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dixiegrrrrl
dixiegrrrrl's Journal
dixiegrrrrl's Journal
March 3, 2015
Southern California apartment complexes that doubled as "maternity hotels" for Chinese women who want made-in-America babies were raided early Tuesday, capping an unprecedented federal sting operation, officials said.
NBC News was on the scene as Homeland Security agents swept into the luxury Carlyle in Irvine, California, which housed pregnant women and new moms who allegedly forked over $40,000 to $80,000 to give birth in the United States.
"I am doing this for the education of the next generation," one of the women told NBC News.
Snip:
The organizers who allegedly ran the Carlyle site, Chao Chen and Dong Li, used a website to drum up business, touting the benefits of a child with U.S. citizenship: 13 years of free education, low-cost college financial aid, less pollution, and a path for the entire family to emigrate when the child becomes an adult.http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/feds-raid-california-maternity-hotels-birth-tourists-n315996
Feds Raid California 'Maternity Hotels' for Birth Tourists
I had heard of this, but thought it was a wild tale....turns out, it is a huge business, with over 40,000 tourist births a year!
Please read the article which lists the various frauds involved in birth tourism.
Southern California apartment complexes that doubled as "maternity hotels" for Chinese women who want made-in-America babies were raided early Tuesday, capping an unprecedented federal sting operation, officials said.
NBC News was on the scene as Homeland Security agents swept into the luxury Carlyle in Irvine, California, which housed pregnant women and new moms who allegedly forked over $40,000 to $80,000 to give birth in the United States.
"I am doing this for the education of the next generation," one of the women told NBC News.
Snip:
The organizers who allegedly ran the Carlyle site, Chao Chen and Dong Li, used a website to drum up business, touting the benefits of a child with U.S. citizenship: 13 years of free education, low-cost college financial aid, less pollution, and a path for the entire family to emigrate when the child becomes an adult.
February 27, 2015
Boehner invites Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to address Congress -
Is there precedent for a House Speaker to invite foreign heads of state to address Congress?
Or is this a shadow Gov. that Boner wants to run?
Color me confused, if not forgetful.
February 25, 2015
His website: http://shipsnowyo.com/
Mass. man is selling snow to those who do not have any.....no joke.
MANCHESTER-by-the-SEA, Mass. -- A Massachusetts man has found a way to profit from the several feet of snow in his yard: He's shipping it to people in warmer climates for the bargain price of $89 for six pounds.
Kyle Waring, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, got the idea while shoveling snow earlier this winter and launched ShipSnowYo.com.
At first he shipped 16.9-ounce snow-filled bottles for $19.99, but he found the snow melted by the time it arrived at its destination.
So he came up with a new plan, selling six pounds at a time. He tells Boston.com even if the snow melts a little by the time it arrives, the package can still make 10 to 15 snowballs.
He says he'll keep selling until people stop ordering.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/still_waiting_for_snow_in_alab.html#incart_river
Kyle Waring, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, got the idea while shoveling snow earlier this winter and launched ShipSnowYo.com.
At first he shipped 16.9-ounce snow-filled bottles for $19.99, but he found the snow melted by the time it arrived at its destination.
So he came up with a new plan, selling six pounds at a time. He tells Boston.com even if the snow melts a little by the time it arrives, the package can still make 10 to 15 snowballs.
He says he'll keep selling until people stop ordering.
His website: http://shipsnowyo.com/
February 25, 2015
Beneful dog food maker sued for illness, death of thousands of dogs
The maker of Beneful pet food is facing a class action lawsuit alleging that the popular dog food has led to serious illness or death in more than 3,000 pets.
the suit claims that a mold byproduct used in the eight kinds of Beneful dog food has been found to have caused internal bleeding, liver failure, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, seizures, bloat and kidney failure.
Nestle Purina PetCare, the company that produces the food, said on its website that the by-product - propylene glycol -- used in the food is an "FDA-approved food additive that's also in human foods like salad dressing and cake mix."
Propylene glycol, an antifreeze component, and mycotoxins, toxins produced by fungus found in grains, are what is sickening the dogs, the lawsuit says.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/beneful_dog_food_makers_sued_f.html#incart_river
the suit claims that a mold byproduct used in the eight kinds of Beneful dog food has been found to have caused internal bleeding, liver failure, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, seizures, bloat and kidney failure.
Nestle Purina PetCare, the company that produces the food, said on its website that the by-product - propylene glycol -- used in the food is an "FDA-approved food additive that's also in human foods like salad dressing and cake mix."
Propylene glycol, an antifreeze component, and mycotoxins, toxins produced by fungus found in grains, are what is sickening the dogs, the lawsuit says.
February 24, 2015
The CIA coined the term "conspiracy theory" and what arguments to use against it.
In 1967, the CIA Created the Label "Conspiracy Theorists" ... to Attack Anyone Who Challenges the "Official" Narrative
Specifically, in April 1967, the CIA wrote a dispatch which coined the term conspiracy theories
and recommended methods for discrediting such theories.
The dispatch was marked psych short for psychological operations or disinformation
and CS for the CIAs Clandestine Services unit.
Summarizing the tactics which the CIA dispatch recommended:
Claim that it would be impossible for so many people would keep quiet about such a big conspiracy
Have people friendly to the CIA attack the claims, and point back to official reports
Claim that eyewitness testimony is unreliable
Claim that this is all old news, as no significant new evidence has emerged
Ignore conspiracy claims unless discussion about them is already too active
Claim that its irresponsible to speculate
Accuse theorists of being wedded to and infatuated with their theories
Accuse theorists of being politically motivated
Accuse theorists of having financial interests in promoting conspiracy theories
In other words, the CIAs clandestine services unit created the arguments for attacking conspiracy theories as unreliable in the 1960s as part of its psychological warfare operations
.http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-23/1967-he-cia-created-phrase-conspiracy-theorists-and-ways-attack-anyone-who-challenge
Specifically, in April 1967, the CIA wrote a dispatch which coined the term conspiracy theories
and recommended methods for discrediting such theories.
The dispatch was marked psych short for psychological operations or disinformation
and CS for the CIAs Clandestine Services unit.
Summarizing the tactics which the CIA dispatch recommended:
Claim that it would be impossible for so many people would keep quiet about such a big conspiracy
Have people friendly to the CIA attack the claims, and point back to official reports
Claim that eyewitness testimony is unreliable
Claim that this is all old news, as no significant new evidence has emerged
Ignore conspiracy claims unless discussion about them is already too active
Claim that its irresponsible to speculate
Accuse theorists of being wedded to and infatuated with their theories
Accuse theorists of being politically motivated
Accuse theorists of having financial interests in promoting conspiracy theories
In other words, the CIAs clandestine services unit created the arguments for attacking conspiracy theories as unreliable in the 1960s as part of its psychological warfare operations
February 22, 2015
The Soviet Union Dumped Nuclear Submarines, Reactors, and Containers into the ocean.
Scattered across the ocean floor in the cold waters of the Arctic are nuclear submarines and reactors dumped by the Soviets up until the early 1990s.
Now, as energy companies are seeking to drill in those same waters, the Russian government has shown an interest in cleaning up its nuclear waste. But after decades of sitting on the ocean floor, some of the most dangerous pieces may be too unstable to remove, leaving the potential for radioactive material to leak, which could disrupt commercial fisheries and destroy aquatic ecosystems.
Snip.....
Before the London Convention of 1972, an international agreement that prohibited marine dumping, countries were free to use the oceans as a trash heep for nuclear waste. Though the Soviets signed the treaty in the late 1980s, it wasn't until after the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991 that the Russians opened up to the international community about the extent of the Arctic dumping campaign.
Two years ago, the Russian government provided a tally: two submarines, 14 reactors five of which contain spent nuclear fuel 19 other vessels sunk with radioactive waste on board, and about 17,000 containers holding radioactive waste. The last known dumping occurred in 1993.
https://news.vice.com/article/the-soviet-union-dumped-a-bunch-of-nuclear-submarines-reactors-and-containers-into-the-ocean?utm_source=vicenewstwitter
Now, as energy companies are seeking to drill in those same waters, the Russian government has shown an interest in cleaning up its nuclear waste. But after decades of sitting on the ocean floor, some of the most dangerous pieces may be too unstable to remove, leaving the potential for radioactive material to leak, which could disrupt commercial fisheries and destroy aquatic ecosystems.
Snip.....
Before the London Convention of 1972, an international agreement that prohibited marine dumping, countries were free to use the oceans as a trash heep for nuclear waste. Though the Soviets signed the treaty in the late 1980s, it wasn't until after the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991 that the Russians opened up to the international community about the extent of the Arctic dumping campaign.
Two years ago, the Russian government provided a tally: two submarines, 14 reactors five of which contain spent nuclear fuel 19 other vessels sunk with radioactive waste on board, and about 17,000 containers holding radioactive waste. The last known dumping occurred in 1993.
February 21, 2015
You know that planned Afghanistan withdrawal? Turns out.....not really.
US signals likely delay in troop pullout from Afghanistan
President Barack Obama's new Pentagon chief said Saturday the United States was seriously considering slowing the pace of a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, as the country faces a growing Taliban insurgency.
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's comments in Kabul offered the clearest sign yet that Washington was ready to delay the closure of some bases and retain more troops after appeals by Afghanistan's new President Ashraf Ghani and advice from commanders.
To safeguard "hard-won" progress, Obama "is considering a number of options to reinforce our support for President Ghani's security strategy, including possible changes to the timeline for our drawdown of US troops," Carter said after talks with Afghan leaders.
http://news.yahoo.com/us-signals-likely-delay-troop-pullout-afghanistan-131708080.html
President Barack Obama's new Pentagon chief said Saturday the United States was seriously considering slowing the pace of a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, as the country faces a growing Taliban insurgency.
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's comments in Kabul offered the clearest sign yet that Washington was ready to delay the closure of some bases and retain more troops after appeals by Afghanistan's new President Ashraf Ghani and advice from commanders.
To safeguard "hard-won" progress, Obama "is considering a number of options to reinforce our support for President Ghani's security strategy, including possible changes to the timeline for our drawdown of US troops," Carter said after talks with Afghan leaders.
February 20, 2015
Cable Channels Speed Up TV Shows To Cram In More Ads
TBS and others are using compression technology to play content back at a slightly faster clip in order to get a few more seconds of air time for ads.
Some cable channels have gotten so edit- and compression-happy that they can now fit in more than 20 minutes of ads each hour,
several minutes more than what youll find on most prime-time network broadcasts.
http://consumerist.com/2015/02/19/cable-channels-speed-up-tv-shows-to-cram-in-more-ads/
Some cable channels have gotten so edit- and compression-happy that they can now fit in more than 20 minutes of ads each hour,
several minutes more than what youll find on most prime-time network broadcasts.
February 19, 2015
Lots of show dog pics with comments from the alien perspective:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2015/02/17/a-poorly-informed-space-alien-captions-pictures-of-the-westminster-dog-show/
A poorly informed space alien reports from teh Westminster Dog show
This year, O Sky-Commander, it was my privilege to witness as the Earthlings selected their new king or empress.
I am not sure what to make of these creatures. Some possess great quantities of hair. Some possess almost none. Some consist entirely of hair and do not appear to be so-called dogs at all.
That they are the objects of veneration on this planet is beyond question. The hairless two-legged ones tend to their every whim. Each hair-beast is sequestered apart from most others of its kind and ministered to by one or more of the hairless uprights until the moment of judgment, during which seclusion it is addressed in a reverential high-pitched tone and given access to nutrition of all kinds.
They secrete a substance which is evidently much prized, as whenever they produced it, their attendants rushed to scoop it up, place it inside a small plastic sack, and to store it with other products of a similar kind. Could this be the unobtainium we have pursued across the galaxy?
I am not sure what to make of these creatures. Some possess great quantities of hair. Some possess almost none. Some consist entirely of hair and do not appear to be so-called dogs at all.
That they are the objects of veneration on this planet is beyond question. The hairless two-legged ones tend to their every whim. Each hair-beast is sequestered apart from most others of its kind and ministered to by one or more of the hairless uprights until the moment of judgment, during which seclusion it is addressed in a reverential high-pitched tone and given access to nutrition of all kinds.
They secrete a substance which is evidently much prized, as whenever they produced it, their attendants rushed to scoop it up, place it inside a small plastic sack, and to store it with other products of a similar kind. Could this be the unobtainium we have pursued across the galaxy?
Lots of show dog pics with comments from the alien perspective:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2015/02/17/a-poorly-informed-space-alien-captions-pictures-of-the-westminster-dog-show/
February 18, 2015
Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner has been indicted, accused in cover-up of 1994 attack on Jewish center.
The Argentine prosecutor who brought these charges was found dead in his apt, and the journalist who broke news of Argentine prosecutor's death has fled Argentina fearing for his life, he says.
The disquieting march:
Thousands march in Buenos Aires in honor of dead Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman - in silence.
Thousands just murmuring.
If someone starts yelling, someone else yells, 'Silence!' -
(Can you just imagine, thousands of people gathering and just staring at the White House, saying nothing.)
Link:
http://www.breakingnews.com/topic/argentine-prosecutor-found-dead/
I would find this very disquieting, if I were a head of state.
The context:Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner has been indicted, accused in cover-up of 1994 attack on Jewish center.
The Argentine prosecutor who brought these charges was found dead in his apt, and the journalist who broke news of Argentine prosecutor's death has fled Argentina fearing for his life, he says.
The disquieting march:
Thousands march in Buenos Aires in honor of dead Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman - in silence.
Thousands just murmuring.
If someone starts yelling, someone else yells, 'Silence!' -
(Can you just imagine, thousands of people gathering and just staring at the White House, saying nothing.)
Link:
http://www.breakingnews.com/topic/argentine-prosecutor-found-dead/
Profile Information
Gender: FemaleHometown: Washington state, for half my life
Home country: USA
Current location: SW Alabama. for the rest of my life
Member since: Wed Feb 27, 2008, 02:09 PM
Number of posts: 60,010