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CONTINUOUS ATTACKS ON OUR
WEBSITE
May 26 Update:
Our website continues to be the target of numerous hacking attempts-- actually it has been a continuous wave of onslaught since late March of this year. This has led to a daily battle for us to just maintain and update our website. Certain data is still not up to date, such as image files, as evidenced by the lack of certain images in our Spring 09 Newsletter. Our attempts to upload those images is being blocked.
The source of the hacking activity is varied, from IP addresses from all over the world. Some of those IP addresses are still listed as unallocated, therefore we stand by our previous assessment that the U.S. government is the source of this hacking activity.
We have also experienced attempted penetration of our computers which are not online but simply connected to a phone line. We utilize a land line telephone line serviced by Verizon Corporation. This type of activity is unusual to say the least, and further illustrates that the telecommunications carrier Verizon may be facilitating such activity.
Compounding this, telephone service was cut off the evening of May 10th, or during the very early hours of May 11th, thereby preventing us from performing our daily updates, even though DSL service was continued for the subsequent four days, but also cut on the fifth day.
We update our server by dialup rather than DSL, out of a security concern. While updating by dialup, hacking activity is limited by a 2400 baud rate, whereas a DSL connection exposes us to a much greater digital baud territory which increases the probability of hacking penetration of our server and our connection.
Verizon employees explained to us that the telephone service was affected as a result of a 'downed line', however the DSL service on the same cable was unaffected.
I guess the 'telephone Fairy' permitted a partial 'downed line' that only affected our telephone line. Verizon customers in adjoining buildings were unaffected, as was a Verizon customer within our building on a separate floor. For the record, they all use the same telephone cable that we do.
Verizon must think we are idiots.
We have experienced dubious activity in the past with Verizon services, when our tone based telephone service was changed to pulse, thereby preventing our telephones from being able to dial out (all our phones are tone based). Pulse based service, commonly known as rotary dial, is an antiquated technology that was superceded by tone service.
MORE SERIOUS
EVENTS
Such activities are thuggish in character. In fact other thug-like activities are being used to target us, in fact myself in particular. I had hoped that it would not come to this, I had hoped that with a new administration in the White House, such activities would be a remnant of a past in America embued by a Bush era mantra. But I can no longer entertain such naive notions.
Attempts are being made by law enforcement agencies not just to surveil, the activities of this website, but also to create events to criminalize me, Victor Saraiva, the founder, Principal Director of this organization and the Editor-in Chief of this website.
I have been targeted ever since I filed a complaint with the FBI requesting a criminal investigation be launched regarding a clique of 'businessmen and bankers' operating in the Newark area. That complaint was filed in 1995.
To my knowledge no
investigation by the FBI of such persons named in my complaint was ever
initiated. A FOIA request filed later by myself with the FBI, turned up 'no
records on file' inclusive of any records tied to my name. So in essence,
according to the FOIA request response, I never filed any statement with this
governmental law enforcement agency.
Incredulous indeed, since my first statement was filed in person at the Newark field office; a second statement was filed with the U.S. Attorney's office, in Newark, also in 1995; and a third statement was filed by registered mail, mailed by a third party, in my presence, serving both as the direct agent submitting my statement into the care of the U.S. Postal Service, as well as witness that the statement was mailed to FBI headquarters in Washington D.C.
All three statements were submitted prior to my FOIA request, you know, the one that resulted in the highly questionable response of: 'nothing on file.'
Given that my statements purported to establish that there existed a group of individuals in the Newark area that were directly involved in trafficking narcotics and utilized their businesses to funnel profits of such activities and launder them; and then the premier law enforcement agency of the United States negates a citizen's varied statements as ever being filed; one must therefore conclude that said law enforcement agency is not only aware of such activities but must logically condone them. Succinctly: they too are involved!
Therefore, I can only conclude that drug traffic is being protected, or perhaps even purposely utilized by United States governmental agencies, in violation of laws and oaths to protect the citizenry of our nation. I have since concluded that drugs are being used as a weapon of social control; to destabilize and purposely destroy communities populated by minorities.
Events have since transpired, especially of late, to lead me to also conclude that events are being created or molded to establish a 'believable' scenario to paint me as some degenerate or criminal. Such events can only be characterized as 'beyond belief' in scope.
Over the years I have privately documented as much as possible, but decided to remain silent, in the hope that myself as well as my family would be left alone to live our lives in peace; in fact I had decided of late to minimize my political activities in these last couple of weeks; my soul searching led me to conclude that I had little left, not only in physical energy but also the monetary means to continue to do battle with elements in this city, county and state that epitomize sheer evil, and raw power. That personal appraisal is being called into question by unfolding events.
Recent events, in the life of my family's health and financial well being; as well as the 'frame job' being elaborated by corrupt cops and political figures (as I have been informed)-- may force me to go entirely public with my accusations: naming names, producing documents (some of which, passed on to me by third parties), and utilize this website as a means to expose activities of Newark drug traffic; money laundering and bank fraud; that involve a conspiracy of a variety of individuals assisted and protected by law enforcement personnel from different agencies.
We will shortly elaborate further.
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
-- Thomas Paine
"Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual)." --Ayn Rand
"Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one’s thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. That, of all rights, is the dread of tyrants. It is the right which they first of all strike down."
-- Frederick Douglass
Please refer to the Spring 2009 Newsletter for further postings.
Victor Saraiva, EDITOR
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The NEWS-LINK Service will be temporarily Suspended.
International News
West
Looked Other Way as Afghan Drug Trade Exploded
Locals
call them "poppy palaces," the three- or four-story marble homes with fake Roman
columns perched behind razor wire and guard shacks in Afghanistan's capital. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/67722.html
Only
Small-Time Afghan Drug Dealers Serve Time
Mayar
paused for a moment and said there were "high-ranking officials" involved with
drugs but that he didn't care to name them. "The former police chiefs, governors and
intelligence chiefs of Helmand own 10 big buildings each, and I, a general, am
living in a rented house," he said, his face cinching into a frown. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/67721.html
Afghan
Drug Trade Thrives With Help, and Neglect, of
Officials
When
it's harvest time in the poppy fields of Kandahar, dust-covered Taliban fighters
pull up on their motorbikes to collect a 10 percent tax on the crop. Afghan
police arrive in Ford Ranger pickups — bought with U.S. aid money — and demand
their cut of the cash in exchange for promises to skip the farms during annual
eradication. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/67723.html
Karzai's
Brother Threatened McClatchy Writer Reporting Afghan Drug
Story
In a
place like Kandahar, I try to take precautions — letting my beard grow and
wearing the traditional Afghan outfit of baggy pants and a long tunic — but at
the end of the day, there's no protection when the most powerful official in the
region orders you to leave. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/national-security/story/67823.html
U.K.:
Government
Wants Military to Run State Schools
The
Armed Forces will be drafted in to run state schools under plans to drive up
discipline and respect in classrooms. Ministers are in talks with defence chiefs
about taking over a handful of schools and turning them into military academies.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1178508/Right-fall-line-orrible-little-pupils-Government-wants-military-run-state-schools.html
Pakistan
Pounds Taliban, Swelling the Tide of Refugees
The
Pakistani military said Friday that it had gone on a full-scale offensive to
rout militants in the Swat Valley, as tens of thousands of refugees fled the
region. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/world/asia/09pstan.html
Afghan
Leader Says Civilian Deaths Strain Ties With U.S.
President
Hamid Karzai described the gulf between the two countries as one with roots in
American airstrikes, not corruption in his administration.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/world/asia/09policy.html
'Steep
Rise' in Sri Lanka Deaths
At
least 378 people have been killed by continuing shelling from the Sri Lankan
army in the past 24 hours, a health official has told the BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8042341.stm
UN
Aid Chief Sees Hope in Darfur
Two
months after key international aid agencies were expelled from Sudan, the UN is
cautiously optimistic about the humanitarian situation in Darfur. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8042532.stm
NATO
War Games Hinder U.S.-Russia Ties: Putin
Russian
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said NATO military exercises in Georgia did not
help efforts to rebuild Moscow's relations with the United States in comments
published on Sunday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/gc07/idUKTRE5490P320090510
Burma's
Suu Kyi 'in Poor Health'
Burma's
detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is suffering from low blood pressure
and dehydration and is barely eating, her party spokesman
says. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8041825.stm
EU
Employment Summit Short on Results
The
European commission and ministers from the Czech, Swedish and Spanish
governments agreed a loose set of proposals to boost employment on Thursday (7
May) but failed to come up with concrete measures to tackle Europe's worsening
jobs crisis. http://euobserver.com/9/28085
Chávez
Seizes Assets of Oil Contractors
President
Hugo
Chávez asserted greater control over the country’s energy industry on Friday
by seizing the assets of some foreign and domestic oil contractors while his
government grapples with a sharp decline in oil revenue and mounting debts. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/world/americas/09venez.html
Costa
Rica Reports First Death From Swine Flu
A Washington state man with underlying heart conditions became the third person infected with swine flu to die in the U.S., health officials said Saturday, while Costa Rica reported the first swine flu death outside North America. Japanese authorities, meanwhile, scrambled to limit contact with their country's first cases, and Australia and Norway joined the list of nations with confirmed cases of swine flu. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/05/09/world/AP-MED-Swine-Flu.html
Babylon
Ruins Reopen in Iraq, to Controversy
After decades of dictatorship and disrepair, Iraq is celebrating its renewed sovereignty over the Babylon archaeological site — by fighting over the place, over its past and future and, of course, over its spoils. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/world/middleeast/03babylon.html
Asian
Stocks Post Weekly Gain as Confidence in Economy
Rises
Asian stocks rose this week, extending a two-month rally, as regional bank earnings, stress tests for U.S. banks and an expansion in Chinese manufacturing activity boosted optimism that the worst of the financial crisis is over. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=a1viVvWOH3Ew
National News
Slump
Revives Town-Gown Divide Across U.S.
Some
cities and towns have renewed calls for local colleges and universities, which
have tax-exempt status, to make voluntary payments to their communities.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/education/09towngown.html
Chemical
Company Is Acquitted in Asbestos Case
W.R.
Grace and three of its executives were acquitted on Friday on all criminal
charges that they had knowingly contaminated a Montana mining town. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/us/09grace.html
Swine
Flu Cases Double in the U.S.
The
United States announced Friday that the number of swine flu cases within its
borders had doubled almost overnight, while the death toll in Mexico inched up.
American health authorities said the number of confirmed cases was now 1,639 in
43 states. The figure had been put at 896 only on Thursday. http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/142739/swine-flu-cases-double-in-the-us
List
Says Top Democrats Were Briefed on Interrogations
A new
accounting appears to call into question House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's claim that
she was never told that waterboarding and other methods were actually used
on detainees.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/us/politics/09detain.html
Obama
Top Court List Led by Women Judges,
Politicians
President
Barack Obama’s first U.S. Supreme Court appointment probably will be drawn
from a group of women who have achieved prominence in the law or politics,
ensuring more diversity and possibly more real-world experience for the high
court. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aVR4SdmWKMBQ&refer=home
Hospitals
Pay for Cutting Costly Readmissions
Readmitted
patients cost the government billions, but hospitals that curb return trips are
not rewarded. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/business/09relapse.html
To
the Hardy, Lady Liberty's Crown Beckons Anew
The
Obama administration announced that the Statue of Liberty's crown will reopen in
July, giving tourists the chance to make their way up the cramped, twisting
stairway. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/nyregion/09liberty.html
New
York Charges Rent for Working Homeless
Some
advocates say the new policy, which is based on a 1997 state law that was not
enforced until last week, is punitive and counterproductive. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/nyregion/09shelters.html
Pentagon’s
Black Budget Grows to More Than $50 Billion
The
Pentagon wants to spend just over $50 billion on classified programs next year,
newly-released Defense Department budget documents reveal. “That’s
the largest-ever sum,” according to Aviation Week’s Bill Sweetman,
a longtime
black-budget seer — a three percent increase over last year’s total. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/05/pentagons-black-budget-grows-to-more-than-50-billion/
White
House Aide Resigns Over NYC Flyover
The
White House official who authorized a $328,835 photo-op of an Air Force jet used
by the president soaring above New York City resigned under fire Friday as the
administration tried to move past the embarrassing incident that sent panicked
workers rushing into the streets amid flashbacks of Sept. 11. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hBGKBTkNHi5jtbPeSfeH1m4_FQZgD982HKBG0
Congress
Plans Incentives for Healthy Habits
Employers
would have sweeping new authority to reward employees for behavior such as diet
and exercise. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/10/health/policy/10health.html
Scouring
Obama's Past for Clues on Judiciary
In the
Senate, Barack Obama assembled a nearly uniformly liberal voting record on
judges, contradicting his pragmatism as a law professor.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/10/us/politics/10court.html
Schwarzenegger
Stirs Debate on Legalizing Marijuana
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger opened a new front for discussion this week, saying that while it's not time to legalize pot, he's willing to talk about it as a revenue-raising measure. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/politics/story/67861.html
http://www.war-times.org/issues/20art4.htm
More National News
> ENVIRO NEWS ! (of interest this month)
U.S. Curbs Use of Species Act in Protecting Polar Bear