statism watch

Archive for February 10th, 2009

Hepatitis C sufferers haven’t received promised federal money

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

CBC News
February 10, 2009

Many claimants can’t prove they received tainted blood decades ago

Thousands of Canadians afflicted with hepatitis C who were promised compensation by the Harper government in 2006 have yet to see a dime.

According to claimants, doctors and their lawyers, many have been unable to obtain hospital and medical records to support their claim because the records are long gone.

“It’s not my fault if there is no record kept at the hospital about my operation,” Vancouver resident Giancarlo Mocellin said.

“They [the claims administrator] just want more and more and more [records] – and they keep asking for something that you don’t have.”

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Huffington Post article calls for new 9/11 investigation

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Melissa Rossi, HuffingtonPost.com
February 10, 2009

Patrick Leahy has a point when he urges President Obama to open investigations about the Bush administration. However, he’s not pointing at the issue that we need to start with. Namely, September 11th. What really happened? More than a few people know – and I am not alone in calling for those who know to start talking and fess up. Let’s not let this go the way of the JFK assassination – and whether with subpoenas or on their own volition, I demand that Dick Cheney, George W. Bush – both of whom refused to testify under oath during the 9/11 Commission proceedings — Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Karl Rove, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Armitage, Larry Wilkerson, George Tenet, Robert Mueller and the rest – as well as Bill Clinton and Al Gore (both of whom also refused to testify under oath) — start talking, and in a public arena. And I’m calling on the Obama administration to open up a probe and unravel the web of deceit.

Before we tuck the Bush administration into bed and hiss, “Nighty Night, you lying scoundrels,” before we go on to lock the door on that heinous era of American history, we do indeed need to probe what happened under their watch. But the event that most concerns me is what happened on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Oh yeah, that’s history, old news, the 9/11 Commission figured it all out, right? Except that members of the 9/11 Commission say it was “set up to fail” and that the investigation was severely hampered. So do assorted former members of the CIA, who demand a fresh look at the events of that day.

So, President Obama – leader of a new era in the United State – serve your people: pull out that can opener and pry open that can of worms.

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Next US bailout could top $1-trillion

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

What do you do if you run a massive Ponzi scheme and it begins to collapse? You go in search of new sources of funds to prop it up, for just a little while longer.

Martin Crutsinger, The Associated Press
February 10, 2009

Timothy Geithner: Ex NY Fed chairman, tax evader, Treasury Secretary, architect of financial consolidation

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is promising an aggressive effort to combat the worst financial crisis in seven decades, unveiling a program that could mobilize well over $1-trillion (U.S.) in public and private support to get the frozen credit markets functioning again.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Tuesday the new plan would bring the full force of the federal government to bear in a partnership with the private sector. [Ed. Note: That is the very definition of economic Fascism.]

“Right now critical parts of our financial system are damaged,” Mr. Geithner said. “Instead of catalyzing recovery, the financial system is working against recovery and that’s the dangerous dynamic we need to change.”

The new plan would greatly expand an effort to unclog credit markets that provide loans to consumers and businesses. Funding for this effort would see a huge increase – from $20-billion up to $100-billion – according to administration officials.

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Google to enter market for energy use tracking

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

“For a hint on where Google might go next, one could look at demand response software, which gives utilities the ability to remotely control home appliances with a consumer’s consent and ability to override.” Wonder how long that will last – this is obviously just the thin edge of the wedge. Look at this technology’s potential to enable taxation for some carbon credit scheme, and it becomes clear that it has the potential to be extremely intrusive.

Martin LaMonica, CNET News
Februaru 19, 2009

Google now wants to organize your home’s energy information.

The search giant on Tuesday muscled into the burgeoning smart-grid software business, showing off a prototype Web application that displays home energy consumption broken down by appliance. The software uses so-called smart meters, which can communicate home energy consumption back to utilities every few minutes.

The driving idea behind the Google PowerMeter iGoogle gadget–and nearly all smart-grid companies–is that giving consumers access to more detailed home energy data will lead to lower usage. There are dozens of smart-grid trial programs now going on, offered through utilities.

Engineer Russ Mirov, one of the Google employees testing the software, was able to reduce his electricity use 64 percent over the past year, saving $3,000, by replacing inefficient refrigerators and running his pool pump at scheduled intervals.

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