Corrupt U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Sentenced to More Than Seven Years

Veteran U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Lorne “Hammer” Jones was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Marilyn Huff to seven and a half years in custody for his role in a decade-long crime spree in which he sold his badge to alien-smuggling groups and ultimately to marijuana transportation cells working for Mexican drug cartels. In court, the defendant acknowledged he has waived his right to appeal. At today’s sentencing and during the December 2013 trial, federal prosecutors Andrew Schopler and W. Mark Conover described the scheme Jones employed to allow over 30,000 kilograms of drug cartel marijuana and multiple illegal aliens into the United States. Jones’ corruption began by first waving cars and vanloads of aliens and drugs through his lane at the San Ysidro port of entry, and later escalated to smuggling tractor-trailers jammed with marijuana through the commercial port at Otay Mesa. Jones, an inspector since 1994, worked at both the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa border crossings and had been a canine officer since the 1990s. He was indicted by a federal grand jury and arrested at work in 2010, charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and to smuggle drugs and aliens. A dozen witnesses testified that Jones was on the take, including Michael Taylor, a former colleague and friend who was also being paid by smugglers to corruptly allow contraband into the United States; Jones’ ex-wife, who recruited him to be a smuggler; a friend and financial adviser who testified that the two had discussed ways to hide ill-gotten gains, and who had personally used Jones to smuggle his girlfriend across the border twice; and several of Jones’ co-conspirators. Prosecutors also presented evidence from a database that tracks information about people crossing the border—such as license plate numbers, names of those who were inspected and when, and by whom. During trial, prosecutors said the data proved that Jones allowed known load vehicles and drivers for drug trafficking organizations to pass though his lanes for years, without being inspected. According to testimony, Jones volunteered to work overtime shifts as a primary inspector so he could wave through vans jammed with aliens and drugs, and trucks full of marijuana. Jones also employed a beeper code system to notify smugglers which one of the 24 inspection lanes he was working when their loads approached the border crossing. But the system failed in 2002 when Jones was randomly and unexpectedly reassigned to another position, and a load driver was forced to abandon his van full of drugs in the inspection line. In a second failure months later, a van stuffed with nearly three tons of marijuana was intercepted in the lane assigned to Jones just a few just car lengths away from him. While Jones’ furiously tried to “waved on” the cars in front of the load vehicle, the driver and passenger of the load vehicle jumped out of the van and attempted to escape from several inspectors who hurried over to apprehend them. Notably, Jones did not try to apprehend the smugglers; rather, as federal prosecutor W. Mark Conover said during closing argument, Jones was frozen “[s]itting in his booth, paralyzed with fear. His load was caught.” This marijuana seizure remains the largest ever at the San Ysidro port of entry. “Lorne Jones allowed greed to destroy everything his badge represents,” said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy. “We hope this outcome serves as a reminder that we will not allow rogue officers to compromise national security and the public trust.” Pete Flores, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Diego, said: “The actions that Lorne Jones has been convicted of tarnish the badge he wore, and I’m appreciative of the work done to bring him to justice. My CBP officers are hard-working professionals who are vigilant in their protection of the U.S. border and service of the traveling public. CBP does not tolerate corruption within our workforce and we will seek out and work to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any employees who commit unethical or unlawful acts that tarnish our badge.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Daphne Hearn commented, “When a law enforcement officer violates his oath to protect and serve the citizens of this nation, it undermines the public’s trust. When that happens, the FBI and our law enforcement partners at the Border Corruption Task Force are determined to restore the public’s confidence and trust by rooting out corruption at all levels of government.” The public can report alleged instances of corruption by calling the FBI hotline at 1-877-NO-BRIBE. “I am pleased by today’s sentence,” said Dennis M. McGunagle, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. “The DHS OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively investigate allegations of corruption to protect our borders and the integrity of DHS personnel, programs, and operations.” Criminal Case No. 10cr4141-H Defendant: Lorne Leslie Jones, aka “Hammer” Age: 50 Chula Vista, CA Summary of Charges Conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 Attempted importation of marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841 Agencies Federal Bureau of Investigation, Border Corruption Task Force Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations This content has been reproduced from its original source. www.nbcsandiego.com

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: