Steve Klein Weekly Update

UPDATES ARCHIVE FOR AUGUST 2003

Kleiner's Korner for Week of August 31, 2003

This past week has seen the emergence of downright lies, deceptions, and stonewalling in the Bush Administration, where one might long for the return of Bill Clinton. The surprising aspect to these reports is that most of them were just blips in the news and then gone. I will not let them pass that easily. Astonishing to me is that our country is not demanding full accountability of its leaders and have THAT outrage be the top news story of the day. At the same time, some really wonderful news occurred this week, and those stories too will be covered.

1. Follow-Up: Representative John Conyers (D-MI), ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, requested in March, 2003 that the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General investigate Richard Perle's conduct because the telecommunications giant Global Crossing "hired Perle to help win Pentagon approval for the telecom company's sale. . . . The DOD, responding to Conyers's letter, initiated an investigation, promising its findings by July 11, 2003. So far, Conyers has heard nothing," according to an article in The Nation. Why is this important now? Perle has been demanding fees for television interviews. The Nation reports, "According to the Pentagon, all thirty members of the Defense Policy Board, of which Perle is a member, though unpaid, are considered 'special government employees' (SGE) and are banned from using their public office for private gain." Says Conyers in the article, "From his involvement with Global Crossing to this new information about speaking fees, Perle has only fueled speculation that he may be using his government position for private financial gain." Click Here Note who is "pulling the strings" of George W. Bush in Seattle P-I cartoonist David Horsey's thoughts on this subject: V. P. Cheney, Perle and DoD Undersecretary Wolfowitz. Click Here.

2. While on the subject of Perle and that deception, did you hear about this story? The latest lie to surface about the Iraq war came when a former senior intelligence official in Australia admitted that to justify Australia's participation in the coalition for war with Iraq, that government lied to its people about the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD's). [Ed. Note: This story was on the front page of internet news sites for a few hours and then buried; however, the truth IS unraveling this quagmire. HUM! What next? The Church involved in Iraq WMD's, too?] Click Here The intelligence agent further said the Australian Office of National Assessments "had received detailed intelligence assessments on the US . . . that [stated] the US was intent on invading Iraq for a broad range of reasons. 'Hence the focus on WMD and terrorism is hollow.'"
Click Here.

3. Last week Attorney General John Ashcroft's Justice Department's own "inspector general released a report criticizing the unduly harsh way our government treated many of the 1,200 Muslim and Middle Eastern men who were rounded up and questioned by U.S. authorities in the months following Sept. 11." According to CBS News' 60 Minutes, they were detained, jailed, not permitted counsel or contact AND charged with -- no-thing, which is in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Click Here When the report was released to Senate Judiciary Committee's oversight hearing, Attorney General John Ashcroft curiously did not attend. Click Here.

4. The General Accounting Office (GAO), the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress, issued a scathing report this week stating that an energy task force, led by Vice President Cheney, relied on outside advice primarily from "petroleum, coal, nuclear, natural gas, electricity industry representatives and lobbyists," and sought limited "input from academic experts, environmentalists and policy groups." The report says that Vice President Cheney stymied the GAO investigation by refusing to turn over key documents. [Ed. Note: That's no surprise to readers of this weekly update.] Representative John Dingell (D-MI), senior democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee: "This report is a sad chronicle of the efforts of the office of the vice president to hide its activities from the American people." Click Here The Washington Post reported that "the [energy] task force was one of Bush's highest priorities after his inauguration and was launched on his 10th day in office."
Click Here.

5. Have you heard the latest in Bush Administration deceptions? Newsday carried a story that "the White House instructed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to give the public misleading information and tell New Yorkers the air was safe to breathe [in the aftermath of 9/11], when reliable air quality information was unavailable." Officials knew the air was laden with a toxic soup of asbestos, crushed concrete/glass, PCBs, dioxins, lead, and cadmium. Click Here And, on August 26, Senator Hillary Clinton and dozens of New York City and state officials demanded an explanation from the White House. Pointedly addressing the White House's instructions that the EPA issue misleading information, Sen. Clinton said: "They knew and they were going to tell us the truth and the White House told them not to tell us the truth." Click Here This week the Bush Administration rolled back Clean Air Act provisions for thousands of the dirtiest coal-fired plants and refineries, allowing them to upgrade their facilities without reducing emissions or installing the latest anti-pollution equipment. [See number 4 and you will get an idea why.]
Click Here.

6. Did you know that the $60 billion spent for Iraq combat operations and the current $4 billion per month for our 150,000 troops to remain in Iraq is not even in the Bush Budget for 2003 or 2004? This was pointed out August 24, 2003 by Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) on NBC News’ Meet the Press. Click Here This week the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency, forecast a deficit of $480 billion for 2004 and some members of congress say it could go higher (This does not include Iraq costs). If true, this will be a record for the USA. The CBO reports the U.S. has gone from the largest surplus in its history to the largest deficit in its history, in just 2 years. Click Here And: Click Here President Bush is on target to be the first President since Herbert Hoover [in the early 1930's] to have negative jobs growth all four years of his term. Click Here And, there have now been more troops killed in Iraq since combat was declared over on May 1st than were killed during the entire combat phase. Click Here On the same day as the CBO's budget deficit announcement, L. Paul Bremer, U.S. occupation coordinator in Iraq, stated that Iraq will need 10's of billion of dollars to repair its economy and infrastructure and that American taxpayers will be asked to contribute a substantial amount. He said the economic needs are, "almost impossible to exaggerate." Click Here.

7. The news resulting from the blackout is that our electric grid and associated infrastructure is decidedly antiquated and needs billions in improvements. Prior to the blackout, red flags had been raised that the status of our nation's bridges and roadways are also in critical condition. Click Here Here is the full report on our nation's bridges and roads from The Road Information Program (TRIP). Click Here A report issued this week says the electric grid needs a $50-$100 billion upgrade. Where will that money come from? Consumers. Click Here.

8. The issue of all-time record high national gasoline prices is in the top of the news. Here's the local "spin" on that story, with a report from Washington State's Attorney General. Click Here However that said, San Francisco based CorpWatch, an organization saying in its mission statement that it "counters corporate-led globalization through education, network-building and activism," posted a report on how BP, Shell and Chevron oil were awarded oil contracts in Iraq. This is very eye-opening research. Click Here CorpWatch's homepage: Click Here.

9. There are stories of benefit to humanity, rather than those of deception, lies, and enslavement. Follow-up: "The truth behind taxes" told in a court-banned book by Irwin Schiff, took on new meaning when a FedEx pilot asked the IRS to prove where she had to pay taxes, was taken to court for non-payment while awaiting an answer from the IRS, and a jury acquitted her because the IRS had not shown her where in the law it says she had to pay. This has been highly publicized in the alternative press; however, I am listing the Washington Post story on this one.
Click Here Irwin Schiff's site. Click Here .

10. As noted before, the 2003 blackout is having a positive "bounce" on alternative fuel sources. And fuel cells are being looked at more closely. Click Here A fuel cell emergency generator has been unveiled. Click Here Wind Energy is taking off at a brisk pace. Click Here And, Ballard Power Systems, Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia unveiled a new fuel cell generator, designed for emergency backup applications. Click Here.

11. Here is the latest Hubble Telescope Picture of Mars, which was at its closest to Earth this week. Click Here And this is a fabulous picture of the center of the Omega Nebula.
Click Here.

12. The first phase of the Tacoma Link Light Rail system of Sound Transit debuted this past week. The first streetcar to run in Tacoma since 1938, its part of the first operational light rail system in Western Washington. Click Here Sound Transit posts its schedule/fare and site information here. Click Here.

13. Mike May has been on all of the morning news shows this week. He regained his sight after 40 years after an accident at the age of 3 left him blind. How did he do it, you may ask? He was given a stem cell transplant. [Ed. Note: And the Church and the Bush administration want this work stymied! HUM.]. Click Here The BBC will have a documentary on Mike May, September 26, 2003. Click Here.

14. While much of Europe has endured a major heat wave and drought, Seattle broke its own weather record on August 26, 2003 when it registered the 50th consecutive day of temperatures 70 degrees (22 C) or higher. The previous all-time record was 49 straight 70+ degree days set in 1958. And the forecast is for 70 degrees or higher in Seattle for the next 15 days, at least. Click Here Further to Europe's weather, receding Danube River waters are revealing WW II relics and Nazi regime war material long forgotten, as the river has fallen in some places to their lowest levels in 100 years, due to the heat and drought. In Romania, the Danube had its lowest flow of any August since record keeping began in 1840. Click Here.

15. If you use the computer a lot, you may want to take The Hand-Eye Coordination Test. Click Here.

Quote of the Week: "If you enjoy the process, it's your dream.... If you are enduring the process, just desperate for the result, it's somebody else's dream." Salma Hayek, in her interview with Oprah Winfrey, "O, The Oprah Magazine" September, 2003, pg 220. Kleiner's Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2003. All archived Updates now at www.srklein.com After clicking "Weekly Updates," click on the month you desire. Send comments to srklein@ywave.com

Kleiner's Korner for Week of August 25, 2003

The Blackout of 2003 is having a wonderful side effect -- alternative energy firms are being looked at by investors and consumers. Investor Warren Buffet and financial managers of funds devoted to renewable sources started betting on alternative energy long before the blackout. [Ed. Note: It's good to see that wind power and other renewable energy sources mentioned here for years are getting national press.] link here Some businesses are taking things into their own hands and building their own off-the-grid power plants because of blackouts and power price spikes. link here

1. The blackout has reminded this country how dependent it is on infrastructure sources for modern comforts and safety. MSNBC ran an article outlining how to prepare you and your family for this and other disasters, using information from Dr. Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. This is a good reminder not to become complacent. Click Here Columbia University's disaster preparedness link: Click Here.

2. Odyssey Marine Exploration, a publicly traded ocean archaeological firm, announced last week it has discovered the stern wheeler S. S. Republic, which sank in waters off the Georgia coast in 1865. On a voyage from New York to New Orleans, it was laden with $465,000 in gold coins, estimated to be worth between $120 and $180 million today. Click Here.

3. Environmentalists are hopeful a new culvert system being tested at the Skookumchuck Hatchery in Tenino, WA will boost the survival odds of spawning salmon. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory announced the study August 11th and outlined the problems with existing culvert systems.
Click Here.

4. Follow-up: Regarding the story about U.S. Navy sonar being implicated in whale deaths, the San Francisco Chronicle reports that "Congress is now locked in debate over whether to exempt the Department of Defense from critical wildlife and environmental laws." Meaning? The U.S. Navy's sonar would be permitted to be used, even if it is determined as the cause of the whale deaths. [Ed. Note: If passed, it's another coup for the Bush Administration as it throws a "finger" at protecting the environment, to put it mildly!] Click Here Further, National Geographic is reporting that certain beached whales have one thing in common, a heart disease akin to whales' other mammal cousin, humans. Click Here And this week, whale deaths are puzzling scientists on the East Coast.
Click Here.

5. Follow-up: Sir Robert Jones books, "I Beat Dyslexia" and "The Truth Behind Racism," are now carried by Amazon.com and Borders. Sir Robert's "The Truth Behind Racism" is so new that there are no posted reviews for it yet on the Amazon site. He has requested that anyone wishing to do so after reading the book, click on the Amazon link below and post a review. [Ed. Note: I was so moved by this landmark work that I did so. My review is under review for posting.] Click Here These books are also available at RSE at The Outback. Click Here And, of course they are available though Sir Robert's own website.
Click Here.

6. Follow-up: Among numerous stories on ocean pollution, here's one about the currents beaching "unbelievable" trash on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands' shores. This is not a pretty picture from a so-called modern society. Click Here.

7. Follow-up: Concerning pre-emptive smallpox vaccinations, a committee of the Institute of Medicine, an independent agency that advises the government on health policy, has warned that offering smallpox vaccinations to the general public could be "dangerous and unethical." Click Here Here is the letter from the Institute of Medicine to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on smallpox vaccinations. Click Here.

8. Follow-up: The book "Fast Food Nation" condemned the slaughterhouse practices of animals whose meat ends up in your fast food restaurants. Now, food sellers are pushing for animal welfare, and McDonald's used its size and clout to require audits of meat producers. Click Here Temple Grandin, an animal-behavior expert is helping packing plants lead cattle, sheep, pigs & chickens to slaughter more humanely. In 1999 McDonald's adopted her auditing system. Grandin has autism and describes the methods she documented for her system in her book, "Thinking in Pictures." Click Here.

9. A small meteorite that fell on this area in May was reported by Seattle's ABC affiliate KOMO-TV this past week. HUM! [Ed. Note: As has been stated, better be careful what may fall on you; it will potentially shift your timelines.]
Click Here.

10. Follow-up: Last week there were stories about the Pentagon keeping 150,000 troops in Iraq for many years. Now the very same Pentagon wants to cut the pay of those troops, "who already are contending with guerrilla-style attacks, homesickness and 120-degree-plus heat. . . . The Defense Department says its budget can't sustain the higher payments amid a host of other priorities." [Ed. Note: Another blow from Mr. Rumsfeld and company! And Paul Harvey,in his August 15 commentary, has wondered why we are spending $4 billion per month on fixing Iraq's electric grid when our own could use some work.] Click Here And Seattle P-I cartoonist David Horsey had the best editorial comment on this issue in his August 17th cartoon titled "Letter from Home...." Click Here.

11. Follow-up: We've already heard of cars that run on alternative energy sources such as electricity or hydrogen. Now University of Washington researchers are developing a car that runs on air, actually nitrogen gas, which makes up 78% of the atmosphere. Click Here .

12. The only thing Linda Hope, 64, says her father really wanted to do was to live to be 100. His English grandfather had lived to be a month or two shy of that. Bob Hope would often say, "I'm going to beat my grandfather." He got his wish when he passed away two months after his May 29th centennial. [Ed. Note: On his 90th birthday, Hope's friend George Burns booked to play London's Palladium for his 100th and died just after his 100th. They dreamed the dream of 100 years and not beyond that; so there, this life ended for them. Lesson to learn from this: dream a life you desire beyond 100 years.] Click Here.

13. Salma Hayek has been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey for the September, 2003 issue of her "O, The Oprah Magazine." Oprah says, "I've interviewed hundreds of people over the years, and never has a conversation resonated so strongly with me. I felt an instant connection with Salma Hayek, and knew right away that she is one of the most passionate and unforgettable young women I've ever met. She is a woman set on defining herself." [Ed. Note: This is a terrific interview!]: Click Here.

14. Follow-up: The unusual heat wave is continuing throughout Europe, with France recording over 10,000 deaths just in the first three weeks of August. Click Here In Italy deaths from the heat are at such high levels, priests in Genoa have authorized funerals on Sundays, a very extraordinary step. Click Here There is always a silver lining out of everything. Wine producers are among the few people in France who are pleased with the heat, predicting a grand vintage for 2003 when they reap their grape harvests. Click Here While this nation and Europe broils under extreme summer temperatures, the Great Pacific Northwest is enjoying dry days and low humidity with temperatures in the upper 70's and 80's. .

16. Following August 11's dolphin stress test, along comes a report that whales, like all mammals, have flatulence. Scientists have been investigating. Check out the picture in this story. Click Here
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16. Following August 11's dolphin stress test, along comes a report that whales, like all mammals, have flatulence. Scientists have been investigating. Check out the picture in this story. Click Here.

Quote of the Week: "It is most difficult to abstain, when nothing hinders." Buddha All archived Updates now at www.srklein.com After clicking "Weekly Updates," click on the month you desire. Send comments to srklein@ywave.com

Kleiner's Korner for Week of August 18, 2003

Even though the biggest story of this past week continues to be the "blackout" in the Midwest & Northeast, I am going to let the "dust settle" on this story as the rumors, accusations and downright inaccurate reporting does not contribute to a balanced observation. That said, there are other very important stories that got buried because of this, as oulined below. One bright spot from the Judicial Branch of government occurred on August 9th when U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy had the vision to call on Congress to end mandatory minimum sentences that jam U.S. prisons, which now house over 2 million inmates, about 1 out of every 143 persons. Kennedy said the rate is 1 in 1,000 in England, France, Italy and Germany. Justices have been neutered in their decision making capability by mandatory sentences, which create a prison population with no hope. Justices and citizens are in effect stymied and breached in this Constitutional Republic. [Ed. Note: Mandatory minimum sentences are placing people in jails for 25 years for 3 petty theft type violations, at a cost of $30,000-$100,000 a year.] The judicial system needs to have its hands unstrung. Let's hope his call prevails. link here

1. What do we do now???? The U.S. has 150,000 troops in Iraq because of the potential of WMD's. Now press reports are emerging that say Iran WILL HAVE the capability for nuclear weapons in a couple of years and that Iran must be stopped. HUM. Click Here Further, on August 8 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld confirmed a Newsday report about "a secret meeting between Pentagon officials and an Iranian arms dealer in 2001 but said the exchange 'went nowhere.'" And a senior Defense official also confirmed on the same day that there was "a second exchange in June between a Pentagon official and the arms dealer, Manucher Ghorbanifar, a central figure in the Iranian arms-for-hostages affair. But the official said it was an 'unscheduled, unplanned' encounter in Paris, unrelated to the original meeting." Click Here [Ed. Note: HUM! Seems like I remember another Pentagon associate from the Defense Policy Board attending a meeting in Paris prior to the Iraq war.]
Click Here.

2. And speaking of Rumsfeld and his Defense Policy Board, their colleague, former CIA Director John Deutch gave Congressional testimony on July 24th saying "that failure to find any WMD's in Iraq would represent 'an intelligence failure ... of massive proportions.' It means that ... leaders of the American public based (their) support for the most serious foreign policy judgments - the decision to go to war - on an incorrect intelligence judgment," he said. According to a press report, "The impact ... would be felt 'the next time military intervention is judged necessary to combat the spread of weapons of mass destruction - for example in North Korea - there will be skepticism about the quality of our intelligence.'" This is a HUGE statement, and it's from a friend of Hillman, Kissinger, Perle, et al:
Click Here.

3. Thanks go to Richard Perle for continuing to supply fodder to the media, this time with his comments while in Moscow that U.S. troops would not leave Iraq while Saddam supporters remain [Ed. Note: the cost of 150,000 troops occupying a foreign country is reportedly $4 billion a month] . He had some other concerns about Russian Premier Putin's shutdown of independent media outlets, but later toned down his remarks. Click Here A "Truthout" editorial by William Rivers Pitt looks further into this issue and quotes Perle's Moscow statements: "Richard Perle, one of the chief architects of the war, was asked this past Tuesday [July 22] about those missing [WMD] weapons. 'We don't know where to look for them and we never did know where to look for them,' he said. This statement flies in the face of comments made by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld during the war, who claimed to know exactly where these weapons were deployed, and that they were ready for use against American troops at a moment’s notice. 'I hope this will take less than 200 years,' Perle then joked." Click Here [Ed. Note: And remember Perle, Kissinger, Hillman, et al, receive special intelligence briefings at the Pentagon. HUM!] Also: Scott Ritter, former UN weapons inspector in Iraq, has written a book titled "Frontier Justice: Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Bushwhacking of America," where he gives an analysis of Iraq's WMD's and the Bush administration's misrepresentation of their threat and/or existence. Love or hate Ritter, he was in the position to know what was there, and he has been the only one correct, so far. He has called on the impeachment of President Bush for these deceptions. Click Here.

4. Anyone doubting global warming should examine all of the temperature records falling around the globe, particularly in Europe this summer. On August 10, 2003, Britain's all time highest ever recorded temperature registered 100.2 (37.9C) at London's Heathrow Airport. Click Here The global warming debate continues with a well-reported story here. Click Here Further, records for heat are falling all over Europe, and the hot weather is causing a quandary for France's nuclear power industry as detailed in this article, even though the weather has returned to more normal temperatures on August 16th.
Click Here.

5. Scientists in charge of the Cascades Volcano Observatory, a U.S. Geological Survey center that monitors volcanoes from California to Alaska, and volcanologists have determined that Mt. Rainier is far more unstable than previously thought. And they have persuaded local emergency management officials to launch an early warning system and a major public awareness campaign. Click Here.

6. Follow-up: Torsion fields are a very powerful force in physics and very visible in Mother Nature through the dynamics of tornadoes, with their spin, wrenching and twisting forces all interacting. The Theodynamics institute has a fabulous website that very simply lays out this process in detail. [Ed. Note: I do not agree with many things on this website, however, there are instructive details regarding torsion fields. Reader, be so advised!] Click Here.

7. The FBI is warning that the nation's food supply could be easily contaminated and used as a target against Americans. It's a wise choice to have food you grow yourself. Click Here This threat is also being taken seriously by our neighbor Canada. Click Here.

8. Own a champion race horse you might like cloned to continue with the winning ways? Italian scientists have announced that they have successfully cloned the first horse, raising that to a possibility. They beat out a Texas A & M team awaiting the birth of their cloned horse.
Click Here.

9. Scientists have hooked up 50,000 rat brain cells in a petri dish in Atlanta to a robot drawing arm in Australia using an internet real time connection. When the "brain" is stimulated with information, it transfers images which the robot arm in Australia reproduces on paper. The link contains 4 links to related studies. Click Here.

10. Further research on the brain has resulted in a team of international scientists mapping the brain to create an "atlas" of an "average brain" to learn more about which areas of the brain control specific functions. Note: click on the cross-section of the brain for 7 fascinating pictures of brain maps. Click Here.

11. Approaching the eve of a Labor Day visit to Alaska, I find Molly Ivins observations about the destruction and irreverence to this great land's ecology and natives to be "bang on." One of the last unspoiled reaches of this great nation is under assault, and this article is worth your time in reading. Click Here.

12. Neale Donald Walsch, author of the best-selling book series "Conversations with God," is one of 3 collaborators on a movie shooting this month in Oregon about Indigo children, those psychic and gifted children being born into the world right now. You can check up on the movie, its progress and the story on their website. The release time for the movie is early 2004. Click Here.

13. A University of Washington oceanographer worked on a new study in which "researchers speculate that a towering undersea hot-water chimney laden with microbes is just the sort of place that might have spawned life on Earth or even other planets. The hydrothermal vent system discovered two years ago has now been found to have endured for 30,000 years. Researchers said similar setups — on Earth and possibly on other worlds — might last millions of years and could have been incubators for the first life." Click Here And recently a smoking volcano has been discovered in the Indian Ocean, 3,000 meters below the surface. Click Here.

14. Follow-up: Last year I mentioned my trip to Sun Valley, Idaho. After landing at the Sun Valley Airport, on Horizon Air's prop-jet nonstop from Seattle, I counted no fewer than 100 private jets at this little airstrip. After further research, I noted that the world's elite in the media business go there every summer for an annual pow-wow to plan strategies, talk mergers and conduct other business deals. The following two sites sum up interesting perspectives. (A) Forbes Magazine ran an article on why Sun Valley was selected in 1936 by W. Averell Harriman. Click Here (B) Here is an American Free Press article on what this annual meeting is all about.
Click Here.

Correction to 8/11/03 Kleiner's Korner, where number 2 should have read: To refresh your Watergate memory, the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg was burglarized by a team authorized by President Nixon..

Quote of the Week: "We must learn to live together as brothers, or perish together as fools." Martin Luther King, Jr. From a speech given in St. Louis, Mo. March 22, 1964 published in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch March 23, 1964. All archived Updates now at www.srklein.com After clicking "Weekly Updates," click on the month you desire. Send comments to srklein@ywave.com Kleiner's Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2003

Kleiner's Korner for Week of August 11, 2003

The Weekly Update is in the process of a face lift and name change. In the coming weeks you will see many changes to the website, where these Updates are archived: www.srklein.com/updates. The most noticeable transition is the Update will now be called "Kleiner's Korner." Although these changes are cosmetic, my one tenet will remain: to offer brief explanations and supporting links to stories on geopolitical, economic, scientific, quantum physics, and environmental topics, all tossed with a dash of humor. Enjoy!

1. The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), headquartered in New York, filed a motion in federal court on August 5, 2003 arguing that a section of the federal Patriot Act is unconstitutionally vague and should be struck down. At issue is the section which makes it illegal to provide "expert advice and assistance" to groups with alleged links to terrorists. Click Here Further, the "We The People" Group is filing a lawsuit called "We The People vs. The U. S. Government" to restore constitutional order. Here is the announcement of their class action lawsuit. You can read their entire article by clicking on "We The People vs. The U. S. Government." Click Here.

2. America's Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) airs a program called "Watergate-Plus 30," a review of this watershed event in U.S. history. This program was mentioned on the Dave Ross Radio Show in Seattle when a caller recently noted that Watergate would not happen today because the Patriot Act allows the government to do searches of your home or office without you being present., the so-called "sneak and peak" section. To refresh your Watergate memory, the office of psychiatrist Daniel Ellsberg was burglarized by a team authorized by President Nixon. The ensuing cover-up of this operation led to Nixon's impeachment and resignation. On Monday, August 4, 2003 in his monologue on NBC's The Tonight Show, Jay Leno said, "As you may have heard, the U.S. is putting together a constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? Think about it.... It was written by very smart people, it's served us well for over two hundred years, and besides, we're not using it anymore." His comment was aimed at the U.S. Patriot Act and its subversion of the U.S.'s constitution. The PBS Show transcript: Click Here The monologue link listed below has Jay Leno's latest monologues, from which this quote was taken on August 5. They are not archived. This link is placed merely as the source. Click Here The USA Patriot Act (USAPA): Click Here An analysis of the USAPA: Click HereThe U.S. House of Representatives would like to eliminate the "sneak and peek" provision of the USAPA, which gives the government authority to search homes of suspected terrorists [Ed. Note: that could be you for any number of reasons!] without prior notice being given to the suspect. The Bush Administration's Justice Dept. is attempting to block the House vote to eliminate this. HUM!:
Click Here.

3. Leave it to Dave Ross of Seattle's KIRO 710 news radio station to sum up most of my thoughts about the largest U.S. deficit in history, announced this past week at $485 billion. His commentary is broadcast nationally on CBS radio. Click Here This is the direct link to the MP3 file of his budget deficit commentary, which aired July 17th, 2003: Click Here.

4. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has reported that farm raised salmon, which Americans are consuming because of supposed health benefits, may actually be carrying high levels of cancer-causing chemicals called PCB's. They recommend eating wild salmon out of rivers and streams because these may actually be healthier, for the time being. Where have we heard that before? And, one added point, fish from cold northern ocean waters or far north streams are best, since these waters have not been contaminated. Click Here Mercury levels in large fish from warm waters are thought also to contribute to health problems. In November 2002 Dr. Jane Hightower's study of patients with "symptoms associated with low-level mercury poisoning, including hair loss, fatigue, depression, difficulty concentrating and headaches" was published in an online journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Services, part of the National Institutes of Health. The following link is a repeat from the archived November 13, 2002 Update #9:
Click Here.

5. On August 27 the red planet Mars will be closer to Earth than at any time in recorded history. Although it will be 34,649,589 miles away, it will outshine everything else in the night sky, except the moon. Mars will not twinkle like stars and will be visible a couple of hours after sunset in the southeastern portion of the sky, beginning the 1st of August and becoming the brightest on the 27th. Here is an article from Discover Magazine giving all the details. Click Here .

6. Follow-up: In the July 21st Update there was an article about Oxford geneticist and author Bryan Sikes who says there is no genetic basis for ANY ethnic or racial classification. Now there's a landmark book out, "The Truth Behind Racism" by Sir Robert Jones, in which he says race is a "program" and people are taught to be divided because of skin color. This book's title says it all as Sir Robert unmasks with uncommon candor and bravery a subject that is still an undercurrent in a supposedly modern society. [Ed. Note: I applaud this manuscript!] Get yours at RSE at The Outback or online from Sir Robert’s site. Click Here.

7. For those of you living in Western Washington, yes, July was one of the driest on record. Click Here And a very dry June meant less than 1/2 inch total of precipitation for the last two months. Click Here Also this area recorded 3 days in a row with plus 90 (34+ C.) degree temperatures, a rarity. Monday, July 28 hit 92 at Olympia Regional Airport. Click Here Tuesday, July 29 the temperature reached 96. Click Here Wednesday, July 30 it reached 95, just 2 degrees shy of a record.
Click Here.

8. The Nisqually Valley News has reported that Northwest Trek, our local animal park, has had record births this year including 6 big horn lambs, 7 bison calves, 3 elk calves, 2 mountain goat kids, and four trumpeter swan cygnets. The animals run wild and the public visits the park by tram. A summer afternoon visit to the Trek makes for an enjoyable day. Take highway 702 toward Eatonville; cross Highway 7 at the 2-way stop and flashing light; just after you cross highway 7, stay straight onto 352nd Street and go to highway 161, then turn right to the Trek. Click Here.

9. Follow-up: In late 2001 when American Airline's acquired the assets of near-bankrupt TWA, I said my theory was that American would eventually decide to dismantle TWA's St. Louis hub to reduce costs and eliminate competition for its own mid-continent hubs, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Chicago-O'Hare, if American's fortunes were to fall. That has now happened. AA announced in July that it will indeed eliminate STL as a hub, reducing flights at the 11th largest U.S. airport by half, effective November 1st. This will leave only 2 flights from Sea-Tac, the lowest number since Eastern Airlines [Ed. Note: My former employer] inaugurated service on the route in 1967. St. Louis calls itself the "Gateway to the West." It was a huge rail hub from the late 1800's until airlines dominated travel in the 1960's with the introduction of the jet age, when its airport was a logical midway point on many transcontinental routes. St. Louis's Lambert Int'l Airport has recently embarked on a massive runway construction project which will continue, however it will freeze all other terminal capital expenditures. This shows what can happen when one airline dominates an airport. Click Here And: Click Here And: Click Here.

10. Thurston County, WA has announced some major up-coming road construction projects which include the intersection upgrades at Vail Road and 148th, widening Reservation Rd. between Old Pacific Hwy. and the BNSF railroad bridge, plus several resurfacing projects. Check with this site for details in your area. Click Here Further, several projects are in the design phase in the Yelm area including widening Bald Hills Road from 5 Corners to the Harris Road RR tracks; Bald Hills Road from 4 Corners to Smith Prairie Road; and Vail Road from 138th to 4 Corners. Click Here.

11. For those of you coming to the Great Northwest for Fall, 2003 RSE Events, please note that Southwest Airlines has initiated a Fall Internet Sale with transcontinental fares as low $99 each way plus tax, for travel though January, 2004 if ticketed by August 28th. Check your favorite airline to see if they matched these fares. Click Here.

12. As a follow-up to last week's dolphin "stress test," if that did not help to relieve your stress and bring a smile to your face, try this: Click Here.

13. From The Children's School of Excellence (CSE) Board of Directors, comes this note: “CSE has overcome many hurdles in the past few years and is now on the verge of potentially becoming a great private school that incorporates the teachings of Ramtha. The new board is undertaking many endeavors to become a sovereign self-sustaining enterprise, including applying for many of the thousands of grants available, selling popcorn at the events (we are talking real butter!) and greater fiscal, administrative and scholastic controls. In order to reach the level of scholastic excellence we desire for our children, we are asking our community for their assistance in supporting CSE financially, so that we can create academic programs that rival the best in the country. This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to give - a basic need we all innately share - and to put into action their commitment to confirming their own "fabulous wealth". Our children offer us 'hope' and are the up-in-coming generation which will carry forward the truth of these teachings to the world naturally. They are ALL of our children and we can all contribute a little that will amount to a lot! CSE is asking for donations of $25, $50, $75, $100/month (tax deductible) or more if you are able, and they will charge your credit card. If you have neither and you would love to give, you can make a yearly lump sum payment as well. Even $10/month would go a long way to assist. Together, CSE and our community can provide the necessary funds to create a budget that allows this precious school to flourish and make us all proud. Please email CSE at CSEinfo@ywave.com or call 1-360-446-1100. Thank you for your consideration & contributions, CSE Board of Directors.” Their site is: Click Here.

Quote of the Week: "You may fool all of the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can't fool all of the people all the time." In A. McClure "Lincoln's Yarns and Stories" (1904). Also attributed to circus leader P. T. Barnum. All archived Updates now at www.srklein.com After clicking "Weekly Updates," click on the month you desire. Send comments to srklein@ywave.com Kleiner's Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2003

Update for Week of August 4, 2003

In a tape released Sunday, August 3rd top Al-Qaida official Ayman-al-Zawahri states that if the U.S. harms or kills (as a result from military tribunals there) any of the Guantanamo Bay detainees "what you (U.S.) have suffered until now is only the initial skirmishes. The real battle has not started yet." Although the threat level has not as of this writing been increased, there have been all sorts of pronouncements from government branches in the last week about possible attacks on U.S. soil. Whenever you travel more than a few miles from home, have alternative plans to return since air flights, ferry and land routes could be disrupted. link here And, U.S. law enforcement officials are saying they are preparing for another possible Al-Qaida attack. link here

1. Follow-up: Concerning the subject of electricity generated by wind power, as part of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's efforts to confront global warming, "the government wants to build huge offshore wind farms that would help that nation meet a goal of getting 10% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010...." Click Here.

2. Aussie Shaun Murphy and his "Eco Trekker" vehicle have arrived in the States, and he kicked off a 30 state tour on July 15th with an appearance on NBC's "Today" show. He's traveling by green powered "e-mobiles" which use no fossil fuels, only wind power, solar energy, geothermal electricity, bio-fuels, mini-hydro power, and "any other renewable energy the American people can help him with." Using entertainment along the way of the 8 month journey, his purpose is to provide the public with ecological knowledge on how "to create a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle." Click Here Videos will follow the trek route across the U.S. The route passes through Thurston County, WA. this week. Click Here.

3. And, thirty solar powered cars hit the road for a 10 day July event called the American Solar Powered Challenge, traveling down America's famous Route 66. Termed "the world's longest Sun-fuelled race," the cars covered nearly 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) from Chicago, Illinois, to Claremont, California. Click Here And: Click Here.

4. The journal Nature has reported that "food researchers have found a compound that enhances salty, sweet and savoury tastes. The chemical is the first known to heighten more than one type of flavour." It is claimed this is the first chemical to heighten multiple tastes, and that it "could aid the quest for foods with reduced levels of salt, sugar and monosodium glutamate (MSG)." Click Here.

5. Follow-up: Continuing with the Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Perle, etc. chicanery -- in response to the U.S. government's deck of cards called "Iraq's Most Wanted," a California high school teacher is selling her own special deck of playing cards called, "Operation Hidden Agenda." This deck pictures our government officials and their cronies and contains public quotes relating to the rationale for the Iraq war. Click Here Order your own deck here [Ed. Note: Of course I did!]. Click Here.

6. Continental Airlines reported in July that it is deferring delivery until 2008 for most of the Boeing jets it committed to purchase. This portends a rough road for the major airlines as well as WA State's largest private employer Boeing. These deferrals would drive down 757 production levels to one a month. Click Here And, without more 757 orders, Boeing says it may have to close this production line in 2005. Click Here Further, Boeing is going to revamp its 777 assembly line with the goal of reducing production time by half. Click Here.

7. Follow-up: Orca researchers around WA State's San Juan Islands are concerned that U.S. Navy sonar may be killing porpoises in Puget Sound's waters. Click Here The National Marine Fisheries Service announced it soon expects to conduct tests on about a dozen dead harbor porpoises who had internal bleeding that may have been caused by the Navy's Sonar blast in May, 2003. The Orca Network website contains lots of information about this issue. Click Here.

8. Follow-up: On several occasions in the last 8 months, I have mentioned that deflation [falling prices] is the most dangerous aspect to this economy. Now, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has mentioned the "D" word in his semi-annual testimony to the U.S. Congress's Senate banking committee. "The Fed chairman has been upbeat on prospects for the American economy but has signaled that authorities remain alert to deflation," according to this report. Click Here.

8. From last month's journal of Nature, "Mice with transplanted wombs have given birth to healthy pups -- the first time that live offspring have been produced from a surgically implanted uterus. Researchers hope the technique will benefit women who currently cannot bear children because their wombs are damaged or missing." Click Here.

10. Ralph Nader was interviewed recently and praised some corporations that are aggressive in being good stewards of the planet. One he mentioned was Interface, Inc. of Georgia. According to their website, "Interface is the largest commercial carpet manufacturer in the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, Interface has been in manufacturing for 25 years making a diverse selection of products and services for commercial interiors that includes floor coverings, interior fabrics, architectural products, specialty chemicals and more." Nader pointed to this firm as a leader in industrial ecology. The company says its goal is to be "the world's first environmentally restorative company by 2020." Click Here.

11. Follow-up: Recently a story was linked here about RFID (radio frequency ID) tags on items now being carried in Walmart stores, tags which track the merchandise inside & outside the store, a privacy concern for many. Now a group called Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy and Invasion Numbering (C. A. S. P. I. A. N.) has been formed to bring to the attention of the American shopper the "club card" marketing scheme by supermarkets and other stores. Club cards allow a store to collect buying information from purchasers in exchange for price discounts on products. Click Here C.A.S.P.I.A.N.'s website also contains their information on RFID tag. Click Here.

12. In this world filled with a barrage of potential stress related circumstances, here is a fabulous website that tests whether your life is filled with too stress, which could suggest that you should slowdown. Check out your stress quotient. Click Here.

Quote of the Week: "An ounce of wisdom is worth a pound of wit." John Adams, Second President of the United States, 1797-1801 All archived Updates now at www.srklein.com After clicking "Weekly Updates," click on the month you desire. Send comments to srklein@ywave.com