Hobbits Had Million-Year History On Island?

John Roach

for National Geographic News

Published March 17, 2010

"Newfound stone tools suggest the evolutionary history of the "hobbits" on the Indonesian island of Flores stretches back a million years, a new study says—200,000 years longer than previously thought.

The hobbit mystery was sparked by the 2004 discovery of bones on Flores that belonged to a three-foot-tall (one-meter-tall), 55-pound (25-kilogram) female with a grapefruit-size brain.

The tiny, hobbit-like creature—controversially dubbed a new human species, Homo floresiensis—persisted on the remote island until about 18,000 years ago, even as "modern" humans spread around the world, experts say.

Found in million-year-old volcanic sediments, the newly discovered tools are "simple sharp-edged flakes" like those found at nearby sites on Flores—sites dated to later time periods but also associated with hobbits and their ancestors—said study co-leader Adam Brumm, an archaeologist at the University of Wollongong in Australia, via e-mail.

The finding implies that a culture of stone tool wielding ancient humans, with origins in Africa, survived on the island for much longer than previously believed, according to the new research, published online today by the journal Nature.

"That's exciting," because it suggests that by a million years ago, early humans had covered more ground on their exodus from Africa than previously thought, said paleontologist Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum of London, who wasn't involved in the new study."

Read the Rest - Source: National Geographic

Wikileaks Makes The Pentagon's Naughty List

Pentagon Sees a Threat From Online Muckrakers

By STEPHANIE STROM 

Published: March 17, 2010

To the list of the enemies threatening the security of the United States, the Pentagon has added WikiLeaks.org, a tiny online source of information and documents that governments and corporations around the world would prefer to keep secret.

The Pentagon assessed the danger WikiLeaks.org posed to the Army in a report marked “unauthorized disclosure subject to criminal sanctions.” It concluded that “WikiLeaks.org represents a potential force protection, counterintelligence, OPSEC and INFOSEC threat to the U.S. Army” — or, in plain English, a threat to Army operations and information.

WikiLeaks, true to its mission to publish materials that expose secrets of all kinds, published the 2008 Pentagon report about itself on Monday.

Lt. Col. Lee Packnett, an Army spokesman, confirmed that the report was real. Julian Assange, the editor of WikiLeaks, said the concerns the report raised were hypothetical.

“It did not point to anything that has actually happened as a result of the release,” Mr. Assange said. “It contains the analyst’s best guesses as to how the information could be used to harm the Army but no concrete examples of any real harm being done.”

Read the Rest - Source: NY Times

Judge Rejects 9/11 Settlement - "Will Not Preside Over Settlement Based on Fear Or Ignorance"

Judge rejects 9/11 settlement

Deal 'not enough' for those ailing from dust and ash

Saturday,  March 20, 2010 2:52 AM

 

By David B. Caruso

Associated Press 

 

Louis Lanzano | Associated Press

New York City resident Lori Angelone, after leaving federal court, holds a banner describing husband Louis' ailments, which they contend should be covered as 9/11-related.

NEW YORK -- A federal judge yesterday rejected a legal settlement that would have given at least $575 million to people sickened by ash and dust from the World Trade Center, saying the deal shortchanged 10,000 ground-zero workers whom he called heroes.

"In my judgment, this settlement is not enough," said U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who delivered his pronouncement to a stunned gallery at a federal courthouse in Manhattan.

The 76-year-old jurist said he feared that police officers, firefighters and other laborers who cleared rubble after the 9/11 attack were being pushed into signing a deal that few of them understood.

Under the terms of the settlement, workers had been given 90 days to say yes or no to a deal that would have assigned them payments based on a point system that Hellerstein said was complicated enough to make a Talmudic scholar's head spin.

"I will not preside over a settlement that is based on fear or ignorance," he said.

Of the proposed settlement of $575 million to $657 million, workers stood to get amounts ranging from a few thousand dollars to more than $1 million.

Hellerstein said the deal should be richer. Too much of it would be eaten up by legal fees, he said.
A third or more of the money set aside for the workers was expected to go to their lawyers. Some plaintiffs had agreed at the start of the case to give as much as 40percent of any judgment to cover fees and expenses. That might have meant $200million or more going to attorneys.

Hellerstein, who presides over all federal-court litigation related to the terrorist attack, ripped into the agreement after hearing several ground-zero responders speak tearfully of their illnesses, and after receiving letters and phone calls from others expressing confusion about the deal.

It was unclear whether the judge's actions will kill the settlement. It took years to negotiate and was announced March 11, about two months before the first trials.

A spokeswoman for the law partnership that negotiated the settlement on behalf of the workers said she had no comment.

Hellerstein laid out a number of proposed fixes for what he saw as deficiencies in the settlement. He told the two sides to resume negotiations.

Hellerstein said workers should have ample opportunities to ask questions and get answers about the settlement, and he offered to go on a mini-speaking tour to get information to the plaintiffs.

He said more money should be set aside for people who later develop cancer that might be linked to ground-zero toxins. He said he wants to retain ultimate control over which workers are entitled to have claims paid.

Hellerstein acknowledged that he felt a personal connection to the case, calling it "the greatest burden in my life," but he insisted that his unusual intervention was legally and morally necessary, given the importance of 9/11 to the country.

"This is no ego trip for me. This is work," he said.

Congress has appropriated federal funds for the settlement.
 
Source: Associated Press

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Thank goodness for this man. I hope that more people with the power to change lives will learn something from his example. Compassion still exists in high places.

Follow Up: ABC Nightline coverage of Treason In America Conference

A few days ago I posted this video of an ABC reporter interviewing the creators of Loose Change at the Treason In America conference. It seems that he likes to use the term "lunatic fringe". In the video that they didn't air, he asks Dylan Avery and Korey Rowe (Loose Change creators) the same question using the "lunatic fringe" phrase.

As usual, ABC acts is if there is no real evidence coming from 9/11 truthers, only theories, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. Wallace even goes so far as to state that the theories have been discredited. Well, that really depends on which exact theories he is referring to. Of course, there is no distinction so that really can't be refuted.

One only needs to look at the evidence presented by Architects and Engineers for 9/11 truth and the evidence of thermite at ground zero, and the WTC Building 7 collapse to learn that there is indeed much evidence of a controlled demolition at the very least.

THIS is what was recorded.






and THIS is what ABC aired



Here is the link to the original story at the ABC Website. "The Truther Movement: Meet the people who don't believe the governments explanation of 9/11".

Founder of Firefighters for 9/11 Truth Speaks at Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth Conference

Erik Lawyer speaks at a conference held by Architects and Engineers For 911 Truth. He is the founder of Firefighters for 9/11 Truth.

"An Appeal to Firefighters, Present and Past from a retired FDNY Lieutenant
Fellow Firefighters, A great tragedy befell our community on September 11, 2001, an unprecedented 343 deaths in the line of duty. As horrible as that toll is, if there were a rational explanation for it, we could accept it and mourn. We all understood the risk we accepted when we took the oath of office, that chance might cut short our lives when we placed ourselves in harm’s way in the public’s service. This is what we are paid for and it is our honor. However, in short, the official explanation of the events of that day are not only insufficient, they are fantastic and cannot bear rational examination. We are asked to believe that on that day three structural steel buildings, which have never before in history collapsed because of fire, fell neatly into their basements at the speed of gravity, their concrete reduced to dust. We are asked to believe that jet fuel (kerosene) can melt steel. We are asked to believe that the most sophisticated air defense system in the world, that responded to sixty-eight emergencies in the year prior to 9-11 in less than twenty minutes allowed aircraft to wander about for up to an hour and a half. We are asked to believe that the steel and titanium components of an aircraft that supposedly hit the Pentagon “evaporated”. There is much, much more if anyone cares to look into it. Trade Tower #7 by itself is the “smoking gun”. Not hit by an aircraft, with only a few relatively small fires, it came down in a classic crimp and implosion, going straight into its basement, something only very precise demolition can accomplish, which takes days if not weeks to prepare. The 9-11 Commission didn’t even mention it, and F.E.M.A. actually stated they DIDN’T KNOW WHY IT COLLAPSED AND LEFT IT AT THAT. Brothers, I know that the implications of the above are hard, almost unthinkable, but the official explanation is utter nonsense, and three hundred and forty three murdered brothers are crying out for justice. Demand a genuine investigation into the events of September 11!
-Anton Vodvarka, Lt. FDNY (ret)

Lt. Vodvarka served on FDNY Ladder Co 26, Rescue Co. 3, Rescue Co. 1, Engine Co. 92, Ladder 82 and Ladder 101. He was awarded the Merit Class 1 award, the Prentice Medal."

VISIT Firefighters For 911 Truth.Org

The Vatican's Chief Exorcist - "Devil is Inside the Vatican"

Awhile back I watched a serious of videos that went into great detail about The Illuminati, Freemasonry, Secret Societies/Cults, etc. I am not certain where these originated, but from what I could tell, they appeared to heavily involve David Icke, whom is known for sharing his research and theories about the Illuminati amongst other things. When I read this article about demonic possession at the Vatican, I remembered hearing and reading that they (the illuminati) have infiltrated the most powerful and influential organizations in the world. The Vatican definitely would fall into that category. It's a little scary. I will post links to those documentaries at the end of this blog but be warned, there are some graphic images in all three of the 2 hour videos. (Yes, I watched them all). It was too interesting to pass up.

The next time you think there is no such thing happening at the Vatican and this is all just fictional conspiracy theory running wild in the minds of the easily influenced, remember the statements in the following article that came from the Vatican's Chief Exorcist himself. Bold, I tell you...

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Chief exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth says Devil is in the Vatican

March 11, 2010
Richard Owen - The Times Online

"Sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church are proof that that "the Devil is at work inside the Vatican", according to the Holy See's chief exorcist.

Father Gabriele Amorth, 85, who has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for 25 years and says he has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession, said that the consequences of satanic infiltration included power struggles at the Vatican as well as "cardinals who do not believe in Jesus, and bishops who are linked to the Demon".

He added: "When one speaks of 'the smoke of Satan' [a phrase coined by Pope Paul VI in 1972] in the holy rooms, it is all true – including these latest stories of violence and paedophilia."

He claimed that another example of satanic behaviour was the Vatican "cover-up" over the deaths in 1998 of Alois Estermann, the then commander of the Swiss Guard, his wife and Corporal Cedric Tornay, a Swiss Guard, who were all found shot dead. "They covered up everything immediately," he said. "Here one sees the rot".

A remarkably swift Vatican investigation concluded that Corporal Tornay had shot the commander and his wife and then turned his gun on himself after being passed over for a medal. However Tornay's relatives have challenged this. There have been unconfirmed reports of a homosexual background to the tragedy and the involvement of a fourth person who was never identfied.

Father Amorth, who has just published Memoirs of an Exorcist, a series of interviews with the Vatican journalist Marco Tosatti, said that the attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II in 1981 had been the work of the Devil, as had an incident last Christmas when a mentally disturbed woman threw herself at Pope Benedict XVI at the start of Midnight Mass, pulling him to the ground.

Father José Antonio Fortea Cucurull, a Rome-based exorcist, said that Father Amorth had "gone well beyond the evidence" in claiming that Satan had infiltrated the Vatican corridors.

"Cardinals might be better or worse, but all have upright intentions and seek the glory of God," he said. Some Vatican officials were more pious than others, "but from there to affirm that some cardinals are members of satanic sects is an unacceptable distance."

Father Amorth told La Repubblica that the devil was "pure spirit, invisible. But he manifests himself with blasphemies and afflictions in the person he possesses. He can remain hidden, or speak in different languages, transform himself or appear to be agreeable. At times he makes fun of me."

He said it sometimes took six or seven of his assistants to to hold down a possessed person. Those possessed often yelled and screamed and spat out nails or pieces of glass, which he kept in a bag. "Anything can come out of their mouths – finger-length pieces of iron, but also rose petals."

He said that hoped every diocese would eventually have a resident exorcist. Under Church Canon Law any priest can perform exorcisms, but in practice they are carried out by a chosen few trained in the rites.

Father Amorth was ordained in 1954 and became an official exorcist in 1986. In the past he has suggested that Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were possessed by the Devil. He was among Vatican officials who warned that J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels made a "false distinction between black and white magic".

He approves, however, of the 1973 film The Exorcist, which although "exaggerated" offered a "substantially exact" picture of possession.

In 2001 he objected to the introduction of a new version of the exorcism rite, complaining that it dropped centuries-old prayers and was "a blunt sword" about which exorcists themselves had not been consulted. The Vatican said later that he and other exorcists could continue to use the old ritual.

He is the president of honour of the Association of Exorcists.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 I'm sorry, did I read that correctly? They spat out nails, finger length pieces of iron? Shards of glass and rose petals - which he then kept in a bag? Add Memoirs of an Exorcist to my list of books to read. I know very little about this and certainly wonder what else there is to learn about in this book.


Link to Documentaries: The Illuminati vol 1, 2, and 3

New Interviews With Jessie Ventura - American Conspiracies

Here are some new videos of interviews with former Minnesota Governor, Jesse Ventura, talking about 9/11, and several other American Conspiracies (New book title), like the JFK assassination. Jesse is making the rounds to promote this new book. When questioned about his theories, he says that his book is factual although he adds his own opinions at the beginnings and ends of chapters. He states that he isn't making this up.  He is presenting information and evidence. The information comes from government documents, articles, and interviews.

Here he is on the Today Show - 3/9/10.  MSNBC 'Today Books' posted an article titled, 'Jesse Ventura claims gov't involved in 9/11'. These are fairly forthcoming interviews compared to what Fox & Friends (sort of) attempted to report. The cast of Fox & Friends (below) makes it clear they won't be talking about 9/11, though all of the other interviews do. The arrogant plasticity emanating from the screen in their video is so glaringly obvious it is difficult to take seriously.  I don't know why anyone would want to watch those people in the morning. What a terrible way to start the day. All jokes aside, it's nice that Jesse is able to go on the air and talk about these things. Here is a different interview from Fox News with Alan Colmes. They DO talk about 9/11.

Fox News Interview on 'Fox & Friends' 3/9/2010



The ladies at The View chimed in with their 3 cents. Here we have the usual, "that is a terrible accusation, how could you suggest such a thing" types of statements.  Notice the implication that it's terrible to even think it or suggest it, rather than looking at the evidence and research. Maybe, do some research yourself to find out why so many intelligent professionals, military, etc. are calling for a new independent investigation.

"We hate to disagree with former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, but his conspiracy theories on 9/11 just seem a little, well, out there. Today on 'The View' (weekdays syndicated), Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Barbara Walters criticized Ventura for his assertion that the Bush administration was somehow involved in the 9/11 terror attacks.

"That the government would deliberately kill 3,000 people, to accuse the President of this, because ... he's protecting oil interests, Governor, that's a terrible accusation to make,' Walters said."

It may seem out there to people who've done no research. Merely suggesting that it's offensive to do so is not acceptable. That needs to stop. There is now enough evidence to conclude that a controlled demolition was involved at the Twin Towers and even more suspiciously, Building 7.  Unfortunately, anyone who has researched objectively can clearly see that the controlled demolition evidence is not preposterous at all.  How do they explain that? They don't.  In fact, with evidence of nano-thermite at ground zero, there is more evidence for controlled demolition than the impossible free-fall explanation. But, they don't mention any of that on Fox News.

If you're looking for a more in-depth interview you can listen to his interview with The Young Turks. It's about 20 minutes long.