First Amendment Under Attack: 18 Examples Of How They Are Coming For Our Free Speech

First Amendment Under Attack: 18 Examples Of How They Are Coming For Our Free Speech: "In the United States today, the First Amendment is under attack like never before. Technological innovations such as the Internet have made it possible for average Americans to communicate directly with one another in ways that completely bypass the mainstream media, and this is making the elite very uncomfortable. They have decided that they better come after our free speech before it is too late. Right now, free speech in America is being chipped away at it in thousands of different ways. On the one hand, you have the disciples of 'political correctness' that want to make all forms of speech that are 'offensive' to anyone against the law. On the other hand, you have those that are obsessed with 'national security' that want to ban all speech that is critical of the U.S. government or the U.S. military. These twin forces are constantly seeking to push the First Amendment into a smaller and smaller box. If you say the wrong thing in America today, your website might be shut down, you could be suspended from school, you may find yourself out of a job and there is now even a possibility that you could be arrested and shipped off to Guantanamo Bay without a trial..."

U.S. Bio-Security Officials Sound Warning After Scientists Create Deadly New Strain of Bird Flu

U.S. Bio-Security Officials Sound Warning After Scientists Create Deadly New Strain of Bird Flu | Fox News: "The U.S. government is sounding the alarm after reports that Dutch scientists have created a highly-contagious and deadly airborne strain of bird flu that is potentially capable of killing millions, The Independent reported Tuesday.

The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity is currently analyzing how much of the scientists' information should be allowed to be published—given the inherent risks of having the information fall into the hands of terrorists or rogue states.

'The fear is that if you create something this deadly and it goes into a global pandemic, the mortality and cost to the world could be massive,' a senior US government adviser told The Independent.

Scientists, too, are questioning whether the science should ever have been performed in the first place..."

North Korea: The Most Bizarre Country On Earth Is Now Even More Unstable

North Korea: The Most Bizarre Country On Earth Is Now Even More Unstable: "A new era has arrived for North Korea and nobody in the western world really knows exactly what is going to happen next. Kim Jong-Il is dead, and now control over the most bizarre country on earth has been handed over to 29-year-old Kim Jong-Un. Many believe that he is even younger than that. North Korea was already quite unstable while Kim Jong-Il was leading it, and now we have a young man that is going to be eager to 'prove himself' to the North Korean hierarchy. Unfortunately, a lot of young men under the age of 30 don't handle fame and fortune too well, and a lot of them tend to be hot-headed. Hopefully Kim Jong-Un will turn out to be a reformer that will open up the doors of North Korea, but he could also end up being worse than his father. We just do not know at this point. We know that Kim Jong-Un was educated in Switzerland as a boy, we know that he speaks French, English and German, and we know that he is reportedly a fan of the NBA. Other than that, we just don't know a whole lot about him. What we do know is that Kim Jong-Un is a product of a totalitarian society that is absolutely obsessed with destroying the United States, and that is a very frightening thing.

Today, North Korea has the fourth largest army in the entire world, and we know that Kim Jong-Un was named a four-star general in 2010. The United States has about 28,000 soldiers stationed in South Korea, but that number is absolutely dwarfed by the 1,000,000 soldiers in the North Korean army.

Most Americans do not realize this, but the Korean war never actually ended. A ceasefire brought the military conflict to a conclusion in 1953, but there was never a peace treaty. For nearly 60 years, the two sides have been staring each other down along the 38th parallel.

All during that time, North Korea has been arming itself to the teeth. North Korea is a nation that is absolutely obsessed with the military and that is absolutely obsessed with destroying the United States.

Most Americans don't spend much time thinking about North Korea, but most North Koreans are focused on the United States every single day. We are constantly held up as the great enemy, and North Koreans are taught that one day they will defeat us.

Today, North Korea has thousands of missile batteries and the largest artillery force in the world. If war with North Korea erupts, Seoul would be flattened within minutes.

Right now, there are approximately 24.5 million people living either in or around Seoul, and that makes it the second largest metropolitan area in the entire world. Even if North Korea did not nuke Seoul, the devastation caused by thousands of rockets and the largest artillery force on the planet would be unimaginable..."

Stocking Up for Doomsday: As Economists Predict Meltdown, Meet the Families Ready for the Worst

Stocking up for Doomsday: As economists predict meltdown, meet the families ready for the worst | Mail Online: "Picture the scene: It’s the end of January 2012 and already it is clear the year to come will make that which has just passed seem something of a picnic. The last strains of Auld Lang Syne had barely faded before Greece defaulted on its debts. Over the next few weeks, Italy and Spain will follow.

Across Britain and the Continent, bank after bank goes down, a domino effect exacerbated by panicking customers desperately withdrawing their savings. Where three years ago the giants of High Street banking were seen as too big too fail, now they are too big and too many for any Government to save.

Panic ensues. Within hours, the cashpoints are empty of money and the supermarket shelves stripped bare.

To make matters worse the country is hit by freezing weather. As temperatures plummet and snow falls, the road network stalls to a grinding halt, while large swathes of the country are hit by electricity blackouts.

The warning by economists that Britain is just ‘nine meals from anarchy’ is brutally borne out. Unlike last summer, the rioters on the streets aren’t looking for trainers and flat-screen TVs — just food.

An absurd fantasy? Perhaps so, but in an increasingly uncertain world, such a scenario can no longer be dismissed out of hand. And strange as it may seem, it’s one that many believe is worth preparing for..."

Countering An EMP Attack

Countering An EMP Attack - Ed Feulner - Townhall Conservative: "When Americans think about the threat from foreign missiles, it’s nearly always the catastrophic effect of a conventional nuclear blast that comes to mind. We think of the doomsday scenarios that have played out in so many movies and TV shows: a nuke explodes over a large city -- leveling buildings, crushing houses and creating a swath of destruction.

But that’s not the only threat that can come from a missile fired from a rogue nation, or one that has fallen into the hands of terrorists. We could also fall victim to the devastating effects of an electromagnetic pulse. With an EMP, almost everything powered by electricity would be effectively wiped out -- not physically, but practically. They would simply cease to work.

Imagine the havoc this could cause. Your cell phone? Useless. The same goes for your TV, radio and computer. Your car might still run, but good luck driving on roads with no working stoplights, accessing your GPS devices for directions, or buying gasoline from pumps that won’t pump. We’d be in the dark, literally -- plunged into the early 19th century in a matter of seconds..."

The Poor Man’s Guide To Survival Gear

The Poor Man’s Guide To Survival Gear: "A friend of mine took note recently that a large portion of activists involved in the Liberty Movement had hit extremely hard times, or had been struggling financially even before the general economic collapse began to take hold. He asked me my theory on why it was that so many of us are always so broke. I could only relate that it is almost always the working class poor in any society that first sees the effects of a corrupt government and a faulty economic system. Those who legitimately hold to the principles of self sustainment, and fair play, are usually the first to be stabbed in the back by the establishment, and so, they are the first to become politically active against it. That is to say, sometimes we have to lose almost everything before we are able to see the bigger picture.

While I consider this fact a source of solace in these extraordinarily hard times, it still does little to put food on the table, or survival gear in the bug-out-bag.

The overall consensus within the prepper community is that survival planning is expensive, and yes, it certainly can be. Another consensus is that you 'get what you pay for'; also true...to a point. My belief is that while no prepping model is free of expense or of quality concerns, perhaps there is a middle road that activists with thin wallets can take which will provide solid gear for less money, and that will serve most of the functions of high-end gear that is ten times as expensive. Let’s examine a foundation list of those items that can help get you started now..."

A Town Growing All Its Own Vegetables

Temperate Climate Permaculture: Todmorden. A town growing all its own vegetables...: "Admittedly, it sounds like the most foolhardy of criminal capers, and one of the cheekiest, too.

Outside the police station in the small Victorian mill town of Todmorden, West Yorkshire, there are three large raised flower beds.

If you’d visited a few months ago, you’d have found them overflowing with curly kale, carrot plants, lettuces, spring onions — all manner of vegetables and salad leaves.

Today the beds are bare. Why? Because people have been wandering up to the police station forecourt in broad daylight and digging up the vegetables. And what are the cops doing about this brazen theft from right under their noses? Nothing.

Well, that’s not quite correct.

‘I watch ’em on camera as they come up and pick them,’ says desk officer Janet Scott, with a huge grin. It’s the smile that explains everything.

For the vegetable-swipers are not thieves. The police station carrots — and thousands of vegetables in 70 large beds around the town — are there for the taking. Locals are encouraged to help themselves. A few tomatoes here, a handful of broccoli there. If they’re in season, they’re yours. Free.

So there are (or were) raspberries, apricots and apples on the canal towpath; blackcurrants, redcurrants and strawberries beside the doctor’s surgery; beans and peas outside the college; cherries in the supermarket car park; and mint, rosemary, thyme and fennel by the health centre.

The vegetable plots are the most visible sign of an amazing plan: to make Todmorden the first town in the country that is self-sufficient in food...

Should You Leave the USA Before the Collapse? Words of Wisdom From Someone Who Tried

Should you leave the USA before the collapse? Words of wisdom from someone who tried: "One of the most common questions I'm asked today from people who are aware of what's really going on is, 'Should I leave the USA to get away from the coming police state?' Three years ago, I would have said YES, but today, after having experienced such an effort myself and now having a clear understanding of the ramifications of such an effort, I must urge people to reconsider. As you'll read here, you may ultimately be far safer and more successful living right where you are, in your 'home country,' even if that home country becomes a police state..."

Preppers Are Now Considered To Be Potential Terrorists?

Preppers Are Now Considered To Be Potential Terrorists?: "If you and your family store up lots of food, will you be identified as 'potential terrorists' by law enforcement authorities? That sounds like an insane question, but sadly it has gotten to the point where 'preparing for the worst' has become a 'suspicious activity'. Today, there are millions of preppers all across the United States, and the vast majority of them just want to be left alone and do not want the government to interfere in their lives. Storing up food is a completely peaceful activity, and preppers are generally some of the most patriotic and law-abiding people that you could ever hope to meet. Unfortunately, prepping has become associated with 'extremism' by many in the government, and lately we have seen some very disturbing signs that authorities are actively seeking to gather information on preppers. So are preppers now considered to be potential terrorists? Well, read the evidence posted in the rest of this article and decide for yourself..."

The Indefinite Detention Bill DOES Apply to American Citizens on U.S. Soil

The Indefinite Detention Bill DOES Apply to American Citizens on U.S. Soil - Washington's Blog: "Even at this 11th hour – when all of our liberties and freedom are about to go down the drain – many people still don’t understand that the indefinite detention bill passed by Congress allows indefinite detention of Americans on American soil..."

Baking Bread in a Wood Cookstove

Here is a link to an awesome piece on Baking Bread in a Wood Cookstove from over at the Paratus Familia Blog. Enjoy!

Startup Turns Your Cell-Phone Number into a Location Fix

'Cause privacy isn't important and stuff... [shakes head]

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Startup Turns Your Cell-Phone Number into a Location Fix - Technology Review: "Your phone number's area code gives other people a clue to where you live, or have lived in the past. Startup company Loc-Aid can use your full phone number to figure out exactly where you are right now..."

Alaska's Governor Proposes $4.9 Million For Emergency Food Caches

Parnell Proposes $4.9 Million For Emergency Food Caches | alaskapublic.org: "Gov. Sean Parnell is proposing $4.9 million for emergency food supplies to be stashed across the state.

Parnell says his administration is working to ensure every community is prepared with power generation, safe drinking water and food supplies in case of an emergency or natural disaster..."

Police To Test Laser That [Temporarily] 'Blinds Rioters'

Police to test laser that 'blinds rioters' - Telegraph: "A shoulder-mounted laser that emits a blinding wall of light capable of repelling rioters is to be trialled by police under preparations to prevent a repeat of this summer's looting and arson.

The technology, developed by a former Royal Marine commando, temporarily impairs the vision of anyone who looks towards the source.

It has impressed a division of the Home Office which is testing a new range of devices because of the growing number of violent situations facing the police.

The developer, British-based Photonic Security Systems, hopes to offer the device to shipping companies to deter pirates. Similar devices have been used by ISAF troops in Afghanistan to protect convoys from insurgents.

The laser, resembling a rifle and known as an SMU 100, can dazzle and incapacitate targets up to 500m away with a wall of light up to three metres squared..."

Frozen Beer Helped Man Trapped in Snow Drift Survive

Frozen beer helped man trapped in snow drift survive: Northwest Alaska | Alaska news at adn.com: "Clifton Vial, 52, climbed into the cab of his Toyota Tacoma Monday night in Nome to see how far a road winding to the north would take him.

More than 40 miles out of town, at about 9:30 that night, he found out. As Pink Floyd's "Echoes" played on the stereo and temperature dipped well below zero in the darkness, Vial's pickup plunged into a snowdrift.

'I made an attempt at digging myself out and realized how badly I was stuck,' said Vial. He was wearing tennis shoes, jeans and a $30 jacket from Sears. 'I would have been frostbit before I ever got the thing out of there.'

... Far beyond the reach of his cellphone, Vial slipped into a fleece sleeping bag liner and wrapped a bath towel around his feet. He occasionally started the truck to run the heater and listen to the radio...

... By the third day, Vial said, the truck was nearly out of gas...

... 'I felt really pissed at myself,' Vial said. 'I shouldn't have been out there by myself unprepared for what I knew was possible.'

Normally Vial carries a sleeping bag, extra gasoline and other survival gear in the 2000 Toyota, he said. But on this trip he had few supplies, no food and no water...

... For Vial, the cold was worse than the hunger, he said. Still he scoured the pickup in vain for food.

His only provisions: Snow, and a few cans of Coors Light that had frozen solid in the cab.

Vial ate the beers like cans of beans. 'I cut the lids off and dug it out with a knife,' he said..."

Society's Thin Veneer Crumbling: Mob of 50 Teen-Aged Girls Beats Down Two NYC Cops

Witness another example of our society's increasingly thin veneer of civility crumbling with rot...


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Mob of 50 Teen-Aged Girls Beats Down Two NYC Cops | TheBlaze.com: "New York City firefighters came to the rescue of two NYPD cops who were outnumbered and getting pummeled by 50 angry female teenagers on Tuesday.

The Firefighters from the FDNY opened up on the violent crowd with a 'deluge gun'– which is a high-powered, truck-mounted water cannon–finally causing the mob to disperse.

NYPD officers made nine arrests, but two officers were hospitalized in the attack. Police also recovered a starter pistol, which may have been intended to further terrify the original female target of the mob.

The scene unfolded in New York’s Staten Island borough when a mob of 50 young females gathered outside the home of a single young girl and threatened her. Apparently, the girl had been kept home from school for several days because of repeated and vicious bullying, so the bullies came to her doorstep..."

What Is The Best Country In The World For Americans To Relocate To In Order To Avoid The Coming Economic Collapse?

What Is The Best Country In The World For Americans To Relocate To In Order To Avoid The Coming Economic Collapse?: "Millions of American citizens have already left the United States in search of a better life. As the economy continues to crumble and as our society slowly falls apart, millions of others are thinking about it. But moving to another country is not something to be done lightly. The reality is that there are a vast array of social, cultural, economic and safety issues to be considered. If you have never traveled outside of North America, then you have no idea how incredibly different life in other parts of the world can be. For those that are unfamiliar with international travel, it can be quite a shock to suddenly be immersed in a foreign culture. In fact, no matter how experienced you are, choosing to relocate to a new country is never easy. But things have gone downhill so dramatically in the United States that picking up and moving to a foreign nation is being increasingly viewed as a viable alternative by millions of Americans. A lot of people have decided that they simply do not want to be in the United States when the excrement hits the fan. So what is the best country in the world for Americans to relocate to in order to avoid the coming economic collapse?..."

Greeks Using ‘Starvation Recipes’ Cookbook to Survive Economy

Greeks Using ‘Starvation Recipes’ Cookbook to Survive Economy | Video | TheBlaze.com: "It’s the ultimate belt-tightening handbook: No Meat? Push an eggplant through the grinder instead. Chew your food long enough for your stomach to feel full. And don’t forget to sweep crumbs off your table and into a jar.

These are some of the tips Greeks used to survive the World War II occupation that have been collected in 'Starvation Recipes' – a cookbook that has become a surprise hit as millions of Greeks struggle to make ends meet in a new era of hardship brought on by economic crisis..."

New Flu Strain, H3N2, Makes Health Experts Nervous

New Flu Strain, H3N2, Makes Health Experts Nervous: "A new variant of a flu virus that circulates in pigs has been jumping occasionally into people, providing a surprisingly early opportunity for public health officials to test out some of the lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.

Since the virus was first spotted in July, there have been 10 cases, all but one of which were children under the age of 10. (The exception was a 58 year old.) All the cases have been in the United States; there have been no reports of this virus in people or pigs anywhere else

The most recent infections, in three young children in Iowa, almost certainly involved person-to-person spread. The Iowa cluster is likely larger — no one in the first child’s family had exposure to pigs, suggesting an unidentified person was the source of virus.

The cases leave public health authorities in the U.S. and elsewhere wondering if a new swine-origin influenza virus is circulating at low levels among humans – and what needs to be done if that is indeed happening..."

Contagion Catastrophe

Contagion Catastrophe - Jim Tankersley - NationalJournal.com: "This is the worst-case scenario from Europe, and it just might come true: Italy defaults on its debts. Every major Italian bank collapses. Recession grips the eurozone. Sovereign defaults and bank failures ripple across the Continent. Saddled with bad loans to nations and lenders in Europe, American banks hemorrhage cash. Credit freezes in the United States. Multinational companies, unable to raise money, curb U.S. investment and hiring. Wall Street demands, but fails to get, new bailouts. The entire developed world plummets into recession and, quite possibly, depression.

This, in contrast, is the placid warning that President Obama gave Americans about the threat... There’s still a chance that Europeans, through some combination of fiscal and monetary action, can stop the crisis before it shatters the feeble U.S. recovery. But the worst case is so much worse than Obama’s description, and Washington has failed to prepare voters for the possibility. 'The [potential] shock we’re talking about is of very large magnitude,' says Viral Acharya, a New York University professor who studies financial risk extensively. 'If you’re just having an Armageddon coming your way, [America’s] buffers may not be adequate.'..."

Rand Paul Warns Preppers that the Government Considers You Terrorists.

Rand Paul warns preppers that the government considers you terrorists.: "In a warning from Rand Paul on the senate floor, where he speaks out against provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act, we learned today that the government considers having guns or storing more than 7 days of food a possible terrorist activity.

In the speech Rand Paul warns Americans that 'Someone who has guns, someone who has ammunition that is weather proofed, someone who has 7 days of food in their house' can be considered a potential terrorist by the federal government.

He warns that under a new provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act the federal government could lock you up indefinitely if you are suspected of activities that they consider terrorism related. That’s right the military will now have the power to lock up anyone, even American citizens without due process and without being convicted of a crime..."

CIA following Twitter, Facebook

CIA following Twitter, Facebook | DFPK - Insight With Integrity: "In an anonymous industrial park in Virginia, in an unassuming brick building, the CIA is following tweets – up to 5 million a day.

At the agency’s Open Source Center, a team known affectionately as the “vengeful librarians” also pores over Facebook, newspapers, TV news channels, local radio stations, Internet chat rooms – anything overseas that anyone can access and contribute to openly.

From Arabic to Mandarin Chinese, from an angry tweet to a thoughtful blog, the analysts gather the information, often in native tongue. They cross-reference it with the local newspaper or a clandestinely intercepted phone conversation. From there, they build a picture sought by the highest levels at the White House, giving a real-time peek, for example, at the mood of a region after the Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden or perhaps a prediction of which Mideast nation seems ripe for revolt...

... The center had started focusing on social media after watching the Twitter-sphere rock the Iranian regime during the Green Revolution of 2009, when thousands protested the results of the elections that put Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad back in power. “Farsi was the third largest presence in social media blogs at the time on the Web,” Naquin said.

The center’s analysis ends up in President Barack Obama’s daily intelligence briefing in one form or another, almost every day.

After bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in May, the CIA followed Twitter to give the White House a snapshot of world public opinion..."

Glenn Beck Interview RE: Scary Technology

Homemade Mead -- the Cheap, Easy and Effective Way

First off, let me say -- as you will quickly be able to tell in the reading of it -- this article is many months in the making.  In it I will document my first foray into home-brewing Mead, the oldest alcoholic beverage known to mankind and the father of both beer and wine, as carried-out beginning on the evening of 4.22.2011. Be advised: my amateur methods likely will not please purists/diehard home-brew hobbyist who insist on using lots of fancy equipment and accessories in their process.  The title of this article, you will soon find, is an apt one -- this is the cheap, easy and effective method.


The basic recipe I used can be found here.  After talking to some of the fine folks at the Homebrew Talk Forums, however, I learned that this is essentially a variation of an old, well-known recipe called "Joe's Ancient Orange Mead" or simply "J.A.O.M." for short.  You can Google it, if you like, to find many different variations.

 The recipe called for 2 bottles of honey, but I only used about 1-and-a-half to keep it from being too strong; I'll use the other half bottle to sweeten the Mead before drinking.

 Finished mixture, before adding the balloon to let it breathe. -------------->

After adding the balloon to let it breathe. The balloon, by the way, has 2 tiny pinholes to allow the gases created by the fermentation process to escape, otherwise the jug would explode!

A little over 3 hours later fermentation begins as you can see the gases partially inflating the balloon. The gases bleed out slowly through the tiny pinholes previously poked in the balloon.

As of 5.19.2011, I have notes that record the mixture as "quickly clearing to a light amber color"; and, having been siphoned twice to new containers, leaving behind the dead yeast and the fruit.  Then, on 7.15.2011 (the 12 week mark), I bottled the batch:





It was here that I made what I am told is a fairly common rookie mistake.  In adding the left-over honey as a "back sweetener" (because I'm a wuss who prefers my wines sweet, not dry), I inadvertently re-awakened the yeast and started the fermentation process all over again.  So, back online I went to order some Campden tablets.  Then, treated to kill the yeast for good; added more honey and some brown sugar, cinnamon and a little cloves to offset the extra alcohol my mistake created; and, re-bottled.

Now, fast-forward to the present.

The extra bottles you see above are from a 2nd, slightly smaller batch started on 5.13.2011.  Being that both batches are now past the 6 month mark called for in the initial recipe, I decided to try some.

And, I must say I am rather pleased.  As you can see, it has a nice honey-ish color and is not at all cloudy.

The rich, sweet flavor of the clover honey is very strong as is the scent.  I am told aging it a year or more will make it even better, but even at this young age I find it no worse than any other inexpensive sweet table wine.









All in all, I'm rather happy with my results as a beginner.  Let me know what you think.

Another Virginia Earthquake

Virginia Earthquake Today Felt in Kentucky: "A Virginia earthquake today was felt in neighboring Kentucky. The Virginia earthquake today Saturday, December 03, 2011 struck before sunrise. No reports of injuries have been detailed by local news.

Shortly after 6 am local time, Virginia experienced a 3.1 magnitude quake today. The quake, however, had virtually no depth, USGS reports to news. The quake struck roughly three miles below the earth’s surface. The quake was felt in Virginia and sections of Kentucky.

The quake was centered eight miles from Raven and Richlands, Virginia, USGS reports to news. The quake was also ten miles northwest of Cedar Bluff. Pikeville, Kentucky was only forty miles east of the quake, and Winston Salem, North Carolina was centered roughly one hundred north west, UGS indicates to news.

Today’s Virginia quake was centered west of Interstate 77 and east of highway 23. The quake was west of Bluefield, Princeton, Blacksburg, and Galax. It was south of Oceana and Harts, and east of Jenkins and Grundy, USGS reports. No damage has yet to be detailed by local news..."

Technology vs. Privacy

Assange: 'iPhone, Blackberry, Gmail users - you're all screwed' • The Register: "Surveillance companies can use your iPhone to take photos of you and your surroundings without your knowledge, said a representative from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism at a panel chaired by Julian Assange™ today.

Companies also sell products that will let them change the messages you write, track your location and nick your email contacts, claimed speakers on the panel that included representatives from Privacy International and the aforementioned bureau.

The privacy campaigners, speaking in London, pulled out some of the most sensational revelations in the 287 documents about the international surveillance industry published today by WikiLeaks. The documents cover a total of 160 companies in 25 countries..."

Senate Bill to OK Indefinite Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Charge, Trial

Senate Bill to OK Indefinite Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Charge, Trial: "In what may be a tale too bizarre to be believed by millions of Americans, the U.S. Senate appears ready to pass a bill that will designate the entire earth, including the United States and its territories, one all-encompassing 'battlefield' in the global 'war on terror' and authorize the detention of Americans suspected of terrorist ties indefinitely and without trial or even charges being filed that would necessitate a trial.

The bill could come to a vote as early as today, according to a bulletin issued by the American Civil Liberties Union. The legislation 'goes to the very heart of who we are as Americans,' the ACLU statement said, describing the bill as having moved toward passage while most Americans were celebrating Thanksgiving and a long holiday weekend for millions of U.S. workers. 'The Senate will be voting on a bill that will direct American military resources not at an enemy shooting at our military in a war zone, but at American citizens and other civilians far from any battlefield — even people in the United States itself,' the ACLU warned.

Labeled the National Defense Authorization Act, S. 1867 was drafted in secret by Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) and approved in a closed-door committee meeting, according to the ACLU statement...

... If passed in its present form, the bill would give the President the power to order the military to pick up and imprison without charge or trial civilians anywhere in the world..."

Abrupt Permafrost Thaw Increases Climate Threat

Nano Patents and Innovations: Abrupt Permafrost Thaw Increases Climate Threat: "As the Arctic warms, greenhouse gases will be released from thawing permafrost faster and at significantly higher levels than previous estimates, according to survey results from 41 international scientists published in the Nov. 30 issue of the journal Nature.

Permafrost thaw will release approximately the same amount of carbon as deforestation, say the authors, but the effect on climate will be 2.5 times bigger because emissions include methane, which has a greater effect on warming than carbon dioxide..."