Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Bad News about the "Good News" in Iraq

Beyond embedding journalists with troops in Iraq, the U.S. military is bribing people to spin "positive news" about the war. Saturn in Leo continues to haunt George Bush and whack him in the head by shedding light on his secretive, covert deeds:

U.S. military pays Iraqis for positive news stories on warBY JONATHAN S. LANDAY

Knight Ridder Newspapers


WASHINGTON - U.S. Army officers have been secretly paying Iraqi journalists to produce upbeat newspaper, radio and television reports about American military operations and the conduct of the war in Iraq.

U.S. officials in Washington said the payments were made through the Baghdad Press Club, an organization they said was created more than a year ago by U.S. Army officers. They are part of an extensive American military-run information campaign - including psychological warfare experts - intended to build popular support for U.S.-led stabilization efforts and erode support for Sunni Muslim insurgents.

Members of the Press Club are paid as much as $200 a month, depending on how many positive pieces they produce.

Under military rules, information operations are restricted to influencing the attitudes and behavior of foreign governments and people. One form of information operations - psychological warfare - can use doctored or false information to deceive or damage the enemy or to bolster support for American efforts.

Many military officials, however, said they were concerned that the payments to Iraqi journalists and other covert information operations in Iraq had become so extensive that they were corroding the effort to build democracy and undermining U.S. credibility in Iraq. They also worry that information in the Iraqi press that's been planted or paid for by the U.S. military could "blow back" to the American public.

Eight current and former military, defense and other U.S. officials in Baghdad and Washington agreed to discuss the payments to Iraqi reporters and other American military information operations because they fear that the efforts are promoting practices that are unacceptable for a democracy. They requested anonymity to avoid retaliation.

"We are teaching them (Iraqi journalists) the wrong things," one military officer said.

Moreover, the defense and military officials said, the U.S. public is at risk of being influenced by the information operations because what's planted in the Iraqi media can be picked up by international news organizations and Internet bloggers.

"There is no `local' media anymore. All media is potentially international. The Web makes it all public. We need to ... eliminate the idea that psychological operations and information operations can issue any kind of information to the media ever. Period," said a senior military official in Baghdad who has knowledge of American psychological operations in Iraq.

Finally, military and defense officials said, the more extensive the information operations, the more likely they'll be discovered, thereby undermining the credibility of the U.S. armed forces and the American government.

"It's a culture of being loose with the truth. We'd better stop it or we are going to end up like we did in Vietnam," said a senior U.S. defense official in Washington. "The problem is if you get caught, it destroys everything, and they don't realize the collateral damage potential."

Spokesmen for the American command in Iraq and for the Tampa, Fla.-based U.S. Central Command, which has overall responsibility for American military operations in the Middle East, said they had no immediate comment.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Book Review: Llewellyn's 2006 Tarot Reader

What began as an elite Renaissance card game for Italian aristocrats has become a popular divination took for millions of modern Tarot lovers. The cards fascinate us with their uncanny predictions, but they also serve as powerful tools for meditation, magiv, and spiritual growth. ~~ from the back cover

This annual guide features, once again, some of the best news, reviews, tips, techniques and readings one can get on the Tarot. What a way to start the new year!

There are many articles for those in professional practice: One article, "Psychic Fairs, Public Readings" by Corrine Kenner, gives professional Tarot readers guidance in doing readings at psychic fairs - including how to set up a tent if you do shows on the road quite a bit! The focus is on providing ethical, sound readings and enjoying it. James Wells writes on "Going Pro" and gives detailed suggestions on creating your own business as a Tarot Reader. The article on teaching the Tarot carefully lays out ways of getting yourself established as a teacher of this ancient art.

Arnbell Ando, a wonderfully gifted Tarot artist who I met at a meeting of the American Tarot Association a few years ago, writes on "Following the Fool". This meditative journey is a walk with the "God card" of the deck - the one that most challenges people in their efforts to understand the spiritual insight of the Tarot. She takes you through a process that helps to expand your knowledge of the Tarot, one card at a time.

Some very humorous and yet gripping articles catch your eye - "Zapped: When Clients Explode" by Elizabeth Hazel, is great! Who has not had a client who did not like the answer they were given in response to their question?

If you need insight about the use of the tarot as a spiritual tool, "Seventy-Eight Faces of Divinity" by Nine Lee Braden does a fine job. She notes the need to pray or meditate and to take time to study the Tarot before using, rather than only shuffling and flipping a card. The remembrance that Tarot readers are doing a spiritual work is clear.

The deck reviews include "The Guilde Tarot" which was reviewed earlier here on Healing Universe, The Tarot of the Dead, The Pagan Tarot, and The Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot.

A great buy!

Highly Recommended!

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Book Review: Llewellyn's 2006 Sun Sign Book & Moon Sign Book

Llewellyn's 2006 Sun Sign Book

Two of this renowned metaphysical publisher's annual offerings, these small paperbacks hold a wealth of information useful for everyday.




The 2006 Sun Sign book contains general horoscopes, a guide to health and career success, monthly horoscopes by astrologer terry Lamb (who is a great contributer to The Mountain Astrologer) and something many will want - "You Best Love Matches".

Articles by Anne Windsor ("Your Soul's Purpose: Karma and Your Sign"), and Bernie Ashman ("Solar Inspiration: Tapping the creative Force") are well written and informative. Written for the novice "everyday" reader and the advanced astrologer, it also includes a glossary and Ascendant table so that it is easy to understand the contents of the book.


Llewellyn's 2006 Moon Sign Book




The 2006 Moon Sign Book is subtitled "Timing Is Your Key To Success". The Moon affects us all emotionally, and sometimes quite subliminally. This book empowers the reader to know when such times may personally occur by proiding infomration on gardening and farming by the Moon, a meteorological and economic growth guide, and the best dates for romance, travel, buying and selling, work and play. Novice readers will enjoy rading David Pond's article "Emotional Grwoth", those wanting to make changes in their lives will find insight in Terry Lamb's article "Doing Your Life Laundry" and those seeking to lose weight nad maintain a healthy lifestyle will find superb astrological guidence in Alice DeVille's article "Food, Fads, and & Nutrition".

Highly Recommended!

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Muslim youth riots in Sweden

It has already been reported that Århus, Denmark is experiencing the same rioting and violence from young immigrant Muslims as in (Paris) France but no one is paying any attention to it outside of Denmark. Evne then it is being hushsed up and not reported by the mainstream Danish media.



Now reports are rising about similar violence and simmering threats in Sweden. This comes from a recent blog



The most recent incident was in Ronna, about 1 hour from the capital of Stockholm. This September Ronna experienced unrest, involving clashed with the police, rock throwing and a subsequent machine gun attack on the police station (no one was hit).



The population of Ronna is almost 100% immigrant, few hold jobs and the majority live of various forms of welfare or social transfer. Many, perhaps most of the older generation, do not speak Swedish.



At it’s core Ronna (and Rosengard, and other Swedish ghettos) face the same situation as Paris, albeit milder: The resentment towards the host country is so large that the areas have become almost impossible to police. A large proportion of the inhabitants simply hate Swedes, not the least the police. They also know due to mild laws they can do pretty much what they want and get away with it.



The events in Ronna may be intresting for Americans, go get an image. This is what seems to have happened:



1. It’s 8 in the evening. A street gang of boys sees a young Swedish girl walk by to her job in a store, and yells sexists and racist remarks at her. I suppose the literal translation is “Swedish whore” (this is quite common, middle eastern gender roles have merged nicely with US Rap influence). The boys also throw a object at her neck. The girls responds by calling them a racial slur.



2. The girls cries and calls her father, who drives there and threatens to inform the police. The young men laugh at this, given their experience with the lax Swedish law enforcement and penal system. The father has had enough however and does call the cops. The police do arrive, at first trying to handle the situation peacefully. Here one of the boys attacks psychically attacks the girl and her friend with the police watching (!).



3. Finally the police try to apprehend the young men. Here all hell brakes loose. A large crowd of relatives, friends and neighbors have gathered, including many more young men. With our primate tribal mentality, they take the boys side, attacking the police with rocks.



4. The Police ask for large reinforcements, but are ultimately pushed out by the riot, involving a few hundred people. The police arrest 3 of the rioters (and none of the young boys, they were rational to laugh it would seem) and retreat out. Later that night, with the girl and her father giving testimony, a car drives by and fires at the police station.



The immediate aftermath is also illuminating. Predictably the media take the rioters side, with most of the news events focusing on accusations of “police brutality” and the police “provoking” the riot. The first few days nothing is mentioned in the news about the details, for example the nationality of the girl…




You can read the entire story here: The Immigrant Riot in Sweden



The Associated Press, Reuters, and the Washington Post do not respond to calls from the public to write about the situations in Denmark and Sweden. It is as though they find "Paris Burning" to be more sexy, more glamorous and the only incident of this spreading situation worth reporting. I wonder if Copenhagen must be set on fire for the major news organizations to bother to report it?

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Llewellyn's 2006 Daily Planetary Guide

Llewellyn's 2006 Daily Planetary Guide


Here is a great gift for yourself or someone else. Each year Lewellyn Worldwide publishes this astrology datebook and it is a treasure!

Filled with information on Moon phases and signs, general weekly forecasts, planetary hours, retrogrades and direct stations, a daily aspectarian, a place for you to fill in a blank chart and information about the planets, it will take you through the year in good stead. This year it includes "your best opportunity periods" by noted astrologer Jim Shawvan. The weekly forecasts are by noted astrologer Anne Windsor.

If you are a businessperson you will appreciate the business guide. It always helps to know if Mercury is retrograde or the Moon is Void-of-Course when you are trying to communicate with someone, arrange a meeting, or sending out a mailing.

Highly recommended!

Friday, November 04, 2005

Århus, Denmark, not just Paris, France...is BURNING

Things are hot, bothered and angry in Europe fomr North to South. The arson fires, rioting, stoning and loots being done by angry Muslim youths do not just have Paris ablze. It is also occurring in a major city in Denmark and has been for the last few weeks. Yet there is very little international new abotu it...mostly it is on blogs. The Associated Press is not writing about it but could not say why. When contacted, they culd only say they would talk to their person in Copenhagen.

From the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten:

For several nights in a row, there has been the worst riots in Århus for many years.
"This land belongs to us", declared the young rioters. Another arson attack took place Sunday night.

Sunday evening the fire department needed police escorts to get in and extinguish an arsonist fire in Søndervangs Alle.

The words of the young Muslims sound like an open declaration of war against Danish society. The police must stay away. This area belongs to immigrants.

Four youngsters sit at the wall in the Rosenhøj center, sunday afternoon, self decleared spokesmen, for those groups who three nights in a row has rioted, and put business on fire.

All around the parking lot, there are swarms of cars with youngster from the immigrant community, who are celebrating the worst riots in Århus in several years.

Every night, 30 to 40 immigrant youngsters participated. Only two are under arrest.

It was a victory.

"We knew that you would come. We are the spokesmen", said one young man with his face covered.

He was angry. Very angry.

Petrol though the window.

At the back of the house was a window broken, and the fire was burning wildly, probably because of petrol that had been thrown in.

The fire engines waited for police escort so they could enter in and try to put out the fires.

Bricks from the street have been thrown and crushed windowns all up the street.

The police reports that the youngsters came to the area armed with rocks that they brought in.

Rocks against a bakery.

Saturday, a 16 year old from Somalia was jailed for comitting dangerous violence, because he attacked a bakery with large rocks. One rock barely missed the baker's face.

Raids.

"We are tired of being oppressed. We are tired of the police raiding our parents. We are tired of the police stopping our cars, and raiding us in public and damaging our honour."

"We are tired of the police beating up our friends, like they did this afternoon", screams the young man with his face covered.

He calles himself 100 percent palestinian, born in a refugee camp in Lebanon, 19 years ago, and is now unemployed in Denmark.

"The police has to stay away. This is our area. We rule this place."

And then comes the cartoons of Mohammed.

"We are angy to what has happened to our prophet. We are tired of the Jyllands Post (Danish paper who published cartoons of Mohammed). I know that it wasn't you, but we are not going to take this, what the Jyllands Post has done towards the prophet", he states aggressivly, and the others nod in agreement.

Planned for three weeks.

Two of them are Turks, and it is the first time that Turks and Palestinians have joined forces, according to the spokesman.

"We have planned this for three weeks. That's why only two were arrested on Saturday. Police tried to block us in, but we now how to get out", he states and dissapears chewing on a piece of pizza that he has looted from Fun Pizza.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

"I am a fashion god"

Bush family friend and former FEMA director Mike "Brownie" Brown was busy sending emails during the fatal Hurricane Katrina. The only thing is, he was more concerned about his sense of style than the people dying in Louisiana.

Here is verbatim text of some of the Brown e-mails released Wednesday in the federal investigation about the federal government's response:
*****

"My eyes must certainly be deceiving me. You look fabulous - and I'm not talking the makeup!" - Cindy Taylor, FEMA deputy director of public affairs, to Brown, commenting on Brown's TV appearance on the morning of Aug. 29, when Katrina hit.

Brown's response: "I got it at Nordstrom's. Email (FEMA spokeswoman Lee Anne) McBride and make sure she knows! Are you proud of me? Can I quit now? Can I go home?"

An hour later, Brown e-mailed Taylor: "If you look at my lovely FEMA attire you'll really vomit. I am a fashion god."

"Is this your last hurrah? I'll be in DC the end of next week and would love to see you. Suspect you might still be in La/Ms etc - especially knowing how much you love to hang around DC/DHS/NAC etc." - Betty Guhman, a colleague who just left Homeland Security (DHS), to Brown on Sept. 1.

Brown's response: "Last hurrah was supposed to have been Labor Day. I'm trapped now, please rescue me."

"Sir, I know that you know the situation is past critical. Here some things you might not know. Hotels are kicking people out, thousands gathering in the streets with no food or water. Hundreds still being rescued from homes.

"The dying patients at the DMAT (disaster medical assistance team) tent being medivac. Estimates are many will die within hours. Evacuation in process. Plans developing for dome evacuation but hotel situation adding to problem. We are out of food and running out of water at the dome, plans in works to address the critical need.

"FEMA staff is OK and holding own. DMAT staff working in deplorable conditions. The sooner we can get the medical patients out, the sooner we can get them out.

"Phone connectivity impossible." - Marty Bahamonde, FEMA regional director, to Brown, describing the situation in New Orleans on Aug. 31.

Brown's response: "Thanks for update. Anything specific I need to do or tweak?"

*****
Perhaps he should have tweaked himself into doing his job?

"I am a fashion god"

Bush family friend and former FEMA director Mike "Brownie" Brown was busy sending emails during the fatal Hurricane Katrina. The only thing is, he was more concerned about his sense of style than the people dying in Louisiana.

Here is verbatim text of some of the Brown e-mails released Wednesday in the federal investigation about the federal government's response:
*****

"My eyes must certainly be deceiving me. You look fabulous - and I'm not talking the makeup!" - Cindy Taylor, FEMA deputy director of public affairs, to Brown, commenting on Brown's TV appearance on the morning of Aug. 29, when Katrina hit.

Brown's response: "I got it at Nordstrom's. Email (FEMA spokeswoman Lee Anne) McBride and make sure she knows! Are you proud of me? Can I quit now? Can I go home?"

An hour later, Brown e-mailed Taylor: "If you look at my lovely FEMA attire you'll really vomit. I am a fashion god."

"Is this your last hurrah? I'll be in DC the end of next week and would love to see you. Suspect you might still be in La/Ms etc - especially knowing how much you love to hang around DC/DHS/NAC etc." - Betty Guhman, a colleague who just left Homeland Security (DHS), to Brown on Sept. 1.

Brown's response: "Last hurrah was supposed to have been Labor Day. I'm trapped now, please rescue me."

"Sir, I know that you know the situation is past critical. Here some things you might not know. Hotels are kicking people out, thousands gathering in the streets with no food or water. Hundreds still being rescued from homes.

"The dying patients at the DMAT (disaster medical assistance team) tent being medivac. Estimates are many will die within hours. Evacuation in process. Plans developing for dome evacuation but hotel situation adding to problem. We are out of food and running out of water at the dome, plans in works to address the critical need.

"FEMA staff is OK and holding own. DMAT staff working in deplorable conditions. The sooner we can get the medical patients out, the sooner we can get them out.

"Phone connectivity impossible." - Marty Bahamonde, FEMA regional director, to Brown, describing the situation in New Orleans on Aug. 31.

Brown's response: "Thanks for update. Anything specific I need to do or tweak?"

*****
Perhaps he should have tweaked himself into doing his job?