a naked Dennis Mahon got into her hotel bed. Prosecutors said Rebecca Williams gave him a foot rub; the defense attorney said that was ridiculous.

"The whole investigation was scripted around sex, sex and more sex, from the grenade between the breasts to the sleeping with him," Deborah Williams said.

Judge David Campbell urged jurors to exercise particular caution when considering Williams' testimony, since she was paid for her involvement.

The Mahons, who were living in the Phoenix area at the time of the bombing but left days afterward and were arrested in 2009 in Davis Junction, Ill., are charged with various explosives-related offenses, including conspiracy to damage buildings and property."]]> http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/final...l-15755390

Exerpt: "She has been dubbed the "trailer park Mata Hari," an attractive ex-stripper recruited by the feds to befriend identical twin brothers accused of a white-supremacist bombing and to get them to admit to the crime.

She moved into the same Oklahoma campground, dressed provocatively, used racial slurs and talked like a separatist.

And she won the brothers' confidence over a five-year period in part by sending them racy photos of herself, including a shot from behind of her in a Confederate-flag bikini bottom.

As the trial of the 61-year-old brothers winds down in federal court, defense attorneys are arguing that the government's conduct was outrageous and that the informant's actions amounted to sexual entrapment.

During closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutor Michael Morrissey told the jury that the hiring of the informant, identified in court records as Rebecca "Becca" Williams, was "entirely permissible and necessary" to the investigation of Dennis and Daniel Mahon.

"There was no use of sex to obtain evidence," he said.

The jury began deliberating whether to convict the brothers, who have pleaded not guilty, after closing statements ended late Tuesday. A verdict is expected by the end of next week.

The brothers are accused of sending a package bomb in 2004 that maimed Don Logan, a black man who was the diversity director for the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale at the time. Logan, 54, was hospitalized for three days after the bombing and needed four operations on his hand and arm. The bombing also wounded a secretary.

Morrissey said the Mahons were believers in "racial terrorism and violence as a way to accomplish their goals."

The trial, which began Jan. 10, has been filled with drama as Williams took the stand for several days, and Logan himself described the bombing in detail for the jury.

Williams, who is 20 years younger than the Mahons, said agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recruited her after they worked with her brother, himself an informant, to infiltrate the Hells Angels motorcycle gang.

At the time, Williams testified, she was about to be evicted from her trailer and needed the money. She received a total of $45,000, including expenses, and said she was promised $100,000 upon the Mahons' conviction.

Investigators had her pose as a separatist who was fleeing an arrest warrant and was interested in learning about Aryan resistance and how to make a bomb so she could use one on a child molester she knew.

The story was a fabrication designed to get the brothers to open up about the Scottsdale bombing.

Williams also gave the Mahons at least two racy photos — one that showed her in a black leather vest, fishnet stockings, chaps and a Confederate flag bikini bottom, along with a note that read, "Thought you'd love the butt shot." Another photo showed her in a white bikini top, a grenade hanging between her breasts, as she posed in front of a pickup truck and a swastika.

Prosecutors said the brothers belonged to the White Aryan Resistance, an organization that encourages members to act as "lone wolves" and commit violence against non-whites and the government. They played for jurors hundreds of hours of video and audio surveillance of the brothers and Williams.

Williams testified last month, wearing a gray pantsuit with a dress shirt buttoned up to her neck and black high heels, her long, dark hair pinned up.

During closing arguments, defense attorney Deborah Williams accused the government of acting like a "pimp" to get the Mahons talking.

"What you have in Dennis Mahon is a loud-mouth — sometimes drunk ... and looking for the attentions of a younger woman who throws herself at him, and she works him like she once worked a pole," Deborah Williams said. "And of course he fell for it."

The defense attorney also referred to footage of the informant covering up a video camera with a towel after a naked Dennis Mahon got into her hotel bed. Prosecutors said Rebecca Williams gave him a foot rub; the defense attorney said that was ridiculous.

"The whole investigation was scripted around sex, sex and more sex, from the grenade between the breasts to the sleeping with him," Deborah Williams said.

Judge David Campbell urged jurors to exercise particular caution when considering Williams' testimony, since she was paid for her involvement.

The Mahons, who were living in the Phoenix area at the time of the bombing but left days afterward and were arrested in 2009 in Davis Junction, Ill., are charged with various explosives-related offenses, including conspiracy to damage buildings and property."]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8621 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:34:44 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8621

NSFW Content: show

]]>

NSFW Content: show

]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8620 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:14:29 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8620 ]]> ]]> http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8619 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:03:32 +0000 http://www.roguevalleyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8619 without the consent of the woman patient.

Yet, Virginia law also defines object sexual penetration- with out consent- as a serious rape crime.

This bill will put Doctors in the legal position of forcing women to be penetrated with an object against their consent. For obvious reasons, Doctors across Virginia are opposed to the bill backed by the majority GOP in the Virginia legislature.

The religious fascists who now run the GOP want to own our lives at every step we take. Another example of how the GOP today is far from conservative.]]> without the consent of the woman patient.

Yet, Virginia law also defines object sexual penetration- with out consent- as a serious rape crime.

This bill will put Doctors in the legal position of forcing women to be penetrated with an object against their consent. For obvious reasons, Doctors across Virginia are opposed to the bill backed by the majority GOP in the Virginia legislature.

The religious fascists who now run the GOP want to own our lives at every step we take. Another example of how the GOP today is far from conservative.]]>