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US: Psychic Peaches Stevens Scammed Florida Woman Out Of $136,000

Andy Campbell
The Huffington Post
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:31 UTC
Image
© Jail Base
'Fraud' psychic Peaches Stevens allegedly scammed a Florida woman out of $136,000
What else is in the teachings of Peaches? Fraud, that's what.

So say Florida cops, who arrested "psychic" Peaches Stevens for allegedly defrauding a woman in Windermere out of $136,000 over seven years, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

Stevens was collared on Jan. 11 and thrown in Orange County Jail after a years-long bid by one of her alleged victims to out the fizzling fortune-teller.

For the victim -- identified during an interview with Anderson Cooper last fall as Priti Mahalanobis -- there were plenty of signs that Stevens wasn't exactly legitimate. First, Stevens allegedly told Mahalanobis to stuff 11 $100 bills and 11 names of relatives on a piece of paper in an envelope under her bed, along with a grapefruit, to quell the evil that Stevens said was wreaking havoc on Mahalanobis's family.
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People

Occupy Movement Exposes Uncomfortable Facts

Ross T. Runfola
Buffalo News
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:09 UTC
occupy protestors
© n/a
The recent Pew Research report on tensions between the rich and poor gives a road map to the ofttimes unfocused Occupy movement. Since 2009, the study found, there is "a growing awareness of class conflict" among Americans.

Whatever its findings, that the mainstream Pew Research Center would frame the report in the usually verboten language of "class conflict" is itself remarkable. Whenever verbiage such as "class" or "class struggle," let alone "class conflict" is used by academics or politicians to describe the incongruity between democracy and capitalism, it is rejected as Marxist ideological rant.

Even the avoidance of the use of "working class" for the more centrist "middle class" by President Obama led to the farcical cry of Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum that Obama was encouraging class warfare.

This is hardly surprising, for when Obama attempted to raise taxes on the wealthy for the benefit of the larger populace, he was charged with encouraging class warfare rather than attempting a more equitable distribution of wealth. Although the concept of a fair distribution of assets is democratic, not Marxist, in thrust, and the 1 percent have been waging a rigged undeclared war against the 99 percent for decades, now that the 99 percent have begun pushing back, there is an inevitable cry of foul from the reactionary rich.
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Crusader

What Kind of Christianity Is This?

Gary G. Kohls
Consortium News
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:01 UTC
Jesus delivering the Sermon on the Mount.
© Painting by Carl Bloch
Jesus delivering the Sermon on the Mount.
Though founded by a pacifist, Christianity has justified some of the most brutal slaughters in human history, from the wars of the late Roman Empire to the Crusades to the Inquisition to world wars to genocides against "heathens," Muslims and Jews. Yet, Gary G. Kohls says the essence of Christianity can still be reclaimed.

From time to time, I read about condemnations of religion coming from non-religious groups, especially concerning the all-too-common violence perpetrated in the name of religious gods. Indeed there is plenty to condemn.

Altogether too many religions sects of both major and minor religions, despite verbally professing a desire for peace and justice in the world, are actually pro-war, pro-homicide and pro-violence in practice (or they may be silent on the subject, which is, according to moral theology, the same as being pro-violence).

Obvious examples include those portions of the three major war-justifying religions of the world: fundamentalist Islam, fundamentalist Judaism and fundamentalist Christianity.
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Gear

Canada Extradites Phoney Rabbi Accused in 'Massive Immigration Fraud Mill'

Adrian Humphreys
National Post
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:28 UTC
Image
© unknown
A former New York lawyer who was posing as an orthodox rabbi in Toronto has been extradited to the United States, where he is accused of perpetrating a massive immigration fraud, raking in millions of dollars by processing up to 25,000 falsified immigration applications.

Earl Seth David, also known as Rabbi Avraham David, is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States, and fled to Canada when authorities uncovered what prosecutors called "a massive immigration fraud mill."

But to many in the Jewish community around Toronto, he was known as a Torah scholar and author of Code of the Heart, a 2005 book claiming to decode the Torah, the Hebrew Bible.

His book uses numerology and other techniques to find hidden meaning that influence and foreshadow world events, including the war in Iraq, the 9/11 terror attacks and even the rape allegations against basketball star Kobe Bryant.

The book's promotional materials said the world would be hearing a lot more from Rabbi Avraham David. On Wednesday, it did.
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Attention

Military Coup Reported in Papua New Guinea


USA Today
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00 UTC
There are unconfirmed reports that a military coup has taken place in the capital of Papua New Guinea.

Australian Broadcasting Corp. News in Australia is reporting that soldiers loyal to ousted former prime minister Sir Michael Somare have staged a bloodless mutiny.

ABC said that early Thursday morning, about a dozen soldiers are believed to have raided the defense force headquarters and placed the head of the army, Brigadier General Francis Agwi, under house arrest.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warned Australians to limit their travel in the capital, due to what it described as "disturbances" at two barracks.
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Eye 2

UK: Groupon Criticized For Literally Peddling Snake Oil

Adam Clark Estes
The Atlantic Wire
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00 UTC
Groupon
© unknown
It's easy to laugh at the just released report from British advertising watchdogs scolding Groupon for selling snake oil after the company helped peddle an anti-aging serum last October. A complaint reviewed by the London-based Advertising Standards Authority scolded the Chicago-based deals site's U.K. affiliate, MyCity Deal, for falsely promoting the effects of "Wrinkle Killer Snake Serum" that the ad copy said offered "temporary freeze-like effects on the face muscles" and "leaves the skin looking younger." After what sounds like a pretty scientific study of the snake oil's effects, the ASA deemed the ad "misleading" and subsequently forbade Groupon from running it again.

This is funny for a couple of reasons. The first one is simply the idea that snake oil salesmen still exist in the world and still attempt to sell snake oil. It was over a hundred years ago that the Food and Drug Act regulated the sale of medicines, and while using snake oil as an anti-age serum is not the same as using it cure diseases, it's still a pretty lame way to take advantage of consumers.
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Dollar

US, New Mexico: Man Awarded $22 Million After Two Years Spent in Jail for DWI

Jeri Clausing
The Associated Press
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00 UTC
Stephen Slevin
© unknown
Stephen Slevin
A federal jury has awarded $22 million to a New Mexico man who was kept in solitary confinement for two years and forced to pull his own tooth after being arrested for drunken driving in Dona Ana County.

Civil rights attorney Matt Coyte said the jury awarded Stephen Slevin, 58, the damages Tuesday after a six-day trial in Santa Fe.

Jess Williams, spokesman for Dona Ana County, declined comment other than to say the county plans to appeal.

"We have believe we have strong legal issues to raise with the appeal," he said.

Slevin was arrested while driving through the southern New Mexico county in August 2005. He ended up in solitary confinement because he was suffering from depression and someone checked a box on a form indicating he was suicidal, Coyte said.
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Bad Guys

Obama's "State of Delusion Address": Rebuilding America With War Crimes

Finian Cunningham
Global Research
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:02 UTC
king Obama
© n/a
From beginning to end, Barack Obama's State of the Union speech was replete with delusion and falsifications. His promise of building an "America that lasts" was predicated on a sentimental, but utterly disingenuous notion of selfless teamwork. The invocation of American military "heroes" and their "achievements" during nine years of waging war on Iraq as an exemplar of how to salvage his nation from economic and social catastrophe was both sickening and laughable.

"These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and teamwork of America's Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations," said Obama in praise of US troops fresh from their destruction in Iraq.

If that's what Obama and the American people believe will resolve the deep-seated problems of American society then good luck to them in harbouring such crass delusions.

But what is sickening is how a truly gargantuan criminal war and blot on humanity is deified as a paragon of virtue to provide inspiration.
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Attention

Greece: Shocking Evidence on "New Homeless" Phenomenon Spreading in Athens

Stella Tsolakidou
Greek Reporter
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00 UTC
Homeless
© Greek Reporter
Deputy Health Minister Markos Bolaris, Athens mayor George Kaminis, and representatives of the Athens Holy Archdiocese and the National Committee for the Rights of Man have submitted shocking evidence casting light on the tremendous dimensions of the "new homeless" phenomenon spreading around in Athens.

According to the evidence, the continuous economic crisis has not only forced previously homeless people to return to the streets but has also created a new category of homeless, who were once well off and are now seeking shelter and food in charity.

The number of the "new homeless" remains yet unclear due to lack of substantial evidence.

The "new homeless" numbers are rising, while Greece is going through its fourth year of recession, with many families being directly affected by the financial difficulties and the harsh austerity measures, especially evident in the Greek capital, where the problem seems to be under no restraint.
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USA

US: President Obama's State of the Union: Ten Skirted Issues

Nomi Prins
ZeroHedge
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00 UTC
Congress/State of Union
© n/a
I confess; I expected to be bored out of my mind listening to President Obama's campaign - I mean, State of the Union - I mean campaign, speech. I kept hoping some truly earth shattering story would sneak in there beforehand, like say some discovery that Mitt Romney had been having an affair with Newt Gingrich's ex-wife while he was creating jobs at Bain capital, and we could all focus on that instead.

It turned out that my pre-determination proved accurate. I wonder if the members of Congress felt the same sense of same déjà vu that I did, as they were bopping up and down and applauding.

Obama's speech was a compilation of highlights from his past ones. One part optimism, two parts repetition equals one total uninspiring. Maybe it's so boring, because it matters so little at this point. Taking away popularity polls, our national threshold for belief in hope or change has been trampled, not just because of Obama or Romney, but of the whole political apparatus that thrives on deflection of reality and posturing. We don't have the same energy to expend listening to politicians, the endless spin that renders fact obsolete, responsibility absent, and true accomplishment, unnecessary.
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