Cash was king for consumers who shopped over the Thanksgiving weekend, according to survey results released on Sunday, and that factor could have cost retailers additional sales.
Only 26 percent of people who shopped over the weekend said they used credit cards for their purchases, according to a poll conducted for Reuters by America's Research Group.
Scientists under fire in climate change 'cover-up' scandal
November 30th, 2009
A leading British climate scientist has come under pressure to resign over a series of leaked e-mails, which global warming sceptics say point to a mass conspiracy. The scandal erupted after a research server was hacked into, and private e-mails and documents were released, suggesting that scientists may have colluded to prevent the release of climate data.
CONTINENTAL CONGRESS 2009
November 30th, 2009
116 delegates from 48 states set out to review the Government’s violations of fourteen of our Creator-endowed Rights, each of which are guaranteed by the Constitution, and how the Free could put an end to those violations.
With the knowledge that the People have exhausted their administrative and judicial remedies, - i.e., having claimed and exercised their First Amendment Right “to Petition the Government for a Redress of Grievances,” with no legitimate response from either the Judicial, Congressional or Executive branches over the last fourteen years, the delegates met to consider their constitutional remedies.
Climategate: five Aussie MPs lead the way by resigning in disgust over carbon tax
Written by James Delingpole November 30th, 2009
Australia is leading the revolt against Al Gore’s great big AGW conspiracy – just as the Aussie geologist and AGW sceptic Professor Ian Plimer predicted it would.
ABC news reports that five frontbenchers from Australia’s opposition Liberal party have resigned their portfolios rather than follow their leader Malcolm Turnbull in voting with Kevin Rudd’s Government on a new Emissions Trading Scheme.
CIA pulls SWIFT one to get peak at your bank records
November 30th, 2009
European Union governments have given in to the pressure and appear set to make a last-minute agreement with the United States to allow its intelligence agencies to monitor bank accounts and transactions across the bloc.
Actually, the EU has been clandestinely allowing US intelligence agencies to have access to these financial records since 2001, allegedly to fight terrorism.
Scientist jeopardizes career by publishing paper criticizing GM foods
November 30th, 2009
“The Genetic Engineering of Food and the Failure of Science”
Agro-ecologist Don Lotter published a paper titled “The Genetic Engineering of Food and the Failure of Science” in the 2009 edition of the peer-reviewed International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food.
The paper makes a damning case against genetically modified foods, saying the technology is based on obsolete science, that biotechnology companies such as Monsanto have too much influence on government regulators and “public” universities, and that university scientists are ignoring the health and environmental risks of GM crops. Lotter calls the introduction of GM foods the “largest diet experiment in history.”
Britain has built the world's biggest DNA database without proper political debate and police routinely arrest people just to get their DNA profiles onto the system, the genetics watchdog said in a report on Tuesday.
The Human Genetics Commission, which advises the government on the social, legal and ethical aspects of genetics, called for a review of the database and said new laws must be passed to govern its use.
A New Jersey blogger about to stand trial on charges he made death threats against federal judges apparently was paid by the FBI in its battle against domestic terrorism, according to a published report.
The Record of Bergen County reported Sunday that Hal Turner received thousands of dollars from the FBI to report on neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups and was sent undercover to Brazil.
Denmark approves new police powers ahead of Copenhagen
Written by Felicity Carus November 30th, 2009
The Danish parliament today passed legislation which will give police sweeping powers of "pre-emptive" arrest and extend custodial sentences for acts of civil disobedience. The "deeply worrying" law comes ahead of the UN climate talks which start on 7 December and are expected to attract thousands of activists from next week.
CIA used famous magician for his tricks during the Cold War
Written byAlex Spillius November 30th, 2009
John Mulholland was paid the then princely sum of $3,000 for tips on slipping a pill into the drink of the unsuspecting, tying shoelaces to give uncover signals and on the "surreptitious removal of objects by women"
Fortunately for posterity and today's budding spies, the agency's paper shredders were not as thorough in their work. Though it was believed every copy of his report had been destroyed in 1973, one survived and has been turned into a book, The Official CIA Manual of Trickery and Deception.
