Puppet MastersS


Megaphone

Marine Le Pen criticizes Europe and says that Europe shows Russia in bad light to please Washington

Marine Le Pen
© East NewsMarine Le Pen
Europe bears responsibility for what's happening in Ukraine, leader of France's National Front party Marine Le Pen said in an interview with Germany's Spiegel weekly on Sunday.

She said she supported the idea of federalization for Ukraine and accused the European Union of "pouring fuel on the fire" by offering partnership to a country half of whose population is looking eastward.

Europe is showing Russia in a bad light in order to please the United States, but instead of taking its cue from Washington, Europe should have its own opinion, Marine Le Pen remarked.

The Americans are seeking to expand their sphere of influence globally, especially in Europe, guided by their own interests, "not ours," National Front leader said.

Marine Le Pen praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for "not allowing other countries to impose decisions on him" and for defending the "interests of Russia and the Russians".

On May 25, Le Pen-led National Front, a fierce critic of the EU, won the majority of votes in the French election to the European Parliament, outdoing both the conservative Union for a Popular Movement and the ruling Socialists.

In her interview with Spiegel, Marine Le Pen called the EU an "anti-democratic monster".

Arrow Down

GM crops: organic farmer loses court case over alleged contamination

Genetically modified canola
© Greenpeace/AAPGenetically modified canola has been a bone of contention between farmers.
Farmer had claimed that genetically modified canola had drifted onto his property, losing him his certification


An organic farmer has lost a landmark court case against a neighbour who grew genetically modified food.

Steve Marsh was suing his neighbour and former friend Michael Baxter for $85,000 after claiming that GM canola drifted onto his oats, rye and sheep farm at Kojonup, 260km south-east of Perth.

As well as financial compensation, Marsh wanted Western Australia's supreme court to issue a permanent injunction banning Baxter from planting GM crops.

But Justice Kenneth Martin came down on the side of Baxter when he delivered his judgment on Wednesday.

In his 150-page judgment summary, Justice Martin said there had been no unreasonable interference with Marsh's crops and that he had only claimed for financial loss. Marsh said he lost almost 70% of his farm after his organic certification was withdrawn.

"They did not claim to have suffered any physical damage or injury to themselves, to their animals or to their land at Eagle Rest," the judgment said.

An 11-day hearing in February was told that Roundup Ready (RR) canola swathes by US company Monsanto, were harmless to animals, people and land even if consumed.

"GM canola only posed a risk of transferring genetic material if a canola seed germinated in the Eagles Rest soil ... and then later cross-fertilised through its pollen being exchanged with another compatible species," Justice Martin said.

"There was no evidence at the trial of any genetic transference risks posed by the RR canola swathes blown into Eagle Rest at the end of 2010. The Marshes had never grown canola upon Eagle Rest."

Sherlock

Analysis of Kremlin policy in Ukraine: Why there is no Russian military intervention in NATO's scheme

Putin binoculars
© AP
Translation of the "must read" article of worldcrisis.ru explaining why there is no Russian intervention in the Ukraine It is with an immense and heartfelt THANK YOU! to "BM" for his translation that I have the real privilege to share with you this translation into English of the excellent article of worldcrisis.ru I mentioned in my previous post. This is, in my opinion, the most complete and well-written analysis of the apparent Russian "passivity" and we all owe "BM" a big debt of gratitude for making it available to us on such short notice. I especially encourage you all to circulate this translation as it is by far the best explanation of the Kremlin's policy.

The Saker

PS: I was also sent a link to this article with an interesting description of the condition of the Ukrainian army. Also a must-read, imho.
Why there is no Russian military intervention in the Ukraine

Posted on worldcrisis.ru, 30 Май 22:19
опубликовал Сухов боец красной армии [suho]

The level of analytical discussions on the Russian Internet is perfectly described by the political scientist Simon Uralov: "To consider that the Ukrainian crisis set off only the minds of Kievan colleagues and turned them all into bloodthirsty hysterics is fundamentally mistaken. Among the Moscow colleagues there are also an incredible number of such." The purpose of this material is to take a step back from the hysteria and coldly analyze the situation in Ukraine.

Smoking

Strictest smoking ban in Russia's cafés, restaurants comes into force June 1

smoking
© RIA Novosti/Vitaliy Bezrukih
The strictest part of Russia's anti-tobacco law comes into force on June 1, making it illegal to smoke cigarettes in cafés and restaurants.

The smoking ban also spreads across to hotels and marketplaces, as well as long distance trains, train stations, and ships.

From now on, smoking areas will cease to exist in eating establishments across Russia, with special rooms for tobacco lovers also forbidden.

Café and restaurant owners must remove all ashtrays and hang warning signs which inform customers that smoking is prohibited inside the establishment.

A violation of the ban will result in significant fines - which must be paid by both the smoker and the owner of the establishment.

An individual owner will be forced to part with 30,000-40,000 rubles (around US$870-1,150) if one of his customers is caught puffing a cigarette. Meanwhile, a chain-run corporate business must pay a larger penalty of 60,000-90,000 rubles (around $1,700-2,600) for the same crime.

Comment: Bad move, Russia, really bad move. Putin doesn't realize it, but the anti-smoking program is a key plank in the 'fifth column democratization' agenda.
  • Let's All Light Up!
  • Pestilence, the Great Plague and the Tobacco Cure
  • 5 Health Benefits of Smoking



Mr. Potato

Try to contain your laughter: Prince Charles and Lady de Rothschild team up to talk about 'Inclusive Capitalism'

inclusive capitalism
Mark Carney, Head of the Bank of England, Speaking on Inclusive Capitalism
Now that the worldwide Occupy Wall Street protest movement has been beaten, pepper-sprayed, mass-arrested and hog-tied into submission; now that assorted financial luminaries have exhorted corporate media to stop giving air time to people calling bankers evil; it's now safe for the 1 percent to take over the debate - or so the thinking goes in London.

Prince Charles, who lives in four mansions in England, Scotland and Wales, delivered the opening speech yesterday for a conference on "Inclusive Capitalism" hosted by Lady de Rothschild, wife of multi-billionaire Sir Evelyn Robert de Rothschild, in the heart of financial skulduggery, the City of London, Wall Street's alter ego.

Rounding out the day's speakers were former President Bill Clinton, who repealed the depression era investor protection legislation known as the Glass-Steagall Act which deregulated Wall Street and is widely blamed for the 2008 financial collapse and for ushering in the greatest wealth inequality in America since the Gilded Age; and former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers who helped Clinton muscle through the deregulatory legislation. (You can see the full-day agenda here.)

Comment: The uber-wealthy are getting nervous that the 99% are waking up to the fact that most of society's ills can be laid at their doorstep. With the likelihood of impending economic meltdown and the ever increasing weather anomalies, it appears society is headed for catastrophe. In such times, the masses realize that their rulers cannot save them, and indeed may be the core of the problem and so take desperate measures to take them out!
  • Why the rich are freaking out
  • 'Death of money': Author Rickards predicts collapse of global monetary system
  • Banking Scandal: 'the Rot Was Widespread, the Corruption Endemic'
  • Heaven and Earth: Earth Changes and Strange Signs in March and April 2014



Magic Hat

Europe's first Syria 'blowback'? Jihadist arrested for gunning down Jews in Brussels was 'known to French intelligence' and fought for regime change in Syria

Image
© APGotta make that 'terror thing' stick: A CCTV image released by Belgian police of the shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels.
A Frenchman with suspected ties to Islamic radicals in Syria has been arrested over last week's fatal shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels.

The suspected gunman, 29-year-old Mehdi Nemmouche, was arrested on Friday, in Marseille, while in possession of a Kalashnikov rifle and a hand gun similar to the ones used in the attack on 24 May 24, sources said.

He has been detained on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, a judicial source said.

The shooting by a lone gunman killed three people outright - an Israeli couple and a French woman, while the fourth victim, a 24-year-old Belgian man, was left clinically dead.

Authorities had released chilling security camera footage of the gunman, wearing a cap and sunglasses, walking into the museum, removing an automatic rifle from a bag and shooting through a door before making an exit.

Comment: Interesting, whoever shot at French soldiers and Jewish schoolchildren in France in 2012 (also on the eve of elections) also had a miniature video camera.

The patsy, Merah, was also known to French intelligence.

The Belgian government warned last year that some 5,000 Western European 'Islamists' were 'democratizing' Syria and posed a threat to security once they returned home.

How easy it would be for Western intel agencies to then direct them towards 'domestic operations' that keep people terrorized and in submission to an EU project that remains fully controlled by the US.

See also:
  • Sarkozy The American's 9/11: Mohamed Merah: 'Liquidated' French Intelligence Asset



Brick Wall

Saker's analysis of Ukraine May 31st: Why can't the junta take Slaviansk?

Combats SITREP from "Juan"
  • Igla-S man protable anti aircraft missiles were found 'abandoned' beside a country road' by Donbas Army, confirmed. Quantity unknown.
  • A video of a Ukrainian Sukhoi ground attack plane being shot down 30 May is extant. No verification of the incident by witness account from a crash sight. The pilot ejecting is visible on the video.
  • Ternopol: Some government buildings have been taken by the people, one admin building burned 30 May.
  • Several
    ZU-23 anti aircraft systems
    © UnknownZU-23 anti aircraft systems
    ZU-23 anti aircraft systems (which can be used with devastating effects as heavy rapid-fire machine guns on ground targets) were "found" by Donbas Army. Source and number of as new condition weapons unknown. The weapon systems are now in use of the Donbas Army.
  • Casualties from the bombardments of Slavyansk and Donetsk are estimated in excess of 50 civilians but this number is not verified. It is verified that one 5 year old girl child has lost a foot.
  • Children were being evacuated from Slavyansk to Russian Federation and sent to Sevastopol yesterday and today. That evacuation has been suspended due to the situation in Slavyansk as of early this afternoon local time.
  • Heavy fighting is continuing in parts of Slavyansk and outlying areas all day and intensifying as of 17:55 31.05.2014.
  • Donetsk Airport is still the scene of sporadic fighting since afternoon 29 May. Fighting still occurring 31 May.
  • Casualties of junta Army as of 28 May are reported to be 627. Casualties of the junta Army since that date are reported by the same source as 250. Both figures are KIA (killed in action). WIA (wounded in action) are not known accurately but the source estimates in excess of 700 WIA up to 28 May. WIA after there is no estimate.
  • Desertions from Ukrainian Army are confirmed at a minimum of 1428 as of 28 May. No numbers reported after that date. It is unknown if these figures include national guard/right sector casualties.
  • 18:21 local time unconfirmed reports from Donetsk Airport that a junta Army unit has turned at least some of their weapons on national guard/right sector fighters in airport terminal, reason unknown.

Bad Guys

Fracking moratorium fails in California despite strong public support

Drilling wells
© Reuters/Mario AnzuoniDrilling wells are pictured in Los Angeles, California

The California Senate killed a bill that would enact a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing - or fracking - in the state. The ban's proponents blame lobbying by the oil industry, which spent nearly $1.5 million in three months fighting the bill.

The proposed legislation, introduced by Democratic state Sens. Holly J. Mitchell and Mark Leno, would have prohibited all well stimulation treatments (which includes fracking) until a scientific study evaluated all health and environmental effects for both onshore and offshore drilling. It would have also forced the state's Natural Resources Agency to create fracking regulations.

The bill was defeated when four of 24 Democrats joined all 12 Republicans senators in voting "nay," while three other Democrats abstained, preventing the moratorium from gaining a majority. The loss comes even though two-thirds of voters in the Golden State said they supported the ban, and a majority of voters said they would be "more likely" to vote for a legislator who supported it as well, a recent survey on the issue by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates found.

"This is the second time a house of the California state legislature has soundly rejected a moratorium on a routine practice that's been deemed safe repeatedly," Dave Quast, California director of Energy in Depth, an oil industry-backed group, told Reuters.

He said fracking in California creates jobs, increases state revenue and lessens the state's dependence on oil imports.

The oil lobby, led by the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), spent nearly $1.5 million in California during the first three months of 2014 alone, Truth Out reported. Altogether the industry spent more than $56 million on lobbying the California Legislature from 2009 through 2013. Californians Against Fracking estimated that oil lobbyists spent $15 million solely on defeating the bill.

"The overwhelming majority of Californians who support a moratorium on fracking will not stop fighting fracking and the public health risks, earthquakes, and climate change linked to this toxic extraction process," Zack Malitz of California-based progressive group Credo told Reuters.

Cheeseburger

Psychopathic corporations and wealthy elites now control more than 75 percent of the world's farmland

Small farmers are being squeezed out as mega-farms and plantations gobble up their land
farmer
© File-photo-via-AFP.A farmer drives his combine harvester on a wheat field Aug. 11 2012 in Cassel northern France.
The world's food supplies are at risk because farmland is becoming rapidly concentrated in the hands of wealthy elites and corporations, a study has found.

Small farmers, the UN says, grow 70% of the world's food but a new analysis of government data suggests the land which they control is shrinking every year as mega-farms and plantations squeeze them onto less than 25% of the world's available farmland, says international land-use group Grain. These mega-farms are less productive in terms of amount of food they produce per area of land, the report argues.

"Small farms have less than a quarter of the world's agricultural land - or less than 20% excluding China and India. Such farms are getting smaller all the time, and if this trend persists they might not be able to continue to feed the world," says the report which draws on government statistics and calls for a stop on land grabbing by corporations.

The report suggests that the single most important factor in the drive to push small farmers onto ever smaller parcels of land is the worldwide expansion of industrial commodity crop farms. "The powerful demands of food and energy industries are shifting farmland and water away from direct local food production to the production of commodities for industrial processing," it says. The land area occupied by just four crops - soybean, oil palm, rapeseed and sugar cane - has quadrupled over the past 50 years. Over 140 million hectares of fields and forests have been taken over by these plantations since the 1960s - roughly the same area as all the farmland in the EU.

Evil Rays

Fruits of regime change: U.S. to work closely with EU to cut its Russian gas imports

Gas pipe line
© AFP
The US has pledged to help the EU cut down its gas imports from Russia and diversify its energy supply during President Barack Obama's visit to Europe next week, National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said.

The topics up for discussion during Obama's visit - which is scheduled to take place June 2-6 - include US natural gas exports and the prospect of increasing US sales to the EU, according to the advisor.

"Over the last several weeks, we have already taken some steps to, through our licensing, increase the export of natural gas to Europe and we see that as part of the European energy picture and European energy diversification," Rhodes told reporters on Friday.

He added that the US will be discussing ways that the EU could diversify its gas imports, stating that tensions in Ukraine have highlighted the EU's energy dependency.

"The Ukraine crisis has brought into sharp relief Europe's energy dependence on Russia, so we are going to work closely with our European allies on the importance of both short- and long-term efforts to diversify their energy sources, to modernize their infrastructure and to limit Russia's ability to use energy as a tool of political leverage," Rhodes said.

Comment: How touching that the U.S. wants to help Europe become independent of Russian gas! The U.S. is happy to make a civil war that creates chaos in a country of 45 million people so as to cut Europe off from Russia and then peddle their own 'alternative' products. Of course the American and European taxpayers will have to foot the bill, as the gas will be much more expensive. Not to mention much more polluting. Not to mention that the U.S has no interest in Ukraine or its people, but only sees it usefull as a tool for emperial chess playing.