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Censors for talk radio expected within 90 days
FROM WND
Leader of public awareness campaign warns of ‘Arctic blast’ against free speech
By Bob Unruh
 |
The leader of a newly formed public awareness campaign to alert U.S. citizens about an effort to stifle free speech says he expects local “boards” will be assembled within 90 days to begin censoring talk radio, a move that will come as an “Arctic blast” against the expression of opinion in the United States.
WND reported just days ago on a meeting at which more than two dozen principals of the nation’s top talk radio shows held a private strategy meeting to discuss government plans to squelch critical political speech on radio.
Organized by Brad O’Leary, author of the new book, “Shut Up, America! The End of Free Speech,” and Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of WND, the group chose one attendee to be spokesman and chairman of the coalition – syndicated host Roger Hedgecock of San Diego.
The American Radio Free Speech Foundation was adopted as the name, and leaders now have announced a public awareness campaign and educational initiative, called Don’t Touch My Dial.
The announcement said the U.S. now is facing “an insidious attack on its First Amendment Rights that is being cloaked in legislation and regulation evidenced by the recently circulated draft FCC regulations … to impose ‘localism’ and ‘media ownership diversity’ on talk radio.”
“In addition, under the guise of ‘cyberspace security,’ Sens. Rockefeller, Snowe and Nelson have introduced S773 which would, critics say, give the federal government control over the Internet including, under emergency conditions, the right of the president to shut down the whole Internet or sites on it, including the interruption of e-mail,” the announcement said.
“When the public is informed about what is happening behind the scenes to threaten their First Amendment rights, they will be outraged. As shown in a recent poll that was commissioned by the coalition and is part of the ‘Zogby/O’Leary Report’s First 100 Days Poll’ when 3,937 voters from the last election were asked: ‘Four members of the U.S. Senate recently introduced a bill that would allow the president of the United States to turn off the Internet nationally in the event of an emergency, however the Bill does not DEFINE what constitutes an emergency. Do you support or oppose this bill?’” the announcement said.
Nearly 82 percent opposed the idea. Only 5 percent agreed with it.
Hedgecock told WND that most people simply don’t understand what the government appears to be demanding.
“I think the FCC is on the cusp of enacting regulations that would fundamentally alter the traditional American assumption that we have the right to share and debate political opinions,” he said.
“I believe the strategy is to make the current state of compliant journalism that prevails in the mainstream media the norm as well on the Internet and in talk radio,” he said.
And it’s coming soon.
“I think in the next 90 days we will see the imposition of the local advisory boards. They will immediately become complaint departments staffed by the Left on all local and nationally syndicate talk programs,” Hedgecock warned.
The underlying threat, of course, would be to the license the business needs to operate as a radio station.
“The threats of those complaints to the viability of the underlying station licenses will be immediate and will force corporations that own these stations into a very defensive posture,” he said.
“Talk about a chilling effect on free speech, this will be an Arctic blast of restraint on opinion based on the threat to take the license away,” Hedgecock said.
But talk radio will be just the first target, he said.
“The assault on the First Amendment that is being planned by the government and the extremist Left is not limited to their desire to silence conservative talk radio,” he said. “Newspapers and television are not immune to the anti-First Amendment efforts that are at work here. In addition, the Internet is also a target for receiving the restrictive aspects of the so-called ‘Fairness Doctrine.’”
Just weeks ago, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., submitted an amendment to the D.C. Voting Bill which would require the FCC to “encourage and promote diversity in … media ownership” and reaffirm FCC authority to mandate the presentation “of opposing points of view on issues of public importance.”
Also of concern to the hosts and producers gathered in the nation’s capital was a decision last week by Clear Channel, the nation’s largest owner of radio stations, to mandate the creation of local advisory boards by June at all of its properties. The move was seen as pre-emptive as the industry anticipates an FCC stacked with Barack Obama appointees will soon require stations to answer to panels of community activists.
In February, the FCC floated several proposals to require stations to better serve local communities, including establishing community advisory boards to consult stations on programming.
“We are materially increasing our commitment to community programming, increasing our accountability and broadening our public-service contributions in every local market we serve,” said John Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Clear Channel. “We believe when radio focuses on servicing local communities, it is radio at its finest.”
Other key members of the group so far include Lars Larson, Rusty Humphries, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, Steve Gill, Martha Zoller, Joyce Kaufman and Kirby Wilbur.
The public awareness campaign website includes a petition campaign to protest the developing limits. It also describes the so-called “Fairness Doctrine,” explains what it does to free speech and quotes a number of experts on the subject.
“Rather than having the government regulate what people can say, we should let the market decide what people want to hear. That’s precisely why the Fairness Doctrine was abandoned, and that’s why it ought not to be revived,” said U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., in a commentary critical of the plan.
“This fight is a First Amendment fight and one that every American must be involved with, which is why we have created ‘Don’t Touch My Dial’ as a vehicle for mass participation,” Hedgecock said.
Hedgecock also is chairman for Unfair Air, an effort to to protect First Amendment Rights as they pertain to radio and radio audiences.
“This issue – and the urgent need for a broad-based, aggressive coalition to fight back – is much bigger than talk radio, and much more dangerous than an effort to simply silence a few voices that the current administration dislikes,” says Hedgecock. “This fight is a First Amendment fight and one that every American must be involved with, which is why we have created ‘Don’t Touch My Dial’ as a vehicle for mass participation.”
Russians moving into Syria
FROM WND
Strategic alliance include fleet, missiles
Editor’s Note: The following report is excerpted from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin, the premium online newsletter published by the founder of WND. Subscriptions are $99 a year or, for monthly trials, just $9.95 per month for credit card users, and provide instant access for the complete reports.
 The coast of Syria, where Tartus is located |
Just as Russia has reasserted its power in the Black Sea, it now plans to make waves in the Mediterranean Sea by establishing a major base in Syria, according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
This decision not only will allow a permanent presence of Russia’s nuclear-armed Black Sea fleet in the Mediterranean, but it also offers the potential for future confrontations between Russia and Israel, as well as with the United States.
The Russian navy has begun to upgrade facilities in Tartus, Syria, and already has backed this up by moving to Syria a flotilla of its powerful warships led by the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The flotilla includes the Russian navy’s biggest missile cruiser Moskva and some four nuclear missile submarines.
From 1971 to 1992, the former Soviet Union operated a naval maintenance facility at Tartus. It then fell into disrepair. Only one of its three floating piers remained operational.
But the facilities now are being restored.
“It is much more advantageous to have such a facility than to return ships that patrol the Mediterranean to their home bases,” said former Black Sea Fleet commander Admiral Eduard Baltin.
The establishment of the permanent base also is viewed as Moscow’s response to the upcoming installation of U.S. missile interceptors along Poland’s Baltic coast at Redzikowo. Such an agreement was signed last month between the U.S. and Poland.
Syria, meantime, also is considering a request from Moscow to base missiles in the country due to tensions between Russia and the West over its invasion of Georgia in the Caucasus.
Russia would send in the surface-to-surface Iskander missile which Moscow says is capable of penetrating any missile defense system.
With a NATO code name of the SS-26 Stone, the Iskander is a road-mobile system. It has a range of 300 kilometers, or 186 miles, giving Damascus the capability of striking Tel Aviv in Israel.
Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin is the premium, online intelligence news source edited and published by the founder of WND.
For the complete report and full immediate access to Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin, subscribe now.
Russians moving into Syria
FROM WND
Strategic alliance include fleet, missiles
Editor’s Note: The following report is excerpted from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin, the premium online newsletter published by the founder of WND. Subscriptions are $99 a year or, for monthly trials, just $9.95 per month for credit card users, and provide instant access for the complete reports.
| The coast of Syria, where Tartus is located |
Just as Russia has reasserted its power in the Black Sea, it now plans to make waves in the Mediterranean Sea by establishing a major base in Syria, according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
This decision not only will allow a permanent presence of Russia’s nuclear-armed Black Sea fleet in the Mediterranean, but it also offers the potential for future confrontations between Russia and Israel, as well as with the United States.
The Russian navy has begun to upgrade facilities in Tartus, Syria, and already has backed this up by moving to Syria a flotilla of its powerful warships led by the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The flotilla includes the Russian navy’s biggest missile cruiser Moskva and some four nuclear missile submarines.
From 1971 to 1992, the former Soviet Union operated a naval maintenance facility at Tartus. It then fell into disrepair. Only one of its three floating piers remained operational.
But the facilities now are being restored.
“It is much more advantageous to have such a facility than to return ships that patrol the Mediterranean to their home bases,” said former Black Sea Fleet commander Admiral Eduard Baltin.
The establishment of the permanent base also is viewed as Moscow’s response to the upcoming installation of U.S. missile interceptors along Poland’s Baltic coast at Redzikowo. Such an agreement was signed last month between the U.S. and Poland.
Syria, meantime, also is considering a request from Moscow to base missiles in the country due to tensions between Russia and the West over its invasion of Georgia in the Caucasus.
Russia would send in the surface-to-surface Iskander missile which Moscow says is capable of penetrating any missile defense system.
With a NATO code name of the SS-26 Stone, the Iskander is a road-mobile system. It has a range of 300 kilometers, or 186 miles, giving Damascus the capability of striking Tel Aviv in Israel.
Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin is the premium, online intelligence news source edited and published by the founder of WND.
For the complete report and full immediate access to Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin, subscribe now.
Russian Navy to adopt new carrier fighters after 2016
FROM RIA NOVOSTI
GELENDZHIK (South Russia),(RIA Novosti) – Russia’s new carrier-based fighters will replace the Su-33 naval fighter in service with the Russian Navy after 2016, a senior military official said on Sunday.
The Su-33 (NATO reporting name ‘Flanker-D’) is a carrier-based multi-role fighter, which can perform a variety of air superiority, fleet defense, air support and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft entered service with the Russian Navy in 1995 and are currently deployed on board the Nikolai Kuznetsov aircraft carrier.
“The Russian Navy will adopt new carrier-based aircraft after 2016,” said Maj. Gen. Nikolai Kuklev, the deputy commander of Russia’s naval aviation.
“At present, we are considering modernization and extension of service life for the Su-33 aircraft. It will certainly stay in service until 2015,” the general said.
He said the Navy will hold a tender on the new carrier fighter after 2010, which will involve the Su-27KUB Flanker and MiG-29K Fulcrum fighters.
“Both aircraft have advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the Su-27KUB is heavier, but has a longer flight range. MiG-29K is lighter but its combat range is shorter,” Kuklev said, adding that a “golden average” has to be chosen.
At present, Russia has only one operational aircraft carrier, the Nikolai Kuznetsov, which was commissioned in the early 1990s and has recently re-entered service after a prolonged overhaul.
The ship, also known as Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft carrier, is currently deployed with Russia’s Northern Fleet and has recently participated in a two-month tour to the Mediterranean as part of Russia’s plans to resume its continual presence in different regions of the world’s seas.
“We are considering extending the service life of the carrier. It will stay in service until 2020 and may be even until 2025,” Kuklev said.
The general also confirmed that a decision to build new aircraft carriers for the Russian Navy had been adopted.
Russia’s Navy commander, Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky, said in July that the Navy command had decided to form in the future 5-6 aircraft carrier task forces to be deployed with the Northern and Pacific fleets.
Russian Navy aircraft test new equipment over the Arctic
FROM RIA NOVOSTI
MURMANSK, (RIA Novosti) – Tu-142MK aircraft from Russia’s Northern Fleet conducted on September 2-3 reconnaissance flights over the Barents and Laptev seas and successfully tested new electronic on-board equipment, the fleet’s press service said Thursday. (Russian strategic bombers – Image gallery)
Tu-142 Bear-F is the maritime reconnaissance/strike version of the Tu-95 Bear strategic bomber, designed mainly for anti-submarine warfare.
“The tests of new on-board electronic equipment and weapons-control systems showed their high effectiveness,” the press service said in a statement.
The flights have been conducted strictly in accordance with international agreements and the norms of international law, the statement said.
Russia has recently stepped up regular patrols over the Arctic and said it may soon shift the focus of its military strategy toward the northern latitudes in order to protect its national interests in the Arctic, especially on its continental shelf, which may contain large deposits of oil and natural gas.
Antarctic ice is growing, not melting away
Sep 26
Posted by Chris Thomas
News.Com.Au
ICE is expanding in much of Antarctica, contrary to the widespread public belief that global warming is melting the continental ice cap.
The results of ice-core drilling and sea ice monitoring indicate there is no large-scale melting of ice over most of Antarctica, although experts are concerned at ice losses on the continent’s western coast.
Antarctica has 90 per cent of the Earth’s ice and 80 per cent of its fresh water, The Australian reports. Extensive melting of Antarctic ice sheets would be required to raise sea levels substantially, and ice is melting in parts of west Antarctica. The destabilisation of the Wilkins ice shelf generated international headlines this month.
However, the picture is very different in east Antarctica, which includes the territory claimed by Australia.
East Antarctica is four times the size of west Antarctica and parts of it are cooling. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research report prepared for last week’s meeting of Antarctic Treaty nations in Washington noted the South Pole had shown “significant cooling in recent decades”.
Australian Antarctic Division glaciology program head Ian Allison said sea ice losses in west Antarctica over the past 30 years had been more than offset by increases in the Ross Sea region, just one sector of east Antarctica.
“Sea ice conditions have remained stable in Antarctica generally,” Dr Allison said.
The melting of sea ice – fast ice and pack ice – does not cause sea levels to rise because the ice is in the water. Sea levels may rise with losses from freshwater ice sheets on the polar caps. In Antarctica, these losses are in the form of icebergs calved from ice shelves formed by glacial movements on the mainland.
Last week, federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said experts predicted sea level rises of up to 6m from Antarctic melting by 2100, but the worst case scenario foreshadowed by the SCAR report was a 1.25m rise.
Mr Garrett insisted global warming was causing ice losses throughout Antarctica. “I don’t think there’s any doubt it is contributing to what we’ve seen both on the Wilkins shelf and more generally in Antarctica,” he said.
Dr Allison said there was not any evidence of significant change in the mass of ice shelves in east Antarctica nor any indication that its ice cap was melting. “The only significant calvings in Antarctica have been in the west,” he said. And he cautioned that calvings of the magnitude seen recently in west Antarctica might not be unusual.
“Ice shelves in general have episodic carvings and there can be large icebergs breaking off – I’m talking 100km or 200km long – every 10 or 20 or 50 years.”
Ice core drilling in the fast ice off Australia’s Davis Station in East Antarctica by the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-Operative Research Centre shows that last year, the ice had a maximum thickness of 1.89m, its densest in 10 years. The average thickness of the ice at Davis since the 1950s is 1.67m.
A paper to be published soon by the British Antarctic Survey in the journal Geophysical Research Letters is expected to confirm that over the past 30 years, the area of sea ice around the continent has expanded.
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