Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Pentagon’s Christmas Present: Largest Military Budget Since World War II - BlackListed News

Pentagon’s Christmas Present: Largest Military Budget Since World War II - BlackListed News: "Next year’s defense authorization of $725 billion compares to, according to the Center for Defense Information, a Pentagon budget of $444.6 billion in 1946; $460.4 billion in 1968, the highest yearly amount during the Vietnam War; and $443.4 billion in 1988, the highest during the eight years of the Ronald Reagan administration’s massive military buildup. (Numbers in 2004 constant dollars.) [1]

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates American military spending for 2009 to have accounted for 43 percent of the world total. Carl Conetta, co-director of the Project on Defense Alternatives, earlier this year estimated the 2010 U.S. defense budget to constitute 47 percent of total worldwide military expenditures and to amount to 19 percent of all American federal spending."

With 2.25 million full-time civilian and military personnel, excluding part-time National Guard and Reserve members, the Defense Department is the U.S.’s largest employer, outstripping Walmart with 1.4 million employees and the U.S Post Office with 599,000. [3]

Put that in your hope for change we can believe pipe and smoke it

Missouri Guard to train inmates for emergencies | Top Stories | Wichita Eagle

Missouri Guard to train inmates for emergencies | Top Stories | Wichita Eagle

Could be a good idea but forced labor in a time of a disaster inmate or not has a real potential for abuse, not of the prisoners but all of citizens who have our freedom

‘Patriot Pilot’ reveals identity after angering TSA with YouTube video - BlackListed News

‘Patriot Pilot’ reveals identity after angering TSA with YouTube video - BlackListed News

A perfect example of how TSA security has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with compliance to the police state

U.S. Army Waiting List Near Record Levels with High Unemployment, GI Bill - ABC News

U.S. Army Waiting List Near Record Levels with High Unemployment, GI Bill - ABC News:

"Fiscal year 2009 was the first time since the military became an all-volunteer force in 1973 that all the services met their goals for both numbers and quality of recruits in the 12 months ending Sept. 30."

When a collapse is orchestrated by Wall Street and when that same establishment uses the Military to protect its overseas assets it would only make sense that they would benefit from an economy that forces people to do anything including joining the military in the midst of two unpopular endless wars

Haiti could devolve into civil war, says ex-leader

Haiti could devolve into civil war, says ex-leader

With all the attention that Haiti has received since last Jans earthquake you would think that between the UN, the USA, and France that the situation would be a little bit better than a Civil War Diagnosis but when America, the traditional protector of all things Western Hemisphere is unable to handle its own crises what should the people of a dirt poor country with no value beyond human existence expect.

Forecasters keep eye on looming 'Solar Max'

Forecasters keep eye on looming 'Solar Max'

Giddyup, this is more real and of bigger concern than AGW, GWOT, and of course QE2

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Fingerprint scanner use raises privacy concerns in N.C. - BlackListed News

Fingerprint scanner use raises privacy concerns in N.C. - BlackListed News:

"RALEIGH NC— Next month, 13 law enforcement agencies in the region will begin using a new handheld device that lets an officer scan a person's fingerprints and seek a match in an electronic database - all without going anywhere."

US Soldiers Turn To Diet Pills, Liposuction To Meet Weight Standards

US Soldiers Turn To Diet Pills, Liposuction To Meet Weight Standards:

"Another soldier based at Fort Riley in Kansas told the paper she recently saw an advertisement for liposuction at the post gym. The Army Times also found ads for the cosmetic procedure in base newspapers at Fort Hood, Tex., Fort Benning, Ga., and Fort Campbell, Ky."

NationalJournal.com - Down From The Pedestal - Wednesday, December 8, 2010

NationalJournal.com - Down From The Pedestal - Wednesday, December 8, 2010:

"Americans no longer think the U.S. economy is No. 1, a new Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll shows."

Tuesday, December 7, 2010