CLG News

Health Insurers Seeking Rate Hikes of More Than 20 Percent In Connecticut 15 Sep 2010 Health insurers are asking for immediate rate hikes of more than 20 percent in Connecticut for some plans, citing rising medical costs and federal health reform laws as [false] reasons. It remains to be seen how much of the requests will be approved.  Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said, "These outrageous requests demonstrate the need for stronger Department of Insurance authority to block unjustified health insurance premium increases, as I strongly advocated in the last session..."

Warren to Unofficially Lead Consumer Agency 16 Sep 2010 By Elizabeth Warren, who conceived of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will oversee its establishment as an assistant to President Obama, an official briefed on the decision said Wednesday evening. The decision, which Mr. Obama is to announce this week, would allow Ms. Warren, a Harvard law professor, to effectively run the new agency without having to go through a potentially contentious confirmation battle in the Senate.

Ex-Israel, NY police devised 'terror list' in Pennsylvania --Penn. Office of Homeland Security paid institute $125,000 for weekly reports agency used to put Marcellus shale hearings, gay and lesbian festival on terror watch lists 15 Sep 2010 An obscure York nonprofit with ties to Philadelphia University and Jerusalem is behind the state Homeland Security agency's monitoring of protesters, environmentalists and gays, documents show. The Institute of Terrorism Research and Response is headed by Michael Perelman, who formerly worked for the York City Police Department, and Aaron Richman, a former police captain in the Israeli capital, according to filings with the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Famed Civil Rights Photographer Was FBI Mole --Newspaper Unmasks Legendary Black Photographer Ernest C. Withers as Paid Informant on Activities of Memphis Black Community 14 Sep 2010 The folks opening the Ernest Withers Museum in Memphis, Tenn. may have to make some adjustments. The museum is scheduled to open October 15, three years after the death of the legendary black photographer, who documented the civil rights era with nearly unmatched access to its defining characters and events. But it might as well be renamed the ME 338-R Museum after a Tennessee newspaper revealed that Withers wasn't just snapping photos - he was also relaying intelligence to the FBI as a paid mole, referred to in FBI documents by that confidential informant number.

Dead man found in LAX restroom, his head covered in a bag and hands bound 15 Sep 2010 A man whose head was covered in a bag and who had his hands bound was found dead Wednesday morning in a restroom at Terminal 3 at Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said. Airport police were called to the bathroom shortly before 8 a.m. and found a body slumped in a stall, according to sources familiar with the case. They called Los Angeles police, who dispatched detectives with the department's robbery-homicide division to investigate.

Nixon murder plot against newspaper columnist detailed 13 Sep 2010 The [Nixon] White House obsession with Anderson -- whose "Washington Merry Go-Round" column was the WikiLeaks of its day -- is detailed in a new book being published this month, "Poisoning the Press: Richard Nixon, Jack Anderson and the Rise of Washington’s Scandal Culture," by journalism professor Mark Feldstein... Feldstein has uncovered new evidence that documents one of the more outrageous schemes crimes of the Nixon presidency: a plot to assassinate Anderson by either putting poison in his medicine cabinet or exposing him to a "massive dose" of LSD by smearing it on the steering wheel of his car.

Paedophile priests remain in Catholic church 15 Sep 2010 A Channel 4 News investigation reveals that more than half of the Catholic priests convicted for child abuse and sentenced to more than a year in prison, in England and Wales since 2001,  remain in the priesthood -- with some still receiving financial support from the Church and living in church houses. The disclosures raise questions about whether the Catholic church have followed recommendations made nine years ago to rid the church of child-abusing priests, our investigation has found.

Bombshell from London --Report: The presence of western troops in Afghanistan is actually fuelling national resistance. By Eric S. Margolis 13 Sep 2010 The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), is the world’s leading think tank for military affairs... The [IISS]report, presided over by the former deputy director of Britain’s foreign intelligence agency, MI-6, says the threat from al-Qaeda and Taliban has been "exaggerated" by the western powers. The US-led mission in Afghanistan has "ballooned" out of all proportion from its original aim of disrupting and defeating al-Qaeda. The US-led war in Afghanistan, says IISS, using uncharacteristically blunt language, is "a long-drawn-out disaster".

Nearly 300 U.S. pilots have attempted suicide 15 Sep 2010 At least 292 American pilots have attempted suicide in the past three years. Another fifteen U.S. pilots have been diagnosed with, or been treated for, schizophrenia. The shock figures have been revealed by the Boston Herald, quoting figures from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Israel to build 13,000 new settler homes and two new colonies 15 Sep 2010 Israelis never actually ceased construction on the West Bank or in East Jerusalem and the number of home units in these areas has grown dramatically during the so-called moratorium. Khalil Al Tafakji, the head of the Maps and Colonies Department in East Jerusalem, said that colony construction in the West Bank has not ceased -- even during the freeze. He also said more than 13,000 homes for Israeli colonists in the West Bank would soon be built, in addition to two new colonies to be set up near Nablus and in the Jordan Valley area.

Navy to test its ability to vaccinate masses in pandemic --In the military exercise's three final phases, medical personnel won't wait for patients to come to them. 15 Sep 2010 It may be part of an exercise, but have no doubt: The needles in this simulated pandemic flu scenario are real. And so are the deltoids of thousands of sailors to be immunized in coming days as part of a test of the Navy's capacity to "surge" huge quantities of vaccines to its work force. The first phase of the military exercise, PANFLUEX - short for pandemic flu exercise - begins today, when nurses and corpsmen from Portsmouth Naval Medical Center will fan out to local military medical clinics. Their goal is to vaccinate about 6,000 "mission essential personnel" within 48 hours.

Congress Will Explore Charges of Unqualified Translators In Afghanistan --Whistleblower Claims Contractor Sent Bad Translators to US Troops 15 Sep 2010 The chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee that investigates the military [Rep. Victor F. Snyder, D-Ark.] told ABC News he is deeply concerned by recent allegations that Army units have been saddled with unskilled foreign language translators in Afghanistan. The most serious allegations surfaced in a lawsuit filed against Mission Essential Personnel, the chief supplier of interpreters into the Afghan war zone. The suit, filed by a former employee, alleges that the company was giving passing grades on language exams to applicants who failed meet the Army's proficiency standards.

Court overturns woman's conviction in UW ecoterror arson 15 Sep 2010 A federal appeals court has ordered a new trial for a woman convicted of helping to carry out a 2001 ecoterror attack that destroyed the University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture. Briana Waters was convicted of arson for allegedly serving as a lookout during Earth Liberation Front attack... A unanimous three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that U.S. District Judge Franklin Burgess made several errors that raised questions about the fairness of her trial.

Military Contractor With $100,000 Belt Buckle Is Found Guilty 15 Sep 2010 A former military contractor who made bullet-resistant vests and other body armor used in Iraq and Afghanistan was convicted on Tuesday of fraudulently enriching himself from company funds through the kind of extravagant spending exemplified by his purchase of a $100,000 belt buckle. The contractor, David H. Brooks, the former chief executive and chairman of DHB Industries, was convicted of 17 counts, including insider trading and securities fraud, stemming from what prosecutors described as corporate looting and stock-trading schemes that made him more than $190 million.

US-led troops kill elderly Afghan civilian 15 Sep 2010 US-led forces have killed an elderly Afghan civilian in troubled southeastern Afghanistan amid growing discontent over the number of civilian casualties. Eyewitnesses in the Sharan district of Paktika Province told Press TV that foreign soldiers detained an 80-year-old man near a security outpost and shot him dead. [The man lived to a ripe old age, but was felled by an insidious disease everyone wants eradicated: US imperialism.]

'Appalled' Pa. gov. shuts down homeland security reports on protests 15 Sep 2010 Information about an anti-BP candlelight vigil, a gay and lesbian festival and other peaceful gatherings became the subject of anti-terrorism bulletins being distributed by Pennsylvania's homeland security office, an apologetic Gov. Ed Rendell admitted. Rendell, who claimed he'd just learned about the practice, said Tuesday that the information was useless to law enforcement agencies and that distributing it was tantamount to trampling on constitutional rights.

9 killed in US-Iraqi raid in Fallujah 15 Sep 2010 A military operation involving US forces in the city of Fallujah in the western Iraqi province of al-Anbar has left at least nine people dead. Heavy gunfire exchange broke out on Wednesday morning during a joint US-Iraqi raid in the Jbeil neighborhood of central Fallujah, west of the capital, Baghdad, AFP reported. Fallujah police chief Brig. Gen. Faisal al-Essawi said five houses were raided during the joint operation.

British teenager banned from America for life after sending Barack Obama abusive email --The FBI intercepted the message and contacted police in the UK who went to see Mr Angel at his home in Silsoe, Bedfordshire. 14 Sep 2010 A British teenager has been banned from America for life for sending Barack Obama an abusive email, in which he calls the President a p***k. Luke Angel, 17, was reprimanded by police on both sides of the Atlantic after firing off the message to the White House. The college student is now on a list of people who are banned from visiting the States.

Paladino wins GOP nomination for NY governor --Whackjob advocates prison camps for poor 14 Sep 2010 Political novice and tea party ally Carl Paladino has beaten the Republican designee in the race for the party's nomination for New York governor. Paladino rode a wave of voter anger on his way to defeating former Congressman Rick Lazio.

Bloomberg: Poll Problems 'A Royal Screw-Up' --Disaster On Primary Day As Machine Glitches Cause Chaos 14 Sep 2010 (NY) There were major problems at the polls on primary day in New York and it's all connected to the debut of the state’s new electronic 'voting' machines. New York City spent $160 million on new voting machines, but the roll-out was embarrassing. Some polling places opened as much as four hours late and thousands may have been unable to cast ballots, reports CBS 2.

Insurgent Republican Wins in Delaware 15 Sep 2010 The Tea Party movement scored another victory on Tuesday, helping to propel a dissident Republican, Christine O’Donnell, to a stunning upset win over Representative Michael N. Castle in the race for the United States Senate nomination in Delaware. Mr. Castle, a moderate Republican who served two terms as governor and has been reliably winning elections for the last four decades, became the latest establishment Republican casualty of the primary election season. Ms. O’Donnell won the endorsement of Sarah Palin, Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina and other leaders of the party’s conservative [Reich]wing.

US taxpayers cover pharmaterrorists' vaccine crimes: Family to Receive $1.5M+ in First-Ever Vaccine-Autism Court Award 09 Sep 2010 The first court award in a vaccine-autism claim is a big one. CBS News has learned the family of Hannah Poling will receive more than $1.5 million dollars for her life care; lost earnings; and pain and suffering for the first year alone. In addition to the first year, the family will receive more than $500,000 per year to pay for Hannah's care. Hannah was described as normal, happy and precocious in her first 18 months. Then, in July 2000, she was [insanely] vaccinated against nine diseases in one doctor's visit.

Intelligence officer killed by sticky bomb in Baghdad 13 Sep 2010 An intelligence officer was killed on Monday in a sticky bomb explosion in western Baghdad, according to a security source. "The bomb, stuck to the car of an intelligence colonel, went off on Monday (Sept. 13) in al-Ghazaliya region, western Baghdad, killing him instantly," the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Gag me with a chainsaw! U.S. urges Arab states to drop Israel nuclear treaty demand 13 Sep 2010 The U.S. envoy to the UN atomic watchdog urged Arab states on Monday to withdraw a resolution calling on Israel to sign an anti-nuclear arms treaty, warning it would send a negative signal to Middle East peace talks. Arab countries, backed by Iran, are seeking to build on a victory at an assembly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency last year when they narrowly won support for a non-binding resolution calling on Israel to join the Non-Proliferation treaty.

Surge of forces launched last year to stabilise Afghanistan "high likely" to fail --Nato urged to allow partition of Afghanistan 13 Sep 2010 Afghanistan should be allowed to partition along ethnic lines by pulling back Nato forces and acknowledging that the Taliban will not be defeated in their heartland, a senior former American national security adviser has warned. Robert Blackwill, who was Condoleezza Rice's deputy as National Security Adviser in 2003 to 2004, will use a speech at the International Institute of Strategic Studies think tank in London on Monday to call on President Barack Obama to make drastic changes in the war's objectives. He told The Daily Telegraph that the surge of forces launched last year to stabilise Afghanistan was "high likely" to fail and that the death toll in the conflict was too high a price to pay.

US airstrike kills 12 in Pakistan 15 Sep 2010 Drone aircraft have unleashed a fresh missile attack that has killed 12 people during the most intense period of US strikes in Pakistan since they began in 2004, intelligence officials said. The stepped-up campaign that included Wednesday's strike is focused on a small area of farming villages and mountainous, thickly forested terrain controlled by the Haqqani network, a ruthless foe [?!?] in Afghanistan, US officials said.

Dr David Kelly's body 'had obviously been moved' --Paramedic at death scene reveals concerns over Hutton Inquiry 12 Sep 2010 The paramedic who confirmed the death of Government scientist Dr David Kelly has claimed his body had 'obviously been moved' in the minutes after it was found. David Bartlett was one of two medics called after the corpse of the weapons expert was discovered in woods near his Oxfordshire home seven years ago. They were among the first on the scene. The testimony by the experienced paramedics once again brings into doubt the thoroughness of the Hutton Inquiry -- in particular raising questions about why police officers were not asked whether they had touched or moved the body.

Arctic fox joins polar bear on new list of Arctic species in danger of extinction 14 Sep 2010 Polar bears are not the only species in danger from global warming, a new report has warned. The animals have become an icon of the environmental movement, as their numbers reduce with the melting ice caps. But they are not the only ones. A new report by a major US conservation body has warned that other animals are in danger of going extinct as well.

3 dead in Baghdad violence 13 Sep 2010 At least three people were killed during the past day in Baghdad, officials said late Monday. A bomb attached to the vehicle of an Iraqi intelligence officer detonated in western Baghdad Monday afternoon killing him, an Interior Ministry official told CNN. According to the official, the bomb was attached to the car of Capt. Muthanna Ahmed and exploded in the al-Ghazaliya neighborhood.

Study links CEOs' pay to layoffs 12 Sep 2010 It's been a decade of business scandals and volatility. Yet through all of that uncertainty, Corporate America clings to at least two of its core values: Rewarding CEOs with hefty (some may choose the word "bloated," or even "obese") multimillion-dollar pay packages. Cutting massive numbers of jobs during times of economic strain. Is there a link here? The Institute for Policy Studies -- a self-described progressive, multi-issue think tank in Washington -- thinks so.