The 666's are in the seeds: Monsanto drags over 400 U.S. farmers to court over GM seed patents

 (NaturalNews) Agri-giant Monsanto, not satisfied with being one of the world's largest agricultural corporations, is dragging hundreds of U.S. farmers into court over alleged copyright violations for repeated usage of the company's patented seeds.

In a case that has surprised a lot of observers, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear one of these complaints on Feb. 19. That case, Bowman v. Monsanto Co., was billed as a landmark battle pitting farmer Vernon Bowman against the international Ag-giant over the former's repeated use of seeds he bought from Monsanto which the company says are only supposed to be used for one growing season.

In advance of the case, The Huffington Post reported, the Center for Food Safety and the Save Our Seeds campaigning organizations released a report detailing similar cases.

Price of seeds have skyrocketed

According to that report titled "Seed Giants vs. U.S. Farmers," which readers can view here, Monsanto alleges seed patent infringement in 144 lawsuits against 410 farmers and 56 small farm businesses in at least 27 states, as of January of this year.

Combined, Monsanto, Syngenta and DuPont hold more than half - 53 percent - of the global commercial seed market, which the groups claim in their report has led to a massive increase in the price of seed: Between 1995 and 2011, the groups say the average cost of planting a single acre of soybeans rose a whopping 325 percent, while corn seed prices climbed a staggering 259 percent.

Learn more:

Monsanto drags over 400 U.S. farmers to court over GM seed patents: When will Big Ag's corrupt reign end?

A Chinese Group Plans To Construct A 200 Acre “China City” In Michigan

A Chinese group known as “Sino-Michigan Properties LLC” has bought up 200 acres of land near the town of Milan, Michigan.  Their plan is to construct a “China City” with artificial lakes, a Chinese cultural center and hundreds of housing units for Chinese citizens.  Essentially, it would be a little slice of communist China dropped right into the heartland of America.  This “China City” would be located about 40 minutes from both Detroit and Toledo, and it would be marketed to Chinese business people that want to start businesses in the United States.  Unfortunately, this is not just an isolated incident.  In fact, Chinese companies have been buying up land and businesses all over the country in recent years.  There has even been talk of establishing “special economic zones” inside the United States modeled after the Chinese city of Shenzhen.  It was inevitable that the Chinese were going to do something with the trillions of dollars that they have made flooding our shores with cheap products.  Now they are rapidly buying up pieces of America, and many of our politicians are welcoming them with open arms.
The town of Milan, Michigan is a small farming community of only about 6,000 people, but big changes are coming their way.  The following is from a recent Dayton Daily News article about this new project….
- See more at: http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/a-chinese-group-plans-to-construct-a-200-acre-china-city-in-michigan#sthash.973NQA0e.DAMjfTZq.dpuf

A Chinese group known as “Sino-Michigan Properties LLC” has bought up 200 acres of land near the town of Milan, Michigan.  Their plan is to construct a “China City” with artificial lakes, a Chinese cultural center and hundreds of housing units for Chinese citizens.  Essentially, it would be a little slice of communist China dropped right into the heartland of America.  This “China City” would be located about 40 minutes from both Detroit and Toledo, and it would be marketed to Chinese business people that want to start businesses in the United States.  Unfortunately, this is not just an isolated incident.  In fact, Chinese companies have been buying up land and businesses all over the country in recent years.  There has even been talk of establishing “special economic zones” inside the United States modeled after the Chinese city of Shenzhen.  It was inevitable that the Chinese were going to do something with the trillions of dollars that they have made flooding our shores with cheap products.  Now they are rapidly buying up pieces of America, and many of our politicians are welcoming them with open arms.
The town of Milan, Michigan is a small farming community of only about 6,000 people, but big changes are coming their way.  The following is from a recent Dayton Daily News article about this new project….
- See more at: http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/a-chinese-group-plans-to-construct-a-200-acre-china-city-in-michigan#sthash.973NQA0e.DAMjfTZq.dpuf

A Chinese group known as “Sino-Michigan Properties LLC” has bought up 200 acres of land near the town of Milan, Michigan.  Their plan is to construct a “China City” with artificial lakes, a Chinese cultural center and hundreds of housing units for Chinese citizens.  Essentially, it would be a little slice of communist China dropped right into the heartland of America.  This “China City” would be located about 40 minutes from both Detroit and Toledo, and it would be marketed to Chinese business people that want to start businesses in the United States.  Unfortunately, this is not just an isolated incident.  In fact, Chinese companies have been buying up land and businesses all over the country in recent years.  There has even been talk of establishing “special economic zones” inside the United States modeled after the Chinese city of Shenzhen. - See more at: http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/a-chinese-group-plans-to-construct-a-200-acre-china-city-in-michigan#sthash.973NQA0e.DAMjfTZq.dpuf

A Chinese group known as “Sino-Michigan Properties LLC” has bought up 200 acres of land near the town of Milan, Michigan.  Their plan is to construct a “China City” with artificial lakes, a Chinese cultural center and hundreds of housing units for Chinese citizens.  Essentially, it would be a little slice of communist China dropped right into the heartland of America.  This “China City” would be located about 40 minutes from both Detroit and Toledo, and it would be marketed to Chinese business people that want to start businesses in the United States.  Unfortunately, this is not just an isolated incident.  In fact, Chinese companies have been buying up land and businesses all over the country in recent years.  There has even been talk of establishing “special economic zones” inside the United States modeled after the Chinese city of Shenzhen.  It was inevitable that the Chinese were going to do something with the trillions of dollars that they have made flooding our shores with cheap products.  Now they are rapidly buying up pieces of America, and many of our politicians are welcoming them with open arms.
The town of Milan, Michigan is a small farming community of only about 6,000 people, but big changes are coming their way.  The following is from a recent Dayton Daily News article about this new project….
- See more at: http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/a-chinese-group-plans-to-construct-a-200-acre-china-city-in-michigan#sthash.973NQA0e.DAMjfTZq.dpuf

A Chinese Group Plans To Construct A 200 Acre “China City” In Michigan

Michigan governor clears way for state takeover of Detroit | Reuters

 
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder cleared the way for a state takeover of Detroit, declaring that the birthplace of the U.S. automotive industry faces a fiscal emergency and that he has identified a top candidate to assume its management.
Friday's declaration by the Republican governor virtually assures that the state of Michigan will assume control of Detroit's books, and eventually decide whether the city should file the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
Detroit has faced the steepest population decline of any major American city in recent decades. Once the fifth largest U.S. city and springboard for music icons such as Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, it now ranks 18th in size with about 700,000 people.


Michigan governor clears way for state takeover of Detroit | Reuters

Universal Preschool: Just Another Unnecessary Program From Government – Patriot Update

Written on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 by Tad Cronn

President Obama’s recent push for “universal” preschool should worry parents everywhere.

Not only is it an effort to further remove children’s development from the control of their parents, but there’s little reason to suggest that it could provide any real benefit to the kids.

When have you ever known a government program, particularly when it comes to education, to work the way it is supposed to?

Read more:
Universal Preschool: Just Another Unnecessary Program From Government – Patriot Update

Economic Freedom Vanishing In America – Patriot Update

 

The latest edition of the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom has been released and the news is not good for America. In fact, according to the 2013 edition of the Index economic freedom is vanishing in the United States. The Heritage Foundation defines economic freedom as “…the fundamental right of every human to control his or her own labor and property. In an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please, with that freedom both protected by the state and unconstrained by the state.”

Read more:

Economic Freedom Vanishing In America – Patriot Update

Obama's Pentagon Report Wrong, Deceives American people

More of Obama's creative accounting -- paying with the lives of dead American soldiers. It is so reprehensible as to border on treason. Of course this outrage is not met with media criticism. More proof that the elites are at war with the American people.

They used this fallacious report to laud Obama's failed pro-Taliban policy. The entire report is false. They are now caling it a "regrattable error." Yes, I am sure. The Pentagon report that is now pure fiction cost the American taxpayer $160,000 last year. What it cost in American lives is incalcuable. But green on blue attacks have never been higher.

U.S. military command in Afghanistan to revise count of Taliban attacks -- whoops, jihadists aren't in decline after all Jihadwatch 

 

Sorry, folks, we aren't winning after all. Not that we really even want to. "AP Newsbreak: Drop in Taliban attacks incorrect," by Robert Burns for the Associated Press, February 26:

Read on:

Obama's Pentagon Report Wrong, Deceives American people on Taliban attacks, Jihadists arent' declining at all - Atlas Shrugs

Farrakhan Recruits Chicago Gangs as ‘Soldiers’ of Nation of Islam

Monday, 25 Feb 2013 07:15 PM
By Michael Mullins

Louis Farrakhan, the controversial leader of the Nation of Islam, spoke to thousands of followers in Chicago Sunday, addressing gun control, praising President Barak Obama’s re-election, and outlining a proposal to enlist the city’s warring gangs to “protect” the Islamic organization.

Farrakhan, 79, told 7,000 followers he plans to reach out to Chicago’s gang leaders and enlist their services to “protect” the Nation of Islam in the future.

“All you gang bangers, we know you love to shoot, but you’re killing yourselves,” Farrakhan said. “All your weapons are illegal and you’re using them like savages.”

Farrakhan suggested that such “gang bangers” are “natural soldiers” and when given proper instruction, they could be taught “the science of war” to protect the Nation of Islam.

The statements were reportedly made shortly after Farrakhan repeated his calls for blacks to pool their money and purchase as much land as possible, DNAinfo reported, as a way to “control means of production” necessary for survival.
On gun control, Farrakhan told his supporters that national lawmakers were using Chicago’s violence epidemic to mandate stronger gun control laws.
He argued that the Second Amendment had nothing to do with the high homicide rate in Chicago this past year.

“The guns that every one of our young people have, are they legal? No!” Farrakhan said.

Farrakhan called Obama’s re-election a significant historical milestone and went on to warn those in attendance that Obama’s victory does not guarantee prosperity for black people.

Farrakhan blamed the death of Libyan president Moammar Ghaddaf on American and European governments. He said the governments viewed Ghaddafi as an “impediment” to their access to natural resources in Africa.

Farrakhan went on to suggest that the American government also wanted to see black leaders, like himself, go away.

Mario’s note:  Pray for Obama’s media Teflon to be removed and for the nation as a whole to repudiate his agenda.  It is the frenzy on the part of the left that has emboldened Farrakhan to make such inflammatory remarks. Pray for our nation in the critical time for true revival to come and  avoid civil war.

Mario Murillo Ministries

Catholic Church Searches for Renewal and a New Pope - SPIEGEL ONLINE

A shift is taking place in the otherwise immovable Catholic Church. A global struggle has begun over the prerogative of interpretation, opportunities, legacy and positions -- a silent battle for Rome.

The ultimate effects of the pope's resignation are thus far impossible to predict. But it is clear that previous certainties will now be up for debate -- certainties that were once just as firm as the understanding that the position of pope was for life.
In the modern age, a pope has never resigned from the office, one that some believe is the most important on earth. There hasn't been an ex-pontiff since the last years of the Schism, after Gregory XII and the Avignon pope agreed to resign to reunite the church. That was the last time that an ex-pope spent the rest of his days strolling around the Vatican gardens as nothing but a simple brother. Never before has the decision of a single pope presented such a challenge to the Catholic Church as this one. Zero hour has begun at the Vatican. The pope's resignation was certainly "great" within Dante's meaning. But it was not made through cowardice. On the contrary, it was probably the most courageous step in a long-drifting papacy marred by scandals and misunderstandings.

Catholic Church Searches for Renewal and a New Pope - SPIEGEL ONLINE

A 'balancing' article for the previous post:? Germany does not want 'diktat' on Europe

 Berlin - In his first-ever speech on the European Union, German President Joachim Gauck on Friday (22 February) told crisis-hit countries that there is no threat of them being ruled by a "German diktat."

EUobserver.com / Political Affairs / Germany does not want 'diktat' on Europe

The Return of German Imperialism | Global Research

Germany is making intensive preparations to conduct new wars to secure resources. This was the unmistakable message of a lead article in Germany’s business newspaper Handelsblatt, “Expedition Resources: Germany’s new course.”

The article shows the real face of the German bourgeoisie. As in the first half of the twentieth century, when it twice played a central role in plunging humanity into world war, it is again moving to enforce its imperialist interests through war. “The previous political measures to secure raw materials are reaching their limits,” the Handelsblatt states. Dependence on raw materials is the German economy’s Achilles heel, the paper writes: “Industry is plagued by the fear that the high-tech sector in Germany could be cut off from essential supplies.”
The very same business circles that financed Hitler are again banging the war drums. The article cites an interview with Dierk Paskert, the manager of the Resource Alliance founded in 2011. Members of the alliance include Volkswagen, ThyssenKrupp, Bayer and BASF—firms that either directly supported Nazi war plans, or whose predecessors did. Now they work closely with the German government to plan how Berlin will secure access to critical raw materials across the globe, by force if necessary.

The Return of German Imperialism | Global Research

The secret code used to bury bad news in the Bible: Researchers discover 'Genesis death sandwich' | Mail Online

Burying bad news is a common tactic in modern politics - but researchers say it was actually first used in the Bible.
British and American researchers say they have uncovered a secret 'Genesis Death Sandwich' that reveals a 'striking pattern between the two key themes of ‘life’ and ‘death’'.
'The opening and closing verses of the book contain frequent mentions of life, whereas mentions of death are only found in clusters in the middle,' they say.

Read more:

The secret code used to bury bad news in the Bible: Researchers discover 'Genesis death sandwich' | Mail Online

Saudi religious police arrest Ethiopian workers for practicing Christianity

Saudi Arabia’s notorious religious police, known as the mutawa, swooped in on a private gathering of at least 53 Ethiopian Christians this month, shutting down their private prayer, and arresting the peaceful group of foreign workers for merely practicing their faith, FoxNews.com has learned.
The mixed group of men and women was seized in a private residence in the city of Dammam, the capital of the wealthy oil province in Eastern Arabia, and Saudi authorities charged three Christian leaders with seeking to convert Muslims to Christianity. The latest crackdown on Christianity in the ultra-fundamental Islamic country comes on the heels of a brutal 2011/2012 incarceration and torture of 36 Ethiopian Christians, and drew a sharp rebuke from a U.S. lawmaker.

Saudi religious police arrest Ethiopian workers for practicing Christianity | Fox News

China's Christians see mounting persecution

Christians and human rights advocates are alarmed over an aggressive crackdown on house churches in China, where the faithful are forced to call their gatherings "patriotic" assemblies or sent to prison where they can face torture, according to a new report.
Cases of the government persecuting Christians rose 42 percent last year, amid a three-phase plan by Beijing to eradicate the home-based churches, according to China Aid, a Texas-based human rights group.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/21/christians-house-churches-in-china-see-erious-escalation-persecution-report/#ixzz2Ldcba6eH

What Are These Strange Barcode-Like Images Visible in Aerial Pictures of the U.S.? | TheBlaze.com

Many might not know it, but there are dozens of large, barcode-like paintings across the United States. Just how long have they been there though and what do they do?

What Are These Strange Barcode-Like Images Visible in Aerial Pictures of the U.S.? | TheBlaze.com

Is TV’s New Cold-War Spy Thriller Anti-American?

For the last few weeks, Americans watching “The Americans” on the FX Network might have found themselves rooting against their own country — and that’s what the series executives want.

Executive Producer Joel Fields told The Hollywood Reporter, “It might be a little different to believe and get used to, but we want you to root for the KGB.”

Is TV’s New Cold-War Spy Thriller Anti-American? Producer Admits ‘We Want You to Root for the KGB’ | Video | TheBlaze.com

Military invests in smart-phone reconnaissance - CSMonitor.com

AOptix signs a $3 million contract with the US Department of Defense to help develop smart phones with Smart Mobile Identity technology, which scans fingerprints and other physical features for identity verification. Biometrics developers say they aren't far from making the technology commercially available.

Military invests in smart-phone reconnaissance - CSMonitor.com

US soldiers and spies to get handheld biometric scanners | Naked Security

 US soldiers and spies will soon be able to scan people's eyes, faces, thumbs and voices, at a distance, using everyday, commercially available smartphones - a boon for both the battlefield and for government snooping.
US soldiers and spies to get handheld biometric scanners | Naked Security

Retail Apocalypse: Why Are Major Retail Chains All Over America Collapsing?

 

 If the economy is improving, then why are many of the largest retail chains in America closing hundreds of stores?  When I was growing up, Sears, J.C. Penney, Best Buy and RadioShack were all considered to be unstoppable retail powerhouses.  But now it is being projected that all of them will close hundreds of stores before the end of 2013.

The mainstream media continues to proclaim that we are experiencing a robust "economic recovery", but at the same time there are a whole host of indications that things are continually getting worse.

Even global cell phone sales actually declined slightly in 2012.  That was the first time that has happened since the last recession.

Perhaps it is time that we faced the truth.  The middle class is shrinking, incomes are declining and there are not nearly as many jobs as there used to be.



Retail Apocalypse: Why Are Major Retail Chains All Over America Collapsing?

As vote nears, tensions flare among Egypt Islamists | Reuters

(Reuters) - President Mohamed Mursi's decision to fire a hardline Islamist as an adviser has laid bare rivalries between Egypt's two biggest Islamist groups as parliamentary elections approach.

The sacking of Khaled Alameddin of the Salafi Nour Party on Sunday has led his movement to step up criticism of the Muslim Brotherhood that propelled Mursi to power, narrowing the already slim chances of the two movements working together in the election.

Alameddin broke down in tears during a news conference on Monday, saying he had been accused of abusing power. The presidency has yet to issue a statement on why Alameddin was dismissed.

"I formally demand an apology from
the president. I won't accept an apology less than that," Alameddin said.


As vote nears, tensions flare among Egypt Islamists | Reuters

U.N. body says U.S. lax on clerical sex abuse cases | Reuters

(Well, it looks like the earlier post may have some substance to it after all, i.e. about the Pope resigning over the threat of arrest)


(Reuters) - A U.N. committee has accused U.S. legal authorities of failing to fully pursue cases of child sex abuse in religious groups, an issue especially troubling the Roman Catholic Church.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child wrote this month that it was "deeply concerned" to find widespread sexual abuse by clerics and staff of religious institutions and "a lack of measures ... to properly investigate cases and prosecute them".

Britain's National Secular Society, which drew attention on Monday to the little-noticed report, said it hoped the Catholic pope to be elected next month would open Church files to help prosecute as yet undiscovered cases of clerical sexual abuse.


U.N. body says U.S. lax on clerical sex abuse cases | Reuters