China, Philippines locked in naval standoff

Hong Kong  -- The Philippines said Wednesday that its largest naval vessel is engaged in a standoff with two Chinese maritime surveillance ships in a remote lagoon in the South China Sea.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said the country's navy had sent the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a 378-foot cutter, to the area of Scarborough Shoal on Sunday after surveillance aircraft spotted eight Chinese fishing boats anchored inside the lagoon.

China and the Philippines both claim that Scarborough Shoal, about 200 kilometers west of the Philippine mainland, is "an integral part" of their territory.

A boarding team from the Gregorio del Pilar went to inspect the Chinese fishing boats Tuesday morning and found "large amounts of illegally collected corals, giant clams and live sharks" inside one of the boats, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Later Tuesday, the Gregorio del Pilar reported that the two Chinese surveillance ships had arrived and taken up a position at the mouth of the lagoon, blocking the way to the fishing boats and "preventing the arrest" of the fishermen. The situation remained the same Wednesday morning, the Philippine statement said.

The Philippine foreign minister, Albert Del Rosario, is seeking a "diplomatic solution" to the situation with China, the statement said.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has complained to the Philippine authorities about "the harassment of Chinese fishermen," China's official news agency reported Wednesday.

China has "urged the Philippine side to stop immediately their illegal activities and leave the area," Xinhua reported, saying that the fishermen were taking shelter in the lagoon "due to harsh weather conditions."

The embassy is "still engaged in discussions with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to seek a solution" and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, Xinhua said.

The South China Sea -- a 1.3 million square mile patch of the Pacific Ocean bracketed by China and several Southeast Asian nations -- is dotted with hundreds of largely uninhabited islands and coral atolls that are home to some of the world's most diverse marine life. Also under its waves lie potentially huge reserves of natural gas and oil.

That prospect has peppered the sea with competing claims from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. It has also resulted in frequent small-scale clashes. Last year, a spate of incidents took place between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels.

Law enforcement source: Zimmerman will be charged

George Zimmerman, the Florida neighborhood watch volunteer who says he shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense, "will be (criminally) charged, if he hasn't been charged already," a senior law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN Wednesday.

State Attorney Angela Corey, acting as special prosecutor, said she will present new information about the case at 6 p.m. in Jacksonville.

Martin, 17, was killed February 26 as he returned to his father's fiancee's house in Sanford after picking up candy and an iced tea at a nearby convenience store.

The news that Zimmerman -- whose whereabouts were not publicly known Wednesday -- will be charged came shortly after the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Martin family attorney called for the public to remain peaceful, whatever the decision of the special prosecutor turns out to be.

"We do not condone or support in any way acts or language of violence," Sharpton told his National Action Network's 14th annual convention in Washington. "Trayvon Martin's name must not be tarnished by those who are either for or against us with any reckless behavior, even verbally."

He and Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump said Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, have conducted themselves with dignity and set an example for others.

"Nobody can be hurting more than them," Crump said. "Nobody can be more outraged than them."

Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig, the two lawyers who had been giving legal advice to Zimmerman, told reporters Tuesday that they had lost contact with their client and no longer represent him.

Phyllis Kotey, a former prosecutor in Florida, told CNN's Brooke Baldwin that Corey may be considering a second-degree murder or manslaughter charge.

"You really just want to weigh the evidence even though you all have all these very public things going on," Kotey said. "It really shouldn't be a political decision."

A second-degree murder charge would look at whether the shooting was done with any kind of provocation and with possible reckless disregard for the safety of another human being.

"When you look at manslaughter ... you are talking about an issue of culpable negligence," Kotey said.

"One of the things you would look at would be the issue of how Zimmerman acted," she said, "whether there was anything unlawful about his actions, in terms of continuing to pursue, continuing to go after an individual in a lawful place... perhaps whether a gun was pulled on an individual in a lawful place."

Brad Conway, a defense attorney in Florida, told CNN that Zimmerman needs to hire a new attorney -- quickly.

"One thing is of key concern to everybody is Mr. Zimmerman's safety," Conway said.

Gov. Rick Scott, in a statement issued late Wednesday afternoon, said, "Most Floridians and local civic leaders are law-abiding, responsible citizens who all want justice to prevail. No matter what State Attorney Corey determines following her investigation of the Trayvon Martin tragedy, I trust in the goodness of all Florida citizens to allow our justice system to reach an appropriate conclusion in this case."

The case has sparked a nationwide debate about race in America and Florida's "stand your ground" law, which allows the use of deadly force by anyone who feels a reasonable threat of death or serious injury. Readings of the law are crucial to a prosecution, Conway said.

Thousands of protesters have descended on Sanford to demand Zimmerman's arrest.

But, Sharpton said Wednesday, "this is not anti-anybody," noting that white people, African-Americans, Latinos and Asian-Americans have joined what Martin supporters have described as a call for justice.

"We're not talking about a conviction," Crump said. "He'll have his day in court. ... All we're asking for is an arrest."

Fulton told the group, "for the last 44 days it has been a nightmare, and this is coming from a mother's perspective. I have been up and down as if I was on a roller coaster, but I know without a shadow of a doubt justice will be served."

Sonner said that he believes Zimmerman's claim of self-defense.

"When the facts come out, it'll show he acted in self-defense, that the police department made the proper decision in not arresting him, as there was not probable cause to make the arrest," he said.

"Something changed around Sunday," Sonner told CNN, "and (Zimmerman) cut off all contact and has started doing things without telling me he's doing them."

Attorney General Eric Holder also spoke Wednesday to the National Action Network, pledging that the Justice Department will "conduct a thorough and independent review of the evidence."

"I know that many of you are greatly -- and rightly -- concerned" about Martin's death, Holder said -- "a young man whose future has been lost to the ages."

The department's investigation, launched three weeks ago, remains open, he said, which "prevents me from talking in detail about this matter." Holder did note, however, that Justice Department officials had traveled to Sanford to meet with Martin's family, community members and local authorities. The FBI is assisting, he said.

Uhrig said Tuesday that Zimmerman had, on his own, called Sean Hannity of Fox News and called Corey's office.

"One of the things every defense attorney tells his client is, don't talk to the prosecutors. Don't talk to the cops. Frankly, don't talk to anybody until we get control of the situation, and do it through counsel," Uhrig said.

He added that he was concerned about his former client's "emotional and physical safety" and said Zimmerman could be suffering from "post-traumatic stress."

Sonner said Wednesday that he believes Zimmerman called Corey because "he wanted to give his side of the story to the prosecutors, and we were going to arrange for that to happen. ... If he would have worked through me, I would have allowed him to make his statement."

Zimmerman would not return phone calls so arrangements could be made for him to meet with the prosecutor, Sonner said.

Asked about potential pressure, Corey told CNN affiliate WJXT on Tuesday: "It's not pressure. I mean, the point is, when you are seeking justice, you've only got one course of action, and that's to do everything you can to find out the full truth." That, she said, involves analyzing physical evidence, talking to witnesses,

Although details of the February 26 shooting remain murky, what is known is that Martin, an African-American, ventured out from his father's fiancee's home in Sanford to get a snack at a nearby convenience store.

As he walked back with a bag of Skittles and an Arizona Iced Tea, he was shot and killed by Zimmerman, who is Hispanic and who had called 911 to complain about a suspicious person in the neighborhood, according to authorities.

Authorities have said Zimmerman was not immediately charged because there were no grounds, at the outset, to disprove his account that he'd acted to protect himself.

NBC: George Zimmerman to be charged in Trayvon Martin case

NBC: George Zimmerman to be charged in Trayvon Martin case

RATURN OF THE GODS

TO MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER

RAISE UP THEIR DREAMS AND THEY WILL PULL UP THEIR PANTS

 RAISE UP THEIR DREAMS AND THEY WILL PULL UP THEIR PANTS.

William Bell-Trying To Love Two

Luther Ingram - Aint That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One)

Johnnie Taylor ~ Soul Heaven

R. Kelly revives 'Trapped in the Closet'

It seems R. Kelly is trapped in the closet again.

The R&B singer is releasing the next installment of his dramatic musical series, “Trapped in the Closet,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
The series, which chronicles the antics of outrageous fictional characters, was first introduced to audiences in 2007 via five music videos. The videos were released to accompany Kelly's 2005 album, “TP.3 Reloaded.”
The series quickly became a cult classic, prompting the singer to release 22 additional chapters.
IFC is expected to helm chapters 23 and so on, which will air in the fall. (The network is expected to begin filming in Chicago this spring.)
Kelly promised he’d fill in some blanks for fans: "When I first began experiencing the unknown journey of writing 'Trapped in the Closet' I knew after the first chapter that I had tapped into something that was not of this earth," he said in a statement, via the Chicago Sun-Times.

The singer is expected to release his new album, “Write Me Back,” this summer.His memoir, “Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me,” is due out in June

Obama administration heeds judges' health care order

Washington  -- The Justice Department obeyed a federal appeals court's unusual order Thursday in a legal and political spat over the health care law championed by President Barack Obama.

Attorney General Eric Holder personally met the deadline and filed a three-page, single-spaced letter-- following the specific instructions of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is hearing a challenge to the health care law.

The letter affirmed the government's stance that federal judges indeed have the authority to decide the fate of the 2010 Affordable Care Act -- and any other law Congress passes.

"The power of the courts to review the constitutionality of legislation is beyond dispute," Holder said.

Read the letter (PDF)

His personal involvement in crafting the response signaled the issue's hot-button importance within the administration, four days after controversial remarks by Obama advising the Supreme Court not to take an "unprecedented" step by overturning the health care reform law.

"The President's remarks were fully consistent with the principles described herein," concluded Holder's letter.

The dispute involving the court and the executive branch has elevated the political stakes over whether the law will survive various legal challenges, including a pending Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of a key provision of the health care law. The high court's ruling, expected in June, would take precedence over any other courts hearing similar appeals.

On Monday, Obama responded to a reporter's question by saying: "I'm confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically-elected Congress and I just remind conservative commentators that for years, what we've heard is, the biggest problem on the bench was judicial activism or a lack of judicial restraint, that an unelected group of people would somehow overturn a dually constituted and passed law."

Some conservative critics interpreted those remarks as a challenge to judicial authority, suggesting Obama was putting political pressure on the high court.

A day after the president's initial remarks, the three Republican-appointed appellate judges held a hearing on a challenge to the health care law from physician-owned hospitals.

Judge Jerry Smith, a Reagan appointee, was especially tough on a Justice Department lawyer defending the law and specifically mentioned the Obama remarks from the day before.

"I'm referring to statements by the president in the past few days to the effect, and I'm sure you've heard about them, that it is somehow inappropriate for what he termed 'unelected' judges to strike acts of Congress that have enjoyed -- he was referring to, of course, Obamacare -- to what he termed broad consensus in majorities in both houses of Congress," Smith said.

"That has troubled a number of people who have read it as somehow a challenge to the federal courts or to their authority or to the appropriateness of the concept of judicial review," Smith continued. "And that's not a small matter. So I want to be sure that you're telling us that the attorney general and the Department of Justice do recognize the authority of the federal courts through unelected judges to strike acts of Congress or portions thereof in appropriate cases."

Government lawyer Dana Lydia Kaersvang appeared initially taken aback, but replied such authority has existed for centuries.

Nevertheless, Smith and Judges Emilio Garza and Leslie Southwick then ordered the Justice Department to submit by noon Thursday Texas time a three-page, single-spaced letter addressing whether the Obama administration believes courts do indeed enjoy that power.

In a sign of the political nature of the imbroglio, Smith's phrasing in open court of the law as "Obamacare" used a term coined by opponents of the law.

Holder's letter Thursday offered repeated deference to the power of the federal courts. He said the Justice Department "has not in this litigation, nor in any other litigation of which I am aware, ever asked this or any other court to reconsider or limit long-established precedent concerning judicial review of the constitutionality of federal legislation."

Legal analysts say the administration is walking a fine line in trying to tamp down criticism from legal and political circles.

"There are two things going on, of course. First, Holder (in the letter) says that we have an argument courts can't hear this case. Second, if you can hear the case, you certainly have the power to invalidate part of the statute as constitutional. But (he says) you shouldn't do that lightly," said Thomas Goldstein, a prominent Washington attorney, law professor, and publisher of SCOTUSBLOG.com. "The last part is how they are framing the President's point -- that the courts need to give the elected branches deference. It's a respectful letter, but it has an element of-- 'What are you talking about, the president never said that.' "

The specific issue before the appeals court was a provision in the health care law restricting doctor-owned hospitals from expanding their facilities. The challenge was brought by an East Texas spine-and-joint hospital.

After his initial remarks Monday proved controversial, Obama sought to clarify them Tuesday by saying: "The point I was making is that the Supreme Court is the final say on our Constitution and our laws, and all of us have to respect it, but it's precisely because of that extraordinary power that the court has traditionally exercised significant restraint and deference to our duly elected legislature, our Congress. And so the burden is on those who would overturn a law like this."

The imbroglio continued Thursday, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, using a Rotary Club speech in Lexington to tell Obama to "back off" and let the courts do their work without political interference.

"The president crossed a dangerous line this week. And anyone who cares about liberty needs to call him out on it," McConnell said. "The independence of the court must be defended. Regardless of how the justices decide this case, they're answerable, above all, to the Constitution they swore to uphold. The fact that this president does not appear to feel similarly constrained to respect their independence doesn't change that one bit. So respectfully, I would suggest the president back off. Let the court do its work."

Even Obama's former Harvard Law School professor and mentor, Laurence Tribe, said the president "obviously misspoke," telling the Wall Street Journal "I don't think anything was gained by his making these comments and I don't think any harm was done, except by public confusion."

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney faced skeptical reporters Thursday just before Holder's letter arrived at the appeals court.

Carney said it was "preposterous" to suggest Obama does not respect the power of courts to rule on the constitutionality of legislation.

"It is kind of ridiculous to believe that the president wasn't talking about the context of the (health care) case, but I completely concede that he did not describe the context when he took the question and answered it on Monday," Carney said.

Two years ago, Obama attracted similar outcry when he criticized the high court's conservative majority for striking down a campaign finance reform law, giving corporations greater power to spend in federal elections.

Some conservative legal sources privately expressed disappointment in the appeals court's order this week, saying it appeared punitive and petty to demand the Justice Department defend a position it had never disputed in court.

"It was like he (the judge) was giving a homework assignment to an unprepared student," said one right-leaning lawyer, who opposes the health care law. "It has the effect of putting the judiciary on the defensive, and could give rise to concerns the courts will look at the law from a political, not constitutional, perspective."

The Supreme Court held three days of oral arguments on the health care last week. The justices have not, and by custom will not, comment on pending appeals.

Their written opinions, due in the next three months, will be the final word on the Affordable Care Act's constitutionality, particularly the "individual mandate" provision that requires most Americans to have health insurance by 2014 or face a financial penalty.

The outcome of the health care cases raises the stakes in a presidential year, and could have a lasting effect on the credibility of the federal courts, which are supposed to be beyond politics.

Lawyers: Zimmerman whispered 'punks' before shooting Trayvon Martin

Sanford, Florida  -- George Zimmerman told his lawyers that he whispered "punks," not a racial slur, in the moments before he shot Trayvon Martin, his attorneys told CNN on Thursday.

Some people interpreted the police recording of Zimmerman's call to 911 as evidence the fatal shooting was racially motivated.

Zimmerman attorneys Hal Ulrig and Craig Sonner told CNN their client told them he said, "These f---ing punks always get away."

Forensic audio expert Tom Owen, who analyzed 911 recordings, agreed the garbled word that raised controversy was "punks," not the racial slur some people said they heard

When Owen, chairman emeritus of the American Board of Recorded Evidence, used a computer application to remove cell phone interference, the word became clearer, he said. After discussions with linguists, he said he became convinced that Zimmerman said "punks."

Enhanced audio on Zimmerman call

Zimmerman attorneys say media unfair

Attorney: Martin had right to defend self

He provided CNN with a copy of the newly processed audio.

CNN also enhanced the sound of the 911 call, and several members of CNN's editorial staff repeatedly reviewed the tape but could reach no consensus on whether Zimmerman used a slur.

Martin's family and supporters say Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, profiled Martin, who was black, as "suspicious" and ignored a police dispatcher's request not to follow him. Martin did not live in Sanford, Florida, but he was there with his father, whose fiancee lives in Zimmerman's neighborhood.

Zimmerman, 28, fatally shot Martin, 17, on February 26. The case has triggered a nationwide debate about Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, race and racial profiling.

While Zimmerman's attorneys may welcome Owen's analysis of their client's 911 call, they disagree with his conclusions about what is heard on another 911 recording.

Zimmerman has said he was yelling for help, according to his family members and his account to authorities, as first reported by The Orlando Sentinel and later confirmed by Sanford police.

But Martin's relatives, including his cousin Ronquavis Fulton, have said they are certain the voice heard on the 911 call is Martin's.

Owen and another audio expert, Ed Primeau, analyzed the recording for the Sentinel using different techniques, and they said they don't believe it is Zimmerman who is heard yelling in the background of one 911 call. They compared the screams with Zimmerman's voice, as recorded in a 911 call he made minutes earlier describing a "suspicious" black male.

"There's a huge chance that this is not Zimmerman's voice," said Primeau, a longtime audio engineer who is listed as an expert in recorded evidence by the American College of Forensic Examiners International.

"After 28 years of doing this, I would put my reputation on the line and say this is not George Zimmerman screaming."

Owen also said he does not believe the screams came from Zimmerman.

He does not have a sample of Martin's voice for comparison, he said.

He cited software that is widely used in Europe and has become recently accepted in the United States that examines characteristics such as pitch and the space between spoken words to analyze voices.

Using it, he found a 48% likelihood the voice is Zimmerman's. At least 60% is necessary to feel confident that two samples are from the same source, he told CNN on Monday -- meaning it's unlikely it was Zimmerman who can be heard yelling.

The experts, both of whom said they have testified in cases involving audio analysis, stressed that they cannot say who was screaming

Trayvon Martin's parents seek federal review of prosecutor

 Trayvon Martin's parents will ask the U.S. Justice Department to review a local Florida prosecutor's interactions with police investigating the teen's shooting death, the family's lawyer said.

The Justice Department launched an investigation into Martin's death on March 19, but the family is now asking it to look for possible interference by State's Attorney Norm Wolfinger's office with Sanford, Florida, Police Detective Chris Serino, attorney Ben Crump said.

The Martin family will send a formal request to the Justice Department Monday, Crump told CNN Sunday.

Martin, 17, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, 28, after Zimmerman called police to report him as a "suspicious" person on the evening of February 26.

Media, race and polarization

Angela Davis: Trayvon's story not unique

March for Trayvon Martin

Martin family lawyer's questions

Zimmerman says he killed Martin in self-defense after the teen punched him and slammed his head on the sidewalk, according to an Orlando Sentinel report that was later confirmed by Sanford police.

Police cited Florida's "stand your ground" law, which allows people to use deadly force anywhere they feel a reasonable threat of death or serious injury, for not immediately arresting Zimmerman.

Authorities have said Zimmerman was not immediately charged because there were no grounds, at the outset, to disprove his account that he'd acted to protect himself. Martin's family and supporters say Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, racially profiled the teen, who was black, and ignored a police dispatcher's directive not to follow him.

The killing sparked nationwide protests, including a march Saturday by civil rights luminaries, carrying "Justice for Trayvon" signs in a marching to the Sanford police headquarters.

The Sanford police department has come under intense scrutiny for its actions following the shooting, and protesters renewed their call for the firing of police Chief Bill Lee, who stepped aside temporarily this month amid criticism.

The local prosecutor also stepped aside. Gov. Rick Scott appointed a special investigator to decide if Zimmerman should be charged, cleared or if the case should be sent to the grand jury.

Should the Supreme Court arguments over health care be televised?

While the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments about the constitutionality of Obamacare, only a few hundred members of the public and press can actually see what is happening as it's happening.
That's because the high court decided that there would be no televised coverage of the historic health care hearings.
Lawmakers, media and open government groups had pushed for the court to break with tradition and let TV cameras in to broadcast the three days of oral arguments.
Some say the Supreme Court's practice of no TV cameras is behind the times.
But the best they could get are daily audio recordings and transcripts of the hearings. The court says they're releasing these because of quote "extraordinary public interest" in the health care case.
No kidding. What these nine justices decide could have major effects on the political and economic future of this country. Not to mention the health care for millions of individual Americans.
Which is why polls show Americans overwhelmingly in favor of televising the arguments before the nation's highest court.
A new CNN/ORC poll shows 61% of those surveyed say the Supreme Court should allow TV cameras into hearings. Only 35% say no.
In December, Congress held hearings on the so called Cameras in the Courtroom Act. Supporters say TV coverage of the high court's hearings would provide more transparency.
Opponents suggest allowing cameras in would detract from the integrity and decorum of the institution. Baloney. That court is conducting the people's business, and the people have every right to witness what goes on.
Here’s my question to you: Should the Supreme Court arguments over health care be televised?

THE WHITE MAN

CHECK THIS OUT,LOL.

Did Rick Santorum Call Barack Obama a “Government N*gger?”

There are few people on this earth that I love more than Abena Agyeman-Fisher, the editor at NewsOne.com. A consummate professional and arguably the leading online journalist in the country, Abena is never someone I would accuse of being a liar. But this morning, after rolling out of bed and sitting at my desk in my gym shorts, I really thought my colleague might have been hitting the crack pipe.
“Dr. Boyce. Rick Santorum has a video up in which he refers to President Obama as a n*gger,” she said to me.
“What did you say?” I said, as my face twisted up like a newborn baby eating a piece of broccoli. Even I couldn’t believe what my editor was telling me, and I thought she’d lost her mind.
Then, I saw the video. Yes, he said it. I’m sure the Rick Santorum campaign team is strategizing faster than Homeland Security after a terrorist attack to find any BS excuse to convince us that we’re not actually hearing what we can clearly hear. But the evidence shows that Rick Santorum is running head first into the word “n*gger” as he describes the first black president.
I’ve watched this video 14.5 times. I’ve meditated on it, prayed over it, laid hands on it, and sent it to my mama. I had to take a moment to thank God that Rick Santorum, in his conservative brilliance, has finally released videotaped evidence of the kind of smoking gun that many millions of us can use to prove that he is every bit as racist as we’ve always known him to be.


This is the same man who said that he would tell Black people to get off of food stamps, and he tends to perform well in states where the citizens don’t like Black people very much. Santorum serves as yet another reason that millions of conservative African Americans would rather endure their discomfort with Obamacare, gay rights, and abortion than to vote for Republicans who seem to think that we should all be in prisons or on plantations.
If the Republican Party would let go of its commitment to protecting the rich and oppressing minorities, they could get quite a bit of support from the African American church
“Rick Santorum was written off as a joke in the past, and has only risen again as a result of the resurgence of racism,” said Political Commentator Yvette Carnell.
I’m sure Santorum will have a good explanation for why half of the word “n*gger” slipped out of his mouth as he stumbled over his words to catch himself after his glaring mistake. After realizing his obvious slip up, Santorum’s rhetoric was as sloppy as a drunken, uneducated rapper trying to explain Astrophysics to the United Nations. He couldn’t even say the word “boo” without using four syllables, for I’m sure that even his warped little mind suddenly realized that his presidential campaign might be over.
Rick, my friend, you’ve been caught red-handed. It was only through a random twist of chaotic, discriminatory, counter-productive fate and distorted political reality that someone like you could become a legitimate contender for President of the United States. From every indication I’ve received, you are no better than a white Herman Cain. I look forward to watching your enemies eat you alive, for America has no room for leaders <object id="sbPlayer" width="600" height="350" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/mediaplayer/springboard/youtube/bosp007/qKJUSFk1Si8/"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/mediaplayer/springboard/youtube/bosp007/qKJUSFk1Si8/" width="600" height="350" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object>who feel compelled to refer to the President of the United States as a n*gger.

What will happen if America failed to pay off its debt?

How would it be possible to pay off it's debt? The USA has no money of its own. All currency used in the USA belongs to the Federal Reserve Corporation who loans "fiat" money to the Federal government of the USA.
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The Treasury has bonds printed up selling them to people and other governments. When these bonds mature and are turned in the Treasury cannot pay off these bonds in most cases and must go to and borrow the funds from the Federal Reserve Corporation paying more interest.
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The Federal Reserve Corporation creates "fiat" money out of thin air. Because of "fiat" money and fractional banking there is no way America can ever pay off its debt ever! We have President Woodrow Wilson to thank for this when he signed the Federal Reserve Act, sneaked through congress during Christmas Recess of Congress, to repay debts owed to the banking cartels for his reelection. After signing Wilson commented, "I have ruined America with this signing!"
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Today there are 12 major banking cartels throughout the world. These cartels own all the currencies throughout the world shuffling these "fiat" currencies around for their own good and interests not those of the common people. This is only one tentacle of a multifaceted octopus controlling the world.

ADDITIONAL: A number of you have stated the national debt with figures way too low Attached here is a more accurate accounting:
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the US REAL federal debt is actually over US$99.2 trillion (as of May 2008). Who says so? The President of the Dallas Federal Reserve, Richard W. Fisher, in a May 2008 speech at the Commonwealth Club of California. Our descendants for the next century will not be able to pay this debt off. The Elite international bankers don't want it paid off, because they want the interest on this debt to keep flowing.

Though the Bush Administration’s official budget lists the national debt and deficit as being incredibly high, they are actually far worse than reported, according to Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN). But don’t just take his word for it, even if Cooper is a Rhodes Scholar and Harvard Law graduate. The following figures appear in the official U.S. Financial Report, released by the Treasury Department:

* The true national debt is $49 trillion, not the $8.3 trillion Bush reported

o That’s $156,000 for every citizen, or $375,000 for every working American

o This figure has more than doubled in the past five years

o We paid $327 billion last year on interest alone

* The true 2005 deficit was $760 billion, not the $318.5 billion Bush reported

o This is 6.2% of the GDP, not 2.6%

* It’s all getting worse

What accounts for the huge discrepancy? Unlike businesses, the government uses “cash” instead of “accrual” accounting. This means that the government does not report future spending promises like Medicare and Social Security, or even future spending guarantees like veterans’ benefits and federal employee pensions.

“Cash accounting tells you what’s in your bank account. Accrual accounting tells you what’s in your bank account and what’s on your credit card statement,” Cooper told BuzzFlash in an interview. “Whether you’re promising to buy a road or something at Target, you need to know what you promised to buy. That should be a binding obligation of the government. We’ve made a world of promises to folks that we need to keep.”

But wait, there’s more! The U.S. Financial Report does not mention that if Medicare and Social Security are factored into the equation (which the Treasury Department did not), the true deficit was actually a whopping $3.3 trillion last year, over ten times more than Bush claims. And when Social Security projections are adjusted to reflect current life expectancies instead of the old 75-year mark, Cooper said the true national debt is “probably closer to $65 trillion.”

Jul. 7, 2007 Source: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/07…

Laurence J. Kotlikoff, in his October 2005 paper titled, “Is the U.S. Bankrupt?”, estimates that the US real debt, in 2005, was $65.9 trillion, and in order to pay this debt off our children and grandchildren will be paying a federal income tax at the rate of 63% to 80.6%. This means that in 2007 it could be in the $70 to $75 trillion range. http://www.4rie.com/index.html#anchor200…Scroll way down to "THE REAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL DEBT" You may find much of the other information interesting as well.

'He thought it would all blow over': Friend defends Zimmerman as new witness reveals how shooter 'refused to help dying Trayvon'

New witness said Zimmerman pinned Trayvon face-down after shooting and did nothing to help

However, long-time friend Joe Oliver said Zimmerman 'couldn't stop crying' after the fatal shooting incident last month

Zimmerman's lawyer says only one side of the story is being told and that more will be revealed at grand trial

Justice Department may bring hate crime charges against Zimmerman

Rev Jesse Jackson called teen a 'martyr' and said 'blacks are under attack'

Parents warn against fake websites claiming to collect money for the caseA woman has stepped forward, saying she witnessed the final moments of Trayvon Martin’s life.
In an interview set to air on Dateline tonight, Mary Cutcher said that she and her roommate ran out after hearing the shot.
She said that Zimmerman had ‘his hands pressed on his back’ and ‘never turned him over or tried to help him.’
The version of events relayed the witness strongly contradicts the characterization of Zimmerman by his long-time friend Joe Oliver who said that he is surprised that it has turned into such a national issue.

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Stepping forward: Mary Cutcher said in a Dateline interview that she and her roommate saw Zimmerman holding Trayvon down and did not try to help him; the full interview airs tonight on NBC

Killing: Trayvon Martin, left, was shot dead by George Zimmerman, right, in a gated community in Florida

'Because he was there and he knows what happened...he's been very confident - naively - that this would all blow over,' Mr Oliver said in an appearance on ABC.
On both Good Morning America and the Today show, Mr Oliver said Zimmerman was in shambles after the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.
Speaking on Good Morning America , Joe Oliver said: ‘After this started – the reports I got – (Zimmerman) couldn’t stop crying.'

He also confirmed that Zimmerman is in hiding and is fearful for his life, especially after yesterday, when the Black Panthers placed a $10,000 bounty on his 'capture.'
'He's moved, they've disconnected their phone numbers. They're in hiding. They're fearful,' Mr Oliver said.
The interviews comes the same day as a new report says that Justice Department investigators may try to charge him with a hate crime, and they are thought to be using the alleged murmuring on the 911 call to argue he said a racial slur before fatally shooting the 17-year-old.

Different account: Speaking on Good Morning America today, long-time friend Joe Oliver, left, and legal adviser Craig Soner, right, said only one side of the story is being told

'If that was a racial epithet that preceded the attack on Trayvon Martin, we definitely have a hate crime,' said Drexel University law professor Donald Tibbs.
'It sounds pretty obvious to me,' he told the Associated Press.

'At that point, either George or Trayvon was going to die.'

-Joe Oliver, George Zimmerman's friend

Even if Zimmerman is not charged, the entire Sanford police department may be investigated regardless to see if they destroyed or hid any evidence during their initial investigation.
Mr Oliver also identified the voice screaming in the now-infamous 911 tapes as the Neighbourhood Watch captain, not of Martin as the teen's parents claim.
‘From the clips that I’ve heard online, I heard George. That sounded like someone who was in dire need of help. It sounded like George.’
'At that point, either George or Trayvon was going to die.'

Protests in churches across the country: Members of the congregation at Middle Collegiate Church in New York wear hoodies as part of protests at the shooting of Martin

Fired up: The Rev. Jesse Jackson delivered a sermon about the death of Trayvon Martin at the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Eatonville, Florida today

Worship wear: Church-goers at Middle Collegiate Church in New York's East Village were invited to wear hoodies to services today to show their support for justice

In prayer: Senior Minister Jacqueline Lewis, right, prays with other congregants during the Middle Collegiate Church service

However, several people who witnessed the deadly shooting last month said the shrieks were that of a teenager.
But Mr Oliver, who has known Zimmerman for the better part of a decade, insisted that the cries were those of someone seeking help, and added that in the duration of their friendship, has not seen the man with a Peruvian mother and white father acting in a racist manner.
He said given the history in Sanford, Florida, the reason that Zimmerman is not in jail is because he’s not guilty. ‘They don’t have evidence to arrest him,’ Mr Oliver said.
He also noted that the Virginia-native was only now coming to terms with the vast scope and severity of the case that even garnered the attention of President Obama.
Mr Oliver said: ‘Just now, he’s becoming aware of how big this has gotten. It’s just starting to sink in. Up until this point…he’s been very confident- naively – that this would blow over.’

Too young: Trayvon Martin, seen here in a family photo from a ski trip, was simply holding Skittles when he was shot

Zimmerman’s legal advisor Craig Sonner also spoke on the show, saying that only half of the story has been painted by the evidence available.
‘That’s only a small snippet of anything that happened that evening,’ Mr Sonner said, also noting that he did not want to litigate the case publicly. ‘There’s more evidence that will be released when the case comes forward on April 10.’

'If it's a moment, we go home. If it's a movement, we go to war... there is power in the blood of the innocent.'

-The Rev. Jesse Jackson

'George Zimmerman suffered a broken nose, and had an injury to the back of his head, he was attacked by Trayvon Martin on that evening.
'The evidence will show that this was a case of self defense.'
Referring to the controversial Stand Your Ground law which allows people to fight back when attacked, Mr Sonner said that it 'is going to be applicable in this case'.
Speaking today to a crowd of about 1,600 at the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Eatonville, Florida, civil-rights activist Jesse Jackson called Martin a ‘martyr.’
‘If it’s a moment, we go home. If it’s a movement, we go to war,’ he said, the Orlando Sun-Sentinel reported. ‘There is power in the blood of the innocent.’
He added: ‘Blacks are under attack.’

Congregants wear hoodies during a service in New York to show their support for justice in the case of Martin

Senior Minister Dr. Jacqueline Lewis at a special service for Martin at Middle Collegiate Church in New York City

Hoodies for Trayvon: Several hundred people wore hoodies in solidarity for Trayvon in Chicago's Daley Plaza yesterday

Speaking out: A man, centre, spoke at the Washington rally yesterday before the group marched to Freedom Plaza

Also today, other evidence shows Zimmerman in a different light. According to the New York Post, Zimmerman had delusions of grandeur and dreamed of a life in law enforcement. On top of that, the paper noted, he had cases of extreme paranoia.
According to the Post, Zimmerman twice enrolled at a program at Seminole State to pursue a vocational certificate, once in 2003, and again in 2009.
However, he was kicked out the last week of the program because of safety concerns, the Los Angeles Times said.
Thus, he acted out his police dreams by obsessively patrolling the gated community of the Retreat at Twin Lakes, where both he and Martin’s father, Tracy Martin, live.

'From the clips that I’ve heard online, I heard George. That sounded like someone who was in dire need of help. It sounded like George.'

-Joe Oliver

Records show Zimmerman called the police at least 46 times within the last year – many of those times were to report ‘suspicious’ African-Americans within the subdivision.
Often, the calls were focused around fear of burglaries.
The case has become a national issue, and the slain teen's parents have both quit their jobs to help see that the fight for justice continues. In that effort, they have allowed their lawyers to set up a donation fund for the legal costs, but now they fear that other fake sites have sprung up, hoping to profit from the national outrage.
The case certainly continues to raise public ire, as multitudinous crowds gathered throughout the nation in a wide sweep of protests against the killing.
About 400 people rallied Saturday in downtown Chicago to protest Martin's killing.
In a racially divided city beset by shootings, gang violence and run-ins with police, the teen's death brought to mind the 1955 slaying of Emmitt Till, a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago who was shot and bludgeoned to death while visiting Mississippi for supposedly whistling at a white woman. His body was found in the Tallahatchie River.
No one was ever convicted, but Till's killing galvanized the civil rights movement.
'It's a precedent that with the right excuse it's OK to gun down black males,' protester Ashten Fizer said of Martin's killing. 'It's a return of Jim Crow.'
In Washington, a large crowd gathered in Freedom Plaza to call for justice in the shooting.

Rallying: People gather for a rally for slain teenager Treyvon Martin in Washington

Sombre: People gathered at the 'Stand Up for Trayvon Martin' rally in Washington yesterday with a gloomy sky as backdrop

Distraught: A demonstrator weeps in New York's Union Square at the end of a march from Zuccotti Park

Among the demonstrators Saturday was Jimmy Neal, a District of Columbia resident who said his daughter has been asking him questions he didn't want to answer.
'She's asked me the question ... `Why, daddy, when he was carrying candy and a soda or iced tea and why did the man kill him?' I had to explain that to her. And those are discussions you don't plan to have with your kids,' Neal said.
'Hoodie Marches' were organized Saturday in two South Carolina cities over social media. Many of the people participating carried bags of Skittles and wore hooded sweat shirts, like the one Martin wore when he was killed.
Martin was holding a bag of the candy while walking to his father's fiancée's home from a convenience store when Zimmerman started following him, telling police dispatchers he looked suspicious.
At some point, the two got into a fight in the gated community and Zimmerman pulled out his gun.
Meanwhile, authorities say a Florida man is charged with threatening the police chief who temporarily stepped down from the investigation.
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office says John Carnduff Stewart of Melbourne Beach emailed Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee on Friday, saying Lee and his family should be killed. Melbourne Beach is nearly 70 miles south of Sanford.
The sheriff's office says Stewart has sent threatening emails previously, including to Penn State University assistant football coach Mike McQueary.
Stewart was placed on electronic monitoring as a condition of his $10,000 bond.

Defiance: Protests have demanded that George Zimmerman be prosecuted over the shooting

March: A seven-year-old protester eats Skittles at a demonstration in Washington, D.C. Trayvon Martin had gone to buy a bag of Skittles when he was shot by Zimmerman

On Saturday, protesters gathered in New York bolstered by campaigners from Occupy Wall Street, and marched from Zuccotti Park to Union Square, with many activists dressed in hoodies to represent the clothes Martin was wearing when he was shot dead by George Zimmerman.
The witness, known only as John, told Sanford police that he saw Martin on top of George Zimmerman shortly before the fatal shot that has led to a national outcry, including a huge 'hoodie' march in Philadelphia last night. He recounted the details to Fox 35 News in Florida.

Meanwhile, the Rev Al Sharpton said today that activists are planning a ‘wave of civil disobedience.’

Speaking outside of his New York City headquarters today, Rev Sharpton said that it is important to show ‘sustained indignation’ over Martin's death.
He also appeared on the Today show this morning and said that the legal system failed Trayvon Martin and his family.
In reaction to Mr Obama’s comment, he said: ‘He expressed himself when asked a question as the president.’

Hoodie: Martin's choice of attire has been mentioned as one possible reason he attracted suspicion

No bias: Speaking on CBS, Zimmerman's attorney Craig Sonner said that the Neighbourhood Watch volunteer isn't racist

Rev Sharpton’s projection isn’t far from truth. Already, thousands of people across the country have joined rallies and protests – many of these demonstrations are encouraging protesters to wear a hoodie like Martin was when he was shot.

BLACK PANTHERS OFFER BOUNTY

Mikhail Muhammad, leader of the New Black Panther Party, led a protest over the weekend

The New Black Panther Party has offered a $10,000 reward for the 'capture' of George Zimmerman.
The group's leader Mikhail Muhammad said the bounty was 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth'.
At a rally for slain teenager Trayvon Martin, the Black Panthers called for 10,000 black men to hunt down Zimmerman, Martin's shooter who has not been charged over the killing.
Mr Muhammad said at the gathering in Sanford that his group was planning to apprehend the killer itself.
'If the government won't do the job, we'll do it,' he said.
Speaking today, Zimmerman's long-time friend Joe Oliver said he is in hiding and fearful for his life.

In addition, members of the Black Panther Party are offering a $10,000 reward for Zimmerman’s ‘capture,’ the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Leader Mikhai Muhammad said at a Sanford protest today after the group called for 5,000 new recruits to capture him.
The group chanted: ‘Justice for Trayvon!’ as well as ‘Black Power!’
Mr Muhammad told the paper that the group would commence their search in areas that Zimmerman was known to have work ties – in Jacksonville and Maitland.
The witness told FOX 35 in Orlando that he saw evidence of a fight between Martin and Zimmerman, which could lend credence to the gunman's claim that he was acting in self-defence.
'The guy on the bottom who had a red sweater on was yelling to me: "Help, help… and I told him to stop and I was calling 911,' he said.
Zimmerman was wearing a red sweater; Martin was in a grey hoodie.
He added: 'When I got upstairs and looked down, the guy who was on top beating up the other guy, was the one laying in the grass, and I believe he was dead at that point.'
This account is drastically different from the portrait painted of Martin by his friends and acquaintances.
Friends of the slain 17-year-old say they cannot imagine him getting involved in a fight, and insist that he was not violent.
'There's no way I can believe that, because he's not a confrontational kid,' said Jerome Horton, who was one of Martin's former football coaches and knew him since he was a small child.
'It just wouldn't happen. That's just not that kid.

Sustained protests: Rev Al Sharpton today called for civil disobedience and more protests to show outrage over the case; he is pictured speaking at a rally Friday

Chants: The rally chanted their frustration with racism and discrimination believed to have led to the teen's death

The attorney hired to represent Zimmerman is echoing claims of the Neighbourhood Watchman’s father – that he’s not racist.
Speaking on CBS This Morning: Saturday, attorney Craig Sonner said: ‘I don’t believe there’s any racial motivation on the behalf of George Zimmerman… That’s the issue that we wanted to address today, is that this was not a racial issue in what happened that day.
'Basically, Mr Zimmerman claims he was attacked by Trayvon Martin and he was defending himself. That’s the gist of the investigation.’
He also noted that he is at the moment only advising Zimmerman, as he has not been criminally charged.
Though he has remained resolutely silent throughout the ordeal, even as national protests are held calling for his arrest, Zimmerman did place a call to a neighbour nearly a month after the incident, thanking him for his support.
In the call, the Neighbourhood Watch captain left a message for Frank Taaffee, one of Zimmerman’s most vocal supporters to date.
‘Hey, Mr Taaffee. This is George. Um, first and foremost, I wanted to say I am very sorry for the loss of your son, and, um, I can't imagine what you must be going through.
'Um, secondly, I wanted to thank you for doing everything you've been doing.
'Um, I know you don't have to, and I appreciate it, and you're truly setting an example for me for the future of, uh, doing the right thing even when it's tough, and, uh, I appreciate it.
'I'll talk to you soon,’ Zimmerman said in the message.

Final stop: Trayvon shopped at this 7-Eleven in Sanford before he was shot by Zimmerman; he bought Skittles and an iced tea

Place of death: The area behind Twin Trees Lane, where slain teenager Trayvon Martin's body was found

Residence: The home of George Zimmerman at the Retreat of Twin Lakes neighbourhood