Russia halts imports of Monsanto corn over cancer fears

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Russian authorities temporary suspended the import and sale of Monsanto’s genetically-modified corn after a French study suggested it may be linked to cancer.

The Russia’s consumer-rights regulator Rospotrebnadzor asked scientists at the country’s Institute of Nutrition to review the study. The watchdog has also contacted to European Commission’s Directorate General for Health & Consumers to explain the EU’s position on GM corn.

The report prepared by France’s University of Caen and published last week, claimed that rats fed over a two-year period with Monsanto’s genetically modified NK603 corn, developed more tumors and other pathologies than a test group fed with regular corn. The NK603, sold under the Roundup label, is genetically engineered to withstand glyphosate weed killer.

The company criticized the study, saying it “doesn’t meet minimum acceptable standards for this type of scientific research” and the data was incomplete.

Monsanto also said Russia’s ban will have little effect on its business as the country import small volumes of corn from the US. Besides that, the Russian government doesn’t permit farmers to plant GM crops. “Russia is a net exporter of grain, so the actual impact of their temporary suspension, if any, is likely to be small,” the spokesman said in a statement.

Read more from this story HERE.

Obama USDA offering Women, Hispanic Farmers over $1.3 billion in Reparations (+video)

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By Caroline May. As part of “a new era of civil rights” at the Department of Agriculture, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced Monday that Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who believe USDA discriminated against them can file claims to get a piece of at least $1.33 billion in cash awards and tax relief payments and up to $160 million in farm debt relief, beginning this week.

Women and Hispanic ranchers and farmers who feel the agency denied their loan or loan servicing applications because of their race or gender at various periods from 1981 to 2000 can file claims alleging discrimination from Sept. 24, 2012, to March 25, 2013, for a slice of the payout.

“Hispanic and women farmers who believe they have faced discriminatory practices from the USDA must file a claim by March 25, 2013 in order to have a chance to receive a cash payment or loan forgiveness,” Vilsack explained in a statement Monday. “The opening of this claims process is part of USDA’s ongoing efforts to correct the wrongs of the past and ensure fair treatment to all current and future customers.”

In February 2011, Vilsack announced the historic “path to justice for Hispanic and women farmers” to offer them an outlet to receive compensation for past wrongs without having to go to federal court.

This is the third settlement to interest groups the USDA is believed to have discriminated against during the Obama administration. Read more from this story HERE.

Here’s a video from an earlier version of this program where “500%” of black farmers received hundreds of millions in reparations.

Conservative PAC: Obama Using Poll-Tested ‘Scare Words’

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A conservative political action committee known for its slick but often controversial political advertisements is planning a new ad accusing President Barack Obama of using “scare words” to manipulate voters.

The National Republican Trust PAC, founded in 2008 by former investigative journalist Scott Wheeler, is the same group that released an ad four years ago slamming Obama for his ties to former pastor Jeremiah Wright, as well as the “Kill Ground Zero Mosque” ads in 2010 opposing the construction of a mosque near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Now, Wheeler tells Whispers NRTPAC is preparing to release an ad he believes can sway independent voters over their lack of trust in the president. The ad alleges that Obama and his fellow Democrats rely heavily on “scare words,” or poll-tested language designed to scare voters about Republicans in their speeches.

“We’re going to show clips of Obama and other Democrats saying the same words over and over again,” says Wheeler, “and then say: ‘Do you ever wonder why you’re hearing the same thing over and again? That’s because these words have been tested. They are used to manipulate you into voting for them.'”

Wheeler cites “extremists” as an example of a Democratic scare word. He believes Democrats also use the phrase “reproductive freedom” to scare women into believing Republicans want to take away their reproductive rights.

Read more from this story HERE.

Ralph Nader: Obama is a “War Criminal,” Worse than Bush (+video)

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By Patrick Gavin. It’s no surprise that Ralph Nader isn’t a fan of former President George W. Bush. After all, the longtime activist ran against him in both 2000 and 2004. But Nader’s even less a fan of President Barack Obama, if only because he thinks Obama was capable of so much more.

On issues related to the military and foreign policy, Obama’s worse than Bush, “in the sense that he’s more aggressive, more illegal worldwide,” Nader told POLITICO, going so far as to call Obama a “war criminal.”

“He’s gone beyond George W. Bush in drones, for example. He thinks the world is his plate, that national sovereignties mean nothing, drones can go anywhere. They can kill anybody that he suspects and every Tuesday he makes the call on who lives and who dies, supposed suspects in places like Yemen and Pakistan and Afghanistan, and that is a war crime and he ought to be held to account.”

Nader called Obama “below average because he raised expectation levels. What expectation level did George W. Bush raise?… He’s below average because he’s above average in his intellect and his knowledge of legality, which is violating with abandon.”

“I don’t know whether George W. Bush ever read the Constitution,” said Nader. “This man taught the Constitution, and this is what we got.” Read more from this story HERE.

Here’s the Nader interview:

Video of Extreme Bias: CNN Asks Romney How He’d Represent Blacks if He Were to “Somehow” Beat Obama

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You’ve got to watch it to believe it. In this clip, a CNN reporter asks Romney how he’d “assure black Americans” that he would be “their president, too” if he were to “somehow” beat Obama:

Video: Muslim Parade in NYC So Outrageous, Liberal Democratic Senator Leaves

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On a beautiful September Sunday afternoon, not far from the scene of the infamous Islamic jihad attack in lower Manhattan, Democrat New York State Senator Tony Avello came face-to-face with Muslim hatred for America and he did something that few people have the courage to do. He got up from his seat as a VIP Marshall of the 27th annual New York Muslim Parade and stormed off the stage in disgust:

Federally-Funded Low-Calorie School Lunches Creating Schoolroom Black Markets Across America (+video)

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By Kimberly Paxton. One thing is guaranteed…anytime the government moves to restrict something, be it alcohol during prohibition, marijuana in the drug war, gold after 1933 confiscation, black markets always emerge.

In the case of the tight school lunch restrictions being put into place in schools across the country, enterprising young bootleggers are smuggling in chocolate syrup and selling it by the squeeze.

Michelle Obama championed the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act as part of her Let’s Move campaign. The act has been put into place to combat childhood obesity but it’s leaving a lot of kids…well…HUNGRY.

School lunches have undergone such a drastic transformation that students across the country are complaining of hunger pangs throughout the day. Portion sizes have been reduced, dessert and flavored milks have been banned, and, in the name of financial easing, the prices of these smaller lunches have been increased.

USDA Deputy Undersecretary Janey Thornton blames the kids for the reported hunger pangs. ”One thing I think we need to keep in mind as kids say they’re still hungry is that many children aren’t used to eating fruits and vegetables at home, much less at school. So it’s a change in what they are eating. If they are still hungry, it’s that they are not eating all the food that’s being offered.” Read more from this story HERE.

Here’s a video parody on the national school lunch policy (mandated by The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010) created by a talented group of Kansas students:

Ahmadinejad Joins Russia’s Call for a New World Order Free of US Domination

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that a new world order needs to emerge, away from years of what he called American bullying and domination.

Ahmadinejad spoke to The Associated Press in a wide-ranging interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly – his last as president of Iran. He was to address the assembly Wednesday morning.

The Iranian leader also discussed solutions for the Syrian civil war, dismissed the question of Iran’s nuclear ambition and claimed that despite Western sanctions his country is better off than it was when he took office in 2005.

“God willing, a new order will come together and we’ll do away with everything that distances us,” Ahmadinejad said, speaking through a translator. “I do believe the system of empires has reached the end of the road. The world can no longer see an emperor commanding it.”

“Now even elementary school kids throughout the world have understood that the United States government is following an international policy of bullying,” he said.

Read more from this story HERE.

Did Lisa Murkowski Cause the Alaska Republican Party to Adjourn Prematurely in Fairbanks? (+video)

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The Alaskan Republican Party central committee meeting in Fairbanks on Saturday, September 22, 2012, adjourned after only an hour. Yesterday, we suggested that the premature adjournment reflected the dysfunction of the state party. But some suspect the early adjournment by out-going ARP Chairman Randy Ruedrich was intentional, so as to avoid any vote on a pending censure resolution against Senator Lisa Murkowski.

One attendee, an ARP District Chair, wrote down his observations of the Saturday meeting. Here’s his description of what happened after the initial roll call, invocation, and pledge of allegiance:

At approximately 0930 Mr. Ruedrich moved to the Treasurers Report. It was at this time that Alaska Republican Party Treasurer Mr. Frank McQueery stood and stated that Mr. Daniel Palmer had been recording the entire event and was live streaming onto You Tube. He stated he was not comfortable with the live streaming as this was a private organization discussing political strategy.

A motion was made to have the video stopped and the vote was overwhelming to stop recording. At this point Mr. Palmer started discussion on the subject citing his right to record the meeting. Another member pointed out that anything broadcast on You Tube is on a permanent record. Various other members became involved at this point, pointing out the fact that it was being broadcast worldwide and they were not comfortable with speaking live on YouTube.

National Committeeman Ralph Seekins said he agreed he could record his own private conversation but did not believe it was right to record other people without their consent. He also noted that the event was not public but was a private event of the Republican Party.

The motion to restrict the recording of this and future meetings of the SCC was called and passed. The Chairman requested that the video be stopped and Mr. Palmer declined. At that time, following additional comments from the party Treasurer, a motion was made to remove Mr. Palmer from the meeting and recess the meeting until that was done.

Chairman-Elect Russ Millette approached Mr. Palmer and told him that he had voted against the motion to stop the recording but asked him to stop the recording because it was going to create problems for party unity. Mr. Palmer refused to cooperate and said he would continue the recording. Chair-Elect Millette again said, “I’m asking you again nicely to reconsider”. But Mr. Palmer still refused.

Following additional time the meeting was called back to order and a motion to adjourn was made by the proxy vote for Don Young and was seconded. Mr. Ruedrich called for a vote from the few people remaining in the room and the motion to adjourn passed.

This type of action was completely detrimental to the Alaska Republican Party as a whole. We have approximately 42 day’s left to win the election and at the present time Obama has 269 confirmed electoral votes. The fact is, we will not win this election as a divided party.

For the video of the Fairbanks SCC meeting, click HERE.

The “Non-Partisan” Scam at the Fairbanks North Star Borough

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Heard a lot lately of the line “non-partisan” or “bi-partisan” in political advertising? Have you seen who is usually pushing that line? The “bi-partisan” coalition in our Senate this last year was “bi-partisan” as long as the bill was pushing the progressive, liberal line of thought. For example, the House had true bi-partisan support with Coastal Zone management and passed it 40-0, but then the Senate bowed to the environmentalists and refused to craft anything but a hard-core environmentalist document. We then ended up having to defeat a bad Coastal Zone management initiative at the polls. The “bi-partisan” Senate would not let any social issues be touched, since the Democrats in control wouldn’t allow anything that conflicted with their platform.

Running for office in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, there are a few candidates who like to spout the “non-partisan” line. Kathryn Dodge says on her website that Kathryn will “Keep local government non-partisan.” Similarly, Cliff Russell has stated at forums that he wants to keep things non-partisan. Of course, anyone who has spent any time observing the actions of the Fairbanks North Star Borough government knows it is anything but nonpartisan!

In addition to this warning about candidates who disingenuously advocate the “non-partisan” line, here is some additional guidance conservatives may use for the Fairbanks election next week:

Borough Assembly Seat G

Lance Roberts – A solid conservative who wants to ease subdivision and land use restrictions. He also wants reforms that will allow road service area commissioners to do their job without Borough interference. Mr. Roberts is seeking to cut the budget and mill rate to give people more money in their pockets, which will create more economic development. He also believes that private companies should be used for any gas distribution system and the state money it will take to build it.

Cliff Russell – IBEW Electrician with little apparent knowledge or experience with the Assembly. He has attended a few of the forums but has failed to offer much specificity with respect to his positions. Mr. Russell does not seem to have any signs or literature. On Facebook, he states that, “I have a strong connection with the community of Fairbanks and hope to serve you and the rest of the borough if elected. Although being new to the scene I know that my belief in local hire, drive to assist in affordable energy, and keep local issues local, will only help this great community. ”

Borough Assembly Seat F

Rocky MacDonald – Rocky MacDonald is another solid candidate with a history of conservative activism. From his campaign literature, Mr. MacDonald’s primary positions include making local government “responsible to the taxpayers”; working “to stop the loss of people from the borough due to high-energy costs”; and using Borough government resources wisely, “with an eye to lessening the burden on citizens’ lives.”

Kathryn Dodge – Kathryn Dodge is a former Fairbanks North Star Borough employee who says on her web page that she has “moderate, non-partisan views, willingness to challenge the status quo when it is in the community’s best interest, and partnering skills are what our community needs to develop our energy solutions and economy.” Her long-term association with liberal Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Jim Whitaker suggests that she is unlikely to pursue any policies that restrict government growth or citizen accountability over the FNSB. Her apparent positions put her squarely in the pro-union, anti-wood stove, and pro-big government camp.

Bill Stodden – Although Bill Stodden is likely a well-intentioned candidate who undoubtedly would make a better Assembly member than Ms. Dodge, he does not appear to be running a serious campaign. He has no apparent website, Facebook page, or campaign signage. His presence in the race will likely only serve to pull votes from Mr. MacDonald.

Borough Assembly Seat A

Joe Blanchard – Joe Blanchard has three years experience with the Assembly, last year as its Presiding Officer. He’s getting more conservative as he matures, but does not have a consistent conservative history. His “Vision” statement on his blog states that he “support[s] a reasonable gas pipeline project regardless of diameter to bring much needed energy options to Fairbanks, with a corresponding distribution system”; works to “ensure our education department has the money and flexibility to succeed”; and want to keep “the Borough government out of the wood stove banning business.”

Van Lawrence – Van Lawrence is a local attorney who ran a close race against Assembly member Michael Dukes last year. His Facebook fanpage has not been updated to include the current race against Joe Blanchard. The Interior Democrats have referred to Mr. Lawrence as “our long time friend” and he reputedly has held party positions within the Alaska Democratic Party. Like Kathryn Dodge, he seems to be pro-union, anti-wood stove, and pro-big government.

As in past municipal elections, the turn out in the Fairbanks North Star Borough is likely to be very low. Every vote will undoubtedly count. Please ensure that you call all of your conservative family, friends, and neighbors to get out and vote. Many local elections have been determined only by a handful of votes; this one may be no different.