Britain's Business Secretary wants to turn the nation's back on basic science

Today in the Observer, business columnist John Naughton describes in exquisite detail the blinkered pig-ignorance of Business Secretary Peter Mandelson's plan to de-fund basic research in favor of "prioritising research that would contribute to Britain's future prosperity." That is, he's only going divert funding to those small, incremental technologies that have well-understood, overhyped revenue models, leaving out the visionary basic science that has historically accounted for the largest payouts for industry and government. If Mandelson's criteria had controlled spending 50 years ago, no one would have wasted money on go-nowhere egghead flights of fancy -- like the laser.

Lasers are thus a critical part of our technological infrastructure, yet no one involved in the research that led to them had any inkling of what their investigations would produce. The original idea goes back to a paper Albert Einstein published in 1917 on "The Quantum Theory of Radiation" about the absorption, spontaneous emission and stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. For 40 years, stimulated emission was of absorbing interest to quantum physicists, but of little interest to anyone else - certainly to nobody in government.

Which brings us to Lord Mandelson, now in charge of all government funding of universities and academic research. He has no personal experience of research in science or technology, but, like many people whose minds are unclouded by knowledge, has strong views on these matters.

In his first speech after taking control of Britain's research spending, for example, he "made no apology for prioritising research that would contribute to Britain's future prosperity". The occasion was the celebration of the centenary of the Science Museum, and Mandy left his listeners in no doubt that he will continue government policy of allocating more of the £6bn science budget to areas with commercial applications - in other words, areas that the government (and its industrial advisers) think will yield short-term benefits for Britain.

Lasers would never have shone if Mandelson had been in charge (via Memex 1.1)

(Image: Lasers a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike licensed photo from dmuth's photostream)

A North American Security Perimeter on the Horizon

By Dana Gabriel


















NAFTA has extended from economic integration into a political and regional security pact which has been achieved through the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America, Plan Mexico, as well as other initiatives. Various pieces of legislation and reports, along with influential individuals have called for closer trilateral cooperation regarding common rules for immigration and security enforcement around the perimeter of the continent. A major part of the U.S. security agenda already includes the defense of North America, but a full blown security zone would bring Canada and Mexico further under its control. A Fortress North America poses a serious threat to our sovereignty and would mean the loss of more civil liberties.

Plans for a North America security perimeter might have seemed like a pipe dream just a short time ago, but it could become a reality sooner than one thinks. Some believe that a perimeter approach to security would be a more effective way of providing safety while ensuring the free flow of trade and investment. For those pushing for deep continental integration, this move is seen as the next logical step. A recent article from the Toronto Star, Canada warms to idea of a tougher 'perimeter' suggests that Canadians might now be ready to debate the concept of perimeter security. David Biette who specializes in U.S.-Canada relations and is a member of the Woodrow Wilson Center stated that a, "Perimeter is no longer a dirty word. It's beginning to come up again, at least in academic circles." He went on to say, "Canada held back when it first came up and I can certainly understand why. There was still such bad feeling left over on free trade and what that might mean for Canadian sovereignty that perimeter security was just not palatable to Canadians." Biette also added, "You ask yourself, 'What would a mutually improved relationship look like?' and really, there is nothing else. Perimeter is the one big thing – the last truly huge step on the horizon." A North American security perimeter would be one of the final steps needed in the creation of a North American Union.

Some of the recommendations from the 2005 report, Building a North American Community co-sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, included a unified border, a North American border pass, a single economic space, as well as a common security perimeter by 2010. Many of the task force recommendations in areas of trade, transportation, energy, immigration and security became part of the SPP agenda. Despite the demise of the SPP, many of its key objectives continue to move forward under the North American Leaders Summit, as well as through other initiatives. In February of 2009, it was reported that former Canadian international trade and foreign affairs minister, David Emerson, “called on the government to aggressively seek stronger Canada-U.S. ties, up to and including a customs union. He said at minimum, Canada should advocate a North American security perimeter arrangement, a labour mobility agreement that modernizes NAFTA provisions, and greater integration on regulatory matters.” U.S. officials remain concerned on how risk assessments of people entering Canada are conducted as well as the differences in its immigration and visa policies. A common perimeter approach to border management and security would require harmonization of Canadian-U.S. immigration and customs standards.

It was clear before Obama became president that he wished to relax immigration restrictions with Mexico and supported some sort of amnesty program. In mid-December of last year, H.R. 4321 the Comprehensive Immigration Reform ASAP Act of 2009 was introduced in the House of Representatives. The Obama administration has been criticized for its lack of immigration enforcement. Many have warned that the new legislation would not only grant amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, but also increase legal immigration and create more loopholes in the system. In Sec. 143. Reports on Improving the Exchange of Information on North American Security, there is wording which could further promote deep continental integration. This includes yearly status reports, “in developing and implementing an immigration security strategy for North America that works toward the development of a common security perimeter.” Previous failed security and immigration bills also contained similar language referring to a shared security perimeter around the continent.

The Merida Initiative, also known as Plan Mexico is an extension of NAFTA and has its roots in the SPP. It is based on America’s failed war on drugs, which has been costly and ineffective. The Merida Initiative relies primarily on military and law enforcement solutions and is advancing police state measures. In a recent interview, Laura Carlsen director of the Americas Policy Program in Mexico City described how Plan Mexico, “was designed in Washington as a way to ‘push out the borders’ of the US security perimeter, that is, that Mexico would take on US security priorities including policing its southern border and allowing US companies and agents into Mexico's intelligence and security operations.” She also commented that, “The Obama administration has supported the plan and even requested, and received from Congress, additional funds beyond what the Bush administration requested.” The Plan Mexico strategy is working towards the development of a common security perimeter and is further encouraging the militarization of Mexico. Continued drug violence in the country could be used as a pretext to set up a North American security perimeter

The recent foiled terrorist attack on Christmas day is accelerating the implementation of a high-tech control grid which could restrict, track and trace our movements. With the war on terrorism back in the forefront, the continued merging of North America might include Canada and Mexico playing a bigger role in regards to perimeter security. Canadian officials have announced that within the next several months, body scanners will be installed in 11 airports across the country. Some proponents of a continental security zone believe that it is the best way to secure North America, but at the same time falsely claim that this could be done with respect to each nation’s sovereignty. We are well on the way towards a North American security perimeter where trade and investment will be able to roam freely, while we are all forced to endure new security practices dominated by U.S. interests.

Open Complicity: Anatomy of the 911 Cover-Up (8 parts)

PART 1.


PART 2


PART 3


PART 4


PART 5


PART 6


PART 7


PART 8

Mumbai accused says four gunmen were Indian

The man alleged to be the sole surviving gunman in the 2008 Mumbai (Bombay) attacks, Mohammad Qasab, has said four of the gunmen were Indians.

Mr Qasab told a court that three of the four gunmen who stormed the Taj Mahal hotel were from Indian-administered Kashmir, Gujarat and Mumbai.

He did not reveal details about the identity of the fourth hotel attacker but claimed that he too was Indian.

The attacks led India to suspend peace talks with Pakistan.

India maintains that all the gunmen involved in the Mumbai attacks were from Pakistan.

Pakistan denied any responsibility in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, but later admitted they had been partly planned from its soil.

In December 2009, Mr Qasab retracted a confession made earlier in the year that he took part in the attacks.

Mr Qasab, who is Pakistani, said he had been forced by police to confess after being repeatedly beaten up.

The bodies of the nine gunmen killed during the attacks remain unclaimed.

The 911Truth-Blind U.S. Corporate Media: PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE

Identification of the enemy is the first step in any war. Proper identification of enemies requires the consideration of domestic enemies as well as foreign. In the case of 911 Truth we are faced with both foreign and domestic enemies. In some cases we are faced with domesticated foreign enemies. One easily identifiable domestic enemy is the U.S. Corporate Media/Propaganda apparatus.

How can one tell the U.S. media is an enemy? One is their incessant call for the suppression of free speech. Of all the the occupations that live within our crumbling republic - the one I would last expect to call for the suppression of free speech would be a media enterprise. But this is not America anymore - but Amerika where the media has morphed from public servant to corporate serpent.

The issue that most represents the disservice Amerikan Corporate media does to the United States is that of the 911 Truth movement. This ballooning grass-roots movement never sees its reflection in the corporate media mirror. Instead a distorted fun-house reflection replies to the truther's eyes. Shouts for 911 Truth! into the abyss that is the corporate media fib-factory return no echo to affirm the existence of the 911 Truther's voice. Quite the contrary - the see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, see-no-conspiracy media monkeys maintain a majestic silence regarding the facts surrounding the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Silence regarding the facts - that is.

Notice how Glenn Beck is a disinformation agent - he mis-represents the facts of the 911 Truth movement. Why? Who is he working for?


Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham, Rush Limbaugh, Joe Scarborough, many of our elected officials, the last three United States Presidents, venal Congresspersons, corrupt officials , leftys, righties - almost everyone with a podium that would lend credibility to the movement somehow remain committed to suppressing, discrediting, ridiculing and marginalizing the 911 grass-roots-scientifically-supported-ever-growing majority that is the 911 Truth Movement. Why?



BLACKMAIL (click) , corruption, bribery, and profit. Hidden agendas of the power elite propagated by the corporate whore media are the fodder for the herd that is the American public. There is no limit to the available airtime regarding Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith and myriad minutia designed (yes designed) to distract, disinform, deflect and obfuscate matters of grave importance that betray decay at the foundations of our republic. Like what?

Like 911 Truth. The body of evidence demonstrating foreknowledge , nano-thermate, foreign and domestic enemy involvement, treasonous actions and inactions of high government officials, death squads, torture, war crimes, wars of aggression, FBI AWOL (click) , corrupt NSA, CIA, insane TSA - it's all documented - much available on this blog. So what do we do about it?

Public enemy number one is the U.S. Corporate-owned media. This propaganda apparatus can be identified as your enemy because they not only fail in their duty as watchdog, but they are active disinformation disseminators ensuring media blackouts of the most important issues of our time. While America morphs into Amerika the corporate media smears any patriot with the common sense or open-mindedness to consider conspiracy as an explanation for events. Ask yourself why the deposition given by Sibel Edmonds implicating TREASON and blackmail are not on the front page of every newspaper, the main story on every newscast, the main story on every radio talk show. Let me take a crack at the answer - because the puppetmasters that own your politicians own the media too.

Public enemy number one also sold us the wars. Public enemy number one is a cheerleader for merchants of death. Public enemy number one is a marketing masterpiece that will be the ruin of your Republic. Public enemy number one reported the collapse of WTC7 before it actually collapsed exactly in the manner of a controlled demolition. Public enemy number one is always a day late and a dollar short with information valuable to citizens of a republic. Public enemy number one is on time every time when delivery of propaganda is required by a blackmailed government or greedy corporation. Yep - they'll serve it up piping hot right out of the the pentagon lie-factory when the public needs another jolt of terror. Gotta keep the wars going!

Public enemy number one needs to be yoked and put back to work for the people. The liars they've hired should be remembered for their disservice to the Republic for which the 911 Truth movement stands.

911 Truth should be viewed as a litmus test for any media outlet's credibility. If they suppress 911 Truth you know they are your enemy - public enemy number one. Those media outlets, like KBDI in Colorado , who show the courage to present this dark aspect of modern Amerika pass the credibility litmus test. Try it out - see if you agree after paying attention for some time.

Remember that the fake 911 media myth could not be propagated without media complicity from the first moments of the attacks as is obvious in this video showing a "witness" who is either clairvoyant or reciting a script given his ability to determine the exact conspiracy story the U.S. government would feed the herd.



(CLICK HERE) to take that first step if you haven't already - and INFORM YOURSELF. Without an informed citizenry this Republic cannot function. This blog and many linked are the only avenue to truth circumventing PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE.

The 911Truth-Blind Corporate Media is PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE.
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UPDATE SEPT 11, 2009 More statements from Glenn Beck smearing 911Truth
UPDATE SEPT 11, 2009 Glenn Beck calling General Wes Clark a Whacko?
UPDATE SEPT 11, 2009 I forgot to mention Chrissy Matthews as a steaming pile of dung: See time=6:09 where he and his fellow corporate-owned-shills attempt to smear 911Truth people - is he also speaking of General Wesley Clark? (See last update)

UPDATE SEPT 14, 2009 National Park Service Admits 9/12 Demo Largest On Record-but U.S. corporate media projects otherwise - why?
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 14, 2009 (Found posted on WhatReallyHappened)

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 Why does the mainline media still deny all 9/11 evidence?

Harper's: 3 Guantanamo 'Suicides' Highly Suspicious

(Jan. 18) -- Through the course of its contentious history since the terror attacks on 9/11, the U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo has faced many charges of prisoner mistreatment. A new investigation by Harper's Magazine adds accusations of homicide and an elaborate cover-up.

Harper's examined three supposed inmate suicides in June 2006. Officially, the three prisoners -- two Saudis and a Yemeni -- hanged themselves in their cells at Camp Delta using nooses made from torn sheets and T-shirts. But citing evidence from several guards who have also been questioned by U.S. Justice Department investigators, the Harper's article suggests that such coordinated suicides would have been difficult to pull off under the close eye of Navy guards.

Furthermore, Harper's reports, the guards' commanding officers never reprimanded them. They were also ordered to stay quiet about the events -- suggesting a full-scale military cover-up within hours of the deaths.

Army Staff Sgt. Joseph Hickman told Harper's that on that night he watched three prisoners be transferred by van from Camp Delta to a black site on the Guantanamo compound nicknamed "Camp No," from which the guards said they sometimes heard screams. The same van that transported the prisoners singly from their cells earlier that evening returned not to the cellblocks, Hickman said, but directly to the Camp Delta medical clinic, where the alarm was raised that three prisoners had died.

Read Harper's full report here.

The U.S. must not 'occupy' Haiti, declares French minister as aid FINALLY trickles through

The UN must step in to ensure the U.S. is not occupying Haiti in the wake of a devastating earthquake that may have killed 200,000 people, a French minister has said.

French Cooperation Minister Alain Joyandet spoke as the country descended into anarchy. Aid is only just trickling through the 'bottleneck' at Haiti's airport, while angry Haitians desperate for help are striking out at international agencies - and each other.

Some 10,000 U.S. troops are on the way to try to restore order - but their role is being questioned.

'This is about helping Haiti, not about occupying Haiti,' Joyandet, in Brussels for an EU meeting on Haiti, said on French radio.

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Looters fight for goods taken from a destroyed store in Port-au-Prince

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A Jordanian police officer from the United Nations fires tear-gas shells at Haitians, begging for work at one of the main gates of the Port-au-Prince international airport

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Members from the 84th US Air Force Division stand guard in front of the National Palace in Port-au-Prince

Joyandet has already complained about America's role in Haiti.

Last week U.S. forces turned back a French aid plane carrying a field hospital from the damaged, congested airport in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, prompting criticism from the French minister. The plane landed safely the following day.

Meanwhile desperate, starving and increasingly angry victims were still struggling to find food and water despite the international aid flowing in to the country.

Six days after the quake only a trickle of aid was reaching those beyond the devastated capital Port-au-Prince.

Former Bill Clinton helps load supplies at Haiti's General Hospital during his one day visit to the island yesterday

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People take goods from buildings collapsed during last week's earthquake in the market area of Port-au-Prince

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Crush: People swarm a UN aid convoy to grab at food and supplies in Petionville

Transportation bottlenecks, bureaucratic confusion, fear of attacks on aid convoys and the sheer scale of the catastrophe continued to frustrate the international relief operation.

The UN admitted that just 10 per cent of those who needed aid have received help.

On the ground, violence was stalking the shattered streets of Haiti. There were reports that one American had died and three had been injured during a relief operation being carried out at the airport. No further details were available.

At least two suspected looters were shot dead on Sunday, witnesses said, but police said they had been told to adopt a more low-key approach.

‘Whether things explode is all down to whether help gets through from the international community,’ said police commander Ralph Jean-Brice, in charge of Haiti’s West Department, whose force is down by half due to the quake.

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A girl reaches out for goods thrown by looters from a destroyed store in downtown Port-au-Prince

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Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne division walk on patrol at the city's port

In some cases, police fired tear gas to disperse looters in the city’s downtown area as several nearby shops burned.

‘We’ve been ordered not to shoot at people unless completely necessary,’ said police officer Pierre Roger ‘We’re too little, and these people are too desperate.’

Security was expected to improve with the arrival last night of 2,200 Marines – part of a 10,000 U.S. military deployment to the area. The UN is also to send an extra 3,500 police and peacekeepers.

Lt General Ken Keen, the U.S. commander in Haiti, said he feared the death toll could exceed 200,000 and said relief agencies were dealing with ‘a disaster of epic proportions’.

On Monday there were some signs of progress as international medical teams took over damaged hospitals where the seriously injured had lain untreated for days.

Doctors say that in some cases they have had to amputate broken limbs rather than reset them because they had turned gangrenous.

Trucks piled with corpses were ferrying bodies to hurriedly excavated mass graves outside the city, but tens of thousands of victims are still believed buried under the rubble.

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People take goods from collapsed stores in the market area as violence and looting broke out

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People run toward a U.S. helicopter as it makes a water drop near a country club used as a forward operating base for the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division in Port-au-Prince over the weekend

Although a few street markets had begun selling vegetables, charcoal, chicken and pork, tens of thousands of earthquake survivors across the city were still clamouring for help.

There were jostling scrums for food and water as U.N. trucks distributed food packets and U.S. military helicopters swooped down to throw out boxes of water bottles and rations.

Colonel Buck Elton, commander of the U.S. military directing flights at Haiti’s airport, said there had been 600 takeoffs and landings since he took over the one-runway airport’s traffic on Wednesday, though 50 flights had been diverted.

But the Geneva-based Doctors Without Borders charity said bluntly: ‘There is little sign of significant aid distribution.

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Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Search and Rescue Team rescue a Haitian woman from a collapsed building

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Saved: The woman had been trapped in the building for five days without food or water

The aid group complained of skewed priorities and a supply bottleneck at airport. Spokesman Jason Cone said the U.S. military needed ‘to be clear on its prioritisation of medical supplies and equipment’.

Amid the horror, Monday saw a rare moment of joy as rescue teams pulled two children alive from the ruins. A 14-year-old girl and six-year-old boy had survived in separate air pockets after more than 140 hours trapped almost motionless beneath tons of rubble and twisted metal. Neither had suffered major injuries.

Donations can be made to the earthquake appeal by visiting www.dec.org.uk. You can also call 0370 60 60 900, donate over the coutner at any post office or high street bank, or send a cheque payable to 'DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal' to PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA.

Tourists dock in Haiti on cruise ships

Just 60 miles from the devastation in Haiti's earthquake zone, luxury liners are docking at private beaches.

Passengers enjoyed jet ski rides, parasailing and rum cocktails, when the Independence of the Seas ship landed at Labadee, on the north coast, on Friday.

Another ship, Navigator of the Seas, was due to dock on Monday.

Royal Caribbean International leases five beaches from the government, which are armed by guards.

They said the ships carry some food aid and the cruise line has pledged to donate all proceeds from the visit to Haitians.

One passenger wrote he was 'sickened' on the Cruise Critic internet forum.

'I just can't see myself sunning on the beach... while there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water,' he wrote.

Some were afraid desperate people might breach the resort's 12ft high fences.

'Labadee is critical to Haiti's recovery; hundreds of people rely on Labadee for their livelihood,' said the company's vice-president, John Weis.

'We cannot abandon Haiti now that they need us most.'

Forty pallets of rice, beans, powdered milk, water and canned foods were delivered on Friday, and more are due on other cruises.

The £23million raised in three days

Money is pouring into the official British appeal for victims of the Haiti earthquake. More than £23million has been raised since the Disasters Emergency Committee launched its TV appeal on January 15.

DEC chief executive Brendan Gormley said: ‘The response from the public has been absolutely overwhelming.

‘It shows that whatever financial concerns people are experiencing here in the UK, they feel a deep level of empathy for the people of Haiti, and will give whatever they can.’

Despite concerns that the aid is not getting to those most in need , he was optimistic that the obstacles could be overcome.

‘We know that people are being reached, but there is a huge challenge ahead, and much more work to be done,’ he said. ‘The area affected by this earthquake is huge, and devastation wrecked upon the infrastructure of Haiti means agencies face many obstacles.’

The DEC is an umbrella organisation of 13 humanitarian aid agencies including ActionAid, British Red Cross, Cafod, Save The Children, Oxfam and Christian Aid.

The British Government has pledged £20million in aid. The Department for International Development said £2 million would go on providing logistical support and communications to help speed up the distribution of supplies.

On the ground, Oxfam teams gave out water to thousands of people in the capital over the weekend and aid workers from Concern Worldwide distributed 2,000 jerry cans and 100,000 water purification tablets.