Laguna Beach motor police officer killed in traffic accident

Laguna Beach motor police officer killed in traffic accident A Laguna Beach motor police officer Jon Coutchie was killed near Cleo Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach just before midnight Saturday. It’s alleged he died in a crash while he was pursuing a reckless driver. As he approached Cleo Street north bound at a high rate of speed he struck a pickup truck turning left in front of him and was thrown head over his bike into the street. police said. According to the California Highway Patrol the driver of the truck suffered minor injuries. Neither drugs nor alcohol were factors in the crash. Witnesses reportedly rushed to assist the fallen officer. “As soon as I saw him go down, I ran up to help the poor guy and he was already lifeless,” Ian Paul said. Paul, who was walking in the area at the time, said he stayed with the officer as another pedestrian administered CPR. “I tried to talk to the officer and there was no response,” Paul said. Members of the Laguna Beach Police Department were said to be devastated by the news. On Sunday morning officers could be seen crying and hugging as they placed flowers near the crash site. Coutchie was born on Oct. 2, 1971 in Tucson, Ariz., and was raised in Orange County. He graduated from Laguna Hills High School in 1989. After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, he enlisted and became an Army Ranger, serving from 2003-2007. He completed tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. After being honorably discharged from the Army, he became a part-time jailer at the Laguna Beach Police Department. The department sponsored him through the Goldenwest Police Academy in 2008. He completed his training in March 2009 and become a full-time motorcycle officer four years ago. "It is with the heaviest of heart that we announce the death of one of our motor officers," Kravetz said in a prepared statement.  "Please understand that our Police Department is suffering from this tragic loss." "We will forever miss and love Jon here at the police department and will grieve along with the citizens of this community," said  Capt. Kravetz. A Brother Laguna Beach Police officer at the scene of the crash went to Ralph’s supermarket to get an American flag to drape over his body that lay in the street "as an honor to his sacrifice as an Army Ranger and Laguna Beach Police Officer," the Laguna Beach Police Employees' Association said on their Facebook page. It is the first line-of-duty death of an LBPD officer since 1953. He is survived by his mother, father, brother, step-sister and girlfriend. Michael Webster Laguna Journal.

International and U.S. Banks make millions from laundering drug money

By Michael Webster: Syndicated Investigative Reporter. Aug 11 2013 at 7:00 PM PDT  The Department of Justice and U.S. Treasury said that HSBC allowed the most notorious international drug cartels to launder billions of dollars across borders. In addition, the government said HSBC violated U.S. sanctions for years by illegally conducting transactions on behalf of customers in Iran, Libya, Cuba, Sudan and Burma. Between 2004 and 2007, Wachovia Bank now Wells Fargo & Co., which bought Wachovia Corp. in 2008, has admitted in court that its unit failed to monitor and report suspected money laundering by narcotics traffickers. They handled funds totaling $378.4 billion for Mexican currency-exchange houses acting on behalf of Mexican Drug Cartels. A sum equal to one-third of Mexico’s current gross domestic product. These transactions so far had amounted to be the largest violation of the Bank Secrecy Act, an anti-money-laundering law in US history. This case is not remarkable; Wachovia is just one of several US and European banks that drug cartels have used to launder money. Outrageous HSBC Settlement Proves our government just looked the other way. The United States Justice Dept. headed by Attorney General Eric Holder signed off on a settlement deal with the British banking giant HSBC. According to Rolling Stone Magazine “that is the ultimate insult to every ordinary person who's ever had his life altered by a narcotics charge”.   Despite the fact that HSBC admitted to laundering billions of dollars for Colombian and Mexican drug cartels (among others) and violating a host of important banking laws (from the Bank Secrecy Act to the Trading With the Enemy Act), Assistant U.S. Attorney General Lanny Breuer and his Justice Department elected not to pursue criminal prosecutions of the bank, opting instead for a "record" financial settlement of $1.9 billion, which as one analyst noted is about five weeks of income for the bank. Breuer admitted that drug dealers would sometimes come to HSBC's Mexican branches and "deposit hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, in a single day, into a single account, using boxes designed to fit the precise dimensions of the teller windows." Rolling Stone put it thus way “If you've ever been arrested on a drug charge, if you've ever spent even a day in jail for having a stem of marijuana in your pocket or "drug paraphernalia" in your gym bag, Assistant Attorney General and longtime Bill Clinton pal Lanny Breuer has a message for you: Bite me”. Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently demanded answers from top banking regulators over the possibility of shuttering financial firms that flout federal anti-money laundering laws or violate international trade sanctions. Referencing the penalties leveled against HSBC after the company was caught being used to funnel billions in drug money, the Massachusetts Democrat questioned regulators about why they did not consider forcing the British bank to shut its doors on U.S. soil. “What does it take?” Warren said. “How many billions of dollars do you have to launder for drug lords? Regulators fined the company $1.9 billion over the laundering, but Warren questioned why no criminal prosecutions were aimed at the company or its employees, saying they were not being held to the same standard as common Americans. “If you’re caught with an ounce of cocaine, the chances are good you go to jail. If you’re caught repeatedly, you can go to jail for life,” Warren told regulators during a Senate Banking Committee hearing. “Incidentally, if you launder nearly a billion dollars in drug money, your company pays a fine and you go home and sleep in your own bed at night.” Officials from the Treasury Department, Federal Reserve and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency hesitated to weigh in on when it was appropriate to shut down financial firms, saying the decision to shutter a bank would follow prosecutions by the Department of Justice. There is apparently a double standard going on here in America and around the world if you’re a bankster making millions and in some cases perhaps even billions you face no criminal charges what so ever. But if your just a citizen and make any money from drugs or even possess a small amount of weed you may have to post a large bond and you can not only be fined but also go to jail. Apparently the government's rationale in not pursuing criminal prosecutions against the bank was rooted in concerns that putting executives from a "systemically important institution" in jail for drug laundering would threaten the stability of the financial system. The New York Times put it this way: Federal and state authorities have chosen not to indict HSBC, the London-based bank, on charges of vast and prolonged money laundering, for fear that criminal prosecution would topple the bank and, in the process, endanger the financial system. When you decide not to prosecute bankers for billion-dollar crimes connected to drug-dealing and terrorism (some of HSBC's Saudi and Bangladeshi clients had terrorist ties, according to a Senate investigation), it doesn't protect the banking system, it does exactly the opposite. It terrifies investors and depositors everywhere, leaving them with the clear impression that even the most "reputable" banks may in fact be captured institutions whose senior executives are in the employ of (this can't be repeated often enough) murderers and terrorists. Even more shocking, the Justice Department's response to learning about all of this was to do exactly the same thing that the HSBC executives did in the first place to get themselves in trouble – they took money to look the other way. At an airport in the port city of Ciudad del Carmen, 500 miles east of Mexico City, on April 10, 2006, a DC-9 jet landed. Soldiers approached the plane, the crew tried to warn them away, saying there was a dangerous oil leak. But the troops soon grew suspicious and searched the jet. Found on that plane was 128 black suitcases, packed with almost 6 tons of cocaine, valued at more than $100 million. The drugs were supposed to have been delivered from Caracas to drug traffickers in Toluca, near Mexico City, Mexican prosecutors later found. Law enforcement officials also discovered something else. The smugglers had bought the DC-9 with laundered funds they transferred through two of the largest banks in the U.S.: Wachovia Corp. and Bank of America Corp., Bloomberg Markets magazine reported in its August 2010 issue. This was no isolated incident. Wachovia, it turns out, had made a habit of helping move money for Mexican drug smugglers including the cash used to buy four planes that shipped a total of 22 tons of cocaine.  “Wachovia’s blatant disregard for our banking laws gave international cocaine cartels a virtual carte blanche to finance their operations,” says Jeffrey Sloman, the federal prosecutor who handled the case. Since 2004, more than 100,000 people have been killed in drug-related battles that have raged mostly along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border that Mexico shares with the U.S. Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon vowed to crush the drug cartels when he took office in December 2006, and he’s since deployed 45,000 troops to fight the cartels. They’ve had little success. Behind the carnage in Mexico is an industry that supplies hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines to Americans. The cartels have built a network of dealers (Street Gangs) in U.S. cities from coast to coast, taking in billions in sales annually, according to the Justice Department. Twenty million people in the U.S. regularly use illegal drugs, spurring street crime and wrecking families. Narcotics cost the U.S. economy $215 billion a year -- enough to cover health care for 30.9 million Americans -- in overburdened courts, prisons and hospitals and lost productivity, the department says. “It’s the banks laundering money for the cartels that finances the tragedy,” says Martin Woods, director of Wachovia’s anti-money-laundering unit in London from 2006 to 2009. Woods says he quit the bank in disgust after executives ignored his documentation that drug dealers were funneling money through Wachovia’s branch network. “If you don’t see the correlation between the money laundering by banks and the  people killed in Mexico, you’re missing the point,” Woods says. Wachovia is just one of the U.S. and European banks that have been used for drug money laundering. For the past two decades, Latin American drug traffickers have gone to U.S. banks to cleanse their dirty cash, says Paul Campo, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s financial crimes unit. Miami-based American Express Bank International paid fines in both 1994 and 2007 after admitting it had failed to spot and report drug dealers laundering money through its accounts. Drug traffickers used accounts at Bank of America in Oklahoma City to buy three planes that carried 10 tons of cocaine, according to Mexican court filings. Federal agents caught people who work for Mexican cartels depositing illicit funds in Bank of America accounts in Atlanta, Chicago and Brownsville, Texas, from 2002 to 2009. Mexican drug dealers used shell companies to open accounts at London-based HSBC Holdings Plc, Europe’s biggest bank by assets, an investigation by the Mexican Finance Ministry found. A Mexican judge accused the owners of six centros cambiarios, or money changers, in Culiacan and Tijuana of laundering drug funds through their accounts at the Mexican units of Banco Santander SA, Citigroup Inc. and HSBC, according to court documents filed in the case. The money changers are in jail while being tried. Citigroup, HSBC and Santander, which is the largest Spanish bank by assets, weren’t accused of any wrongdoing. The three banks say Mexican law bars them from commenting on the case, adding that they each carefully enforce anti-money-laundering programs. Mexico’s drug cartels have become multinational criminal enterprises. Some of the gangs have delved into other illegal activities such as gunrunning, kidnapping, smuggling of drugs and people across the border, as well as into seemingly legitimate areas such as strip clubs, massage parlors, trucking, travel services and air cargo transport, according to the Justice Department’s National Drug Intelligence Center. These criminal empires have no choice but to use the global banking system to finance their businesses, Mexican Senator Felipe Gonzalez says. “With so much cash, the only way to move this money is through the banks,” says Gonzalez, who represents a central Mexican state and chairs the senate public safety committee. No bank has been more closely connected with Mexican money laundering than Wachovia. Founded in 1879, Wachovia became the largest bank by assets in the southeastern U.S. by 1900. After the Great Depression, some people in North Carolina called the bank “Walk-Over-Ya” because it had foreclosed on farms in the region. By 2008, Wachovia was the sixth-largest U.S. lender, and it faced $26 billion in losses from subprime mortgage loans. That cost Wachovia Chief Executive Officer Kennedy Thompson his job in June 2008. Six months later, San Francisco-based Wells Fargo, which dates from 1852, bought Wachovia for $12.7 billion, creating the largest network of bank branches in the U.S. As Wachovia’s balance sheet was bleeding, its legal woes were mounting. In the three years leading up to Wachovia’s agreement with the Justice Department, grand juries served the bank with 6,700 subpoenas requesting information. The U.S. Treasury Department after a 22-month investigation, the DOJ charged Wachovia with violating the Bank Secrecy Act by failing to run an effective anti-money-laundering program. Five days later, Wells Fargo promised in a Miami federal courtroom to revamp its detection systems. Wachovia’s new owner paid $160 million in fines and penalties, less than 2 percent of its $12.3 billion profit in 2009. The U.S. government drops all charges against the bank in March 2011. Wells Fargo has declined to answer specific questions, including how much it made by handling $378.4 billion -- including $4 billion of cash-from Mexican exchange companies. No big U.S. bank -- Wells Fargo included -- has ever been indicted for violating the Bank Secrecy Act or any other federal law. Instead, the Justice Department settles criminal charges by using deferred-prosecution agreements, in which a bank pays a fine and promises not to break the law again. Large banks are protected from indictments by a variant of the too-big-to-fail theory. The theory is like a get-out-of-jail-free card for big banks Moving money is central to the drug trade -- from the cash that people tape to their bodies as they cross the U.S.-Mexican border to the $100,000 wire transfers they send from Mexican exchange houses to big U.S. banks. Drug money moves back and forth across the border in an endless cycle. In the U.S., couriers take the cash from drug sales to Mexico -- as much as $29 billion a year, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That would be about 319 tons of $100 bills. They hide it in cars and trucks to smuggle into Mexico. There, cartels pay people to deposit some of the cash into Mexican banks and branches of international banks. The narcos launder much of what’s left through money changers. Wachovia ignored warnings by regulators and police, according to the deferred-prosecution agreement. “As early as 2004, Wachovia understood the risk,” the bank admitted in court. “Despite these warnings, Wachovia remained in the business.” In November 2005 and January 2006, Wachovia transferred a total of $300,000 to a Bank of America account in Oklahoma City. Drug smugglers used the funds to buy the DC-9 through Oklahoma City aircraft broker U.S. Aircraft Titles Inc., according to financial records cited in the Mexican criminal case. U.S. Aircraft Titles President Sue White declined to comment. On April 5, 2006, a pilot flew the plane from St. Petersburg, Florida, to Caracas to pick up the cocaine, according to the DEA. Five days later, troops seized the plane in Ciudad del Carmen and burned the drugs at a nearby army base. With the Wachovia accounts seized, they just shifted their laundering scheme to HSBC, according to financial documents cited in the Mexican criminal case. In the three weeks after the DEA raided Wachovia, two front companies, Grupo ETPB SA and Grupo Rahero SC, made 12 cash deposits totaling $1 million at an HSBC Mexican branch, Mexican investigators found. The funds financed a Beechcraft King Air 200 plane that police seized on Dec. 29, 2007, in Cuernavaca, 50 miles south of Mexico City, according to information in the case. Prosecutors have tried to halt money laundering at American Express Bank International twice. In 1994, the bank, then a subsidiary of New York-based American Express Co., pledged not to allow money laundering again after two employees were convicted in a criminal case involving drug trafficker Juan Garcia Abrego. In 1994, the bank paid $14 million to settle. Five years later, drug money again flowed through American Express Bank. Between 1999 and 2004, the bank failed to stop clients from laundering $55 million of narcotics funds, the bank admitted in a deferred-prosecution agreement in August 2007. Banks aren’t the only financial institutions that have turned a blind eye to drug cartels in moving illicit funds. Western Union Co., the world’s largest money transfer firm, agreed to pay $94 million in February 2010 to settle civil and criminal investigations by the Arizona attorney general’s office. Undercover state police posing as drug dealers bribed Western Union employees to illegally transfer money, says Cameron Holmes, an assistant attorney general. “Their allegiance was to the smugglers,” Holmes says. “What they thought about during work was ‘How may I please my highest- spending customers the most?’” Smudged Fingerprints Workers in more than 20 Western Union offices allowed the customers to use multiple names, pass fictitious identifications and smudge their fingerprints on documents, investigators say in court records. “In all the time we did undercover operations, we never once had a bribe turned down,” says Holmes, citing court affidavits. Western Union It paid $65 million to the U.S. and promised not to break the law again. The government dismissed the criminal charge a year later. American Express sold the bank to London-based Standard Chartered PLC in February 2008 for $823 million. Money laundering by large international banks has reached epidemic proportions, and U.S. authorities are supposedly looking into Citigroup Inc. (C) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. There may be fines, but the largest corps banks are unlikely to face criminal actions or meaningful sanctions. The Department of Justice has decided that these banks are too big to prosecute to the full extent of the law, though why this also gets employees and executives off the hook remains a mystery. And the Federal Reserve refuses to rescind bank licenses, undermining the credibility, legitimacy and stability of the financial system. The Federal Reserve is owned by the nation’s largest banks many of whom are under investigation or were at some point in the recent past. To see this perverse incentive program in action, consider the recent case of a big money-laundering bank that violated a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department, openly broke U.S. securities law and stuck its finger in the eye of the Fed. This is what John Peace, the chairman of Standard Chartered Plc (STAN), and his colleagues managed to get away with March 5. The meaningful consequences for him or his company are precisely zero.   If you or I tried to launder money, even on a small scale, we would probably go to jail. But when the employees of a very big bank do so -- on a grand scale and over many years -- there are no meaningful consequences.   Sources: DEA The Treasury Department  Federal Reserve Office of the Comptroller of the Currency The New York Times Bloomberg Markets magazine Simon Johnson settlement deal "record" financial settlement Rolling Stone Magazine U.S. Senate investigation Federal prosecutor Jeffrey Sloman Martin Woods, director of Wachovia’s anti-money-laundering unit Department’s National Drug Intelligence Center Mexican Senator Felipe Gonzalez U.S. Treasury Department U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Arizona attorney general’s office. Cameron Holmes, an assistant attorney general www.lagunajournal.com www.usborderfirereport.com 1. Related articles: New Revelations on Cia Drug Planes » Embassy Investigations 1. Dea, Fbi and Cia are All Operating Covertly in Mexico?s Narco ... 1. Mexican Drug Cartels and Terrorist join forces? 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What Should I Put in My 3 day mission ready bag?

 By Michael Webster: Syndicated Investigative Reporter Two man kit depicted here in above photo.  72 hour (mission ready Bug out gear) are the most basic and best thing to start your emergency supply with for missions or bug out gear. It’s a basic item that’s a great starting point to prepare your family for any disaster that would cause you to evacuate your home. Everyone needs a 72-Hour Kit containing necessary supplies to immediately sustain oneself in the event of a natural or man made disaster for a minimum of 3 days. It should be put together in a practical manner so that you can carry it with you on any USCDA mission Or if you ever have need to evacuate. It is also important to prepare one for each member of your family who is able to carry one. These kits can be purchased already assembled online at: www.thereadystore.com/?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=pap&aid=4b5e43160feb5 If you build one yourself it should be put together in a practical manner so that you can carry it with you if you ever have need to evacuate or run an emergency mission.  If you purchase a pre-made kit, there is usually room enough in the bag for you to add more of your own personal items, or just add its contents in your mission ready back pack. When preparing your 72-Hour Kit it’s important to make sure that everything is up to date at any given time. A great recommendation is to mark your calendar about once every 6 months to check to see that everything is current and up-to-date. When checking your kit, make sure your water, food, and medications haven’t expired, your clothes still fit, batteries are charged, and all personal documents and credit cards have not expired. Below you will find a list of important items to keep in your 72 hr. kit: FOOD AND WATER (Remember that these items cannot be cooked or refrigerated.) Protein/Granola/Calorie Food Bars Crackers/Cereals (for munching) MREs/Canned Food (Remember that cans can leak/explode) Candy/Gum (These items could melt, so it’s best to keep them in a zip lock baggy) Water (1 Gallon/4 Liters per person, drinking water can be found in water boxes or pouches) CLOTHING/WARMTH/SHELTER Change of Clothing (short and long sleeve shirts, pants, socks, jackets, etc.) Undergarments Rain Coat /Poncho Emergency Heat Blankets Lightweight Tent LIGHTING AND FUEL Flashlights, Lanterns (Battery, Solar, or Crank powered) Extra Batteries Flares Candles Light Sticks Water-Proof Matches EQUIPMENT/TOOLS Can Opener Dishes/Utensils Shovel Radio (with batteries or solar or crank powered!) Pen and Paper Axe Pocket Knife Rope Duct Tape PERSONAL SUPPLIES AND MEDICATION First Aid Supplies (make sure you know what it is in it and how to use it!) Toiletries, Feminine Hygiene, Folding Brush/comb etc.(Roll of toilet paper—remove center tube to easily flatten into a zip-lock bag) Sanitary Supplies (mini hand sanitizer, soap, shampoo, dish soap, etc.) Immunizations Up-to Date Medication (Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, asthma inhalers, children’s medication, etc.) Prescription Medication (for 3 days) PERSONAL DOCUMENTS AND MONEY (Place these items in a water-proof container!) Scriptures (Miniatures are lighter) Legal Documents (Birth/Marriage Certificates, Wills, Passports, Contracts) Vaccination Papers Insurance Policies Cash Credit Card MISC Infant Needs (if applicable) Small, Lightweight toys and games for Children (For calming effect, comfort, and entertainment)   For more related information go to: www.uscda.us  click on “Mission Ready Gear” To order most items on the above list you should go to: www.thereadystore.com/?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=pap&aid=4b5e43160feb5 · Michael Webster’s Syndicated Investigative Reports have been read worldwide, in 100 or more U.S. outlets and in at least 136 countries and territories. He publishes articles in association with global news agencies and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 136 countries. Many of Mr. Webster’s articles are printed in six working languages: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. With ten more languages planed in the near future. · Mr. Webster is America's leading authority on Venture Capital/Equity Funding. He served as a trustee on some of the nation’s largest trade Union funds. A noted Author, Lecturer, Educator, Emergency Manager, Counter-Terrorist, War on Drugs and War on Terrorist Specialist, Business Consultant, Newspaper Publisher. Radio News caster. Labor Law generalist, Teamster Union Business Agent, General Organizer, Union Rank and File Member Grievances Representative, NLRB Union Representative, Union Contract Negotiator, Workers Compensation Appeals Board Hearing Representative. Mr. Webster represented management on that side of the table as the former Director of Federated of Nevada. Mr. Webster publishes on-line newspapers atwww.lagunajournal.com and www.usborderfirereport.com and does investigative reports for print, electronic and on-line News Agencies. All of Mr. Webster's articles, books/CD's can be read or downloaded free at:http://www.lagunajournal.com/michael_webster.htm or MICHAEL WEBSTER'S OTHER WRITINGS Contact e-mail: wibcom@aol.com · Editors: interested in featuring Michael Webster’s Syndicated articles: ·  

Are America’s enemies, the terrorist behind the Yosemite and other western state wild fires?

By Michael Webster: Syndicated Investigative Reporter   Among the cache of materials captured by the Navy SEALS from Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abottabad, Pakistan, are the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda’s plans, including “a detailed campaign to start fires throughout the [American] West. U.S. officials have determined that some of the fires that burnt in California last year were ignited by al-Qaeda operatives.” WND reported websites run by jihadis made claims of arson in a number of California wildfires. WND also reported that an Arabic-language jihadi website also posted a message purporting to be “al-Qaida’s plan of economic attack” on the U.S. that including proposals to turn the nation’s forests into raging infernos. The National Terror Alert Response Center report said: “We are NOT implying that the California fires are an act of terrorism; however, the threat of pyro-terrorist attacks pose a significant risk to the U.S. and the fires in California and Greece earlier this year should be a wake-up call.” The FBI through a memo warned that national forests in the West could be the next target for terror by Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network. The memo, obtained by the Arizona Republic, warned law enforcement that a senior al-Qaida detainee told interrogators he planned to spark multiple, catastrophic wildfires simultaneously in Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming to strike a blow to the U.S. economy. Further reports say documents recovered from a remote area along the Pakistan border revealed that bin Laden wanted al-Qaida to launch a “global fireball” by lighting forest fires in Europe, the United States, Australia and South America.” The documents, uncovered during an operation led by the British intelligence service Mi6, were described by experts in that agency as “the most worrying [plot] that the world is facing.” Speaker William Scott, author of Space Wars and a former NSA official and editor of Aviation Week, said that a subtle form of economic warfare is wild land arson — setting fires in U.S. forests and grasslands.  Scott, who’s a senior fellow at ACD, warned about such a scenario recently, speaking at the ACD-EWI Economic Threats briefing on Capital Hill,” An expert on aerial firefighting, he presented a sobering analysis of the devastating (2012) Waldo Canyon Fire [in Colorado], pointing out that the striking rise [in] Western U.S. wildfires may be caused by elements other than nature. As an expert on Islamic terrorism he believes the wildfire that ravaged the outskirts of Colorado Springs, killing two people and destroying more than 500 homes, could have been the work of terrorists and should be examined by terror investigators. That’s because of the history of threats from al-Qaida and others to burn America’s forests. Authorities in El Paso County Colorado said they are focusing on a very tiny spot in their hunt for the reason the flames erupted in the mature stand of Ponderosa pines. The fire moved quickly out of control and incinerated homes and people alike with temperatures up to 2,500 degrees. “One thing that my investigators have given me the authority to state is that they have all but ruled out natural causes as the cause of this fire,” said Constitutional Sheriff Terry Maketa. “I can’t really go any further on that, but I can say we are pretty confident it was not, for instance, a lightning strike.” The causes for most forest fires are limited to electrical problems, campfires or grills that get out of control, accidents such as a car fire and sparks from chain saws or other back-country tools. Those causes, to an expert investigator, are readily identifiable. But authorities said they were focusing on a 28-foot square patch where they believe the fire started, examining some portions with a magnifying glass.   The Blaze reported Twain Harte Fire Chief Todd McNeal battling the Yosemite Rim Fire said that while the cause is still under investigation, “We don’t know the exact cause,” said McNeal. But the firefighter of 23-years reportedly said at a community meeting that it was “highly suspect we know it’s human caused. There was no lightning in the area,” he added. McNeal has fought fires with the Forest Service, the National Park Service and other agencies in the Sierra Nevada. Meanwhile, as some 51 large uncontained wildfires burn across America, the federal government is fast running out of money to fight them as the terrorist predicted — just in time for the peak fire season. The U.S. Forest Service is down to $50 million — enough to pay for only a few days of fighting fires — after spending over $1 Billion so far this year. No one knows for sure or at list not saying what started the Rim Fire, the 350,000 acre blaze that's raging through the western side of Yosemite National Park. But almost to date 4,000 firefighters have been dispatched to try to stop it using water and flame retardant helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, bulldozers, and Hot Shot fire fighters, along with observation drones. Although the situation is starting to look up—70 to 75 percent of the fire is now contained, up from 0 percent just a few days ago—the authorities predict the fire will keep spreading, and fast, in days to come and could burn for months. There are many reasons other than terrorists why you should be concerned about such a fire in Yosemite. It is a USA national land mark and is the nation’s premier national park. Yosemite,  the size of some eastern states, receives around 4 million visitors per year and is home to iconic groves of the worlds largest trees the mighty sequoias, endangered species like the California bighorn sheep, and some of the best known and famous mountain back country hiking trails to be found anywhere, such as Half Dome and El Capitan. The fire is now one of the 3rd largest fires in California history. It started on August 17 in a remote area of the forest and initially doubled in size every day. Currently, it's bigger than San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose combined. It threatens thousands of homes and structures.  With an estimated 120 destroyed including a summer camp. Two groves of treasured sequoia trees are currently within miles of the fire. A National Park Service fire crew builds a sprinkler system around a grove of sequoias. USDA/Flickr The fire is close to two of Yosemite's groves of sequoia trees, the Tuolumne Grove and the Merced Grove. Firefighters have surrounded the sequoias, many of which stand hundreds of feet high and are well over a thousand years old, with sprinklers and cleared the area of brush to try to keep the fire at bay.  At the American Center for Democracy, noted terror funding expert Rachel Ehrenfeld suggested circumstances of these fires are a little suspicious. “She noted that in spring 2012, al-Qaida’s English-language online magazine, Inspire, published an article called ‘It Is of Your Freedom to Ignite a Firebomb,’ which featured instructions on how to build an incendiary bomb to light forests on fire.” She explained that Russia’s security chief, Aleksandr Bortnikov, also has warned, “Al-Qaida was complicit in recent forest fires in Europe” as part of terrorism’s “strategy of a thousand cuts.” “Since then, more fatwas advocating that ‘fire is a cheap, easy and effective tool for economic warfare’ have been issued,” Ehrenfeld wrote. “They’ve included detailed instructions for constructing remote-controlled ‘ember bombs, and how to set fires without leaving a trace.’” Israel’s forests also have been targeted, she noted. While many of the fires that have scorched millions of acres and destroyed thousands of homes in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and other states have been identified as arson, none has been publicly attributed to criminal or terrorist groups, despite the presence of Mexican Drug Cartel gangs and there growing of Marijuana groves in our National Forests and in our Western states. Mother Jones reported Don Smurthwaite, a Bureau of Land Management spokesman, “downplayed” Ehrenfeld’s ideas, “but he didn’t dismiss the notion outright.” “We don’t have any hard evidence that any wildfires in the U.S. were started by terrorists in recent years,” he told the publication. “But is it a possibility? Certainly.” He noted the last confirmed weaponized wildfires were in World War II, when the Japanese sent incendiary balloons across the Pacific. However, the Christian Broadcasting Network reported al-Qaida was advising would-be terrorists how best to burn America. The terror group’s magazine included pictures, diagrams and explanations on how to start fires to obtain the most damage. CBN analyst Erick Stakelbeck said the extreme detail provides reason for concern. The information, he said, is “all designed to cause the maximum amount of carnage and death.” CBN noted that in the U.S., more houses are built in the countryside than in the cities and cited a Montana fire chief who said the prospect of a wildfire terrorist attack was not farfetched. Inspire is an English language online magazine reported to be published by the organization al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The use of the magazine is to increase the availability of their message without challenges to their value system. The magazine is one of the many ways AQAP uses the Internet to reach its audience. Numerous international and domestic extremists motivated by radical interpretations of Islam have been influenced by the magazine and, in some cases, reportedly used its bomb making instructions in their attempts to carry out attacks.[2] The magazine is an important brand-building tool, not just of AQAP, but of all al-Qaeda branches, franchises and affiliates   Here is an important video of an Economic Warfare panel on July 9, 2012, from the American Center for Democracy. Sources: William Scott BLM USFS American Center for Democracy the Christian Broadcasting Network reported Mother Jones The National Terror Alert Response Center WND The Blaze USDA/Flickr · Michael Webster’s Syndicated Investigative Reports have been read worldwide, in 100 or more U.S. outlets and in at least 136 countries and territories. He publishes articles in association with global news agencies and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 136 countries. Many of Mr. Webster’s articles are printed in six working languages: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. With ten more languages planed in the near future. · Mr. Webster is America's leading authority on Venture Capital/Equity Funding. He served as a trustee on some of the nation’s largest trade Union funds. A noted Author, Lecturer, Educator, Emergency Manager, Counter-Terrorist, War on Drugs and War on Terrorist Specialist, Business Consultant, Newspaper Publisher. Radio News caster. Labor Law generalist, Teamster Union Business Agent, General Organizer, Union Rank and File Member Grievances Representative, NLRB Union Representative, Union Contract Negotiator, Workers Compensation Appeals Board Hearing Representative. Mr. Webster represented management on that side of the table as the former Director of Federated of Nevada. Mr. Webster publishes on-line newspapers atwww.lagunajournal.com and www.usborderfirereport.com and does investigative reports for print, electronic and on-line News Agencies. All of Mr. Webster's articles, books/CD's can be read or downloaded free at:http://www.lagunajournal.com/michael_webster.htm or MICHAEL WEBSTER'S OTHER WRITINGS Contact e-mail: wibcom@aol.com · Editors: interested in featuring Michael Webster’s Syndicated articles:

JPMorgan Chase bribery investigation widens

  Michael Webster: Syndicated Investigative Reporter   JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s (JPM) a leading member of the Big Four banks of the United States, is being investigated by the SEC and now the U.S. Justice Dept. JPMorgan Chase & Co , led by Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon, 57, is contending with criminal investigations of its energy-trading and mortgage-backed securities operations. The firm also faces U.S. probes of its anti-money-laundering safeguards, foreclosures, credit-card collections, and $6.2 billion in losses last year on botched derivatives bets by a U.K. trader known as the London Whale. Facing yet more developing revelations and adding to the scandal The Justice Department joined the Securities and Exchange Commission for more possible crimes and improprieties. The current federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating whether JPMorgan Chase violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by hiring Chinese relatives including sons and daughters of China’s super-wealthy Communist Party officials and China’s high ranking military officers, apparently all in an effort to secure huge business contracts from China’s state-owned enterprises. After each appointment, the bank got assignments from firms connected to the new hires’ parents.  If true that would also violate bribery laws. The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act bars companies from making payments or providing anything of value to government officials to win business. The SEC requests have focused on two people in China whose parents have leadership roles at a state-controlled financial company and a railway, the New York Times reported Aug. 17, citing a U.S. government document it had reviewed. As the investigation widens new evidence in the  probe of hiring practices in China has uncovered red flags across Asia, including an internal spreadsheet that linked appointments and names to specific deals pursued by the bank. While it is not illegal for U.S. companies to hire people who are politically connected, doing so with the expectation of winning business from their relatives is considered bribery. The probe began in Hong Kong and has now spread to countries across Asia and Europe and elsewhere, scrutinizing interns as well as full-time workers. The so called employees include influential politician’s family members who were employed in the investment bank, along with relatives of asset-management clients. The Last week, two of the bank’s former London traders — Javier Martin-Artajo and Julien Grout — were indicted for allegedly concealing massive bank losses in the infamous “London whale” debacle. The losses of which were reported as $2 billion. Now, it turns out, those losses were seriously under counted; the real losses are around $6.2 billion. SEC will hunt for evidence showing “these weren’t real jobs, that they were only there because their father or mothers were important public officials,” said Dan Hurson, a former U.S. prosecutor and SEC lawyer who runs his own Washington practice. “If the public official requested the job for the child that would be a strong indication to the company that the official was seeking and receiving something of value.”   It is hardly shocking that JPMorgan Chase may be guilty of this practice; what else would one expect when one of the wealthiest and most corrupt banks in the world partners with one of the wealthiest, most corrupt, and ruthless regimes in the world? But JPMorgan Chase is hardly alone; virtually all of the big investment banks operating in China have been using the “hire-a-princeling” strategy as standard operating procedure for the past two decades. So far, the bank’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, has not only managed to evade any personal responsibility for the company’s ongoing massive scandals, but continued to profit — at taxpayer expense. Dimon, a top Wall Street insider, continues to serve as a Class a Director of the Board of Directors of the New York Federal Reserve and JPMorgan Chase continues to enjoy its sweetheart status with the Fed as a “primary dealer,” giving it access to the Fed’s magic money-out-of-thin-air machine. For helping create the mortgage meltdown crisis of 2008, Dimon’s bank was rewarded with $390 billion in emergency “loans” from the Fed. Related article: International and U.S. Banks make millions from laundering drug money Sources: New American William F. Jasper Jerome Favre/Bloomberg  Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg Bloomberg Contributing Editor David Plouffe and Rick Rieder, managing director at BlackRock  William Black, a professor at University of Missouri-Kansas City, talks about a U.S. regulatory probe of JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s hiring practices in China. Black speaks with Tom Keene, Sara Eisen, Alix Steel and Lee Pacchia on Bloomberg Television's "Surveillance." (Source: Bloomberg) Peter Foley/Bloomberg Mark Kornblau, a company spokesman  David Marshall, The bank has hired law firm Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP,. It also has enlisted King & Wood Mallesons and Herbert Smith Freehills, Paul Weiss is handling the U.S. probe The Serious Fraud Office, which enforces U.K. laws targeting fraud, bribery and corruption Dimon’s Push Michael Passman, a spokesman at the Justice Department, and John Nester at the SEC declined to comment. Michael Webster’s Syndicated Investigative Reports have been read worldwide, in 100 or more U.S. outlets and in at least 136 countries and territories. He publishes articles in association with global news agencies and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 136 countries. Many of Mr. Webster’s articles are printed in six working languages: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. With ten more languages planed in the near future. · Mr. Webster is America's leading authority on Venture Capital/Equity Funding. He served as a trustee on some of the nation’s largest trade Union funds. A noted Author, Lecturer, Educator, Emergency Manager, Counter-Terrorist, War on Drugs and War on Terrorist Specialist, Business Consultant, Newspaper Publisher. Radio News caster. Labor Law generalist, Teamster Union Business Agent, General Organizer, Union Rank and File Member Grievances Representative, NLRB Union Representative, Union Contract Negotiator, Workers Compensation Appeals Board Hearing Representative. Mr. Webster represented management on that side of the table as the former Director of Federated of Nevada. Mr. Webster publishes on-line newspapers atwww.lagunajournal.com and www.usborderfirereport.com and does investigative reports for print, electronic and on-line News Agencies. All of Mr. Webster's articles, books/CD's can be read or downloaded free at:http://www.lagunajournal.com/michael_webster.htm or MICHAEL WEBSTER'S OTHER WRITINGS Contact e-mail: wibcom@aol.com · Editors: interested in featuring Michael Webster’s Syndicated articles:

How to store fuel safely

  By the Ready Store affiliate Michael Webster How to store fuel safely   Fuel can be very important item for your survival supplies and other emergencies... But what ever you will need it for you’ll need to make sure that your fuel is safe and ready for when you need it. Handle all combustibles with care. Remember that all of these could blow at a moment’s notice. I have rounded up some good things to practice in survival mode and we’ve collected some ideas and a few tips on how to properly store safely different types of fuels, where you should store them, and how long they can store. Containers for liquid fuel When storing fuel, or other fire-starting material, you’ll want to make sure to put them in a different colored container. Most of the time, liquid fuels are stored in red containers. At a minimum, containers should be obviously labeled. Make sure that containers are sturdy, reliable and have a good seal on them. You want to make sure that the fuel won’t leak. You should also consider a container that isn’t clear or translucent. Gasoline The American Petroleum Institute recommends that you only store gasoline for up to two years. This recommendation does not include gasoline that has been treated with a stabilizer. There are many types of stabilizers on the shelf that can get your gasoline to store for a few years longer. While I’ve used gasoline that has been stored for years on my lawn mower, using “stale” gasoline that has been stored for a long time can have some diverse effects on your motor. The recommendation for 1-2 years of shelf-life would provide optimal gasoline. Diesel Fuel Surprisingly, diesel doesn’t have a very long shelf-life. It can only last for 6-12 months. The problem with storing diesel is that it begins to oxidize as soon as it leaves the refinery. Sediments begin to form that would clog the motor. This reaction can be slowed by keeping the fuel cooler and by adding stabilizers. The condensation from the gasoline can also form algae. Some people who store diesel for a long time (the Navy, gas companies) use methods to stabilize their supply. These methods can be pretty expensive though. We recommend that you store only a maximum of two-month’s worth of diesel at a time and empty the canisters into your car or generator when you rotate. (Thanks to Oblio13’s blog for the insight.) Kerosene Kerosene is one of the easiest fuels to store, and is more versatile than most people think. It does not evaporate as readily as gasoline and will remain stable in storage with no special treatment. Kerosene has a shelf-life of about three months in a plastic container. Storing kerosene for longer than that can result in bacteria and mold forming in the container. When you store the kerosene, be sure to label the container properly. You want to make sure that it doesn’t mix with gasoline or another type of fuel. You should store your kerosene in a different color container than gas to ensure that they are not mistakenly mixed. Be sure to store the kerosene outdoors but protected from direct sunlight. Prolonged sunlight can degrade the kerosene. Butane Butane isn’t as popular of a fuel as gasoline or kerosene but many people use the fuel for lighters or other small fire starters. Many backpacking kits use butane fuel. “Butane comes in pressurized containers and the canisters are required, by law, to have instructions on the label regarding storage and usage of the product. Following the instructions will ensure that you keep your butane supply safe. Proper storage is the first element in butane safety. Keep it in a safe place at home that is out of any children’s reach. Many containers can withstand even high temperatures. Even if you live in a climate that is rather warm, your butane should still store well … find a dry and cool place, out of the direct sunlight and away from any other sources of extreme heat. Additionally, also make sure that the tip of the butane container is not damaged or clogged. If the tip is damaged or is clogged through use, remove the clog or throw away the container and buy a new one.“ (Read the Ebay article.) Propane You’ll obviously want to store your propane in a well-ventilated area outdoors. Make sure that your propane tank is stored upright – probably on a concrete slab. Don’t store the propane tank next to anything flammable. Also ensure that it is stored in an area where a large amount of water will not fall on the tank – for example, next to a gutter or in the open under the rainfall. Never store the propane in a house or garage. Click here to read Propane 101’s article about proper propane safety. Charcoal Charcoal is a great option for cooking fuel. They might get your hands a little bit messier but that’s not always a bad thing. The good thing is that you can store this dry fuel inside your home! However, never cook with charcoal indoors! You can store charcoal in a dry location – like a bin or metal canister. You can also make a waterproof container by placing the charcoal in a bucket and use a gamma lid to seal the top. This should keep the briquettes by not letting moisture into the bucket! Coal According to the Fireplace Supplier Register, coal can be stored in damp places without harming it. It can also be retained in areas that have little or no protection from the rain and snow. If you choose, so you don’t have to handle wet coal, you can cover it outside with tarps to keep it dry. Store bagged coal inside the bags until you’re ready to use it. It will be easier to store it and carry it to the stove. Coal either comes by the bag or by the truckload (if you order several tons). Loose coal is easier to contain if it’s stored in wooden bins, but it’s not necessary. (Reference to the eHow article.) Firewood Avoid the temptation to keep a lot of firewood in your home. You can obviously carry in a few logs indoors at a time, but the best location to store firewood is outdoors. It’s recommended that you keep your firewood at least 30 feet away from your house – not leaning against the house, next to the door. Ideally, wood should be kept off the ground too. You can make a simple firewood holder out of two-by-fours in order to stack the wood properly. Be sure to stack the larger pieces of wood on the bottom of the pile. This will help the pile from leaning or falling over. Here is an article on how to build a firewood caddy. You’ll want to use a cover to protect the wood from getting wet. You can purchase a specific log rack cover or a simple tarp will do. Make sure that the cover is secured so it doesn’t blow away in the wind. You may notice that there are some bugs in your firewood. Do not spray your wood with insecticide! This can seep into the wood and fume in your house when you burn the log. Instead, the best thing to do is dry out the wood as quickly as possible. This will encourage most of the bugs to leave the wood. Matches There are a variety of matches out there. Avoid placing cheap matchbooks in your kits and emergency supplies. They can absorb moisture a lot easier. Instead, focus on matches that are waterproof and have longer stems. This will allow you to light things from a safe distance and make sure that your matches are safe from moisture. If you don’t have waterproof matches, you can place your matches in a waterproof container. Make sure that the container is a thick plastic and isn’t stored in direct sunlight. For more related information go to: www.uscda.us  click on “Mission Ready Gear” To order most survival items on the above list you should go to:  www.thereadystore.com/?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=pap&aid=4b5e43160feb5 · Michael Webster’s Syndicated Investigative Reports have been read worldwide, in 100 or more U.S. outlets and in at least 136 countries and territories. He publishes articles in association with global news agencies and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 136 countries. Many of Mr. Webster’s articles are printed in six working languages: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. With ten more languages planed in the near future. · Mr. Webster is America's leading authority on Venture Capital/Equity Funding. He served as a trustee on some of the nation’s largest trade Union funds. A noted Author, Lecturer, Educator, Emergency Manager, Counter-Terrorist, War on Drugs and War on Terrorist Specialist, Business Consultant, Newspaper Publisher. Radio News caster. Labor Law generalist, Teamster Union Business Agent, General Organizer, Union Rank and File Member Grievances Representative, NLRB Union Representative, Union Contract Negotiator, Workers Compensation Appeals Board Hearing Representative. Mr. Webster represented management on that side of the table as the former Director of Federated of Nevada. Mr. Webster publishes on-line newspapers atwww.lagunajournal.com and www.usborderfirereport.com and does investigative reports for print, electronic and on-line News Agencies. All of Mr. Webster's articles, books/CD's can be read or downloaded free at:http://www.lagunajournal.com/michael_webster.htm or MICHAEL WEBSTER'S OTHER WRITINGS Contact e-mail: wibcom@aol.com · Editors: interested in featuring Michael Webster’s syndicated articles:

Earthquake and resulting tsunami could devastate L.A. and the west coast

  By Michael Webster: Syndicated Investigative Reporter. Sept 5, 2013 at 12:05 PM PDT     If a new big earthquake similar to the 9.2 quake that hit Alaska or the 9.1 that struck off the coast of Japan, were to hit closer to the west coast tsunami waves would rush toward California, swamping the nation's largest port cities along the coast and causing major economic damage.   That's according to a hypothetical scenario released Wednesday by the U.S. Geological Survey and others to help emergency planners prepare. Tsunamis are a rare but real threat in California. After the 2011 Japan disaster, tsunami waves surged across Pacific and damaged the Northern California commercial fishing village of Crescent City. Scientists say a closer offshore quake would create more havoc, flooding the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, forcing coastal communities to evacuate and destroying boats and small craft. According to the government the tsunami scenario is similar to a quake exercise released several years ago designed to prepare for a big one on the San Andreas Fault. While scientists can't predict when a great earthquake producing a pan-Pacific tsunami will occur, thanks to new tools being developed by federal and state officials, scientists can now offer more accurate insight into the likely impacts when tsunamis occur. This knowledge can lead officials and the public to reduce the risk of the future tsunamis that will impact California. What are the potential economic impacts? Which marinas could be destroyed? Who needs to be prepared for evacuations? A newly published report looks at these factors and more. A hypothetical yet plausible scenario was developed where a tsunami is created by an earthquake offshore from the Alaskan peninsula and extends to the California coast. This is detailed in a new report titled, the U.S. Geological Survey's Science Application for Risk Reduction (SAFRR) Tsunami Scenario. Some of the issues highlighted in the scenario include public safety and economic loss. In this scenario approximately 750,000 people would need to be evacuated, with 90,000 of those being tourists and visitors. Additionally, one-third of the boats in California's marinas could be damaged or completely sunk, resulting in $700 million in losses. It was concluded that neither of California's nuclear power plants would likely be damaged by this particular event. The USGS reported that looking back to 2011, not only was Japan devastated by the magnitude 9.1 Tohoku earthquake, but the resulting tsunami also swept through California and caused $50-100 million of damage. This shows that tsunamis near and far can lead to billions of dollars in losses in California.   The SAFRR Tsunami Scenario is a collaborative effort between the USGS, the California Geological Survey, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, other agencies, and academic and other institutions. "The good news is that three-quarters of California's coastline is cliffs, and thus immune to the harsher and more devastating impacts tsunamis could pose," said Lucy Jones, who is the USGS Science Advisor for Risk Reduction and leads the SAFRR Project. "The bad news is that the one-quarter at risk is some of the most economically valuable property in California." "In order to effectively protect communities from tsunamis, we must first know what to plan for," continued Jones. "By starting with science, there is a clearer understanding on how tsunamis function and their potential impacts. The scenario will serve as a long-lasting resource to raise awareness and provide scientifically-sound and unbiased information to decision makers in California and abroad." In this scenario, scientists specifically outline the likely inundation areas, current velocities in key ports and harbors, physical damage and repair costs; economic consequences; environmental impacts; social vulnerability; emergency management; and policy implications for California. This scenario will also be the focus of discussion at a workshop series that started yesterday September 4 that is convened in partnership with the California Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program.   USGS scientists and partners will explain the scenario and results to stakeholders in the coastal communities of California. The workshops aims to establish a community of experts while fostering the use of science in decision-making. The workshops will be hosted by the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (September 4); Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (September 5); San Diego County Office of Emergency Management (September 6); Santa Cruz County Office of Emergency Management (September 9); and the Port of San Francisco (September 10). The SAFRR Project is the same USGS research group that produced the ShakeOut Scenario in 2008, examining the consequences of a probable major earthquake on the southern San Andreas Fault, and the ARkStorm Scenario in 2011, examining the risks associated with extreme rain events associated with atmospheric rivers. US Response & Plans To get personally involved go to: www.uscda.us National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program Tsunami Risk Reduction for the United States: A Framework for Action (2005) - sdr Subcommittee on disaster reduction (sdr) US Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System Program and NOAA's role - US Government - USAID · Michael Webster is publisher of the Laguna Journal & the U.S. Border Fire Report on line newspapers and a Syndicated Investigative Reporter ·  Michael Webster Syndicated Investigative Reports are read worldwide, in 100 or more U.S. outlets and in at least 136 countries and territories. He publishes articles in association with global news agencies and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 136 countries.  He served as a trustee on trade Union funds. A noted Author, Lecturer, Educator, Emergency Manager, Counter-Terrorist, War on Drugs and War on Terrorist Specialist, Newspaper Publisher. Radio News caster. Labor Law generalist, Teamster Union Business Agent, General Organizer, Union Rank and File Member Grievances Representative, NLRB Union Representative, Union Contract Negotiator, Workers Compensation Appeals Board Hearing Representative. Mr. Webster represented management on that side of the table as the former Director of Federated of Nevada. Mr. Webster publishes on-line newspapers at www.lagunajournal.com  and www.usborderfirereport.com  and does investigative reports for print, electronic and on-line News Agencies.  · Contact Mr. Webster mvwsr@aol.com

I humbly Thank YOU for the friend request Patriot Michael Webster.

I humbly Thank YOU for the friend request Patriot Michael Webster. Karl P. Koenigs With all of the forbidding things happening to a handful of cities in California, Michigan (Detroit), Illinois, and now Pennsylvania, including bankruptcies like Detroit among others, concerns about municipal bond holders not getting paid, not to mention $16,600,000,000,000.00 (Trillion) in Federal "public debt" plus $125,000,000,000,000.00 (Trillion) in UNFUNDED liabilities which are increasing at the rate of ONE TRILLION DOLLARS EVERY month, it seems most likely and all indications are that the U.S. Government is going to expect AND DEMAND by the point of an IRS gun, us Middle Class taxpayers to pay whatever amount required in so-called "income withholding taxes" or far worse hyperinflation, as may be required to pay for all of the usurpations they have illegally foisted on us through utter constitutional contempt. Contempt which far exceeds those eighteen only enumerated powers, size, scope and spending which WE THE PEOPLE granted them as listed under Article I Section 8, of The Constitution, pursuant to the 9th and 10th Amendments, for the privilege of serving us. Should We The People, as God’s sovereign rulers in America, allow them to continue this absolute lawlessness, we shall surely become taxation slaves working for virtually nothing as serfs with no individual Rights and the light of freedom snuffed out. We by divine providence of our God, who ordained We The People as the rulers and governing authorities of our Republic on the very day when He delivered our first world super power empire government into our farmer Militia hands at the miracle of Yorktown, have a duty to do to Him and our Republic. Objects of the most stupendous magnitude, , , measures which will affect the lives of millions, born and unborn, , , are now before us. But we must always remember that a free Constitution of civil government cannot be fully restored to its full force, affect, meaning, spirit and intent, on our Federal and State Government elected and non-elected public servants, at too dear a rate, for there is nothing on this side of Jerusalem of greater importance. Many amongst us give a grim prognostication of our national future. But where they see apocalypse, I see hope. I see a renewed nation, ready to reinstate its place in the world. Not an empire, not a Democracy of Socialist mob rule, but a Republic, and a Republic of Laws, not constitutionally contemptuous men. I do not put out apprehensions, Michael, but the end we have in sight, the full restoration, force and affect of our laws which We The People “ordained and established” on our Federal Government, “to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”, especially but not limited to the 9th and 10th Amendments and the money clauses of Article I Sections 8 and especially 10, is worth all the means. God Bless You, Michael and may God, through us His ordained rulers, stewards and higher powers of the Holy light of Liberty, who are We The People in America, Save Our/His American States! http://youtu.be/-7Y1ougODMo

Mexican Drug Cartels mafia type extortion crosses the border into USA

By Michael Webster: Syndicated Investigative Reporter. According to a DEA operative in the L.A. area who insists on remaining anonymous told the U.S. Border Fire Report that businesses along the dangerous U.S. Mexican border from Texas to California have been the victims of extortion attempts and threats. He further indicated that he believes that a good number of minority owned businesses in the Los Angeles area are also victims of extortion and that Mexican Drug Cartels and L.A. gangs and others are responsible. “He said that many of the victims especially those without papers are fearful of reporting the crime to authorities as they fear retaliation”. Recently in the Los Angeles area grand jury indictments have come down charging hundreds of gang members of notorious L. A. street gangs with wide ranging criminal charges including extortion and 88 of those have been named in a wide-ranging federal RICO racketeering indictment. According to a 222-page indictment returned by a federal grand jury members and associates of the Avenues street gang are part of a criminal enterprise that engaged in a host of criminal acts, including murders, attempted murders, narcotics trafficking, robberies, extortions, money laundering and witness intimidation.  “No matter how many times gangs like the Mexican Mafia and the Avenues seek to reassert control through intimidation, we will do what it takes to combat that intimidation, and ensure that residents need not live their lives in fear,” said Acting United States Attorney George S. Cardona. Former Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton stated: the “operation demonstrated not only a continuing commitment to this area, but an ability to foster and maintain long-term relationships with diverse communities and law enforcement agencies. The satisfaction comes when these neighborhoods spring back to life.” In addition to the murders and extortion the indictment alleges that the gang “is continually engaged in” the distribution of narcotics, such as crack cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. Avenues leaders control drug distribution by providing “street-level” amounts of crack cocaine — to numerous gang members and associates who law enforcement believe then sell it to other street dealers and drug attic’s then collect extortion payments from them– commonly called “taxes” or “rent” — from all the sellers of the drugs. If they burn or refuse to pay they will be murdered by the gangs many times by order of the MDCs who the gang leadership obtain their drugs from. Los Zetas the deadly paramilitary terrorist hit men and enforcers for the Mexican Drug Cartels (MDCs) is now operating and extorting American businesses on the U.S. Side of the border. Federal law enforcement investigators believe that goons of the MDCs has apparently begun to threaten businesses in the United States. Federal government officials on both sides of the border are reported to be investigating the mafia style extortion plots. Two American city police departments L.A. and El Paso are investigating. Other cities police departments with similar problems believed looking into the matter is Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, and other smaller towns bordering Mexico. According to information from an El Paso newspaper word of the threats has put the El Paso police on alert.  At least two businesses in El Paso have reportedly received threats by a man identifying himself as a commander of Los Zetas.  One businessman said that the man “demanded in an intimidating voice” a payment of $50,000 to be paid immediately or “the next time we meet will be at the funeral of a loved one.”  While such tactics are routine in neighboring Cd. Juarez, but never before have American businesses been extorted from thugs from a foreign country and is a new problem for American businesses to have to deal with and apparently extortion has crossed into the US. U.S. businesses are receiving threats by extortionists claiming to be members of MDCs, a sign that criminal tactics common in Mexico are showing up north of the border. At least two El Paso businesses reported to police calls they had received from a man identifying himself as a Zetas commander working for the Gulf cartel. One man, in a “bullying voice,” called an El Paso businessman and demanded “$50,000 immediately, or the next time we’ll see you, it will be at the funeral of a loved one,” the businessman said. The businessman spoke on condition of anonymity, citing concerns for his safety and that of his family. The family said it reported the incident to police. Police said the caller may have been someone posing as a cartel member, hoping to use the fearsome reputation of the drug-trafficking groups operating across the border in Ciudad Juárez to extract money from businesses in El Paso. El Paso police spokesman Javier Sambrano said he believes the incident is a “scam”, but an investigator had been assigned to the case, and he acknowledged that other businesses had been threatened in the past few days, but he refused to say how many. This same El Paso Police Dept. did not think that the killings in Juarez would spill over into El Paso. They have been proved wrong as assassinations by MDCs of American citizens have taken place in El Paso and other cities around the country. Its believed many other Americans have been kidnapped and forced to Mexico where they were tortured and killed by MDCs murderous gang members and hired hit men. U.S. law enforcement believe American gang members also participate in many of those kidnappings and murders and follow the orders of the MDCs. According to Mexican sources and the El Paso Times such extortion calls have become common in Mexico, where drug cartels have morphed into full-scale mafias, running extortion and protection rings as they try to expand their criminal operations. The Times reports as Mexicans flee the growing insecurity and move to U.S. border cities, American business owners have said they fear that the cartels, with members living on both sides of the border, will also prey on them and demand “protection” fees. Such demands have wrecked hundreds of businesses across Mexico, particularly in cities such as Ciudad Juárez, Tijuana, as well as other cities along the border, where the cartels are most active. Juárez is considered the most dangerous city in the Americas. So far more than 50,000 people have been killed in criminal violence since the war on drugs in Mexico started back in 2006.. The Times went on to say the destruction in Juárez is measured in more ways than body counts. In downtown Juárez, burned-out businesses have become a common sight, many of them victims of organized crime carrying through on threats to destroy shops of owners who refused to pay protection fees, authorities say. In the recent past, an owner of a funeral home was killed, and a day later, his business was burned. Mexican authorities said they believe the owner refused to pay protection fees. Mexican newspapers report that a survey of members of the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico showed that 75 percent of respondents felt that growing insecurity in the country had had an impact on their businesses. Fifty-seven percent said their companies planned to increase their security budget within the next two years, said Marina Tavares, spokeswoman for the chamber in Mexico City. The Times article continued that a family-owned business in east El Paso, such stories of insecurity and extortion were once nothing but tales read in newspapers. But then came those threatening calls. “There are only so many companies they can extort on the Mexican side,” said one of the business owners. “Sooner, or later, they will start operating here. After all, we’re so close, right along the border.” The family said it called police, but the officer who responded to the call told them there was little the police can do other than monitor the situation and have detectives periodically check on them. For now, the family is adjusting their routines. One of the business owners said he won’t work late anymore. In the end, the mother of the business owner said, the calls may be part of a hoax, or they may be made by opportunists trying to take advantage of a people on both sides of the border who are already on edge. Either way, the mother said: “We’re taking this very seriously. We’re not getting much rest. And whenever I think about it, I shake like a leaf.” According to the National Gang Threat Assessment of 2009 report there are over 20,000 violent murderous street gangs, motorcycle gangs, prison gangs and international gangs which total well over a million foot solders and members. These gangs are criminally active in the U.S. and elsewhere today including Afghanistan. Many are well armed and U.S. militarily trained and are organized as well as our most sophisticated corporations; all use violence to control members, citizens as well as entire neighborhoods, drug corridors and turf, to boost their illegal money-making activities totaling more than $400 billion dollars, which include Mexican Drug Cartel (MDC’s) retaliation hit squads, murder for hire, drug trafficking, smuggling drugs, guns and humans, robbery, theft, fraud, extortion, prostitution, retaliation kidnappings, kidnappings for ransom and military grade weapons trafficking.   Sources: National gang threat assessment 2009 DEA Operative El Paso Times Laguna Journal El Paso Police Ciudad Juárez Police Varies Mexican Newspapers Mexican Army Officers   Michael Webster’s Syndicated Investigative Reports are read worldwide, in 100 or more U.S. outlets and in at least 136 countries and territories. He publishes articles in association with global news agencies and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 136 countries. Many of Mr. Webster’s articles are printed in six working languages: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. With ten more languages planed in the near future. Mr. Webster is America’s leading authority on Venture Capital/Equity Funding. He served as a trustee on some of the nation’s largest trade Union funds. A noted Author, Lecturer, Educator, Emergency Manager, Counter-Terrorist, War on Drugs and War on Terrorist Specialist, Business Consultant, Newspaper Publisher. Radio News caster. Labor Law generalist, Teamster Union Business Agent, General Organizer, Union Rank and File Member Grievances Representative, NLRB Union Representative, Union Contract Negotiator, Workers Compensation Appeals Board Hearing Representative. Mr. Webster represented management on that side of the table as the former Director of Federated of Nevada. Mr. Webster publishes on-line newspapers at www.lagunajournal.com and www.usborderfirereport.com and does investigative reports for print, electronic and on-line News Agencies. All of Mr. Webster’s articles, books/CD’s can be read or downloaded free at: MICHAEL WEBSTER’S OTHER WRITINGS Originally published here.

Patriot Act is un-constitutional

By Michael Webster Syndicated Investigative Reporter: (Click Image to Enlarge) The USA PATRIOT Act broadly expands law enforcement’s surveillance and investigative powers and represents one of the most significant threats to civil liberties, privacy and democratic traditions in U.S. history. The act in its current form gives sweeping Unconstitutional  search and surveillance to domestic law enforcement and foreign intelligence agencies and eliminates checks and balances which had been the difference between the free world and the suppressed. That difference previously had given courts the opportunity to ensure that those powers were not abused. PATRIOT and follow-up legislation now in development threaten the basic rights of millions of Americans and has turned America into a suppressed state. A new bill introduced in this 110th Congress is designed to extend the USA Patriot Act allowing what many experts say are illegal provisions which will continue to allow the FBI, DEA, ICE, ATF, U.S. Military and other federal agencies to spy on investigate and arrest innocent Americans. The law because of the act allows for violations of Americans constitutional rights that our fore Fathers did not intend. Constitutional lawyers all across America say the Patriot Act should be repealed not reinstated. President Bush signed into law the earlier renewal of the controversial Patriot Law on December 30, 2005 as the provisions were due to expire they were extended with Public Law 109-160 that pushed the date from December 31, 2005 until February 3, 2006. The date of expiration was again changed from February 3, 2006 until March 10, 2006. The origenal Patriot Act was passed into law on October 24, 2001 by the Congress of the United States, just 45 days after the September 11 attacks, with few Congressman even reading it and virtually no debate. There are significant flaws in the Patriot Act, flaws that threaten your fundamental freedoms by giving the government the power to access your medical records, tax records, information about the books you buy or borrow without probable cause, and even worse the power to break your door down at your home at any time of the day or night and conduct unconstitutional searches and seizures or if your lucky and are not home they can search your home or business in secret without telling you for weeks, months, or even indefinitely.   According to Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) the law dramatically expands the ability of states and the Federal Government to conduct surveillance of American citizens. The Government can monitor an individual’s web surfing records, use roving wiretaps to monitor phone calls made by individuals “proximate” to the primary person being tapped, access Internet Service Provider records, and monitor the private records of people involved in legitimate protests. PATRIOT is not limited to terrorism EFF writes on their web site. They point out that the Government can add samples to DNA databases for individuals convicted of “any crime of violence.” Government spying on suspected computer trespassers (not just terrorist suspects) and all of this and more requires no court order. Wiretaps are now allowed for any suspected violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, offering possibilities for Government spying on and monitoring any computer user’s searches, e-mails and in fact record every stroke on any computer.   Foreign and domestic intelligence agencies can more easily spy on Americans. Powers under the existing Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) have been broadened to allow for increased surveillance opportunities. FISA standards are lower than the constitutional standard applied by the courts in regular investigations. PATRIOT partially repeals legislation enacted in the 1970s that prohibited pervasive surveillance of Americans. PATRIOT eliminates Government accountability. While PATRIOT freely eliminates privacy rights for individual Americans, it creates more secrecy for Government activities, making it extremely difficult to know about actions the Government are taking.   PATRIOT authorizes the use of “sneak and peek” search warrants in connection with any federal crime, including misdemeanors. A “sneak and peek” warrant authorizes law enforcement officers to enter private premises without the occupant’s permission or knowledge and without informing the occupant that such a search was conducted. The Department of Justice, with little input from Congress and the American people, is developing follow-on legislation – the Domestic Security Enhancement Act (nicknamed Patriot II) — which would greatly expand Patriot’s already sweeping powers.   The federal government has turned American freedoms into a world wide mockery with their unchecked spying on ordinary Americans, part of a broad pattern of the executive branch using “national security” and or “suspected terrorism ” as an excuse for encroaching on the privacy and free speech rights of Americans without adequate oversight. It eliminates many protections against unlawful imprisonment and now many rights in U.S. legal system are absent — such as the important right of habeas corpus. As written the act violates due process for all Americans. All the president has to do is call a citizen an “enemy combatant,” and the person’s due process rights disappear. The US Government says that U.S. citizens can be detained and then tried in secret trials – in absentia, and can use secret evidence that the accused cannot see or challenge. If evidence is obtained by coercion, or torture government lawyers contend that it should still be allowed as a basis for conviction, there by erasing 300 years of Anglo-American jurisprudence. You should be very uncomfortable with the collection of your records by the governmentwhich are using the Patriot Act to demand your social security number and other private financial or medical information by order of secret courts and the muzzling of those citizens who receive such orders from speaking publicly about them. This is a violation of both the 1st and 4th amendment. You should also oppose the collection of both private and business records by banks, pharmacies and other businesses which are using the Patriot Act to demand your social security number and other private financial or medical information. Criticism of former President Bush’s admission that he had received warnings only weeks before September 11th has made it more important to understand the origins of the act. There has never been a more urgent need to preserve fundamental privacy protections and our system of checks and balances than the need we face today. As illegal government spying, provisions of the Patriot Act and government-sponsored torture programs transcend the bounds of law and our most treasured values in the name of national security and just the allegation of suspected terrorist activity be it true or not. The current Act that was extended and updated you can read online at this site: www.epic.org. Financial Transactions The sections of the Patriot Act that deal with financial transactions fall under Title III, which is also known as the International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001. It stands on its own as a separate act of Congress as well as being part of the Patriot Act, and is an amended version of the 1986 Money Laundering Control Act and the 1970 Bank Secrecy Act. The earlier acts tended to focus on preventing money laundering and international cash flow as it related to the drug trade, or to gambling, smuggling, and other types of criminal activity. In the 2001 version, the focus has shifted towards money laundering as a means of financing international terrorism. The current act encourages financial institutions to collect certain data to identify customers and their transactions in case any of the activity should be flagged as “suspicious” by a government agency. “Suspicious” in most cases means involving any foreign nationals or corporations. The Patriot Act considers any such accounts or transactions worthy of intense scrutiny. (Although the scrutiny will, of course, be more severe for certain nationalities than for others.) What if you are a US-born, US citizen, do not have any arrest record, and are not involved in any type of criminal activity? If you’d just like to open a bank account or engage in another banking transaction, can a bank force you to provide your social security number? How about fingerprinting you? Is either of these strictly required by law? Not exactly – although if you do not wish to provide your social security number you will have to obtain an alternate taxpayer identification number. This information (along with your name, address, and date of birth) is used as part of the required Customer Identification Program (CIP) used to verify customer identity (and to compare customer information with lists of known terrorist suspects). Such information may also be required by other money service businesses such as currency exchanges. All having the effect of the financial institution acting as agent to and for the US Government. Fingerprints are not a requirement of the Patriot Act, and they are certainly not required by all financial institutions – so if your bank insists on this procedure, you may wish to take your business elsewhere. Cash Transactions Cash transactions are certainly not prohibited, but they bring more government scrutiny, and they are now more inconvenient for certain vendors to process. If you deposit, withdraw, or make a purchase involving more than $10,000 in cash in one day, the other agency involved has to file a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) with the IRS that reports details such as your name, address, and taxpayer identification number. If you purchase over $3,000 of traveler’s checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks, such a transaction will also be reported to the IRS via a Monetary Instrument Log (MIL). And should you engage in any activity that indicates you may be engaged in money laundering or otherwise violating the law, your transaction may even trigger your being put on the no fly list and on the Suspicious Activity Report (SAR). The SAR will be filed without your knowledge – it is, in fact, against the law for you to be informed of the SAR as your knowledge would compromise the subsequent investigation. If you want the Patriot Act to be repealed you should immediately write your Congressperson and express your concerns, if you and millions of others don’t America’s leadership in freedom and many of our own basic freedoms and liberties will be a thing of the past.

AUTHOR Michael Webster's PREAMBLE to the RedRoad

WHITE BUFFALO AND PEACE PIPE: Original Painting by Michael J. Lavery. Original Peace Pipe by Akkeeia “Great Spirit, all over the earth living humans are all alike. . . Look upon these humans without number and that these things come to pass. Listen and hear the winds and see the dreams and visions by walking the Red Road to the day of quiet” Akkeeia Comanche 1944-   As you read this you are invited to come and share with me a journey back in time a world unlike any other. We will walk the sacred REDROAD together for the love of life, and shall learn the blending of the old and the new, and the learning of the ancient wonders of life. You will see how you can best benefit by taking the best from both worlds. We will learn how to live in harmony and balance with our own bodies and at the same time have the same harmony and balance with Mother Nature. How it is all connected to the great circle of life through our tribal connection of the spirit of the early Americans and Early Man. The very earliest Americans are a prehistoric people and the early Americans who followed are the more familiar historic Indians of this land. We’ll call them “Early Peoples.” I’m inviting you to enter into the sacred circle of that world. Join us for a spiritual, magical, archetypal celebration as you feel the healing of the ancient ways and share ancient and Early Peoples ceremonial rites. Let their soul walk inside you and visit unknown places in your mind. We will learn about the old ways... from the Clovis people to the Arapaho to the Zuni... Discover healthy foods that sustained people for hundreds of years, for longer than we have been a nation, and find out about many natural plants that healed them and some that we ourselves are using today as modern miracle drugs. We hope to see the past return and the future foretold, learn to live in that harmony and in balance with our Father and Mother Earth. White mans God was known to many of the Early Peoples as the “Great Spirit Father Sky”. We will learn how to softly walk on Mother’s back again as a people. On this walk we will attempt to see the world through the eyes of those who went before us. We will travel to many Sacred Sites, places of mysterious beauty, where the land is alive with Creation stories exposed in the sinuous canyons which are rugged mountains upside down and witness Ancient Cultures and peak at spectacular landscapes, Absorb the unearthly luminous qualities of light on rock and vast plateau lands and of brilliant stars at night. This is a dreamscape sculpted by elemental forces. Radiant with sun, quickened by lightning, resonant with many millennia of human prayer honoring this sacred earth. The wind that shapes the wondrous formations gives voice to the indwelling spirit that Navajos call Nilchi'i, the inner spirit of humans, the mountains, the stars and all of creation. This walk is an exhibition of color and form, the mythological landscape of living cultures with roots in another time. We will take time to star and moon gaze and to breathe in the stunning wisdom of sunset and sunrise! The REDROAD will stimulate your imagination. Ask questions. Like who are we? Why are we here now? Pondering, sensing the mysteries of those who came before, who walked among the remote and exquisitely beautiful stone cliff dwellings, pueblo villages and gazed upon other-worldly images left carved and painted on canyon walls. And, in fact, some of these ancient peoples are still here. Hopi, Navajo, Zuni and other Early Peoples warmly welcome us as they share their stories, lives, ways, reverence, earth-spirit ways, around the campfire, and in special places. We come together in a warm circle of friends from many nations telling our stories Legends and earth wisdom woven with historic color, nature, geology, archaeology and a real peoples! All this in our dreams as while as our waking time. The REDROAD reveals civilizations whose antiquity predates that of the Egyptians. It will witness wisdom acquired through millenniums of observing nature and see tribal knowledge that may never be duplicated.  Through the walk on the REDROAD and for the love of life, we will follow the people of a new continent. Through the Hohokam and the Mogollon, whose irrigation systems brought the deserts to bloom with many foods, you will be told of the mysterious cliff dwellers, the Anasazi of the Southwest. You’ll be shown beautiful hand made pottery, made by coiling and braiding the soil from Mother. You may even hear ancient voices tell the stories that reveal the sources of power and visions... Explore the belief that link living people with their ancestors though vision quest and sweat lodge ceremonies. Witness rituals that have been performed for centuries. You may even hold regular meetings yourself, attend pow wows, have councils and sweat lodge. Ask those who walk the REDROAD to talk with us and share with us and to help us to better understand things like the role of song and dance. In these words and because of these words you will discover and maybe hold in your hands things holy and most sacred such as Sage Wands, Sweetgrass Braids, Feather Fans, Blessing Sticks, Medicine Bundles, Sacred Rites Peace Pipes, and many other objects of absolute wonder. We will have stories of eyewitness accounts of the Early Peoples of the Americas and hear the shared stories and may even be able to feel the rush of the buffalo hunt. You’ll be able to follow the trail of tears and of broken treaties that lead to battles like, the “Battle of Powder River, Wounded Knee, Rosebud Strong Hold, Big Hole, and Battle Butte.” And we will sense how it felt to stand with Crazy Horse at “Little Big Horn.” We will get acquainted with their great leaders like Red Cloud Cochise, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Chief Joseph, Quantum Parker, and many others. All of who were people of great loyalty, bravery and wisdom, committed to protecting their people, their health, their land, and their culture... The REDROAD  is a journey through life learning to live in balance and harmony with Mother and if you walk soft and long you may teach others the walk of the REDROAD . The words you will see and may be hear spoken are sacred. They come from our thoughts, our thoughts come from the wind, and our thoughts are visions during our waking time and from dreams as we sleep. “Dreams are visions as we sleep and visions are dreams while awake, this is where all wisdom and true talent comes .” Akkeeia Comanche 1944-   The Great Spirit has blessed us with the wind, visions, and dreams. The REDROAD  starts by learning to listen to the wind and remembering dreams and visions. This can help you in your walk and prepare you for your Vision Quest, your Sweat Lodge, Council meetings and all important matters of your life. This knowledge will help you and help you to help others in saving Mother’s life! The REDROAD  doctrines are holy and sacred, its precepts binding and committed, its histories are true, and the decisions made because of it are important. Walk it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to help save Earth Mother’s life! The journey contains light to direct you; food to nourish your body and wisdom to nourish your spirit, and it will comfort and cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the walker’s staff, the Eagle’s compass, the warrior’s spear. In the walk paradise is restored. The REDROAD will take you to mysterious places, unexplained sacred sites, ancient cities, and lost lands. The Great Mystery is its grand subject, our good its design and the glory of the Great Spirit its end. It shall fill your memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. It should be walked slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of health. It is offered and given you in life. It involves the highest responsibility. It will reward your labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacredness... All who walk it will forever remember it.     ... I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself. Lone Man [Isna la-wica] (late 19th century) Teton Sioux    

MY EARLYMAN GRANDFATHER

By Michael Webster Excerpts from the RedRoad       As a young boy I became aware of my grandfather's strong work ethic. I remember him going to work Monday through Friday and often on Saturdays. He would rise well before dawn with my grandmother. They would have their morning glass of Raw apple cider vinegar with some maple syrup or molasses, black coffee, eggs sunny-side up, thick well-done bacon with toast, a wedge of sweet white onion and a hot Chile pepper. The bacon cooked first in the big black iron skillet, and then the eggs cooked slowly with the bacon grease splashed over them. One of my fondest memories was the wonderful aroma that would awaken me whenever I stayed overnight with my grandparents. That early morning coffee percolating on the kitchen stove, bacon & eggs frying in the frying pan, and fresh bread in the oven toasting I thought was a great way to start a day. But even to this day, when I am on one of my early morning walks with my wife, and we pass a home with a similar aroma drifting from the kitchen, it reminds me of those wonderful days with my grandparents. I have never felt that I belonged more, was welcomed more, or was more at home than when I visited with my grandparents. Every workday after breakfast Granddad, as I called him, would journey off to the bus stop two blocks away. In 27 dedicated years on the railroad he never missed a day and was late only twice. He worked long hard hours in the hot southwest summer sun and the bone chilling cold, and sometimes snowy, and often windy winters. He was an honored member of the railroad’s work gang. The work gangs of those days repaired and built the railroad. Whatever needed to be done, they did it, be it laying the iron track or creosote wooden ties, or driving spikes using a 12 pound sledgehammer, or building wood, steel, or concrete bridges, he did all of this excruciating work with vigor and pride. My Granddad would tell me, “it’s a good job and I’m glad to have it.”   The epitome of a real rail-road-man   My Granddad was the epitome of a real rail-road-man. He wore his cream colored long johns, his Railroad bibbed Blue overalls with his red bandanna, and his hard leather boots, all as if they were his second skin. And, of course, he was never without his gold railroad “Santa Fe Special” pocket-watch with the copper chain and leather tabs. He wore that watch like a badge of honor. My granddad was a big man, nearly six-feet tall. He had a dark leathery complexion with strong features revealing his Early peoples heritage. He was a man of conviction. He was a man not afraid of hard work. He had worked hard all of his life. Even before he worked on the railroad, he worked his own Farm/ranch, raised cattle and was a blacksmith near Clayton, New Mexico. Folks would bring him blacksmith work from a hundred miles around.   The famous Santa Fe Trail and its cut-off the Cimarron Trail run right along side his farm/ranch for over a 1/4-mile. Today, as I stand their, a chilling fall wind whistles through the rusty barb-wired cedar posts and waving tall grama grass,... just tall grama grass covers the still remaining deep indentations carved into the hard weathered earth from bygone years of settlers passing in their great mode of travel, the Prairie Schooners, and early trade wagons. The prairie schooner loaded with all of there earthly belongings must have looked like a sail boat with its canvas cover blowing in the wind and appearing to be sailing across the golden prairie on wheels. Like "sails on a sea of grass." This description of covered wagons inspired the name Prairie Schooner.   The most common wagons used for hauling freight back East were the Conestogas, developed in Pennsylvania by descendants of Dutch colonists. Conestoga wagons were large, heavy, and had beds shaped somewhat like boats, with angled ends and a floor that sloped to the middle so barrels wouldn't roll out when the wagon was climbing or descending a hill. Like the covered wagons of the western pioneers, it had a watertight canvas bonnet to shelter the cargo. Conestogas were pulled by teams of six or eight horses and could haul up to five tons. Traders on the Santa Fe Trail adopted the Conestoga design for its durability and size, but they found that bullwhackers or muleskinners were preferable to teamsters -- the immense distances and scarcity of good water along the Santa Fe Trail precluded the use of horses as draft animals. Teams of up to two dozen oxen or mules were used to haul the heaviest loads. Sometimes a second wagon, or "backaction," was hitched behind the lead wagon. Overlanders on the Oregon Trail, in contrast, quickly learned that Conestoga wagons were too big for their needs: the huge, heavy wagons killed even the sturdiest oxen before the journey was two-thirds complete. Their answer to the problem was dubbed the "Prairie Schooner," a half-sized version of the Conestoga that typically measured 4' wide and 10' to 12' in length. With its tongue and neck yoke attached, its length doubled to about  These ruts that remain stretch to the east and the west horizons and are all that remain offering any evidence of my Granddad’s stories of his old place and of the first major trade route that connected New Mexico to the eastern United States.    Wagon Ruts on the Cimarron   The Cimarron Cut-off was the main trade route to the southwest and cut off more than ten days of the trip. But it meant crossing a 60-mile chunk of the feared Llano Estacada. Some of the hazards they had to contend with were not only the weather, hunger and the hard going of the trail but also the roving bands of Kiowa, Apache, Comanche, Pawnee and Ute Indians who roamed across the vast grassland, hunting buffalo but leaving no evidence of any permanent settlements. The Athabascans probably passed through the area during their fourteenth century migrations from Canada whom later was to become known as the Navajo people.   From the turn off the Santa Fe Trail continued on into Colorado where their were fewer hostel Indians, but more water, and where firewood was more plentiful and where their were many trading posts to buy, sale and trade their goods. The story of the Santa Fe Trail is a story of business - international, national and local. In 1821, William Becknell, bankrupt and facing jail for debts, packed goods to Santa Fe and made a profit. Entrepreneurs and experienced business people followed - James Webb, Antonio José Chavez, Charles Beaubien, David Waldo, and others.     The Santa Fe trade developed into a complex web of international business, socail ties, tariffs, and laws. Merchants in Missouri and New Mexico extended connections to New York, London and Paris. Traders exploited legal and social systems to facilitate business. Partnerships such as Goldstein, Bean, Peacock & Armijo formed and dissolved. David Waldo "converted" to Catholicism - and also became a Mexican citizen. Dr. Eugene Leitensdorfer, of Missouri, married Soledad Abreu, daughter of a former New Mexico governor. Trader Manuel Alvarez claimed citizenship in Spain, the United States and Mexico. After the Mexican-American War, Trail trade and military freighting boomed. Both firms and individuals obtained and subcontracted lucrative government contracts. Others operated mail and stagecoach services. Trade created other opportunities. From New York, Manuel Harmony shipped English goods to Independence for freighting over the Santa Fe Trail. New Mexican saloon owner Doña Gertrudis "La Tules" Barcelo invested in trade, and trader Charles Ilfeld ran mercantile stores. Wyandotte Chief William Walker leased a warehouse in Independence and his tribe invested in the trade. Hiram Young bought his freedom from slavery and became a wealthy maker of trade wagons - and one of the largest emloyers in Independence. Blacksmiths, hotel owners, muleteers, lawyers, and many others found their places along the Trail. In 1822, trade totaled $15,000; by 1860, $3.5 million, or more than $53 million in today's dollars.       As I looked around in a whipping wind I could see brown specks of cattle in the distance in a broader landscape which I envisioned the Cimarron, Canadian and Pecos rivers, which are the longest of the waterways. They snake through the sprawling plains of northeastern New Mexico, a land known as the Llano Estacada, stretching north to southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. Also known as Wild Indian Territory.   You can see that time, weather and erosion have not erased the deep wagon ruts stretching across this vast country. I was sensing the stark isolation of prairie travel and was able to glimpse the subtle prairie tapestry that was savored by countless Trail travelers. I was Stepping back in time and enjoying virtually the same prairie vistas and unspoiled beauty that travelers encountered more than 120 years ago. The Santa Fe Trail on the Kiowa National Grassland affords an almost three-mile stretch of exceptionally well-preserved wagon ruts. This area is reserved for hiking, backpacking, horseback riding and camping. Several windmills along the route provide ample water. The trail is well marked with limestone "Kansas fence posts." One homestead ruin is located at the end of the hiking path. The Trail across the Kiowa lies between McNees Crossing and Turkey Creek, both resting and watering areas for weary trail caravans. Rabbit Ears Mountain and Round Mound can be seen looming to the west.