Set You Free News

French soldier stabbed while on patrol near Paris

Mario A. — Sat, 25 May 2013 19:37:45 +0000

The soldier was patrolling in uniform with two other men as part of France’s Vigipirate anti-terrorist surveillance plan when he was approached from behind around 1800 p.m. and stabbed in the neck with a knife or a box-cutter.

Hollande, in the Ethiopian city of Addis Ababa, commented on the stabbing to say that the man was still on the run and police were exploring all leads.

“We still don’t know the exact circumstances of the attack or the identity of the attacker, but we are exploring all options,” Hollande told journalists. Pierre-Andre Peyvel, police prefect for the Hauts-de-Seine area, said the soldier had lost a considerable amount of blood but would survive, and was being treated in a nearby military hospital.

“The wound appears to be quite serious, but it’s not life-threatening,” he told iTele news television. Peyvel said the man was able to flee into a crowded shopping area in the La Defense business neighborhood before the two other soldiers, who were walking in front of him, were able to react.

French daily Le Parisien cited a police source as saying the suspected attacker was a bearded man of North African origin about 30 years old, and was wearing an Arab-style garment under his jacket.

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Solar storm not immediate threat

Mario A. — Sat, 25 May 2013 19:26:33 +0000

By N. Arun Kumar | Deccan Chronicle

Dismissing Nasa’s warning against solar radiation storms, Indian scientists and amateur astronomers said the solar storm might not create any major damage to human beings as it’s not directed towards Earth, but it could cause damage if the storm continued.

Dr P. Iyamperumal, executive director, Tamilnadu Science and Technology Centre, Chennai, said solar cycle would reach its peak every 11 years and this year being its peak one could witness sunspots to appear and disappear.

Asked about the effect of solar storm on satellites, the executive director noted that if the intensity increases satellite operators might decide to close the solar panels, which powers the satellites.

Nasa scientists have forecast a major ‘threat’ to Earth. A strong solar radiation storm has erupted from the Sun and it will affect passengers and crew in high altitude flights owing to increasing radiation exposure, they have warned.

Nasa warns of Solar storm

Nasa has also cautioned that the emission of high-energy particles (protons) from the Sun may affect all satellite systems. Nasa’s space weather prediction centre located at Boulder in Colorado, USA, has come out with a bulletin according to which the solar radiation storm has reached S3 (strong) level at 3 am UTC (8.30 am IST) on May 23. A solar storm or solar flare occurs when magnetic energy that had built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released with high bursts of energy.

Radiation is emitted across the entire electromagnetic spectrum from the radio waves at the long wavelength end, through optical emission to x-rays and gamma rays at the short wavelength end. The amount of energy released is equivalent of millions of 100-megaton hydrogen bombs exploding at the same time.

The bulletin also pointed out that the expanding cloud from coronal mass ejection appears to deliver a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast models, the impact will be more than double the solar wind plasma density around Earth and boost the solar wind speed to about 600 km per second, which will be a treat to sky watchers as they can look at Sun’s aurora.

Spaceweather.com, one of the reputed websites for spaceweather, says S3 class solar storm will put passengers in commercial jets at high latitudes at risk as they may receive low-level radiation exposure (approximately one chest x-ray), satellite operations will be affected with noise in imaging systems, and slight reduction of efficiency in solar panel. The storm can also degrade high frequency (HF) radio propagation through polar regions and navigation position errors can also be expected.

Don’t worry, say Indian scientists

Dismissing NASA’s warning, Indian scientists and amateur astronomers said the present solar storm might not create any major damage to human beings as it’s not directed towards the earth, but it could cause damage if the storm continues.

Speaking to DC on Thursday, Dr P. Iyamperumal, executive director, Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre in Chennai says that solar cycle would reach its peak every 11 years and this year being its peak one can witness sunspots to appear and disappear. “As the strong magnetic field around the Earth attracts charged particles they will get trapped in it leaving no space for them to enter the Earth to cause damage,” he explained.

Pointing out that the Sun emits billions of tonnes of charged particles during solar storm, Dr Iyamperumal says that only one billion of the tonnes of charged particles reach Earth’s atmosphere. “As we receive a negligible level of radiation and also its not directed towards the earth we are safe. Not all air travellers will get affected and only those space travellers who fly out of the Earth’s atmosphere might get to see the impact,” he added.

Adding to Dr Iyamperumal’s expert opinion, K. Rajesh, an HAM radio enthusiast and who tracks solar storms on a regular basis, says that solar storm block radio signals and as airline pilots still use high frequency (HF) radio signals for communication with air traffic controllers solar storms would turn out to be a great threat for their contact with ground station during the flight.

“But the current solar storm is not directed towards Earth so we hope it would not cause any big impact on the communication and power networks, but if the storm continues two more days we cannot rule out the possibility of a black out,” he adds.

Japan: ’60-70% chance’ of massive Nankai quake within 30 years

Mario A. — Sat, 25 May 2013 19:09:40 +0000

Jiji Press | The Japan News

There is a 60 percent to 70 percent chance of an earthquake with a magnitude of between 8.0 and 9.1 occurring in the Nankai Trough in the Pacific off Japan in the next 30 years, the government’s Earthquake Research Committee said Friday.

The figure is for a temblor that could occur somewhere in the trough that stretches from areas off Shizuoka Prefecture to the island of Shikoku. Previously, the committee announced separate estimates on the possibility of large earthquakes for the eastern, southeastern and southern areas around the Nankai Trough.

Yoshimori Honkura, chief of the committee, said at a press conference that the committee believes the risk of a massive earthquake is already high and is expected to increase year by year. He called on the country to make full preparations for a possible Nankai Trough quake and tsunami that could be triggered by such a quake.

In 2001, the committee put the probability of an 8.1-magnitude earthquake occurring in the southeastern part of the trough in 30 years at 70 percent 80 percent. It saw a 60 percent chance of an 8.4-magnitude quake in the southern part and an 88 percent chance of an 8.0-magnitude quake in the eastern part.

As it was unable to predict the 9.0-magnitude earthquake that hit the Tohoku region on March 11, 2011, the committee expanded the areas covered by its study in calculating the latest estimates on the probability of large Nankai Trough quakes.

Extremely Active Atlantic Hurricane Season Predicted For 2013 — Florida, East Coast, South, Etc

Mario A. — Sat, 25 May 2013 18:59:28 +0000

By Nathan | Planet Save

The 2013 Atlantic hurricane season is gearing up to be an extremely active one according to NOAA’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, which was released yesterday.

The outlook, issued by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, states that there is a 70% chance of there being 13 to 20 named storms this year. Out of these, 7 to 11 will likely become hurricanes, of which 3 to 6 will likely be major hurricanes. By “major hurricanes” the report means Category 3, 4 or 5 storms — winds of 111 mph or more.

The six-month hurricane season “officially” begins on June 1, though of course, storms follow their “rules”, not human-created ones. The numbers in the 2013 outlook are significantly higher than the seasonal average — 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes.

The prospect of another major storm, such as Hurricane Sandy, striking the US is likely in the back of many people’s minds, especially considering that not much has really been done to improve coastal resiliency since that storm.

“With the devastation of Sandy fresh in our minds, and another active season predicted, everyone at NOAA is committed to providing life-saving forecasts in the face of these storms and ensuring that Americans are prepared and ready ahead of time.” said Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., NOAA acting administrator. “As we saw first-hand with Sandy, it’s important to remember that tropical storm and hurricane impacts are not limited to the coastline. Strong winds, torrential rain, flooding, and tornadoes often threaten inland areas far from where the storm first makes landfall.”

Larger, and more intense, storms are predicted to occur with increasing frequency in the coming years as result of climate change. Such storms can be devastating on their own, but when you factor in the other associated effects of global climate change, such storms are likely to have a truly profound effect on many people’s lives in the future.

With regards to the 2013 hurricane outlook, the primary cause of the extremely active season is the convergence of three separate “climate factors”.

These factors are:

“A continuation of the atmospheric climate pattern, which includes a strong west African monsoon, that is responsible for the ongoing era of high activity for Atlantic hurricanes that began in 1995.”
“Warmer-than-average water temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.”
“El Niño is not expected to develop and suppress hurricane formation.”

“This year, oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic basin are expected to produce more and stronger hurricanes,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “These conditions include weaker wind shear, warmer Atlantic waters and conducive winds patterns coming from Africa.”

Something to keep in mind — NOAA’s seasonal hurricane outlook doesn’t predict how many hurricanes will make landfall, simply how many will form. Those predictions can’t be made until the weather patterns that cause hurricane formation are already in action. Such forecasts, for all of the individual storms, will be provided throughout the season by NOAA’s National Hurricane Center.

“New for this hurricane season are improvements to forecast models, data gathering, and the National Hurricane Center communication procedure for post-tropical cyclones. In July, NOAA plans to bring online a new supercomputer that will run an upgraded Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model that provides significantly enhanced depiction of storm structure and improved storm intensity forecast guidance.”

“Also this year, Doppler radar data will be transmitted in real time from NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter aircraft. This will help forecasters better analyze rapidly evolving storm conditions, and these data could further improve the HWRF model forecasts by 10% to 15%.”

“The National Weather Service has also made changes to allow for hurricane warnings to remain in effect, or to be newly issued, for storms like Sandy that have become post-tropical. This flexibility allows forecasters to provide a continuous flow of forecast and warning information for evolving or continuing threats.”

Europe Opens $80 Trillion Shadow Banking Pandora’s Box: Will Seek To Collapse Repo “Collateral Chains”

Mario A. — Sat, 25 May 2013 08:58:40 +0000

By Tyler Durden | Zero Hedge

In what may be the most important story of the day, or maybe year, for a world in which there already is an $11 trillion shortfall in high-quality collateral (and declining every day courtesy of Ben’s monetization of Treasury paper) so needed to support the deposit-free liability structures of the shadow banking system (as most recently explained here), Bloomberg has just reported that Europe may begin a crackdown on that most important credit money conduit: the $80 trillion+ global shadow banking system, by effectively collapsing collateral chains, and by making wanton asset rehypothecation a thing of the past, permitted only with express prior permission, which obviously will never come: who in their right mind would allow a bank to repledge an asset which may be lost as part of the counterparty carnage should said bank pull a Lehman.

The result of this, should it be taken to completion, would be pervasive liquidations as countless collateral chain margin calls spread, counterparty risk soars all over again, and as the scramble to obtain the true underlying assets finally begins.

From Bloomberg:

Banks and brokers face a clampdown on using assets they hold for clients as collateral for their own trades as part of European Union moves to bolster market stability and rein in shadow banking.

The European Commission is weighing whether firms should have to obtain formal consent from their clients before being allowed to reuse assets to back other trades, according to a document obtained by Bloomberg News. The consent would be enshrined in a “contractual agreement” between the parties.

The handing over of collateral is an integral part of repurchase agreements, or repos — one of the activities under review by global regulators as part of their efforts to regulate shadow banking. The reuse of clients’ assets poses a potential threat to financial stability should one of a chain of firms that handled the securities go bankrupt, according to the document prepared by commission officials and dated May 15. Uncertainty about who holds an asset can fuel panic in times of market stress, according to the paper.

“Complex” chains of collateral can make it difficult for investors to “identify who owns what, where risk is concentrated and who is exposed to whom,” according to the document. “This has consequences for transparency and financial stability.”

Under the plans being weighed by the commission, banks and brokers holding securities for clients wouldn’t be allowed to reuse the assets for trading on their own account — speculation on the markets aimed solely at boosting their own revenues, according to the document.

…

The Financial Stability Board has estimated that the global shadow-banking system was worth $67 trillion in 2011, with EU-based activities accounting for about $31 trillion. Here’s the kicker: collateral chains collapse on their own when confidence and faith in the financial system is evapoarting. This is usually manifested in soaring variation margin, and demand for delivery of collateral (which having been pledged at 10 or more different places just doesn’t actually exist).

In other words, the last thing Europe needs is to force the aftereffect of a plunge in systemic confidence to be imposed upon the market participants! And yet, it is doing just that.

And for a comparable virtualization of repo pathways in the US, here is a chart showing the key relationships as of 2009. For the modern iteration, just update $30 trillion with $80 trillion (including custodial “assets” State Street, BoNY and JPM). This is $80 trillion in custodial credit money created via repo. Just in the US.

In other words, just as we have been warning for the past four years, Europe may pull the switch on its own electric chair. Among others, read:

Finally, read Kyle Bass’ own thoughts on the matter: Presenting Kyle Bass’ Analysis On Shortening Collateral Chains; Or The Gradual Evisceration Of Shadow Banking

Hayman Capital Letter Dec 14

A million Israeli landmines planted in occupied Palestinian West Bank

Mario A. — Sat, 25 May 2013 08:49:05 +0000

MEMO

About a million landmines have been planted by the Israeli occupation in occupied Palestinian West Bank, official Palestinian data has shown.

The Commissioner General of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation in Washington, Maan Erekat, said: “The number of Israeli landmines planted is between 800,000 to a million.”

During his meeting with UN and NGO officials in New York on Wednesday, Erekat said: “This significant number of landmines poses great direct danger to the safety and security of Palestinian citizens.” He discussed efforts with the officials he met to remove these landmines.

Erekat reiterated the importance of “continuing the efforts being exerted by the UN and NGO in cooperation with Palestinian parties to remove the landmines planted around the occupied West Bank.”

The Israeli occupation has planted landmines in the Palestinian territories since it occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1967 under “security” pretexts.

There are about 51 landmine fields scattered around the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, especially in the Jordan valley, the north and west of the West Bank, near the ‘Green Line,’ around Israeli settlements and around large empty spaces where Israeli soldiers practice their military drills.

800 Scientists Demand Global GMO “Experiment” End

Dennis — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:34:53 +0000

By Elizabeth Renter | NaturalSociety

Did you hear about the 800 esteemed scientists who came together and demanded the production of genetically modified crops and products be stopped? Scientists who called on world powers to re-evaluate the future of agriculture and seek sustainability rather than corporate profits? Don’t be surprised if you haven’t, as the mainstream media won’t touch this one.

Eight-hundred scientists did make such a demand. They made it first over a decade ago and they have updated it over the years, adding signatures and release dates. Still global powers have all but ignored their calls.

The Institute of Science in Society is a non-profit group of scientists from around the world, dedicated to bringing an end to what they refer to as the “dangerous GMO “experiment. In their open letter to the world, they have highlighted why governments need to stop genetically modified crops now – before there are irreversible effects on the health of the people and the health of the earth at large.

The Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments calls for “the immediate suspension of all environmental releases of GM crops and products, both commercially and in open field trials, for at least 5 years.”

They also want patents on organisms, cell lines, and living things revoked and banned. Such patents (a sort of corporate version of “playing God,”) “threaten food security, sanction biopiracy of indigenous knowledge and genetic resources, violate basic human rights and dignity, compromise healthcare, impede medical and scientific research and are against the welfare of animals.”

And as Anthony Gucciardi recently detailed on NaturalSociety, this would be bad news for Monsanto following the recent Supreme Court decision that they have the ‘right’ to patent life.

Scientists Speaking Out

In the beginning, after its first draft in 1999, the letter had just over 300 signatures. Since then, it’s grown significantly. At the writing of this article, the document has 828 signatures representing 84 different countries.

While we are told by Monsanto and the FDA that GMOs are nothing to worry about and instead safe tools for the future of agriculture, a growing number of esteemed scientists seem to disagree. So, who’s listening?

The letter has been presented to numerous governments and organizations, including the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development, the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, the World Trade Organization, and yes, even the U.S. Congress. The letter has been shared at these venues, but it doesn’t seem like anyone was listening.

The populous has to dig for information like this. We have to seek out the news sources willing to cover it, because we won’t hear about this letter on the nightly news or through a governmental agency. No, the U.S. government wants you to fear what they want you to fear (“terror” and crime, for instance), but they certainly don’t want you to fear the information and the food they are putting on your table. Or the GMOs they are funding with your taxpayer dime.

Senate Shoots Down GMO Labeling Bill

Dennis — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:29:31 +0000

By Elizabeth Renter | NaturalSociety

In yet another showing of their lack of concern towards the people who give them their jobs, Senators in Washington D.C. voted against a key GMO labeling amendment to the Farm bill. One that would have allowed states to decide to label the presence of genetically modified ingredients in food products.

They didn’t just vote it down, they did it overwhelmingly: 71 to 27. Let’s be clear—this wasn’t a bill that would have mandated the labeling of foods with genetically modified ingredients. No, it was far less provocative. This measure would have simply said it was okay for states to decide to do that for themselves.

“The concept we’re talking about today is a fairly commonsense and non-radical idea,” said the amendment’s sponsor, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) according to the Huffington Post. “All over the world, in the European Union, in many other countries around the world, dozens and dozens of countries, people are able to look at the food that they are buying and determine through labeling whether or not that product contains genetically modified organisms.”

Vermont and more-recently Connecticut have both decided to label foods in their state. But they are concerned big-wigs like Monsanto will sue, particularly in light of this failure of a decision in the Senate.

One of the many senators who voted against what would seem to be commonsense and non-radical, Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) says that labeling GMO foods runs counter to what we “know” about them. This knowledge, she says, is that GMO foods are safe, no more dangerous than their “conventional counterparts.”

Apparently ignoring any of the research that runs to the contrary of that being put out by Monsanto-supporters, Sen. Stabenow talks about GMO crops as if they are the answer to the world’s prayers. That they are able to “resist crop diseases and improve nutritional content.” Stabenow and others like her must be getting their briefs directly from those within Monsanto itself.

Even more telling about where her (and others like her) allegiances lie, Stabenow said labeling GMO ingredients would “interfere with the FDA’s science-based process to determine what food labeling is necessary for consumers.” In other words, if it doesn’t come from Monsanto or the FDA, she doesn’t want to hear it.

She doesn’t want to hear about the study that showed GMO-fed rats developed mass tumors and died premature deaths. Senators like her don’t seem to care that research has shown GMO corn to be a contributor to the obesity epidemic. Apparently, studies linking GMO crops to lung damage, cancer, organ damage, and immune suppression aren’t “good enough” for the FDA, so they aren’t “good enough” for lawmakers.

The fact is, most processed foods on our store shelves contain GMO ingredients (usually corn or soy). Another fact, most conscientious consumers would like to know which foods are safe and which are not. But, with their decision to not grant states the right to decide for themselves, lawmakers have shown us (once again) where their loyalties lie.

The World Against Monsanto: Holding the Corrupt Accountable

Dennis — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:21:51 +0000

By James Corbett and Tami Canal | Global Research

Monsanto is a company feared and reviled by the public in equal measure.

But whatever cases Monsanto has lost in the court of public opinion it has made up for in the courts of justice thanks to its revolving door with the upper reaches of Washington.

Now, a new movement is seeking to galvanize grassroots resistance to the corporation, and derail its agenda.

This is the GRTV Backgrounder on Global Research TV.

For more information on GMOs, click the banner below:

Hershberger Trial: List of Things You Can’t Say and Wear Gets Bigger

Dennis — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:02:39 +0000

By Heather Callaghan | Activist Post

Hopefully, you already know what’s going down in Baraboo, Wisconsin. It’s one of the biggest, precedent-setting food freedom cases in history that’s got even conventional dairy industries watching.

Raw milk is the smallest part of this trial – Vernon is fighting for you and he didn’t have to. A large, mostly eclectic group has been gathering since Monday and a verdict is expected Friday.

The judge, Guy Reynolds, is essentially directing the jury how to vote and what they are allowed to hear….The whole case hinges on these words that are banned.

Vernon Hershberger is facing over two years prison time and $10,000 in fines for four criminal misdemeanor charges aimed at him for providing fresh food to his community through members in agreement. Some background here. Prosecution from the State is having a hard time proving that Vernon is running a “retail establishment”.

He’s not, unless you consider horse boarding, co-ops and Craigslist storefronts with retail transactions requiring business licenses to use. Government would love to eradicate “herd share” type agreements and so it’s no surprise that there is NO discussion of herd share memberships allowed in the courtroom – see how they are keeping the jury in the dark below.

Streaming Live. Follow the caption link to view archives.

Watch live video from farmfoodfreedom on www.justin.tv

Let it be known that the jury has been frequently shoo-ed from the room anytime the judge felt that something truthful was about to be uttered on the stand. I bet they wondered what they were missing and why they weren’t allowed to hear it.

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Set You Free News

French soldier stabbed while on patrol near Paris

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Solar storm not immediate threat

Nasa warns of Solar storm

Don’t worry, say Indian scientists

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Japan: ’60-70% chance’ of massive Nankai quake within 30 years

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Extremely Active Atlantic Hurricane Season Predicted For 2013 — Florida, East Coast, South, Etc

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Europe Opens $80 Trillion Shadow Banking Pandora’s Box: Will Seek To Collapse Repo “Collateral Chains”

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A million Israeli landmines planted in occupied Palestinian West Bank

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800 Scientists Demand Global GMO “Experiment” End

Scientists Speaking Out

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Senate Shoots Down GMO Labeling Bill

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The World Against Monsanto: Holding the Corrupt Accountable

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Hershberger Trial: List of Things You Can’t Say and Wear Gets Bigger

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